WTAT-TV
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| WTAT-TV | |
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| Charleston, South Carolina | |
| Branding | Fox 24 |
| Channels | 24 (UHF) analog, 40 (UHF) digital |
| Affiliations | Fox |
| Owner | Cunningham Broadcasting (LMA with Sinclair Broadcast Group) |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Website | www.wtat24.com |
WTAT-TV, Fox 24, is the Fox television affiliate in Charleston, South Carolina. It broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 24, and its digital signal on UHF channel 40. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting and operated by the Sinclair Broadcast Group under a local marketing agreement with MyNetworkTV affiliate WMMP. However, due to Cunningham's financial structure, Sinclair effectively owns WTAT as well (see below). Its transmitter is located in Awendaw, South Carolina.
[edit] History
The station began operations in 1985 under the ownership of Act III Broadcasting. A local group originally held WTAT's construction permit, but sold it to Act III before the station went on the air. In 1986, as part of a corporate deal between Act III and News Corporation, it became a charter affiliate of the fledgling Fox Broadcasting Company. Abry Communications bought the Act III group in early 1994. Abry merged with Sinclair later that year.
When Max Media (the owner of WMMP) merged with Sinclair in July 1998, Sinclair could not keep both stations due to FCC rules of the time forbidding duopolies. Although WTAT was longer-established, Sinclair opted to keep WMMP and sold WTAT to Glencairn, Ltd. Glencairn was owned by Edwin Edwards, a former Sinclair executive, and appeared to be a minority-owned company. However, nearly all of Glencairn's stock was controlled by the Smith family, founders of Sinclair. In effect, Sinclair now had a duopoly in the Charleston market — in violation of FCC regulations. Glencairn then entered into a local marketing agreement with Sinclair, allowing Sinclair to keep control of WTAT's operations, thus circumventing FCC ownership rules even further. The FCC eventually fined Sinclair $40,000 in 2001 for illegally controlling Glencairn.
In 2001, Sinclair tried to buy Glencairn outright, but the FCC did not allow Sinclair to buy WTAT because Charleston has only six full-power stations--too few to legally allow duopolies. Glencairn was renamed Cunningham Broadcasting; however, the Smith family continues to control nearly all of Cunningham's stock. Glencairn/Cunningham has faced numerous allegations that it is simply a shell corporation used by Sinclair for the purpose of circumventing FCC ownership rules.
[edit] Newscasts
WTAT airs a half-hour newscast called FOX24 News at 10 at 10:00 p.m. It is the oldest and longest running 10 o'clock news broadcast in South Carolina premiering in the early 90's. This was not part of the now defunct News Central operations. It is produced by CBS affiliate WCSC-TV, and features WCSC's on-air staff.
[edit] External links
| Broadcast television in the Charleston market (Nielsen DMA #100) | ||
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WCBD 2 (NBC) (The CW on DT2) - WCIV 4 (ABC) - WCSC 5 (CBS) - WITV 7 (PBS/SCETV) - WJRB-CA 18 (GEB/AS/AV/TFU) - W21BX 21 (TBN) - WAZS-LP 22 (Azteca América) - WTAT 24 (FOX) - WMMP 36 (My Network TV)(The Tube on DT2) - WJNI-LP 42 (A1) |
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| Defunct television channels | ||
| Fox Network Affiliates in the state of South Carolina | |
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WHNS 21 (Greenville) - WTAT 24 (Charleston) - WTGS 28 (Hardeeville) - WFXB 43 (Myrtle Beach) - WACH 57 (Columbia) |
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| See also: ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CW, MyNetworkTV and Other stations in South Carolina | |
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Corporate Staff: David D. Smith (COB and President & CEO) | Frederick G. Smith | J. Duncan Smith | Robert E. Smith | Daniel C. Keith | Martin R. Leader | Lawrence E. McCanna | Basil A. Thomas | David B. Amy | Lucy A. Rutishauser | Barry M. Faber | David R. Bochenek | Nat S. Ostroff | Donald H. Thompson | Thomas I. Waters III | Darren Shapiro | Gregg Siegel | Jeff Sleete | M. William Butler | Steven M. Marks | Delbert R. Parks III | Joe DeFeo |
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ABC Network Affiliates: KDNL | WCHS | WEAR | WGGB | WICD | WICS | WKEF | WLOS | WSYX | WXLV |
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CW Network Affiliates: KOCB | KVCW | WLFL | WNAB4 | WNUV2 | WTTO/WDBB | WUCW | WVTV |
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Fox Network Affiliates: KABB | KBSI | KDSM | KOKH | WBFF | WDKY | WMSN | WPGH5 | WRGT2 | WRLH | WSMH | WSYT | WTAT2 | WTTE2 | WUHF1 | WUTV | WVAH2 | WYZZ1 | WZTV |
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MyNetworkTV Affiliates: KMYS | KVMY | WABM | WCGV | WDKA3 | WFGX3 | WMMP | WMYA2 | WMYV | WNYO | WNYS3 | WPMY | WRDC | WRLH DT-2 | WSTR | WSYX DT-2 | WTTA3 | WTVZ | WUXP |
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1Sinclair has ownership interests in these stations, but management capabilities belong to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. |
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2Sinclair operates these stations owned by Cunningham Broadcasting under a local marketing agreement. |
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3Sinclair operates these stations, which are owned by local groups, under a local marketing agreement. |
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4Sinclair operates this station owned by Tennessee Broadcasting under an outsourcing agreement. |
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5Cox Enterprises holds a 10% interest in this station. |
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6Sinclair holds a 10% interest in this station, of which Cox Enterprises owns the remaining 90%. |
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Annual Revenue: $1.24 billion USD (2004) | Employees: Unknown at this time. | Stock Symbol: NASDAQ: SBGI| Website: www.sbgi.net |
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