WFTX, virtual channel 36 (UHF digital channel 17), is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Cape Coral, Florida, United States and serving the Tampa Bay area. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and is part of a duopoly with St. Petersburg-licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate WTTA (channel 38). The two stations share studios on South Falkenburg Road (near Interstate 75) in Tampa; WFTX’s transmitter is located at the antenna farm in Riverview.
On cable, WFTX is available in standard definition on Charter Spectrum, Comcast Xfinity, Frontier FiOS and WOW! channel 4, and in high definition on Spectrum channel 1222, Xfinity channel 433, FiOS channel 536 and WOW! channel 1004.
History
WFTX, was originally founded on May 8, 2003 by Southwest Florida Television, LLC, a company owned by local attorney and businessman Bill Mock. Its initial studios were located at 1375 Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral and consisted of a single studio in the corner of an office building. The station’s original owner applied for the Channel 36 construction permit in 1997 and was granted permission to begin broadcasts in 2000.
The station was initially affiliated with the UPN network; however, UPN would later switch affiliations to WTTA in 2004. WFTX then switched affiliations to the Fox network; prior to that, Fox programming had been shown on WTVT (channel 13) at 11 PM each night until switching to WFTX.
In 2004, Mock sold WFTX to the Sinclair Broadcast Group after several years of operating it. WFTX moved to its current studio facility in 2005. On April 24, 2012, WFTX debuted a new HD-ready set and graphics packages during their 10 p.m. newscast.
Programming
WFTX carries the entire Fox network lineup of syndicated shows, including How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, and Steve Harvey. WFTX also produces daily sports highlight programs titled ‘Fox 4 Rewind’ and ‘Hot Shots’. The station also produces ‘Suncoast Living’, a travel and lifestyle program which is hosted by Heather Leigh. WFTX produces a weekly political call-in show called ‘Swamp Politics’.