WSCV
WSCV is the Telemundo-affiliated Spanish-language television station serving the Miami–Fort Lauderdale area.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
WSCV is a Spanish-language television station licensed to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and serving the wider Miami metropolitan area under the Telemundo 51 identity. It is owned and operated by the NBCUniversal Telemundo Station Group and operates alongside NBC-owned WTVJ, the Miami market’s NBC station. The stations share a studio complex on Southwest 27th Street in Miramar, while WSCV’s transmitter is located in Pembroke Park. Although licensed in Broward County, WSCV’s coverage and programming are designed for South Florida’s large and diverse Spanish-speaking audience. It also functions as the practical Telemundo outlet for the West Palm Beach market, which historically lacked a local Telemundo station of its own. The station’s history began with channel 51’s launch as WSMS-TV on December 6, 1968. The original independent station carried syndicated entertainment, local news, sports, interviews, children’s programming and other locally produced material. Its initial operating period was brief: engineering and financial problems forced it off the air in February 1970. After a change of ownership and a lengthy silence, the station returned in 1972 as WKID, with a youth-oriented concept associated with the Pirates World amusement park in Dania. The amusement park later closed, but the station continued operating from the deteriorating site for several years. During the 1970s, WKID became an important source of Spanish-language programming in South Florida, while also carrying overnight movies, leased programming and early blocks associated with the Christian Television Network. In 1980, Oak Communications acquired the station and used it in connection with ON TV, a subscription television service requiring a decoder and, in many cases, an outdoor antenna. The service initially attracted substantial subscriber interest but declined as cable television expanded. By 1984, falling subscriptions and Oak’s financial difficulties led to the sale of the station to John Blair & Co. Blair repositioned channel 51 as a Spanish-language outlet. After technical delays, WSCV began broadcasting on June 2, 1985. Its name was intended to be read in Spanish as “Doble-U Ese Se Ve,” a phrase conveying that the station could be seen. The relaunch sought to distinguish WSCV from WLTV, the established Spanish-language station in the market. WSCV emphasized locally relevant programming and a Cuban-American perspective rather than relying primarily on the Mexican-oriented programming associated with the dominant Spanish International Network. Its early schedule included local news, entertainment, sports and Spanish-language commentary for selected Major League Baseball games. The station also developed a distinctive visual and editorial identity tied to South Florida’s Cuban exile community, although management later broadened that positioning to appeal to the wider Hispanic market. Reliance Group acquired WSCV in 1986. On January 12, 1987, WSCV became one of the charter stations of the newly organized Telemundo network, alongside stations including WNJU in the New York market and KVEA in Los Angeles. Network affiliation gave WSCV access to national programming and news while preserving a substantial local-news role. The station’s relationship with the network was not always smooth: a 1988 dispute over the airing of a presidential address and subsequent editorial interruptions contributed to management changes and internal controversy. Local news has remained central to WSCV’s identity. The station launched with early-evening and late-evening newscasts in 1985, later developing the Noticiero/Noticentro 51 brand and expanding its schedule. It added a midday Spanish-language newscast in 1999, a weekday morning program in 2001 and weekend news later that year. Through successive anchor and management changes, WSCV competed aggressively with WLTV and gradually increased its share of South Florida’s Spanish-language news audience. NBC acquired Telemundo…
History
Channel 51 was assigned a construction permit in 1965 but did not begin broadcasting until December 6, 1968. Its first identity was WSMS-TV, operated by Broward Broadcasting Company under Paris G. Singer. The call letters were associated with the phrase “Where Sun Meets Sea.” The station offered syndicated programs, local news and sports, interviews, children’s material and other productions from studios on Federal Highway. A combination of engineering and financial difficulties led to a suspension of broadcasting in February 1970, and the station remained silent while ownership arrangements were reconsidered. A subsidiary of Recreation Corporation of America, associated with the Pirates World amusement park, acquired the station in the early 1970s. It returned to the air as WKID on February 14, 1972, using a new tower and a youth-oriented programming strategy. Pirates World closed in 1973, but WKID continued from the site for a time. The station developed a mixed schedule that included English-language independent programming, Spanish-language blocks, overnight films and leased religious programming. In the mid-1970s, it was an important distributor of Spanish-language television in South Florida, particularly because the market had limited alternatives. In 1980, Oak Communications purchased WKID and introduced ON TV subscription programming. Viewers paid for access and used decoder equipment, while the station retained some advertiser-supported daytime and overnight programs. ON TV initially grew, but its audience declined as cable systems expanded. The service’s subscriber losses contributed to Oak’s financial problems, and the station was sold to John Blair & Co. in 1984. John Blair converted channel 51 into a Spanish-language station. Following technical and transmitter delays, WSCV launched on June 2, 1985. The new station presented itself as a local alternative to WLTV and to programming identified with the Spanish International Network. Its early identity reflected Miami’s Cuban-American population, including a Cuban-oriented editorial perspective, a logo influenced by Cuban flag colors and Spanish-language sports and entertainment. WSCV also established local news as a core service from its first day. Reliance Group acquired WSCV in 1986. In January 1987, WSCV joined the newly formed Telemundo network, which connected Spanish-language stations in major United States Hispanic markets and supplied national programming. Local management continued to shape the station’s news operation. During the late 1980s, WSCV changed its news schedule, recruited prominent anchors from rival WLTV and experimented with a broader Hispanic positioning. These changes intensified the market’s Spanish-language news competition. The station experienced management and editorial disputes in 1988 after it aired a presidential address that most other Telemundo stations did not carry. The episode was followed by the resignation of Julio Rumbaut and an interruption of an editorial segment relating to his departure. Alfredo Durán subsequently led the station and pursued ratings-oriented changes. Later managers and news directors continued rebuilding the operation through anchor changes, format adjustments and expanded coverage. WSCV broadened its local-news schedule in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It launched a midday newscast in 1999, added a weekday morning hour in 2001 and introduced weekend news. These expansions reflected a broader national strategy by Telemundo stations and strengthened WSCV’s role as a daily information source for South Florida’s Spanish-speaking communities. NBC announced its acquisition of Telemundo in 2001 and completed the transaction in April 2002. WSCV consequently became an NBCUniversal-owned station and formed a duopoly with WTVJ. The stations were integrated at shared facilities in Miramar, allowing cooperation while retaining separate Spanish- and English-language brands. WSCV continues to operate as Telemundo 51, combining network content with local news, weather, traffic, public affairs and community reporting for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and surrounding South Florida markets.
- 2002
NBC acquisition completed
[1]WSCV became part of NBCUniversal’s Telemundo Station Group and entered a duopoly with WTVJ.
- 2001
Morning and weekend news expansion
[1]The station added morning and weekend local-news programming.
- 1999
Midday news expansion
[1]WSCV introduced a Spanish-language midday local newscast.
- 1987
Becomes a charter Telemundo station
[1]WSCV joined the Telemundo network at its launch.
- 1985
WSCV Spanish-language relaunch
[1]The station relaunched on June 2 as a locally oriented Spanish-language broadcaster.
- 1980
ON TV subscription programming begins
[1]Oak Communications used WKID for its ON TV subscription service.
- 1972
WKID returns to the air
[1]The station resumed broadcasting under new ownership and the WKID call sign.
- 1970
First operating period ends
[1]WSMS-TV suspended operations amid engineering and financial problems.
- 1968
WSMS-TV begins broadcasting
[1]Channel 51 signed on December 6 as an independent station serving Fort Lauderdale and South Florida.
- 1965
Construction permit awarded
[1]A permit was granted for the future channel 51 facility, although broadcasting would not begin for several years.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Spanish-language television station serving South Florida, with particular historical roots in Miami’s Cuban-American community and a broader contemporary Hispanic-market orientation.
Local television news · 1985
Telemundo 51 local news
WSCV’s principal local-news service delivers Spanish-language reporting for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and neighboring South Florida communities. Coverage includes breaking news, politics, public safety, consumer stories, weather, transportation and community issues. The operation has evolved from the station’s original 1985 evening newscasts into a schedule spanning morning, midday, evening and weekend programs.
Morning television news · 2001
Primera Edición
Primera Edición is WSCV’s morning-news offering, introduced as part of the station’s early-2000s expansion. It provides Spanish-language news, weather, traffic and live South Florida reporting at the start of the broadcast day.
Television news brand · 1988
Noticentro 51
Noticentro 51 was a major local-news identity used by WSCV during its competitive development in the late 1980s and afterward. The format emphasized local reporting and prominent anchor teams as the station challenged WLTV for leadership in Miami’s Spanish-language news market.
Subscription television · 1980
ON TV on channel 51
Before its Spanish-language relaunch, the station carried Oak Communications’ ON TV subscription service. The offering required paid access and decoder equipment, and it occupied increasing portions of the schedule until declining subscriptions and cable growth made the model unsustainable.
Controversies
1988
Editorial and management dispute
WSCV’s decision to air a presidential address concerning aid to the Contras was followed by conflict involving station leadership and the Telemundo network. After Julio Rumbaut’s resignation, engineers interrupted a segment prepared by Roberto Rodríguez Tejera about the departure, provoking staff anger and becoming a notable internal controversy.
1975
Bombings connected to WKID programming dispute
Two bombs exploded at WKID-related facilities in February 1975. A Cuban exile group claimed responsibility and objected to the station’s policy of rapprochement with communist Cuba in its Spanish-language programming. The incident occurred during a financially unstable period for the station and was followed by bankruptcy and relocation-related difficulties.
Brand decisions
2002
Integrate WSCV into NBCUniversal’s station groupM&ABackground
NBC acquired Telemundo from Sony and Liberty Media, bringing the network and its owned stations into the NBC corporate structure.
Action taken
WSCV was placed alongside NBC station WTVJ and the two operations were integrated at shared Miramar facilities.
Aftermath
The transaction created a Miami television duopoly and gave WSCV the resources and organizational support of NBCUniversal’s Spanish-language station group.
1999
Launch a midday local newscastProduct launchBackground
WSCV sought to increase the frequency and usefulness of its local reporting while competing with WLTV across more dayparts.
Action taken
The station introduced a Spanish-language midday newscast, described as the first of its kind in the country at the time.
Aftermath
The move was followed by additional morning and weekend news expansion.
1987
Join the Telemundo networkStrategyBackground
Reliance Group assembled Spanish-language stations in several major Hispanic markets and created a unified network operation.
Action taken
WSCV became one of Telemundo’s charter affiliates, adding national network programming and news to its local schedule.
Aftermath
The affiliation gave WSCV broader programming resources while preserving its South Florida local-news role.
1984
Convert channel 51 to Spanish-language broadcastingStrategyBackground
John Blair & Co. acquired the station after Oak Communications’ ON TV subscription operation deteriorated. South Florida had a substantial Spanish-speaking audience and an established competitor, but the market offered room for another locally differentiated service.
Action taken
The new owner ended the prior programming direction, rebuilt the schedule and relaunched the station as WSCV with Spanish-language news, entertainment and sports.
Aftermath
The relaunch established the station’s enduring identity and positioned it as a major Telemundo outlet in South Florida.
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