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| {{Short description|TV station in Hartford, Connecticut}} | |||
| {{Refimprove|date=May 2012}} | |||
| {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} | |||
| {{Infobox Broadcast | | |||
| {{For|the radio station known as WFSB from 1970 until 1974|WDJM-FM}} | |||
| call_letters = WFSB| | |||
| {{Infobox television station | |||
| city = Hartford, Connecticut| | |||
| | callsign = WFSB | |||
| station_logo = ]| | |||
| | city = Hartford, Connecticut | |||
| station_slogan = ''On Your Side''| | |||
| | logo = WFSB logo.svg | |||
| station_branding = Channel 3 <small>(general)</small><br>Channel 3 ] <small>(newscasts)</small>| | |||
| | logo_upright = 0.9 | |||
| digital = 33 (])<br>]: 3 (])| | |||
| | branding = {{ubl|Channel 3|''Channel 3 ]''}} | |||
| other_chs = | | |||
| | digital = 36 (]) | |||
| | virtual = 3 | |||
| | translators = | |||
| airdate = ]| | |||
| | subchannels = | |||
| location = ]–]| | |||
| | affiliations = {{ubl|'''3.1:''' ]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}} | |||
| callsign_meaning = '''F'''rederick '''S.''' '''B'''eebe<br>(former president of former owner ])| | |||
| | airdate = {{start date and age|1957|9|23|p=y}} | |||
| former_callsigns = WTIC-TV (1957–1974)| | |||
| | location = ]–] | |||
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:'''<br>3 (], 1957–2009)| | |||
| | country = United States | |||
| | callsign_meaning = ] ''(former president of former owner ])'' | |||
| licensee = | | |||
| | former_callsigns = WTIC-TV (1957–1974) | |||
| sister_stations = ]| | |||
| | former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 3 (], 1957–2009)|'''Digital:''' 33 (UHF, 2005–2019)}} | |||
| former_affiliations = ] (1957–1958)| | |||
| | owner = ] | |||
| effective_radiated_power = 1,000 ]| | |||
| | licensee = Gray Television Licensee, ] | |||
| | sister_stations = ], ], WWAX-LD | |||
| facility_id = 53115| | |||
| | former_affiliations = ] (1957–1958) | |||
| coordinates = {{coord|41|46|30.1|N|72|48|18.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}| | |||
| | erp = 1,000 ] | |||
| | haat = {{convert|289|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | |||
| | facility_id = 53115 | |||
| | coordinates = {{coord|41|46|30|N|72|48|18.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}} | |||
| | licensing_authority = ] | |||
| | website = {{url|https://www.wfsb.com/}} | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| {{Infobox television station | |||
| | callsign = WWAX-LD | |||
| | logo = WWAX-LD Logo.svg | |||
| | logo_size = 200px | |||
| | branding = theWAX | |||
| | digital = 27 (]) | |||
| | virtual = 27 | |||
| | affiliations = {{ubl|'''27.1:''' ]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}} | |||
| | airdate = {{start date and age|2013|3|11}} ''(in ])'' | |||
| | location = Hartford, Connecticut | |||
| | callsign_meaning = The word ] | |||
| | former_callsigns = {{ubl|W20EB-D|W27ER-D}} | |||
| | former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Digital:''' 20 (UHF)}} | |||
| | erp = 15 ] | |||
| | haat = {{convert|273.7|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | |||
| | facility_id = 186687 | |||
| | class = ] | |||
| | coordinates = {{coord|41|46|30|N|72|48|18.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}} | |||
| | licensing_authority = ] | |||
| | website = {{url|https://www.wfsb.com/wwax/}} | |||
| }} | |||
| '''WFSB''' (channel 3) is a ] licensed to ], United States, serving the Hartford–] ] as an affiliate of ]. Owned by ], the station maintains studios on Denise D'Ascenzo Way in ] and a transmitter on ] in ]. | |||
| Most of WFSB's programs are seen in ], over a ] ] station, ] (channel 33). That station is based at the facilities of ] ] (channel 40) in Springfield, although some ] and other internal operations are hubbed through WFSB. | |||
| '''WFSB''', ] 3 (] ] channel 33), is a ]-] ] located in ], ], ]. The station is owned by the ]. WFSB's studios and offices are located in ], and its transmitter is located on ] in ]. | |||
| WFSB also maintains a second sister station, '''WWAX-LD''' (channel 27), also licensed to Hartford. Known on-air as ''theWax'', WWAX-LD mainly features simulcasts and repeats of WFSB's news programming, along with second runs of its syndicated shows and other Gray-produced programming. Its own third subchannel features a full-time automated feed of WFSB news briefs, headlines, current weather conditions, and other miscellanea known as ''Eyewitness News Now'', which simulcasts on the station's website and mobile app. | |||
| Most of WFSB's programs are seen in ] over a low-power ] station, ] (channel 3). That station has its own studios in the Monarch Tower in downtown Springfield, although master control and some internal operations are based at WFSB's facilities. | |||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| WFSB signed on the air on September |
WFSB signed on the air on September 23, 1957, as WTIC-TV, owned by the Hartford-based ], along with WTIC radio (] and ]).<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=WTIC-TV Formally Opens with Telecast Tonight |work=The Hartford Courant |date=September 23, 1957}}</ref> As Connecticut's second ] station, WTIC-TV was one of the most powerful stations in ], not only covering the entire state but a large chunk of western Massachusetts and eastern ] in New York. It provided secondary coverage to much of the southern sections of ] and ]. During its first year on the air, Channel 3 was an ], as ] was affiliated with the state's other VHF outlet, WNHC-TV (channel 8, now ]) in New Haven; while CBS and ] had ]s on the ] band in the market, WHCT-TV (channel 18, now ] affiliate ]) in Hartford and WNBC (channel 30, now ]) in ], respectively. With no network affiliation, WTIC-TV devoted much of its airtime to ], ] programs, and three daily newscasts (including one at 10 pm).<ref name=tb-wticearlyfare>{{cite news|title=WTIC to Air News, Sports, and Weather|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCEEAAAAMBAJ&q=WTIC+1957&pg=PA12|access-date=January 27, 2013|newspaper=]|date=August 19, 1957}}</ref> | ||
| In 1958, CBS was looking to sell WHCT-TV. The network's ratings had been alarmingly low in the market because television manufacturers were not required to have UHF tuners at the time. Many viewers northeast of Hartford got a better signal for CBS programming from WNAC-TV (now ]) in ], while those southwest of Hartford with an outdoor antenna were able to watch the network via |
