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WPXI-TV
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Branding	Channel 11 (general) Channel 11 News (newscasts)
Slogan	Coverage You Can Count On (general) Live, Local, Late-Breaking (newscasts)
Channels	Analog: 11 (VHF) Digital: 48 (UHF)
Affiliations	NBC NBC Weather Plus (DT2) RTN (DT3)
Owner	Cox Enterprises, Inc. (WPXI, Inc.)
First air date	September 1, 1957
Call letters’ meaning	Pittsburgh XI (11 in Roman numerals)
Former callsigns	WIIC-TV (1957-1981)
Transmitter Power	316 kW (analog) 1000 kW (digital)
Height	305 m (analog) 289 m (digital)
Facility ID	73910
Transmitter Coordinates	40°27′47.5″N 80°0′15.5″W / 40.463194, -80.004306
Website	www.wpxi.com

WPXI, channel 11 is the NBC television affiliate based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's owned by Cox Enterprises. Its transmitter is located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Syndicated programming on the station includes The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Doctors, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Family Feud, Judge Judy, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

History

On September 1, 1957, Channel 11 signed on as WIIC-TV, the second commercial VHF station in Pittsburgh. It was owned by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and immediately took NBC programming from KDKA-TV.

Bill Cardille (now a former Channel 11 host and weather forecaster) signed the station on the air. Some of the first original programming to air on WIIC included Studio Wrestling and Chiller Theatre, both hosted by Cardille.

In 1964, the station was sold to current owner Cox Enterprises.

In 1970, WIIC made Pittsburgh broadcasting history as Eleanor Schano became the first woman to anchor a newscast alone. Schano also hosted a weekly 30-minute public affairs program called Face to Face.

During much of the 1970s, WIIC trailed in a distant third place in the ratings behind KDKA-TV and WTAE-TV. This coincided with much of the period where NBC also struggled in the ratings. About the mid-late 1970s, Channel 11 used the 11 Alive moniker.

In 1981, the call signs were changed to WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh 11, with XI being the Roman numeral sign for 11). The WIIC calls still reside in Pittsburgh, but on a low-powered independent station airing music videos.

WPXI also has been airing the Jerry Lewis Telethon as the Pittsburgh affiliate of the annual event. The local portion of the telethon is still hosted by Bill Cardille.

In 2000, Cox Enterprises purchased WTOV in Steubenville, Ohio and WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania from Sunrise Television. These stations, also NBC affiliates often appear in channel lineups for the same viewers that watch WPXI, either by over-the-air signal or via cable provider, and due to the proximity of the three stations to each other (as well as the common affiliation with NBC), are occasionally marketed together as a result. Cox changed the stations' on-air appearances to match WPXI's look, despite WPXI changing its own look in 2004. Those stations still use WPXI's former look.

Over the Labor Day weekend of 2007, WPXI introduced its new studio location in the city's Summer Hill neighborhood near the Parkway North. The move ended a 50-year tradition at Television Hill in the city's Fineview neighborhood. The station's tower is to remain in place at the top of the station's current location.^[1] WPXI officially launched their 6 PM newscast from their new studio in Summer Hill on October 6. WPXI is now the first station in Pittsburgh broadcasting news in high definition, though not without criticism for technical glitches during the initial week of the new system run. ^[2][3] With the switch to HD came a new set, created by FX Group & new HD graphics, created by Hothaus Creative.

As part of its 50th anniversary, WPXI announced it would air classic TV programs on a digital subchannel from the Retro Television Network. The additional channel began on October 15, 2007. ^[4]

In mid-October 2008, WPXI, in collaboration with Cox's longtime partner Internet Broadcasting, launched a redesigned Web site. As of early November 2008, the Web sites of all of Cox's stations east of the Mississippi River are using the new format pioneered by WPXI; the Web sites of the company's stations west of the Mississippi River followed suit a month later.

Newscasts

WPXI occasionally pre-empts programming to report breaking news. Typically, WPXI offers 4 1/2 hours of live newscasts on Channel 11. It offers an 1 1/2 on PCNC and 1 hour on WPGH-TV. Previous branding for newscasts include WIIC-TV 11 News, News/Watch, Instant News, Steel City News and Newscenter 11.

Weekdays

WPXI was the first channel to offer a 5:30 PM newscast in Pittsburgh during the late 1980s. The newscast was named Channel 11 News First Edition. They were also the first station to offer a 5 PM newscast in the early 1990s. The newscast was named Channel 11 News First at 5.

Weekends

WPXI dropped the NBC Saturday morning cartoons in September, 1990 in favor of a newscast airing from 8 AM-12:30 PM. The success of the weekend morning news prompted NBC network officials to extend the Today show to weekends. WPXI, however, has since scaled back its weekend morning news.

