WTIC-TV
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WTIC-TV, channel 61, is the Fox-affiliated television station for the state of Connecticut (except Fairfield County). Its transmitter is located between U.S. 6 and I-84 in Farmington. Owned by Tribune, the station is sister to CW affiliate WTXX. The two stations share studios at Corporate Center in downtown Hartford.
History
A group led by Arnold Chase won a construction permit for channel 61 in September 1983. Chase originally planned to call his new station WETG-TV, in memory of Ella T. Grasso, the first woman in Connecticut to be elected governor, who died in 1981. However, those calls were requested by an independent station on channel 66 in Erie, Pennsylvania (now WFXP) which would not take to the air until 1986. The Erie station's owners refused to give up the calls. Grasso's son was part of Chase's group (which was financed by Chase's father, Hartford developer David Chase, then listed on the Forbes 400). Accusations were later made that Grasso was included solely due to the assistance his mother's name might provide in gaining government approvals and he eventually left the station under somewhat strained circumstances.
With only a short time before the scheduled sign-on date, Chase obtained permission from his father's Arch Broadcasting, owner of WTIC radio (1080 AM and 96.5 FM) to use the historic WTIC-TV calls in the spring of 1984. The callsign had last been used by what is now WFSB (Channel 3) from 1957 to 1974. The Federal Communications Commission had relaxed regulations governing the use of call letters on non-commonly owned stations early in 1984. In memory of Grasso, WTIC showed clips of Grasso at work at sign off, while church bells played the Star Spangled Banner. A graphic at the end mentioned that WTIC was dedicated in Grasso's memory.
WTIC began operation on September 17, 1984. Originally, it was a general entertainment independent station running cartoons, sitcoms, old movies, CBS shows pre-empted by WFSB, ABC shows pre-empted by WTNH, drama shows and sports, in competition with WTXX. Arch eventually bought controlling interest in the station.
In 1985-1986, the station invested in stronger programming and managed to become a charter Fox affiliate in 1986. However, by 1987, Arch and Chase encountered financial problems and Channel 61 nearly filed for bankruptcy. Many syndicators went unpaid and responded by pulling their programming from channel 61. Extensive litigation followed, as the contracts that were standard in the industry at that time stated that if a single payment was missed no more programs would be provided but the station was still required to pay the full amount due under the contract. As the litigation progressed the shows were replaced by low-budget barter programming. Soon, however, the studios who owned the programming realized that cable was eroding their ability to sell programming to independent stations and that suing "indies" was now inimical to their own interests. The cases soon settled on terms favorable to Chase and Channel 61.
Chase Broadcasting (owned by Arnold Chase's father's organization, Chase Enterprises) acquired WTIC-TV in 1988. Although the barter programming continued, the station began to realize some sustained success in part due to the early success of the Fox network and shows like 21 Jump Street, Married...With Children. A milestone was reached in 1992 when WTIC began to regularly beat WTXX in the ratings.
Chase sold all its stations to Renaissance Broadcasting (who owned WTXX) in 1992. To follow prevailing FCC regulations, Renaissance sold WTXX in March 1993 to a Roman Catholic non-profit group, Counterpoint Communications. Renaissance tried to negotiate a local marketing agreement with WTXX' new owners, in which it would buy WTXX' entire broadcast day. During negotiations, from the time the sale became final until July 1993 Renaissance greed to have WTXX run The Disney Afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. and some off network sitcoms from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays free of charge as well as first run syndicated shows on weekends in this slot.
Counterpoint wanted only a part-time arrangement while Renaissance wanted the entire broadcast day except for overnights and an hour during the day in which WTXX was to run Catholic shows. That July, after being unable to come to an agreement, WTXX entered into a part-time LMA with WVIT. Renaissance began moving WTXX' shows to WTIC-TV, which created a strong lineup for channel 61. Some programming such as older sitcoms, however, returned to syndicators and wound up on WTWS-TV to WTVU (now WCTX). The cartoons that did not move to WTIC were actually sold to WVIT and moved back to WTXX which they aired daily from 6 to 9 a.m. (until 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays) and weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. Ironically, the WTXX LMA with WVIT expanded to 18 hours a day three years later in 1996.
