Florida News Center

(from Examiner.com) – On Monday, January 14th, the 60th anniversary of WALA-TV’s first day of broadcasting programming on a regular basis was celebrated during “Studio 10″, a local entertainment and lifestyle program produced for WALA-TV and WFNA-TV. The celebration included a montage of photographs of WALA-TV’s history, appearances by Bob Grip, a news presenter for WALA-TV since 1984, John Edd Thompson, a weather reporter for WALA-TV from 1978 to 2009, and Judi Freeman, a baker from Mobile and a regular contributor to cooking segments at WALA-TV….Cont….

Check out some pictures of WALA-TV through the years (CLICK HERE)

(from TVNewsCheck.com) – LIN Television’s Fox affiliate WALA Mobile, Ala. (DMA 60), announced the debut of a new 4:30 a.m. newscast. The half-hour extension of its morning news program will begin Monday, Aug. 27.

“This is such a natural extension of our existing morning news,” said WALA-WFNA VP-GM Gary Yoder. “Our viewers’ lives are busy and their mornings are busy. Starting our news day a half-hour earlier is a way to ensure they get the news, weather and traffic information they need … when they need it.”….Cont….

(from Examiner.com) – On Saturday, April 21st, between 9:00 p.m. and 9:35 p.m, WALA-TV produced their first local newscast in high definition. It was also the first newscast presented with the new set pieces that had arrived on Monday, March 19th. The station had been producing local newscasts on a temporary set since Saturday, March 3rd until everything planned for the first high-definition newscast was ready….Cont….

Read the rest of this entry →

(from SunHerald.com) – Cable One is dropping WALA-TV, the Fox affiliate in Mobile, from its lineup Tuesday, a move that will make WXXV-TV the sole provider of Fox programming to local viewers.

In a release sent to the Sun Herald late Friday, a representative for Cable One said their company is not to blame, that the decision was Fox’s to make.

In fact, it said, “We are disappointed to no longer be able to carry WALA, especially because some of our customers enjoy the station’s local news.”

This will affect Cable One customers in Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula….Cont….

(from Examiner.com) - WALA-TV has plans to begin producing local newscasts in high definition by April when construction on a new set for local newscasts is scheduled to be complete. Until then, all local newscasts from the station would be presented from a temporary set. The temporary set has been used for the newscasts since Saturday, March 3rd.

The plan to begin producing local newscasts in high definition was mentioned in several messages posted on the WALA-TV Facebook page in response to comments about the temporary newscast set from visitors of the page. The responses were attributed to Andrew Perez, a reporter for WALA-TV.

WPMI-TV has plans to produce local newscasts in high definition by the spring also. WEAR-TV and WKRG-TV have the ability to produce local newscasts in high definition all ready….Cont….

(from Fox10TV.com) – WALA FOX10 will premiere a brand new local news program on Monday September 12, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. FOX10 News at 4 will air in the time period previously occupied by Oprah.

“Our viewers told us they would like to see an earlier newscast,” said WALA and WFNA General Manager Elden Hale. “The end of the Oprah era actually gives us the opportunity to meet our viewers’ needs with a fresh new news program.”

The new news hour will be anchored by FOX10 News anchors Lenise Ligon and April Douglas and will feature weather reports from FOX10 News meteorologist Chasity Byrd. The 4:00 p.m. news will also have live newsroom updates from FOX10 News Anchor Bob Grip….Cont….

(from TVNewsCheck.com) – LIN TV Corp. (owners of Mobile/Pensacola’s WALA-TV/WFNA-TV) today reported its second quarter 2011 results that included an increase in net revenues of 5% to $104.1 million, compared to $99.5 million for the second quarter of 2010.

Core local and national advertising sales combined, which excludes political advertising sales, was flat at $89.1 million, compared to $89.3 million for the second quarter of 2010.

Sales in the automotive category, which represented 22% of local and national advertising sales for the quarter, decreased by 8% to $19.1 million, compared to $20.8 million for the second quarter of 2010. The decline in the automotive category was offset in part by recovery in other categories, including restaurants, which increased 11%….Cont….

(from NWFDailyNews.com) – Still have an antenna lying around? Cox Communications customers may need one Thursday if a new contract is not negotiated between the cable company and owners of WALA-TV before the current one expires.

Sheila Nichols, a vice president of public affairs for Cox in Fort Walton Beach, said the company is working with Lin Media, owner of the Mobile, Ala., Fox station and WFNA-TV (the local CW station), to reach an agreement before the contract expires.

“We are committed to keeping WALA and WFNA on our channel lineup and we’re actively working towards reaching an agreement,” Nichols said. “But we don’t believe … our customers should be burdened with excessive cost for a station’s programming that’s available free over the air.”….Cont….

Mobile’s WALA will debut a new “local lifestyle and entertainment” show this fall, called “Studio 10.” Does this sound familiar? It should, WTSP produces (pretty much) the exact same show for the Tampa market, also called “Studio 10″ (logo right). More on WALA’s “new” show below…

(from RBR.com) - LIN Media’s WALA-TV (Fox) Mobile-Pensacola is set to debut a new, local lifestyle and entertainment program this fall. “Studio 10” will give viewers access to shopping, entertainment, cooking, fitness, bargain-hunting, home décor and an array of other topics of local interest.

Producers say the program will be hyper-local and focused on all the things that make life in the Gulf Coast area fabulous.

“This is a program unlike anything else on the air in this market,” said WALA/WFNA Vice President and General Manager Matt Pumo. “It’s energetic, fun, informative…and one hundred-eighty degrees from a local news show.”

Studio 10 will air weekdays at 8:00 am immediately after the “FOX10 News Morning Show.”  The program will be hosted by Cherish Lombard and Joe Emer and will feature segments produced by Chasity Byrd and Derica Williams….Cont….

(from RBR.com) – LIN TV’s WBPG-TV Mobile-Pensacola has changed call letters to WFNA, to denote its two states of Florida aNd Alabama. The station continues to be a CW affiliate in a duopoly with WALA-TV (Fox). “In addition to a whole new look and design, viewers and customers can expect a whole new attitude. Programming, web content, even contesting will be done with a completely new edge,” said WALA and WFNA President and General Manager Matt Pumo. “The ultimate objective is to create an exciting experience for the viewer,” said WALA and WFNA Director of Marketing Kyle Claude.  “We wanted a brand that is relevant, entertaining and memorable… to have everyone in the market saying FNA Baby.” WFNA’s product launch will take place on December 18, 2009.  Station management says viewers can expect new on-air and online content early next year….Cont….