WCOV-TV
Encyclopedia
WCOV-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station
for Central Alabama
's Black Belt
area licensed to Montgomery
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter southeast of Grady
along the Montgomery
and Crenshaw
County line. The station can also be seen on Charter
and Knology
channel 2. On digital cable, there is a high definition feed offered on Charter channel 702 and Knology channel 905. Owned by the Woods Communications Corporation, the station has studios on WCOV Avenue in the Normandale section of Montgomery. Syndicated
programming on WCOV includes: Two and a Half Men
, The People's Court
, The Wendy Williams Show
, and Swift Justice with Nancy Grace
.
. On WCOV-DT3 and Knology digital channel 174 is This TV
.
station but carried affiliations with all networks that were airing at the time (NBC
, ABC
, and DuMont
). During the late-1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
. It was originally supposed to broadcast on VHF channel 12 (now occupied by WSFA
) but RCA
could not deliver a VHF transmitter in time for the launch. However, RCA could deliver a UHF transmitter. This historical accident would come back to haunt the station later.
The channel was started by William Covington the brother of Oscar Covington. Bill Covington died in 1949 while on a buying trip to Chicago
. He had already applied for the license for the television station at the time of his death. He also owned two other radio stations in Alabama
. Oscar Covington was one of several Covington siblings, and a niece, who owned WCOV after the death of Bill. Oscar Covington's father Will, who died in 1949, put WCOV radio (now WACV
) on-air in 1939. It lost NBC when WSFA launched in 1954 and ABC when WSLA-TV in Selma
signed-on in 1960. DuMont programming went away in 1956 after that network shut down.
The Covington family sold the station to Gay-Bell Corporation in 1964. WCOV blocked several requests by WSLA to increase its power so it could better cover Montgomery. It claimed that the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) would not be fostering the growth of UHF stations if it allowed WSLA to increase its power. In truth, WCOV feared that CBS would yank the Montgomery affiliation if WSLA moved in. Finally in 1984, WSLA changed its calls to WAKA
and got a construction permit
for a taller tower that would cover Montgomery. Seeing the writing on the wall, Gay-Bell sold this station to current owner, Woods Communications, which owned Dothan
's WTVY (also a CBS station). In April 1985, WAKA activated its new tower, and as feared, CBS dropped its affiliation with WCOV on New Year's Day
in 1986.
After a few months as an Independent, Woods made the station a charter Fox affiliate in October. The original tower in Montgomery was destroyed by a massive tornado
on March 22, 1996. Two days later, the station returned to the air on a temporary 350 foot (107 m) tower but depended mostly on cable for its viewership. In January 1997, the station activated a new tower in Grady. WCOV has been digital-only since February 20, 2009. Originally, its digital transmitter was located next to its studios. WCOV also started broadcasting a special "nightlight
" service on its analog signal featuring digital conversion information following the discontinuance of its analog service. The station currently airs two local programs including MPD: The Television Series (a COPS
-inspired program produced by the Montgomery Police Department) and County Law which involves the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department.
in Birmingham
. This aired weekday mornings from 7 until 9 and originated from studios on Valley View Drive in that city. At some point in September 2010, the simulcast was dropped.
On January 7, 2008, Woods Communications contracted with NBC
affiliate WSFA (owned by Raycom Media
) to air a prime time broadcast in conjunction with another Fox affiliate and Raycom-owned station in Dothan
, WDFX-TV
. Originally airing for 35 minutes on weeknights, a weekend half-hour edition began in Summer 2008. On August 3, WSFA upgraded its newscasts to high definition level becoming the first station in Montgomery to do so. The primary news set and graphics were redesigned in the transition.
Initially, the 9 p.m. shows were not included because they originated from an older secondary set at WSFA's studios on East Delano Avenue. However in Spring 2010, those broadcasts began airing in HD with updated graphics separate from programs seen on WSFA. Since WDFX and WCOV both aired Fox News at 9, there was regional coverage of the Montgomery and Dothan areas provided. Reporters based at WDFX's studios (referred to as the Wiregrass
Newsroom) were also featured in the show.
