WTVT
A Fox-affiliated broadcast television station serving the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
WTVT is a commercial television station licensed to Tampa, Florida, and serving the wider Tampa Bay media market. It operates as the area's Fox network affiliate and is owned by Fox Television Stations, the broadcast-station division of Fox Corporation. The station's studios are located on West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa, while its transmission facilities are in Riverview, Florida. The WTVT brand is also widely presented to viewers as Fox 13 or Fox 13 Tampa Bay. WTVT began broadcasting on April 1, 1955, as Tampa Bay's third television station and is now the market's second-oldest surviving station. It initially inherited the CBS affiliation from WSUN-TV. The station was founded by Tampa radio broadcaster Walter Tison and his Tampa Television Company. The call letters are associated with the initials of Tison and his wife, Virginia, rather than being an abbreviation for Television Tampa. In its early years, WTVT used a black cat mascot, a reference to its channel 13 position. In 1956, Tampa Television Company merged with the Oklahoma Publishing Company's broadcasting subsidiary, later known as Gaylord Broadcasting. Under Gaylord, WTVT developed a substantial local-news operation and became one of the leading stations in the Tampa Bay market. Its technical resources were also used for national network coverage: the station's mobile facilities recorded the recoveries of Mercury spacecraft carrying astronauts Alan Shepard in 1961 and John Glenn in 1962, with the videotapes transported to the mainland. WTVT also carried Super Bowl XVIII from Tampa Stadium in 1984 while it was still affiliated with CBS. The station changed ownership several times. Gaylord sold WTVT to Gillett Communications in 1987. Following Gillett's corporate restructuring and the creation of GCI Broadcast Services, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1993, and WTVT was acquired by New World Communications. A major programming transformation followed the television-industry realignment associated with Fox's acquisition of National Football Conference rights. WTVT moved from CBS to Fox on December 12, 1994, in a broader Tampa Bay affiliation exchange that sent WFTS-TV to ABC and WTSP to CBS. The change ended WTVT's 39-year CBS relationship but allowed it to remain the principal local broadcaster for many Tampa Bay Buccaneers games under the new Fox NFL arrangement. News became even more important after the affiliation change. WTVT retained and expanded its existing local newscasts, added longer morning and evening blocks, and moved its late local news to 10 p.m. to fit Fox's programming structure. The station later restored an 11 p.m. newscast. It has historically ranked among the market's most news-intensive stations and has produced more local news hours than most comparable Florida outlets. WTVT's long-running news personalities included meteorologist Roy Leep, who worked at the station from 1957 until 1997, and anchor and news director Hugh Smith, who served from 1963 to 1991. The station introduced high-definition local newscasts in 2009. News Corporation acquired New World Communications in a transaction completed in 1997, making WTVT a Fox-owned station. Although the New World corporate name remained in the copyright line of some broadcasts, the station adopted the Fox 13 identity. Fox later became part of the separately structured Fox Corporation after The Walt Disney Company's 2019 acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox. WTVT was excluded from that Disney transaction and remained with Fox Television Stations. The station's local programming includes extensive news, weather, traffic, sports, and community coverage. It has carried Tampa Bay Buccaneers games through the NFL's Fox package and has also broadcast selected Tampa Bay Rays games under Fox's Major League Baseball rights, including coverage connected with the Rays' 2008 and 2020 World Series appearances. WTVT also participates in shared news-gathering arrangements with other Tampa stations while maintaining its own editorial and news departments. Its continuing role is that of a locally focused, high-output network-owned station serving the Tampa Bay region.
