WFTS-TV
A Tampa, Florida television station serving the Tampa Bay area as an ABC affiliate.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WFTS-TV is a broadcast television station serving Tampa Bay, Florida, on virtual channel 28. The station is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company and operates alongside Scripps-owned independent station WXPX-TV. Its studios are located on North Himes Avenue in Tampa, near Raymond James Stadium, while its main transmitter is in Riverview, Florida. The station's current programming identity has included the ABC Action News brand and, according to the supplied reference material, a planned 2025 transition to Tampa Bay 28. The station began broadcasting on December 14, 1981, as an independent outlet. Its original programming mix emphasized family-oriented entertainment, including cartoons, syndicated dramas, classic films, religious programming and other off-network series. The call letters were initially associated with the phrase Family Television Station. The station was created by Family Television Corporation of Tampa, a group whose investors included former Florida legislative leaders T. Terrell Sessums and Louis de la Parte. It reportedly launched with an investment of approximately $6 million and became profitable during its first year, making it attractive to larger station groups. Capital Cities Communications acquired WFTS-TV in 1984 for more than $30 million. Under Capital Cities, the station reduced its religious programming and expanded its general-entertainment schedule, including additional syndicated sitcoms. Capital Cities then announced its acquisition of the ABC network in 1985. Because the combined company would have exceeded applicable station-ownership and national-reach limits, WFTS-TV was divested and sold to Scripps. Scripps retained the station's entertainment-oriented format and moved it into the Fox affiliate lineup in August 1988 after Fox programming left WTOG. WFTS-TV became a major participant in the 1994 United States network-affiliation realignment. After New World Communications agreed to move several stations, including Tampa's established CBS affiliate WTVT, to Fox, CBS sought replacement affiliates and Scripps negotiated an arrangement with ABC. As part of that agreement, WFTS-TV became Tampa Bay's ABC affiliate on December 12, 1994, replacing WTSP. The change required the station to build a substantial local news operation quickly. Because its existing facilities were too small, WFTS initially leased former Home Shopping Network space in Clearwater while new studios were developed in Tampa. Local news began on the same day as the ABC affiliation change. The operation initially ranked near the bottom of the market, but successive management teams expanded its schedules and emphasized investigative and hard-news reporting. The newsroom adopted the ABC Action News identity in 2002. The station later added more newscasts, a weekend morning program and digital streaming coverage. In 2012, WFTS reported a notable ratings breakthrough, winning all evening and late-news time periods among adults aged 25–54 during one ratings period. In 2019, it introduced ABC Action News Streaming Now, combining rolling digital coverage, simulcasts and an additional afternoon newscast. Beyond conventional broadcast news, WFTS-TV has carried selected local sports programming, including four Tampa Bay Lightning games during the 2002–03 season. The station has also served as a technology and operational center within the Scripps television group, including hosting group-wide graphics and traffic functions. Its technical development has included a digital signal launched in 1999, the end of analog broadcasting in 2009, and participation in ATSC 3.0 service through a shared-market arrangement. WFTS remains an active ABC-affiliated local television brand, with its business centered on local news, weather, traffic, syndicated programming, network content and digital video distribution.
History
The history of WFTS-TV began with attempts to develop a Tampa channel 28. An earlier construction permit was issued in 1966 to Lucille Frostman for a proposed station called WTSS-TV, but that project was never completed and the permit was deleted in 1971. New applications were filed in 1977 by several groups, including the Christian Television Network, a proposed Spanish-language broadcaster, Family Television Corporation of Tampa and Suncoast Telechoice. After withdrawals and settlement agreements, Family Television Corporation received a construction permit in March 1981. WFTS-TV signed on December 14, 1981, as Tampa Bay's second independent station. Its initial schedule was family oriented and included cartoons, classic movies, syndicated dramas, off-network programs and religious shows. The station's early business performance was strong: it was launched for approximately $6 million and reportedly became profitable in its first year. Capital Cities Communications bought the station in 1984 for more than $30 million. Capital Cities broadened the schedule by adding more syndicated sitcoms and reducing religious programming, improving WFTS's competitive position against the established independent WTOG. Capital Cities announced its purchase of ABC in 1985. The resulting combination exceeded federal limits concerning station ownership and national audience reach, requiring the divestiture of several stations. WFTS-TV was sold to Scripps, which continued to operate it as a general-entertainment independent until the station joined Fox on August 8, 1988. The station's most consequential change came from the 1994 affiliation realignment. New World Communications moved Tampa CBS affiliate WTVT to Fox, creating an opening for CBS. Scripps used ownership of several stations, including WFTS-TV, to negotiate an agreement with ABC that also protected Scripps stations WXYZ-TV and WEWS-TV from losing their ABC affiliations. WFTS replaced WTSP as Tampa Bay's ABC affiliate on December 12, 1994. The same day, it began producing local news. Because WFTS had not previously built a full-scale newsroom and its existing studios were too small, the initial news operation was based in leased former Home Shopping Network facilities in Clearwater. Bob Jordan became the founding news director, and the service initially aired 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. Morning and early-evening broadcasts were added during the first months of 1995. Scripps completed new studios on North Himes Avenue in 1996. The facility became both the station's main home and a base for certain broader Scripps operational functions. WFTS's news operation struggled against longer-established competitors and generally placed third or fourth during its early years. A management change in 2001 brought Sam Stallworth and Bill Berra, who emphasized hard news and investigations. The newsroom adopted ABC Action News in 2002. Although ratings remained uneven, the station expanded its schedule, added a weekend morning newscast and eventually achieved a significant demographic victory in 2012, when it led the market across evening and late-news periods among adults aged 25–54 during one ratings book. Richard Pegram served as general manager from 2009 until his dismissal in 2014. The station has also developed beyond traditional linear broadcasting. It carried four Tampa Bay Lightning games during the 2002–03 season and became a site for Scripps's traffic and graphics operations in 2009. Its digital signal began in 1999, and its analog transmission ended on June 12, 2009, as part of the United States digital transition. WFTS participates in ATSC 3.0 through a shared arrangement involving WMOR-TV, while also carrying WMOR's primary service in the ATSC 1.0 environment. In 2019, the station launched ABC Action News Streaming Now. The supplied reference further reports a 2025 transition from ABC Action News branding to Tampa Bay 28.
