ABC 33/40

ABC 33/40 is the branded ABC television service for the Birmingham, Alabama, United States, market. Its principal low-power broadcast station is WBMA-LD, licensed to Birmingham and operating on channel 58. The service also reaches viewers through digital subchannels of higher-power stations, including WABM in Birmingham, WDBB in the Tuscaloosa area, and WGWW in the Anniston area. This distributed transmission arrangement allows a low-power Birmingham station and associated facilities to provide ABC programming across a broad central Alabama market. The service was created during the major United States television-affiliation realignment of the mid-1990s. Birmingham's longtime ABC affiliate, WBRC, was scheduled to become a Fox station after Fox reached an affiliation agreement with New World Communications. ABC therefore needed a replacement affiliate capable of covering Birmingham as well as areas to the west and east. Rather than move the network to one of the established Birmingham UHF stations, ABC worked with Allbritton Communications to assemble a regional operation from WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa and WJSU-TV in Anniston. Both stations had previously carried CBS programming in their respective areas. Allbritton built a new Birmingham-area studio and news facility in Hoover, while the two existing stations supplied coverage from western and eastern Alabama. The new service launched on September 1, 1996, as Alabama's ABC 33/40. The numerical branding referred to the channel positions of WCFT and WJSU, and the operation was designed to serve the combined Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston areas. WBMA-LD was subsequently incorporated into the brand after Allbritton acquired a low-power Birmingham station and changed its call sign to WBMA-LP. The station's technical footprint and branding evolved over time, but ABC 33/40 remained the consumer-facing identity. A central part of the brand's development was its local news operation. Allbritton recruited experienced personnel from Birmingham's established stations, most notably meteorologist James Spann and anchor Brenda Ladun from WBRC. ABC 33/40 began producing local newscasts on its first day, offering morning, midday, evening, and late-night coverage. It entered the market behind WBRC but reached second place in local news ratings by the early 2000s and occasionally challenged for first place. Its launch increased competition in Birmingham television news and encouraged broader coverage of local weather, sports, and regional affairs. ABC 33/40 also became nationally known in 1997 when it declined to air the episode of the ABC sitcom Ellen in which the title character came out as lesbian. Station management said the episode was unsuitable for family viewing, and ABC did not permit the station to move it to a later time. The decision drew national attention and local criticism; a community screening organized in Birmingham attracted a large audience and extensive media coverage. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Allbritton's television stations in 2014 after a prolonged regulatory review. Because Sinclair already controlled other Birmingham-area stations and faced federal ownership concerns, the transaction changed the way ABC 33/40 programming was distributed. The WCFT and WJSU facilities were ultimately sold to Howard Stirk Holdings, while ABC 33/40 programming was added to subchannels of WABM and WDBB. The service continued to use WBMA-LD and later restored distribution through the Anniston-area WGWW facility. ABC 33/40 remains an active local ABC affiliate, combining network programming, locally produced news, weather, sports, and digital content for central Alabama.

The service that became ABC 33/40 emerged from the structure of Alabama television broadcasting and the 1994 Fox–New World affiliation realignment. Before the launch, WBRC was Birmingham's ABC affiliate, while WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa and WJSU-TV in Anniston served as CBS affiliates for western and eastern portions of Alabama. Birmingham's UHF stations had historically faced coverage limitations compared with the market's older VHF outlets, making a regional combination of stations attractive to ABC. Fox's agreement with New World Communications placed WBRC's ABC affiliation at risk. ABC ultimately chose to work with Allbritton Communications rather than simply move to one of Birmingham's existing commercial stations. Allbritton acquired WCFT and arranged to operate WJSU, while pursuing transmitter improvements and constructing a new studio and news facility in Hoover. The combined service began on September 1, 1996, using the ABC 33/40 identity to reflect the channel numbers of its principal western and eastern facilities. A low-power Birmingham station, acquired from Shirley H. James and later assigned the WBMA call sign, became the local Birmingham component of the operation. The launch included an ambitious news strategy. Allbritton retained portions of the older WCFT and WJSU operations but created a larger Birmingham-centered newsroom. The station recruited prominent personnel, including James Spann and Brenda Ladun, both of whom had been associated with WBRC. Local news began on launch day across morning, midday, evening, and late-night periods. The service initially ranked below WBRC but became a strong competitor, reaching second place in the market by the early 2000s and at times ranking first. Its presence also helped expand competitive investment in local sports and regional reporting. The service attracted national attention in April 1997 after refusing to air the Ellen episode commonly known as 'The Puppy Episode.' Management characterized the program as inappropriate for family viewing. Because ABC would not authorize a delayed broadcast, the station omitted it entirely. Birmingham Pride arranged a public screening that drew approximately 2,500 people and substantial national media interest. The incident became one of the most visible controversies in the station's history. The combined station structure later influenced audience measurement. Nielsen merged the previously separate Tuscaloosa and Anniston markets into the Birmingham market in 1998, increasing the market's population and ranking. Nielsen subsequently had difficulty measuring a service delivered through several transmitters and digital feeds. From 2008 into 2009, a procedural problem led to undercounted viewing, and additional fluctuations continued to affect reported ratings. Allbritton announced a sale of its television stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013. The FCC required changes because Sinclair's existing Birmingham interests and related operating agreements raised ownership-limit issues. The final arrangement, completed in August 2014, retained Sinclair's control of the ABC operation while separating certain facilities and licenses. WCFT and WJSU were sold to Howard Stirk Holdings rather than surrendered, and ABC 33/40 programming moved onto digital subchannels of WABM and WDBB. WGWW, the successor call sign associated with the Anniston facility, later carried the service on a subchannel as well. Today, ABC 33/40 functions as a multi-transmitter ABC affiliate serving Central Alabama. Its public identity is built around local news, weather, severe-weather information, sports, community reporting, and ABC network programming. The station operates from Hoover and distributes content through broadcast television and its digital platforms.

