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{{short description|TV station in Columbus, Ohio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{short description|TBD affiliate in Columbus, Ohio}}
{{For|current information on "Fox 28" in Columbus|WSYX}}
{{For|current information on "Fox 28" in Columbus|WSYX}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox television station
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WTTE
| callsign = WTTE
| logo = WTTE logo 2021.png
| logo = WTTE logo 2021.png
| logo_alt = In red, the number "28.1" in a DIN sans serif, letters cut out from each other. The period is large and contains the designation "TBD." (including period). Beneath are the words "W T T E TV Columbus" in black.
| logo_size = 225px
| location = [[Columbus, Ohio]]
| location = [[Columbus, Ohio]]
| country = United States
| country = United States
| digital = 27 ([[UHF]])
| city =
| virtual = 28
| branding =
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''28.1:''' [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]]|'''28.2:''' [[Antenna TV]]}}
| digital = 27 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]])
| owner = [[Cunningham Broadcasting]]
| virtual = 28
| licensee = Columbus (WTTE-TV) Licensee, Inc.
| subchannels =
| operator = [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] via [[local marketing agreement|LMA]])
| translators =
| airdate = {{start date and age|1984|6|1|p=y}}
| affiliations = '''28.1:''' [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]]<br>'''28.2:''' [[Antenna TV]]
| callsign_meaning = "Television Twenty-Eight"<ref>{{Cite news|pages=D8, [https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/letters/dicaknbghnvguievugtsvcbadxlhgstf_ip-10-166-46-160_1715218120813 D7]|work=The Columbus Dispatch|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/broadcasters-cant-resist-identifying-themselves-letter/iojxgiwvntrjggijopxqfbrtrdqmfnxa_ip-10-166-46-87_1715218084163|first=Seth|last=Seymour|title=Broadcasters can't resist identifying themselves to the letter|date=August 19, 2003|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040227/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/broadcasters-cant-resist-identifying-themselves-letter/iojxgiwvntrjggijopxqfbrtrdqmfnxa_ip-10-166-46-87_1715218084163|url-status=live}}</ref>
| owner = [[Cunningham Broadcasting]]
| sister_stations = [[WSYX]], [[WWHO]]
| licensee = Columbus (WTTE-TV) Licensee, Inc.
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 28 (UHF, 1984–2009)|'''Digital:''' 36 (UHF, 2002–2019)}}
| operator = [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]]<br>''(via [[local marketing agreement|LMA]])''
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[Independent station|Independent]] (1984–1986)|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (1986–2021)|[[UPN]] (secondary, 1995–1997)|[[Kids' WB!]] (secondary, 2000–2001)}}
| founded =
| erp = 1,000 kW
| airdate = {{start date and age|1984|6|1|p=y}}
| haat = {{convert|271|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| last_airdate =
| facility_id = 74137
| callsign_meaning = "Television Twenty-Eight"
| coordinates = {{coord|39|56|14|N|83|1|16|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| sister_stations = [[WSYX]], [[WWHO]]
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| former_callsigns =
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 28 (UHF, 1984–2009)<br>'''Digital:''' 36 (UHF, 2002–2019)
| former_affiliations = [[Independent station|Independent]] (1984–1986)<br/>[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (1986–2021)<br />[[UPN]] (secondary, 1995–1997)<br />[[Kids' WB!]] (secondary, 2000–2001)
| erp = 1,000 kW
| haat = {{convert|271|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 74137
| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|39|56|14|N|83|1|16|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}}}
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| website = {{URL|wtte28.com}}
}}
}}


'''WTTE''' (channel 28) is a [[television station]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]], United States, airing programming from the [[digital multicast television network|digital multicast network]] [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]]. It is owned by [[Cunningham Broadcasting]], which maintains a [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) with [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]], owner of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[MyNetworkTV]]/[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[WSYX]] (channel 6), for the provision of certain services. However, Sinclair effectively owns WTTE as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. Sinclair also operates [[Chillicothe, Ohio|Chillicothe]]-licensed [[The CW|CW]] affiliate [[WWHO]] (channel 53) under a separate LMA with Manhan Media. The stations share studios on [[U.S. Route 33 in Ohio|Dublin Road]] in [[Grandview Heights, Ohio|Grandview Heights]] (with a Columbus [[United States Postal Service|mailing]] address), while WTTE's transmitter is located in the [[Franklinton, Columbus, Ohio|Franklinton]] section of Columbus.
'''WTTE''' (channel 28) is a [[television station]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]], United States, airing programming from [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]]. It is owned by [[Cunningham Broadcasting]], which maintains a [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) with [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]]—owner of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[WSYX]] (channel 6)—for the provision of certain services, and is operated from studios on [[U.S. Route 33 in Ohio|Dublin Road]] alongside [[The CW|CW]] affiliate [[WWHO]] (channel 53). WTTE's transmitter is located in the [[Franklinton, Columbus, Ohio|Franklinton]] section of Columbus.


WTTE was the third station built by Sinclair. It signed on June 1, 1984, as the first mainstream [[independent station]] in the Columbus market, joining the Fox network at its launch two years later. After years of false starts, it began airing a local newscast in 1996 produced by WSYX, which was then under separate ownership. When Sinclair was able to acquire WSYX from [[River City Broadcasting]] in 1998, it transferred the WTTE license to Glencairn, Ltd.—predecessor to Cunningham—and continued to run it under an LMA. The newscasts on WTTE were the highest-rated produced by the two stations' combined news operation. In 2021, the Fox program stream moved from WTTE to Sinclair-owned WSYX and was replaced on channel 28 by TBD, a Sinclair-owned [[digital multicast television network]].
A charter Fox affiliate from the network's sign-on from 1986 to 2021, WTTE also served as the Fox station of record for the nearby [[Zanesville, Ohio]], [[media market#Television|market]].


==Prior attempt to build channel 28==
==History==
Peoples Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of Columbus-based insurer [[Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company]], was selected for the construction permit for channel 47 in Columbus by a [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) hearing examiner in 1966.<ref>{{Cite news|page=6A|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/examiner-oks-uhf-tv-station/huaxzrleyysprtetrehsqgrhhcrwglvq_ip-10-166-46-77_1715133915412|title=Examiner OKs UHF TV Station|date=March 17, 1966|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508023205/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/examiner-oks-uhf-tv-station/huaxzrleyysprtetrehsqgrhhcrwglvq_ip-10-166-46-77_1715133915412|url-status=live}}</ref> It then received the permit in May 1967.{{r|Colu680724}} To run the station, Nationwide formed a new subsidiary, [[Nationwide Communications]] Inc. (NCI), to run the station, which was designated WNCI-TV. NCI applied in January 1968 for a taller tower and higher-power facilities than initially proposed and began lengthy discussions with [[WOSU-TV]] (channel 34), the public station owned by [[Ohio State University]], to potentially share a tower.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/time-extension-engineering-nci-modification-sought/zaidspexywoogxpqvtkcxvodkiqmltwv_ip-10-166-46-184_1704650024893|page=14B|title=Time Extension, Engineering at NCI: Modification Sought|date=January 5, 1968|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508023207/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/time-extension-engineering-nci-modification-sought/zaidspexywoogxpqvtkcxvodkiqmltwv_ip-10-166-46-184_1704650024893|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Ohio State had objections about a high-power facility interfering with its [[radio astronomy]] observatory, blotting out weaker signals.<ref name="Colu680724">{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wnci-tv-request-controversial-application-moves-slowly/cnxkqagyfytpikwkhmeouedylbvsjflw_ip-10-166-46-74_1704649976398|page=22B|title=WNCI-TV Request Controversial: Application Moves Slowly|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=July 24, 1968|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=January 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110001911/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wnci-tv-request-controversial-application-moves-slowly/cnxkqagyfytpikwkhmeouedylbvsjflw_ip-10-166-46-74_1704649976398|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:WSYX WTTE WWHO.jpg|thumb|right|200px|WSYX/WTTE/WWHO studios in Columbus. "[[Cunningham Broadcasting|Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation]]" is displayed on the bottom row of the front monument sign, signifying the owner of WTTE's licensed assets.]]
[[File:WTTE28newlogo.PNG|200px|thumb|right|WTTE's final logo as a Fox affiliate, 2000–2021. The logo was slightly modified in 2021 to include the WSYX [[call signs in North America|call sign]] when its intellectual property moved to WSYX 6.3.]]


In January 1970, the FCC approved a proposal by Nationwide, formulated in conjunction with Ohio State, to make a three-way channel shift to resolve the issue. This moved channel 47 from Columbus to [[Mansfield, Ohio|Mansfield]], whose channel 31 was moved to [[Newark, Ohio|Newark]] for use by [[WGSF (TV)|WGSF]], whose channel 28 allocation was shifted to Columbus for WNCI-TV.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fcc-switches-3-channels-accommodate-nci/ycyymgnxjqjktoononpfuegfmacllugr_ip-10-166-46-81_1715110504687|page=15B|date=January 15, 1970|title=FCC Switches 3 Channels To Accommodate NCI|work=The Columbus Dispatch|agency=Associated Press|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508021701/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fcc-switches-3-channels-accommodate-nci/ycyymgnxjqjktoononpfuegfmacllugr_ip-10-166-46-81_1715110504687|url-status=live}}</ref> Nationwide entered into an agreement to pay half the cost of a new tower in [[Westerville, Ohio|Westerville]], to be shared by WOSU-TV and WNCI-TV.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wosu-tower-funded/cvuymcaifqzgstxjxpnhhkmwhabfpyix_ip-10-166-46-86_1704652795802|page=21A|date=February 28, 1971|title=WOSU Tower Funded|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=January 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110002915/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wosu-tower-funded/cvuymcaifqzgstxjxpnhhkmwhabfpyix_ip-10-166-46-86_1704652795802|url-status=live}}</ref> Soon after, Nationwide opted not to construct WNCI-TV in light of a pending rulemaking at the FCC that proposed limiting one company to owning one television station, one radio station, or one newspaper in a market. Nationwide, which already owned AM and FM stations, arranged to sell the permit to the Columbus-based Laurel Broadcasting Company. The FCC approved the transaction at a reported value of $288,000 in August 1971,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-central-ohio-tv-station-may-be-operational-1972/ryqcuaydqkxorlfhvvyntiiqojrvozkl_ip-10-166-46-154_1715110457338|page=21A2|title=New Central Ohio TV Station May Be Operational in 1972|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=August 8, 1971|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508021701/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-central-ohio-tv-station-may-be-operational-1972/ryqcuaydqkxorlfhvvyntiiqojrvozkl_ip-10-166-46-154_1715110457338|url-status=live}}</ref> but the deal fell through weeks later after the parties reached an impasse.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/tv-station-sale-talks-collapse/siaggbuccxfgcwbctgaezumkrvpqdpij_ip-10-166-46-71_1715110409799|page=5A|title=TV Station Sale Talks Collapse|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=August 27, 1971|access-date=May 8, 2024|archive-date=May 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508021700/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/tv-station-sale-talks-collapse/siaggbuccxfgcwbctgaezumkrvpqdpij_ip-10-166-46-71_1715110409799|url-status=live}}</ref>
WTTE began operations on June 1, 1984, as the first general-entertainment [[independent station]] in central Ohio. The station was founded by the Commercial Radio Institute, a subsidiary of the [[Baltimore]]-based Sinclair Broadcast Group (at the time, called Chesapeake Broadcasting Corporation) as the company's third television station after WPTT-TV (now [[WPNT]]) in [[Pittsburgh]] and [[flagship station]] [[WBFF]] in Baltimore. The station originally operated from studio and office facilities at 6130 South Sunbury Road in Columbus.


==History==
WTTE quickly became the dominant independent station in the area largely because its programming policy was far less conservative than that of the other independent in the area, [[Christian broadcasting|Christian]]-oriented [[WSFJ-TV]] (channel 51). Channel 28 was a charter affiliate of Fox, having joined the network at its launch on October 9, 1986. From 1995 until 1997, WTTE also carried a secondary affiliation with [[UPN]] which was then picked up by WWHO. Early in that run, the station listed both affiliations on an equal level (as "the best of both worlds") in its station identifications of the time, including a period where Fox logos were dropped entirely.
===Early years===
In January 1976, the Commercial Radio Institute (CRI) of [[Baltimore]] announced its intention to file for channel 28. It chose Columbus after passing on prospects in [[Boston]] and [[Louisville, Kentucky]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-uhf-station-planned-city/mqpwrqjwtdttinfsilhvqnuwxxoigoac_ip-10-166-46-142_1715110564849|page=B1|first=Ned|last=Stout|title=New UHF Station Planned for City|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=January 16, 1976|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040205/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/new-uhf-station-planned-city/mqpwrqjwtdttinfsilhvqnuwxxoigoac_ip-10-166-46-142_1715110564849|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after, a second application was received by Christian Voice of Central Ohio, owner of Christian radio station [[WCVO]] (104.9 FM) in [[Gahanna, Ohio|Gahanna]], which proposed a religious and family-friendly outlet in contrast to the more traditional [[independent station]] format contemplated by the Commercial Radio Institute.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/uhf-frequency-grabs/nycrsaucoyavmptqeirwbsqlpjgsqnhy_ip-10-166-46-100_1715110631030|first=Bud|last=Wilkinson|page=Guide 11|title=UHF Frequency Is Up For Grabs|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=November 12, 1978|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040205/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/uhf-frequency-grabs/nycrsaucoyavmptqeirwbsqlpjgsqnhy_ip-10-166-46-100_1715110631030|url-status=live}}</ref> FCC administrative law judge David Kraushaar ruled in favor of the Commercial Radio Institute application in October 1979 because Christian Voice of Central Ohio already owned a station in the market.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/92x-hires-programmer-fires-3-staffers/jsjbceyercvsgrhadhniarjrnfrrucou_ip-10-166-46-69_1715110716629|page=C-4|title=92X Hires Programmer, Fires 3 Staffers|first=Bud|last=Wilkinson|date=October 9, 1979|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040225/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/92x-hires-programmer-fires-3-staffers/jsjbceyercvsgrhadhniarjrnfrrucou_ip-10-166-46-69_1715110716629|url-status=live}}</ref> Christian Voice appealed, expressing a desire to sell WCVO if necessary to obtain channel 28.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-license-still-fcc-appeal-process/zanwdikvhxheuxyvyqalskcjnjhgecok_ip-10-166-46-182_1715110768126|page=C-4|title=Channel 28 License Still In FCC Appeal Process|date=May 6, 1980|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040229/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-license-still-fcc-appeal-process/zanwdikvhxheuxyvyqalskcjnjhgecok_ip-10-166-46-182_1715110768126|url-status=live}}</ref> It was unsuccessful in overturning the initial decision at the FCC's review board<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/cvco-bid-channel-28-denied-again-fcc/tbbrxdanrnnntblbznogrxgyywqcwsgz_ip-10-166-46-147_1715110790524|title=CVCO Bid For Channel 28 Denied Again By FCC|page=C-5|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040329/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/cvco-bid-channel-28-denied-again-fcc/tbbrxdanrnnntblbznogrxgyywqcwsgz_ip-10-166-46-147_1715110790524|url-status=live}}</ref> and with the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]].<ref name="Colu820430">{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-still-air/quwosshpfjtvsemsopooilkpzzrcrrgf_ip-10-166-46-184_1715110871356|page=C11|title=Channel 28 still up in the air|date=April 30, 1982|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040343/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-still-air/quwosshpfjtvsemsopooilkpzzrcrrgf_ip-10-166-46-184_1715110871356|url-status=live}}</ref>


