Independent television station licensed to Pensacola, Florida, serving northwest Florida and southwest Alabama.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WJTC is an independent full-power television station licensed to Pensacola, Florida, and serving viewers across the broader Mobile–Pensacola television market, including northwest Florida and southwest Alabama. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 44 and is associated with the call sign WJTC. Although its license city is Pensacola, WJTC operates in a geographically divided market and shares studio facilities with WPMI-TV in Mobile, Alabama. Its master control and selected internal operations are based at facilities used by WEAR-TV and WFGX on Mobile Highway in unincorporated Escambia County, Florida, while its transmitter is situated near Robertsdale, Alabama. WJTC began broadcasting on December 24, 1984, as an independent station founded by Mercury Broadcasting Company. In its early years it used the on-air identity “C44” and offered a conventional general-entertainment schedule built around older films, cartoons, westerns, dramas, and classic sitcoms. The station also experimented with locally produced news. Its original programming included a morning program, Mornin’, and an evening newscast that initially aired at 9 p.m.; these broadcasts were discontinued by 1986. A major structural change came in 1991, when Clear Channel Communications, then the owner of WPMI-TV, entered into a local marketing agreement with WJTC. Mercury retained the station license, while Clear Channel obtained local programming rights and assumed a larger role in the station’s operations. WJTC became an affiliate of the United Paramount Network, or UPN, when that network launched in January 1995. Clear Channel eventually purchased WJTC outright in 2001, creating a duopoly with WPMI. When UPN and The WB were replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, WJTC did not receive either successor network affiliation. The CW affiliation went to WBPG, later known as WFNA, while MyNetworkTV went to WFGX. WJTC therefore returned to independent programming on September 10, 2006. Since then, its schedule has combined syndicated entertainment, locally relevant programming, sports, and programming produced by or promoted alongside sister stations. The station changed corporate hands as part of the wider restructuring of Clear Channel’s television group. Clear Channel agreed to sell the group to Providence Equity Partners in 2007, and the transaction was completed in 2008 through Newport Television. In 2012, Newport announced the sale of WJTC and WPMI to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Because Sinclair already owned WEAR-TV and WFGX in the same market, the licenses were transferred to Deerfield Media to address federal ownership limitations, while Sinclair assumed operational control through a local marketing agreement. The sale closed on December 3, 2012. WJTC has carried local high-school football, including regular-season games and, historically, tape-delayed playoff coverage. It also carried a period of digital multicast programming associated with Grit and later Rewind TV. The station completed the United States’ digital television transition by ending regular analog programming on February 17, 2009, while retaining virtual channel 44 on its digital signal. In 2013, WPMI began producing evening newscasts for WJTC. The 6:30 p.m. broadcast was discontinued in 2016, while the other evening newscast was later moved from 9 p.m. to 7 p.m. WJTC remains an independent local television outlet under Deerfield Media ownership and Sinclair-operated management.
History
WJTC signed on December 24, 1984, as an independent station licensed to Pensacola and founded by Mercury Broadcasting Company. It initially operated under the “C44” identity, offering a broad entertainment schedule of older movies, cartoons, westerns, dramas, and classic sitcoms. The station also attempted to establish a local news presence through the morning program Mornin’ and evening newscasts. Its first prime-time newscast aired at 9 p.m.; the weekday edition later moved to 10 p.m., while weekend coverage remained at 9 p.m. These early news efforts ended by May 1986. In 1991, Clear Channel Communications, owner of WPMI-TV, entered into a local marketing agreement with WJTC. Mercury Broadcasting retained the license, but Clear Channel controlled local programming rights and played a greater role in day-to-day operations. WJTC joined the United Paramount Network when UPN launched on January 16, 1995. Clear Channel acquired the station outright in 2001, pairing it with WPMI in a local duopoly. The television network landscape changed in 2006, when CBS and Time Warner announced that UPN and The WB would be replaced by The CW. News Corporation subsequently announced MyNetworkTV. WJTC was not chosen for either new network. The CW affiliation went to WBPG, now WFNA, and MyNetworkTV went to WFGX. WJTC became independent again on September 10, 2006, shortly before UPN ceased operations. Clear Channel agreed in 2007 to sell its television group to Providence Equity Partners. The transaction closed in 2008, with the stations operated by Newport Television. Newport later announced the sale of WJTC, WPMI, and other stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The WJTC and WPMI licenses were instead acquired by Deerfield Media because Sinclair already owned WEAR-TV and WFGX in the Mobile–Pensacola market. The transaction closed on December 3, 2012, and Sinclair took over station operations through a local marketing agreement. Because the market spans the Florida–Alabama border and the stations are separated geographically, WJTC and WPMI retained operational arrangements distinct from those of WEAR-TV and WFGX. WJTC’s programming has included local high-school football and, for a period, locally produced news supplied by WPMI. On September 23, 2013, WPMI launched half-hour weekday newscasts on WJTC at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. The 6:30 p.m. program was cancelled in July 2016 and replaced by Inside Edition. The remaining evening newscast moved to 7 p.m. in June 2018. WJTC also carried digital multicast services. Its 44.2 stream carried Grit for a period before that service moved to another station’s subchannel, and Rewind TV began using the subchannel on March 1, 2022. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, as part of the United States digital television transition. Its digital service continued to use virtual channel 44. A serious tower-maintenance accident occurred on October 20, 2020, when falling debris killed a member of a contracting crew repairing a guy cable. OSHA investigated. In 2021, the FCC issued a forfeiture order against Deerfield Media arising from an AT&T retransmission-consent lawsuit involving WJTC and other Sinclair-managed stations. WJTC continues as an independent television station serving the Mobile–Pensacola region.
