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| {{Infobox Broadcast | | |||
| call_letters = WFAA-TV| | |||
| station_logo = ]| | |||
| station_slogan = The Spirit of Texas; First In News, First in HDTV (unofficial)| | |||
| station_branding = ''WFAA 8'', ''Channel 8'' (general)<br>''NEWS 8, NEWS 8 HD, Channel 8 News (newscasts)'' | | |||
| analog = 8 (])| | |||
| digital = 9 (VHF)| | |||
| affiliations = ]| | |||
| founded = ], ]| | |||
| location = {{flagicon|USA}} ] / ] {{flagicon|Texas}}| | |||
| callsign_meaning = Station history says WFAA stands for: '''W'''orking '''F'''or '''A'''ll '''A'''like. This was even used in a station ad campaign in the 80s and 90s. However, some say call sign was sequentially assigned by the federal government to the AM sister station. | | |||
| former_callsigns = KBTV (1949-1950)| | |||
| owner = ]| | |||
| licensee = WFAA, L.P.| | |||
| former_affiliations = ] (1949-1955) | |||
| ] (1951-1957) Secondary only| | |||
| effective_radiated_power = 316 ]/512 ] (analog)<br>18.6 kW/527 m (digital)| | |||
| homepage = | | |||
| }} | |||
| '''WFAA-TV''' ('''''"WFAA 8"''''') is the ] television affiliate serving the ]/], ] ] (]). Its transmitter is located in ]. The station is the flagship of ], which also owns the '']'' daily newspaper. WFAA-TV is currently the largest ABC affillate not to be owned and operated by ABC. | |||
| WFAA-TV also serves as one of four default ABC affiliates for the Sherman, Texas-Ada, Oklahoma market (along with ] in Lawton, ] in Tulsa and ] in Oklahoma City) since that market currently lacks a ABC affiliate of its own, as the market's former ABC affiliate ] became an NBC affiliate in 1998. WFAA is carried as the "local" ABC affiliate to Dish Network subscribers within that market and the sole ABC affiliate carried by cable operators in several of the largest cities in the Sherman-Ada market including Sherman and Denison in Texas; as well as Ardmore, Durant and Hugo in Oklahoma. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| WFAA signed on as ] affiliate KBTV on ], ]. (Note: The callsign KBTV was used for years by ], the ABC (now NBC) affiliate in ], but now belongs to ], the ] NBC station.) WFAA was the first ] in Dallas and the second in the ] behind WBAP-TV (now ]). The station became WFAA (after sister radio station WFAA-AM) on ], ], not long after the station was purchased by Belo in the midst of a ] television license freeze from ] to ]. It became a dual affiliate of ABC and ] in its inception in ] before becoming a full ABC affiliate in ]. | |||
| WFAA was the first station to break the news that ] on ], ]. The station conducted the first live television interview with ], who shot the famous ], about an hour and a half after the President's death. WFAA and its live remote unit fed much coverage of the assassination and its aftermath to the ABC network over the next four days. The shocking and unexpected shooting of accused assassin ] by ] in the basement of Dallas Police Headquarters, however, was not broadcast live (as on ]) or on tape (as on ] a minute later) by WFAA/ABC as their live truck was positioned elsewhere at the time. ABC was thus only able to show delayed newsreel footage of the historic event. | |||
| WFAA dominated the market ratings for local news from the mid 1970s until the late 1990s, with talent such as ], ], Bob Gooding, Judi Hanna, John Criswell, Chip Moody, John McCaa, Gloria Campos, Scott Sams, ], ], and ]. Former News Director turned Belo executive ] is credited for leading the station to ratings dominance and national prominence. | |||
| WFAA also does major outside work with cities and small "town hall" meetings through its ''Family First'' program. ''Family First'' first started back in 1993. | |||
