WJXX

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WJXX
city =
station_
station_slogan = Your News Leader)
station_branding = "ABC 25" (general)
"First Coast News" (newscasts)
analog = 25 (UHF)
digital = 10 (VHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = ABC
network =
founded =
airdate = June 25, 1997
location = Jacksonville / Orange Park, Florida
callsign_meaning = JaXX (informal abbreviation for Jacksonville)
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Gannett Company, Inc.
licensee = Gannett River States Publishing Corporation
sister_stations = WTLV
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 5,000 kW (analog)
11.1 kW (digital)
HAAT = 201 m (analog)
306.8 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 11893
coordinates = coord|30|4|30.3|N|81|48|23.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (analog)
coord|30|16|24.8|N|81|33|12.9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (digital)
homepage = [http://www.firstcoastnews.com/ www.firstcoastnews.com]

WJXX is the ABC-affiliated television station for Jacksonville, Florida. The station broadcasts an analog signal on UHF channel 25 and a digital signal on VHF channel 10. The station is owned by Gannett as part of a duopoly with the area's NBC affiliate, WTLV. The two stations share studios located on East Adams Street in downtown near Jacksonville Municipal Stadium; its transmitter is located in Solite, and the station is licensed to Orange Park. The station serves all of northeast Florida (more specifically, the First Coast) and southeast Georgia. The station is available on channel 5 on Comcast cable in the Jacksonville area.

History

WJXX first went on the air on June 25, 1997 owned by Allbritton Communications. It was the first station in the country designed for digital television, a medium which was then fairly new. The station was initially slated to be an independent, but just before it signed on, Allbritton signed a long-term affiliation deal with ABC. As a result, WJXX took the affiliation from longtime affiliate WJKS. That station then became a WB affiliate and changed its callsign to WJWB (it is now WCWJ).

Albritton sold WJXX to Gannett, owners of WTLV, in November of 1999. Normally, duopolies between two "big four" affiliates or even "big three" affiliates would not be allowed because they usually constituted the top four stations in a market. FCC regulations do not allow common ownership of any two of the four biggest stations in a market. However, the FCC allowed the deal because, as the newest station in the market, WJXX ranked behind WJWB, Fox affiliate WAWS and then-UPN affiliate WTEV (now a CBS affiliate).

Once the sale was final on March 17, 2000, Gannett moved WJXX into WTLV's facilities and kept only a handful of the original staff. This created "First Coast News" which airs on both stations today. However, most of the news personnel are veterans of WTLV.

"First Coast News" adopted the "Global Village" theme by Stephen Arnold Music in 2000 shortly after acquiring WJXX (the package used before then was "The NBC Collection"). This package stayed until December 2006, when the station switched to "Seize The Day" by 615 Music. Earlier that year, "First Coast News" renovated its studios and changed their graphics after long-time anchor Alan Gionet departed.

On September 10, 2007, "First Coast News" stopped simulcasting the 5 and 5:30 p.m. weekday broadcasts on WJXX. "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" replaced the broadcasts at 5 p.m. on WJXX instead. Since NBC's "Today" expanded to four hours, the station moved "Live with Regis and Kelly", which had previously aired at 10 a.m. on WTLV, to WJXX at 9 a.m. "Divorce Court" was also moved from WJXX (where it had aired at Noon) to 2 p.m. on WTLV. Joy Purdy (who previously worked at WFOR-TV, the CBS affiliate in Miami) also debuted as the new anchor of "First Coast News at 7".

On October 29, 2007, "First Coast News" once again debuted new graphics in time for the November sweeps. Along with new graphics, Donna Hicken officially identified herself on-air as Donna Deegan. The "ABC 25" logo also had changed for the first time since Gannett acquired it in 2000.

On May 15, 2008, "First Coast News" released an email to all subscribers about their [http://beta.firstcoastnews.com/default.aspx|new website] set to debut on May 21. It was announced by Online Manager Linda Mock that the new site was to have a new forum system known as 'Pluck' and would require everyone to sign up, unlike their existing system 'Topix'. A new banner that will change with the weather conditions replaced the old banner that showed the current on-air anchors. Also started was ads for every newscast at the top of the screen, that cycles through with previous ads. The new website was also announced via a breaking news alert at the top of the existing website.cite web |url=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/breaking/news-article.aspx?storyid=109076
title=ONLINE EXTRA: Preview the all-new firstcoastnews.com |accessdate=2008-05-15 |format= |work=First Coast News ]

"First Coast News" now offers a "Weather Call" service that will call your telephone in the event of severe weather near your specific location. It utilizes National Weather Service data to place the call.

News operation

In September 1997, WJXX launched a 7 p.m. newscast called ABC 25 Tonight. When the station's brand new building was finally constructed, WJXX moved in and on December 15 1997 started broadcasting 4 1/2 hours of local news programming each and every weekday.

