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- For broadcast stations that previously used the WJBK call sign, see WJBK (disambiguation)
WJBK ("FOX2") is the Fox-owned and operated television station in Detroit, Michigan. Its studios and 1003-foot (305.7 m) transmitter are co-located in Southfield, Michigan while its signal covers the Metro Detroit area. WJBK's signal can also be picked up as far away as Flint, Toledo, Adrian and Chelsea.
On cable, WJBK can be seen on Comcast Detroit channel 12, Bright House Livonia channel 2, and Cogeco Windsor channel 7. In addition, it is one of five local Detroit TV stations seen in Canada on the StarChoice satellite provider.
History
The station debuted on October 24, 1948, as a CBS and DuMont affiliate owned by Storer Broadcasting (under George B. Storer) along with WJBK-AM 1500 (now WLQV) and WJBK-FM 93.1 (now WDRQ). WJBK became affiliated solely with CBS in 1955 after the DuMont network went out of business. In a 1984 corporate deal, the station came under the ownership of KKR. It was then sold as part of a group deal to Gillett Communications in 1987, and then sold to SCI. WJBK was sold to New World Communications in 1993 as part of yet another group deal.
In 1994, New World agreed to affiliate its stations, including WJBK, to Fox when that network won the contract to carry the NFC football package, which was originally carried on the station as a CBS affiliate. As a result, WJBK dropped the CBS affiliation and along with the other New World stations took on the Fox affiliation. CBS moved to a weak independent station WGPR (which would be sold to CBS and renamed WWJ-TV). Like most other New World stations, WJBK also did not take Fox's children programming, which remained on the market's former Fox station (and charter UPN affiliate) WKBD (before moving to WADL).
Fox bought out New World Communications in 1997, and WJBK became a Fox owned and operated station. The network brought stronger syndicated shows on WJBK. However, the station continued its practice of not running children's programming from the network (which is no longer shown on weekdays, and is now only seen on Sunday mornings on WMYD).
In 2003, WJBK became the broadcast home of the Detroit Red Wings. The station broadcasts up to ten games a season.
WJBK recently moved its longtime noon newscast to 11:00 AM and now airs reruns of COPS in its noon timeslot.
WJBK's programming over the years included the popular horror show Sir Graves Ghastly and J.P. and the Lions, which featured WJR morning personality J.P. McCarthy and members of the Detroit Lions.
Newscasts
After becoming a Fox affiliate station, WJBK maintained a newscast schedule that is very similar to a CBS, ABC, or NBC affiliated station. Upon the network switch, the station moved its late evening news broadcasts from 11 PM to 10 PM. The station is known in the area for its "Problem Solver" investigative unit that was started in 1998.
WJBK's newscasts in the CBS-era were rebroadcasted on WADL under a partnership WJBK had with that station. The station also had an Eyewitness News format that was similar to sister station WHBQ-TV in Memphis, thus calling itself FOX2 Eyewitness News for sometime before shortening to the current FOX2 News.
In late 2005, reports circulated stating that Fox owned and operated stations would be doing an 11:00 p.m. newscast. The test market for this experiment is WTVT in Tampa, Florida. If successful, the plan is to have all Fox owned and operated stations producing news at 11:00 PM. Sister stations KSAZ in Phoenix, WITI in Milwaukee, WDAF in Kansas City and KDFW in Dallas have a 10 PM newscast, which could mean that Fox O&Os in the Central and Mountain Time Zones could have a 10 PM newscast as expected.
WJBK, as well as other Fox O&Os, will be adopting the Fox News Channel look with a rotating FNC-ish logo (displaying time and temperature) and the "The Most Powerful Name In News" title as is already implemented in Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, and New York. The station will also adopt a completely revamped website under the "myFOX (Name of City where FOX O&O is at)" name.
WJBK operates an Aerospatiale AS350BA A-star news helicopter called Sky Fox.
Weekdays
- FOX2 News Morning - 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM
- FOX2 News Live at 11 AM - 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- FOX2 News at 5 PM - 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- FOX2 News at 6 PM - 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM
- FOX2 News at 10 PM - 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Saturday
- FOX2 News Weekend - 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
- FOX2 News at 6 p.m. - 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- FOX2 News at 10 p.m. - 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Sunday
- FOX2 News Weekend - 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
- FOX2 News Weekend (6 PM) - 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM
- FOX2 News Weekend (10 PM) - 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Personalities
The station aired assorted sci-fi and horror movies on Saturday afternoons, hosted by the humorous personality Sir Graves Ghastly, an analog of children's shows running cartoons and hosted by a station employee with a theme or personality.
Logo History
References
- Inside Fox2: Did You Know That (2003, 2004). Fox2Detroit.com.
External links
Television stations in Michigan | Television stations in Detroit | Fox network affiliates | Fox Television Stations Group | Channel 2 TV stations in the United States
"WJBK"