| WFAA became the first TV station in the nation to broadcast a digital signal in February 1997 at 2:17 p.m. The station is one of the only ABC affiliates to broadcast HDTV in 1080i format; other ABC affiliates broadcast in 720p. The programming is broadcasted from their new ] studios (NEWS 8 Daybreak, NEWS 8 Midday, NEWS 8 at Five, and also when a major event is being held at ]).<ref name="HDTV of WFAA">http://www.wfaa.com/hdtv/</ref> <ref name="HDTV, WFAA-TV">http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/spe/2002/wfaafifty/sets4.html</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| ==News Ratings== | |||
| NEWS 8 has been a long time leader in news for many years in the ]/] Metroplex. In recent years, however, NEWS 8 began to slip at the 10 p.m. timeslot and also at the 6 a.m. timeslot. However NEWS 8, according to ] Media Research as of ] ], is at number one at 5 p.m., number one at 6 p.m., and number one at 10 p.m. newscasts. NEWS 8 did see a place jump from third to second place at the 6 a.m. newscast.<ref name="May 2007 Sweeps">http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN- | |||
| ==Digital Television== | |||
| The station's digital channel is multiplexed: | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| '''Digital channels''' | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Channel | |||
| ! Programming | |||
| |- | |||
| | 8.1 / 9.1 || Main WFAA programming | |||
| |- | |||
| | 8.2 / 9.2 || Xpress 8.2 (Weather radar, news headlines on a crawl, occasional live programming) | |||
| |- | |||
| | 8.3 / 9.3 || DFW Airport Towercam | |||
| |} | |||
| ==Saturday Mornings== | |||
| WFAA airs the ] children's programming block significantly out of pattern compared to most other ABC stations. Currently, a double run of '']'' airs on a one-week delay from 5-6am, instead of the recommended time of 11am to 12 Noon, when the ABC network feeds the show to its affiliates "live". Also, '']'' and '']'' airs on same-day delay from 11-12pm, instead of the recommended 8am-9am timeslot for both shows. The remaining two hours air in pattern "live" from the ABC feed. | |||
| WFAA airs the Saturday edition of ''NEWS 8 Daybreak'' on Saturday mornings from 7-8:30am and the Saturday edition of ''Hot On! Homes'' at 8:30am. | |||
| ==Notable Personalities== | |||
| ===Current On-Air Talent=== | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Anchors==== | |||
| *'''Jeff Brady''': NEWS 8 at Five Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''Gloria Campos''': NEWS 8 at Six, The NEWS 8 Update Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''Gary Cogill''': ''Good Morning Texas'' Co-Host | |||
| *'''Alexa Conomos''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Traffic Reporter, NEWS 8 Midday Anchor | |||
| *'''Debbie Denmon''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Weekend Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''Justin Farmer''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Anchor | |||
| *'''Brad Hawkins''': NEWS 8 at Six (Saturdays), NEWS 8 at 5:30 (Sundays), The NEWS 8 Update (weekends) Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *''']''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Anchor | |||
| *'''Macie Jepson''': NEWS 8 at Five Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''John McCaa''': NEWS 8 at Six, The NEWS 8 Update, ''Metro'' Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''Shelly Slater''': NEWS 8 at Six (Saturdays), NEWS 8 at 5:30 (Sundays), The NEWS 8 Update (weekends) Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *'''Brenda Teele''': ''Good Morning Texas'' Host | |||
| *'''Amy Vanderoef''': ''Good Morning Texas'' Co-Host | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Reporters/Other==== | |||