- 2025
Reported Tampa Bay 28 rebrand
[1]The supplied reference reports that WFTS drops ABC Action News branding in favor of Tampa Bay 28.
- 2019
Streaming news service launched
[1]WFTS introduces ABC Action News Streaming Now for rolling digital coverage and simulcasts.
- 2009
Digital transition completed
[1]The station ends analog broadcasting on June 12 and continues with digital transmission on its post-transition channel.
- 2002
ABC Action News branding introduced
[1]The local newsroom adopts the ABC Action News identity after a strategic editorial refocus.
- 1996
North Himes Avenue studios completed
[1]Scripps completes the station's present Tampa studio complex.
- 1994
ABC affiliation and news launch
[1]WFTS joins ABC on December 12 and begins producing a full local-news schedule.
- 1988
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WFTS becomes Tampa Bay's Fox affiliate on August 8.
- 1985
Sale to Scripps
[1]WFTS is sold to Scripps as part of the divestitures associated with Capital Cities' acquisition of ABC.
- 1984
Capital Cities acquisition
[1]Capital Cities Communications purchases WFTS-TV and expands its syndicated entertainment schedule.
- 1981
Station begins broadcasting
[1]WFTS-TV signs on December 14 as an independent, family-oriented station on channel 28.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Tampa Bay broadcast station combining ABC network programming with regional news, weather, traffic, investigative reporting and digital video services.
Broadcast programming · 1994
Local television news
WFTS produces local morning, daytime, evening and late-night newscasts for the Tampa Bay market. Coverage includes regional reporting, investigative journalism, weather, traffic and community stories. The newsroom began in leased Clearwater facilities in 1994 before moving into the station's purpose-built Tampa complex.
Network television · 1994
ABC network programming
Since December 1994, WFTS has carried ABC's network schedule in the Tampa Bay market. The affiliation includes network entertainment, news, sports and special-event programming, supplemented by the station's local productions and syndicated content.
Digital news · 2019
ABC Action News Streaming Now
Introduced in 2019, this digital news product provides rolling daytime coverage, online access to selected station newscasts and an additional 3 p.m. newscast distributed through television and streaming channels.
Station branding · 2025
Tampa Bay 28 News
The supplied reference identifies Tampa Bay 28 and Tampa Bay 28 News as the station's reported branding following an August 2025 change from ABC Action News.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Tampa Bay 28 branding
Tampa Bay
The supplied reference reports a transition away from ABC Action News branding toward Tampa Bay 28 and Tampa Bay 28 News.
- 2019ABC Action News Streaming Now
Tampa Bay · Digital platforms
The station extended its news service into rolling digital coverage, simulcasts and a new afternoon newscast.
Outcome. WFTS expanded its local-news distribution beyond traditional scheduled broadcasts.
- 2002ABC Action News rebrand
Tampa Bay
WFTS repositioned its local news operation under the ABC Action News name after management emphasized hard-news and investigative coverage.
Outcome. The identity became the station's principal local-news brand for more than two decades.
Brand decisions
1994
Move to ABCStrategyBackground
New World's agreement to move WTVT to Fox destabilized the Tampa Bay network-affiliation structure, while Scripps negotiated with ABC to protect several of its stations.
Action taken
WFTS replaced WTSP as the Tampa Bay ABC affiliate and launched local news on December 12.
Aftermath
The affiliation required rapid newsroom creation, temporary Clearwater facilities and construction of the current Tampa studios.
1988
Move to FoxStrategyBackground
Fox sought a Tampa Bay affiliate after its programming was dropped by WTOG.
Action taken
WFTS accepted the Fox affiliation beginning August 8.
Aftermath
The station operated as a Fox affiliate until the 1994 network realignment.
1985
Divestiture to ScrippsM&ABackground
Capital Cities' proposed acquisition of ABC created an ownership structure that exceeded applicable station and national-reach limits.
Action taken
WFTS-TV was sold to Scripps along with other stations.
Aftermath
Scripps retained the station and later moved it into the Fox and then ABC affiliation lineups.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
ABC Action News wins National Headliner Award[3]
Reported:
ABC Action News’ I-Team won first place in the National Headliner Award’s broadcast category for business and consumer reporting, for its investigations into unexplained fires involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
Sources4 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wfts-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled