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WTTG
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| WTTG | |
|---|---|
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| Washington, D.C. | |
| Branding | Fox 5 |
| Slogan | Always On |
| Channels | Analog: 5 (VHF) Digital: 36 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | Fox |
| Owner | Fox Television Stations |
| Founded | January 1, 1947 |
| Call letters meaning | Thomas Toliver Goldsmith (chief engineer of founding company Dumont) |
| Sister station(s) | WDCA |
| Former callsigns | W3XWT (1945-1947) |
| Former affiliations | DuMont (1946-1956) independent (1956-1986) |
| Transmitter Power | 100 kW (analog) 1000 kW (digital) |
| Height | 235 m (analog) 201 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 22207 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | www.MyFoxDC.com |
WTTG is an owned-and-operated TV station of the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is located in Washington, D.C. and serves the entire Washington metropolitan area (including Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the Martinsburg, West Virginia area) from a studio and transmitter located in the Tenleytown section of Washington. WTTG's sister station is MyNetworkTV O&O WDCA, forming a duopoly owned by Fox Television Stations Group.
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The station traces its history to May 19, 1945, when television set and equipment manufacturer Allen B. DuMont founded W3XWT, the second experimental station in the nation's capital (after NBC's W3XNB, forerunner to WRC-TV).
Later in 1945, DuMont Laboratories began a series of experimental coaxial cable hookups between W3XWT and its other television station, WABD in New York City (now WNYW). These hookups were the beginning of the DuMont Television Network, the world's first licensed commercial television network. DuMont began regular network service in 1946. Almost a year later, on January 3, 1947, W3XWT received a commercial license--the first in the nation's capital--as WTTG. The station was named for Thomas T. Goldsmith, Dr. DuMont's best friend and the DuMont network's chief engineer.
Like its New York sister station, WTTG was far more successful than the network as a whole. In 1956, after DuMont ended network operations, WTTG and WABD were spun off as the "DuMont Broadcasting Corporation." It later changed its name to Metropolitan Broadcasting due to the failure associated with DuMont. In 1958, Washington investor John Kluge bought controlling interest in Metropolitan Broadcasting and installed himself as its chairman. He changed the company's name to Metromedia in 1961. Goldsmith sat on Metromedia's board for over a quarter-century.
At first, WTTG ran on a low budget. However, in the late 1960s, it benefited from Metromedia's aggressiveness in acquiring top syndicated programming, giving it a significant leg up on WDCA, which signed on in 1966. By the 1970s, WTTG was one of the leading independent stations in the country, running a broad lineup of cartoons, off-network sitcoms, first-run syndicated shows, old movies, local news and locally produced programs. During this time period, and well into the early 1990s, WTTG was the flagship station for the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team. Its main claim to fame was Panorama, an afternoon talk show hosted by John Willis, and Maury Povich.
When cable television began in the 1970s, WTTG became a regional superstation. At one point, it appeared on every cable system in Maryland and Virginia, as well as most of Delaware and in parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Though not distributed as widely as it once was, the popularity of WTTG has kept it available on cable on several Maryland and Virginia cable systems. It still serves as the default Fox affiliate for the Harrisonburg, Virginia market. It also served as the default Fox affiliate for Salisbury, Maryland until the debut of new default Fox affiliate, FOX21 Delmarva, a subsidiary of WBOC-TV, on 21 August 2006).
Metromedia owned the station until 1986 when Rupert Murdoch, after buying 20th Century Fox, purchased the Metromedia television stations to form the nucleus of the Fox network. WTTG became one of six (now five) Fox owned-and-operated stations (O&O), all the while retaining consistently high ratings, a rarity for a Fox station then. Initially, its programming was similar to what it had run as a true independent station, since Fox only programmed for a few hours on weekends. Then, in the summer of 1990, the morning cartoon block was ended in favor of Fox 5 Morning News. It was the second Fox O&O to have a morning newscast and the fourth or fifth Fox affiliate with morning news.
In the 1990s, Fox 5 added more syndicated talk shows and reality shows. It continued to air afternoon cartoons from Fox Kids until the fall of 2001, when they moved to WDCA (only to be cut to Saturdays everywhere in 2002). But WTTG later on brought back Fox children's programming under the banner 4Kids TV. On October 29, 2001, WDCA became WTTG's sister station when Fox bought it from Viacom. Fox 5 continued to run top rated off-network sitcoms in the evenings. In 2002, it added an evening 5 to 6 p.m. newscast. Today, it has 40 hours a week of local news.
On May 15, 2006 WTTG launched a new website, which features more news and video with the "MyFox" name and interface. (The "My" in the MyFox name may be a reference to Fox's new network My Network TV, which is now shown locally on WDCA.) It is at www.myfoxdc.com.
