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{{good article}}
{{short description|Fox/MyNetworkTV affiliate in Huntsville, Alabama}}
{{Short description|TV station in Huntsville, Alabama}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox television station
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WZDX
| callsign = WZDX
| city = Huntsville, Alabama
| city = Huntsville, Alabama
| logo = [[File:WZDXFox54Logo.png|225px]]
| logo = WZDX Fox 54 logo.png
| logo_upright = .9
----
| logo_alt = The Fox network logo in black, next to a strip fitting into the right-side notch of the X with the numeral 54, the 5 slightly overlapping the 4 with a border.
[[Image:Me-TV WZDX Huntsville.png|150px]]
| branding = Fox 54; Fox 54 News<br>MeTV Tennessee Valley ''(on DT3)''
| branding = Fox 54; My8 (DT2)
| digital = 18 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]])
| digital = 18 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 54
| virtual = 54
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''54.1:''' [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (1987–present)|'''54.2:''' [[MyNetworkTV]] ("WAMY")|'''54.3:''' [[MeTV]]|'''54.4:''' [[Court TV Mystery]]<br>'''54.5:''' [[True Crime Network|True Crime]] (soon)<br>'''54.6:''' [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]] (soon)}}
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''54.1:''' [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]|'''54.2:''' [[MyNetworkTV]]|''for others, see {{Section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| country = United States
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1985|4|14|p=y}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1985|4|14|p=y|br=yes}}
| location = [[Huntsville, Alabama|Huntsville]]/[[Decatur, Alabama|Decatur]]/[[Florence, Alabama]]
| location = [[Huntsville]][[Decatur, Alabama|Decatur]][[Florence, Alabama]]
| former_channel_numbers = '''[[analog television|Analog]]:'''<br>54 (UHF, 1984–2009)<br>'''Digital:'''<br>41 (UHF, 2002–2020)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 54 (UHF, 1985–2009)|'''Digital:''' 41 (UHF, 2002–2020)}}
| owner = [[Tegna Inc.]]
| owner = [[Tegna Inc.]]
| licensee = Tegna Broadcast Holdings, [[Limited liability company|LLC]]
| licensee = Tegna Broadcast Holdings, [[LLC]]
| former_affiliations = '''Analog/DT1:'''<br>[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]] (1984–1987)<br>'''DT2:'''<br>[[The WB]] (via "WAMY", 2002−2006)
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[Independent station|Independent]] (1985–1987)}}
| erp = 522 kW
| erp = 522 kW
| haat = {{convert|525.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| haat = {{convert|525.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 28119
| facility_id = 28119
| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|34|44|12.8|N|86|31|58.9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}}}
| coordinates = {{coord|34|44|12.8|N|86|31|58.9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{url|https://www.rocketcitynow.com/}}
| website = {{url|https://www.rocketcitynow.com/}}
}}
}}


'''WZDX''', [[virtual channel]] 54 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]] [[digital terrestrial television|digital]] channel 18), is a dual [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]/[[MyNetworkTV]]-[[network affiliate|affiliated]] [[television station]] [[city of license|licensed]] to [[Huntsville, Alabama]], United States and serving [[North Alabama]]'s [[Tennessee Valley]]. The station is owned by [[McLean, Virginia]]-based [[Tegna Inc.]] WZDX's studios are located on [[Memorial Parkway (Huntsville, Alabama)|North Memorial Parkway]] ([[U.S. Route 72#Alabama|US 72]]/[[U.S. Route 231#Alabama|231]]/[[U.S. Route 431 in Alabama|431]]) in Huntsville, and its transmitter is located on [[Monte Sano Mountain]] in the Mountain Heights section of the city.
'''WZDX''' (channel 54) is a [[television station]] in [[Huntsville, Alabama]], United States, affiliated with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] and [[MyNetworkTV]]. Owned by [[Tegna Inc.]], the station maintains studios on [[Memorial Parkway (Huntsville, Alabama)|North Memorial Parkway]] ([[U.S. Route 72#Alabama|US 72]]/[[U.S. Route 231#Alabama|231]]/[[U.S. Route 431 in Alabama|431]]) in Huntsville, and its transmitter is located on [[Monte Sano Mountain]].

WZDX began broadcasting in April 1985 as the first [[independent station]] for the Huntsville area; it became a Fox affiliate in November 1987. Its original owner, Media Central, filed for bankruptcy that year and eventually sold the station in 1990 to a consortium of [[Citicorp]] and [[Milton Grant]], marking the latter's return to TV station ownership after a prior bankruptcy. The station started a cable channel that served as the local affiliate of [[The WB]]—predecessor to its MyNetworkTV subchannel—in 2001. A local newscast, produced at first out-of-state and then by local [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate [[WAAY-TV]], began to air in 2008.

The Grant stations were acquired by [[Nexstar Broadcasting Group]] in 2013; Nexstar brought local news production in-house by establishing its own newsroom in 2016, and it formed a duopoly in the market by acquiring [[The CW]] affiliate [[WHDF]] two years later. When Nexstar acquired [[Tribune Media]], owner of Huntsville [[CBS]] affiliate [[WHNT-TV]], in 2019, it retained that station and WHDF and spun out WZDX along with other stations to Tegna.


==History==
==History==
===Establishment and construction===
WZDX first signed on April 14, 1985 as Northern Alabama's first [[independent station (North America)|independent station]] and the area's first new outlet to launch in nearly twenty years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=April 14, 1985|title=54 to Begin Broadcasting Today|page=A-7|work=[[The Huntsville Times]]}}</ref> The station was originally owned by Community Service Broadcasting, a subsidiary of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]-based Media Central.<ref name=":0" /> The station cost the owners between $5 to 6 million to put on the air.<ref name=":0" /> The inaugural program shown was an airing of the 1968 [[feature film|film]] ''[[Charly]]''. The station's transmitter was on Green Mountain in southeastern Huntsville while its studios were in the northwestern section of the city. During the first months after its beginning, WZDX used the slogan "We're Taking You to the Top!" and ran full-page ads in ''[[The Huntsville Times]]'' with this tagline and with still pictures of movies and syndicated shows that the station was planning to air.<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 8, 1985|title=You've Never Watched Huntsville's Favorite TV Station (advertisement)|page=B-8|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref>
In 1975, Thomas Barr and James Cleary under the name Pioneer Communications petitioned the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to add another television channel to the Huntsville area for the purpose of building an [[independent station]]. At the time, only four channels were assigned to Huntsville: 19, 25, 31, and 48. The FCC proposed adding channel 54, but two Huntsville stations, [[WAAY-TV]] and [[WAFF (TV)|WYUR-TV]], opposed the proposal. In 1977, the FCC suggested inserting channel 54 at [[Decatur, Alabama]], which already had channel 23. However, unlike channel 54, channel 23 could not be used at [[Monte Sano Mountain|Monte Sano]]—the main television transmission site in the region, resulting in low interest.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Plans for TV Channel Here Suffer Setback|page=22|work=[[The Huntsville Times]]|date=December 12, 1977|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/plans-tv-channel-here-suffer-setback/bpyzhumqlwwhzqkrczpvgfrkxjkmrpco_wma-gateway008_1677478882719}}</ref>