Monday through Friday there was the 5:30 a.m.-7 a.m. news (ABC 25 Today), News at Noon, 5 p.m.-6:30, ABC 25 Tonight at 7 p.m., and then the 11 p.m. Nightcast. On weekends there was either a 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. news and then the 11 p.m. Nightcast. There was no morning show on weekends.

In the May 2007 Nielsen Ratings, WTLV and WJXX had a powerful lead. They won the weekday morning, Noon, 5:30, and 6 p.m. slots. Also, at 11 p.m., more people watched WTLV and WJXX than any other local station combined. However, as of the November 2007 Nielsen Ratings, WTLV and WJXX only won the weekday morning, Noon, and 11 p.m. news slot. The 5, 5:30, and 6 p.m. slots went to WJXT. This is partly due to the cancellation of simulcasting First Coast News at 5 and First Coast News at 5:30 on WJXX.

All of WTLV's newscasts are simulcasted on WJXX except: "First Coast News at 5", "First Coast News at 5:30", "First Coast News at Noon", the first half-hour of "Good Morning Jacksonville Sunrise", and "Good Morning Jacksonville Saturday". Also, WTLV airs "First Coast News at 6 Weekend" at 6 p.m. while WJXX airs another edition of it at 6:30 p.m. The same occurs on Sundays. WJXX is the only television station in Jacksonville to have a weeknight 7 p.m. newscast known as "First Coast News at 7" and airs "Good Morning Jacksonville Sunday" as well.In addition to their main studios, WJXX and WTLV operate a "Southern Bureau" that covers St. Johns, Clay, and Putnam Counties.

WJXX and WTLV operate their own weather radar. Known as "First Coast Doppler 2 Track", it is located next to WTLV's transmitter. They also broadcast a weather radar that is operated by the National Weather Service and is located at its Local Forecast Office near Jacksonville International Airport.

Personalities

Anchors

*Ken Amaro - "on your side" anchor (also investigative reporter)
*Phil Amato - weekday mornings and 5:30 p.m. (also business reporter)
*Victor Blackwell - weekend mornings and evenings (also reporter)
*Jeannie Blaylock - weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m. (also health reporter)
*Ashley Coleman - Sunday mornings on WJXX (also reporter)
*Patricia Crosby - weekday mornings (also weekday morning producer)
*Donna Deegan - weeknights at 5:30 and 11 p.m.
*Deanna Fené - weeknights at 7 p.m. (on WJXX)
*Shannon Ogden - weeknights at 5, 6, and 11 p.m.
*Joy Purdy - weeknights at 7 p.m. (on WJXX)
*Angela Spears - weekdays at Noon (also weekday morning reporter)
*Lindy Thackston - Saturday mornings (also weeknight reporter)

Weather:
*Mark Collins (CBM certified) - weeknights at 7 p.m. on WJXX
*Tim Deegan (AMS certified) - chief meteorologist/weekday evenings
*Steve Smith - weekday mornings and Noon
*Dave Vanore - weekends

Sports
*Pete Cataldo - sports reporter/weekends (also seen on "First Coast News Sports Final")
*Chad Cushnir - photojournalist (also "Cush Cam" segment reporter during "First Coast News Sports Final")
*Dan Hicken - sports director/weeknights at 6, 7 (on WJXX), and 11 p.m. (also co-host of "First Coast News Sports Final")
*Jeff Prosser - assistant sports director (also co-host of "First Coast News Sports Final")

Reporters

*Jackelyn Barnard - chief investigative reporter
*Ronnie Belton - Money Manager seen Monday mornings
*Jessica Clark - "Southern Bureau" reporter (also fill-in anchor)
*Julia Crowley - trend reporter/traffic reporter/producer
*Ryan Duffy
*Mike Kaminski - photojournalist
*Erich Spivey
*Doug Lockwood - photojournalist
*Kyle Meenan (also fill-in anchor)
*Kristin Smith
*Chef Robert Tulko - seen during food segments on weekday and Saturday mornings
*Roger Weeder - education reporter
*Angela Williams
*Jennifer Lindgren

Notable alumni

Former WJXX Personalities (1997-2000)

Former First Coast News/WTLV Employees

News/Station Presentation

Newscast Titles

*ABC 25 News (1997-2000)
*First Coast News (2000-Present) With WTLV

Newscast Music

*Impact V.1, V.2, V.3, V.4, V.5; 615 Music (1997-2000) When ABC 25 had its own news department
*Global Village, Stephen Arnold Music (2000-2006) With WTLV
*Seize The Day, 615 Music (2006-Present) With WTLV

References

External links

* [http://www.firstcoastnews.com/ WJXX "ABC 25"]
* [http://m.firstcoastnews.com/ First Coast News wireless]
* [http://www.pocketsofsanity.com/pockets_of_sanity/2006/03/eulogy-for-a-te.html Eulogy for a Television Station: The Last Days of WJXX]
* [http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CA6D380718AE061C WJXX Outtakes and Bloopers]
*TVQ|WJXX
*BIA|WJXX|TV|TV