After nearly seven decades as an ABC affiliate, WPLG Local 10 — one of South Florida’s largest TV stations — is moving away from the Disney-owned network, and charting an independent path.
South Florida television viewers, however, will continue to tune in to ABC programs — just on another channel. WSVN Channel 7 announced it has reached a deal to start carrying ABC programming. The station already carries FOX programming.
Owners of WPLG Local 10 announced Thursday they would sever ties with the ABC network after being an affiliate station for nearly 70 years. The local affiliate is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
“We made a generous offer to ABC, but it became clear the two sides were not going to agree to a new deal,” WPLG CEO & President E.R. Bert Medina told staff.
The affiliate will end its programming with ABC, beginning Aug. 4. But programs like “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” will remain on-air.
“Our job is to serve this community with news and local programming, that’s why we have an FCC license. If we agreed to the ABC terms, that mission would have suffered,” said Medina, who added that the higher programming costs would have forced the station to reduce staff through layoffs.
He also said ABC’s programming available on other platforms through streaming took away the exclusivity the local affiliate had in the past.
“Even when ABC airs high quality programming, like the Oscars, ABC airs that same programming on other platforms,” he said. “We no longer feel we are getting what we pay for.”
With the savings, Medina said his station will expand the team locally — and focus on more local programming.
“We will make history and we will set the model for what television stations in the 21st Century will look like,” he said.
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