- WXIX-TV
Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WXIX-TV
station_
station_slogan = First. Live. Local.
station_branding = Fox 19
analog = 19 (UHF)
digital = 29 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Fox
network =
founded =August 1 ,1968
location =Newport, Kentucky /Cincinnati, Ohio
callsign_meaning = XIX = 19 inRoman numerals
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner =Raycom Media
licensee = WXIX License Subsidiary, LLC
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = Independent
(1968-1986)
effective_radiated_power = 4680 kW (analog)
227 kW (digital)
HAAT = 306 m (analog)
290 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 39738
coordinates = coord|39|7|19.2|N|84|32|51.8|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.fox19.com/ www.fox19.com]WXIX-TV, channel 19, is the
Fox Broadcasting Company affiliate inCincinnati, Ohio . The station is licensed across theOhio River inNewport, Kentucky . WXIX is owned byRaycom Media , with studios and transmitter located in Cincinnati.History
The station began operation on
August 1 ,1968 , owned by James Lang and partners. It was the first new commercial station in the market since 1949, and the second UHF station in the area (behindPBS member WCET). The FCC had allocated one full-power UHF station to Cincinnati--channel 64. However, when Lang and his partners found out there was a channel 19 allocation available across the river in Newport, they sought it in order to provide more signal at less cost. WXIX offered Japanese cartoons such as "Speed Racer ", "Johnny Cypher in Dimension Zero ", "Marine Boy " and "8 Man ".While WXIX was running test transmissions before its inaugural broadcast, the station intermittently aired "mini-shows" featuring [http://www.larrysmithpuppets.com The Larry Smith Puppets] promoting the sale of UHF converters which can be used with pre-1964 television sets which were only equipped to receive VHF signals at the time. Larry Smith and his puppets (a witch named "Battie Hattie from Cincinnati" and her dog "Snarfy" among other characters) later hosted a daytime children's program in the weekday afternoons for several years. Afterward, "The Cool Ghoul" [http://www.larrysmithpuppets.com/coolghoul.html] – played by Dick VonHoene, known for his weekend late night sci-fi/monster movie program "Scream-In" – also hosted a weekday children's show in the afternoons.
Channel 19 was sold to U.S. Communications in 1970, and then to
Metromedia in 1972. Metromedia's deep pockets helped WXIX develop as a strong-performing general entertainmentindependent station , airing cartoons, off-network sitcoms, first-run talk shows, dramas, movies and talk shows. After nearly a decade on air, it finally received competition in 1980 with the launch of WBTI (channel 64, nowWSTR-TV ), which ran general entertainment and religious programing before 6 p.m., and subscription TV at night. However, that competition was short-lived, ending when WBTI became a full-time subscription station by 1982. The over-air subscription TV pheonomeon occurred in larger markets in the U.S. where cable had yet to penetrate city centers before the late 1980s.Malrite Communications bought channel 19 in 1983. It remained the leading independent station in the market, even after WBTI returned to full-time general entertainment programming in 1986. Also in 1986, WXIX became a charter affiliate of the Fox network (which, coincidentally, was based around some of WXIX's former Metromedia sister stations). The station changed its on-air branding from "19xix" to "Fox 19" in 1996.
The station launched a 10 p.m. newscast in 1993 and a morning newscast in 1997. It also aired a newscast at 11:30 a.m. during the late 1990s. The station will begin airing newscasts at 6:30 pm Monday through Friday starting on August 11th. WXIX partnered with
WBQC-TV to air channel 19's evening newscast during theCincinnati Bearcats basketball season. However, with that station no longer on basic cable in Northern Kentucky or Southwest Ohio, these newscasts are seen onInsight Communications ' channel 6 in Kentucky and onTime Warner Cable channel 2 in Ohio. WXIX no longer broadcasts Bearcat football or basketball games.In 1998, Malrite merged with Raycom Media, which still owns WXIX today.
On
January 31 ,2007 , WXIX announced that meteorologist Paul Horton would become the chief meteorologist. Horton decided to leave channel 19 on August 7, 2007, to take the morning meteorologist position at CBS affiliateKPHO-TV in Phoenix.On August 21, 2007, WXIX announced that they plan to offer their newscasts in high definition on August 9 2008, although this date was not met.
On March 17, 2008, it was announced that
WKRC-TV morning and noon Meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer would be leaving that station effective March 31st. He has accepted the position of Chief Meteorologist at WXIX and started on August 7, 2008. [ [http://www.shorstmeyer.com/ Steve Horstmeyer's Official Webpage ] ] Horstmeyer began his duties on-air as the chief meteorologist of WXIX on August 10, 2008 during the Ten O'Clock News. WXIX lent Horstmeyer to Raycom'sKPLC-TV inLake Charles, Louisiana on August 31, 2008 to assist with the smaller station's coverage of Hurricane Gustav.On August 11, 2008 WXIX began airing a 6:30 p.m. newscast [Kiesewitter, John. The Cincinnati Enquirer 3 Aug. 2008.] . This newscast was aimed at 18-54-year-old workers who can't get home in time for
WLWT ,WCPO , orWKRC-TV 's 5-6 p.m. news.Digital television
After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] , WXIX-TV will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 29 [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101231582&formid=387&fac_num=39738 CDBS Print ] ] using PSIP to display WXIX's
virtual channel as 19.Notable WXIX alumni
*Lynsay Clutter, reporter (now at
WTHR inIndianapolis )
*Gene Cox, weekend anchor (now at WXIN in Indianapolis)
*Chris Rose, sports intern (now onFox Sports Net 's "Best Damn Sports Show Period ")
*Jonathan Freed, reporter/anchor (now correspondent forCNN 'sChicago bureau)
*Kevin Frazier, sports reporter/anchor (now weekend host for "Entertainment Tonight ")
*Rich Apuzzo , meteorologist, (now owner/operator/meteorologist at http://skyeyeweather.com)
*Dick VonHoene, news anchor and news director in the early days of WXIX; also known as the "Cool Ghoul", host of a late night weekend horror movie show in the early 1970s.
*Greg Eversull, longtime in-house announcer and voiceoverCurrent news staff
Anchors
*Jack Atherton
*Tricia Macke
*Shelia Gray
*Rob Williams
*Dan CarrollWeather
*Chief Meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer
*Meteorologist Frank Marzullo
*Weather Specialist Pat BarrySports
*Brian Gisenschlag
*Zach WellsReporters
*Joe Danneman
*Sara Gouedy
*Corey McConnell
*Megan Mongillo
*Steve Oldfield-Entertainment Reporter
*Regina Russo
*Jacqueline Sprague
*Dan Wells
*Brad UnderwoodFox19.COM Staff
*Roger Seay- Executive Producer
*Trina Kinstler-Producer
*Amber Jenkins-ProducerReferences
External links
* [http://www.fox19.com/ WXIX-TV Website]
*TVQ|WXIX
*BIA|WXIX|TV|TV
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