In 1958, CBS was looking to sell WHCT-TV. The network's ratings had been alarmingly low in the market because television manufacturers were not required to have UHF tuners at the time. Many viewers northeast of Hartford got a better signal for CBS programming from ] (now ]) in ], or WPRO-TV (now ]) in ]; while those southwest of Hartford with an outdoor antenna were able to watch the network via New York City ] ]. Network head ] decided that it was better to have CBS air its programming on a VHF station, even if it was only an affiliate. WTIC-TV was the obvious choice due to its massive coverage area. Paley quickly negotiated an affiliation deal, and channel 3 became the network's new affiliate on November 16, 1958. WTIC radio had been with ] for over thirty years.<ref name="WHCT-TV history">{{Cite web |url=http://radiodxer.bravehost.com/whct.html |title=Untitled |access-date=December 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426080621/http://radiodxer.bravehost.com/whct.html |archive-date=April 26, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Soon after the affiliation switch, channel 3 surged to the top of the ratings, and has remained there more or less ever since. | ||
| The switch to WTIC-TV for CBS had repercussions in ], as it forced WHYN-TV (channel 40, now ]) to drop its original CBS affiliation, which it replaced with ] (previously, some ABC programs had been seen on ]). Over the years, WTIC-TV repeatedly blocked WHYN's attempts to switch back to CBS. | |||
| In 1962, the WTIC stations moved to Broadcast House, a state-of-the-art facility in the ] development in downtown Hartford. A decade later, in late 1972, Travelers Insurance decided to exit broadcasting, with WTIC-TV going to ] in March 1973. On January 21, 1974, the Post's broadcasting division, ], changed channel 3's call letters to the current '''WFSB''' in honor of broadcasting division president <u>F</u>rederick <u>S</u>. <u>B</u>eebe. To get the WFSB call letters, the Post had to convince ] in ] to give up those call letters, which were used on the college's low-power FM radio station, whose call letters were changed to ] as a result of the switch. The WTIC call letters returned to Connecticut television in 1984 when Arch Communications, then-owners of WTIC radio, signed on as part-owners of a new ] on ].<ref name="Re: WTIC/WFSB></ref> | |||
| The switch to WTIC-TV for CBS had repercussions in Springfield. Although Springfield already had a CBS affiliate in WHYN-TV (channel 40, now sister station WGGB-TV), that station's owners, the Hampden-Hampshire Corporation, knew they would find the going difficult competing against WTIC-TV's stronger VHF signal. WHYN-TV sought to move to the VHF band as well, to no avail. In response, WHYN-TV switched its affiliation to ABC (previously, some ABC programs had been seen on ]). Over the years, WTIC-TV repeatedly blocked WHYN/WGGB's attempts to switch back to CBS. | |||
| In the late-1980s, Post-Newsweek moved its corporate offices from ] to space located alongside Broadcast House making the station the company's ]. This was part of a strategy move by the Post to give its various sub-corporations their own independent identities, which worked well at first. By the mid-1990s, however, WFSB found itself in a shrinking market without any significant growth opportunities. In June 1997, Post-Newsweek sold the station to the Meredith Corporation in exchange for WCPX-TV (now ]) in ].<ref>, '']'' (via ]), June 2, 1997.</ref> The sale closed that October although the Post-Newsweek group maintained its base in Hartford until 2000, when the company relocated to its then-largest station, ] in ]. | |||
| The station also played a role in a nadir for the ] in the 1970s, as the station is outside of the NFL's {{convert|75|mi|km|0|adj=on}} ] and the team was entering a long period of futility and a nomadic existence after losing ] when it was renovated exclusively into a baseball venue, as the team waited for ] to be built and open in 1976. This included games being played at New Haven's ], a 71,000 seat venue which was impossible to sell out. Despite this, the team had a decades-long fanbase, well before the ] could begin to compete equally in the market. This meant that fans of the team in the New York area who refused to support the team with their attendance, would then drive into the Hartford–New Haven area to watch Giants home games, either by patronizing area bars or checking into a motel room while the game was on channel 3.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1996-12-20-9612200526-story.html|title=IT MAY BE PATRIOTS TERRITORY|last=Garber|first=Greg|date=December 19, 1996|work=]|access-date=September 19, 2022}}</ref> | |||
| ==Digital television== | |||
| ===Digital channels=== | |||
| ====WFSB-DT==== | |||
| WFSB-DT2 was a ] digital feed of sister station ], removed in Autumn, 2012. WFSB-DT3, ] digital channel 243, ] digital channel 247, and ] digital channel 801, is a 24-hour local news and weather channel known as "Eyewitness News NOW". To comply with the ] requirements, Eyewitness News NOW airs three hours of '']'' every Saturday morning starting at 9am ET, the same time as ] on the main channel. | |||
| In 1962, the WTIC stations moved to Broadcast House, a state-of-the-art facility in the ] development in ]. A decade later, in late 1972, Travelers Insurance decided to exit broadcasting. The announcement was made to the staff at an employee meeting held in Studio A on January 15, 1973. While the WTIC radio stations were spun off to a company formed by station management called 1080 Corporation, WTIC-TV was sold to ]. The sale of all three stations was closed on March 8, 1974, and the Post's broadcasting division, ], changed Channel 3's call letters on that date to the current WFSB in honor of broadcasting division president ], who had died a few months earlier. At the time, the FCC did not allow television and radio stations in the same market to share the same call letters if they had different owners.<ref name=FSB>{{cite news|title=Fates & Fortunes (Death notice for Frederick Sessions Beebe)|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1973/1973-05-07-BC.pdf|access-date=February 26, 2023|newspaper=]|date=May 7, 1973}} {{dead link|date=November 2017}}</ref> To get the WFSB call letters, the Post had to convince ] in ], to give up those call letters, which were used on the college's low-power FM radio station, whose call letters were changed to ] as a result of the switch. The WTIC call letters returned to Connecticut television in 1984 when Arch Communications, owned by the son of the then-owner of WTIC radio, launched a new independent station on ].<ref name="Re: WTIC/WFSB">{{Cite web|url=http://lists.bostonradio.org/bri/v02/msg04050.html|title = Re: WTIC/WFSB}}</ref> | |||
| Even though ] is part of the ] ] where CBS flagship ] is based, WFSB targets viewers in the area through WFSB-DT4 "WFSB Fairfield County"; it is essentially a simulcast of WFSB except for some alternate infomercials not simulcast on the main WFSB subchannel. | |||