History
WTVT signed on April 1, 1955, on channel 13 as Tampa Bay's third television station. The station was established by Walter Tison and Tampa Television Company after the Federal Communications Commission awarded the construction permit to the Tison group following a challenge from the Tampa Times. WTVT assumed the CBS affiliation previously held by WSUN-TV. In 1956, Tampa Television Company merged with the Oklahoma Publishing Company's broadcasting interests, which later became associated with Gaylord Broadcasting. During its CBS years, WTVT built a strong local-news identity. It introduced daily editorials in 1958 and developed an early hour-long news block combining extensive local coverage with the network newscast. The station's news operation became a market leader during the 1960s, supported by long-serving personalities including meteorologist Roy Leep and anchor-news director Hugh Smith. WTVT also supplied remote facilities for national coverage of the Mercury program's splashdowns involving Alan Shepard and John Glenn, and carried Super Bowl XVIII from Tampa Stadium in 1984. Ownership changed in 1987 when Gaylord sold the station to Gillett Communications. Gillett later reorganized as GCI Broadcast Services, which entered bankruptcy in 1993. WTVT was then sold to New World Communications. At the time, the station had already developed programming practices that emphasized local news, including a locally produced morning program and a long midday newscast that displaced some CBS network programming. The arrival of Fox's NFL rights led to a major affiliation restructuring. Fox sought established VHF stations, and its 1994 agreement with New World resulted in WTVT joining Fox on December 12, 1994. The move was part of a three-station Tampa Bay exchange: WTVT moved to Fox, WFTS-TV joined ABC, and WTSP became the CBS affiliate. WTVT retained its relationship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which had been the market's CBS home for the team and continued through Fox's NFC coverage. The station also became more dependent on local news because Fox did not provide a traditional full network schedule. After the Fox conversion, WTVT expanded its morning, early-evening, and prime-time news output. Its late local newscast moved from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m., and an 11 p.m. program was later restored. The station dropped the Eyewitness News identity during the early Fox period and ultimately operated under the Fox 13 news brand. In 1996, News Corporation announced its purchase of New World Communications; completion in 1997 made WTVT a Fox-owned-and-operated station. The station shifted from the more generic Channel 13 identity toward Fox 13 while retaining elements of its established visual branding. WTVT became involved in a highly publicized dispute in the late 1990s over an investigative report about Monsanto and recombinant bovine growth hormone. Reporters Steve Wilson and Jane Akre prepared a proposed series, but disagreements over wording, fairness, sourcing, and alleged pressure surrounding the story prevented its initial broadcast. Their contracts were not renewed, and they brought a whistleblower and news-distortion lawsuit. A jury rejected the claims brought by Wilson and found for Akre on one aspect of her complaint, awarding her damages. The litigation became part of wider debates about broadcast journalism, editorial control, and the legal treatment of alleged news distortion. The station continued expanding its technical and operational capabilities. In 2009, it entered a local news-sharing arrangement with other Tampa stations for selected video and helicopter resources, opened a graphics hub serving Fox-owned stations, and converted its newscasts to high definition. WTVT has also remained a major sports outlet, carrying Buccaneers games through Fox's NFL rights and selected Rays games through Fox's baseball coverage. In 2019, Disney completed its purchase of most 21st Century Fox assets, but WTVT was excluded and transferred with Fox Television Stations to Fox Corporation. It remains an active Fox station serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and surrounding communities.
- 2019
WTVT remains with Fox Corporation
[1]The station is excluded from Disney's acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets and remains part of Fox Television Stations.
- 2009
Local newscasts transition to high definition
[1]WTVT begins broadcasting its local news programming in HD.
- 2005
News Edge at 11:00 launches
[1]WTVT restores a late-night local newscast at 11 p.m. under the News Edge branding.
- 1997
WTVT becomes Fox-owned and operated
[1]News Corporation completes its acquisition of New World Communications, placing WTVT in Fox's owned-station group.
- 1994
WTVT becomes a Fox affiliate
[1]The station ends its CBS affiliation and joins Fox on December 12 as part of a Tampa Bay network realignment.
- 1993
WTVT moves to New World Communications ownership
[1]Following GCI Broadcast Services' bankruptcy, New World Communications acquires WTVT.
- 1987
Gaylord sells WTVT to Gillett Communications
[1]The station changes hands as part of Gaylord's broadcast-station divestitures.
- 1958
Daily editorial programming begins
[1]WTVT introduces a daily editorial feature as part of its developing news operation.
- 1956
Tampa Television Company merges with Oklahoma Publishing interests
[1]The station enters the ownership structure that later becomes associated with Gaylord Broadcasting.
- 1955
WTVT begins broadcasting
[1]WTVT signs on April 1 as Tampa Bay's third television station and takes over the CBS affiliation from WSUN-TV.
Products and positioning
A major network-owned local television station positioned around high-volume news, weather, sports, and community coverage for the Tampa Bay market.
Local television news
Fox 13 News
WTVT's local news service includes morning, midday, early-evening, prime-time, late-evening, weekend, weather, traffic, and investigative programming. The station expanded its news schedule substantially after joining Fox, using local journalism to fill programming periods that would previously have been occupied by a full-service network schedule.