After WCOV's outsourcing contract with WSFA expired at the end of 2010, it entered into a new agreement with CBS affiliate WAKA (owned by Bahakel Communications
) to produce a nightly 35 minute prime time newscast at 9 covering Montgomery. The new show, known as WCOV News at 9, has reverted back to pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition (since WAKA has yet to make any upgrades to newscasts) and originate from studios on Eastern Boulevard (US 80/US 231
). In addition, WAKA operates bureaus in Selma (on Landline Road/SR 22 Truck/SR 219
) known as the West Alabama Newsroom and in Troy
as well as Greenville, Alabama - both known as South Alabama Newsrooms.
It was announced on July 7, 2011 that Bahakel will purchase CW affiliate WBMM
from SagamoreHill Broadcasting
for $
3.5 million. Even before the sale receives approval from the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), Bahakel immediately entered into a shared services
agreement (SSA) with SagamoreHill resulting in WNCF being operated by WAKA. SagamoreHill retains responsibility for WNCF's programming, personnel, and finances while Bahakel provides that station with sales and administrative services as well as production and technical services. Despite being the senior partner in the proposed agreement, WAKA will vacate its current location in South Central Montgomery and consolidate into WNCF's studios at some point in 2012. There has not been any announcement made public as to the news share agreement status between WCOV and WAKA and whether the latter will continue producing WCOV News at 9 after WNCF and WAKA merge.
Reporters
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
for Central Alabama
Central Alabama
Central Alabama is the region in the state of Alabama that stretches approximately 170 miles from the western border with Mississippi to eastern border with Georgia and 136 miles from the northern border of Cullman County to the Alabama River in southern Autauga County. With a...
's Black Belt
Black Belt (region of Alabama)
The Black Belt is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama, and part of the larger Black Belt Region of the Southern United States, which stretches from Texas to Maryland. The term originally referred to the region underlain by a thin layer of rich, black topsoil developed atop the chalk of the Selma...
area licensed to Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. It broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter southeast of Grady
Grady, Alabama
Grady is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County Alabama, United States. Grady is located about south of Montgomery. It is at the intersection of Montgomery County Road 28 and Mountgomery County Road 1 . The CSX railroad runs north and south through Grady. Near Grady on the Fannin Mill...
along the Montgomery
Montgomery County, Alabama
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the most populous county in the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area; its population in 2010 was 229,363 .- History :...
and Crenshaw
Crenshaw County, Alabama
Crenshaw County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a judge, Anderson Crenshaw. As of 2010 the population was 13,906. Its county seat is Luverne.-Geography:...
County line. The station can also be seen on Charter
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
and Knology
Knology
Knology Inc. is a cable company that formed in 1994 by ITC Holding Company, Inc, a telecommunications holding company in West Point, Georgia that also founded Internet service provider Mindspring. In late 1994, shortly after Knology's inception, two employees made a $600,000 investment to make...
channel 2. On digital cable, there is a high definition feed offered on Charter channel 702 and Knology channel 905. Owned by the Woods Communications Corporation, the station has studios on WCOV Avenue in the Normandale section of Montgomery. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on WCOV includes: Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, The People's Court
The People's Court
The People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
, The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
, and Swift Justice with Nancy Grace
Swift Justice With Nancy Grace
Swift Justice with Jackie Glass is a syndicated court program hosted by Judge Jackie Glass....
.
Digital programming
On WCOV-DT2, Charter digital channel 137, and Knology digital channel 247 is The Local AccuWeather ChannelThe Local AccuWeather Channel
The Local AccuWeather Channel is a 24-hour, weather-oriented, commercially sponsored broadcast and cable television network in the United States owned and operated by AccuWeather, Inc., which is headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania....