| In the late 1980s, Post-Newsweek moved its corporate offices from Washington, D.C., to space located alongside Broadcast House making the station the company's flagship. This was part of a strategy move by the Post to give its various subsidiaries their own independent identities, which worked well at first. By the mid-1990s, however, WFSB found itself in a shrinking market without any significant growth opportunities. In June 1997, Post-Newsweek traded WFSB to the ] in exchange for WCPX-TV (now ]) in ].<ref>Meredith Corporation to acquire Hartford Conn., television station], '']'', June 2, 1997.</ref> The sale closed that September although the Post-Newsweek group maintained its base in Hartford until 2000, when the company relocated to its then-largest station, ] in Detroit. | |||
| WFSB's digital signal is multiplexed: | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| |- | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! Programming<ref></ref> | |||
| |- | |||
| | 3.1 || ] || ] || WFSB || Main WFSB programming / CBS | |||
| |- | |||
| | 3.3 || rowspan=2| ] || rowspan=2| ] || WFSB-3 || "Eyewitness News NOW" | |||
| |- | |||
| | 3.4 || WFSB-4 || "WFSB Fairfield County" | |||
| |- | |||
| |} | |||
| By this point, with the transfer of the ] contract from NBC to ] in 1998, WFSB became a direct beneficiary of what would become the ] for the Patriots. Though Hartford would be disappointed when the team decided to build ] in ], rather than coming to Connecticut, the team's later success and a shift away from the market's longtime enthusiasm for the Giants meant that WFSB would attain successful ratings growth after four years without any NFL games. The success of the Patriots would inspire Meredith to launch a station specifically for the Springfield market to the north to allow it to benefit from the revenue of two separate stations. It also wanted to avoid preempting Patriots games in Springfield, as Connecticut straddles the traditional dividing line between the home territories for Boston and New York teams. Meredith purchased a ] translator in Springfield and converted it to a locally focused CBS affiliate, ] in 2003. WSHM brands as "CBS 3" to continue to trade on WFSB's continued success and familiarity; until Gray split it off to its own channel 33 in February 2023, it shared its ] number with WFSB. | |||
| ====WSHM-LD==== | |||
| ]'s digital signal uses 3.5 for its broadcast feed and 3.6 for its own 24-hour local weather channel that is mirrored after "Eyewitness News NOW". These subchannels are available only in areas covered by WSHM's digital signal, which broadcasts at a low power. | |||
| ]'s North American headquarters. The road into the station's parking lot was re-dedicated as ] Way in the spring of 2020.]] | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| In 2005, WFSB announced plans for a new, modern studio at an office park in suburban Rocky Hill, with a glass façade and lobby. It was originally intended to be built in downtown Hartford at Main and Trumbull streets, adjacent to the station's longtime home on Constitution Plaza. However, WFSB opted for a suburban location after finding that the downtown site was too small.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2006-11-24-0611240944-story.html|title=WFSB goes into future, out of city|first=Kenneth|last=Gosselin|publisher=]|date=November 11, 2006}}</ref> The new studio opened in 2007. | |||
| |- | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! ] | |||
| ! Programming<ref></ref> | |||
| |- | |||
| | 3.5 || 1080i || 16:9 || WSHM-HD || ] "CBS 3 Springfield" | |||
| |- | |||
| | 3.6 || 480i || 4:3 || WSHM-D2 || "CBS 3 NOW" | |||
| |} | |||
| Meredith announced on March 20, 2015, a multi-station affiliation agreement for three of ]'s networks, with WFSB putting Escape (now ]) on DT2 and ] on DT3.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meredith To Add Three Katz Diginets|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83908/meredith-to-add-three-katz-diginets|access-date=March 8, 2018|work=TVNewsCheck.com|date=March 20, 2015|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ===Analog-to-digital conversion=== | |||
| WFSB shut down its analog signal, over ] channel 3, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States ] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 33.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2012-03-24}}</ref><ref name="Analog to Digital">http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf</ref><ref name="FCCForm387">http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101305937&formid=387&fac_num=53115 CDBS Print</ref> Through the use of ], digital television receivers display the station's ] as its former VHF analog channel 3. WFSB was the only Connecticut station that participated in the "]" program, with the analog signal remaining in operation until June 26.<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf|title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|format=PDF|date=June 12, 2009|accessdate=June 4, 2012}}</ref> | |||
| On May 3, 2021, ] announced its intent to purchase the Meredith Local Media division for $2.7 billion. The sale was completed on December 1.<ref name=meredithdone>{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/01/2344524/0/en/GRAY-TELEVISION-CLOSES-ON-ACQUISITION-OF-MEREDITH-CORPORATION-S-LOCAL-MEDIA-GROUP.html |title=Gray Television Closes on Acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group |agency=] |publisher=] |date=December 1, 2021}}</ref> As a result, WFSB (along with WGGB and WSHM-LD) became Gray's first stations in southern New England. | |||
| ==Programming== | |||
| Weeknights, WFSB airs a repeat of the evening's '']'' after the '']'', placing '']'' on a 30-minute tape delay. Additionally, until January 2008, the station pre-empted the first hour of '']'' in favor of a third hour of its weekday morning newscast. The change was made after CBS began requiring all affiliates to carry ''The Early Show'' in its entirety. | |||
| On April 3, 2023, WWAX rebranded to '''The Wax'''. The Wax airs additional newscasts and sports programming not available on WFSB.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kane|first=Shannon|title=How to watch The Wax, WWAX-TV|url=https://www.wfsb.com/2023/04/03/watch-wwax-over-air-cable/|access-date=August 22, 2024|work=WFSB|date=April 3, 2023|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ==News operation== | |||