Construction on the station, dubbed WTTE, finally began to move ahead in 1983 after the company secured revenue bonds from [[Franklin County, Ohio|Franklin County]]; work to add channel 28 to WOSU-TV's tower began.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/ch-28-air-date-delayed-again/qmunqyirpnntdaqowcfywafnvonaadqe_ip-10-166-46-167_1704778152661|page=E7|title=Ch. 28 air date delayed again|date=May 26, 1983|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040802/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/ch-28-air-date-delayed-again/qmunqyirpnntdaqowcfywafnvonaadqe_ip-10-166-46-167_1704778152661|url-status=live}}</ref> However, WTTE was bogged down by continual delays. By October, the station was still months away from air, even though CRI had secured a studio site at 6130 Sunbury Road.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/citys-new-uhf-station-hopes-be-air-april/tmlkypsarzdqyuewegwklqeztrptmont_ip-10-166-46-133_1715110928451|page=D7|title=City's new UHF station hopes to be on air by April|date=October 6, 1983|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040705/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/citys-new-uhf-station-hopes-be-air-april/tmlkypsarzdqyuewegwklqeztrptmont_ip-10-166-46-133_1715110928451|url-status=live}}</ref> Wet weather left the tower site muddy and made it impossible to maneuver heavy equipment, leading the station to scrap an April 1984 planned sign-on.<ref name="Colu840323">{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/weather-bogs-down-channel-28-plans/mewxnswsibceqqzpxsemyoznomzjlqlg_ip-10-166-46-135_1704773205140|page=C14|title=Weather bogs down Channel 28 plans|date=March 23, 1984|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040754/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/weather-bogs-down-channel-28-plans/mewxnswsibceqqzpxsemyoznomzjlqlg_ip-10-166-46-135_1704773205140|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Merger with WSYX===
In 1996, Sinclair merged with [[River City Broadcasting]], owner of WSYX. [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) rules at the time did not allow one person to own two stations in a single [[media market|market]]. Sinclair kept the longer-established WSYX and nominally sold WTTE to Glencairn, Ltd. owned by former Sinclair executive Edwin Edwards. However, nearly all of Glencairn's stock was held by the Smith family, founders and owners of Sinclair. In effect, Sinclair still owned WTTE, and now had a [[duopoly (broadcasting)|duopoly]] in Columbus in violation of FCC rules. Sinclair and Glencairn further circumvented the rules by moving WTTE's operations into WSYX's [[U.S. Route 33 in Ohio|Dublin Road]] studios under a local marketing agreement, with WSYX as senior partner. Glencairn owned ten other stations—all in markets where Sinclair also had a station. Sinclair was eventually fined $40,000 for its illegal control of Glencairn. The two companies attempted to merge in 2001 after the FCC allowed duopolies. However, the FCC would not allow Sinclair to repurchase WTTE. The FCC does not allow duopolies between two of the four highest-rated stations in a single market. Also the Columbus market, despite its relatively large size, has only seven full-power stations—too few to legally permit a duopoly. WTTE thus remained under the banner of Glencairn, which was then renamed Cunningham Broadcasting. However, the Smith family still controls nearly all of Cunningham's stock, so Sinclair still effectively had a duopoly in Columbus. By nearly all accounts, Sinclair has used Glencairn/Cunningham as a [[shell corporation]] to evade FCC ownership rules.


WTTE began broadcasting on June 1, 1984.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/rape-trial-coverage-examined/uyqlkqbqkknoniafiaadlxsjercdpzoo_ip-10-166-46-101_1715217683631|page=C11|date=June 1, 1984|title=Rape trial coverage examined|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040833/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/rape-trial-coverage-examined/uyqlkqbqkknoniafiaadlxsjercdpzoo_ip-10-166-46-101_1715217683631|url-status=live}}</ref> It was CRI's third station after independent outlets in Baltimore ([[WBFF-TV]]) and [[Pittsburgh]] ([[WPNT|WPTT-TV]]).{{r|Colu840323}} Its format—children's shows, reruns, movies, and religious programs—was familiar to those used to independent stations elsewhere in the country but not so much in Columbus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-ready-broadcast-after-8-year-struggle/jqvydukhrqkdryewtpwziqnhlkrqypgu_ip-10-166-46-167_1704773243340|date=May 27, 1984|title=Channel 28 ready to broadcast after 8-year struggle|page=D4|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=January 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110002915/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-ready-broadcast-after-8-year-struggle/jqvydukhrqkdryewtpwziqnhlkrqypgu_ip-10-166-46-167_1704773243340|url-status=live}}</ref> It also provided an outlet for programming that the local network affiliates passed up, including sporting events not aired by the local [[NBC]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/ch-28-carry-usfl-games/jgaliadxbcxrswssyirvfbbppbrkatfi_ip-10-166-46-154_1715111091176|page=13C|title=Ch. 28 to carry USFL games|date=February 1, 1985|first=Jeff|last=Borden|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040833/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/ch-28-carry-usfl-games/jgaliadxbcxrswssyirvfbbppbrkatfi_ip-10-166-46-154_1715111091176|url-status=live}}</ref> The station joined the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network upon its launch in 1986.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wtte-join-fox/hgdcbtuwtwnrtmgacqekyyqfatgptfmu_ip-10-166-46-78_1715111277863|page=11C|title=WTTE to join Fox|work=The Columbus Dispatch|first=David|last=Jones|date=July 3, 1986|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040740/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wtte-join-fox/hgdcbtuwtwnrtmgacqekyyqfatgptfmu_ip-10-166-46-78_1715111277863|url-status=live}}</ref> That year, the Commercial Radio Institute broadcasting division took the name [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]].<ref name="Balt860916">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-briefly/146864364/|date=September 16, 1986|page=10B|title=Briefly|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|location=Baltimore, Maryland|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509040751/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-briefly/146864364/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->
In 2000, WWHO switched its affiliation to UPN, but signed a deal with The WB to retain its programming on a secondary basis through what a Paramount Stations Group executive described as a "program license agreement."<ref name=v-wbtoupn>{{cite news|last=Schneider|first=Michael|title=Sharing the wealth|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117776652?refcatid=18&printerfriendly=true|access-date=April 22, 2012|newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=February 22, 2000|quote=With Paramount's WWHO Columbus and WLWC Providence about to make a long-planned switch from the WB to UPN…}}</ref> As a result, WTTE picked up half of Kids' WB!'s weekday programming and aired it alongside its usual Fox Kids programming. This arrangement continued until 2001.