. On WCOV-DT3 and Knology digital channel 174 is This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
.
| Channel | Name | Video | Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.1 | WCOV-DT | 720p 720p 720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan... |
16:9 16:9 16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ... |
Main WCOV programming / FOX |
| 20.2 | WCOV-DT2 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | "Fox AccuWeather AccuWeather AccuWeather is an American media company that provides for-profit weather forecasting services worldwide.AccuWeather was founded in 1962 by Joel N. Myers, then a Penn State graduate student working on degrees in meteorology. His first customer was a gas company in Pennsylvania. While running the... " |
| 20.3 | WCOV-DT3 | This TV | ||
History
WCOV-TV was the first television station in Montgomery making its first broadcast on April 17, 1953. It was a primary CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
station but carried affiliations with all networks that were airing at the time (NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, and DuMont
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
). During the late-1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
NTA Film Network
The NTA Film Network was an early American television network founded by Ely Landau in 1956. The network was not a full-time television network like CBS, NBC, or ABC. Rather, it operated on a part-time basis, broadcasting films and several first-run television programs from major Hollywood studios...
. It was originally supposed to broadcast on VHF channel 12 (now occupied by WSFA
WSFA
WSFA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt region licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Grady along the Montgomery and Pike County line. The station can also be seen on Knology and Charter...
) but RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
could not deliver a VHF transmitter in time for the launch. However, RCA could deliver a UHF transmitter. This historical accident would come back to haunt the station later.
The channel was started by William Covington the brother of Oscar Covington. Bill Covington died in 1949 while on a buying trip to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He had already applied for the license for the television station at the time of his death. He also owned two other radio stations in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Oscar Covington was one of several Covington siblings, and a niece, who owned WCOV after the death of Bill. Oscar Covington's father Will, who died in 1949, put WCOV radio (now WACV
WACV
WACV is a radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, market owned by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. Since July 30, 2010, the station has broadcast a modern rock music format...
) on-air in 1939. It lost NBC when WSFA launched in 1954 and ABC when WSLA-TV in Selma
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
signed-on in 1960. DuMont programming went away in 1956 after that network shut down.
The Covington family sold the station to Gay-Bell Corporation in 1964. WCOV blocked several requests by WSLA to increase its power so it could better cover Montgomery. It claimed that the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) would not be fostering the growth of UHF stations if it allowed WSLA to increase its power. In truth, WCOV feared that CBS would yank the Montgomery affiliation if WSLA moved in. Finally in 1984, WSLA changed its calls to WAKA
WAKA
WAKA is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt region licensed to Selma. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter in Gordonville. The station can also be seen on Knology and Charter channel 8...
and got a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
for a taller tower that would cover Montgomery. Seeing the writing on the wall, Gay-Bell sold this station to current owner, Woods Communications, which owned Dothan
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
's WTVY (also a CBS station). In April 1985, WAKA activated its new tower, and as feared, CBS dropped its affiliation with WCOV on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
in 1986.
After a few months as an Independent, Woods made the station a charter Fox affiliate in October. The original tower in Montgomery was destroyed by a massive tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
on March 22, 1996. Two days later, the station returned to the air on a temporary 350 foot (107 m) tower but depended mostly on cable for its viewership. In January 1997, the station activated a new tower in Grady. WCOV has been digital-only since February 20, 2009. Originally, its digital transmitter was located next to its studios. WCOV also started broadcasting a special "nightlight
Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act
The Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act, or SAFER Act, is a U.S. law to require the Federal Communications Commission to allow the continuation of full-power analog TV transmissions in 2009 for 30 more days, for the purpose of broadcasting public service announcements regarding the...
" service on its analog signal featuring digital conversion information following the discontinuance of its analog service. The station currently airs two local programs including MPD: The Television Series (a COPS
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
-inspired program produced by the Montgomery Police Department) and County Law which involves the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department.
News operation
As a CBS affiliate, WCOV operated its own news department. However, the station was always a very distant second to dominant WSFA. The station dropped all news programming after losing CBS programming. Eventually, a two-hour simulcast of the four-hour long Good Day Alabama was added from fellow Fox affiliate WBRCWBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. This aired weekday mornings from 7 until 9 and originated from studios on Valley View Drive in that city. At some point in September 2010, the simulcast was dropped.
On January 7, 2008, Woods Communications contracted with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate WSFA (owned by Raycom Media
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
) to air a prime time broadcast in conjunction with another Fox affiliate and Raycom-owned station in Dothan
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
, WDFX-TV
WDFX-TV
WDFX-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southeastern Alabama's Wiregrass Region licensed to Ozark. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 33 from a transmitter in Wicksburg. The station can also be seen on Knology channel 5 as well as Comcast and Time Warner...
