WSFA 12 News Montgomery

Catchphrase: Live, Local, Now

Sub-Channels: 12.1 NBC

12.2 Bounce TV

12.3 Grit

Website: www.wsfa.com

WSFA was previously owned by Raycom Media and was one of the two flagship assets headquartered at RSA Tower. It possesses one of the largest coverage area in Alabama and also has secondary reach to Florida and Georgia’s border. Charter Spectrum and WOW! have the responsibility to carry the station on Cable. It was an exclusive NBC affiliate in Dothan and Wiregrass but this changed when the future sister WTVY put WRGX-LD in the market as an NBC affiliate in June 2013.

History

WSFA traces its foundation back to 1930, when a radio station was launched at Montgomery Regional Airport by Gordon Persons. It was the 4^th station in Alabama at that time but first in Montgomery. The channel soon claimed the fame it deserved particularly after launching the career of Hank Williams who happened to be a country music in the future.

Persons after successfully launching and running a radio intended to enter the television market in 50’s. He would soon receive a construction permit to establish the second television station in the state. The VHF Ch 12 slot was originally meant for WCOV-TV, who planned to be the first occupier but couldn’t work according to plan because of delay in purchasing the transmitter and subsequently moved to UHF Ch 20. Following the inauguration of Person’s newly built studio facility on Delano Avenue, WSFA was launched on the eve of Christmas day in 1954. Since its inception Ch 12 has maintained its status as an NBC affiliate in the city.

Persons, after running his baby station only for two months sold it to Oklahoma Publishing Company owned by Gaylord family in Feb 1955. The channel was once again transferred to Liberty Life Insurance Company subsidiary in 1959 which changed its corporate identity to Cosmos Broadcasting Corporation in 1965. It remained as only VHF channel in the market until 1985 when WAKA was launched to become a CBS associate. WSFA dropped TV suffix in 1986 and later entered in a merger with Raycom Media in 2006. It then became the flagship property of Raycom and would later share that identity with WBTV following it purchase in 2008. Today a staff of more than one hundred works during the active hours of station which rose through humble beginnings to become a recognized broadcaster in West Montgomery.

Sale to Gray Television

Gray Television and Raycom announced their merger on June 25, 2018 which was approved by Federal Communications Commission on Dec 20, 2018 and the collapsing of assets consummated on Jan 2, 2019. This resulted in WSFA coming under the corporate umbrella of Gray.

Programming

The NBC affiliate has a prime focus on local and regional news stories and community happenings. The Syndicated content broadcasted by the station includes Harry, Right This Minute, Judge Judy and Entertainment Tonight. Top stories, Central Alabama Weekend, weather and sports updates and lot more is available online. You can connect with the station through Facebook, Twitter and Insta. Here is the website: http://www.wsfa.com/

Contact

Address: 12 East Delano Avenue

Montgomery, AL 36105

Tel: 334 288 1212