Pittsburgh native Jodi Applegate co-anchored NBC's Weekend Today, but was never seen locally due to WPXI's weekend morning news.

Pittsburgh Cable News Channel

The station went into cable television on January 1, 1994, with the launch of PCNC - the Pittsburgh Cable News Channel. PCNC brought the first 10 PM newscast to Pittsburgh. The final installment of PCNC's 10 PM news aired on January 26, 2006 as WPXI took over WPGH-TV's news operation.

PCNC offers 2 newscasts: "Pittsburgh This Morning", a 7-8 AM weekday newscast and a 7 PM weeknight newscast.

Channel 11 News on FOX 53

As of January 12, 2006, Sinclair Broadcast Group (owner of FOX affiliate WPGH-TV) and Cox entered into an agreement where WPXI began producing a newscast specifically for WPGH. This agreement, called a "news share", began January 30, 2006. All of WPGH's former news staff, except for sportscaster Alby Oxenreiter, were laid off. The 10 PM newscast became Channel 11 News on FOX 53 at Ten. Oxenreiter's "Ox on FOX Sports Extra" fills the final 15 minutes of the newscast.

Ratings

Over the past decade, Pittsburgh has been a perennially competitive market for local news, with news ratings usually differing by less than a full ratings point. More recently, KDKA-TV has expanded its lead in most dayparts. WPXI produced the most-watched 10 P.M. newscast, Channel 11 News on FOX 53, during the May 2008 Nielsen ratings period, was in second place to WTAE at 5 and 6 A.M., was in second to KDKA at 11 P.M. and trailed both competitors at noon, 5, and 6 P.M. ^{[5] [6]}

Slogans

John Fedko reports from Denver, Colorado

WPXI has had a plethora of slogans focusing on their news-driven product, including More News, More Often and Live, Local, Late-Breaking News, both of which were used during the 1990s.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, WPXI was known as the 24-Hour News Source, providing news & weather updates every hour on Channel 11.

Channel 11's current slogan is "Coverage You Can Count On". In 2004, the station expanded the slogan to include various news-oriented services (ex. "Weather Coverage You Can Count On" & "News Coverage You Can Count On").

In the station's news openings, the words "Live, Local and Late-breaking" were added in 2007.

WPXI did some custom versions of NBC slogans back in the '80s. Slogans include "Channel 11, Let's All Be There," "Come Home to 11," "Channel Ele-ven, Be There" and "WPXI-TV, the Place to Be!"

Logo

WPXI logo until October 2004

WPXI currently uses the number 11 drawn into a circle, which debuted in 1987. The 11 symbol is colored gold, while the box around it is dark blue. WPXI previously used the NBC Peacock in its logo, which was copied by sister stations WTOV & WJAC-TV & is still used by those stations, but revamped its look in October 2004. WPXI's current look uses the circle 11 logo with stylized "WPXI" below it.

Music

WPXI is known to commission its own theme music from companies, although it has previously used the famous Move Closer to Your World theme. It has commissioned both "Total Coverage" (its previous package still used by WJAC & WTOV) & after WPXI moved to their new Summer Hill Television Building, they started using the Tower V.2, ending the NBC collection all together.

Local Programming

Channel 11 has had only 1 major foray into producing local programming. From 1963-1984, the station produced and broadcast "Chiller Theater," a late Saturday evening horror film show hosted by Bill Cardille, or as he was referred to, "Chilly Billy." Cardille and a cast of characters would introduce the film being shown, as well as perform skits during breaks in the film. Cardille became well-known for hosting the show & the shows themselves became part of local yore. The final program aired on January 1, 1984. Cardille remained on-air @ Channel 11 through the early-mid-1990s as the AM & noon weather forecaster. Cardille remains in Pittsburgh as midday personality on WJAS radio & occasional Chiller Theater reunions have been held over the years.

The show was part of a trend during the 1960s & 1970s for TV stations to produce local programming. Local stations often created their own children's shows as well. Horror theater shows, such as Shock Theatre, hosted by Ghoulardi & Big Chuck and Little John in Cleveland, as well as Chiller Theater, were not only easy to produce, but popular with the local audience.

For its part, WPXI (known then as WIIC) produced "Cartoon Colorama", which aired old-time cartoons produced in color format (hence the name), hosted by Willie the Duck, a hand-puppet with a Donald Duck type of voice, speaking to off-camera announcer Don Riggs (who served as Willie's comedy foil) in between the cartoons. The show had been previously hosted by a character called "Captain Jim".

Present

• Our Region's Business
• Talkin' Pittsburgh
• Impact
• Celebrate the Season Parade
• Carol Sing
• Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
• A Star Spangled Salute
• The Jerome Bettis Show

Past

• Chiller Theater (1963-1983)
• H.S. Sports Saturday with Mark Malone
• Studio Wrestling (1959-1972)
• Cartoon Colorama with Captain Jim
• Luncheon at the Ones
• Jackpot Bingo
• Hotline
• Pittsburgh Pirates baseball (1994-1996)

Digital TV

WPXI Broadcasts its digital signals (HD if programming permits) over the airwaves & on cable. Standard channel 11 (e.g. NBC) programming is broadcast on 11.1

WPXI was the first channel in Pittsburgh to make use of additional programming on its digital channels.

WPXI added an airwave digital channel on 11.3 in late October 2007 when it began an affiliation with Retro Television Network, a channel that airs classic TV programming. Sister stations WJAC-TV and WTOV-TV will also launch RTN in 2009.

WPXI has decided to move RTN to 11.2 and 11.3 will be blank for the time being, no other channels will be added to WPXI digital network.

When analog signals sign off on February 17, 2009, in favor of digital, WPXI will continue broadcasts on its current signal of channel 48 instead of moving to channel 11. The move is being done because of CW station WPCW-TV, currently on analog signal 19, can have better coverage of the Pittsburgh DMA without interfering with CBS affiliate WOIO in Cleveland. In addition, that station's current digital signal 49 would eventually interfere with low-power WLLS-LP in Indiana, Pennsylvania & PBS station WEAO in Akron.

As a result, WPCW will be allotted the channel 11 signal while WPXI will use its current digital signal 48 permanently.^[7] However, through the use of PSIP, TV sets will still display WPXI on Channel 11 as a virtual channel.

Newscast title

• Steel City News (19??-1981)
• NewsCenter 11 (1981-1983)
• Channel 11 News (1983-present)