As early as 1989,<ref>{{Cite news|work=Columbus Business First|title=WTTE-TV Launching News Operation|date=August 21, 1989|first=Stephen|last=Lilly|id={{ProQuest|232363554}} }}</ref> WTTE officials floated the possibility of airing a 10 p.m. newscast, either by setting up an in-house news department or by partnering with another station. In 1990, general manager Mike Quigley told ''[[American City Business Journals|Columbus Business First]]'' that the station was targeting 1991 to debut such a newscast on weeknights, though the $2 million start-up costs had resulted in delays to the plan.<ref>{{cite news|id={{Gale|A8882266}}|first=Robert|last=Reid|date=August 6, 1990|work=Columbus Business First|title=Local TV stations face transition: film at 11}}</ref> A newscast continued to be discussed by Quigley for years. When [[WCMH-TV]] debuted a 10 p.m. newscast production on [[WWHO-TV]] in 1994, observers believed it had been hurried to air to spoil a pending joint venture between WTTE and [[WBNS-TV]], the market's leading local news station.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wbns-continues-ratings-surge-beats-channels-4-6-combined/lonzxgipvcjcnymtlsfomvtykpcculvb_ip-10-166-46-144_1715218414423|first=Julia|last=Keller|title=WBNS continues ratings surge, beats Channels 4, 6 combined|page=9D|date=May 2, 1994|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041208/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wbns-continues-ratings-surge-beats-channels-4-6-combined/lonzxgipvcjcnymtlsfomvtykpcculvb_ip-10-166-46-144_1715218414423|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2006, all Sinclair-controlled Fox affiliates including WTTE extended their affiliation contracts until at least March 2012. WTTE-DT2 was formerly an affiliate of [[The Tube Music Network|The Tube]], a 24-hour digital music channel. Like other Sinclair-owned stations, this was dropped in January 2007, due to a disagreement between Sinclair and The Tube over [[E/I]] programming. The network ceased operations that October due to the lack of advertising.


WTTE became a secondary affiliate of [[UPN]] when the network launched in January 1995. UPN programs aired in alternative time slots to not conflict with Fox shows. Where UPN shows aired on Monday and Tuesday nights in the network's first year, WTTE presented the network on Saturday and Sunday.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Vintage 'Voyager': Deck: New 'Star Trek' series boldly continues space saga|page=8E|first=Julia|last=Keller|work=The Columbus Dispatch}}</ref> This arrangement ended in January 1998 after WWHO-TV was sold to [[Paramount Stations Group]], the network's [[owned-and-operated station]]s division, and added UPN programming to its [[The WB|WB]] affiliation.<ref name="MW971110">{{Cite news|title=Amid 'quirky' campaigns, news gushes in rushes|id={{ProQuest|213628547}}|first=Rachel|last=Fischer|date=November 10, 1997|page=21|work=Mediaweek}}</ref>
According to [[Nielsen Media Research]] in the May 2011 ratings period, WTTE was the second most watched Fox affiliate in the United States in prime time. The station remained intensely competitive in the Columbus television market with it remaining an extremely strong competitor against [[WBNS-TV]] and [[WCMH-TV]] averaging roughly 300,000 viewers each night during the station's 10 o'clock newscast despite its earlier time slot. As WTTE-DT1 or currently, WSYX-DT3, it typically wins the demographic viewership battle each and every ratings period. The demographic win is a much sought after attribute for television sales associates in the area for local advertising purposes.


===Consolidation with WSYX and newscasts===
On October 18, 2010, the station reactivated its 28.2 [[digital subchannel]] for the first time since December 2006, with [[theCoolTV]], a music video network which, unlike The Tube, had E/I programming pre-inserted as part of its national schedule. The network was discontinued as of August 31, 2012.
[[File:WSYX WTTE WWHO.jpg|thumb|right|200px|WSYX/WTTE/WWHO studios in Columbus. "[[Cunningham Broadcasting|Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation]]" is displayed on the bottom row of the front monument sign, signifying the owner of WTTE's license assets.]]


In 1996, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced the purchase of [[River City Broadcasting]], which in Columbus owned ABC affiliate [[WSYX-TV]] (channel 6). The deal was soon amended at the behest of federal regulators to omit WSYX-TV, which Sinclair had originally planned to control under a [[local marketing agreement]].<ref name="Balt960514">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-sinclair-to-alter-plan/146880640/|date=May 14, 1996|page=2C|first=Bill|last=Atkinson|title=Sinclair to alter plans to buy firm in St. Louis: Changes in deal prompted by antitrust concerns over Ohio TV station purchase|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|location=Baltimore, Maryland|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041256/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-sinclair-to-alter-plan/146880640/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> In spite of Sinclair not immediately buying WSYX, the station became very important to WTTE. On September 16, 1996, WSYX-TV began producing a newscast for WTTE, ''Fox News at 10'', from its studios.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fox-news-10-hopes-entertain-inform/gugbqjmnwzbupvwvbitduhbuavtspayw_ip-10-166-46-156_1715111826050|page=3I|first=Julia|last=Keller|title='Fox News at 10' hopes to entertain, inform|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=September 22, 1996|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041643/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fox-news-10-hopes-entertain-inform/gugbqjmnwzbupvwvbitduhbuavtspayw_ip-10-166-46-156_1715111826050|url-status=live}}</ref> The arrangement was similar to one adopted by Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate [[WDKY-TV]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], the year prior.<ref name="BC960819">{{cite news|first=Steve|last=McClellan|title=Sinclair makes news moves|work=Broadcasting & Cable|pages=33–34|id={{ProQuest|225349764}}|date=August 19, 1996}}</ref> It was anchored by Lorene Wagner, a former reporter and anchor for WSYX and WBNS.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fox-goosebumps-series-airs-revenge-comics-junkie/ngykflxmnrzxzgypplcolwazhymvfjvt_ip-10-166-46-81_1715111782006|page=9D|title=Fox 'Goosebumps' series airs revenge of the comics junkie|date=September 6, 1996|first=Julia|last=Keller|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041649/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/fox-goosebumps-series-airs-revenge-comics-junkie/ngykflxmnrzxzgypplcolwazhymvfjvt_ip-10-166-46-81_1715111782006|url-status=live}}</ref> While it had a dedicated set and news anchors, it drew on WSYX for weather and sports personalities.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Channel 28 sets 10 p.m. newscast|page=11E|first=Julia|last=Keller|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=August 28, 1996}}</ref>{{r|BC960819}} ''Fox News at 10'' made a strong showing, quickly eclipsing the WCMH–WWHO newscast in the ratings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-has-encouraging-news-ratings-are-upswing-broadcast-10-pm-daily/aiewfkkwfntegjaxkwuylrmxdxjoaeer_ip-10-166-46-140_1715111858346|page=7B|title=Channel 28 has encouraging news: Ratings are on the upswing for the broadcast at 10 p.m. daily|date=March 24, 1997|first=Julia|last=Keller|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041714/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/channel-28-has-encouraging-news-ratings-are-upswing-broadcast-10-pm-daily/aiewfkkwfntegjaxkwuylrmxdxjoaeer_ip-10-166-46-140_1715111858346|url-status=live}}</ref> The WWHO news was canceled in October 1997, leaving WTTE with the only 10 p.m. news program in Columbus.{{r|MW971110}}
WTTE was also considered an alternate ABC affiliate airing that network's programs when WSYX is unable to do so such as during a breaking news emergency or local special.


