WTIC-TV
Encyclopedia
WTIC-TV, channel 61, is a television station
in Hartford, Connecticut
. Owned by the Tribune Company
, WTIC-TV is a charter
affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company
. The station broadcasts from the Hartford Courant building in Hartford, and its transmitter is located on Rattlesnake Mountain
in Farmington, Connecticut
.
WTIC-TV is one of three media properties in Connecticut owned by Tribune; the others are The CW Television Network
affiliate WCCT-TV (channel 20), and the Hartford Courant. This television station was once co-owned with Hartford's WTIC radio
and WTIC-FM
, which are now properties of CBS Radio
.
On January 1, 2011, WTIC began carrying Antenna TV
, a digital broadcast network owned by WTIC parent Tribune Broadcasting that features classic television series from the 1950s to 1990s and feature films from the libraries of Sony Pictures Entertainment
and DLT Entertainment, on digital subchannel 61.2.
(the first woman in Connecticut to be elected governor) who died in 1981. After permission was granted by Chase Broadcasting (owned by other Chase family members), owner of WTIC radio (1080 AM
and 96.5 FM
) to allow Arch to use the historic WTIC-TV call-sign, a waiver was granted by the FCC in early 1984. This call sign had last been used by what is now WFSB
from 1957 to 1974. In memory of Grasso, WTIC showed clips of Grasso at work at sign off while church bells played the Star Spangled Banner. A graphic at the end mentioned that the station was dedicated in Grasso's memory. Grasso's son was part of Chase's group.
WTIC-TV began operation on September 17, 1984. Originally, it was a general entertainment independent station running cartoons, sitcoms, old movies, CBS
shows pre-empted by WFSB, ABC
shows pre-empted by WTNH
, drama shows, and sports in competition with WCCT's predecessor, WTXX. In 1985-1986, the station invested in stronger programming and managed to become a charter Fox affiliate on October 6, 1986. However, by 1987, Arch encountered financial problems and WTIC nearly filed for bankruptcy. Many syndicators went unpaid and responded by pulling their programming from channel 61. Extensive litigation followed as the contracts that were standard in the industry at that time stated that if a single payment was missed, no more programs would be provided, but the station was still required to pay the full amount due under the contract. As the litigation progressed, the shows were replaced by low-budget barter programming. Central to the litigation were allegations of illegal "tie-in" sales by program syndicators that artificially drove up the cost of programming to WTIC. The cases soon settled on terms favorable to Chase and WTIC.
Chase Broadcasting (owned by Arnold Chase's father's organization) acquired WTIC in 1988. Although the barter programming continued, the station began to realize some sustained success in part due to the early success of the Fox network and shows like 21 Jump Street
and Married...With Children. A milestone was reached in 1992, when WTIC began to regularly beat WTXX in the ratings. Chase sold all its stations to Renaissance Broadcasting, who owned WTXX, in 1992. To follow prevailing Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations, Renaissance sold WTXX in March 1993 to a Roman Catholic non-profit group, Counterpoint Communications. Renaissance tried to negotiate a local marketing agreement
(LMA) with Counterpoint in which it would buy WTXX's entire broadcast day, except for overnights and an hour during the day in which WTXX was to run Catholic programming. During negotiations, which lasted from the time the sale became final until July 1993, Renaissance agreed to have WTXX run The Disney Afternoon
from 3 to 5 p.m. and some off network sitcoms from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays free of charge, as well as first run syndicated shows on weekends in this slot. However, Counterpoint wanted only a part-time arrangement, and negotiations ultimately fell through, WTXX then entered into a part-time LMA with WVIT
.
In selling WTXX, Renaissance retained much of that station's programming, which was then moved to WTIC to create a stronger lineup for channel 61. Some programming (such as older sitcoms), however, was returned to their syndicators and wound up first on WTWS (now WHPX-TV) and then WTVU (now WCTX
). The cartoons that did not move to WTIC were sold to WVIT, which ultimately moved them back to WTXX.