| WFSB presently broadcasts 33 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with five hours on weekdays and four hours each on Saturdays and Sundays). The station operates its own ] known as "Early Warning Pinpoint Doppler". Located above one of the passenger terminals at ] in ], this is also used by ] WSHM (branded similarly as "Pinpoint Doppler"). The Springfield station will often share resources with WFSB and this station doing the same for coverage from Connecticut. | |||
| ==Programming== | |||
| After Post-Newsweek took control of the station in 1974, WFSB adopted the '']'' title and format pioneered at ] in ]. Ironically, rival WTNH-TV used the '']'' format made famous at then-Philadelphia sister station ] and even used the same "]" music package. WFSB is the most-watched among the local newscast market's stations according to the ], second only to the WTIC-TV's current weeknight newscasts. | |||
| ===Sports programming=== | |||
| Since 2023, WFSB and WWAX have an agreement with the ]. WFSB airs one ] game per season featuring UConn, while WWAX airs live soccer and volleyball.<ref>{{cite news|title=UConn Athletics Announces Partnership With WFSB & WWAX|url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2023/7/27/general-uconn-athletics-announces-partnership-with-wfsb-wwax.aspx|access-date=August 22, 2024|work=UConn Huskies|date=July 27, 2023|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=UConn soccer, volleyball to air on The Wax|url=https://www.wfsb.com/2024/08/16/uconn-soccer-volleyball-air-wax/|access-date=August 22, 2024|work=WFSB|date=August 16, 2024|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ===News operation=== | |||
| For many years, WTNH had been a distant runner-up in the market to WFSB. However, in recent times, it has fended off a spirited challenge from WVIT. The two stations have spent the last decade trading the runner-up spot. Historically, WTNH's ratings for news and local programming are far higher in Nielson's "Metro B" area (]) than "Metro A" (]). This is because of all the news operations in Connecticut, WTNH provides the most coverage of Fairfield County and the ] shoreline. On February 5, 2007, WFSB began operating a 24-hour local news and weather channel known as "Eywitness News NOW" on a new third ]. | |||
| WFSB presently broadcasts {{frac|41|1|2}} hours of news per week (with {{frac|6|1|2}} hours each weekday and {{frac|4|1|2}} hours each on Saturdays and Sundays). WFSB has been far and away the ratings leader in the Hartford–New Haven television market for as long as it has been a CBS affiliate,<ref>{{Cite web|title=WFSB Wins the May Ratings Race in Hartford {{!}} Hartford|url=http://www.newenglandone.com/news/local/hartford/wfsb-wins-the-may-ratings-race-in-hartford.html|access-date=September 7, 2020|website=New England One|language=en-gb}}</ref> with WTNH and WVIT regularly switching between a distant second and third place.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santos|first=Derrick|title=November 2015 Ratings Results for Hartford {{!}} Hartford|url=http://www.newenglandone.com/news/local/hartford/november-2015-ratings-results-for-hartford.html|access-date=September 7, 2020|website=New England One|language=en-gb}}</ref> In addition to its local newscasts, the station has a Sunday morning news program called ''CT '24'' with Eric Parker at 8:30 am. During the May 2011 sweeps, the program (then known as ''Face the State'') had ratings above that of the national Sunday shows, including NBC's '']'' and ABC's '']''.<ref name="tvspy">{{cite news|last1=Knox|first1=Merrill|title=WFSB's 'Face the State' beats national Sunday shows in Hartford/New Haven|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wfsbs-face-the-state-beats-national-sunday-shows-in-hartfordnew-haven/12829?red=ts|access-date=March 8, 2018|work=TV Spy. Ad Week|date=June 10, 2011}}</ref> | |||
| On January 13, 2012, WFSB began simulcasting its weekday noon and 6 p.m. newscasts on radio stations ] (1420 AM) in ] and ] (1150 AM) in ].<ref>, ''TVNewsCheck'', January 13, 2012.</ref> On February 28, 2012, WFSB entered into a partnership with '']'' in which the two media properties share news footage and stories, along with WFSB providing local forecasts for the ]–based newspaper.<ref>, '']'', February 28, 2012. {{Dead link |date=November 2017}}</ref> | |||
| In addition to its main studios, WFSB operates three news bureaus in the state. This includes a base of operation in ], on Chapel Street in Downtown New Haven, and at the new ] on Columbus Boulevard in Downtown Hartford. The latter is also home to WFSB's lifestyle and entertainment magazine program ''] Connecticut'' that airs weekday afternoons at 3 p.m. In 2009, ''Better Connecticut'' began airing in ] ] ]. | |||
| Currently, WFSB simulcasts its weekday morning newscast on WWAX-LD and produces four exclusive weekday newscasts for the low-power station: 7–8 a.m., 12:30–1, 7:30–8 and 10–10:30 p.m.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wfsb.com/programming/schedule/|title=WFSB Programming Schedule|publisher=WFSB|accessdate=October 4, 2023}}</ref> | |||
| On May 31, 2011; WFSB began broadcasting newscasts in ], becoming the fourth station in the market to do so. ''Face the State'' and ''Better Connecticut'' have also made the transition. However, WSHM continues to broadcast their newscasts in ] ]. | |||
| ====Notable former on-air staff==== | |||
| On January 13, 2012, WFSB began simulcasting its weekday noon and 6 p.m. newscasts on radio stations ] (1420 AM) in ] and ] (1150 AM) in ].<ref>, ''TVNewsCheck'', January 13, 2012.</ref> On February 28, 2012, WFSB entered into a partnership with the '']'' in which the two media properties share news footage and stories, along with WFSB providing local forecasts for the ]-based newspaper.<ref>, '']'', February 28, 2012.</ref> | |||
| * ] (deceased) | |||
| * ] (now at ]) | |||
| * ] (now at ]) | |||
| * ] (now at ] in New York) | |||
| * ] (now at ] in San Diego) | |||
| * ] – Lead evening news anchor at WFSB from 1986 until her death in 2019, becoming the longest-serving anchor at the station and the longest-serving news anchor at any Connecticut television station.'''<ref> from Deadline Hollywood (December 8, 2019)</ref>''' | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] (now at '']'') | |||
| * ] (later at ] in ]) | |||
| * ] (later at ] and ]; deceased) | |||
| * ] (later at Fox News Channel, now at ]) | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] (now at ] in ]) | |||
| * ] (deceased) | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] (now at ]) | |||
| * ] (now at ] in New York City) | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==Technical information== | |||
| ===News team=== | |||
| ===Subchannels=== | |||
| ;'''Anchors''' | |||
| The station's signal is ]: | |||
| *Denise D'Ascenzo - weeknights at 5:00, 5:30 & 6:00 p.m. | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| *Hena Daniels - weeknights at 11:00 p.m.; also reporter | |||
