- WFXL
Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WFXL
city =
station_
station_slogan = First, Fast
station_branding = Fox 31
analog = 31 (UHF)
digital = 12 (VHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =
airdate =February 14 ,1982
location =Albany, Georgia
callsign_meaning = FoX ALbany
former_callsigns = WTSG-TV (1982-1989)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC
licensee = Barrington Albany License, LLC
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1982-1989)
effective_radiated_power = 1580 kW (analog)
60 kW (digital)
HAAT = 302 m (analog)
253 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 70815
coordinates = coord|31|19|53|N|83|51|43|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.wfxl.com/ www.wfxl.com]WFXL is the Fox network affiliate in
Albany, Georgia . The station is owned byBarrington Broadcasting , and broadcasts on UHF channel 31, with a digital signal on VHF channel 12. WFXL's transmitter is located in Doerun, in northern Colquitt County, near the Worth County line.History
Channel 31 signed on in February 1982 as WTSG-TV, and was South Georgia's first
independent station . The station became a Fox affiliate in November 1989, and changed its call letters to WFXL to reflect the new affiliation.On
March 27 ,2006 , then-ownerRaycom Media announced the sale of WFXL and 11 other stations toBarrington Broadcasting in order to meet FCC rules regarding station ownership (Raycom had just acquiredThe Liberty Corporation , the owner ofWALB , which they decided to keep).In
2007 WFXL acquired a new, state of the art weather system which will help tremendousley in severe weather coverage.New Look
In September 2008, WFXL gave its newscast an new look by means of updated graphics and constructing a new set. At the same time, WFXL added a half hour to their 10 P.M. newscast.
Chopper crash and tower demolition
On
June 1 ,2006 , aMH-47 Chinook military chopper traveling fromHunter Army Airfield inSavannah, Georgia toFort Rucker inAlabama for a training mission hit a guy wire connected to WFXL's 1000 foot (305 meter) tall tower in Doerun, resulting in a crash (Investigation is still under way). While the tower remained standing and intact (other than the guy wire), WFXL was forced to temporarily cease its over-the-air signal, though broadcasts on cable were not affected.If WFXL's tower collapsed, it could have also caused the tower of
WALB to topple, as both towers were only 150 feet (45 m) apart. [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4974569] , [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4982365] , [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4980571] As a result, Raycom (which at that time still owned WFXL while the Barrington sale awaited FCC approval) acquired auxiliary transmitters and antennas for both WFXL and WALB, which are installed at the tower at WALB's studios in Albany. [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=4986005]On
June 7 ,2006 , WFXL's tower was demolished, but in doing so, one of the tower's guy wires wrapped around a guy wire for WALB's tower, as feared. As a result, WALB's tower collapsed, in an incident shown on live television. Since both stations were already transmitting their signals from the tower at the WALB studios, they were still on the air at low power. In early July 2007 theWALB / WFXL mega-tower was completed and began broadcasting on July 3, 2007 at 11:35 P.M. [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5002278] [http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=5006920] Video: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfZwJ3w3OL0]Newscasts
Weekdays
*FOX 31 News at 6:30 (6:30-7:00 P.M.)
*FOX 31 News at 10 P.M. (10:00-11:00 P.M.)Weekends
*Fox 31 News at 10:00 P.M. (10:00-10:35 P.M.)
=Current New Personalities=
Anchors
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=311 Terry Graham] 6:30 PM News Anchor/News Director
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=308 Miranda Crissinger] 6:30 and 10:00 PM News Anchor/Reporter
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=316 Ashley Knight] Weekend Anchor/ReporterReporters
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=317 Stephanie Burke] Weekend Reporter
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=389 Hubert Wiggins] General Assignment Reporter
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=413 Jenna McWilliams] General Assignment Reporter
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=497 Jana Barnello] General Assignment ReporterMeteorologists
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=310 Robert Hahn] Chief Meteorologist
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=496 Allison Dooley] Weekend Meteorologistports
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=309 Brian Perkins] Sports Director
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=315 Jeff Abeln] Weekend Sports AnchorInteractive Team
* [http://www.wfxl.com/about/bio.aspx?id=391 Felida Harvey] Interactive Manager
Past Personalities
*Doug Williams, Weekend Weathercaster
*Justin Farmer, Reporter (Now atWSB-TV )
*Lindsey Sutherland, General Assignment Reporter/Weekend weather
*Bobbi Harley, news director/anchor (now withCBS News )
*Lauren Adams, General Assignment Reporter (now withWPSD-TV )
*Wade Michaels, Anchor/Reporter
*Phyllis Banks, reporter (now at Albany Police Dept.)
*Elvin Armstrong, Weekend Weathercaster
*Jim Basquil, Sports Director (now withESPN Radio )
*Diane McInerny, reporter (now atInside Edition )
*Chris Schafers, chief meteorologist
*Jaxon Riley, Weather Personality/Promotions Director
*Rob Hatchell, chief meteorologist, (now atWMBF-TV )
*Mark Tarello, chief meteorologist, (now atKEYC-TV )
*Jon Williams, anchor
*Rob Stone, Sports Director (now covers soccer & the PBA forESPN )
*Jade Hindmond, fill in anchor, reporter (now atWHNS-TV )
*Rontonio Thurman, reporter
*Bruce Layman, news director (now atWTAP-TV )
*Jyl Lee, reporter
*Lydia Esparra anchor, reporter (now atWKYC-TV )
*Jeff Coyle, reporter
*Suzanna Haynes, reporter
*Theo Travers, reporter (now AtWREG-TV )
*Brian O'Connor, reporter
*Mercer Merrill, anchor (now atNews 14 Carolina )
*Clay Godfrey, reporter
*Jeanie Powell, reporter (now atWAFF-TV inHuntsville, Alabama )
*Frank Sulkowski, sports director, (now atWJCL-TV inSavannah, Georgia )
*Jenny Nicholson, reporter, weekend anchor
*Lachlan McLean, Sports Director (now atWHAS-AM radio inLouisville, Kentucky )
*Heather Childers, News Director (now atNews 14 Carolina inCharlotte, North Carolina )
*Sarah Abbott, reporter
*Regina Callan, reporter
*Rick Schutt, Sports Director (now atWSJV-TV inSouth Bend, Indiana )
*Greg Loyd, Main Anchor 1999-2000 (Now a professor at Tallahasse Community College)
*Amy Allday-Brice, reporter(Now Mental Health/Developmental Disability Professional)
*Rob Jones, Sports Director (now atWVTM inBirmingham, Alabama )
*Grady Shadburn, Weather Personality (deceased)
*Camille Amiri, reporter (now atWJBK inDetroit, Michigan )
*Lisa Arnold, host of "Around Town" local talkshow
*Krysta Brown, reporter (now the News Director ofWFSU-TV inTallahassee, Florida )
*Carole Price, reporter
*Wanda Wright, reporter
*Tijuana Brewer, reporter
*Angela Walker, reporter
*Lisa Weiss, Sports DirectorLogo Gallery
External links
* [http://www.wfxl.com/ Official website]
*TVQ|WFXL
*BIA|WFXL|TV|TV
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