The [[U.S. Department of Justice]] approved Sinclair to acquire WSYX's non-license assets, including its facilities and personnel, in 1998.<ref name="Balt980414">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-us-approves-sinclair/146880766/|date=April 14, 1998|pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-sinclair-gets-ok-on-oh/146881047/ 3C]|first=Mark|last=Ribbing|title=U.S. approves Sinclair bid on TV station: It lets Baltimore firm operate ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|location=Baltimore, Maryland|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042151/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-us-approves-sinclair/146880766/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> Sinclair then exercised its option to buy the WSYX license and sold the WTTE license to [[Glencairn, Ltd.]] for $2.3 million.<ref>{{Cite report|title=Annual Report|date=2000|page=35|id={{ProQuest|2198599160}}|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group}}</ref> The deals triggered the consolidation of the two stations in WSYX's facilities and under WSYX's general manager;<ref>{{Cite news|page=7E|title=WSYX general manager chosen to head merger with WTTE-TV|date=June 11, 1998|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wsyx-general-manager-chosen-head-merger-wtte-tv/jgtmwouhkaxdpltbatzfbudukiikeabf_ip-10-166-46-142_1715112659530|first=Tim|last=Feran|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042150/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/wsyx-general-manager-chosen-head-merger-wtte-tv/jgtmwouhkaxdpltbatzfbudukiikeabf_ip-10-166-46-142_1715112659530|url-status=live}}</ref> Wagner moved to WSYX's evening newscasts and was replaced on WTTE by [[Kirstin Cole]], a WSYX reporter and weekend anchor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/anchor-desk-now-family-affair-wsyx/iunfbwkjakzrhoncjmpqvksilszsaayq_ip-10-166-46-78_1715112721257|first=Tim|last=Feran|work=The Columbus Dispatch|page=8E|title=Anchor desk now family affair at WSYX|date=August 19, 1998|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042233/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/anchor-desk-now-family-affair-wsyx/iunfbwkjakzrhoncjmpqvksilszsaayq_ip-10-166-46-78_1715112721257|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Fox News at 10'' was expanded to a full hour later in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/two-new-anchors-added-channel-28-newscast/mksxakwmojttppddjlhmtxutifgqeonv_ip-10-166-46-89_1715112715093|title=Two new anchors added to Channel 28 newscast|page=7E|work=The Columbus Dispatch|date=August 10, 1998|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042151/https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/two-new-anchors-added-channel-28-newscast/mksxakwmojttppddjlhmtxutifgqeonv_ip-10-166-46-89_1715112715093|url-status=live}}</ref> Local newscasts from both stations were combined under the umbrella brand ''NewsCenter'' in September 1999.<ref>{{Cite news|work=Mediaweek|pages=22–28|title=Columbus|first=Eileen|last=Davis Hudson|id={{ProQuest|213622452}}|date=March 20, 2000}}</ref>
On May 15, 2012, Sinclair and Fox agreed to a five-year extension to the network's affiliation agreement with the 19 Fox stations owned or controlled by Sinclair, including WTTE, allowing them to continue carrying the network's programming through 2017.<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/59463/sinclair-reups-with-fox-gets-wutb-option Sinclair Reups With Fox, Gets WUTB Option], ''TVNewsCheck'', May 15, 2012.</ref>


[[File:WTTE28newlogo.PNG|200px|thumb|right|WTTE's final logo as a Fox affiliate, 2000–2021. The logo was slightly modified in 2021 to include the WSYX [[call signs in North America|call sign]] when its intellectual property moved to WSYX 6.3.]]
On June 23, 2014, Sinclair signed a deal with [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] to carry the [[GetTV]] network as a subchannel on 33 of its stations;<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/77232/gettv-signs-big-affiliation-deal-with-sinclair "GetTV Signs Big Affiliation Deal With Sinclair,"] from TVNewsCheck, June 23, 2014</ref> WTTE was one such station, and the 28.2 subchannel was reactivated.


In April 2000, WWHO dropped [[Kids' WB]] programming entirely; it downgraded its WB affiliation to essentially secondary status in order to air UPN programming in pattern, though it continued to air all WB prime time shows.<ref name=v-wbtoupn>{{cite news|last=Schneider|first=Michael|title=Sharing the wealth|url=https://variety.com/2000/biz/news/sharing-the-wealth-1117776652/|access-date=April 22, 2012|newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=February 22, 2000|quote=With Paramount's WWHO Columbus and WLWC Providence about to make a long-planned switch from the WB to UPN…}}</ref> While WTTE could not pick up the entire children's lineup because of its own [[Fox Kids]] offering, weekday airings of [[Pokémon (TV series)|the ''Pokémon'' anime]] were added to WTTE's schedule under agreement with The WB.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Channel 28 rescues mornings for kids with 'Pokémon' return|page=1C|date=April 27, 2000|work=The Columbus Dispatch|first=Tim|last=Feran}}</ref>
On June 1, 2017, Sinclair replaced GetTV with [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]] on WTTE's 28.2 subchannel. TBD is operated by Sinclair Television Group, a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group.


The ''NewsCenter'' partnership extended to morning news beginning in August 2000, when WTTE debuted a 7 a.m. extension of WSYX's morning newscast.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Channel 28 to add news at 7 a.m.|date=August 5, 2000|page=5E|work=The Columbus Dispatch|first=Tim|last=Feran}}</ref> An 8 a.m. hour was added in 2005, bringing the stations' total morning news output to four hours.<ref>{{cite news|page=4D|date=July 9, 2005|title='NewsCenter' to add morning hours|work=The Columbus Dispatch|first=Tim|last=Feran}}</ref> In 2005, WTTE became the home of [[Ohio Lottery]] drawings under an agreement that saw the lottery pay less than it had been to WBNS-TV.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/06/13/daily32.html|date=June 17, 2005|first=Tony|last=Goins|work=Columbus Business First|title=Lotto moves to WTTE|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042236/https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/06/13/daily32.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By this time, WTTE's 10 p.m. newscast was the highest-rated news program on either station.<ref>{{Cite news|page=9E|title=All stations find encouragement in Nielsen data for November|date=December 2, 2005|work=The Columbus Dispatch|first=Tim|last=Feran}}</ref> In May 2014, WTTE was the highest-rated Fox affiliate in prime time in the United States, and its 10 p.m. newscast had twice as many viewers as WSYX at 11 p.m.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/market-eye-eye-ball-ohio-132902|date=August 4, 2014|title=Market Eye: 'Eye' on the Ball in Ohio|first=Michael|last=Malone|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416112706/https://www.nexttv.com/news/market-eye-eye-ball-ohio-132902|url-status=live}}</ref>
On August 21, 2017, WTTE's 28.3 subchannel began carriage of [[Stadium (sports network)|Stadium]], which replaced [[American Sports Network|ASN]].