| *'''Mike Castellucci''': ''Why Guy'' | |||
| *'''Aaron Chimbel''': ''MoJo'' (mobile journalist) | |||
| *'''Craig Civale''': General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''Gloria Campos''': ''Wednesday's Child'' | |||
| *'''Gary Cogill''': ''Good Morning Texas'', NEWS 8 Film Critic | |||
| *'''Debbie Denmon''': General Assignment Reporter (weekdays) | |||
| *'''Jim Douglas''': General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''Marjorie Ford''': ''Metro'': Executive Producer/Reporter | |||
| *'''Bob Greene''': General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''Henry Guerrero''': ''La Vida'' | |||
| *'''Byron Harris''': Senior Reporter, Investigative Reporter | |||
| *'''Brad Hawkins''': General Assignment Reporter (weekdays) | |||
| *'''Chris Hawes''': General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''Chris Heinbaugh''': Dallas City Hall, Downtown Dallas, Politics Reporter | |||
| *'''Rebecca Lopez''': Dallas Bureau, General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''John McCaa''': ''Metro'' | |||
| *'''Gary Reaves''': Senior Reporter | |||
| *'''Dan Ronan''': General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''David Schechter''': Senior Reporter | |||
| *'''Janet St. James''': Health Reporter | |||
| *'''Brett Shipp''': Investigative Reporter | |||
| *'''Steve Stoler''': Collin County Reporter | |||
| *'''Cynthia Vega''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Reporter | |||
| *'''Brad Watson''': Breaking News/General Assignment Reporter | |||
| *'''Walt Zwirko''': ''Computer Corner'' | |||
| <ref name="News Team">http://www.wfaa.com/newsteam</ref> | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Investigates==== | |||
| *'''Byron Harris''': Senior Reporter | |||
| *'''Brett Shipp''': Reporter | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Weather==== | |||
| *''']''': NEWS 8 at Six, Chief Weather Anchor | |||
| *'''Pete Delkus (AMS, NWA Seal of Approval)''': NEWS 8 at Five, The NEWS 8 Update Meteorologist | |||
| *'''Greg Fields (AMS Seal of Approval)''': NEWS 8 Daybreak, ''Good Morning Texas'', NEWS 8 Midday Meteorologist | |||
| *'''Steve McCauley (AMS Seal of Approval)''': NEWS 8 at Six (Saturdays), NEWS 8 at 5:30 (Sundays), The NEWS 8 Update (weekends) Meteorologist | |||
| *'''Meghan Danahey (AMS, NWA Seal of Approval)''': NEWS 8 Daybreak Saturday/Sunday Meteorologist | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Sports==== | |||
| *''']''': NEWS 8 at Six, The NEWS 8 Update Sports Director/Host of: ''Dale Hansen's Sports Special'' | |||
| *'''Joe Trahan''': NEWS 8 at Six, The NEWS 8 Update (weekend) Sports Anchor/Host of: ''Dodge High School Sports Special'' | |||
| *'''George Riba''': Senior Sports Reporter | |||
| *'''Ted Madden''': Sports Reporter | |||
| *'''Erin Hawksworth''': Sports Reporter | |||
| ====NEWS 8 Alumni==== | |||
| *'''Neal Barton''': Meteorologist (1989-1994, now at ] in Tyler/Longview, Texas) | |||
| *'''Alan Berg''': Austin Bureau Chief (1992-2000, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Jan Bridgman''': Consumer Reporter/Weekend Anchor (late 1970s-1984, deceased) | |||
| *'''Bill Brown''': Reporter (1980-2004, now in public relations) | |||
| *'''Bob Brown''': Reporter/Anchor (1975-1977, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Arch Campbell''': Reporter (1971-1974, now at ] in Washington, DC) | |||
| *'''David Cassidy''' (not to be confused with the ]: Reporter (1974-1988) | |||
| *'''Mark Clegg''': Anchor/Reporter (1990-1992, now at ] in Kansas City) | |||
| *''']''': Anchor/Reporter (1980-1984, now at ] in Phoenix) | |||
| *'''John Criswell''': Anchor (1973-1990, left for ] before retiring, now a Dallas Media Consultant) | |||
