Independence Day For WPLG Local 10 News
Since it was founded in 1961, WPLG Channel 10 has established a reputation as one of the region’s leading news stations, serving the South Florida community while winning numerous Emmy and Murrow Awards.
From the beginning, the news station was an ABC affiliate, which meant they had a contractual partnership with the network to carry its programming, not that it was owned by ABC and the Walt Disney Company.
The station provided local news, weather, traffic, and community coverage while ABC provided national news and entertainment shows, making for a well-rounded broadcast schedule.
All of that changed in March when WPLG announced it would cut its ties with ABC after nearly seven decades of partnership. It became an independent station on Aug. 4 and branded it as their Independence Day.
What happened?
The media outlet, owned by the national holding company Berkshire Hathaway, spent months of back-and-forth negotiations to extend the affiliation contract. After not reaching an agreement, ABC pulled its programming.
“Broadcast television stations across the country have announced massive layoffs in recent years. WPLG is proud we’ve not had layoffs, but it became clear that if we accepted the deal ABC was proposing, we too would have been forced to lay off employees in order to pay the hefty price the network was demanding,” said E.R Bert Medina, CEO and president of Local 10, in a story on the station’s website.
What does that mean for viewers?
This will be more than just an ownership and logo shift.
An exciting new era is under way for WLPG Channel 10. However, with this newfound independence comes uncertainty and struggles as they have lost the advantage of ABC’s national programming power, forcing them to work harder to keep ratings stable and ad revenues flowing.
As Local 10 becomes independent, the channel will oversee its entire schedule, gaining control over their content and who makes the crucial decisions.
Time slots that were once reserved for TV shows and national ABC lineups like Grey’s Anatomy and Shark Tank will instead include local news along with its own specials and local programming.
The station can now establish itself as an independent local station that prioritizes news broadcasting and relies on its local journalism as opposed to national network shows. They will no longer be “the ABC channel in Miami.”
With the shift, WSVN Channel 7 will be the new home of ABC network programming in South Florida.
I grew up with local news always playing on TV, so the change is a welcome one. It’s rare to see news broadcasts that are truly of the people, by the people, for the people.
Media outlets are facing tumultuous backlash from parent companies, staff layoffs and polarized news.
Bringing media outlets like WLPG, who are mostly composed of local employees, back to their roots will be beneficial. It allows them to focus on improving news services and serving the interest of local audiences, instead of advancing national agendas or complying with the demands of their affiliates.