Channel 54 was ultimately added to Huntsville, but there were no applications on file until C. Michael Norton, an attorney from [[Nashville, Tennessee]], applied for it in September 1981 after seeing it on a list of unused TV allocations.<ref>{{Cite news|page=C-2|title=TV Station Permit Sought|work=The Huntsville Times|date=September 29, 1981|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/tv-station-permit-sought/qssqzlnbuzbkrxpkmdwipheaaomrgbzh_wma-gateway007_1677478989000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Channel 54: Do Television Viewers in Huntsville Have a Void?|first=Mike|last=Kaylor|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54-do-television-viewers-huntsville-have-void/xrnwxwqnlthzfmsfljickaimeqihcmmq_wma-gateway002_1677479117171|page=D-15|work=The Huntsville Times|date=October 2, 1981|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090500/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54-do-television-viewers-huntsville-have-void/xrnwxwqnlthzfmsfljickaimeqihcmmq_wma-gateway002_1677479117171|url-status=live}}</ref> Norton was soon joined by other applicants, with the FCC selecting Community Service Broadcasting, a company owned by John Pauza of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], and Joel Katz of [[Atlanta]]. Pauza owned Media Central, which specialized in the construction of new independent stations in medium markets.<ref name="Hunt830203">{{cite news|title=Fun TV? FCC OKs License for New Station in Huntsville; Owners Plan to Put Emphasis on Entertainment|first=Mike|last=Kaylor|page=D-3|date=February 3, 1983|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fun-tv-fcc-oks-license-new-station-huntsville-owners-plan-put-emphasis-entertainment/mqwibxkqszuncyhhmlfissjskpyujowa_wma-gateway002_1677479291576|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090430/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fun-tv-fcc-oks-license-new-station-huntsville-owners-plan-put-emphasis-entertainment/mqwibxkqszuncyhhmlfissjskpyujowa_wma-gateway002_1677479291576|url-status=live}}</ref>
When the Fox network began late night service on October 9, 1986, WZDX initially abstained from affiliating with the network unlike many other strong independent TV stations across the country that had signed on with them, despite the network wanting the station "badly", according to the station's then-general manager.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=July 2, 1987|title=Competition Heats Up as Local TV Ratings Arrive|page=D-27|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref> However, by December 5, 1987, the station started showing Fox's prime time schedule at the time, but didn't refer to itself as a Fox affiliate for another few months.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=October 31, 1987|title=WZDK to join Fox network in December|page=2A|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref> On March 29, 1990, WZDX became the first property owned by a [[Grant Broadcasting|new broadcasting group]] founded by Milton Grant.


For two years, Media Central missed a series of deadlines. In February 1983, after being selected for the [[construction permit]], Media Central announced it intended to begin broadcasting that fall.{{r|Hunt830203}} By that fall, the target date had shifted to spring 1984.<ref>{{Cite news|page=D-3|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-tv-station-owners-project-spring-launch/jmeoqrecqncvppulxdrlxvxmxaqcnfcp_wma-gateway013_1677479435240|title=New TV Station Owners Project Spring Launch|date=September 29, 1983|first=Mike|last=Kaylor|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref> Issues with locating the station's tower impeded a launch at that time,<ref>{{Cite news|page=D-3|work=The Huntsville Times|title=Channel 54|date=April 5, 1984|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54/bnivvffnwcwjpijcjdzotewdplmcsfcj_wma-gateway017_1677479525121|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090501/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54/bnivvffnwcwjpijcjdzotewdplmcsfcj_wma-gateway017_1677479525121|url-status=live}}</ref> but in late 1984, channel 54 began to take shape. A tower site was purchased in August, the call letters WZDX were assigned in September,<ref>{{Cite news|title=New Station to Have Call Letters of WZDX|page=F-3|work=The Huntsville Times|date=September 13, 1984|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-station-have-call-letters-wzdx/cpwxsmoxlzoviekzsrnpagufqxlnlwea_wma-gateway016_1677479641318|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090456/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-station-have-call-letters-wzdx/cpwxsmoxlzoviekzsrnpagufqxlnlwea_wma-gateway016_1677479641318|url-status=live}}</ref> and construction began in November.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 21, 1984|title=Construction Under Way On Channel 54 Facilities|page=D-6|first=Mike|last=Kaylor|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/construction-under-way-channel-54-facilities/aolarigvoklcbisfuuncdxdgdqryvumd_wma-gateway012_1677479745008|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090459/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/construction-under-way-channel-54-facilities/aolarigvoklcbisfuuncdxdgdqryvumd_wma-gateway012_1677479745008|url-status=live}}</ref> Even then, the station did not start broadcasting in 1984; the antenna was not hoisted onto the station's new tower on Green Mountain until March 1985.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Channel 54 Update|page=D-3|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54-update/mqcsapujrtskgbmbhvrihboysutzgvin_wma-gateway003_1677479935646|date=March 21, 1985|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090445/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-54-update/mqcsapujrtskgbmbhvrihboysutzgvin_wma-gateway003_1677479935646|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2002, it launched the second digital signal of the [[media market|market]] on UHF channel 41. A simulcast of [[The WB 100+ Station Group|cable-only]] [[The WB|WB]] affiliate "WAWB-TV" was then added to a second digital subchannel of WZDX. That offered non-cable viewers access to WB programming for the first time. In September 2003, the broadcast tower shared by WZDX and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate [[WAAY-TV]] (channel 31) collapsed killing three men. Until it could be replaced, WZDX and WAAY temporarily aired from the nearby tower of [[CBS]] affiliate [[WHNT-TV]] (channel 19).


