When WJKS discovered it was going to lose the ABC affiliation to Albritton (who were in the process of buying then-WB affiliate WBSG-TV 21 in Brunswick, GA), it was decided by management to shut down the news department. This happened near the end of 1996, though ABC programming continued for a short period.
WJKS then joined the WB, and changed call letters to WJWB. The station is actually very profitable, previously ranking as the number one WB affiliate in the country.
ABC finally went to WBSG-21 in '97. Sort of. Actually, the plan was to move WBSG's tower closer to Jacksonville, but the FCC said no. They instead purchased the dormant license for channel 25 in Orange Park, FL. This became WJXX-TV "ABC 25".
WJXX became the main station, with studios located in Jacksonville. WBSG then served as a satellite.
When Albritton sold WJXX to Gannett (who already owned NBC affiliate WTLV), the WJXX news department was shuttered, the studios closed down, and channel 25 was moved into the WTLV facility. WBSG was sold to Paxson, who converted it to Pax affiliate WPXC. WTLV did keep a number of WJXX employees, and continues to simulcast it's news on both stations.
Another note involving WJKS's defunct newscast. Before the shutdown, WJKS was producing a 10pm newscast for Fox affiliate WAWS. As WJKS was shutting down the news department, WAWS/Fox 30 started one up. The WAWS newscast eventually expanded to sister-station WTEV, which was with UPN at the time. Today, WTEV is the CBS affiliate (as WJXT went independent), and airs a full slate of newscasts. WAWS airs still newscasts twice daily at 4pm and 10pm.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">
Edited by Stitch on 06/21/05 06:35 AM.</FONT></P>
