WHFT-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WHFT-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding =
analog = 45 (UHF)
digital = 46 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = TBN
network =
founded =
airdate = 1975 [The "Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook" says March 17, while the "Television and Cable Factbook" says February 1.]
location = Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida
callsign_meaning = World
Harvest
Florida
Television
(after the previous owner)
former_callsigns = WFCB-TV (1975-1976)
WHFT (1976-1982)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Trinity Broadcasting Network, Inc.
licensee = Trinity Broadcasting of Florida, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1975-1980)
effective_radiated_power = 2570 kW (analog)
500 kW (digital)
HAAT = 308 m (both)
class =
facility_id = 67971
coordinates = coord|25|59|35.3|N|80|10|26|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.tbn.org/ www.tbn.org]

WHFT-TV is a Christian television station serving the greater Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. They are owned and operated by the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The station broadcasts on channel 45.

History

WHFT-TV signed on in 1975 as WFCB-TV as a religious station owned by Florida Baptist Television. They were unable to keep the station solvent, so they put the station up for sale in early 1976 , with a request to sell it to a Christian ministry.

World Harvest Television, a.k.a. LeSEA Broadcasting purchased the station and took over in June 1976. The call letters were changed to the current WHFT-TV (standing for World Harvest Florida Television). LeSEA added their own religious programming, along with televangelist programming like "The 700 Club". In addition, the station aired a general entertainment format for families during the 7-9 a.m. and 2-7 p.m. timeslots on weekdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Sundays were reserved for religion). However, the station's conservative programming policy kept it from making much headway against the market's dominant independent, WCIX (channel 6, now CBS O&O WFOR-TV on channel 4).

In 1980, Trinity Broadcasting gave LeSEA a high offer for that time, so the station was sold. In the summer of 1980, all the secular shows were dropped (some eventually moved to WDZL or WBFS, while others never reappeared on Miami television stations) and the station switched to TBN programming. The WHFT-TV callsign, however, remained on the station.

Some of the religious shows that had aired on WHFT-TV during the LeSEA era remained on the station because TBN was also airing these programs, but shows like "The 700 Club" were removed (however, TBN would begin running "The 700 Club" a few years later).

External links

* [http://www.tbn.org/ TBN]
*TVQ|WHFT
*BIA|WHFT|TV|TV

References