WTIC was sold to the Tribune Company
in 1997 as part of a group deal. One year later, it replaced WVIT as the LMA partner for WTXX (then a UPN
affiliate, later WB
, currently a The CW
station). In 2001, Tribune bought WTXX outright. Both stations became sister properties of the Hartford Courant after Times Mirror merged with Tribune in 2000.
As time went on, WTIC began dropping cartoons, movies, and older sitcoms in favor of more talk and reality shows. The weekday cartoons ended at the end of 2001 when Fox ended its weekday kids' block.
Since the network entered sports programming in 1994, WTIC has had to deal with issues regarding Major League Baseball
and National Football League
coverage. Connecticut is split between the traditional home territories for Boston
and New York City teams. The football issue is not typically as stark because the New York Giants
and New England Patriots
play in separate conferences, each with their own network television deals, so there is little overlap. However, it is often a source of frustration during baseball season. Fox picks both the New York Yankees
and Boston Red Sox
for its baseball broadcast windows from time-to-time. MLB limits Fox to a single game and does not allow other channels to broadcast baseball in that window (from 3:30 to 7 P.M.) This creates serious anger among Connecticut baseball fans when WTIC must broadcast either the Yankees or the Red Sox as the usual cable channels (YES
and NESN) are blacked out for the team not broadcast by Fox. WTIC generally shows each team as many times as possible.
This also had an effect on the Springfield
/Holyoke, Massachusetts
television market because the station had served as the area's default affiliate since that area did not have an affiliate of its own. This changed on March 31, 2008 when ABC
affiliate WGGB-TV
added Fox on its second
digital subchannel. Beginning with the 2008 season to alleviate coverage issues, game broadcasts of the New York Mets
from sister station WPIX
will alternate between WTIC and WTXX.
) in 1969. News anchor Pat Sheehan had been the anchor on that station. In 1998, when WTIC replaced WVIT as WTXX's LMA partner, the WVIT-produced 10 p.m. broadcast was replaced with a simulcast of the first half-hour of this channel's news program. On April 24, 2006, WTXX began to simulcast the full hour. That station did not have a separate news opening for the nightly broadcasts. Whenever Fox programming or sports delayed the news on WTIC, it was still shown on WTXX but under the name of News at Ten. There was also a "News at Ten" logo bug in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen in place of "Fox 61 News". WTXX discontinued its simulcast of the 10 p.m. newscast in June 2010, shortly before changing its callsign to WCCT-TV; that station continues to show the newscast when it is preempted on WTIC.
The station launched a weekday morning newscast on March 3, 2008. The 7 a.m. hour competes with WCTX
's morning show, which is produced by sister station WTNH
, and airs for one hour. On August 4, 2009 the weekday morning newscast was expanded to 4½ hours and began airing from 4:30-9 a.m. During the 8 a.m. hour, the format of the program includes several talk show segments focusing on entertainment, lifestyle, and health. This hour is simulcast on WCCT; the station's simulcasts of portions of the morning newscast have been intermittent throughout the newscast's existence. Since launching the morning broadcast, WTIC-TV has entered into a weather department partnership with WTIC radio (1080 AM). The weather center now features meteorologists from the radio and television stations. Weather reports can also be heard on WTIC, WTIC-FM (96.5 FM), WRCH (100.5 FM), WZMX (93.7 FM), and WZBG
(97.3 FM).
Starting on September 8, 2008, a weeknight 11 p.m. newscast was added. On September 21, the station launched a weekday midday newscast at 11 a.m. An weeknight 6 p.m. newscast was planned, but did not not debut on that date. On August 23, 2010 WTIC launched an hour-long late afternoon newscast at 4 p.m. on weekdays. Currently, in addition to simulcating the 8 a.m. hour of WTIC's morning newscast, WCCT rebroadcasts the 11 p.m. newscast at 1 a.m. on weeknights; on weekends, it airs the 10 p.m. newscast at that time.
