WPFO

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WPFO
Waterville / Portland, Maine
Branding Fox 23
Channels Analog: 23 (UHF)
Affiliations Fox
Owner Corporate Media Consultants Group, LLC
(CMCG Portland License, LLC)
First air date August 27, 1999
Call letters’ meaning Portland's FOx
Former callsigns WMPX-TV (1999-2003)
Former affiliations PAX (1999-2003)
Transmitter Power 5,000 kW
Height 331 m
Facility ID 84088
Transmitter Coordinates 44°9′15.3″N, 70°0′35.2″W
Website www.myfoxmaine.com

WPFO, channel 23, is the Fox-affiliated television station for Portland, Maine, licensed to Waterville. Its transmitter is located on Oak Hill in Litchfield. WPFO does not broadcast an over-the-air digital signal of its own. However, the station does broadcast a high definition digital signal on Time Warner cable channels 507 and 704 as well as on DirecTV. Owned by Corporate Media Consultants Group, the station has studios on Oxford Street in downtown Portland.

Contents

[edit] Digital television

Because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997, the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. Instead, on or before February 17, 2009, which is the end of the digital television conversion period for full-service stations, WPFO will be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its digital signal (called a "flash-cut").

[edit] History

The station began broadcasting on August 27, 1999. It had the call sign WMPX-TV and was owned by Paxson Communications. The station originally aired programming from the PAX (now ION) Network. Paxson sold channel 23 in December of 2002 to Corporate Media Consultants Group who changed the call sign to the current WPFO. The station changed its affiliation to Fox in April of 2003. That filled a gap created in the Fall of 2001 when WPXT switched to The WB.

[edit] Programming

[edit] As WMPX

From August 27, 1999 until April 12, 2003, Winstar Communications ran the station and branded it on-air as WMPX-TV PAX 23. As such at that time, the station carried programming from the PAX Network with a small amount of local programming. During the 2000 election season, it aired a presidential debate from NBC News (that aired on the same night as a MLB playoff game). Some rallies of evangelist Luis Palau were also seen on the station.

[edit] As WPFO

In addition to Fox primetime and sports programming, the station airs local programming made by outside producers. In 2003, the station aired a morning talk show, with a 3 hour call-in format called, So Goes The Nation. It was hosted by Alan Silberberg and former WVOM host Charlie Horne from WFVX-LP's studios in Bangor. The show started on WFVX and then was simulcast on WPFO and via the radio on WLOB. So Goes The Nation was canceled in September of 2004. In July of 2007, WPFO launched a new logo and website, MyFoxMaine.com. The new website is based on the Fox owned and operated format although WPFO is not owned by Fox. The website features video from The Fox Morning News and News 13 on Fox.

[edit] News operation

On November 9, 2005, WPFO began simulcasting WLOB Radio's weekday morning show known as The Fox Morning News. It is hosted by Ray Richardson and Ted Talbot. During the program, there are short features and news stories from Fox News and weather forecasts with former WGME-TV meteorologist Paul Cousins. The program is more of a talk show than a newscast and features live call-ins from viewers & listeners. WLOB is a Fox News Radio affiliate with a conservative slant.

On February 5, 2007, CBS affiliate WGME began producing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast on WPFO known as News 13 on Fox. It competes with the 10 P.M. news that airs on CW affiliate WPXT. That newscast is co-produced by Maine's NBC affiliates, WCSH in Portland and WLBZ in Bangor. The WGME-produced news on WPFO is possible because of a news share agreement between the two stations. It is broadcasted from a secondary news set at WGME's studios on Northport Drive in Portland.

[edit] News team

The station's weeknight anchor.
The station's weeknight anchor.
WGME's chief meteorologist is seen on weeknights.
WGME's chief meteorologist is seen on weeknights.

The Fox Morning News
(Weekday Mornings 6 to 9 A.M.)

  • Hosts:
    • Ray Richardson
    • Ted Talbot
  • Weather:
    • Paul Cousins (voice over only with graphics)
  • Political Commentator:
    • Roy Lenardson

News 13 on Fox (10 to 10:35 P.M.)
Weeknights

  • Anchor:
    • Kiley Bennett
  • Weather:
    • Charlie Lopresti
  • Sports:
    • Dave Eid

Weekends

  • Anchor:
    • Doug Ray
  • Weather:
    • Craig Miller
  • Sports:
    • Evans Boston

WPFO uses additional news personnel from WGME. See that article for a complete listing.

[edit] Logos

Original on-air hourly ID for WMPX-TV used from late-1998 until early-2003.

WPFO's current "Fox 23" logo.

Online variation of current logo.

Logo for The Fox Morning News.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Broadcast television in the Portland, Maine market  (Nielsen DMA #76)

Local television channels
WCSH 6 (NBC) (WX+ on DT2) - WMTW 8 (ABC) (AccuWX TV on DT2) - WCBB 10 / WMEA 26 (PBS / MPBN) - WGME 13 (CBS) -
WLLB-LP 15 (Daystar) - W18BO 18 (PBS / NHPTV) - WGBI-LP 21 (TBN) - WPFO 23 (FOX) - W27BL 27 (ABC) - WPME 35 (MNTV) - WFYW-LP 41 (3ABN) - WPXT 51 (The CW)
Cable television channels
NECN - NESN - CSN New England - WENH (PBS, Durham) - TW9
v • d • e
Fox Network Affiliates in the state of Maine
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS and Other stations in Maine
v • d • e
Fox Network Affiliates in the state of New Hampshire
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, MyNetwork TV and NBC stations in New Hampshire