WAMI-DT

WAMI-DT is a full-power Spanish-language television station licensed to Hollywood, Florida, and serving the Miami–Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area. It broadcasts as the South Florida outlet of UniMás, the Spanish-language network operated by TelevisaUnivision. The station also functions as the de facto UniMás outlet for the West Palm Beach market, which does not have a separate UniMás station of its own. The station operates alongside Univision-owned WLTV-DT, the Miami Univision station. Their principal facilities are located at NewsPort in Doral, a large converted studio complex that also houses Univision news operations. WAMI-DT's transmitter is located in Pembroke Park, Florida. Its city of license in Broward County distinguishes it from most Miami commercial stations, and its principal local broadcast competitor in Broward County is Telemundo station WSCV, licensed to Fort Lauderdale. The channel 69 allocation was initially associated with a translator of WCIX before the development of a full-power station. In 1981, the Federal Communications Commission selected Whitco Broadcasters' application for the allocation. Whitco proposed a station that would have been South Florida's first African-American-owned television station, but the construction permit later changed hands. Home Shopping Network acquired control during the 1980s, and the station signed on August 10, 1988, as WYHS-TV, carrying HSN programming. Under Silver King Communications and later USA Broadcasting, the station underwent a major transformation. On June 8, 1998, it became an independent station under the WAMI-TV call sign and adopted an ambitious locally focused general-entertainment format known as WAMI 69. The format emphasized Miami culture, live remote segments, youth and young-adult programming, local sports, alternative lifestyles, entertainment, and highly visible station branding. Its programming included The Times, SportsTown, Generation ñ, Ocean Drive, Ten's, Barcode, Kenneth's Frequency, Out Loud, and the interactive children's program WAMI on Miami. The station also carried syndicated programming, films, cartoons, and Fox Kids content. WAMI became a notable experiment in local television. Its CityVision approach, developed within Barry Diller's USA Broadcasting, attempted to make a station feel embedded in the city through live street segments, distinctive interstitials, local personalities, and frequent use of the WAMI logo. During this period, the station won regional Emmy and Promax awards and served as the model for related USA Broadcasting format experiments in other U.S. markets. It also acquired local television rights to Florida Marlins baseball and obtained rights to Miami Heat games before the relaunch. USA Broadcasting's parent, USA Networks, encountered financial pressure around 2000 and began divesting assets. The television stations were ultimately sold to Univision Communications, with the transaction closing on January 3, 2002. On January 14, 2002, WAMI-TV became a charter owned-and-operated station of Telefutura, Univision's new secondary Spanish-language network. Telefutura was renamed UniMás in 2013, and the station continues to operate under the WAMI-DT identity as part of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. station portfolio. WLTV-DT produces WAMI's weekday morning newscast, Noticias 23 Al Amanecer en UniMás Miami, as well as the public-affairs program Ahora en Nuestra Comunidad. WAMI completed the U.S. digital television transition in 2009, ending analog broadcasting on channel 69 while continuing digital transmission on channel 47 with virtual channel 69. The station's current role is primarily that of a Spanish-language network outlet, supported by locally produced news and community programming from its Univision station group.