| *'''Deborah Duncan''': ''Good Morning Texas'' Host (1994-1997, now at ] in Houston) | |||
| *''']''': Meteorologist (1987-1989, now at ] in New York) | |||
| *'''Dave Evans''': Senior Reporter (1989-1999, now at ] in New York) | |||
| *'''Doug Fox''': Anchor/Reporter/Urban Affairs Unit manager (1974-2003) | |||
| *'''Jim Fry''': Washington Correspondent/City Hall Reporter (1982-2006) | |||
| *'''David Garcia''': Weekend Anchor/Reporter (1965-1968, now Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the SPCA in Texas) | |||
| *'''Bob Gooding''': Anchor (1961-1979) | |||
| *'''Charles Hadlock''': Anchor/Reporter (1980-1982, went to Houston and eventually to ]) | |||
| *'''Michael Hill''': Reporter (1988-1993, now at ] in New Orleans) | |||
| *'''Midge Hill''': Anchor/Reporter (1984-1989, left for ] before leaving the area) | |||
| *'''Brian Jensen''': Sports Anchor/Reporter (1988-1997, currently radio voice for Texas Tech Football) | |||
| *'''Iola Johnson''': Anchor (1973-1985, now host of ''Positively Texas'' on ]) | |||
| *'''Andrea Joyce''': Sports Reporter (1987-1988) | |||
| *'''Kristine Kahanek''': Meteorolgist (1997-2001, now Chief Meteorologist at ]) | |||
| *'''Karin Kelly''': Reporter (1979-2006) | |||
| *'''Shelley Kofler''': Capitol Bureau Reporter (2000-2004, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Mike Landess''': Anchor/Reporter (1967-1971, now at ] in Denver) | |||
| *'''Ed Lavandera''': Reporter (1991-1998, now at ]'s Dallas bureau) | |||
| *'''Mike Lee''': Reporter (1966-1968, now at ] in London) | |||
| *'''Bert Lozano''': Reporter (2004-2006, now in public relations) | |||
| *''']''': Sports Anchor (1967-1983, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Mark Mathis''': Meteorologist (now at ] in ], ]) | |||
| *'''David Margulies''': Anchor/Reporter (1980s-1986, now a public relations consultant) | |||
| *'''Tony Martinez''': Sports Anchor/Reporter (1983-1987 and 1991-2000, now working for The Coaching Company ) | |||
| *''']''': Anchor/Reporter (1989-1991) | |||
| *'''Stan Miller''': Anchor/Reporter (1983-1985) | |||
| *''']''': Anchor (1983-1985) | |||
| *'''Chip Moody''': Anchor (1987-1999, deceased) | |||
| *'''''': Weekend Weather Anchor/Meteorologist (1976-1980, later moved to ] (1981-1985; 1989-1993, ] 1985-1989 and ] 1996-2001 now hosts ''Earthweek Magazine'' on ]) | |||
| *'''Vince Patton''': Reporter (1989-2000, now at ] in Portland, Oregon) | |||
| *''']''': Reporter (1982-1989, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Pablo Pereira''': Meteorologist (1990-1997, now at ] in Los Angeles) | |||
| *'''Mary Ann Razzuk''': Reporter (2001-2006) | |||
| *'''Bill Ratliff''': Anchor/Reporter/''PM Magazine'' Host (1980-1982, now at ] in Tampa) | |||
| *'''Gina Redmond''': Midday Anchor (1995-2001) | |||
| *'''Michael Rey''': Anchor/Reporter | |||
| *''']''': Reporter (1985-1987, now at ] in Minneapolis) | |||
| *'''Rebecca Rodriguez''': Anchor/Reporter (1999-2006) | |||
| *''']''': Anchor (1974-1999, now at ]) | |||
| *'''Scott Sams''': News, Weather, Sports Anchor/Reporter (1985-2004, fired, went to ], now at ]) | |||
| *'''Nancy Snell''': Meteorologist | |||
| *'''Mary Stewart''': Reporter (1986-2000, now at ]) | |||
| *''']''': Anchor/Reporter (1992-1997, left for ]) | |||
| *'''Susan Taylor''': Anchor/Reporter (1980-1982, now at ] in San Diego) | |||
| *'''Sonya Van Sickle''': Reporter/Anchor (1986-1999, now an actor/spokesperson with the Mary Collins Agency ) | |||
| *'''Anita Vanetti''': Daybreak Reporter (1990-2001, now a confidence coach ) | |||
| *'''Don Wall''': Environmental Reporter (1989-2006) | |||
| *'''Uze Brown Washington''':Reporter (1984-1991) | |||
| *'''Penny Wehmeyer''': Reporter (1981-1993) | |||