WTIC-TV was sold to the Tribune Company in 1997 as part of a group deal. At that point, the station took over management of WTXX (then a UPN affiliate, later WB, currently a The CW station). In 1998, WTIC-TV, replaced WVIT as WTXX's LMA partner. In 2001, Tribune bought WTXX outright.
As time went on WTIC began dropping cartoons, movies, and older sitcoms in favor of more talk and reality shows. The weekday cartoons ended at the end of 2001 when Fox ended its weekday kids' block.
Since Fox entered sports programming in 1994, WTIC has had to deal with issues regarding Major League Baseball and National Football League coverage. Connecticut is split between the home territories of MLB's New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, as well as the NFL's New York Giants and New England Patriots. The football issue is not typically as stark because the Giants and Patriots play in separate conferences, each with their own network TV deals, so there is little overlap. However, Fox picks both the Yankees and Red Sox for its baseball broadcast windows from time-to-time. MLB limits Fox to a single game, and does not allow other channels to broadcast baseball in that window (from 3:30 pm to 7 pm Eastern). This creates serious anger among Connecticut baseball fans when WTIC must broadcast either the Yankees or the Red Sox, as the usual cable channels (YES and NESN) are blacked out for the team not broadcast by Fox. WTIC generally shows each team as many times as possible.
Until March 31, 2008, WTIC served as the default Fox affiliate for the Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts television market as that area did not have an affiliate of its own. However, ABC affiliate WGGB-TV added Fox on its second digital subchannel on that date. Beginning with the 2008 season, game broadcasts of the New York Yankees from WWOR and the New York Mets from WPIX will alternate between WTIC and WTXX.
News operation
In 1989, WTIC debuted its 10 o'clock newscast which was the second in the market after the failed experiment on WHCT in 1969. Notably, news anchor Pat Sheehan had been the anchor on WHCT. In 1998, when WTIC replaced WVIT as WTXX's local marketing agreement (LMA) partner, the WVIT-produced 10 o'clock news was replaced with a simulcast of the first half-hour of channel 61's news program. As of April 24, 2006, WTXX simulcasts the full hour. WTXX does not have a separate news opening for the evening broadcasts. Whenever Fox programming or sports delays the news on WTIC, it is still shown on WTXX but under the name of News at Ten. There is also a "News at Ten" logo in place of "Fox 61 News".
During the February 2007 sweeps period, WTIC beat 11 P.M. leader WFSB with 100,000 viewers to that station's 98,000. It achieved this by showing reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld while the big three stations broadcasted their 11 o'clock news. As of the February 2008 ratings period, WTIC's evening news is the most watched 10 or 11 P.M. newscast in the market. In June of 2007 former weekend anchor and political reporter Rick Hancock returned to WTIC on a part time basis. He produces a weekly internet and technology segment called "Rick's RSS". The segment showcases popular web features. Each week, he also profiles a Connecticut blogger in a podcast that can be found on WTIC's website.
The station launched a weekday morning newscast on March 3. This production is not simulcasted on WTXX. The 7 o'clock hour competes with WCTX's morning news which is produced by sister station WTNH and airs for one hour. Since launching the morning news, WTIC has entered into a weather department partnership with WTIC-AM 1080. WTIC's weather center now features meteorologists from the radio station. On August 4, the weekday morning newscast was expanded and began airing from 4:30 to 9 in the morning. From 8 to 9 A.M., the format of the program includes several talk show segments. This hour focuses on entertainment, lifestyle, and health. Starting September 8, a weeknight 11 o'clock newscast was added that airs for a half-hour. In 2009, WTIC will add weekday Noon and 5 P.M. news broadcasts.
In addition to their Hartford studios, WTIC operates two news bureaus. The Shoreline Bureau is located in the New Haven Advocate newsroom. The Waterbury Bureau is located in the Republican-American newsroom. WTIC also has a news partnership with the Hartford Courant. Along with Fox News, WTIC is also a CNN affiliate. The station broadcasts Fox 61 Sports Ticket on Sunday nights. This program does not air on WTXX. Beyond the Headlines, WTIC's weekly public affairs show, airs Sunday mornings at 8:30. It is repeated on WTXX two and a half hours later.