In July 2009, news reporter Shelly Sindland filed both state and federal complaints alleging age and sex discrimination in the station's newsroom. Media sites also raised questions about the way the case was covered by the Hartford Courant which operates under the same management team as WTIC.
Along with obtaining world and national news footage from Fox News, WTIC is also broadcasts world and national news footage from CNN NewsSource. The station broadcasts the Comcast Sports Desk at 10:45 on Saturday and Sunday nights. WTIC also produces a weekly public affairs show, The Real Story, which airs Sunday mornings at 8:30 with a repeat on WCCT at 11.
On December 12, 2009; WTIC, WCCT (then WTXX), and the Hartford Courant moved into their new combined newsroom facilities in downtown Hartford, and WTIC re-branded from FOX 61 to FOX CT (a transition completed in July 2010). In addition; WTIC began broadcasting newscasts in high definition, becoming the second station in the market to do so. WCCT's newscasts also made the transition. On January 22, 2011; WTIC launched weekend morning newscasts, airing from 7-9 a.m.; the station is the third Tribune-owned station with a weekend morning newscast (CW affiliate WGN-TV
in Chicago and Fox affiliate WXIN
in Indianapolis debuted weekend morning newscasts before WTIC, CW affiliate KTLA
in Los Angeles launched a weekend morning newscast a few months later). On September 26, 2011, WTIC expanded its weekday morning newscast to 5½ hours from 4:30-10 a.m.; with the expansion, the 11 a.m. newscast was dropped from the schedule.
and Seinfeld
while the big three
stations broadcast their local news. Since the February 2008 ratings period, WTIC's evening newscast has usually been the most watched 10 or 11 p.m. broadcast in the market. The station has been one of Fox's strongest affiliates ever since the network was launched.
Fox CT Weather Center
Sports team (both seen on Comcast Sports Desk)
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...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. Owned by the Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
, WTIC-TV is a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. The station broadcasts from the Hartford Courant building in Hartford, and its transmitter is located on Rattlesnake Mountain
Rattlesnake Mountain (Connecticut)
Rattlesnake Mountain is a traprock mountain, above sea level, located southwest of Hartford, Connecticut in the town of Farmington. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of...
in Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
.
WTIC-TV is one of three media properties in Connecticut owned by Tribune; the others are The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate WCCT-TV (channel 20), and the Hartford Courant. This television station was once co-owned with Hartford's WTIC radio
WTIC (AM)
WTIC is a 50,000-watt radio station operating out of Hartford, Connecticut, broadcasting news and talk radio. Its signal, located at 1080 kHz, can be picked up throughout southern New England by day and over several states as well as parts of Canada by night...
and WTIC-FM
WTIC-FM
WTIC-FM is a radio station primarily serving the Hartford, Connecticut market, though its signal can be picked up throughout most of Connecticut and into Springfield, Massachusetts. It currently broadcasts a Hot Adult Contemporary format. It is located on the dial at 96.5 MHz...
, which are now properties of CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
Digital programming
| Channel | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61.1 | 1080i 1080i 1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels... |
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 WTIC-TV programming / FOX |
| 61.2 | 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 | Antenna TV Antenna TV Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company... |
On January 1, 2011, WTIC began carrying Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
, a digital broadcast network owned by WTIC parent Tribune Broadcasting that features classic television series from the 1950s to 1990s and feature films from the libraries of Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
and DLT Entertainment, on digital subchannel 61.2.
History
A group led by Arnold Chase (Arch Communications Corp.) won a construction permit for channel 61 in September 1983. Chase originally planned to call his new station WETG-TV, in memory of Ella T. GrassoElla T. Grasso
Ella Grasso , born Ella Giovanna Oliva Tambussi, was an American politician, and first woman elected governor of Connecticut.-Biography:...