From studios on Mastin Lake Road in northeast Huntsville, WZDX first signed on April 14, 1985, as Northern Alabama's first independent station and the area's first new outlet to launch in 22 years.<ref name="Hunt850411">{{Cite news|date=April 11, 1985|page=D-3|work=The Huntsville Times|title=Independent Television Station Set to Sign On Sunday Morning; 'Dallas' Reruns, Movies Head WZDX Schedule|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/independent-television-station-set-sign-sunday-morning-dallas-reruns-movies-head-wzdx-schedule/lnjbproxxdlzblbljyyldvhhigpsqtgd_wma-gateway003_1677480096554|first=Mike|last=Kaylor|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090510/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/independent-television-station-set-sign-sunday-morning-dallas-reruns-movies-head-wzdx-schedule/lnjbproxxdlzblbljyyldvhhigpsqtgd_wma-gateway003_1677480096554|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Hunt850414">{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=April 14, 1985|title=54 to Begin Broadcasting Today|page=A-7|work=[[The Huntsville Times]]|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/54-begin-broadcasting-today/yiyqfhqsdcixmkysunywviwdvfulyxwt_wma-gateway009_1677480704915}}</ref> Programming consisted of syndicated reruns, movies, and short local newsbreaks.{{r|Hunt850411}} The station cost the owners between $5 million and $6 million to put on the air.<ref name="Hunt850414" />
On November 6, 2013, [[Nexstar Media Group|Nexstar Broadcasting Group]] announced that it would purchase the Grant stations, including WZDX, for $87.5 million.<ref name=b&c-saletonexstar>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Michael|title=Nexstar to Acquire Seven Grant Stations For $87.5 Million|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/496448-Nexstar_to_Acquire_Seven_Grant_Stations_For_87_5_Million.php|access-date=November 6, 2013|newspaper=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=November 6, 2013}}</ref> The sale was completed on December 1, 2014.<ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1663772&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=28119 Consummation Notice],''CDBS Public Access'' [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved 3 December 2014.</ref> WZDX is Nexstar's second station in Alabama; it already owned [[WDHN]], the ABC affiliate in [[Dothan, Alabama|Dothan]]. On January 27, 2016, it was announced that Nexstar would buy [[Media General]] for $4.6 billion. WZDX, along with WDHN, will become part of "Nexstar Media Group" and join a cluster of stations Nexstar would own in Alabama including [[WIAT]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] and [[WKRG-TV]] in [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], as well as [[WRBL]] in [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], which covers much of east Alabama including [[Opelika, Alabama|Opelika]] and [[Auburn, Alabama|Auburn]]. All three of these stations are CBS affiliates.


When the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network began late-night service on October 9, 1986, WZDX initially abstained from affiliating with the network unlike many other strong independent TV stations across the country that had signed on with them, despite the network wanting the station "badly". Program director David Godbout felt that his weekend shows were already attracting ratings and that he would have to charge too much for advertising within Fox programming for it to work economically.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=July 2, 1987|title=Competition Heats Up as Local TV Ratings Arrive|page=D-27|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/competition-heats-local-tv-ratings-arrive/afbphkvmibnqtrmipsunsuveoupjuikq_wma-gateway001_1677481454010|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090604/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/competition-heats-local-tv-ratings-arrive/afbphkvmibnqtrmipsunsuveoupjuikq_wma-gateway001_1677481454010|url-status=live}}</ref> This was a posture shared by the entire Media Central chain at the network's launch.<ref name="Knox860815">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89732988/some-viewers-will-see-joan-rivers/|date=August 15, 1986|page=B5|first=Reon|last=Carter|title=Some viewers will see Joan Rivers|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=November 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130031304/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89732988/some-viewers-will-see-joan-rivers/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> However, after Godbout left in late 1987, WZDX joined Fox in December of that year,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaylor|first=Mike|date=October 31, 1987|title=WZDK [sic] to join Fox network in December|page=2A|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wzdk-join-fox-network-december/jnlvmyesqyumdfsrcostjssnbozbjfdw_wma-gateway018_1677481712794|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090450/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wzdk-join-fox-network-december/jnlvmyesqyumdfsrcostjssnbozbjfdw_wma-gateway018_1677481712794|url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the fifth Media Central outlet to join the network in 1987.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 7, 1987|title=Briefly Noted|work=[[Electronic Media]]|page=46|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1987-12-07_6_49_0/page/n51/mode/2up?q=WZDX}}</ref>
On July 15, 2018, Nexstar agreed to acquire WHDF from [[Lockwood Broadcast Group]] for $2.25 million; Nexstar concurrently took over WHDF's operations through a [[Local marketing agreement|time brokerage agreement]].<ref name="fcc-saletonexstar">{{cite web |title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1788648&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=65128 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> The sale was completed on November 9,<ref name="whdfdealdone">{{Cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1795908&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=65128|title=Consummation Notice|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=November 13, 2018}}</ref> creating a duopoly with WZDX.


The late 1980s were times of uncertainty for Media Central. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in July 1987,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-07-13.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=July 13, 1987|pages=26–27|title=Media Central files for bankruptcy|id={{ProQuest|1016931866}}|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=January 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030822/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-07-13.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Act III Broadcasting]] submitted a bid to buy WZDX and [[WDBD]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]], the next year;<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 4, 1988|id={{ProQuest|1016920287}}|title=In Brief...|page=72|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-07-04-OCR-Page-0072.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=June 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625082405/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-07-04-OCR-Page-0072.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> both were among Media Central's most desirable properties. Act III's bid was rejected, as were proposals from Media Central itself and Maryland investment firm Donatelli & Klein, which did come away with WDBD and [[WDSI-TV]] in Chattanooga.<ref name="Clar890317">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119805151/channel-40s-bankruptcy-plan-denied/|date=March 17, 1989|page=1D|title=Channel 40's bankruptcy plan denied|newspaper=Clarion-Ledger|location=Jackson, Mississippi|first=Jeff|last=Edwards|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090457/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119805151/channel-40s-bankruptcy-plan-denied/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
On December 3, 2018, Nexstar announced it would acquire the assets of [[Chicago]]-based [[Tribune Media]]—which has owned [[CBS]] affiliate [[WHNT-TV]] (channel 19) since December 2013—for $6.4 billion in cash and debt. Nexstar was precluded from acquiring WHNT directly or indirectly while owning WZDX, as FCC regulations prohibit common ownership of more than two stations in the same media market, or two or more of the four highest-rated stations in the market. (Furthermore, any attempt by Nexstar to assume the operations of WHNT through [[local marketing agreement|local marketing]] or [[shared services]] agreements would be subject to regulatory hurdles that could delay completion of the FCC and Justice Department's review and approval process for the acquisition.) As such, Nexstar decided to sell WZDX to a separate, unrelated company to address the ownership conflict. WHDF does not rank among the top four in total-day viewership and therefore is not in conflict with existing FCC in-market ownership rules, thus, WHDF was retained by Nexstar and will merge their operations into WHNT's studios.)<ref>{{cite web|title=Acquisition of Tribune Media Company|url=https://www.nexstar.tv/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Nexstar-Tribune-Investor-Presentation-FINAL-12-3-18.pdf|website=[[Nexstar Media Group]]|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar Buying Tribune Media For $6.4 Billion|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|author=Mark K. Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar Confirms $4.1B Tribune Media Acquisition To Become Leading Local TV Station Owner|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/nexstar-tribune-media-acquisition-1202512653/|author=Peter White|author2=Dade Hayes|website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar to buy WGN owner Tribune Media for $4.1 billion|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-nexstar-tribune-media-20181202-story.html|author=Gerry Smith|author2=Nabila Ahmed|author3=Eric Newcomer|agency=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg News]]|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|publisher=[[Tribune Publishing]]|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar to buy Tribune Media for $4.1 billion|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tribune-media-m-a-nexstar-media/nexstar-to-buy-tribune-media-for-4-1-billion-idUSKBN1O217Z|author=Arjun Panchadar|author2=Sonam Rai|work=[[Reuters]]|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar Announces Deal to Buy Tribune for $6.4B|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/nexstar-announces-deal-to-buy-tribune-for-6-4b|author=Jon Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=It's Official: Nexstar Takes Tribune In Billion-Dollar Stock Deal|url=https://www.rbr.com/reuters-nexstar-gets-tribune-in-4-1b-deal/|author=Adam Jacobson|website=Radio-Television Business Report|publisher=Streamline-RBR, Inc.|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar To Spin Off $1B In Stations|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|author=Harry A. Jessell|author2=Mark K. Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nxsttrco1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar_agrees_to_acquire_tribune/|title=Nexstar Media Group Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Tribune Media Company for $6.4 Billion in Accretive Transaction Creating the Nation's Largest Local Television Broadcaster and Local Media Company|publisher=[[Nexstar Media Group]]|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nxsttrco2">{{cite web|url=http://www.tribunemedia.com/nexstar-media-group-enters-into-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-tribune-media-company/|title=Nexstar Media Group Enters Into Definitive Agreement To Acquire Tribune Media Company|publisher=[[Tribune Media]]|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 3, 2018}}</ref>