Network television · 1994
Fox network programming
As Fox's Tampa Bay affiliate and owned-and-operated station, WTVT carries the network's entertainment, sports, news-related, and special-event programming for the local market, supplemented by syndicated and locally produced content.
Sports broadcasting · 1977
Tampa Bay Buccaneers broadcasts
WTVT has served as a principal local outlet for Tampa Bay Buccaneers games through CBS and later Fox coverage. Under Fox's NFC package, the station generally carries the team's road games against AFC opponents and other games assigned by the network.
Sports broadcasting · 1998
Tampa Bay Rays broadcasts
Through Fox's Major League Baseball rights, WTVT has carried selected Tampa Bay Rays games and postseason events, including programming connected with the club's 2008 and 2020 World Series appearances.
Controversies
1997
Monsanto and recombinant bovine growth hormone reporting dispute
WTVT reporters Steve Wilson and Jane Akre prepared an investigative series about Monsanto's recombinant bovine growth hormone. The station did not initially broadcast the proposed report, citing concerns about fairness and journalistic standards. The reporters alleged that management sought to suppress or distort the story after outside pressure, while WTVT disputed those allegations. Their contracts were not renewed, and the resulting whistleblower litigation produced a mixed jury outcome: the jury rejected Wilson's claims and found for Akre on one part of her complaint, awarding damages. The case became a frequently cited controversy concerning editorial control and alleged news distortion in television journalism.
Brand decisions
2009
Local news resource sharing and technical expansionStrategyBackground
Fox sought operational efficiencies among its owned stations while local broadcasters faced the cost of maintaining extensive field-news resources.
Action taken
WTVT entered a Local News Service arrangement with WFTS and later WTSP for selected video and helicopter resources, opened a Fox graphics hub at its studios, and moved local newscasts to HD.
Aftermath
Participating stations continued to operate separate news departments while sharing certain field resources and production capabilities.
1997
Integration into Fox's owned-station portfolioM&ABackground
News Corporation acquired New World Communications after WTVT had joined Fox.
Action taken
WTVT became a Fox-owned-and-operated station and adopted the Fox 13 identity.
Aftermath
The station remained under Fox ownership through the later separation of Fox Corporation from the assets acquired by Disney in 2019.
1994
Switch from CBS to FoxStrategyBackground
Fox secured the National Football Conference television package and sought established VHF affiliates, while New World Communications agreed to move several of its stations to Fox.
Action taken
WTVT ended its CBS affiliation on December 12, 1994, and became the Tampa Bay Fox affiliate. The change occurred within a three-way local affiliation exchange involving WFTS-TV and WTSP.
Aftermath
WTVT retained a major local sports role, especially for Buccaneers coverage, and expanded its local-news schedule to compensate for Fox's smaller traditional network program lineup.
- WFTS-TV — WFTS moved from Fox to ABC as part of the same Tampa Bay affiliation realignment.
- WTSP — WTSP became the market's CBS affiliate after the realignment.
Recent events
- 2019
Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox excludes WTVT[1]
M&A
WTVT remained with the newly formed Fox Corporation because Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox excluded the Fox network, Fox Television Stations, and related assets.
- 2009
WTVT begins high-definition local news production[1]
Product generation
WTVT converted its local newscasts to high-definition production, completing the Tampa Bay market's transition to HD local news.
- 2009
Fox stations establish local news video-sharing arrangement[1]
Other
WTVT joined a Local News Service arrangement involving WFTS and later WTSP, allowing participating stations to share certain video and helicopter resources while retaining separate news operations.
- 2009
Billy Mays gives a late television interview at Tampa International Airport[1]
Other
WTVT interviewed television pitchman Billy Mays shortly before his death; the interview has been described as his final live-television appearance.
- 1997
News Corporation completes acquisition of New World Communications[1]
M&A
The acquisition placed WTVT under News Corporation ownership and made it a Fox-owned-and-operated station.
- 1994
WTVT changes from CBS to Fox in Tampa Bay affiliation realignment[1]
Other
WTVT became a Fox affiliate on December 12, 1994, ending a 39-year CBS affiliation as part of a wider network and station realignment in the Tampa Bay market.
Sources1 sources
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