WFOX-TV
A Jacksonville, Florida television station affiliated with Fox and MyNetworkTV and carrying Telemundo programming on a digital subchannel.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WFOX-TV is a commercial television station serving Jacksonville, Florida, and surrounding communities in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 30 and is primarily affiliated with the Fox network. It also carries MyNetworkTV programming and has been associated with Telemundo programming through its digital channel structure. WFOX operates alongside CBS affiliate WJAX-TV under the Action News Jax news operation, with the two stations sharing facilities and much of their local-news infrastructure. The station began broadcasting on February 15, 1981, as WAWS-TV. Its launch followed several years of competition for Jacksonville's unused channel 30 allocation. Crown Broadcasting, led by Jacksonville developer Martin Stein, initially received the construction permit after Springfield Television withdrew from the application process. Malrite Communications subsequently acquired a majority interest and later became the sole owner. WAWS entered the market as an independent station with a schedule built around syndicated programs, films, classic television series, and children's programming. It quickly established itself as the stronger of Jacksonville's two recently launched independent outlets. WAWS became a Fox affiliate when the network launched in 1986. The affiliation gave the station a national programming identity while preserving its importance as a local outlet in a market where Fox was developing its station base. Clear Channel Television acquired WAWS in 1989 and expanded its Jacksonville presence in the 1990s. The company also managed the station then known as WNFT, later WTEV-TV and ultimately WJAX-TV, through a local marketing arrangement. This relationship enabled the two stations to share operational resources and eventually form the foundation of their combined news operation. Local news became increasingly important to the station under Clear Channel. In 1991, WAWS began airing a prime-time newscast produced by ABC affiliate WJKS-TV. When WJKS ended its own news operation in December 1996, WAWS launched an independent newsroom and began producing its own late-evening broadcasts. The news department later expanded to WTEV after that station became Jacksonville's CBS affiliate in 2002. The two stations shared reporters, weather coverage, sports resources, and production facilities while initially maintaining distinct on-air identities. In 2009, the stations consolidated their newscasts under the Action News name. Cox Media Group acquired WAWS and WTEV in 2012, although regulatory restrictions required the WTEV license to be held by a separate licensee while Cox continued to program and operate the station. In 2014, WAWS changed its call sign to WFOX-TV, while WTEV became WJAX-TV. The call-sign changes were intended to connect channel 30 more clearly with the Fox network and to distinguish the two stations within the shared operation. WFOX's identity is now closely linked to Action News Jax, a regional news brand serving both WFOX and WJAX. The operation expanded its schedule during the Cox era, including additional morning and evening broadcasts, a faster-paced editorial presentation, and increased newsroom staffing. WFOX also became a preseason broadcaster for Jacksonville Jaguars football in 2017. Cox Media Group was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2019, and WFOX remains an active local broadcast outlet with entertainment, sports, syndicated, network, and news programming.
History
The history of WFOX-TV began with the development of Jacksonville's unused channel 30 allocation during the late 1970s. Malrite Communications, Crown Broadcasting, and Springfield Television were among the groups that pursued the channel. Springfield eventually withdrew from the application process after arranging an interest in Crown, allowing Crown to receive a construction permit in November 1978. The project remained incomplete until Malrite acquired a controlling stake in the permit. Malrite later purchased the remaining Crown interest and became the station's sole owner. Channel 30 began broadcasting on February 15, 1981, under the call sign WAWS-TV. The station operated from studios on Hogan Road and entered the market as an independent outlet. Its schedule included films, syndicated series, older television programs, children's shows, and a local adaptation of TV Powww. Although it was the second new Jacksonville station to launch within a year, WAWS rapidly outperformed channel 47, which initially had a Christian-oriented format. During the 1980s, WAWS was Jacksonville's leading independent station despite increasing competition from the secularized channel 47 operation, then known as WNFT. WAWS joined Fox in 1986, at the beginning of the network's national expansion. Clear Channel Television purchased the station in 1989 for a reported $8.1 million. Clear Channel later expanded its local presence by managing WNFT under a local marketing agreement. WNFT changed its call sign to WTEV-TV in 1996. The