| Gainesville, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Branding | WCJB-TV 20 (general) WCJB-TV 20 News Gainesville CW 10 (on DT2) |
| Slogan | Your Local Source TV to Talk About (on DT2) |
| Channels | Digital: 16 (UHF) Virtual: 20 ((PSIP) |
| Affiliations | 20.1 ABC 20.2 The CW Plus |
| Owner | Diversified Communications (Diversified Broadcasting Inc.) |
| First air date | April 7, 1971 |
| Call letters' meaning | Casey, Jean, and Bill Minshall (original owners) |
| Sister station(s) | WABI-TV |
| Former channel number(s) | 20 (UHF analog, 1971-2009) |
| Former affiliations | NBC (1971-1973) |
| Transmitter power | 343.6 kW |
| Height | 254.4 m |
| Facility ID | 16993 |
| Website | wcjb.com |
WCJB-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for North Central Florida licensed to Gainesville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 16 (PSIP virtual channel 20.1) from a transmitter in Wacahoota. The station can also be seen on CommuniComm Services channel 3, Cox channel 7, and Bright House Networks channel 20. There is a high definition feed offered on Cox digital channel 1007 and Bright House Networks digital channel 1023. Owned by Diversified Communications, WCJB has studios on Northwest 43rd Street in Gainesville. Syndicated programming on the station includes Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and The Nate Berkus Show among others.
Contents |
On WCJB-DT2, CommuniComm Services channel 6, and Cox channel 10 is the area's CW affiliate. Known on-air as Gainesville CW 10, it receives all programming through The CW Plus.
| Channels (physical/virtual) | Video | Aspect | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.1/20.1 | 720p | 16:9 | main WCJB programming/ABC (HD) |
| 16.2/20.2 | 480i | 4:3 | WCJB-DT2 "Gainesville CW 10" (SD) |
WCJB began broadcasting April 7, 1971 as an NBC affiliate owned by William E. "Bill" Minshall. Originally broadcasting an analog signal on UHF channel 20, its call sign bears the first initials of his family members: Casey (daughter), JoAnn (wife), and himself, Bill. In 1973 just two years after its first broadcast, the station switched its affiliation to ABC, probably because that network held exclusive rights to college football telecasts (which sometimes featured the local Florida Gators). In 1977, WCJB was sold to current owner Diversified Communications. In 2001, it began airing its digital signal on UHF channel 16.
On January 24, 2006, UPN and The WB announced the two networks would cease broadcasting and merge. The new combined operation would be called The CW. The letters would represent the first initial of corporate parents "C"BS (the parent company of UPN) and the "W"arner Bros. unit of Time Warner. On February 22, News Corporation announced it would establish another new network called MyNetworkTV. This new service, which would be a sister network to Fox, would be operated by Fox Television Stations and News Corporation syndication division Twentieth Television. MyNetworkTV was created in order to give UPN and WB stations, not mentioned as becoming CW affiliates, another option besides becoming Independent. It was also created to compete against The CW.
The area's primary WB and secondary UPN affiliate was operated by CBS station WGFL on its second digital subchannel. This used the fictional calls "WBFL" and was known on-air as "WB 10" after the Cox channel location. On September 5, low-powered WMYG-LP (which had been repeating WGFL's main signal) became a separate station and joined MyNetworkTV. On September 18, WCJB launched a new second digital subchannel to be the area's CW affiliate as part of the national CW Plus service. This took the channel location of WGFL-DT2 on Cox systems. WCJB shut down its analog signal on February 17, 2009. The station said it did not want to wait until the June 12 deadline because it wanted to free up emergency airspace. With this change, WOGX and WUFT continued broadcasting in analog until the new transition date. Continuing digital broadcasts on pre-transition channel 16, receivers still display the signal as channel 20 through the use of PSIP.
Its coverage area includes Lake City (within the Jacksonville market), Ocala (in the Orlando DMA) and most of North Central Florida. It is also the sole ABC affiliate on cable systems in Live Oak and Jasper (both within the Tallahassee area). Until July 2006, WCJB was the only ABC affiliate seen on Cox systems in Ocala. Even though that city is part of the Orlando market, this station had exclusivity on that system for ABC programming. This kept Orlando's affiliate, Cox-owned WFTV, off the system for several years. In that month, the cable company received the green light to pick up WFTV's standard and high definition feeds in Ocala. WFTV and WCJB are also both seen on Bright House Networks in Belleview and unincorporated Marion County.
Originally, WCJB was the only station to operate a news department covering the Gainesville area. As a result, it has held the number one spot in Nielsen ratings by a wide margin for the station's entire existence. In addition to its main studios, this station operates a Marion County Bureau on Northeast 1st Avenue in Ocala. Unlike most ABC affiliates, it does not air a full two-hour weekday morning show or broadcast weeknights at 5.
In March 1998, Fox affiliate WOGX began simulcasting newscasts from sister station WOFL in Orlando. As a semi-satellite of the latter, all news programs are seen except weeknights at 6. However, there are no separate local inserts targeted to the Gainesville area. On April 19, 2009, WCJB debuted a new set complete with updated graphics and music theme which had not changed in almost ten years. The graphics are yellow and orange instead of blue and white. Its updated logo now includes ABC in it unlike the previous two. WCJB began airing local newscasts in high definition on January 9, 2010.
From September 18, 2006 until February 2010, it produced a weeknight prime time show on WCJB-DT2. Known as WCJB-TV 20 News at 10 on Gainesville CW, this aired for thirty minutes. The live broadcast was dropped in favor of a repeat of the main channel's 6 o'clock show. Like all CW Plus affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone, WCJB-DT2 continues airing the nationally syndicated show The Daily Buzz on weekday mornings from 6 until 9. During the program, there are local weather cut-ins.
Anchors
Storm Track 20 Meteorologists
Sports
Reporters
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