===Move of Fox to WSYX-DT3 and new affiliation with TBD TV===
===Move of Fox to WSYX subchannel===
On January 1, 2021, Sinclair quietly sent a letter to cable and satellite providers saying that it had consolidated the Fox affiliations of stations in markets where it had been on a sister Cunningham or Deerfield-owned station onto Sinclair owned stations, putting those affiliations directly in Sinclair's control.<ref name="sbg-nctc">{{cite web|url=https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/1690-sinclair-acquisition-of-fox-affiliation|title=Sinclair - Acquisition of Fox affiliation|date=January 1, 2021|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group/National Cable Television Cooperative|access-date=December 3, 2021}}</ref> While most markets transitioned on that day, the transition of WTTE-DT1's programming schedule onto WSYX's spectrum would be held off until January 7, as that would be the day [[WWHO]] would convert to being the market's [[ATSC 3.0]] lighthouse station, and it would easier for the transition of all the channels being moved or launched to occur then.
On January 1, 2021, Sinclair quietly sent a letter to cable and satellite providers saying that it had consolidated the Fox affiliations of stations in five markets where it had been on a station operated via an LMA onto Sinclair-owned stations, putting those affiliations directly in Sinclair's control. WTTE was one of the affected stations. While most markets transitioned on that day, the transition of WTTE–Fox's programming schedule onto WSYX's spectrum took place on January 7,<ref name="sbg-nctc">{{cite web|url=https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/1690-sinclair-acquisition-of-fox-affiliation|title=Sinclair - Acquisition of Fox affiliation|date=January 1, 2021|publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group/National Cable Television Cooperative|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=December 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203081413/https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/1690-sinclair-acquisition-of-fox-affiliation|url-status=dead}}</ref> the day WWHO-TV became the market's [[ATSC 3.0]] lighthouse station.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/how-to-make-sure-you-can-keep-receiving-abc-6-fox-28-on-your-tv|website=WSYX|date=January 4, 2021|title=How to make sure you can keep receiving ABC 6 & FOX 28 on your TV|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104232145/https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/how-to-make-sure-you-can-keep-receiving-abc-6-fox-28-on-your-tv|url-status=live}}</ref> On that date, Fox 28 moved to WSYX 6.3. It was broadcast from both WSYX and WTTE until February 3, when WTTE's main signal switched to the Sinclair-owned [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]] network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myfox28columbus.com/news/local/fox-28-over-the-air-signal-moves-to-channel-wsyx-63|website=WTTE|title=FOX 28 over-the-air signal moves to channel WSYX 6.3|date=January 7, 2021|access-date=January 9, 2021|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111040132/https://myfox28columbus.com/news/local/fox-28-over-the-air-signal-moves-to-channel-wsyx-63|url-status=live}}</ref>

On that day, Sinclair began simulcasting "Fox 28" programming on WSYX-DT3, while moving [[Antenna TV]] to the newly created 6.4. WTTE's main signal would eventually carry Sinclair-owned [[TBD (TV network)|TBD]] full-time. The simulcast continued until February 3 at 10 a.m., when the "Fox 28" schedule was now only available through WSYX-DT3.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myfox28columbus.com/news/local/fox-28-over-the-air-signal-moves-to-channel-wsyx-63|title=FOX 28 over-the-air signal moves to channel WSYX 6.3|date=January 7, 2021}}</ref>

With the move of the "Fox 28" schedule to WSYX-DT3, it became the largest-market [[Digital subchannel|subchannel]]-only Fox affiliate, surpassing [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]'s [[KRQE]]-DT2 for that distinction, along with the largest station by market size holding two affiliations with the Big Four networks (also ahead of KRQE). The transition also meant that WTTE began to host WWHO's main ATSC 1.0 signal on its spectrum (mapping to 53.1).

The switch was contractually proper for cable and satellite providers, who continue to carry Fox programming on all of "Fox 28"'s existing low-number channel positions, while WTTE-DT1's carriage now depends on provider; some carry it as a low-number channel, while others no longer carry any of WTTE's channels.

In April 2021, Antenna TV and [[Stadium (sports network)|Stadium]] swapped channels, with Stadium moving to 6.4 and Antenna TV moving to WTTE-DT2.

==News operation==
Sinclair never launched an independent news department for WTTE prior to its acquisition of WSYX, though with WBFF and [[WPGH-TV]] in Pittsburgh launching news departments in the 1990s (WPGH-TV has since shut theirs down in favor of airing a 10 p.m. newscast from [[WPXI]]), it is likely Sinclair would have launched a news department for WTTE had it not acquired WSYX.

As a Fox affiliate, WTTE broadcast 25½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with four hours each weekday, three hours on Saturdays and 2½ hours on Sundays).


==Technical information==
==Technical information==


===Subchannels===
===Subchannels===
The station's digital signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WTTE<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WTTE#station RabbitEars TV Query for WTTE]</ref>
|+Subchannels of WTTE<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WTTE#station|website=[[RabbitEars]]|title=TV Query for WTTE|access-date=February 4, 2014|archive-date=February 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221234143/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WTTE#station|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope="col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope="col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope="col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
Line 106: Line 85:
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6;"
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6;"
! scope = "row" | [[WWHO|53.2]]
! scope = "row" | [[WWHO|53.2]]
| 480i || Charge! || [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]] ([[WWHO|WWHO-DT2]])
| 480i || Charge! || [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]] (WWHO)
|}
|}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}


===Analog-to-digital conversion===
===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WTTE was one of only two full-power television stations in the Columbus market (the other being WWHO) that honored the original [[Digital television transition in the United States|DTV transition date]] of February 17, 2009. The station shut down its analog signal, over [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] channel 28, at 11:59&nbsp;p.m. on that date, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">[https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/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 36, using [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP]] to display WTTE's [[virtual channel]] as 28 on digital television receivers.
WTTE began broadcasting a digital signal on October 28, 2002.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=WTTE-DT|page=A-1736|title=Television and Cable Factbook|date=2006}}</ref> It and WWHO were the only full-power television stations in the Columbus market that honored the original [[Digital television transition in the United States|DTV transition date]] of February 17, 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|agency=Associated Press|title=List of TV stations ending analog broadcasts|date=February 17, 2009|work=NBC News|access-date=March 20, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106052115/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|url-status=live}}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 36, using [[virtual channel]] 28.<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 |url-status=dead |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>


WTTE relocated its signal from channel 36 to channel 27 on April 9, 2019, as a result of the [[2016 United States wireless spectrum auction]].<ref>{{Cite news|website=WSYX|date=March 1, 2019|title=How to make sure you can keep receiving FOX 28 on your TV|url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/news-links/how-to-make-sure-you-can-keep-receiving-fox-28-on-your-tv|access-date=May 9, 2024|archive-date=May 9, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509042218/https://abc6onyourside.com/news/news-links/how-to-make-sure-you-can-keep-receiving-fox-28-on-your-tv|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Repack Table">{{Cite web|url=http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/Phase_Assignment_Closing_PN.csv|title=FCC TV Spectrum Phase Assignment Table|format=CSV|website=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|date=April 13, 2017|access-date=April 17, 2017|archive-date=April 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417160749/http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/Phase_Assignment_Closing_PN.csv|url-status=live}}</ref>
However, until March 3, as part of the [[Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act|SAFER Act]],<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf|title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> [[analog television|analog]] channel 28 aired a repeating loop of a short informational film (in both [[American English|English]] and [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish]]) about the DTV changeover and how to upgrade to digital television. Analog channel 28 has since gone dark.