. Originally airing for 35 minutes on weeknights, a weekend half-hour edition began in Summer 2008. On August 3, WSFA upgraded its newscasts to high definition level becoming the first station in Montgomery to do so. The primary news set and graphics were redesigned in the transition.
Initially, the 9 p.m. shows were not included because they originated from an older secondary set at WSFA's studios on East Delano Avenue. However in Spring 2010, those broadcasts began airing in HD with updated graphics separate from programs seen on WSFA. Since WDFX and WCOV both aired Fox News at 9, there was regional coverage of the Montgomery and Dothan areas provided. Reporters based at WDFX's studios (referred to as the Wiregrass
Wiregrass Region
The Wiregrass Region or Wiregrass Country is an area of the Southern United States encompassing parts of southern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle...
Newsroom) were also featured in the show.
After WCOV's outsourcing contract with WSFA expired at the end of 2010, it entered into a new agreement with CBS affiliate WAKA (owned by Bahakel Communications
Bahakel Communications
Bahakel Communications is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based communications company that owns radio and television stations in the United States...
) to produce a nightly 35 minute prime time newscast at 9 covering Montgomery. The new show, known as WCOV News at 9, has reverted back to pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition (since WAKA has yet to make any upgrades to newscasts) and originate from studios on Eastern Boulevard (US 80/US 231
U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
). In addition, WAKA operates bureaus in Selma (on Landline Road/SR 22 Truck/SR 219
Alabama State Route 219
State Route 219 or SR-219 is a long route that serves as a connector route between Selma in Dallas County and Centreville in Bibb County.-Route description:...
) known as the West Alabama Newsroom and in Troy
Troy, Alabama
Troy is a city in Pike County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,003. Troy experienced a growth spurt of over 4,000+ people since 2000. The city is the county seat of Pike County....
as well as Greenville, Alabama - both known as South Alabama Newsrooms.
It was announced on July 7, 2011 that Bahakel will purchase CW affiliate WBMM
WBMM
WBMM is the CW-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt licensed to Tuskegee. It broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 22 from a transmitter in unincorporated Southeastern Bullock County. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 14 and Knology channel 19...
from SagamoreHill Broadcasting
SagamoreHill Broadcasting
SagamoreHill Broadcasting is a privately held American holding company that owns eleven television stations largely based in the southern United States...
for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3.5 million. Even before the sale receives approval from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC), Bahakel immediately entered into a shared services
Shared services
Shared services refers to the provision of a service by one part of an organization or group where that service had previously been found in more than one part of the organization or group. Thus the funding and resourcing of the service is shared and the providing department effectively becomes an...
agreement (SSA) with SagamoreHill resulting in WNCF being operated by WAKA. SagamoreHill retains responsibility for WNCF's programming, personnel, and finances while Bahakel provides that station with sales and administrative services as well as production and technical services. Despite being the senior partner in the proposed agreement, WAKA will vacate its current location in South Central Montgomery and consolidate into WNCF's studios at some point in 2012. There has not been any announcement made public as to the news share agreement status between WCOV and WAKA and whether the latter will continue producing WCOV News at 9 after WNCF and WAKA merge.
Newscast titles
- Newsroom 20 (early 1980s-1985)
- COV Eyewitness News (1985-1986)
- Fox 20 News (1986-2009)
- WCOV News (2009-present)
News team
Anchors- Stefanie Hicks - weeknight news
- Glenn Halbrooks - weeknight news
- TBD - weekend news
- Ashley McDonald - Chief Meteorologist seen weeknights
- Micah Harris - weekend meteorologist
- Dee Jackson - weeknight sports
- Stu McCann - weekend sports
Reporters
- George McDonald - West Alabama Newsroom
- Jessica Gertler - South Alabama Newsroom
- Elise Burkart - South Alabama Newsroom
- Steve Flowers - politics
- Krista Littlefield
- Tamika Bickham
- Amanda McKenzie