WTSP - Definition and Overview

WTSP-TV(Channel 10) is a CBS-affiliate television station on the west coast of Florida (Tampa-St. Petersburg DMA 13) that has an interesting and varied history. The station began broadcasting on July 17, 1965, as WLCY-TV, an ABC affiliate, after a lengthy court battle that lasted nearly ten years between five prospective owners seeking the license. Rahall Communications was awarded the original license for Channel 10.

Early personalities included Dick Crippen, who orginally did weather and then sports, Marshall Cleaver, Al Stockmeyer, and Karol Kelly. In 1976, former WFLA anchor Arch Deal became the news director and main anchor for "Eyewitness News". Ratings for the station during the early to mid 1970s were dismal, however, compared to longtime Bay Area stations WTVT and WFLA and the station nearly lost its ABC affiliation. However, on September 19, 1978, WLCY-TV was purchased by Gulf Broadcasting. New owner Allen Henry and General Manager Larry Clamadge immediately began to turn the station around, changing the call letters to WTSP-TV that year and hiring a slew of new personalities that would change the entire face of the station. This was similar to what Roone Arledge had done for ABC News that same year. Beginning in 1979, Don Harrison, Liz Ayers, Wally Kinnan and Dick Crippen anchored the Channel 10 evening newscasts. Ratings surged, making the station more competitive with its rivals. In 1979, Channel 10 also acquired its famous "Sunset 10" logo along with the "Action News" format.

In October of 1979, the station acquired "Sky 10," Tampa Bay's first news helicopter. This stunned the local news community and showed that Channel 10 was serious about local news coverage. It was the only local news helicopter to broadcast the infamous Skyway Bridge disaster on live television in May of 1980. Another technological advance was Tampa Bay's first satellite news truck called "Star 10" that beamed signals from far away locations to WTSP's Gandy Blvd. headquarters.

In late 1981, Don Harrison left the station to become an anchor at upstart CNN Headline News. John Wilson replaced Harrison as anchor. On January 9, 1983, Sheryl Browne joined Wilson at the anchor desk on "Action 10 News," rounding out the station's main anchor team.

Longtime WTSP chief meteorologist Dick Fletcher joined the station in March of 1980. Award-winning reporter Mike Deeson and legendary sports anchor Ken Broo also bolstered the station in the early 1980s. Taft Broadcasting purchased the station in 1985 and later Great American Broadcasting acquired WTSP.

In 1989, one of the first computer esponionage scadals in the nation broke, when news director Terry Cole and cohort Michael Shapiro broke into the computer system of rival WTVT seeking a ratings advantage. Both were fired and were sentenced by Florida court to probation for the incident. This was the first of several ethical dilemmas that faced the station during this time period. In June of 1989, "Action 10 News" became "NewsCenter 10" and a 5 pm newscast was launched. Although in third place, ratings slowly recovered to be competitive with WFLA.

In December of 1992, news anchor Sheryl Browne left the station and was replaced by Sue Zelenko. John Wilson, who announced his departure on Thanksgiving of 1992, officially left WTSP in January of 1993. Weekend anchor and reporter Dave Wagner and 11 pm anchor Sue Zelenko became the new anchor team alongside Dick Fletcher and Al Keck on "10 News". Pat Minarcin, a veteran of the broadcast industry, then took over for Wagner in August of 1994. The station became a CBS affiliate in December of 1994, in the "Big Switch," which caused much viewer confusion. WTSP was purchased by Gannett in 1996.

In January of 1998, Reginald Roundtree replaced Pat Minarcin as the main anchor of "10 News". Minarcin would later sued the station for age discrimination. In October of 2002, the station launched a new news format and image. A new, state of the art digital newsroom was also constructed for WTSP's news staff.

Channel 10 is currently #1 at 5pm (where it airs Dr. Phil) and 6pm, and a close second at 11 p.m. Longtime news anchor Sue Zelenko anchored her last newscast on April 23, 2004. Heather Van Nest is now co-anchoring with Reginald Roundtree and a new morning news team is being featured. WTSP's transmitter is located in Holiday, Florida.

Past Personalities:

• John Wilson, anchor (1981-1993)
• Sheryl Browne, anchor (1983-1992)
• Don Harrison, anchor (1979-1981)
• Liz Ayers, anchor (1979-1982)
• Arch Deal, anchor (1976-1978)
• Gary Rebstock, anchor (1978-1979)
• Francie Murphy, anchor (1978-1979)
• Dennis Roper, anchor (1979-1986)
• Mark Feldstein, I-Team (1980-1985)
• Sue Zelenko, anchor (1991-2004)
• Pat Minarcin, anchor (1994-1998)
• Al Ruechel, anchor (1986-1996)
• Marlene Schneider, anchor (1989-1996)
• Jane Akre, anchor (1992-1995)
• Dave Wagner, anchor (1987-1999)
• Miles O'Brien, reporter (1986-1988)
• Rod Challenger, news director (1978-1979)
• Wally "The Weatherman" Kinnan (1978-1980)
• Dennis Feltgen, meteorologist (1989-1999)
• Jim Wegner, meteorologist (1980's-90's)
• Jim Brihan, meteorologist (1980's-90's)
• Linda Gialenella, meteorologist (1993-1999)
• Dick Crippen, sports director (1965-1981)
• Ken Broo, sports director (1981-1987)
• Steve Talbot, sports director (1987-1988)
• Al Keck, sports director (1988-2001)
• Bill Campbell-"Campbell's Corner" (1975-1993)

Slogans

• "WLCY-TV: Where The Action Is!" (1965)
• "Count On the Action News Team" (1980s)
• "NewsCenter 10: In the Center of it All" (1989-1992)
• "10 News: News You Can Use" (1992-1994)
• "Where News Comes First" (1994-1995)
• "The Next Generation of News" (1994-1996)
• "We've Got You Covered" (1996-1998)
• "People You Can Count On" (1998-2001)
• "Covering Tampa Bay" (2001-2002)
• "Enjoy It: We Do" (2002-)
• "You'll Be Seeing Red" promo for the revamped Channel 10 (2002)

External links

• WTSP (http://www.wtsp.com/)