WTVZ-TV

WTVZ-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads market. The station broadcasts from a transmitter in Suffolk and maintains studios on Office Square Lane in Virginia Beach. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates primarily as an independent station while carrying MyNetworkTV programming as a secondary affiliation. The station was created by Television Corporation of Virginia, a group of local investors formed in 1976 to establish another commercial television outlet in the Norfolk area. The group argued that Hampton Roads needed an additional UHF station capable of providing programming different from the established network affiliates. After receiving a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission in 1978, the investors arranged to use the tower of public television station WHRO-TV and prepared the new operation under the leadership of television managers John A. Trinder and Tim McDonald. WTVZ-TV began broadcasting on September 24, 1979. Its initial schedule consisted of general-entertainment programming, including movies, situation comedies, cartoons, and sports. The station quickly became competitive in the local market, particularly among younger male viewers and families seeking children's programming. Within its first year it had achieved a substantial total-day audience share, and it reached profitability after roughly seven months on the air. Its early success encouraged the owners to expand into other markets, eventually creating the station group that became known as TVX Broadcast Group. WTVZ joined Fox when the network launched in 1986. The affiliation strengthened the station's ratings and helped it compete with WYAH-TV, another Hampton Roads independent with a more religiously oriented schedule. TVX's broader expansion, including the acquisition of several large-market independent stations, later created financial pressure for the group. In 1989, TVX sold WTVZ to its general manager, Charles A. McFadden. The station subsequently became associated with McFadden's Encore Communications and Max Television interests. During the early and mid-1990s, management repeatedly considered launching a local newscast, including a proposed late-evening program, but the plans were never implemented. The station also briefly carried the ABC program NYPD Blue after another local station declined to air it, but a dispute over edited content led ABC to withdraw the program from WTVZ. Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to acquire WTVZ in 1994 and completed the ownership transition during the following year. In 1995, Fox announced that it would move its Hampton Roads affiliation to WVBT when the existing agreement expired. The switch took effect on August 31, 1998. WTVZ then affiliated with The WB, continuing as a general-entertainment outlet without producing a local newscast. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, WTVZ became one of Sinclair's MyNetworkTV affiliates. The station has since operated with a mixed schedule of syndicated and locally selected programming alongside MyNetworkTV content. Although Sinclair later considered WTVZ in connection with possible ownership changes and a potential news operation during its proposed acquisition of Tribune Media, that transaction was not completed. WTVZ remains an active Hampton Roads television station and a Sinclair-owned broadcast property.

Television Corporation of Virginia was organized in 1976 by local investors who believed that the Norfolk and Hampton Roads area could support another commercial television station. The group applied to the FCC and received a construction permit in June 1978. The application generated objections because certain investors had interests in local radio stations, but the group argued that the proposed UHF station would add local ownership and management participation while expanding programming choice in a market where earlier commercial UHF efforts had struggled. The station was developed with assistance from John A. Trinder, formerly associated with WTAR-TV, and Tim McDonald, who had worked in programming at WTTG in Washington. WTVZ-TV began broadcasting on September 24, 1979, from a facility using the tower of WHRO-TV. Its schedule emphasized movies, sitcom reruns, cartoons, and sports. Management deliberately pursued counterprogramming against the established network stations and targeted children and younger male viewers. The strategy produced rapid audience growth: within its first year the station had become a significant competitor, and it reached profitability after approximately seven months. The success of WTVZ encouraged its owners to establish a broader station group. Television Corporation of Virginia expanded through acquisitions and new station launches in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and elsewhere. The group became TVX Broadcast Group. In 1986, WTVZ joined Fox when the new network began operations. The affiliation improved the station's competitive position, particularly as it battled WYAH-TV, an independent station associated with religious programming. However, TVX's acquisition of several major-market independent stations created financial strain, leading the company to recapitalize and sell smaller properties. In 1989, TVX sold WTVZ to Charles A. McFadden, then the station's general manager. McFadden placed the station within a broader ownership structure that included Encore Communications and later Max Television. During this period, management repeatedly discussed creating a local news department. Proposals surfaced in the early 1990s and again later in the decade, but the expense and uncertain market conditions prevented a launch. A notable programming dispute occurred in 1993. When WVEC-TV declined to carry the ABC series NYPD Blue because of concerns about its content, WTVZ initially broadcast the program. McFadden later ordered edits to remove or alter nudity scenes. ABC objected to the station's changes and required the program to air without edits; when WTVZ did not accept that condition, ABC removed the series from the station. Sinclair Broadcast Group announced its purchase of WTVZ in December 1994, and the ownership transition was completed during 1995. Later that year, Fox announced that it would move its affiliation to WVBT after the existing contract ended. The decision was part of a broader dispute between Fox and Sinclair concerning the future direction of their affiliation arrangements and the extent to which Sinclair stations would carry additional network programming. The change took effect on August 31, 1998, when WTVZ joined The WB. The station remained under Sinclair ownership as the American network landscape changed again. In January 2006, The WB and UPN announced plans to be replaced by The CW. Sinclair subsequently announced that WTVZ and other former WB or UPN affiliates would join MyNetworkTV, a new service established by News Corporation. WTVZ has continued as a general-entertainment independent station with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation. WTVZ has also been involved in later ownership and regulatory developments. Sinclair's proposed 2017 acquisition of Tribune Media would have created overlapping station interests in Hampton Roads and raised the prospect that Sinclair would need to choose between WTVZ and another station. Sinclair mentioned a possible WTVZ news operation in connection with the transaction, but the FCC designated the deal for an administrative hearing and Tribune terminated the agreement in 2018. Separately, WTVZ ended regular analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, and its digital transmission moved from channel 38 to channel 33. The station remains active, with its transmitter in Suffolk and studios in Virginia Beach.