- 2022
Rewind TV launches on digital subchannel 44.2
[1]The station reactivates its 44.2 digital subchannel with Rewind TV on March 1.
- 2018
Evening newscast moves to 7 p.m.
[1]The station moves its remaining WPMI-produced evening newscast from 9 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- 2016
6:30 p.m. newscast is cancelled
[1]WJTC replaces its 6:30 p.m. newscast with Inside Edition.
- 2013
WPMI-produced newscasts launch on WJTC
[1]WPMI begins producing weekday 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. newscasts for WJTC.
- 2012
Deerfield Media acquires the license
[1]WJTC is sold to Deerfield Media, with Sinclair Broadcast Group assuming operational control under a local marketing agreement.
- 2008
Newport Television takes over Clear Channel television properties
[1]Clear Channel’s former television group is transferred to Newport Television following Providence Equity Partners’ acquisition.
- 2006
Station returns to independent programming
[1]WJTC loses the opportunity to affiliate with either The CW or MyNetworkTV and becomes independent again on September 10.
- 2001
Clear Channel acquires WJTC
[1]Clear Channel purchases WJTC outright, creating a duopoly with WPMI-TV.
- 1995
UPN affiliation begins
[1]WJTC becomes an affiliate of the United Paramount Network when UPN launches.
- 1991
Clear Channel enters local marketing agreement
[1]Clear Channel, then owner of WPMI-TV, obtains local programming rights and operational influence through an agreement with WJTC.
Products and positioning
A locally focused independent broadcast station serving the Mobile–Pensacola market, with a schedule built from syndicated entertainment, selected local programming, sports, news supplied by sister-station operations, and digital multicast services.
Television station · 1984
WJTC Channel 44
The station’s primary broadcast service, licensed to Pensacola and operating as an independent television outlet. Its schedule has included syndicated entertainment, locally relevant programming, news supplied by WPMI, and sports coverage for viewers in northwest Florida and southwest Alabama.
Sports programming
Local high-school football coverage
WJTC has broadcast local high-school football games during the fall season, including regular-season coverage and, historically, tape-delayed playoff games. The playoff component ended after the 2016 season according to the station’s documented programming history.
Local news · 2013
WPMI-produced local newscasts
WPMI supplied weekday evening news programming for WJTC beginning in 2013. The station carried a 6:30 p.m. newscast and a 9 p.m. newscast initially; the earlier program was cancelled in 2016, and the remaining broadcast later moved to 7 p.m.
Digital multicast television · 2022
Rewind TV on subchannel 44.2
WJTC’s digital subchannel 44.2 was reactivated with Rewind TV on March 1, 2022, providing a separate multicast service focused on older television programming.
Digital multicast television · 2014
Grit on subchannel 44.2
Grit previously occupied WJTC’s 44.2 digital subchannel before moving to a fourth digital channel of WFNA in 2021.
Brand decisions
2022
Reactivation of digital subchannel 44.2Product launchBackground
WJTC’s second digital stream had previously carried Grit before becoming silent.
Action taken
The station restored 44.2 with Rewind TV on March 1, 2022.
Aftermath
The subchannel resumed multicast programming focused on classic television content.
2013
Launch of WPMI-produced evening newsProduct launchBackground
WJTC historically had limited news programming after its original local newscasts ended in the 1980s.
Action taken
WPMI began producing weekday 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. newscasts for WJTC.
Aftermath
The 6:30 p.m. program was cancelled in 2016, while the other newscast was later moved to 7 p.m.
2012
License transfer to Deerfield Media with Sinclair operationM&ABackground
Sinclair’s existing ownership of WEAR-TV and WFGX created ownership-limit concerns in the Mobile–Pensacola market.
Action taken
Deerfield Media acquired the WJTC and WPMI licenses, while Sinclair began operating both stations under a local marketing agreement.
Aftermath
WJTC remained under Deerfield ownership with Sinclair operational management.
2006
Return to independent programming after UPN shutdownStrategyBackground
The planned closure of UPN and The WB created new network affiliations for The CW and MyNetworkTV, but WJTC was not selected for either service.
Action taken
WJTC ended its UPN affiliation and resumed operating as an independent station on September 10, 2006.
Aftermath
The station continued with syndicated and locally relevant programming rather than joining either successor network.
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