===Grant Broadcasting ownership===
Ultimately, on March 20, 2019, Nexstar announced it would keep the higher-rated WHNT, and sell WZDX to [[Tysons, Virginia]]-based [[Tegna Inc.]] once its acquisition of Tribune was consumated. This was part of the company's sale of nineteen Nexstar- and Tribune-operated stations to Tegna and the [[E. W. Scripps Company]] in separate deals worth $1.32 billion; this would make WZDX the first television property in Alabama for Tegna and a sister station to NBC affiliate [[WBIR-TV]] in [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] and the duopoly of NBC affiliate [[WXIA-TV]] and MyNetworkTV affiliate [[WATL (TV)|WATL]] in [[Atlanta]]. WHDF was not included in the sale, with Nexstar intending to form a new duopoly involving WHNT.<ref name="tvnc-nexstarspinoffs">{{cite web|title=Nexstar Selling 19 TVs In 15 Markets For $1.32B|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/232391/nexstar-selling-19-tvs-in-15-markets-for-1-32b/|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Nexstar to Sell Stations to Tegna, Scripps for $1.32 Billion|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-20/nexstar-to-sell-19-stations-to-tegna-scripps-for-1-32-billion|author=Nabila Ahmed|author2=Anousha Sakoui|website=Bloomberg News|publisher=[[Bloomberg, L.P.]]|date=March 20, 2019}}</ref> The sale was approved by the FCC on September 16 and was completed on September 19, 2019.
The bankruptcy court approved the acquisition of the station by a consortium of [[Citicorp]] and [[Milton Grant]] in August 1989;<ref name="Hunt890811">{{Cite news|page=1B|date=August 11, 1989|title=Citicorp to buy local TV station|work=The Huntsville Times|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/citicorp-buy-local-tv-station/zsaurgqavutfgbdxvattfosexkgaqowx_wma-gateway015_1677482252666|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227090424/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/citicorp-buy-local-tv-station/zsaurgqavutfgbdxvattfosexkgaqowx_wma-gateway015_1677482252666|url-status=live}}</ref>{{r|EM890814}} the $6.1 million transaction was approved in January 1990.<ref>{{Cite news|id={{ProQuest|1014730643}}|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1990/BC-1990-01-22.pdf|date=January 22, 1990|page=63|title=For the Record|work=Broadcasting|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=January 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030502/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1990/BC-1990-01-22.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> While WZDX represented Citicorp's first venture into broadcasting,{{r|Hunt890811}} WZDX became the first outlet in Grant's return to station ownership.<ref name="EM890814">{{Cite news|first=Diane|last=Mermigas|pages=3, 30|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1989-08-14_8_33/page/n1/mode/2up?q=WZDX|work=[[Electronic Media]]|date=August 14, 1989|title=TV sales spur hopes for market}}</ref> Grant Communications was the successor to the original Grant Broadcasting System, a three-station chain of independent outlets that filed for bankruptcy protection in 1986 and was ultimately sold to its bondholders.<ref name="Phil880701">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119407764/wgbs-emerges-from-bankruptcy-plans-flye/|date=July 1, 1988|page=10-C|first=Anthony Jr.|last=Gnoffo|title=WGBS emerges from bankruptcy, plans Flyers, Villanova broadcasts|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 21, 2023|archive-date=February 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222032233/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119407764/wgbs-emerges-from-bankruptcy-plans/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->


Grant obtained rights to [[The WB|WB]] network programming in the Huntsville market in 1999, airing it in late night hours on WZDX; the move was a consequence of [[NewsNation|Superstation WGN]] ceasing carriage of WB programs.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 12, 1999|title=Fox's WZDX adding popular WB shows|page=G5|first=Dean|last=Smallwood|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref> The company then announced it would launch full-time WB channels in Huntsville and two other markets where it owned stations—the [[Quad Cities]] of Iowa and Illinois and [[Roanoke, Virginia]]—in December 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|id={{ProQuest|2467928070}}|title=Grant Comm. plans trio of WB affiliates|date=December 22, 2000|page=10|first=Chad|last=Graham|work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> "WAWB", known as "The Valley's WB", launched as a cable channel in October 2001.<ref>{{cite news|title=Space Center hires ex-WAAY anchor|first=Chris|last=Welch|date=October 21, 2001|work=The Huntsville Times|page=G6}}</ref> When The WB and [[UPN]] merged into [[The CW]] in 2006, the merged network selected UPN affiliate [[WHDF]] (channel 15), and "WAWB" became "WAMY", broadcasting [[MyNetworkTV]].<ref>{{Cite news|page=3G|title=CW Network to take over programming in the fall|date=April 23, 2006|first=Chris|last=Welch|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=May 11, 2007|title=Fox 54, WAMY owner Milton Grant dies at 84|page=3B|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref>
==Digital television==

===Digital channels===
WZDX began broadcasting a digital signal on June 1, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2005-TV-Factbook/TV-Factbook-2005-ALA-IND.pdf|page=A-45|title=WZDX-DT|work=Television Factbook|date=2005|access-date=February 27, 2023|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128094751/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2005-TV-Factbook/TV-Factbook-2005-ALA-IND.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, the station moved its broadcasting equipment from Green Mountain to Monte Sano on the replacement tower for WAAY-TV, whose mast collapsed during repair work in September 2003, killing three.<ref>{{Cite news|page=6G|first=Chris|last=Welch|work=The Huntsville Times|date=July 25, 2004|title=Injuries, illness befall TV news personalities}}</ref>
The station's digital signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:

===Nexstar ownership===
On November 6, 2013, [[Nexstar Broadcasting Group]] announced that it would purchase the Grant stations, including WZDX, for $87.5 million.<ref name=b&c-saletonexstar>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Michael|title=Nexstar to Acquire Seven Grant Stations For $87.5 Million|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/496448-Nexstar_to_Acquire_Seven_Grant_Stations_For_87_5_Million.php|access-date=November 6, 2013|newspaper=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=November 6, 2013|archive-date=November 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109045011/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/496448-Nexstar_to_Acquire_Seven_Grant_Stations_For_87_5_Million.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The sale was completed on December 1, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1663772&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=28119|title=Consummation Notice|website=Consolidated Database System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 3, 2014|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222102024/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1663772&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=28119|url-status=live}}</ref> Four years later, in July 2018, Nexstar agreed to acquire WHDF from [[Lockwood Broadcast Group]] for $2.25 million; Nexstar concurrently took over WHDF's operations through a [[Local marketing agreement|time brokerage agreement]].<ref name="fcc-saletonexstar">{{cite web |title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1788648&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=65128 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724093738/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1788648&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=65128 |url-status=live }}</ref> The sale was completed on November 9, creating a [[Duopoly (broadcasting)|duopoly]] with WZDX.<ref name="whdfdealdone">{{Cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1795908&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=65128|title=Consummation Notice|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=November 13, 2018|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113125814/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1795908&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=65128|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 3, 2018, less than a month after closing on its purchase of WHDF, Nexstar announced it would acquire the assets of [[Tribune Media]]—owner of CBS affiliate WHNT-TV since December 2013—for $6.4 billion in cash and debt. WHNT-TV and WZDX, as two of the four highest-rated stations in the market, could not be owned together, though Nexstar could own either station plus WHDF.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar Buying Tribune Media For $6.4 Billion|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 4, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204005800/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Nexstar Confirms $4.1B Tribune Media Acquisition To Become Leading Local TV Station Owner|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/nexstar-tribune-media-acquisition-1202512653/|first1=Peter|last1=White|first2=Dade|last2=Hayes|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 4, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204130313/https://deadline.com/2018/12/nexstar-tribune-media-acquisition-1202512653/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nexstar To Spin Off $1B In Stations|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|first1=Harry A.|last1=Jessell|first2=Mark K.|last2=Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 4, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204005800/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/226264/nexstar-buying-tribune-media-6-4-billion/|url-status=live}}</ref> Nexstar decided to retain the higher-rated WHNT-TV along with WHDF and sell WZDX to [[Tegna Inc.]] after finalizing the Tribune sale; WZDX was one of 19 stations disposed by Nexstar to Tegna and the [[E. W. Scripps Company]] in separate deals worth $1.32 billion.<ref name="tvnc-nexstarspinoffs">{{cite web|title=Nexstar Selling 19 TVs In 15 Markets For $1.32B|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/232391/nexstar-selling-19-tvs-in-15-markets-for-1-32b/|website=TVNewsCheck|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019|archive-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320194359/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/232391/nexstar-selling-19-tvs-in-15-markets-for-1-32b/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Nexstar to Sell Stations to Tegna, Scripps for $1.32 Billion|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-20/nexstar-to-sell-19-stations-to-tegna-scripps-for-1-32-billion|first=Nabila|last=Ahmed|first2=Anousha|last2=Sakoui|website=Bloomberg News|date=March 20, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019|archive-date=April 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413200225/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-20/nexstar-to-sell-19-stations-to-tegna-scripps-for-1-32-billion|url-status=live}}</ref> The sale of Tribune to Nexstar was approved by the FCC on September 16.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-tribune-nexstar-sale-approved-fcc-wgn-20190916-hlbtp65ye5htxg3hnuunmo5nqu-story.html|title=Tribune Media sale to Nexstar approved by FCC; WGN-Ch. 9 no longer Chicago's very own|last=Channick|first=Robert|work=Chicago Tribune|date=September 16, 2019|access-date=September 17, 2019|archive-date=September 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917092741/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-tribune-nexstar-sale-approved-fcc-wgn-20190916-hlbtp65ye5htxg3hnuunmo5nqu-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==News operation==
[[File:WZDX interview at College Football Playoff National Championship media day, Jan 2018.jpg|thumb|A WZDX anchor conducting an interview at the [[2018 College Football Playoff National Championship]] media day|alt=Refer to caption]]
In January 2008, WZDX launched a 30-minute [[prime time]] newscast known as ''Fox 54 Nine O'Clock News''. It was produced by [[Independent News Network]] (INN) in [[Davenport, Iowa]]; two local reporters contributed local news stories to the news program, which was presented from Davenport. It was the second prime time newscast in the market, as WAAY had previously produced one for air on WHDF from 2000 to 2001.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Welch|date=January 13, 2008|title=Fox 54 moving into news with weekday shows|page=12F|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref> The INN program continued to air for two and a half years and was replaced in September 2010 with a 9 p.m. newscast produced by WAAY; WAAY news personnel were joined by Ellis Eskew, a WZDX reporter.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 12, 2010|title=WAAY to produce Fox 54 newscast|page=12F|first=Chris|last=Welch|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|page=6F|date=September 19, 2010|title=News team announced for 31-54 partnership|first=Chris|last=Welch|work=The Huntsville Times}}</ref>

Nexstar announced in December 2015 that WZDX would launch a standalone news operation on April 4, 2016. Concurrently, the station's newscast was extended to an hour.<ref name=b&c-wzdxinhousenews>{{cite news|last1=Kuperberg|first1=Jonathan|title=Nexstar's WZDX Expanding News, Adding Staff, Remodeling Facilities|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/nexstar-s-wzdx-expanding-news-adding-staff-remodeling-facilities/146489|access-date=December 17, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=December 17, 2015|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222024057/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/nexstar-s-wzdx-expanding-news-adding-staff-remodeling-facilities/146489|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Technical information ==
=== Subchannels ===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WZDX<ref name="rei">{{cite web|website=[[RabbitEars]]|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WZDX#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WZDX|access-date=February 5, 2014|archive-date=February 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222000119/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WZDX#station|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.1
! [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
| [[720p]] || rowspan="9" | [[16:9]] || WZDX-HD || [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
! [[Display resolution|Video]]
! [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP Short Name]]
! Programming<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WZDX#station RabbitEars TV Query for WZDX]</ref>
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.2
| 54.1 || [[720p]] || rowspan=6| [[16:9]] || WZDX-DT || Main WZDX programming / [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
| rowspan="8" | 480i || MyNet || [[MyNetworkTV]]
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.3
| 54.2 || rowspan=5| 480i || WAMY-DT || WZDX-DT2 / [[MyNetworkTV]]
| MeTV || [[MeTV]]
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.4
| 54.3 || MeTV-SD || [[MeTV]]
| Mystery || [[Ion Mystery]]
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.5
| 54.4 || Mystery || [[Court TV Mystery]]
| Crime || [[True Crime Network]]
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.6
| 54.5 || Crime || [[True Crime Network|True Crime]] (soon)
| Quest || [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]]
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.7
| 54.6 || Quest || [[Quest (American TV network)|Quest]] (soon)
| NEST || [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.8
| NOSEY || Nosey
|-
! scope = "row" | 54.9
| COMET || [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]]
|}
|}

