WFTT-DT

WFTT-DT, virtual channel 50 (UHF digital channel 47), is a UniMás owned-and-operated television station located in Tampa, Florida, United States and also serving the nearby city of St. Petersburg. The station is owned by Univision Communications; Entravision Communications Corporation, which owns Univision affiliate WVEA-TV (channel 62), operates WFTT under a local marketing agreement. The two stations share studio facilities located on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa; WFTT's transmitter is located in Riverview. WFTT is available on cable television throughout the Bay Area on Bright House Networks channel 5, and on Comcast channel 23 in Sarasota County.

History

The station first signed on the air in 1988 as WBHS (a "TV" suffix was added to the call letters in 1992), serving as the flagship station of the Home Shopping Network. The station was originally by HSN's broadcasting arm Silver King Broadcasting. HSN programming was supplemented with locally produced public affairs and human interest briefs for 4½ minutes each hour, which exceeded the number of hours independent stations were required to provide local programming (over 12 broadcast hours a week, counting repeats). The Sunday schedule was devoted to children's programming, including 1970s shows such as "New Zoo Revue", to expose them to a younger audience.