WFTX

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WFTX
city = Cape Coral
station_
station_slogan = In Your Corner
station_branding = Fox 4
Fox 4 News
analog = 36 (UHF)
digital = 35 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =
airdate = October 14, 1985
location = Cape Coral / Fort Myers /
Naples, Florida
callsign_meaning = disambiguation of WFTS-TV
owner = Journal Communications
licensee =
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = Independent (1985-1986)
effective_radiated_power = 5,000 kW (analog)
930 kW (digital)
HAAT = 451 m (analog)
404 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 70649
coordinates = coord|26|47|39.7|N|81|48|4.1|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.fox4now.com/ fox4now.com]

WFTX, channel 36, is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida that is licensed to Cape Coral. Its transmitter is located north of Fort Myers Shores near the Lee and Charlotte County line. Owned by the Journal Broadcast Group, the station has studios on Southwest Pine Island Road in Cape Coral. WFTX is seen on Comcast cable channel 4 and this is reflected on its on-air branding, "Fox 4". Syndicated programming on the station includes: "Sex and the City", "Seinfeld", "Friends", and "Everybody Loves Raymond".

History

WFTX began broadcasting on October 14, 1985 as an independent station owned and operated by Family Group Broadcasting. That company was the previous owner of WFTS-TV in Tampa. WFTX became a charter Fox affiliate on October 9, 1986. Family Group Broadcasting would sell the station to Wabash Valley Broadcasting of Terre Haute, Indiana by the end of the 1980s. It would change hands again in 1997 when Emmis Communications purchased the assets of Wabash Valley Broadcasting.

Emmis would continue to own the station until August of 2005 when WFTX and two of its other stations were sold to the Journal Broadcast Group as a part of Emmis' departure from television ownership. WFTX redesigned its website with graphics created by Renderon Broadcast Design in late-May 2006. The new layout featured more news and weather coverage. It also introduced a new logo. On March 30, 2007, WFTX redesigned its website again to feature flash video. It is now maintained by the Local Media Network division of World Now. Starting on August 13, WFTX began producing a lifestyle show called "Fox 4 Morning Blend". Airing weekday mornings at 10, it is hosted by Tracy Edwards.

News operation

Soon after acquisition of WFTX to the Journal Broadcast Group, a four hour-long weekday morning newscast was added to complement the hour-long 10 o'clock news and compete against the big three stations. After that, WFTX launched a weeknight half-hour 11 o'clock newscast. In August of 2006, MyNetworkTV affiliate "WNFM" announced that it would begin airing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast produced by ABC affiliate WZVN-TV. This was the second 10 P.M. production established in the market after WFTX. On March 26, 2007, CBS affiliate WINK-TV began producing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast on CW affiliate WXCW. This was now the third 10 o'clock news established in the market. It became ranked a solid number two within days of its debut.

In early-May 2007, it was announced that the WZVN-produced WNFM news would cease broadcasting on May 25. This move was a result of Comcast's frequent technical difficulties which hindered the show's ratings. It was also due in part due to the popularity of the WXCW newscast. On September 17, it was announced on-air that weeknight co-anchor Krista Fogelsong would not be returning to WFTX. This was a result of Fogelsong and station managers being unable to come to terms on a new contract. Weekday morning co-anchor Amy Wegmann moved to the evening broadcasts to fill the vacancy. In addition to their main studios, WFTX operates a Collier County Bureau on Tamiami Trail North in Naples. The station does not maintain a sports department.

News team

Anchors
*Amy Sedlacek - weekday mornings
*Patrick Nolan - weeknights
*Amy Wegmann - weeknights
*Rosemary Conners - weekends and reporter

"Sky Warn 4 Meteorologists"
*Tom Johnston (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief seen on weeknights
*Sabrina Fein (AMS Seal of Approval) - weekday mornings
*Justine Waldman - weekends and Collier County Bureau reporter

Reporters
*Marisa Mendelson - consumer investigator
*"Wild" Bill Wood - weekday mornings
*Erica Pitzi
*Tyisha Fernandes
*Fallon Silcox
*Renee Stoll
*Christina Bailey

External links

* [http://www.fox4now.com/ WFTX-TV/DT "Fox 4"]
* [http://www.fox.com/ Fox]
*TVQ|WFTX