==See also==
==See also==
Line 122: Line 101:
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|wtte28.com}}


{{Columbus TV}}
{{Columbus TV}}
Line 131: Line 107:


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wtte}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wtte}}
[[Category:TBD (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Antenna TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Antenna TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Television stations in Columbus, Ohio|TTE]]
[[Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group]]
[[Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group]]
[[Category:TBD (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1984]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1984]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Television stations in Columbus, Ohio|TTE]]

Latest revision as of 20:46, 11 November 2024

For current information on "Fox 28" in Columbus, see WSYX.
WTTE
Channels
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
OperatorSinclair Broadcast Group via LMA)
WSYX, WWHO
History
First air date
June 1, 1984 (40 years ago) (1984-06-01)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 28 (UHF, 1984–2009)
  • Digital: 36 (UHF, 2002–2019)
Call sign meaning
"Television Twenty-Eight"[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID74137
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT271 m (889 ft)
Transmitter coordinates39°56′14″N 83°1′16″W / 39.93722°N 83.02111°W / 39.93722; -83.02111
Links
Public license information

WTTE (channel 28) is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, United States, airing programming from TBD. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group—owner of ABC and Fox affiliate WSYX (channel 6)—for the provision of certain services, and is operated from studios on Dublin Road alongside CW affiliate WWHO (channel 53). WTTE's transmitter is located in the Franklinton section of Columbus.

WTTE was the third station built by Sinclair. It signed on June 1, 1984, as the first mainstream independent station in the Columbus market, joining the Fox network at its launch two years later. After years of false starts, it began airing a local newscast in 1996 produced by WSYX, which was then under separate ownership. When Sinclair was able to acquire WSYX from River City Broadcasting in 1998, it transferred the WTTE license to Glencairn, Ltd.—predecessor to Cunningham—and continued to run it under an LMA. The newscasts on WTTE were the highest-rated produced by the two stations' combined news operation. In 2021, the Fox program stream moved from WTTE to Sinclair-owned WSYX and was replaced on channel 28 by TBD, a Sinclair-owned digital multicast television network.

Prior attempt to build channel 28

[edit]

Peoples Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of Columbus-based insurer Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, was selected for the construction permit for channel 47 in Columbus by a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hearing examiner in 1966.[3] It then received the permit in May 1967.[4] To run the station, Nationwide formed a new subsidiary, Nationwide Communications Inc. (NCI), to run the station, which was designated WNCI-TV. NCI applied in January 1968 for a taller tower and higher-power facilities than initially proposed and began lengthy discussions with WOSU-TV (channel 34), the public station owned by Ohio State University, to potentially share a tower.[5] However, Ohio State had objections about a high-power facility interfering with its radio astronomy observatory, blotting out weaker signals.[4]

In January 1970, the FCC approved a proposal by Nationwide, formulated in conjunction with Ohio State, to make a three-way channel shift to resolve the issue. This moved channel 47 from Columbus to Mansfield, whose channel 31 was moved to Newark for use by WGSF, whose channel 28 allocation was shifted to Columbus for WNCI-TV.[6] Nationwide entered into an agreement to pay half the cost of a new tower in Westerville, to be shared by WOSU-TV and WNCI-TV.[7] Soon after, Nationwide opted not to construct WNCI-TV in light of a pending rulemaking at the FCC that proposed limiting one company to owning one television station, one radio station, or one newspaper in a market. Nationwide, which already owned AM and FM stations, arranged to sell the permit to the Columbus-based Laurel Broadcasting Company. The FCC approved the transaction at a reported value of $288,000 in August 1971,[8] but the deal fell through weeks later after the parties reached an impasse.[9]

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

In January 1976, the Commercial Radio Institute (CRI) of Baltimore announced its intention to file for channel 28. It chose Columbus after passing on prospects in Boston and Louisville, Kentucky.[10] Shortly after, a second application was received by Christian Voice of Central Ohio, owner of Christian radio station WCVO (104.9 FM) in Gahanna, which proposed a religious and family-friendly outlet in contrast to the more traditional independent station format contemplated by the Commercial Radio Institute.[11] FCC administrative law judge David Kraushaar ruled in favor of the Commercial Radio Institute application in October 1979 because Christian Voice of Central Ohio already owned a station in the market.[12] Christian Voice appealed, expressing a desire to sell WCVO if necessary to obtain channel 28.[13] It was unsuccessful in overturning the initial decision at the FCC's review board[14] and with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[15]

Construction on the station, dubbed WTTE, finally began to move ahead in 1983 after the company secured revenue bonds from Franklin County; work to add channel 28 to WOSU-TV's tower began.[16] However, WTTE was bogged down by continual delays. By October, the station was still months away from air, even though CRI had secured a studio site at 6130 Sunbury Road.[17] Wet weather left the tower site muddy and made it impossible to maneuver heavy equipment, leading the station to scrap an April 1984 planned sign-on.[18]

WTTE began broadcasting on June 1, 1984.[19] It was CRI's third station after independent outlets in Baltimore (WBFF-TV) and Pittsburgh (WPTT-TV).[18] Its format—children's shows, reruns, movies, and religious programs—was familiar to those used to independent stations elsewhere in the country but not so much in Columbus.[20] It also provided an outlet for programming that the local network affiliates passed up, including sporting events not aired by the local NBC and ABC affiliates.[21] The station joined the Fox network upon its launch in 1986.[22] That year, the Commercial Radio Institute broadcasting division took the name Sinclair Broadcast Group.[23]

As early as 1989,[24] WTTE officials floated the possibility of airing a 10 p.m. newscast, either by setting up an in-house news department or by partnering with another station. In 1990, general manager Mike Quigley told Columbus Business First that the station was targeting 1991 to debut such a newscast on weeknights, though the $2 million start-up costs had resulted in delays to the plan.[25] A newscast continued to be discussed by Quigley for years. When WCMH-TV debuted a 10 p.m. newscast production on WWHO-TV in 1994, observers believed it had been hurried to air to spoil a pending joint venture between WTTE and WBNS-TV, the market's leading local news station.[26]

WTTE became a secondary affiliate of UPN when the network launched in January 1995. UPN programs aired in alternative time slots to not conflict with Fox shows. Where UPN shows aired on Monday and Tuesday nights in the network's first year, WTTE presented the network on Saturday and Sunday.[27] This arrangement ended in January 1998 after WWHO-TV was sold to Paramount Stations Group, the network's owned-and-operated stations division, and added UPN programming to its WB affiliation.[28]

Consolidation with WSYX and newscasts

[edit]
WSYX/WTTE/WWHO studios in Columbus. "Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation" is displayed on the bottom row of the front monument sign, signifying the owner of WTTE's license assets.

In 1996, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced the purchase of River City Broadcasting, which in Columbus owned ABC affiliate WSYX-TV (channel 6). The deal was soon amended at the behest of federal regulators to omit WSYX-TV, which Sinclair had originally planned to control under a local marketing agreement.[29] In spite of Sinclair not immediately buying WSYX, the station became very important to WTTE. On September 16, 1996, WSYX-TV began producing a newscast for WTTE, Fox News at 10, from its studios.[30] The arrangement was similar to one adopted by Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate WDKY-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, the year prior.[31] It was anchored by Lorene Wagner, a former reporter and anchor for WSYX and WBNS.[32] While it had a dedicated set and news anchors, it drew on WSYX for weather and sports personalities.[33][31] Fox News at 10 made a strong showing, quickly eclipsing the WCMH–WWHO newscast in the ratings.[34] The WWHO news was canceled in October 1997, leaving WTTE with the only 10 p.m. news program in Columbus.[28]

The U.S. Department of Justice approved Sinclair to acquire WSYX's non-license assets, including its facilities and personnel, in 1998.[35] Sinclair then exercised its option to buy the WSYX license and sold the WTTE license to Glencairn, Ltd. for $2.3 million.[36] The deals triggered the consolidation of the two stations in WSYX's facilities and under WSYX's general manager;[37] Wagner moved to WSYX's evening newscasts and was replaced on WTTE by Kirstin Cole, a WSYX reporter and weekend anchor.[38] Fox News at 10 was expanded to a full hour later in 1998.[39] Local newscasts from both stations were combined under the umbrella brand NewsCenter in September 1999.[40]

WTTE's final logo as a Fox affiliate, 2000–2021. The logo was slightly modified in 2021 to include the WSYX call sign when its intellectual property moved to WSYX 6.3.