• 2018

  Tribune transaction is terminated

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media, which had implications for WTVZ ownership, was terminated after regulatory scrutiny.

• 2009

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTVZ discontinued regular analog programming and moved its digital signal to channel 33.

• 2006

  MyNetworkTV affiliation begins

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTVZ joined MyNetworkTV following the planned replacement of The WB and UPN by The CW.

• 1998

  WTVZ joins The WB

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station's Fox affiliation ended and WTVZ became a WB affiliate on August 31.

• 1994

  Sinclair agrees to purchase the station

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair announced an agreement to acquire WTVZ from Max Television.

• 1989

  Station sold to Charles A. McFadden

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  TVX sold WTVZ to its general manager as the group reduced debt and divested smaller stations.

• 1986

  Fox affiliation begins

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTVZ joined Fox as the network launched.

• 1979

  Broadcast launch

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTVZ-TV began broadcasting on September 24 with general-entertainment programming.

• 1978

  FCC grants construction permit

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC authorized construction of the proposed WTVZ-TV UHF station.

• 1976

  Television Corporation of Virginia is formed

  [1]WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Local investors organized the company to pursue an additional commercial television station for the Norfolk and Hampton Roads market.

A general-entertainment, independent television station serving the Hampton Roads market, supplemented by MyNetworkTV programming and local commercial broadcasting.

• Television station · 1979

  WTVZ-TV broadcast service

  The station's primary over-the-air television service, licensed to Norfolk and serving the wider Hampton Roads region. Its programming mix has historically included syndicated entertainment, films, sitcoms, sports, and other general-interest content.

• Television network affiliation · 2006

  MyNetworkTV programming

  WTVZ carries MyNetworkTV as a secondary affiliation. The affiliation began in 2006 after the station's former WB affiliation ended during the restructuring of the U.S. broadcast-network market.

• Digital television · 2009

  Digital broadcast service

  WTVZ's digital transmission serves the Hampton Roads market from a transmitter in Suffolk, Virginia. The station completed its transition away from regular analog broadcasting in 2009.

• 2017

  Evaluate WTVZ during the proposed Tribune acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Sinclair's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media would have created overlapping station interests in the Hampton Roads market.

  Action taken

  Sinclair identified WTVZ as one of the stations that could be affected by ownership and divestiture decisions and mentioned the possibility of developing a newscast.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was subjected to regulatory scrutiny and was terminated in 2018, leaving Sinclair's existing ownership of WTVZ unchanged.

  Source

• 2006

  Move to MyNetworkTVStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN were being replaced by The CW, creating a need for Sinclair's affected stations to select new affiliations.

  Action taken

  Sinclair designated WTVZ as a MyNetworkTV affiliate.

  Aftermath

  WTVZ retained a network-linked schedule while continuing to operate primarily as an independent station.

  Source

• 1995

  Change from Fox to The WBStrategy

  Background

  Fox announced that it would shift its Hampton Roads programming from WTVZ to WVBT after the existing affiliation agreement expired.

  Action taken

  WTVZ joined The WB on August 31, 1998.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a general-entertainment outlet but no longer carried Fox programming.

  Source

• 1993

  Broadcast and withdrawal of NYPD BlueOther

  Background

  WVEC-TV declined to carry NYPD Blue because of concerns about the program's content.

  Action taken

  WTVZ initially aired the program but edited scenes containing nudity. ABC required the show to be carried without edits and subsequently removed it from WTVZ.

  Aftermath

  The incident ended WTVZ's temporary carriage of the ABC series and illustrated the programming-control conflict between a network and an affiliated station.

  Source

• 1986

  Join Fox at network launchStrategy

  Background

  WTVZ was an independent general-entertainment station competing with another local independent and sought a network affiliation that could strengthen its schedule and audience reach.

  Action taken

  The station joined Fox along with other TVX-owned stations.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation improved WTVZ's competitive position and contributed to stronger ratings, but it ended when Fox later moved its Hampton Roads affiliation to WVBT.

  Source

1. 1WTVZ-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WTVZ-TV official websitemytvz.com