WFTT-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WFTT-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = TeleFutura 50
analog = 50 (UHF)
digital = 47 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = TeleFutura
network =
founded =
airdate = 1988 [The "Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook" says February 1, while the "Television and Cable Factbook" says March 1.]
location = Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
callsign_meaning = TeleFuTura Tampa
former_callsigns = WBHS (1988-1992)
WBHS-TV from (1992-2001)
WFTT (2001-2003)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Univision Communications, Inc.
"(managed by Entravision Communications Corporation)"
licensee = TeleFutura Tampa, LLC
sister_stations = WVEA-TV
former_affiliations = HSN (1988-2002)
effective_radiated_power = 4170 kW (analog)
500 kW (digital)
HAAT = 445 m (analog)
317 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 60559
coordinates = coord|27|50|33|N|82|15|45.1|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.univision.com/content/channel.jhtml?chid=6&schid=1611 TeleFutura]

WFTT-TV is the Telefutura affiliate for Tampa Bay, owned by Univision and operated by Entravision, owners of WVEA-TV. The station, which broadcasts on UHF channel 50, is based at WVEA's studios on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, and transmits from Riverview.

WFTT can be seen on cable throughout the Bay Area on Bright House channel 5, and on Comcast in Sarasota County on channel 23.

History

WFTT signed on in 1988 as WBHS, the flagship station of the Home Shopping Network, running its programming 24 hours a day. HSN programming was supplemented with locally produced public affairs and human interest briefs for four and a half minutes each hour, which exceeded the number of hours independent stations provided local programming (over 12 broadcast hours a week, counting repeats). Sundays were devoted to required children's programming, including 1970s shows like "New Zoo Revue", to expose them to a younger audience.

WBHS's original owner was HSN's broadcasting arm Silver King Broadcasting. In 1993, Barry Diller and Universal acquired HSN, renaming it USA Broadcasting. USA originally had plans for a new chain of independents on these stations, but the idea didn't expand farther than Miami, Atlanta, Dallas and Boston. WBHS remained an HSN station until January 14, 2002.

In 2002, Univision bolstered its audience and launched a new second Spanish network, Telefutura, through the acquisition of USA's stations. With Univsion already on WVEA, channel 50 became a Telefutura affiliate, with new calls WFTT.

External links

*TVQ|WFTT-TV
*BIA|WFTT|TV|TV

References