On April 17, 2012, WZDX launched a third digital subchannel on 54.3, that carries [[MeTV]].<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2012/03/30/58449/metv-lands-affiliations-in-three-more-markets Me-TV Lands Affiliations In Three More Market]. ''TVNewsCheck'', March 30, 2012.</ref>

On June 15, 2016, Nexstar announced that it would add Escape to a newly created fourth subchannel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bounce TV, Grit, Escape, Laff Multicast Deal Covers 81 Stations, 54 Markets|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/bounce-tv-grit-escape-laff-multicast-deal-covers-81-stations-54-markets/157330|access-date=June 16, 2016|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=June 15, 2016}}</ref>


===Analog-to-digital conversion===
===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WZDX shut down its analog signal, over [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] channel 54, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">[http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf List of Digital Full-Power Stations]</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 41, using [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP]] to display WZDX's [[virtual channel]] as 54 on digital television receivers, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition. In order to adequately serve its area, its [[effective radiated power]] was increased to 700 [[kilowatt|kW]] on July 2.
WZDX shut down its analog signal, over [[UHF]] channel 54, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]]; the station continued to broadcast on channel 41, using [[virtual channel]] 54.<ref name="Analog to Digital">{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2006 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref> It was then repacked to channel 18 in 2020.{{r|rei}}

==Programming==
Syndicated programming on WZDX includes ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', ''[[Dr. Phil (talk show)|Dr. Phil]]'', ''[[Mike & Molly]]'', and ''[[Judge Mathis]]'' among others. Syndicated programming on WZDX-DT2 includes ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Maury (talk show)|Maury]]'', ''[[The Jerry Springer Show]]'', ''[[The Wendy Williams Show]]'', and ''[[Monk (TV series)|Monk]]'', among others.

==Newscasts==
As of December 2021, WZDX presently broadcasts 8 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 1½ hours each weekday, an hour on Saturdays, and 1½ hours on Sundays).

[[File:WZDX interview at College Football Playoff National Championship media day, Jan 2018.jpg|thumb|A WZDX anchor conducting an interview at the [[2018 College Football Playoff National Championship]] media day]]
In January 2007, WZDX launched a 30-minute prime time newscast known as ''Fox 54 Nine O'Clock News''. Airing every night except Saturday, it was produced by the [[Independent News Network]] (INN) through an outsourcing agreement with Grant Broadcasting. News anchors, [[meteorologist]]s, and sports anchors were provided by INN and other personnel from the newscast production company would fill-in as needed. WZDX maintained two locally based news reporters which would contribute content to the show. It was taped in advance and then fed to the station through satellite.

The broadcasts originated from INN's facility on Tremont Avenue in [[Davenport, Iowa]]. In a report in the [[Macon, Georgia]] ''[[The Telegraph (Macon)|Telegraph]]'', it was announced the Independent News Network filed for [[Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 7]] [[Bankruptcy in the United States|bankruptcy]] and the company would end all news productions (including those for WZDX) by January 9, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.macon.com/149/story/576881.html |title=Macon Telegraph: "Future of Macon TV station's nightly newscast uncertain", 1/5/2009. |access-date=2009-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090127020949/http://www.macon.com/149/story/576881.html |archive-date=2009-01-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, all INN broadcasts would then be reinstated under ownership of Fusion Communications (also of Davenport) according to the newspaper. WZDX would not face local news competition until February 1, 2010 when WHNT added a nightly half-hour newscast at 9 to its [[Retro Television Network]] (RTV) subchannel (WHNT-DT2 dropped RTV for [[Antenna TV]] in 2011).

On September 20, WZDX terminated its outsourcing agreement with INN and entered into another news share arrangement with WAAY (owned by [[Calkins Media]]). This resulted in a local refocus of ''Fox 54 Nine O'Clock News'' which can now be seen every night from a secondary set at WAAY's studios on Monte Sano Boulevard Southeast. WZDX maintains separate news anchors and a meteorologist but they can report for and/or fill-in on WAAY.<ref>http://www.waaytv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13097072</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.al.com/entertainment-times/2010/09/post_21.html|title = WAAY to start producing WZDX's Nine O'Clock News Monday|date = 19 September 2010}}</ref> In addition to its main facility, the latter also operates bureaus in [[Decatur, Alabama|Decatur]] (on Lee Street Northeast) and [[Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area|The Shoals]] (in [[Florence, Alabama|Florence]] on North Pine Street within the [[University of North Alabama]] campus). Although the previous INN newscasts were in high definition in later years, the newscasts on WZDX reverted to [[pillarbox]]ed [[4:3]] [[standard-definition television|standard definition]] when WAAY took over the production. WAAY upgraded to high definition newscasts on December 12, 2011 and the WZDX shows were included.

On December 4, 2015, Nexstar announced that WZDX would launch a standalone news operation on April 4, 2016. Concurrently, the station's newscast was extended to an hour.<ref name=b&c-wzdxinhousenews>{{cite news|last1=Kuperberg|first1=Jonathan|title=Nexstar's WZDX Expanding News, Adding Staff, Remodeling Facilities|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/nexstar-s-wzdx-expanding-news-adding-staff-remodeling-facilities/146489|access-date=December 17, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=December 17, 2015}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.rocketcitynow.com/ WZDX "Fox 54"]
* {{official website|https://www.rocketcitynow.com/}}


{{Huntsville TV}}
{{Huntsville TV}}
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[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1985]]
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[[Category:Television stations in Huntsville, Alabama|ZDX]]
[[Category:Comet (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Fox network affiliates]]
[[Category:Fox Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Ion Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:MeTV affiliates]]
[[Category:MeTV affiliates]]
[[Category:Court TV Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:MyNetworkTV affiliates]]
[[Category:The Nest (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Quest (American TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Tegna Inc.]]
[[Category:Tegna Inc.]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1985]]
[[Category:Television stations in Huntsville, Alabama|ZDX]]
[[Category:True Crime Network affiliates]]

Latest revision as of 16:48, 4 October 2024

WZDX
CityHuntsville, Alabama
Channels
BrandingFox 54; My8 (DT2)
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
April 14, 1985
(39 years ago)
 (1985-04-14)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 54 (UHF, 1985–2009)
  • Digital: 41 (UHF, 2002–2020)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID28119
ERP522 kW
HAAT525.3 m (1,723 ft)
Transmitter coordinates34°44′12.8″N 86°31′58.9″W / 34.736889°N 86.533028°W / 34.736889; -86.533028
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.rocketcitynow.com

WZDX (channel 54) is a television station in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, affiliated with Fox and MyNetworkTV. Owned by Tegna Inc., the station maintains studios on North Memorial Parkway (US 72/231/431) in Huntsville, and its transmitter is located on Monte Sano Mountain.