| *'''Yolanda Walker''': Reporter (2001-2006) | |||
| *'''Phyllis Watson''': Anchor (1983-1991) | |||
| *'''Sherry Williams''': Reporter (1992-1995, now at ] in Houston) | |||
| *'''Valeri Williams''': Reporter (1992-1994 and 2000-2003) | |||
| *'''Doug Wilson''': Education Reporter (1994-2001, currently working at Richland College) | |||
| *''']''': Reporter (1978-1979) | |||
| ==News/Station Presentation== | |||
| ===Newscast Titles=== | |||
| *''NEWS8, NEWS 8'' (1974-2007) (Was shown in newscast as 'NEWS8' in the past.) | |||
| *''NEWS 8, NEWS 8 HD'' (2007-present) | |||
| ===Station Slogans=== | |||
| *''The Spirit of Texas'' (1984-present) | |||
| **Variations: ''Working In The Spirit of Texas'', ''In The Spirit of Texas'' | |||
| *''First in News, First in HDTV'' (2007-present; new sub-slogan is unofficial) | |||
| **Variation: ''First in HDTV'' | |||
| ===News Music Packages=== | |||
| The "Spirit" ] that was used on WFAA's newscasts was written by ] of TM Productions in 1984 for the Texas Sesquicentennial, which actually took place in 1986. The "Spirit" news music package was used from 1984 until 1991. All of WFAA's news music packages since dropping TM Productions' package in 1991 have carried the "Spirit" motif, including the "WFAA 1992 News Theme" from 1992-1996. WFAA also used ]-based "The Spirit" from 1996-2004, a customized "News Matrix" package from 2004-2005 and the "Evolution" package from 2004-2007 (which all carry the same signature that TM Productions' package used). They recently switched to a brand new ] package called "Propulsion" (which is also based on the Spirit signature). This package is also being rolled out to several other Belo owned stations. | |||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| *WFAA-TV is one of the few television stations west of the Mississippi River with a callsign beginning with a W. The ] normally assigns stations west of the Mississippi callsigns that begin with K; W is only used east of the Mississippi. The reason WFAA-TV is different is that its callsign came from its sibling WFAA-AM, whose callsign predates this FCC policy. | |||
| *WFAA had a FM radio station in Dallas. It was 97.9, but now WFAA does not own it and it is currently an urban radio station called ]. | |||
| *WFAA (along with ]) are the only network-affiliate stations in the market not to be owned and operated by any major network. | |||
| *WFAA is the largest "big three" (ABC, NBC, CBS) affiliate not to be owned and operated by the network in terms of DMA market size. | |||
| *In 1998, the digital variant of the station went online. Its frequency was already in use by Dallas hospitals and there was interference with the medical equipment.<ref>http://www.tvtechnology.com/features/news/n_the_last_empty_channel.shtml</ref> | |||
| ==Logos== | |||
| <gallery> | |||
| Image:WFAA1975.jpg|WFAA 1975 Logo | |||
| Image:WFAA1984.jpg|WFAA 1984-1996 Logo | |||
| Image:WFAASpirtold.jpg|WFAA 1996-2003 Spirt Logo | |||
| Image:WFAA.gif|WFAA 1996-Present Logo | |||
| Image:WFAA2.jpg|WFAA 1996-Present Logo (variation) | |||
| Image:WFAAweb.gif|WFAA Current Logo with website | |||
| Image:WFAA1.gif|WFAA Current Spirt Logo | |||
| Image:WFAAspirt2.gif|WFAA Current Spirt Logo (variation) | |||
| Image:WFAAcom.jpg|WFAA.com Logo | |||
| Image:WFAAHD.jpg|WFAA/NEWS 8 Current 'HD' Logo | |||
| Image:WFAAF1.jpg|WFAA Family First Logo | |||
| </gallery> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| <references/> | |||
| *Shannon, Mike (January, 2004). . | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| *{{TVQ|WFAA-TV}} | |||
| {{Dallas-Fort Worth TV}} | |||
| {{ABC Texas}} | |||
| {{Belo Corporation}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||