The new logo and set premiered on June 25, 2006. WTTG launched "NewsEdge" (previously titled "The Edge" until October 2006), its 11-11:30pm newscast, on July 31, 2006. "NewsEdge", which is anchored solo by 10pm co-anchor Brian Bolter, follows its 10-11pm newscast. Also with the launch of the 11pm broadcast, Fox 5 has now expanded its 5pm broadcast to 7 days a week. The 5pm on the weekend is only a half-hour long as opposed to the weekday hour-long broadcast. Plus the new "NewsEdge" has also gone to 7 days as well. The weekend 11pm broadcast is 15-minutes long, followed by "Sports Extra."
On September 4, 2006, WTTG began simulcasting its weekday morning and daily 10 PM newscasts on Baltimore's FOX-owned WUTB, under the banner of My 24 News. The higher-ups at both stations cite the decision to simulcast as a by-product of cross-regional news interests and increasing overlap between the Baltimore and Washington media markets. [1] On October 2006, while WTTG aired Fox Sports' coverage of the 2006 Major League Baseball postseason, the first half-hour of the 10 PM newscast was seen on Washington's FOX-owned WDCA under the banner of FOX 5 News at Ten Special Edition. The same has occurred in 2007, with a banner name of My 20 News at 10.
On July 2, 2007, WTTG discontinued its noon newscast and replaced it with an hour-long newscast at 11am, titled FOX 5 News Midday. On September 10, 2007, the station added "NewsEdge" at 6pm which is also anchored solo by Brian Bolter. The 6pm edition of "NewsEdge" follows its 5-6pm newscast. The addition of "NewsEdge" at 6pm was due in part to the success of its current 11pm counterpart.
In 2004, the inner operations of WTTG during the station's first years under Rupert Murdoch's control were critically scrutinized in Robert Greenwald's documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism. The documentary, through a panel of former WTTG reporters and staffers, claimed that WTTG's news operation after Murdoch's acquisition of the station was biased and sensationalistic, much in the style of the Fox News Channel, which Murdoch also owns and which the film primarily criticizes. Former WTTG employees claimed that: they were told "from the top" to air a tribute to Ronald Reagan, as seen at the 1988 Republican National Convention, uncut; they were told to run a piece from A Current Affair that "rehashed the whole matter of [Senator Ted Kennedy's deadly car accident at] Chappaquiddick which had zero news value;" and an obsessive attitude over airing stories related to wedge issues such as race relations and AIDS.
Anchors
- Melanie Alnwick - Sunday Mornings, also serves as Special Projects reporter
- Brian Bolter - 6, 10 and 11pm Weeknights
- Steve Chenevey - 5-7am weekdays
- Gurvir Dhindsa - 5-7am Weekdays
- Laura Evans - 5pm Weekdays
- Holly Morris - 11am Weekdays, also Morning Feature Reporter
- Bob Sellers - 7-9am Weekdays
- Allison Seymour - 7-9am and 11am Weekdays
- Will Thomas - Weekend Evenings and Reporter
- Maureen Umeh - Weekend Evenings
- Shawn Yancy - 5pm and 10pm Weeknights
Weather Team
- Tucker Barnes - Morning Fill-In, also Weather Producer
- Gary McGrady - Weekend Evenings
- Sue Palka - Chief Meteorologist, 6, 10 and 11pm Weeknights
- Tony Perkins - Weekday Mornings
- Gwen Tolbart - 11am & 5pm Weekdays and Sunday Mornings
Sports
- Dave Feldman - Sports Director/Lead Sports Anchor
- Diane Roberts - Sports Reporter/Weekend and Fill-In Sports Anchor
- Dave Ross - Weekday Mornings, also Sports Producer
Traffic
- Allison Oakley - Sky Fox Airborne
- Julie Wright - Metro Traffic
Reporters
- Brooke Baldwin *
- Bob Barnard
- Andy Barth
- Roby Chavez
- Stacey Cohan
- Tom Fitzgerald (seen regularly at 11 pm) *
- Karen Gray Houston (widow of the late WUSA-TV News Producer/Assignment Editor Chris Houston)
- John Henrehan
- Virg Jacques - Baltimore Bureau Correspondent
- Sherri Ly
- Wisdom Martin
- Patrick McGrath - National Correspondent (father of WRC-TV reporter Megan McGrath)
- Beth Parker
- Sarah Simmons (primarily seen mornings) *
- Paul Wagner
* = Also acts as fill-in anchor
- James Adams - Anchor/Reporter (1977-1990, now weekend evening anchor at WRC-TV)
- Mike Barry - Meteorologist (2004-2006), currently WTTG fill-in meteorologist
- Dave Bender - Reporter (1990-1993, now at KOVR in Sacramento)
- Jackie Bensen - Reporter (1987-1999, now in same position at WRC-TV)