WZDX began broadcasting in April 1985 as the first independent station for the Huntsville area; it became a Fox affiliate in November 1987. Its original owner, Media Central, filed for bankruptcy that year and eventually sold the station in 1990 to a consortium of Citicorp and Milton Grant, marking the latter's return to TV station ownership after a prior bankruptcy. The station started a cable channel that served as the local affiliate of The WB—predecessor to its MyNetworkTV subchannel—in 2001. A local newscast, produced at first out-of-state and then by local ABC affiliate WAAY-TV, began to air in 2008.

The Grant stations were acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group in 2013; Nexstar brought local news production in-house by establishing its own newsroom in 2016, and it formed a duopoly in the market by acquiring The CW affiliate WHDF two years later. When Nexstar acquired Tribune Media, owner of Huntsville CBS affiliate WHNT-TV, in 2019, it retained that station and WHDF and spun out WZDX along with other stations to Tegna.

History

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Establishment and construction

[edit]

In 1975, Thomas Barr and James Cleary under the name Pioneer Communications petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to add another television channel to the Huntsville area for the purpose of building an independent station. At the time, only four channels were assigned to Huntsville: 19, 25, 31, and 48. The FCC proposed adding channel 54, but two Huntsville stations, WAAY-TV and WYUR-TV, opposed the proposal. In 1977, the FCC suggested inserting channel 54 at Decatur, Alabama, which already had channel 23. However, unlike channel 54, channel 23 could not be used at Monte Sano—the main television transmission site in the region, resulting in low interest.[2]

Channel 54 was ultimately added to Huntsville, but there were no applications on file until C. Michael Norton, an attorney from Nashville, Tennessee, applied for it in September 1981 after seeing it on a list of unused TV allocations.[3][4] Norton was soon joined by other applicants, with the FCC selecting Community Service Broadcasting, a company owned by John Pauza of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Joel Katz of Atlanta. Pauza owned Media Central, which specialized in the construction of new independent stations in medium markets.[5]

For two years, Media Central missed a series of deadlines. In February 1983, after being selected for the construction permit, Media Central announced it intended to begin broadcasting that fall.[5] By that fall, the target date had shifted to spring 1984.[6] Issues with locating the station's tower impeded a launch at that time,[7] but in late 1984, channel 54 began to take shape. A tower site was purchased in August, the call letters WZDX were assigned in September,[8] and construction began in November.[9] Even then, the station did not start broadcasting in 1984; the antenna was not hoisted onto the station's new tower on Green Mountain until March 1985.[10]

From studios on Mastin Lake Road in northeast Huntsville, WZDX first signed on April 14, 1985, as Northern Alabama's first independent station and the area's first new outlet to launch in 22 years.[11][12] Programming consisted of syndicated reruns, movies, and short local newsbreaks.[11] The station cost the owners between $5 million and $6 million to put on the air.[12]

When the Fox network began late-night service on October 9, 1986, WZDX initially abstained from affiliating with the network unlike many other strong independent TV stations across the country that had signed on with them, despite the network wanting the station "badly". Program director David Godbout felt that his weekend shows were already attracting ratings and that he would have to charge too much for advertising within Fox programming for it to work economically.[13] This was a posture shared by the entire Media Central chain at the network's launch.[14] However, after Godbout left in late 1987, WZDX joined Fox in December of that year,[15] becoming the fifth Media Central outlet to join the network in 1987.[16]

The late 1980s were times of uncertainty for Media Central. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in July 1987,[17] and Act III Broadcasting submitted a bid to buy WZDX and WDBD in Jackson, Mississippi, the next year;[18] both were among Media Central's most desirable properties. Act III's bid was rejected, as were proposals from Media Central itself and Maryland investment firm Donatelli & Klein, which did come away with WDBD and WDSI-TV in Chattanooga.[19]

Grant Broadcasting ownership

[edit]

The bankruptcy court approved the acquisition of the station by a consortium of Citicorp and Milton Grant in August 1989;[20][21] the $6.1 million transaction was approved in January 1990.[22] While WZDX represented Citicorp's first venture into broadcasting,[20] WZDX became the first outlet in Grant's return to station ownership.[21] Grant Communications was the successor to the original Grant Broadcasting System, a three-station chain of independent outlets that filed for bankruptcy protection in 1986 and was ultimately sold to its bondholders.[23]

Grant obtained rights to WB network programming in the Huntsville market in 1999, airing it in late night hours on WZDX; the move was a consequence of Superstation WGN ceasing carriage of WB programs.[24] The company then announced it would launch full-time WB channels in Huntsville and two other markets where it owned stations—the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois and Roanoke, Virginia—in December 2000.[25] "WAWB", known as "The Valley's WB", launched as a cable channel in October 2001.[26] When The WB and UPN merged into The CW in 2006, the merged network selected UPN affiliate WHDF (channel 15), and "WAWB" became "WAMY", broadcasting MyNetworkTV.[27][28]

WZDX began broadcasting a digital signal on June 1, 2002.[29] In 2004, the station moved its broadcasting equipment from Green Mountain to Monte Sano on the replacement tower for WAAY-TV, whose mast collapsed during repair work in September 2003, killing three.[30]

Nexstar ownership

[edit]

On November 6, 2013, Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced that it would purchase the Grant stations, including WZDX, for $87.5 million.[31] The sale was completed on December 1, 2014.[32] Four years later, in July 2018, Nexstar agreed to acquire WHDF from Lockwood Broadcast Group for $2.25 million; Nexstar concurrently took over WHDF's operations through a time brokerage agreement.[33] The sale was completed on November 9, creating a duopoly with WZDX.[34]

On December 3, 2018, less than a month after closing on its purchase of WHDF, Nexstar announced it would acquire the assets of Tribune Media—owner of CBS affiliate WHNT-TV since December 2013—for $6.4 billion in cash and debt. WHNT-TV and WZDX, as two of the four highest-rated stations in the market, could not be owned together, though Nexstar could own either station plus WHDF.[35][36][37] Nexstar decided to retain the higher-rated WHNT-TV along with WHDF and sell WZDX to Tegna Inc. after finalizing the Tribune sale; WZDX was one of 19 stations disposed by Nexstar to Tegna and the E. W. Scripps Company in separate deals worth $1.32 billion.[38][39] The sale of Tribune to Nexstar was approved by the FCC on September 16.[40]