| |+Subchannels of WFSB<ref name="reiwfsb">{{cite web|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WFSB|url=https://rabbitears.info//market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WFSB#station|website=RabbitEars.Info|access-date=March 8, 2018|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| *Kevin Hogan - Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 & weekends at 11:00 p.m.; also New London bureau chief reporter | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Dennis House - weeknights at 5:00, 5:30, 6:00 & 11:00 p.m. | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Tina Martin - weekend mornings (6:00-9:00 a.m.); also "Tina Around Town" segment producer | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Irene O'Connor - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 a.m.) | |||
| ! scope = "col" | Short name | |||
| *Eric Parker - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 a.m.); also "I-Team" investigative reporter | |||
| ! scope = "col" | Programming | |||
| *Kara Sundlun - weekdays at noon; also ''Better Connecticut'' co-host and fill-in anchor | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 3.1 | |||
| | ] || rowspan=4| ] || WFSB || ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 3.2 | |||
| | rowspan=2| ] || MYSTERY || ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 3.3 | |||
| | LAFF || ] | |||
| |- style="background-color: #E6FFF7;" | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 3.4 | |||
| | 1080i || theWAX || WWAX-LD (]) | |||
| |- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399;" | |||
| ! scope = "row" | ] | |||
| | rowspan=2|480i || rowspan=2|16:9 || Grit || ] (]) | |||
| |- style="background-color:#DFEBF6;" | |||
| ! scope = "row" | ] | |||
| | Comet || ] (]) | |||
| |} | |||
| {{legend|#E6FFF7|Simulcast of WWAX-LD1}} | |||
| {{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}} | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| ;'''Channel 3 Early Warning Weather''' | |||
| |+Subchannels of WWAX-LD<ref name="reiwwax">{{cite web|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WWAX|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=wwax|website=RabbitEars.Info|access-date=March 8, 2018|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| *Bruce DePrest (member, ]) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5:00, 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Scot Haney - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 a.m.) & ''Better Connecticut'' co-host | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Mark Dixon (member, AMS) - weekdays at noon & weeknights at 5:30 p.m.; also fill-in | |||
| ! scope = "col" | ] | |||
| *Mike Cameron (member, AMS) - weekend mornings (6:00-9:00 a.m.); weekend evenings (6:00 & 11:00 p.m.), & weekday fill-in | |||
| ! scope = "col" | Short name | |||
| ! scope = "col" | Programming | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.1 | |||
| | ] || rowspan=3| ] || WWAXHD || Main WWAX-LD programming | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.2 | |||
| | rowspan=6| ] || TBD || ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.3 | |||
| | EWNNOW || {{ubl|''Eyewitness News Now''|{{small|(continuous rolling news/weather)}}}} | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.4 | |||
| | rowspan=2|] || theWAX || Bark TV | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.5 | |||
| | DEFY || ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.6 | |||
| | rowspan=2|] || WWAX365 || ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! scope = "row" | 27.7 | |||
| | WWAXOUT || ] | |||
| |} | |||
| With local ] member ] as partner on December 1, 2008, WFSB launched Connecticut Sports Network, which covered 41 high school championships and 20 small colleges.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Romano|first1=Allison|title=Cutting Bait On Subchannels|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/cutting-bait-subchannels/109752|access-date=March 8, 2018|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=January 19, 2009|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ;'''Eyewitness Sports''' | |||
| *Joe Zone - sports director; weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. | |||
| *John Holt - fill-in sports anchor; also segment reporter | |||
| *John Brickley - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 & weekends at 11:00 p.m. | |||
| ====Former Fairfield County-specific feed==== | |||
| ;'''Reporters''' | |||
| WIth ] being part of the New York City market where CBS flagship WCBS-TV is based, WFSB formerly served viewers in that county through "WFSB Fairfield County" on WFSB-DT4 and the digital tier of ] systems in that market, which was a semi-simulcast in standard definition of channel 3.1. The feed's main purpose outside of providing state-specific newscasts to southwestern Connecticut cable subscribers was to air alternate syndicated programming that replaced those shows on the WFSB schedule whose rights were claimed by New York stations within the county; WFSB could not offer those same shows due to ] rules. It also carried advertising specific to Fairfield County to provide additional revenue to the station. The last two shows requiring such accommodation moved off WFSB's schedule in 2022: '']'' in January when it was ended by the syndicator when ] ], and then '']'' in September, when that show moved to WTNH, and Gray discontinued the channel at that time. | |||
| *Len Besthoff - Hartford bureau chief & "I-Team" investigative reporter | |||
| *Matthew Campbell - "I-Team" investigative reporter | |||
| *Robert Goulston - New Haven bureau chief | |||
| *Jill Konopka - "I-Team" investigative reporter; also fill-in anchor | |||
| *Karen Lee - general assignment reporter | |||
| *Kim Lucey - general assignment reporter; also fill-in anchor | |||
| *Matt McFarland - general assignment reporter | |||
| *Susan Raff - "I-Team" investigative reporter | |||
| *Bill Rapp - associate producer for ''Channel 3 Eyewitness news this morning'' | |||
| *Kate Rayner - general assignment reporter | |||
| *Olessa Stepanova - weekday morning traffic(4:30-7:00 a.m.); also ''Better Connecticut'' Buddy and fill-in anchor | |||
| *Courtney Zieller - general assignment reporter | |||
| *Mitch Silver - fill-in for weekday morning traffic (off camera) | |||
| ===Analog-to-digital conversion=== | |||
| ====Notable former on-air staff==== | |||