- {(Josh Binswanger)} - Fox Morning News Anchor (1998-2000), left for History Channel, now at WBZ-TV in Boston
Steve Buckhantz - Sports Anchor (1987-2001, currently play-by-play announcer for the Washington Wizards)
- Connie Chung - Reporter (1970-1971)
- Jack Conaty reporter (1986-1987, now at WFLD-TV in Chicago)
- Rory Devine - reporter (1982-1983, now at KNSD in San Diego)
- Stacey Donaldson - Meteorologist (1998-2002, now at KCNC-TV in Denver)
- Darya Folsom - Morning Anchor/Reporter (1994-1998, now at KRON-TV in San Francisco)
- Joe Fowler - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1986-1987)
- Michael Garguilo - Morning Anchor/Reporter (2000-2006, now at WNBC in New York)
- Bill Gormly - Host of Children's Show Countdown Carnival (1963-1968), Staff Announcer
- Brett Haber - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1997-2000, now at WUSA-TV)
- Kerri Lee Halkett - Traffic Reporter/Anchor (1997-2000, now at WTXF in Philadelphia)
- Chick Hernandez - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1993-2000, now in same position at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic)
- Lou Holder - Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (200?-2007)
- Hillary Howard (Statter) - Meteorologist (1990s-2000, now at WTWP Radio in Washington, DC; wife of WUSA-TV reporter (Dave Statter)
- Bill Johnson - Staff Announcer and Children's Show Host (1950s and 60s)
- Gus Johnson - Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (1991-1992, now a play-by-play commentator for CBS Sports)
- Morris Jones - Anchor/Reporter (1983-2001, now at Sinclair Broadcasting as Washington Bureau Correspondent)
- Jim Karvellas - Sports Anchor/Reporter (?, deceased)
- Dennis Ketterer - Meteorologist (1983-1985, now at WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland)
- Mike Landess - Anchor/Reporter (1998-2001, now at KMGH in Denver)
- Jeff Lawson - Meteorologist (1984-1989, now at WVEC in Norfolk, Virginia)
- Lark McCarthy - Fox 5 Morning News co-anchor (1990-2007, left station on 6/1/2007 to move to Las Vegas)
- Pat Mitchell - Anchor/Panorama Host (1977-1979, now President/CEO of the Museum of Television and Radio in New York)
- Tracey Neale - Anchor/Reporter (1994-2003, now at WUSA-TV)
- Maury Povich - Anchor/Reporter/Panorama Host (1967-76 and 1983-86, now host of the syndicated talk show Maury)
- Lee Reynolds - Children's Show Host Captain Tugg (1958-1966), Grandpa Reynolds (1956-1959), and Captain Lee and Mates (1964-1966)
- Mike Dunston - Reporter (now anchor at WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL)
- Mike Ritz - Sports Reporter (1987-1991, now at The Golf Channel)
- Amy Robach - Anchor/Reporter (1998-2003, now at MSNBC)
- Nathan Roberts - Anchor/Reporter (1988-1991, formerly of NewsChannel 8)
- Angela Robinson - Anchor/Reporter/Panorama host (1983-1993, now at WPBA-TV in Atlanta)
- Al Roker - Weather Anchor (1976-1978, now seen on the Today Show)
- Steve Rudin - Meteorologist (2001-2004)
- Tom Sater - Meteorologist (1998-2005)
- Kevin Schultze - Reporter (1993-1996)
- Michelle Sigona - Traffic Reporter (2004-2006, now at America's Most Wanted)
- Aleen Sirgany - Anchor/Reporter (1999-2001, now at CBS News)
- Karna Small - Anchor (1976-1978, now Karna Bodman and an author [2])
- Bernie Smilovitz - Sports Anchor (1978-1986, now at WDIV-TV in Detroit)
- Jill Sorenson - General Assignment Reporter (2004-2005, now a sports anchor and reporter at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic)
- Jackie Stone - Reporter (1983-1991)
- Vince DeLisi - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1990-1992)
- Todd D. Wallace - Morning Anchor (2000-2002, now at WRTV-TV in Indianapolis)
- Tim White - Morning Anchor (1990-1992, now at WKYC-TV in Cleveland)
- Brian Williams - Anchor/Reporter/Panorama Host (1985-1986, now at NBC News/MSNBC as Nightly News anchor)
- Brian Wilson - Anchor/Reporter (19??-2000, now at Fox News Channel)
This list is incomplete. You can help by expanding it.
- WTTG Website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WTTG
- Aerial photo of WTTG transmitter from Google Local
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Local television stations Local digital television channels Local cable television channels Stations serving Hagerstown, Maryland and surrounding area Stations serving Winchester, Virginia and surrounding area |