News team
Anchors
- Joy Lim Nakrin - weekday mornings (4:30 to 5)
- weekday morning headline reader
- Logan Byrnes- weekday mornings (5 to 8)
- Rebecca Stewart - weekday mornings (5 to 8)
- Jeff Valin - weekday mornings (8 to 9)
- weekday morning reporter
- Rachel Lutzker - weekday mornings (8 to 9)
- Brent Hardin - weeknights at 10
- Susan Christensen - weeknights at 10
- Erica Arias - weeknights at 11
- "Fox Focus" segment producer
- Laurie Perez - weekends
- reporter and fill-in anchor
WTIC Weather Center Meteorologists
- Garett Argianas (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief seen on weeknights
- Joe Furey - weekday mornings
- Director of New England Weather Service
- Bob Cox - weekends
- Sam Samperi - fill-in and weather producer
- Steve Chapron - weather producer
weather reports from the WTIC Weather Center are also broadcasted on the following radio stations: WTIC-AM 1080, WTIC-FM 96.5, WRCH-FM 100.5, WZBG-FM 97.3, WZMX-FM 93.7, and WZBG-FM 97.3
Sports (both co-host Fox 61 Sports Ticket)
- Rich Coppola - Director seen on weeknights
- Bob Rumbold - weekends
- sports reporter and "Front Row" segment producer
Reporters
- Shelly Sindland - politics
- host of Beyond the Headlines
- occasional afternoon co-host on WTIC-AM
- Eric Zager - investigative
- Rick Hancock - "Rick's RSS" segment producer
- John Charlton - fill-in anchor
- Nicole Jacobs - weekday mornings
- Jennifer Lahmers - weekday mornings and fill-in anchor
- Renee Falco - fill-in traffic
- Jim Altman
- Sarah Cody
- Narmeen Choudhury
- Frank Recchia
- Tom Lewis
- Frank Holland
Former staff
- Steve Berthiaume, sports anchor, has been with CNNSI, and SNY, currently with ESPN.
- Steve Brown, reporter, now Chicago bureau reporter, Fox News Channel.
- Mika Brzezinski, reporter, to WFSB, to WCBS, to CBS News, now anchor 'Morning Joe' MSNBC.
- Beth Carroll, co-anchor, now host 'NH Outlook' NHPTV Concord, NH.
- John Carroll, chief meteorologist
- Katishia Cosley, reporter, now freelance reporter at KTRK Houston
- Jay Crawford co-host of ESPN2's First Take,and host 1st & Ten ESPNews.
- Michael Friedmann, weekend meteorologist, laid off after 10 years due to a workforce reduction.
- Ted Greenberg, reporter/anchor, now reporter WCAU Philly.
- Rick Hancock, reporter/anchor, now Dean of Journalism school at Quinnipiac University.
- Lynn Jolicouer, reporter, now reporter at WCVB Boston.
- Justin Kiefer, meteorologist, now meteorologist WMBB Panama City FL.
- Doug Meehan, reporter, now reporter at Fox25 Boston.
- Tom Misczuk, award-winning reporter, deceased July 2004.
- Irene O'Connor, reporter/anchor, now AM co-anchor WFSB.
- Meg Oliver, reporter/anchor, now anchor CBS News 'Up to the Minute'.
- Carolee Salerno, reporter/weekend anchor, now reporter/anchor WTNH New Haven.
- Amelia Santaniello, weekend anchor/reporter, now evening co-anchor WCCO Minneapolis.
- Pat Sheehan, co-anchor, now financial consultant.
- Jason Shoultz, reporter, now producer/reporter 'America's Heartland' syndicated magazine.
- Andrew Stockey, sports anchor, now AM co-anchor WTAE Pittsburgh.
- Tony Terzi, sports anchor, now morning radio host, WEZN STAR99.9 Bridgeport.
- Paul Williams, meteorologist, now at WLBT Jackson, MS.
- Rob Williams, reporter, now AM co-anchor WXIX Cincinnati.
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