| WFSB shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 3, on June 12, 2009, as part of the ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=List of Digital Full-Power Stations |access-date=June 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition ] channel 33,<ref name="FCCForm387">https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WFSB CDBS Print</ref> using virtual channel 3. WFSB was the only Connecticut station that participated in the "]" program, with the analog signal remaining in operation until June 26.<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf|title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> The sign-off included a clip of the first sign-on of WFSB when they were WTIC and it repeated itself before the actual switch occurred. | |||
| *] (best-selling author and host of '']'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wfsb.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/14971463/a-look-back-at-mika-brzezinskis-wfsb-career.html|title=A look back at Mika Brzezinski's WFSB career|publisher=]|accessdate=23 April 2013}}</ref> | |||
| *] (now with ])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838196|title=Bertha Coombs Profile|publisher=]|accessdate=13 July 2012}}</ref> | |||
| *] (now co-anchor of '']'' and an editor-at-large for ]'') | |||
| *] - reporter/weekend anchor (later with ] and ] in ]; now retired) | |||
| *] - reporter (now at ] in ])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wkbw.com/about/personalities/weather/98272594.html|title=Mike Randall|publisher=]|accessdate=6 July 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 148: | Line 188: | ||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * |
* {{Official website|https://www.wfsb.com/}} | ||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| *{{TVQ|WFSB}} | |||
| * | |||
| {{Hartford/New Haven TV}} | {{Hartford/New Haven TV}} | ||
| {{Springfield MA TV}} | {{Springfield MA TV}} | ||
| {{CBS New England}} | {{CBS New England}} | ||
| {{ |
{{Gray TV}} | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Wfsb}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Wfsb}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
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Latest revision as of 23:30, 11 January 2025
TV station in Hartford, ConnecticutFor the radio station known as WFSB from 1970 until 1974, see WDJM-FM.
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| City | Hartford, Connecticut |
| Channels | |
| Branding |
|
| Programming | |
| Affiliations |
|
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| Sister stations | WGGB-TV, WSHM-LD, WWAX-LD |
| History | |
| First air date | September 23, 1957 (67 years ago) (1957-09-23) |
| Former call signs | WTIC-TV (1957–1974) |
| Former channel number(s) |
|
| Former affiliations | Independent (1957–1958) |
| Call sign meaning | Frederick Sessions Beebe (former president of former owner Post-Newsweek Stations) |
| Technical information | |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 53115 |
| ERP | 1,000 kW |
| HAAT | 289 m (948 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°46′30″N 72°48′18.3″W / 41.77500°N 72.805083°W / 41.77500; -72.805083 |
| Links | |
| Public license information | |
| Website | www |
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Branding | theWAX |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations |
|
| History | |
| First air date | March 11, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-03-11) (in Westmoreland, NH) |
| Former call signs |
|
| Former channel number(s) |
|
| Call sign meaning | The word wax |
| Technical information | |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 186687 |
| Class | LD |
| ERP | 15 kW |
| HAAT | 273.7 m (898 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°46′30″N 72°48′18.3″W / 41.77500°N 72.805083°W / 41.77500; -72.805083 |
| Links | |
| Public license information | LMS |
| Website | www |
WFSB (channel 3) is a television station licensed to Hartford, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Gray Media, the station maintains studios on Denise D'Ascenzo Way in Rocky Hill and a transmitter on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut.
Most of WFSB's programs are seen in Springfield, Massachusetts, over a low-power semi-satellite station, WSHM-LD (channel 33). That station is based at the facilities of sister station WGGB-TV (channel 40) in Springfield, although some master control and other internal operations are hubbed through WFSB.
WFSB also maintains a second sister station, WWAX-LD (channel 27), also licensed to Hartford. Known on-air as theWax, WWAX-LD mainly features simulcasts and repeats of WFSB's news programming, along with second runs of its syndicated shows and other Gray-produced programming. Its own third subchannel features a full-time automated feed of WFSB news briefs, headlines, current weather conditions, and other miscellanea known as Eyewitness News Now, which simulcasts on the station's website and mobile app.
History
WFSB signed on the air on September 23, 1957, as WTIC-TV, owned by the Hartford-based Travelers Insurance Company, along with WTIC radio (1080 AM and 96.5 FM). As Connecticut's second VHF station, WTIC-TV was one of the most powerful stations in New England, not only covering the entire state but a large chunk of western Massachusetts and eastern Long Island in New York. It provided secondary coverage to much of the southern sections of Vermont and New Hampshire. During its first year on the air, Channel 3 was an independent station, as ABC was affiliated with the state's other VHF outlet, WNHC-TV (channel 8, now WTNH) in New Haven; while CBS and NBC had owned-and-operated stations on the UHF band in the market, WHCT-TV (channel 18, now Univision affiliate WUVN) in Hartford and WNBC (channel 30, now WVIT) in New Britain, respectively. With no network affiliation, WTIC-TV devoted much of its airtime to movies, syndicated programs, and three daily newscasts (including one at 10 pm).
In 1958, CBS was looking to sell WHCT-TV. The network's ratings had been alarmingly low in the market because television manufacturers were not required to have UHF tuners at the time. Many viewers northeast of Hartford got a better signal for CBS programming from WNAC-TV (now WHDH) in Boston, or WPRO-TV (now WPRI-TV) in Providence, Rhode Island; while those southwest of Hartford with an outdoor antenna were able to watch the network via New York City flagship station WCBS-TV. Network head William S. Paley decided that it was better to have CBS air its programming on a VHF station, even if it was only an affiliate. WTIC-TV was the obvious choice due to its massive coverage area. Paley quickly negotiated an affiliation deal, and channel 3 became the network's new affiliate on November 16, 1958. WTIC radio had been with NBC Radio for over thirty years. Soon after the affiliation switch, channel 3 surged to the top of the ratings, and has remained there more or less ever since.