News operation

[edit]
Refer to caption
A WZDX anchor conducting an interview at the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship media day

In January 2008, WZDX launched a 30-minute prime time newscast known as Fox 54 Nine O'Clock News. It was produced by Independent News Network (INN) in Davenport, Iowa; two local reporters contributed local news stories to the news program, which was presented from Davenport. It was the second prime time newscast in the market, as WAAY had previously produced one for air on WHDF from 2000 to 2001.[41] The INN program continued to air for two and a half years and was replaced in September 2010 with a 9 p.m. newscast produced by WAAY; WAAY news personnel were joined by Ellis Eskew, a WZDX reporter.[42][43]

Nexstar announced in December 2015 that WZDX would launch a standalone news operation on April 4, 2016. Concurrently, the station's newscast was extended to an hour.[44]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WZDX[45]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
54.1 720p 16:9 WZDX-HD Fox
54.2 480i MyNet MyNetworkTV
54.3 MeTV MeTV
54.4 Mystery Ion Mystery
54.5 Crime True Crime Network
54.6 Quest Quest
54.7 NEST The Nest
54.8 NOSEY Nosey
54.9 COMET Comet

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WZDX shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 54, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television; the station continued to broadcast on channel 41, using virtual channel 54.[46] It was then repacked to channel 18 in 2020.[45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WZDX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Plans for TV Channel Here Suffer Setback". The Huntsville Times. December 12, 1977. p. 22.
  3. ^ "TV Station Permit Sought". The Huntsville Times. September 29, 1981. p. C-2.
  4. ^ Kaylor, Mike (October 2, 1981). "Channel 54: Do Television Viewers in Huntsville Have a Void?". The Huntsville Times. p. D-15. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Kaylor, Mike (February 3, 1983). "Fun TV? FCC OKs License for New Station in Huntsville; Owners Plan to Put Emphasis on Entertainment". The Huntsville Times. p. D-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  6. ^ Kaylor, Mike (September 29, 1983). "New TV Station Owners Project Spring Launch". The Huntsville Times. p. D-3.
  7. ^ "Channel 54". The Huntsville Times. April 5, 1984. p. D-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  8. ^ "New Station to Have Call Letters of WZDX". The Huntsville Times. September 13, 1984. p. F-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  9. ^ Kaylor, Mike (November 21, 1984). "Construction Under Way On Channel 54 Facilities". The Huntsville Times. p. D-6. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  10. ^ "Channel 54 Update". The Huntsville Times. March 21, 1985. p. D-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Kaylor, Mike (April 11, 1985). "Independent Television Station Set to Sign On Sunday Morning; 'Dallas' Reruns, Movies Head WZDX Schedule". The Huntsville Times. p. D-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Kaylor, Mike (April 14, 1985). "54 to Begin Broadcasting Today". The Huntsville Times. p. A-7.
  13. ^ Kaylor, Mike (July 2, 1987). "Competition Heats Up as Local TV Ratings Arrive". The Huntsville Times. p. D-27. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  14. ^ Carter, Reon (August 15, 1986). "Some viewers will see Joan Rivers". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B5. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Kaylor, Mike (October 31, 1987). "WZDK [sic] to join Fox network in December". The Huntsville Times. p. 2A. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  16. ^ "Briefly Noted". Electronic Media. December 7, 1987. p. 46.
  17. ^ "Media Central files for bankruptcy" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 13, 1987. pp. 26–27. ProQuest 1016931866. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  18. ^ "In Brief..." (PDF). Broadcasting. July 4, 1988. p. 72. ProQuest 1016920287. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  19. ^ Edwards, Jeff (March 17, 1989). "Channel 40's bankruptcy plan denied". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 1D. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b "Citicorp to buy local TV station". The Huntsville Times. August 11, 1989. p. 1B. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Mermigas, Diane (August 14, 1989). "TV sales spur hopes for market". Electronic Media. pp. 3, 30.
  22. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 22, 1990. p. 63. ProQuest 1014730643. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  23. ^ Gnoffo, Anthony Jr. (July 1, 1988). "WGBS emerges from bankruptcy, plans Flyers, Villanova broadcasts". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10-C. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Smallwood, Dean (September 12, 1999). "Fox's WZDX adding popular WB shows". The Huntsville Times. p. G5.
  25. ^ Graham, Chad (December 22, 2000). "Grant Comm. plans trio of WB affiliates". The Hollywood Reporter. p. 10. ProQuest 2467928070.
  26. ^ Welch, Chris (October 21, 2001). "Space Center hires ex-WAAY anchor". The Huntsville Times. p. G6.
  27. ^ Welch, Chris (April 23, 2006). "CW Network to take over programming in the fall". The Huntsville Times. p. 3G.
  28. ^ "Fox 54, WAMY owner Milton Grant dies at 84". The Huntsville Times. May 11, 2007. p. 3B.
  29. ^ "WZDX-DT" (PDF). Television Factbook. 2005. p. A-45. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  30. ^ Welch, Chris (July 25, 2004). "Injuries, illness befall TV news personalities". The Huntsville Times. p. 6G.
  31. ^ Malone, Michael (November 6, 2013). "Nexstar to Acquire Seven Grant Stations For $87.5 Million". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  32. ^ "Consummation Notice". Consolidated Database System. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  33. ^ "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  34. ^ "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  35. ^ Miller, Mark K. (December 3, 2018). "Nexstar Buying Tribune Media For $6.4 Billion". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  36. ^ White, Peter; Hayes, Dade (December 3, 2018). "Nexstar Confirms $4.1B Tribune Media Acquisition To Become Leading Local TV Station Owner". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  37. ^ Jessell, Harry A.; Miller, Mark K. (December 3, 2018). "Nexstar To Spin Off $1B In Stations". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  38. ^ "Nexstar Selling 19 TVs In 15 Markets For $1.32B". TVNewsCheck. March 20, 2019. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  39. ^ Ahmed, Nabila; Sakoui, Anousha (March 20, 2019). "Nexstar to Sell Stations to Tegna, Scripps for $1.32 Billion". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  40. ^ Channick, Robert (September 16, 2019). "Tribune Media sale to Nexstar approved by FCC; WGN-Ch. 9 no longer Chicago's very own". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  41. ^ Welch, Chris (January 13, 2008). "Fox 54 moving into news with weekday shows". The Huntsville Times. p. 12F.
  42. ^ Welch, Chris (September 12, 2010). "WAAY to produce Fox 54 newscast". The Huntsville Times. p. 12F.
  43. ^ Welch, Chris (September 19, 2010). "News team announced for 31-54 partnership". The Huntsville Times. p. 6F.
  44. ^ Kuperberg, Jonathan (December 17, 2015). "Nexstar's WZDX Expanding News, Adding Staff, Remodeling Facilities". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  45. ^ a b "RabbitEars TV Query for WZDX". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  46. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. May 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
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