In April 2000, WWHO dropped Kids' WB programming entirely; it downgraded its WB affiliation to essentially secondary status in order to air UPN programming in pattern, though it continued to air all WB prime time shows.[41] While WTTE could not pick up the entire children's lineup because of its own Fox Kids offering, weekday airings of the Pokémon anime were added to WTTE's schedule under agreement with The WB.[42]

The NewsCenter partnership extended to morning news beginning in August 2000, when WTTE debuted a 7 a.m. extension of WSYX's morning newscast.[43] An 8 a.m. hour was added in 2005, bringing the stations' total morning news output to four hours.[44] In 2005, WTTE became the home of Ohio Lottery drawings under an agreement that saw the lottery pay less than it had been to WBNS-TV.[45] By this time, WTTE's 10 p.m. newscast was the highest-rated news program on either station.[46] In May 2014, WTTE was the highest-rated Fox affiliate in prime time in the United States, and its 10 p.m. newscast had twice as many viewers as WSYX at 11 p.m.[47]

Move of Fox to WSYX subchannel

[edit]

On January 1, 2021, Sinclair quietly sent a letter to cable and satellite providers saying that it had consolidated the Fox affiliations of stations in five markets where it had been on a station operated via an LMA onto Sinclair-owned stations, putting those affiliations directly in Sinclair's control. WTTE was one of the affected stations. While most markets transitioned on that day, the transition of WTTE–Fox's programming schedule onto WSYX's spectrum took place on January 7,[48] the day WWHO-TV became the market's ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station.[49] On that date, Fox 28 moved to WSYX 6.3. It was broadcast from both WSYX and WTTE until February 3, when WTTE's main signal switched to the Sinclair-owned TBD network.[50]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTTE[51]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
28.1 480i 16:9 TBD TBD
28.2 Antenna Antenna TV
53.1 720p 16:9 WWHO-CW The CW (WWHO)
53.2 480i Charge! Charge! (WWHO)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WTTE began broadcasting a digital signal on October 28, 2002.[52] It and WWHO were the only full-power television stations in the Columbus market that honored the original DTV transition date of February 17, 2009.[53] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 36, using virtual channel 28.[54]

WTTE relocated its signal from channel 36 to channel 27 on April 9, 2019, as a result of the 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction.[55][56]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Seymour, Seth (August 19, 2003). "Broadcasters can't resist identifying themselves to the letter". The Columbus Dispatch. pp. D8, D7. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WTTE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "Examiner OKs UHF TV Station". The Columbus Dispatch. March 17, 1966. p. 6A. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "WNCI-TV Request Controversial: Application Moves Slowly". The Columbus Dispatch. July 24, 1968. p. 22B. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Time Extension, Engineering at NCI: Modification Sought". The Columbus Dispatch. January 5, 1968. p. 14B. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "FCC Switches 3 Channels To Accommodate NCI". The Columbus Dispatch. Associated Press. January 15, 1970. p. 15B. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ^ "WOSU Tower Funded". The Columbus Dispatch. February 28, 1971. p. 21A. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  8. ^ "New Central Ohio TV Station May Be Operational in 1972". The Columbus Dispatch. August 8, 1971. p. 21A2. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  9. ^ "TV Station Sale Talks Collapse". The Columbus Dispatch. August 27, 1971. p. 5A. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Stout, Ned (January 16, 1976). "New UHF Station Planned for City". The Columbus Dispatch. p. B1. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  11. ^ Wilkinson, Bud (November 12, 1978). "UHF Frequency Is Up For Grabs". The Columbus Dispatch. p. Guide 11. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  12. ^ Wilkinson, Bud (October 9, 1979). "92X Hires Programmer, Fires 3 Staffers". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C-4. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  13. ^ Borden, Jeff (May 6, 1980). "Channel 28 License Still In FCC Appeal Process". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C-4. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  14. ^ Borden, Jeff. "CVCO Bid For Channel 28 Denied Again By FCC". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C-5. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Borden, Jeff (April 30, 1982). "Channel 28 still up in the air". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C11. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  16. ^ Borden, Jeff (May 26, 1983). "Ch. 28 air date delayed again". The Columbus Dispatch. p. E7. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  17. ^ Borden, Jeff (October 6, 1983). "City's new UHF station hopes to be on air by April". The Columbus Dispatch. p. D7. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Borden, Jeff (March 23, 1984). "Weather bogs down Channel 28 plans". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C14. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  19. ^ Borden, Jeff (June 1, 1984). "Rape trial coverage examined". The Columbus Dispatch. p. C11. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  20. ^ Borden, Jeff (May 27, 1984). "Channel 28 ready to broadcast after 8-year struggle". The Columbus Dispatch. p. D4. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  21. ^ Borden, Jeff (February 1, 1985). "Ch. 28 to carry USFL games". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 13C. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  22. ^ Jones, David (July 3, 1986). "WTTE to join Fox". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 11C. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  23. ^ "Briefly". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. September 16, 1986. p. 10B. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Lilly, Stephen (August 21, 1989). "WTTE-TV Launching News Operation". Columbus Business First. ProQuest 232363554.
  25. ^ Reid, Robert (August 6, 1990). "Local TV stations face transition: film at 11". Columbus Business First. Gale A8882266.
  26. ^ Keller, Julia (May 2, 1994). "WBNS continues ratings surge, beats Channels 4, 6 combined". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 9D. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  27. ^ Keller, Julia. "Vintage 'Voyager': Deck: New 'Star Trek' series boldly continues space saga". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8E.
  28. ^ a b Fischer, Rachel (November 10, 1997). "Amid 'quirky' campaigns, news gushes in rushes". Mediaweek. p. 21. ProQuest 213628547.
  29. ^ Atkinson, Bill (May 14, 1996). "Sinclair to alter plans to buy firm in St. Louis: Changes in deal prompted by antitrust concerns over Ohio TV station purchase". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. p. 2C. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ Keller, Julia (September 22, 1996). "'Fox News at 10' hopes to entertain, inform". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 3I. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  31. ^ a b McClellan, Steve (August 19, 1996). "Sinclair makes news moves". Broadcasting & Cable. pp. 33–34. ProQuest 225349764.
  32. ^ Keller, Julia (September 6, 1996). "Fox 'Goosebumps' series airs revenge of the comics junkie". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 9D. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  33. ^ Keller, Julia (August 28, 1996). "Channel 28 sets 10 p.m. newscast". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 11E.
  34. ^ Keller, Julia (March 24, 1997). "Channel 28 has encouraging news: Ratings are on the upswing for the broadcast at 10 p.m. daily". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 7B. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  35. ^ Ribbing, Mark (April 14, 1998). "U.S. approves Sinclair bid on TV station: It lets Baltimore firm operate ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 1C, 3C. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ Annual Report (Report). Sinclair Broadcast Group. 2000. p. 35. ProQuest 2198599160.
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  43. ^ Feran, Tim (August 5, 2000). "Channel 28 to add news at 7 a.m.". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 5E.
  44. ^ Feran, Tim (July 9, 2005). "'NewsCenter' to add morning hours". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 4D.
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