WCOV-TV

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WCOV-TV
Image:Wcov.jpg
Montgomery, Alabama
Branding Fox 20
Channels Analog: 20 (UHF)

Digital: 16 (UHF)
Affiliations Fox
Owner Woods Communications Corporation
First air date April 1953[1]
Call letters’ meaning Will COVington
Former affiliations Primary:
CBS (1953-1986)
Secondary:
NBC (1953-1954)
ABC (1953-1960)
DuMont (1953-1956)
Transmitter Power 617 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
Height 226 m (analog)
518 m (digital)
Facility ID 73642
Transmitter Coordinates 32°20′6.5″N, 86°17′16″W (analog)
31°58′28.6″N, 86°9′44.2″W (digital)
Website MyFoxMontgomery.com

WCOV-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station broadcasting on channel 20 from Montgomery, Alabama.

Contents

[edit] History

WCOV-TV was the first television station in Montgomery, going on the air in April of 1953. The station was affiliated with the CBS television network. It was originally supposed to broadcast on channel 12 (now occupied by WSFA), but RCA could not deliver a channel 12 transmitter in time. However, RCA could deliver a UHF transmitter. This historical accident would come back to haunt the station later.

The station was owned by Oscar Covington, whose father Will (who died in 1949) put WCOV radio (now WACV) on the air in 1939. Covington sold the station to Gay-Bell Corporation in 1964.

WCOV blocked several requests by WSLA-TV in Selma to increase its power so it could cover Montgomery. It claimed that the FCC would not be fostering the growth of UHF stations if it allowed WSLA to increase its power. In truth, WCOV feared that CBS would yank the Montgomery affiliation if WSLA moved in. Finally, in 1984, WSLA changed its calls to WAKA and got a construction permit for a taller tower that would cover Montgomery. Gay-Bell saw the writing on the wall and sold the station to its current owner, Woods Communications Corporation. WAKA took the CBS affiliation for Montgomery away from WCOV in 1986. Soon afterward, Woods affiliated the station with Fox and dropped all news programming.

[edit] Programming

Beginning January 7, 2008, WCOV began offering a 9 p.m. newscast in cooperation with WDFX in Dothan, Alabama, another Fox affiliate. While the newscast originates from Montgomery, it isn't produced at WCOV's studios. Instead, Woods Communications contracted with Raycom and WSFA-TV to provide the 30 minute newscast.

The newscast is anchored by veteran WSFA reporter Chris Holmes, who is joined by Meterologist Allyson Rae, a graduate of Penn State's highly regarded meterology programs, and Kyle Montgomery, an Alabama State University grad, who does sports. However, other WSFA staffers have appeared on the newscast, including reporter Sally Pitts, meterologist Rich Thomas and sports reporter Derek Steyer.

Prior to that time, WCOV had not aired a local newscast since losing the CBS affiliation.

The station does air other local programs, including MPD: The Television Series, a COPS-inspired program produced by the Montgomery Police Department; and County Law, which involves the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department.

As of December 2007 WCOV uses Fox Interactive's MyFox website template for their station website, although entertainment and national stories are more prevalent on the site than local content.

Syndicated shows on WCOV include Live with Regis and Kelly, The Tony Danza Show, The Tyra Banks Show, Judge Mathis, Judge Alex, and reruns of Sanford and Son, What's Happening!!, The Andy Griffith Show, and Seinfeld.

[edit] 1996 Tornado

WCOV's tower in eastern Montgomery was destroyed by a massive tornado on March 22, 1996. Two days later, the station returned to the air on a temporary 350-foot (107 m) tower, but depended mostly on cable for its viewership. In January 1997, the station activated a new tower in Grady, Alabama.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says April 23, while the Television and Cable Factbook says April 17.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Broadcast television in the Montgomery / Selma market (Nielsen DMA #118)
v • d • e
Fox Network Affiliates in the state of Alabama
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS, and Other stations in Alabama

WCOV was started by William Covington, the brother of Oscar Covington. Bill Covington died in 1949 while on a buying trip to Chicago. He had already applied for the license for the television station at the time of his death. He also owned 2 other radio stations in Alabama. Oscar Covington was one of several Covington siblings, and a niece, who owned WCOV after the death of Bill Covington. The father of Bill Covington, and Oscar, was George Will Covington, Sr.