WFXU
Encyclopedia
WFXU is a television station
serving southwest Georgia
and the Tallahassee, Florida
area, licensed to Live Oak, Florida
. It broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter in Hamilton County, Florida
, between Jasper
and Jennings
. It is owned by Budd Broadcasting.
affiliate WTLH
, intending to improve that station's signal in the eastern part of the market. It broadcast an analog signal on UHF channel 57 from the transmitter location near Jasper. Originally owned by L.O. Telecast, Inc., WFXU was sold to KB Prime Media in 1999 and to WTLH owner Pegasus Communications in 2002 (the sale was approved because despite Tallahassee not having enough stations to support a duopoly under Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) rules, Pegasus had helped fund WFXU's construction). That April, WFXU broke off from WTLH and became a UPN
affiliate.
WFXU's signal was not nearly strong enough to cover the entire market. To make up for this shortfall in coverage, it launched WTLF
on May 7, 2003 as a full-time satellite. Pegasus declared bankruptcy in June 2004 over a dispute with DirecTV
over marketing of the direct broadcast satellite
service in rural areas.
On April 1, 2005, WFXU and WTLF switched to The WB
, via The WB 100+
; UPN promptly signed with WCTV
, which launched a new subchannel to carry the network. Prior to this, The WB was carried on a cable-only WB 100+ station, "WBXT", which was operated by WTXL-TV
. On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN announced that they would merge to form The CW. It was announced on April 24 that WTLH would create a new second digital subchannel to become Tallahassee's CW affiliate. These plans were modified around August 2006 to make WFXU/WTLF the primary CW affiliate, with a simulcast on WTLH-DT2; this took effect when the network premiered on September 18.
Although most of the Pegasus station group was sold in August 2006 to private investment firm CP Media, LLC of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
, WFXU was instead sold to Budd Broadcasting that November. Since then, the station has operated intermittently as an independent station, with CW programming being seen only on WTLF and WTLH-DT2. More recently, it resumed operations from October 17 to November 14, 2010 after being silent since November 2009; this was done in order to avoid forfeiture of the broadcast license.
In June 2008, WFXU applied to relocate its digital transmitter to west of High Springs
, near Gainesville
, with the intent of refocusing its viewership on that market. The FCC dismissed the application that December.
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
serving southwest Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and the Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
area, licensed to Live Oak, Florida
Live Oak, Florida
Live Oak is a city in Suwannee County, Florida. The city is the county seat of Suwannee County and is located east of Tallahassee, Florida. The population was 6,480 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,828 ....
. It broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter in Hamilton County, Florida
Hamilton County, Florida
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 13,327. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 13,983 . Its county seat is Jasper, Florida.- History :...
, between Jasper
Jasper, Florida
Jasper is a city in Hamilton County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,780 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,848 . It is the county seat of Hamilton County. The United Methodist Church in Jasper, Florida is on the National Register...
and Jennings
Jennings, Florida
Jennings is a town in Hamilton County, Florida, United States. The population was 833 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
. It is owned by Budd Broadcasting.
History
WFXU began broadcasting June 15, 1998 as a full-time satellite of FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate WTLH
WTLH
WTLH is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southwestern Georgia and Tallahassee, Florida, in the United States. Licensed to Bainbridge, Georgia, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter in Metcalf, Georgia near the Florida state line. The station...
, intending to improve that station's signal in the eastern part of the market. It broadcast an analog signal on UHF channel 57 from the transmitter location near Jasper. Originally owned by L.O. Telecast, Inc., WFXU was sold to KB Prime Media in 1999 and to WTLH owner Pegasus Communications in 2002 (the sale was approved because despite Tallahassee not having enough stations to support a duopoly under Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) rules, Pegasus had helped fund WFXU's construction). That April, WFXU broke off from WTLH and became a UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate.
WFXU's signal was not nearly strong enough to cover the entire market. To make up for this shortfall in coverage, it launched WTLF
WTLF
WTLF is the CW-affiliated television station for Southwestern Georgia and Tallahassee, Florida. The station broadcasts a standard definition digital signal on UHF channel 24 from a transmitter at its studios on Commerce Boulevard in Midway, Florida. WTLF can also be seen on Mediacom channel 2 and...
on May 7, 2003 as a full-time satellite. Pegasus declared bankruptcy in June 2004 over a dispute with DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
over marketing of the direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...
service in rural areas.
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, via The WB 100+
The WB 100+ Station Group
The WB 100+ Station Group was a group of primarily non-broadcast local cable television outlets for The WB Television Network, for markets below the top 100 television media markets in the United States. Dayparts with no WB programming were programmed by the network...
; UPN promptly signed with WCTV
WCTV
WCTV is the CBS-affiliated television station for southwest Georgia and Tallahassee, Florida that is licensed to Thomasville, Georgia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 46 from a transmitter in Metcalf along the Georgia and Florida state line. This is 609.6 meters high...
, which launched a new subchannel to carry the network. Prior to this, The WB was carried on a cable-only WB 100+ station, "WBXT", which was operated by WTXL-TV
WTXL-TV
WTXL-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Tallahassee, Florida. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 27 from a transmitter northwest of Monticello, Florida along the state line with Georgia. It can also be seen on Charter channel 3 as well as Mediacom and Comcast...
. On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN announced that they would merge to form The CW. It was announced on April 24 that WTLH would create a new second digital subchannel to become Tallahassee's CW affiliate. These plans were modified around August 2006 to make WFXU/WTLF the primary CW affiliate, with a simulcast on WTLH-DT2; this took effect when the network premiered on September 18.
Although most of the Pegasus station group was sold in August 2006 to private investment firm CP Media, LLC of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, WFXU was instead sold to Budd Broadcasting that November. Since then, the station has operated intermittently as an independent station, with CW programming being seen only on WTLF and WTLH-DT2. More recently, it resumed operations from October 17 to November 14, 2010 after being silent since November 2009; this was done in order to avoid forfeiture of the broadcast license.
In June 2008, WFXU applied to relocate its digital transmitter to west of High Springs
High Springs, Florida
High Springs is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,863 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,139 .-Geography:High Springs is located at ....
, near Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, with the intent of refocusing its viewership on that market. The FCC dismissed the application that December.