• 2014

  Sinclair takes control of the operation

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair completed its acquisition of Allbritton's television stations after regulatory changes to the original transaction plan.

• 1998

  Birmingham market expands to include Tuscaloosa and Anniston

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  Nielsen consolidated the formerly separate Tuscaloosa and Anniston designated market areas with Birmingham.

• 1997

  WBMA call sign joins the service

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  Allbritton acquired a Birmingham low-power station that adopted the WBMA call sign, strengthening the Birmingham element of the ABC 33/40 identity.

• 1996

  ABC 33/40 launches

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  The service began on September 1 as the ABC affiliate for Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston.

• 1995

  ABC selects an Allbritton regional station plan

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  ABC announced an arrangement involving WCFT-TV and WJSU-TV rather than selecting an existing Birmingham station.

• 1994

  Fox–New World deal displaces Birmingham ABC affiliate

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  WBRC was designated to switch from ABC to Fox, creating the need for a new ABC affiliate in the Birmingham market.

• 1969

  WHMA-TV begins broadcasting in Anniston

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  The Anniston station later became WJSU-TV and formed the eastern component of the combined ABC operation.

• 1965

  WCFT-TV begins broadcasting in Tuscaloosa

  [1]ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org

  The Tuscaloosa station later became one of the principal facilities used to create the ABC 33/40 regional service.

A regional, locally focused ABC affiliate combining network entertainment and news with Central Alabama weather, breaking news, sports, and community coverage.

• Television news · 1996

  ABC 33/40 Local News

  Locally produced newscasts covering Birmingham and surrounding Central Alabama communities. The operation includes morning, midday, evening, and late-night coverage, with reporting distributed through broadcast television and digital platforms.

• Weather broadcasting · 1996

  ABC 33/40 Weather

  Weather forecasting and severe-weather information are core parts of the station's local service, reflecting the operational importance of storm coverage in Alabama. Weather content is presented through television reports and the station's digital channels.

• Network television · 1996

  ABC network programming

  The station carries programming supplied by the American Broadcasting Company, including network news, entertainment, sports, and special events, subject to local scheduling and preemption decisions.

• 1997

  Refusal to air Ellen coming-out episode

  ABC 33/40 was the only ABC affiliate reported not to air the episode in which Ellen's lead character came out as lesbian. The station cited family-viewing concerns. A public screening organized by Birmingham Pride drew a large audience and national attention.

  Source

Read more

• 2014

  Sinclair acquisition restructures distributionM&A

  Background

  Sinclair's purchase of Allbritton created ownership overlaps with Sinclair's existing Birmingham-area stations.

  Action taken

  The transaction was revised, certain facilities were divested, and ABC 33/40 programming was placed on digital subchannels of WABM and WDBB, with later distribution through WGWW.

  Aftermath

  The service continued under Sinclair ownership while retaining the ABC 33/40 consumer brand.

  Reported transaction value. (2013 announced transaction)

  Source

• 1996

  Launch of ABC 33/40Product launch

  Background

  WBRC's planned move to Fox required a new ABC service.

  Action taken

  The combined operation began broadcasting ABC programming and local news on September 1, 1996.

  Aftermath

  The service developed into a significant competitor in Birmingham local news.

  Source

• 1995

  ABC chooses a regional two-station affiliate structureStrategy

  Background

  The pending loss of WBRC left ABC needing broad coverage in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston.

  Action taken

  ABC partnered with Allbritton to combine WCFT-TV and WJSU-TV, supported by a new Hoover studio and news operation.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement launched ABC 33/40 and later became the basis for a larger Birmingham television market.

  Source

1. 1ABC 33/40en.wikipedia.org
2. 2ABC 33/40 official websiteabc3340.com