The channel 69 allocation in South Florida was used before WAMI's launch by W69AA, a translator of WCIX. The translator existed because WCIX's analog channel 6 transmitter was located in Homestead and signal-spacing restrictions limited coverage toward Broward County and Boca Raton. The translator was displaced when the full-power channel 69 facility was developed and later returned under a different call sign as a translator for WTVJ. Four applicants sought the full-power channel 69 allocation in 1981. The FCC selected Whitco Broadcasters, owned by Eddie Whitehead and Thomas Coates. Whitco presented the proposal as a potential first African-American-owned television station in South Florida and initially used the proposed call sign WDEM. A proposed sale of majority control to investors intending to operate a Spanish-language station did not proceed. In 1987, Home Shopping Network announced that it would acquire a majority interest, with an option to purchase the completed facility. The station signed on August 10, 1988, as WYHS-TV and initially carried Home Shopping Network programming. Silver King Communications, HSN's broadcasting subsidiary, subsequently acquired the remaining interest. The HSN station strategy was partly connected to cable carriage. HSN used over-the-air stations in several markets to strengthen its ability to obtain cable distribution under federal must-carry rules while competing with QVC. Silver King later became the broadcast arm of USA Networks and developed a broader plan for its station group. WAMI's most distinctive period began on June 8, 1998, when the station became independent, adopted the WAMI-TV call sign, and launched a heavily branded, locally oriented format. The relaunch, promoted as the “Birth of a Station,” used a Miami-themed visual identity and introduced frequent traffic, weather, entertainment, and street-level segments. Its CityVision programming was aimed particularly at teenagers and young adults and drew inspiration from urban local television models such as Toronto's CITY-TV. The station's programming mix included the local news program The Times; the sports program SportsTown; Generation ñ for bilingual second-generation Latinos; lifestyle shows such as Ocean Drive and Ten's; dance and youth programming including Barcode; Kenneth's Frequency; and the talk program Out Loud. WAMI also integrated Fox Kids into the locally produced children's program WAMI on Miami. Other programming consisted of syndicated reality and talk shows, sitcom reruns, films, cartoons, religious programs, and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, which had not been cleared by the local ABC affiliate. The station emphasized live remote interstitials, WAMI-cams showing Miami scenes, a persistent translucent station bug, and unusual short-form features such as Lips. The format attracted industry recognition: during its USA Broadcasting period, WAMI received 18 Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards and 22 Promax Awards. It also served as the flagship example for USA Broadcasting's planned CityVision network, although most of the wider rollout was reduced or abandoned before completion. WAMI expanded its local sports profile by obtaining Miami Heat rights before the 1998 relaunch and later securing a six-year local agreement for Florida Marlins games. After the station changed ownership, those Marlins broadcasts moved to other outlets and were later discontinued by the relevant station group. USA Networks faced financial difficulties around 2000 and began selling assets. Its remaining entertainment operations were sold to Vivendi Universal, while the television stations attracted competing bids. Univision Communications prevailed over The Walt Disney Company, and the acquisition closed on January 3, 2002. WAMI became a charter Univision-owned station of Telefutura on January 14, 2002. Telefutura was renamed UniMás in 2013. Today, WAMI-DT operates as the South Florida UniMás station. It shares the NewsPort facility in Doral with WLTV-DT and other Univision operations. WLTV produces WAMI's weekday morning newscast, Noticias 23 Al Amanecer en UniMás Miami, and the community-affairs program Ahora en Nuestra Comunidad. WAMI ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, retaining digital transmission on channel 47 and virtual channel 69.

• 2013

  Telefutura became UniMás

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station's national network adopted the UniMás name.

• 2009

  Digital television transition

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  WAMI ended analog transmission on channel 69 and continued digitally on channel 47 using virtual channel 69.

• 2002

  Univision ownership began

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Univision completed its acquisition of the station group, and WAMI joined Telefutura as an owned-and-operated station.

• 1998

  WAMI 69 CityVision relaunch

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station became independent, changed its call sign to WAMI-TV, and launched a locally focused general-entertainment format.

• 1988

  Station signed on as WYHS-TV

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station began broadcasting on August 10 as an HSN affiliate under the WYHS-TV call sign.

• 1987

  HSN announced majority acquisition

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Home Shopping Network announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the station, then being developed under the WDEM call sign.

• 1981

  Whitco selected for channel 69

  [1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC selected Whitco Broadcasters' application for a full-power television station on channel 69 in South Florida.

A Spanish-language UniMás broadcast outlet for South Florida, with local news and community programming supplied in coordination with sister station WLTV-DT.

• Spanish-language broadcast network service · 2002

  UniMás Miami

  WAMI-DT's principal service is the South Florida UniMás network feed. It carries Spanish-language entertainment and other network programming for Miami–Fort Lauderdale viewers and also provides practical network coverage for the West Palm Beach area, which lacks a separately licensed UniMás station.