The switch to WTIC-TV for CBS had repercussions in Springfield. Although Springfield already had a CBS affiliate in WHYN-TV (channel 40, now sister station WGGB-TV), that station's owners, the Hampden-Hampshire Corporation, knew they would find the going difficult competing against WTIC-TV's stronger VHF signal. WHYN-TV sought to move to the VHF band as well, to no avail. In response, WHYN-TV switched its affiliation to ABC (previously, some ABC programs had been seen on WWLP). Over the years, WTIC-TV repeatedly blocked WHYN/WGGB's attempts to switch back to CBS.
The station also played a role in a nadir for the New York Giants in the 1970s, as the station is outside of the NFL's 75-mile (121 km) blackout radius and the team was entering a long period of futility and a nomadic existence after losing Yankee Stadium when it was renovated exclusively into a baseball venue, as the team waited for Giants Stadium to be built and open in 1976. This included games being played at New Haven's Yale Bowl, a 71,000 seat venue which was impossible to sell out. Despite this, the team had a decades-long fanbase, well before the New England Patriots could begin to compete equally in the market. This meant that fans of the team in the New York area who refused to support the team with their attendance, would then drive into the Hartford–New Haven area to watch Giants home games, either by patronizing area bars or checking into a motel room while the game was on channel 3.
In 1962, the WTIC stations moved to Broadcast House, a state-of-the-art facility in the Constitution Plaza development in Downtown Hartford. A decade later, in late 1972, Travelers Insurance decided to exit broadcasting. The announcement was made to the staff at an employee meeting held in Studio A on January 15, 1973. While the WTIC radio stations were spun off to a company formed by station management called 1080 Corporation, WTIC-TV was sold to The Washington Post Company. The sale of all three stations was closed on March 8, 1974, and the Post's broadcasting division, Post-Newsweek Stations, changed Channel 3's call letters on that date to the current WFSB in honor of broadcasting division president Frederick Sessions Beebe, who had died a few months earlier. At the time, the FCC did not allow television and radio stations in the same market to share the same call letters if they had different owners. To get the WFSB call letters, the Post had to convince Framingham State College in Framingham, Massachusetts, to give up those call letters, which were used on the college's low-power FM radio station, whose call letters were changed to WDJM-FM as a result of the switch. The WTIC call letters returned to Connecticut television in 1984 when Arch Communications, owned by the son of the then-owner of WTIC radio, launched a new independent station on channel 61.
In the late 1980s, Post-Newsweek moved its corporate offices from Washington, D.C., to space located alongside Broadcast House making the station the company's flagship. This was part of a strategy move by the Post to give its various subsidiaries their own independent identities, which worked well at first. By the mid-1990s, however, WFSB found itself in a shrinking market without any significant growth opportunities. In June 1997, Post-Newsweek traded WFSB to the Meredith Corporation in exchange for WCPX-TV (now WKMG-TV) in Orlando, Florida. The sale closed that September although the Post-Newsweek group maintained its base in Hartford until 2000, when the company relocated to its then-largest station, WDIV-TV in Detroit.
By this point, with the transfer of the AFC contract from NBC to CBS in 1998, WFSB became a direct beneficiary of what would become the Brady–Belichick era for the Patriots. Though Hartford would be disappointed when the team decided to build a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, rather than coming to Connecticut, the team's later success and a shift away from the market's longtime enthusiasm for the Giants meant that WFSB would attain successful ratings growth after four years without any NFL games. The success of the Patriots would inspire Meredith to launch a station specifically for the Springfield market to the north to allow it to benefit from the revenue of two separate stations. It also wanted to avoid preempting Patriots games in Springfield, as Connecticut straddles the traditional dividing line between the home territories for Boston and New York teams. Meredith purchased a Trinity Broadcasting Network translator in Springfield and converted it to a locally focused CBS affiliate, WSHM-LP in 2003. WSHM brands as "CBS 3" to continue to trade on WFSB's continued success and familiarity; until Gray split it off to its own channel 33 in February 2023, it shared its virtual channel number with WFSB.
In 2005, WFSB announced plans for a new, modern studio at an office park in suburban Rocky Hill, with a glass façade and lobby. It was originally intended to be built in downtown Hartford at Main and Trumbull streets, adjacent to the station's longtime home on Constitution Plaza. However, WFSB opted for a suburban location after finding that the downtown site was too small. The new studio opened in 2007.
Meredith announced on March 20, 2015, a multi-station affiliation agreement for three of Katz Broadcasting's networks, with WFSB putting Escape (now Ion Mystery) on DT2 and Laff on DT3.
On May 3, 2021, Gray Television announced its intent to purchase the Meredith Local Media division for $2.7 billion. The sale was completed on December 1. As a result, WFSB (along with WGGB and WSHM-LD) became Gray's first stations in southern New England.
On April 3, 2023, WWAX rebranded to The Wax. The Wax airs additional newscasts and sports programming not available on WFSB.
Programming
Sports programming
Since 2023, WFSB and WWAX have an agreement with the University of Connecticut. WFSB airs one college football game per season featuring UConn, while WWAX airs live soccer and volleyball.
News operation
WFSB presently broadcasts 41+1⁄2 hours of news per week (with 6+1⁄2 hours each weekday and 4+1⁄2 hours each on Saturdays and Sundays). WFSB has been far and away the ratings leader in the Hartford–New Haven television market for as long as it has been a CBS affiliate, with WTNH and WVIT regularly switching between a distant second and third place. In addition to its local newscasts, the station has a Sunday morning news program called CT '24 with Eric Parker at 8:30 am. During the May 2011 sweeps, the program (then known as Face the State) had ratings above that of the national Sunday shows, including NBC's Meet the Press and ABC's This Week.
On January 13, 2012, WFSB began simulcasting its weekday noon and 6 p.m. newscasts on radio stations WLIS (1420 AM) in Old Saybrook and WMRD (1150 AM) in Middletown. On February 28, 2012, WFSB entered into a partnership with The Bulletin in which the two media properties share news footage and stories, along with WFSB providing local forecasts for the Norwich, Connecticut–based newspaper.
Currently, WFSB simulcasts its weekday morning newscast on WWAX-LD and produces four exclusive weekday newscasts for the low-power station: 7–8 a.m., 12:30–1, 7:30–8 and 10–10:30 p.m.