Personalities

Former Personalities

• Asa Aarons (1984-1990) (consumer reporter) - now a consumer reporter for WNBC New York
• Mal Alberts (late 50's-early 60's) (sports director)
• Jennifer Antkowiak (19xx-1993) (reporter) - later worked at KDKA-TV as an anchor, and now hosts jennifer, a talk show on WTAE.
• Newlin Archinal (1999-2008) (anchor)
• Caroline Avedesian (1998-1999) (reporter)
• Hank Baughman (19xx-1987) (anchor) - now morning news anchor at WSHH "Wish 99.7" in Pittsburgh, also worked at KQV, WTAE-AM, WHTX
• Rocky Bleier (1980-19xx) (sports) - former Pittsburgh Steeler
• Mike Boguslowski (19xx-19xx) (consumer reporter); also worked at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles
• Dennis Bowman (1984-2000) (weather) - after 16 years he moved on to Topeka, Kansas, but returned to Pittsburgh in 2005; now a meteorologist at KDKA-TV
• Jim Brinson (1984-1987) (sports) -
• Natasha Brown (2000-2002) (reporter) - now at KYW-TV and WPSG in Philadelphia
• Beverly Byer (19xx-19xx) (anchor) - was an anchor at KION-TV in Monterey, Calif.; now at KRXA 540 AM
• Bill Cardille (1957-2000) (weather) - was the first personality on air at WIIC, now a radio DJ at WJAS
• Darryl Carver (1997-2000) (reporter) - now a reporter at WAGA in Atlanta
• Reg Chapman (2000-2002) (reporter) - now a reporter at WNBC New York
• Steve Chenevey (2000-2002) (reporter) - now co-anchors WTTG morning news from 5 to 7 A.M.
• Bob Cochran (1957-1975) (anchor/reporter)
• Jane Crawford (1980-1984) (anchor/reporter)
• Della Crews (1985-1998) (anchor/reporter) - now at News 12 in the New York/New Jersey area
• John Cross (1980-1984) - (economics editor)
• Vince DeLisi (19xx-19xx) (reporter)
• Red Donley (1961-1970) (sports) - previously worked at WTOV-TV in Steubenville, Ohio / Wheeling, West Virginia-died in 1998
• Deidra Dukes (1995-1998) - (anchor/reporter) - now weekend anchor at WAGA in Atlanta
• Tim Earl (1984-1986) (weather anchor/science reporter) - lives in Dallas, TX
• Jack Etzel (1974-1996) (feature reporter) "Etzel at Large" and "Jack of All Trades".
• Stacia Erdos (1998-2008) (Weekend Anchor/Reporter)
• Ralph G. Fallert (1957-1974) - (weather forecaster)
• Pat Finn (1979-1984) (weather forecater/reporter) later a host of various game shows
• Katina Forte (1999-2002) (traffic reporter) - was host of 'QVC @ The Mall', now at ShopNBC
• Alan Frio (1979-1981) (anchor) - later original anchor of Hard Copy
• Andy Gastmeyer (1984-2008) (reporter) - retired
• Vince Gerasole (19xx-19xx) (reporter) - now at WBBM-TV, is a native of Pittsburgh
• Derrick Gunn (1987-1997) (sports) - now at Comcast SportsNet
• Mike Hambrick (1986-1989) (anchor) - now with the National Association of Manufacturers [1]
• Yolanda Hawkins (2003-2006) (reporter) - recently posed for the cover of Maniac Magazine's September 2006 issue
• Midge Hill (1981-1984) (weekend anchor/reporter)
• Dagny Hultgreen (19xx-19xx) (anchor/reporter) - sister of Kara Hultgreen, first female US Navy fighter pilot; appeared in the film 'Speed' as a reporter; spent time as a reporter for E! News and Good Day L.A.
• Ron Jaye (19xx-2000) (anchor/reporter) - retired
• Mary Robb Jackson (1976-1979) - (reporter), now at KDKA-TV
• Keith Jones (1999-2003) (anchor/reporter), now at KDKA-TV
• C.S. Keys (1995-2000) (weather) now at XETV-TV in San Diego
• Pat Kiley (early 1970s) (anchor) - formerly of KDKA-TV
• Barry Lillis (1981-1983) (weather forecaster)
• Kris Long (1993-1998) (anchor) - now at KPSP-LP in Palm Springs, Calif.
• Adam Lynch (1962-1978) (anchor/reporter) -retired
• Mark Malone (1990-1993) (sports)
• P.J. Maloney (mid-1970s to mid 1980's) (reporter/weather forecaster) now at KQV
• Loran Mann (1976-1996) (reporter) - now a minister in Pittsburgh
• Kelley Mitchell (1987-1989) (anchor)
• Russ Montgomery (early-mid 1970's) - (weather forecaster)
• Sam Nover (1970-2001) (sports) - retired
• Katrina Owens (2006-2007) (reporter)
• Ken Phillips (1974-1979) (chief meteorologist)
• Bruce Pompeani (1993-1996) (anchor/reporter) - worked at KDKA-TV
• Gina Redmond (2001-2003) (anchor) - now at WVTM-TV in Birmingham
• Don Riggs (1970-1990) (weather/reporter)
• Dr. Mike Rosen (1997-2001) (medical reporter) - now the senior medical correspondent at WCBS-TV and also files reports for CBS Newspath
• Lori Savitch (1990-19xx) (anchor/reporter) - now an award-winning freelance producer for Nickelodeon, Lifetime and the History Channel and contributor to WQED Pittsburgh's 'OnQ'
• Eleanor Schano (19xx-19xx) (anchor) - host of WQED's 'LifeQuest'
• Pat Shingleton (1979-1981) (chief meteorologist) now at WBRZ
• Margaret Shortridge (1992-2000) (reporter/anchor) - now at WFLD
• Roxanne Stein (19xx-1987) (anchor) - now at WPTV-TV
• Dave Sullivan (late 1970s-early 1980s) - (sports)
• Ray Tannehill (1970-1976) (anchor) - died in 2007
• Edye Tarbox (1987-1989) (anchor) - now with Fox News Channel
• Steve Teeling (2000-2006) (Chief Meteorologist) - now with WXXA in Albany, New York
• Becky Thompson (19xx-2006) (consumer reporter) - relocated to Texas
• Estha Trouw (1995-19xx) (anchor/reporter) - Now anchorwoman with San Diego Fox 6[2] News at 10pm.
• Wayne Van Dine (1969-1978) (consumer reporter) "Action Line" on WIIC.
• Krista Villarreal (2005-2008) (meteorologist)
• Randy Waters (1981-1984) (sports) - now at WXIA-TV in Atlanta
• Alice Weston co-host "Luncheon at the Ones."
• By Williams co-host "Luncheon at the Ones."

Trivia

• WPXI was the only Pittsburgh TV station that aired uncensored footage of Pennsylvania treasurer Budd Dwyer's suicide in 1987.
• Most of the news reports in Night of the Living Dead aired on WIIC within the film.
• Since at least the late 1980s, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have aired on WPXI. Before that, KDKA aired the two game shows in a late afternoon slot.
• Julie Bologna worked at WPXI, left for Texas, but has since returned to WPXI. On December 15, she was offically given the title of Chief Meteorologist.
• Krista Villarreal left December 12 to go back to Texas where she was from, Her husband found a job there since October.

External links

• WPXI Web site
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WPXI
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WPXI-TV
• Program Information for WPXI at TitanTV.com

References

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