America’s Next Top Merger: WB21, UPN 68 affected
By Wade Kwon
The WB and UPN are joining forces, as the networks combine to form The CW. In Birmingham, this will affect the two Sinclair Broadcasting-owned stations, WB-affiliate WTTO-21 and UPN-affiliate WABM-68, come September.
No word yet on how the merger will affect, if at all, WTTO’s SEC football games through Jefferson Pilot or WABM’s SEC basketball coverage. Also, CBS affiliate WIAT-42 has provided a 9 p.m. newscast for WTTO since October, after Sinclair’s failed Newscentral program signed off, leaving several WTTO employees without jobs.
Updated.
WTTO started out as an independent station in 1982, became a Fox affiliate and later a WB affiliate in the great media shakeout of 1997. The station is best known for its Dubba Twins promotional campaign; so successful were the spots that other WB affiliates hired them for similar commercials.
WTTO, along with other Sinclair stations, tried to compete in local news with an hourlong 9 p.m. newscast in 2003, but did worse than the syndicated sitcoms it had run previously. The station gained notoreity in recent years for two program-related incidents: First, by association during Sinclair’s plan to run an anti-John Kerry program during the 2004 presidential campaign; second, by airing a daily infomercial featuring ousted HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy that same year (and still airs weekdays at 6 a.m.).
WABM started in 1986, also as an independent station and became a UPN affiliate in 1995. The station is best known for its full coverage of the state high school football championship games. In 1998, WABM briefly parted ways with UPN, but resolved their dispute in 1999. Balitmore-based Sinclair bought the station in 2001.
Update
Guess which station will be an independent again?
No surprise: It’s WABM. Perhaps we can look forward to five nights of “Martin” and the Oscar-winning (sorta) “Jamie Foxx Show.”
But, even with merger fever, it appears the station is still hiring across the board.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 5:22 pm
Are they still using the “Dubba Twins?”
(I’ve only recently moved back to the area.)
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 7:12 pm
Nope, after their stint at the University of Alabama (and getting married, but not to each other), they’re down along the Gulf Coast selling real estate.
It’s sad that I know that.
Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:39 pm
They’re still using the dubba dubba twins, they’re just a new pair of girls, Monica and Erica Stacey.
Thursday, June 10, 2010, 11:15 pm
I was in a Wendy’s commercail with you when I was employed at Wendys and my children would like to see it. How can I get access to that commercail it was filmed inHomewood, Al. The Wildwood shopping center. April
Thursday, June 10, 2010, 11:15 pm
I was in a Wendy’s commercail with you when I was employed at Wendys and my children would like to see it. How can I get access to that commercail it was filmed in Homewood, Al. The Wildwood shopping center. April
Sunday, June 13, 2010, 8:59 pm
April: Try contacting the station.