Notable former on-air staff
- Dick Bertel (deceased)
- Julie Bidwell (Banderas) (now at Fox News Channel)
- Mika Brzezinski (now at MSNBC)
- N. J. Burkett (now at WABC-TV in New York)
- Virginia Cha (now at KGTV in San Diego)
- Denise D'Ascenzo – Lead evening news anchor at WFSB from 1986 until her death in 2019, becoming the longest-serving anchor at the station and the longest-serving news anchor at any Connecticut television station.
- Jim Forbes
- Gayle King (now at CBS Mornings)
- Ted Leitner (later at KFMB-TV in San Diego)
- Bob Neumeier (later at WBZ-TV and Comcast Sports Net New England; deceased)
- Bill O'Reilly (later at Fox News Channel, now at Newsmax TV)
- Janet Peckinpaugh
- Randall Pinkston
- Mike Randall (now at WKBW-TV in Buffalo)
- Bob Steele (deceased)
- Al Terzi
- Joe Tessitore (now at ESPN)
- David Ushery (now at WNBC in New York City)
- Jim Vicevich
Technical information
Subchannels
The station's signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | WFSB | CBS |
| 3.2 | 480i | MYSTERY | Ion Mystery | |
| 3.3 | LAFF | Laff | ||
| 3.4 | 1080i | theWAX | WWAX-LD (Independent) | |
| 20.2 | 480i | 16:9 | Grit | Grit (WCCT-TV) |
| 20.3 | Comet | Comet (WCCT-TV) |
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | WWAXHD | Main WWAX-LD programming |
| 27.2 | 480i | TBD | TBD | |
| 27.3 | EWNNOW |
| ||
| 27.4 | 4:3 | theWAX | Bark TV | |
| 27.5 | DEFY | Defy | ||
| 27.6 | 16:9 | WWAX365 | The365 | |
| 27.7 | WWAXOUT | Outlaw |
With local PBS member CPTV as partner on December 1, 2008, WFSB launched Connecticut Sports Network, which covered 41 high school championships and 20 small colleges.
Former Fairfield County-specific feed
WIth Fairfield County being part of the New York City market where CBS flagship WCBS-TV is based, WFSB formerly served viewers in that county through "WFSB Fairfield County" on WFSB-DT4 and the digital tier of Optimum systems in that market, which was a semi-simulcast in standard definition of channel 3.1. The feed's main purpose outside of providing state-specific newscasts to southwestern Connecticut cable subscribers was to air alternate syndicated programming that replaced those shows on the WFSB schedule whose rights were claimed by New York stations within the county; WFSB could not offer those same shows due to syndication exclusivity rules. It also carried advertising specific to Fairfield County to provide additional revenue to the station. The last two shows requiring such accommodation moved off WFSB's schedule in 2022: Dr. Oz in January when it was ended by the syndicator when Mehmet Oz ran for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, and then Live in September, when that show moved to WTNH, and Gray discontinued the channel at that time.
Analog-to-digital conversion
WFSB shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 3, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 33, using virtual channel 3. WFSB was the only Connecticut station that participated in the "analog nightlight" program, with the analog signal remaining in operation until June 26. The sign-off included a clip of the first sign-on of WFSB when they were WTIC and it repeated itself before the actual switch occurred.
References
- "Facility Technical Data for WFSB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- "Facility Technical Data for WWAX-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- "WTIC-TV Formally Opens with Telecast Tonight". The Hartford Courant. September 23, 1957.
- "WTIC to Air News, Sports, and Weather". The Billboard. August 19, 1957. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
- "Untitled". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- Garber, Greg (December 19, 1996). "IT MAY BE PATRIOTS TERRITORY". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
- "Fates & Fortunes (Death notice for Frederick Sessions Beebe)" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 7, 1973. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- "Re: WTIC/WFSB".
- Meredith Corporation to acquire Hartford Conn., television station], Business Wire, June 2, 1997.
- Gosselin, Kenneth (November 11, 2006). "WFSB goes into future, out of city". The Hartford Courant.
- "Meredith To Add Three Katz Diginets". TVNewsCheck.com. March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- "Gray Television Closes on Acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group" (Press release). Gray Television. Globe Newswire. December 1, 2021.
- Kane, Shannon (April 3, 2023). "How to watch The Wax, WWAX-TV". WFSB. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- "UConn Athletics Announces Partnership With WFSB & WWAX". UConn Huskies. July 27, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- "UConn soccer, volleyball to air on The Wax". WFSB. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- "WFSB Wins the May Ratings Race in Hartford | Hartford". New England One. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Santos, Derrick. "November 2015 Ratings Results for Hartford | Hartford". New England One. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Knox, Merrill (June 10, 2011). "WFSB's 'Face the State' beats national Sunday shows in Hartford/New Haven". TV Spy. Ad Week. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- WFSB Simulcasting News On Radio Stations, TVNewsCheck, January 13, 2012.
- Bulletin, Channel 3 teaming up, Norwich Bulletin, February 28, 2012.
- "WFSB Programming Schedule". WFSB. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- "Denise D'Ascenzo Dies: Emmy Winning News Anchor For WFSB-TV In Connecticut Was 61" from Deadline Hollywood (December 8, 2019)
- "Digital TV Market Listing for WFSB". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- "Digital TV Market Listing for WWAX". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- Romano, Allison (January 19, 2009). "Cutting Bait On Subchannels". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- "List of Digital Full-Power Stations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
- https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WFSB CDBS Print
- "UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. June 12, 2009. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
External links
- Official website
- WSHM-LD "CBS 3 Springfield"
- www.wticalumni.com: A site that was created by Bill Clede and carried on by David Kaplan featuring pictures, audio, information and trivia about the old WTIC AM/FM/TV before its sale by the Travelers in 1974.
- WWAX Programming Schedule
- WWAX website
| Broadcast television in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts | |
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| Full power | |
| Low power | |
| ATSC 3.0 digital | |
| Cable stations |
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| Defunct stations |
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| CBS network affiliates serving New England | |
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| Connecticut | |
| Maine | |
| Massachusetts |
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| New Hampshire |
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| Rhode Island | |
| Vermont |
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