(the first woman in Connecticut to be elected governor) who died in 1981. After permission was granted by Chase Broadcasting (owned by other Chase family members), owner of WTIC radio (1080 AM
WTIC (AM)
WTIC is a 50,000-watt radio station operating out of Hartford, Connecticut, broadcasting news and talk radio. Its signal, located at 1080 kHz, can be picked up throughout southern New England by day and over several states as well as parts of Canada by night...
and 96.5 FM
WTIC-FM
WTIC-FM is a radio station primarily serving the Hartford, Connecticut market, though its signal can be picked up throughout most of Connecticut and into Springfield, Massachusetts. It currently broadcasts a Hot Adult Contemporary format. It is located on the dial at 96.5 MHz...
) to allow Arch to use the historic WTIC-TV call-sign, a waiver was granted by the FCC in early 1984. This call sign had last been used by what is now WFSB
WFSB
'WFSB, channel 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the Meredith Corporation. WFSB's studios and offices are located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and its broadcast transmitter is based on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut. Syndicated...
from 1957 to 1974. In memory of Grasso, WTIC showed clips of Grasso at work at sign off while church bells played the Star Spangled Banner. A graphic at the end mentioned that the station was dedicated in Grasso's memory. Grasso's son was part of Chase's group.
WTIC-TV began operation on September 17, 1984. Originally, it was a general entertainment independent station running cartoons, sitcoms, old movies, CBS
CBS
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...
shows pre-empted by WFSB, 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...
shows pre-empted by WTNH
WTNH
WTNH is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX and the two...
, drama shows, and sports in competition with WCCT's predecessor, WTXX. In 1985-1986, the station invested in stronger programming and managed to become a charter Fox affiliate on October 6, 1986. However, by 1987, Arch encountered financial problems and WTIC nearly filed for bankruptcy. Many syndicators went unpaid and responded by pulling their programming from channel 61. Extensive litigation followed as the contracts that were standard in the industry at that time stated that if a single payment was missed, no more programs would be provided, but the station was still required to pay the full amount due under the contract. As the litigation progressed, the shows were replaced by low-budget barter programming. Central to the litigation were allegations of illegal "tie-in" sales by program syndicators that artificially drove up the cost of programming to WTIC. The cases soon settled on terms favorable to Chase and WTIC.
Chase Broadcasting (owned by Arnold Chase's father's organization) acquired WTIC in 1988. Although the barter programming continued, the station began to realize some sustained success in part due to the early success of the Fox network and shows like 21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street is an American police procedural crime drama television series that aired on the Fox Network from April 12, 1987, to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The series focused on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools,...
and Married...With Children. A milestone was reached in 1992, when WTIC began to regularly beat WTXX in the ratings. Chase sold all its stations to Renaissance Broadcasting, who owned WTXX, in 1992. To follow prevailing 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) regulations, Renaissance sold WTXX in March 1993 to a Roman Catholic non-profit group, Counterpoint Communications. Renaissance tried to negotiate a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
(LMA) with Counterpoint in which it would buy WTXX's entire broadcast day, except for overnights and an hour during the day in which WTXX was to run Catholic programming. During negotiations, which lasted from the time the sale became final until July 1993, Renaissance agreed to have WTXX run The Disney Afternoon
The Disney Afternoon
The Disney Afternoon was a created-for-syndication two-hour television programming block which aired from September 10, 1990, until Fall 1999. At that time, it was taken out of syndication, and a new Disney weekday afternoon block was started on UPN. The Disney Afternoon was produced by The Walt...
from 3 to 5 p.m. and some off network sitcoms from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays free of charge, as well as first run syndicated shows on weekends in this slot. However, Counterpoint wanted only a part-time arrangement, and negotiations ultimately fell through, WTXX then entered into a part-time LMA with WVIT
WVIT
WVIT, virtual channel 30, is the NBC owned and operated television station for the state of Connecticut, licensed to New Britain. WVIT has its offices and studios located in West Hartford, and transmitter based in Farmington, Connecticut....
.
WCTX
WCTX is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to ABC affiliate WTNH and the two...
). The cartoons that did not move to WTIC were sold to WVIT, which ultimately moved them back to WTXX.