• Local news

  Noticias 23 Al Amanecer en UniMás Miami

  A weekday morning newscast produced by sister Univision station WLTV-DT. It extends WLTV's morning news operation onto WAMI and provides Spanish-language local news, weather, traffic, and community information for UniMás viewers.

• Public affairs

  Ahora en Nuestra Comunidad

  A community-affairs program produced by WLTV-DT and broadcast on WAMI. The program addresses local issues and community subjects and is scheduled on weekend mornings.

• Former local programming format · 1998

  WAMI 69 CityVision

  The station's former USA Broadcasting format, introduced in 1998, combined locally produced news, sports, lifestyle, youth, entertainment, and live remote content with syndicated programming and films. It emphasized Miami identity, street-level reporting, distinctive interstitials, and a young-adult audience.

• 1998Birth of a Station

  Miami · Fort Lauderdale

  A relaunch campaign introduced WAMI-TV as a new Miami-centered independent station. The campaign used a staged sonogram and birth concept to unveil the station's thought-bubble logo and new identity.

  Outcome. The campaign accompanied the launch of the CityVision format and made WAMI one of USA Broadcasting's most prominent station experiments.

  Source
• 1998WAMI on Miami

  Miami-Dade County · Broward County

  The station built a locally hosted children's show around Fox Kids programming and promoted live community events involving Fox Kids and Power Rangers.

  Outcome. The program strengthened WAMI's local identity and generated visible participation at station-sponsored events.

  Source

• 2009

  Complete the digital transitionOther

  Background

  U.S. full-power television stations were required to end analog broadcasting under the national digital transition.

  Action taken

  WAMI discontinued its analog signal on channel 69 and continued digital transmission on channel 47 while retaining virtual channel 69.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a digital broadcast service under the WAMI-DT call sign.

  Source

• 2002

  Sell the station to Univision CommunicationsM&A

  Background

  Financial pressure at USA Networks led its owners to divest USA Broadcasting's television stations.

  Action taken

  Univision Communications acquired the station group, completing the transaction on January 3, 2002.

  Aftermath

  WAMI became a Telefutura owned-and-operated station and later carried the UniMás brand.

  Source

• 2002

  Convert WAMI to a Spanish-language network outletStrategy

  Background

  Univision was building Telefutura as a second Spanish-language broadcast network.

  Action taken

  On January 14, WAMI changed from an independent general-entertainment station into a charter Telefutura owned-and-operated station.

  Aftermath

  The station's long-term role shifted from experimental local programming toward Spanish-language network distribution and locally supplied news.

  Source

• 1998

  Adopt the CityVision independent-station formatStrategy

  Background

  USA Broadcasting sought to distinguish its stations from conventional network affiliates through locally relevant programming and stronger city identity.

  Action taken

  WAMI dropped its HSN-oriented role, became independent, and introduced local news, sports, lifestyle, youth, and entertainment programming.

  Aftermath

  WAMI became the flagship example of the format, won regional industry awards, and influenced planned conversions of other USA Broadcasting stations.

  Source

• 2013

  Telefutura rebranded as UniMás[1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WAMI's Spanish-language network changed its national brand from Telefutura to UniMás.

• 2002

  Univision acquired the USA Broadcasting station group[1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Univision Communications completed its acquisition of the former USA Broadcasting television stations, including WAMI-TV.

• 2002

  WAMI joined Telefutura[1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station became a charter owned-and-operated outlet of Telefutura, which was later renamed UniMás.

• 1998

  WAMI-TV relaunched as a locally oriented independent station[1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The station changed its call sign from WYHS-TV to WAMI-TV, became independent, and introduced the WAMI 69 CityVision format centered on locally produced programming and Miami-focused branding.

• 1998

  WAMI secured local Florida Marlins television rights[1]WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WAMI outbid competing Miami stations for an exclusive six-year local television agreement covering Florida Marlins games.

1. 1WAMI-DTen.wikipedia.org