arrangement enabled the stations to coordinate programming and operations while remaining subject to broadcast ownership rules. News programming became a major part of WAWS's development. In 1991, the station introduced a 10 p.m. newscast produced by WJKS-TV. This was the Jacksonville market's first full-length prime-time local newscast and eventually attracted a larger audience than WJKS's late-night broadcast. When WJKS's news department closed in December 1996, WAWS created its own newsroom and launched half-hour 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts the following day. The station moved into expanded facilities in Jacksonville's EastPark area in 1997 and extended its news production to WTEV. WTEV became Jacksonville's CBS affiliate in July 2002 after WJXT declined to renew its CBS relationship. The affiliation change led to additional WTEV newscasts and a larger combined news operation. WAWS later became a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliate after the 2006 creation of The CW displaced several existing network arrangements. MyNetworkTV programming was carried on WAWS's second digital subchannel beginning in 2007. Clear Channel sold its television portfolio to Newport Television in a transaction announced in 2007 and completed in 2008. Because regulatory rules restricted common ownership of two highly rated stations in the same market, the WTEV license was transferred to High Plains Broadcasting while Newport continued to operate it through agreements. In 2009, the news services of WAWS and WTEV were unified under the Action News brand. Cox Media Group acquired WAWS and WTEV in 2012 as part of its purchase of most Newport stations. Cox continued to operate the two-station combination while the WTEV license remained separately held for regulatory reasons. In 2014, WAWS was renamed WFOX-TV and WTEV was renamed WJAX-TV. The rebranding was accompanied by a substantial Action News overhaul, including new anchors, additional newsroom positions, a faster presentation, and new weekend morning broadcasts. WFOX added a 6 p.m. broadcast and an exclusive 6:30 p.m. program in 2016. Action News Jax also became the Jacksonville Jaguars' official preseason broadcaster in 2017. Cox Media Group was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2019. In the 2020 digital television repack, WFOX moved its physical digital transmission from channel 32 to channel 14 while retaining virtual channel 30. By 2023, Action News had moved into second place in Jacksonville's 11 p.m. household ratings, though WJXT remained the market leader and Action News did not lead among all key demographic measures.
- 2020
WFOX completes its digital-channel repack
[1]The station moved its physical digital signal from channel 32 to channel 14 while continuing to use virtual channel 30.
- 2017
Action News Jax begins Jaguars preseason broadcasts
[1]The shared news operation became the official preseason television broadcaster for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- 2014
WAWS is renamed WFOX-TV
[1]The station adopted the WFOX-TV call sign, while its sister station became WJAX-TV.
- 2012
Cox Media Group acquires the stations
[1]Cox acquired WAWS and WTEV from Newport Television.
- 2009
Action News becomes the shared news brand
[1]Newscasts produced for WAWS and WTEV were consolidated under the Action News identity.
- 2007
MyNetworkTV launches on WAWS's second digital channel
[1]WAWS carried MyNetworkTV programming on a secondary digital service.
- 2002
WTEV becomes a CBS affiliate
[1]The sister station assumed CBS programming in Jacksonville, leading to expanded shared news production.
- 1996
WAWS launches an in-house news department
[1]The station introduced its own late-evening newscasts after WJKS ended its local news operation.
- 1991
Prime-time local news begins
[1]WAWS began airing a 10 p.m. newscast produced by WJKS-TV.
- 1989
Clear Channel purchases WAWS
[1]Clear Channel Television acquired the station and later expanded its Jacksonville operating presence.
Products and positioning
A major Fox-affiliated local television station positioned around network entertainment, Jacksonville-area news, weather, sports, and the shared Action News Jax newsroom.
Network television · 1986
WFOX-TV Fox programming
The station's principal service is the Fox network schedule, supplemented by local news, syndicated programming, sports, and station-produced community content. WFOX's Fox affiliation has been continuous since the network launched in 1986 and is central to the station's brand identity.
Local news · 2009
Action News Jax
Action News Jax is the shared local-news operation serving WFOX-TV and WJAX-TV. It produces local morning, daytime, evening, late-night, weather, traffic, and sports coverage for Jacksonville and nearby communities. The operation has been presented under the Action News name since 2009.
Digital subchannel programming · 2007
MyNetworkTV service
WFOX carried MyNetworkTV programming on a secondary digital channel after the network was created in 2006. The service allowed the station to retain a relationship with the programming format after Jacksonville's primary network realignment.