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
in 1997 as part of a group deal. One year later, it replaced WVIT as the LMA partner for WTXX (then a UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate, later WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, currently a The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
station). In 2001, Tribune bought WTXX outright. Both stations became sister properties of the Hartford Courant after Times Mirror merged with Tribune in 2000.
As time went on, WTIC began dropping cartoons, movies, and older sitcoms in favor of more talk and reality shows. The weekday cartoons ended at the end of 2001 when Fox ended its weekday kids' block.
Since the network entered sports programming in 1994, WTIC has had to deal with issues regarding Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
coverage. Connecticut is split between the traditional home territories for Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York City teams. The football issue is not typically as stark because the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
play in separate conferences, each with their own network television deals, so there is little overlap. However, it is often a source of frustration during baseball season. Fox picks both the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for its baseball broadcast windows from time-to-time. MLB limits Fox to a single game and does not allow other channels to broadcast baseball in that window (from 3:30 to 7 P.M.) This creates serious anger among Connecticut baseball fans when WTIC must broadcast either the Yankees or the Red Sox as the usual cable channels (YES
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
and NESN) are blacked out for the team not broadcast by Fox. WTIC generally shows each team as many times as possible.
This also had an effect on the Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
/Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
television market because the station had served as the area's default affiliate since that area did not have an affiliate of its own. This changed on March 31, 2008 when 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...
affiliate WGGB-TV
WGGB-TV
WGGB-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter on Mount Tom in Holyoke. The station can also be seen on Charter and Comcast channel 4...
added Fox on its second
WGGB-DT2
WGGB-DT2 is the primary Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Western Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley. The station is a second digital subchannel of ABC affiliate WGGB-TV owned by Gormally Broadcasting. Over-the-air, it broadcasts a standard definition digital signal on UHF...
digital subchannel. Beginning with the 2008 season to alleviate coverage issues, game broadcasts of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
from sister station WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
will alternate between WTIC and WTXX.
News operation
Currently, WTIC-TV produces a total of 45½ hours of news each week (seven hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays and 3½ hours on Sundays), the most of any station in the Hartford-New Haven market. In 1989, WTIC debuted its nightly 10 o'clock newscast which was the second in the market after a short-lived attempt on WHCT-TV (now WUVNWUVN
WUVN is the Connecticut affiliate for the Spanish language Univision television network. It is licensed to Hartford. Owned by Entravision, the station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 46...
) in 1969. News anchor Pat Sheehan had been the anchor on that station. In 1998, when WTIC replaced WVIT as WTXX's LMA partner, the WVIT-produced 10 p.m. broadcast was replaced with a simulcast of the first half-hour of this channel's news program. On April 24, 2006, WTXX began to simulcast the full hour. That station did not have a separate news opening for the nightly broadcasts. Whenever Fox programming or sports delayed the news on WTIC, it was still shown on WTXX but under the name of News at Ten. There was also a "News at Ten" logo bug in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen in place of "Fox 61 News". WTXX discontinued its simulcast of the 10 p.m. newscast in June 2010, shortly before changing its callsign to WCCT-TV; that station continues to show the newscast when it is preempted on WTIC.
The station launched a weekday morning newscast on March 3, 2008. The 7 a.m. hour competes with WCTX
WCTX
WCTX is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to ABC affiliate WTNH and the two...
's morning show, which is produced by sister station WTNH
WTNH
WTNH is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut that is licensed to New Haven. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Hamden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX and the two...
, and airs for one hour. On August 4, 2009 the weekday morning newscast was expanded to 4½ hours and began airing from 4:30-9 a.m. During the 8 a.m. hour, the format of the program includes several talk show segments focusing on entertainment, lifestyle, and health. This hour is simulcast on WCCT; the station's simulcasts of portions of the morning newscast have been intermittent throughout the newscast's existence. Since launching the morning broadcast, WTIC-TV has entered into a weather department partnership with WTIC radio (1080 AM). The weather center now features meteorologists from the radio and television stations. Weather reports can also be heard on WTIC, WTIC-FM (96.5 FM), WRCH (100.5 FM), WZMX (93.7 FM), and WZBG
WZBG
WZBG is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Litchfield, Connecticut, USA, it serves the Litchfield area. The station is currently owned by Local Girls And Boys Broadcasting Corporation.-External links:...
(97.3 FM).
Starting on September 8, 2008, a weeknight 11 p.m. newscast was added. On September 21, the station launched a weekday midday newscast at 11 a.m. An weeknight 6 p.m. newscast was planned, but did not not debut on that date. On August 23, 2010 WTIC launched an hour-long late afternoon newscast at 4 p.m. on weekdays. Currently, in addition to simulcating the 8 a.m. hour of WTIC's morning newscast, WCCT rebroadcasts the 11 p.m. newscast at 1 a.m. on weeknights; on weekends, it airs the 10 p.m. newscast at that time.
In July 2009, news reporter Shelly Sindland filed both state and federal complaints alleging age and sex discrimination in the station's newsroom. Media sites also raised questions about the way the case was covered by the Hartford Courant which operates under the same management team as WTIC.
Along with obtaining world and national news footage from Fox News, WTIC is also broadcasts world and national news footage from CNN NewsSource. The station broadcasts the Comcast Sports Desk at 10:45 on Saturday and Sunday nights. WTIC also produces a weekly public affairs show, The Real Story, which airs Sunday mornings at 8:30 with a repeat on WCCT at 11.
On December 12, 2009; WTIC, WCCT (then WTXX), and the Hartford Courant moved into their new combined newsroom facilities in downtown Hartford, and WTIC re-branded from FOX 61 to FOX CT (a transition completed in July 2010). In addition; WTIC began broadcasting newscasts in high definition, becoming the second station in the market to do so. WCCT's newscasts also made the transition. On January 22, 2011; WTIC launched weekend morning newscasts, airing from 7-9 a.m.; the station is the third Tribune-owned station with a weekend morning newscast (CW affiliate WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago and Fox affiliate WXIN
WXIN (TV)
WXIN, channel 59, is the Fox affiliated television station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 45, using its former analog channel 59 as its virtual channel via PSIP...
in Indianapolis debuted weekend morning newscasts before WTIC, CW affiliate KTLA
KTLA
KTLA, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Los Angeles, California, USA. Owned by the Tribune Company, KTLA is an affiliate of the CW Television Network. KTLA's studios are on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson...
in Los Angeles launched a weekend morning newscast a few months later). On September 26, 2011, WTIC expanded its weekday morning newscast to 5½ hours from 4:30-10 a.m.; with the expansion, the 11 a.m. newscast was dropped from the schedule.
Ratings
During the February 2007 sweeps period, WTIC beat 11 p.m. leader WFSB with 100,000 viewers to that station's 98,000. It achieved this by showing reruns of Everybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
and Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
while the big three
Big Three Television Networks
The Big Three Television Networks are the three traditional commercial broadcast television networks in the United States: ABC, CBS and NBC...
stations broadcast their local news. Since the February 2008 ratings period, WTIC's evening newscast has usually been the most watched 10 or 11 p.m. broadcast in the market. The station has been one of Fox's strongest affiliates ever since the network was launched.
Newscast titles
- WTIC News at 10 (1989–1994)
- Fox 61 News (1994–2010)
- Fox CT News (2009–present)
Station slogans
- We're All Yours (1984–1986)
- Connecticut's Prime News (2005–2007)
- Right Team. All the Time. (2007–present; primary news slogan)
- So Fox CT (2010–2011; localized version of Fox ad campaign)
- Connecticut's Newsroom (2010–present)
News team
Current anchors- Erika Arias - weekday mornings (5-10 a.m.)
- Jennifer Bosworth - Fridays at 4, 10, 11, Saturdays at 10 p.m.; also weeknight reporter
- Logan Byrnes - weekday mornings (4:30-10 a.m.)
- Rich Coppola - Sunday mornings (7-9 a.m.)
- Brent Hardin - weekdays at 4, and Sunday-Thursdays at 10 and 11 p.m.
- Audrey Kuchen - Fridays at 4, 10, 11, and Saturdays at 10 p.m.
- Tim Lammers - Saturday mornings (7-9 a.m.)
- Rachel Lutzker - weekday morning traffic reporter, host of Fox CT Morning Extra 9-10am
- Alison Morris - Sunday-Thursdays at 4, 10 and 11 p.m.
Fox CT Weather Center
- Rachel Frank (AMS member; NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
member) - weekdays at 4 p.m., and Sunday-Thursdays at 10 and 11 p.m. - Dan Amarante - meteorologist; weekend mornings (7-9 a.m.) and Saturdays at 10 p.m.
- Joe Furey - meteorologist; weekday mornings, also director of New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Weather Service - Geoff Fox - weather anchor; weeknights at 11 p.m., and Fridays at 4, 10 and 11 p.m., also Monday-Thursday 4 p.m. science and technology reporter
Sports team (both seen on Comcast Sports Desk)
- Rich Coppola - sports director; Sunday-Thursdays at 10 and 11 p.m.
- Bob Rumbold - sports anchor; Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 10 p.m., also sports reporter
- Tim Lammers - sports anchor; fill-in, also sports producer
Reporters
- Jim Altman - general assignment reporter
- Jenn Bernstein - general assignment reporter
- John Charlton - general assignment reporter
- Narmeen Choudhury - general assignment reporter; also fill-in anchor
- Sarah Cody - "Daytrippers" feature reporter
- George Colli - New Haven bureau reporter
- Anthony DiLorenzo - general assignment reporter
- Sara Grant - web producer; seen weekdays at 4 p.m.
- Rick Hancock - "Rick's RSS" segment reporter
- Ayana Noni Harry - general assignment reporter
- Laurie Perez - general assignment reporter and host of The Real Story
- Michael "Prolifik" Garofalo - weekday 4 p.m. traffic reporter; also heard on WKSS-FM
- Jeevan Vittal - general assignment reporter
- Beau Berman - general assignment reporter
Notable former on-air staff
- Steve BerthiaumeSteve BerthiaumeSteve Berthiaume is an anchor on ESPN and a former sportscaster for SportsNet New York . He is married to current SportsCenter anchor Cindy Brunson...
- sports anchor (later at CNNSI, and SNYSportsNet New YorkSportsNet New York is a New York City-based regional sports cable network which airs in the New York metro area and all of New York state, and nationwide via satellite. It is owned jointly by the New York Mets, Time Warner Cable, and NBCUniversal...
, currently with ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - Mika BrzezinskiMika BrzezinskiMika Emilie Leonia Brzezinski is an American television news journalist at MSNBC. Brzezinski is co-host of MSNBC's weekday morning program Morning Joe, where she provides regular commentary and reads the news headlines for the program...
- reporter (later at WFSB, WCBS in New York, and then at CBS News; now anchor of Morning JoeMorning JoeMorning Joe is a weekday morning talk show on MSNBC, with Joe Scarborough discussing the news of the day in a panel format with co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist. It was created as the replacement for Imus in the Morning, which was canceled in April 2007 after simulcasting on MSNBC since 1996...
on MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
) - Jay CrawfordJay CrawfordJason "Jay" Crawford is the co-host of ESPN2's morning TV show First Take.-Early life and career:Born in Sandusky, Ohio, Crawford graduated from Perkins High School in Sandusky, Ohio in 1983...
- sports anchor (now co-host of ESPN2ESPN2ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
's First Take, and host of 1st & Ten on ESPNewsESPNEWSESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
) - Meg OliverMeg OliverMegan Elisabeth Oliver is a reporter for ABC News. In March 2006, she became anchor of the overnight CBS newscast, Up to the Minute and remained in that position for three years....
- reporter/anchor (now with ABC NewsABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
)