Sports broadcasting · 2017
Jacksonville Jaguars preseason broadcasts
Through Action News Jax, WFOX participates in local television coverage of Jacksonville Jaguars preseason football. The arrangement gives the station a prominent local sports offering alongside its regular Fox sports schedule.
Brand decisions
2016
Add dedicated early-evening news on WFOXProduct launchBackground
WJAX carried the CBS Evening News during the early-evening period.
Action taken
WFOX began airing the 6 p.m. newscast and introduced a WFOX-exclusive 6:30 p.m. broadcast.
Aftermath
The station increased its local-news inventory and used its Fox schedule to offer an additional early-evening news window.
2014
Rebrand WAWS as WFOX-TVStrategyBackground
Cox sought to align the station's call sign more visibly with its Fox affiliation.
Action taken
WAWS adopted the WFOX-TV call sign, while WTEV was renamed WJAX-TV.
Aftermath
The new call signs clarified the relationship between the Fox and CBS stations while preserving their shared Action News operation.
2014
Overhaul Action NewsStrategyBackground
Cox pursued a stronger and more differentiated local-news product in Jacksonville.
Action taken
The operation added newsroom positions, changed anchor assignments, introduced new main anchors, accelerated the presentation style, and launched weekend morning broadcasts.
Aftermath
Action News Jax broadened its schedule and strengthened its competitive position in local news.
2009
Unify newscasts under Action NewsStrategyBackground
WAWS and WTEV were operating related news services with overlapping resources.
Action taken
The stations placed their local broadcasts under the common Action News brand and reorganized anchor assignments.
Aftermath
The shared identity later evolved into Action News Jax and became the central local-news brand for both stations.
2002
Expand the shared news operation after the CBS affiliation changeStrategyBackground
WTEV became Jacksonville's CBS affiliate after WJXT ended its CBS relationship.
Action taken
Additional WTEV newscasts were launched and shared reporting, weather, sports, and production resources were expanded.
Aftermath
The two-station news operation gained a larger schedule and greater market presence.
1996
Build an in-house news operationProduct launchBackground
WJKS-TV ended its local news department, removing the producer of WAWS's existing prime-time newscast.
Action taken
WAWS created its own newsroom and launched 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.
Aftermath
Local news became a permanent part of the station's offering and later expanded across the sister station.
1986
Join the Fox networkStrategyBackground
WAWS was an established independent station when Fox began building its national network.
Action taken
The station affiliated with Fox at the network's launch.
Aftermath
The affiliation became the foundation of the station's later WFOX identity and programming strategy.
Recent events
- 2023
Action News reaches second place in part of the Jacksonville news market[1]
Other
Action News ranked second in total households for the 11 p.m. local-news period, although it remained behind WJXT in several audience measures.
- 2017
Action News Jax becomes a Jaguars preseason broadcaster[1]
Other
The Action News Jax stations became the official preseason television broadcasters for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- 2016
WFOX adds a 6:30 p.m. newscast[1]
Product launch
WFOX began carrying a dedicated early-evening newscast while WJAX aired the CBS Evening News.
- 2014
WAWS becomes WFOX-TV and WTEV becomes WJAX-TV[1]
Other
The stations adopted new call signs, linking channel 30 more directly to Fox and giving the sister stations distinct identities.
- 2014
Action News Jax expands local-news schedule[1]
Product launch · Leadership change
The news operation added staff, introduced weekend morning broadcasts, and reorganized its presentation and anchor lineup.
- 2012
Cox Media Group acquires Jacksonville stations[1]
M&A
Cox Media Group acquired WAWS and WTEV as part of its purchase of most Newport Television stations.
- 2009
Action News brand unified across two stations[1]
Other
The local news operations serving WAWS and WTEV were brought together under the Action News identity.
- 2002
WTEV assumes Jacksonville's CBS affiliation[1]
Other
WTEV became the market's CBS affiliate after WJXT ended its relationship with the network.
- 1996
WAWS launches its own local newsroom[1]
Product launch
After the closure of WJKS-TV's news operation, WAWS introduced independently produced late-evening newscasts.
- 1986
WAWS becomes a Fox affiliate[1]
Other
WAWS joined the newly launched Fox network, establishing the station's principal network identity.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wfox-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled