WUVF-LD

WUVF-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Naples, Florida, and serving the broader Southwest Florida market. The station carries programming from the Spanish-language networks Univision and UniMás, making it part of the regional television infrastructure serving Spanish-speaking audiences in southwestern Florida. Its over-the-air signal is complemented by WLZE-LD, a Fort Myers station that operates as a translator of WUVF-LD. The station has had several ownership and operating arrangements since the late 2000s. WUVF was formerly associated with Equity Media Holdings, which placed its Southwest Florida stations on the market during a period of corporate financial difficulty. A proposed 2008 transaction with Luken Communications did not ultimately close after Equity entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. WUVF and WLZE were subsequently sold at auction to Silver Point Capital in 2009. The stations later moved to Media Vista Group, which operated WUVF as part of its local Spanish-language television portfolio. In 2019, Media Vista announced the sale of its stations to Sun Broadcasting, with the transaction completed on July 1 of that year. WUVF's local operating presence is connected to a broader cluster of Southwest Florida stations. Sun Broadcasting locally owns WUVF alongside Fox affiliate WFTX-TV, CW affiliate WXCW, and low-power station WANA-LD. Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, owner of WINK-TV, operates these stations under a shared services agreement. WUVF's studios are located on Corporate Lakes Drive in the Gateway area, while its transmitter is on Channel 30 Drive at a site shared with radio facilities. WLZE-LD's transmitter is located north of Fort Myers Shores near the Charlotte–Lee county line. The station has also had an intermittent local-news role. After becoming associated with Univision in the mid-2000s, WUVF carried Spanish-language half-hour newscasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. The broadcasts were produced from Equity Media's headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, using reporting from journalists based in Southwest Florida. Equity suspended its companywide news operations in June 2008 as part of a cost-cutting program, ending those broadcasts. Local news returned in 2013 through D'Latinos, a locally produced and aired program under Media Vista ownership. As a local broadcast outlet, WUVF-LD's principal offering is its combination of network programming, Spanish-language entertainment and news, local distribution, and over-the-air coverage. Its identity is tied to the Univision and UniMás affiliations and to the Southwest Florida Hispanic media market rather than to a separate national consumer product line.

WUVF-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Naples, Florida, with coverage focused on Southwest Florida. It is affiliated with the Spanish-language Univision and UniMás networks. The station's companion facility, WLZE-LD in Fort Myers, operates as a translator, extending the WUVF service within the regional market. During the mid-2000s, after joining Univision, WUVF carried Spanish-language local newscasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. The broadcasts were produced from Equity Media Holdings' headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, with reporting supplied by journalists working in Southwest Florida. In June 2008, Equity suspended its news operations across the company as a cost-reduction measure, and WUVF's local newscasts were canceled. Local news programming returned in 2013 through D'Latinos, a program produced and broadcast locally under Media Vista Group's ownership. Ownership changes became a major part of the station's history during the financial difficulties affecting Equity Media Holdings. On April 4, 2008, Equity announced an agreement to sell five Southwest Florida stations, including WUVF and WLZE, to Luken Communications. The proposed transaction was valued at $8 million, but it did not proceed as planned. Equity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2008, and Luken later withdrew offers to acquire Equity-owned stations in several markets. WUVF and WLZE were sold at auction to Silver Point Capital on April 16, 2009, and the transaction was completed on August 17. Following the acquisition, WUVF surrendered its Class A status. WLZE was added to Dish Network in October 2009. Before that distribution change, WUVF programming had been supplied to the satellite provider through sister station WEVU-CA, which had served as a WUVF satellite since 2006. WEVU-CA went silent in August 2009, shortly before the Silver Point transaction was completed. On December 21, 2012, SP Television reached an agreement to sell WUVF and WLZE to Media Vista Group. Media Vista later developed a renewed local programming presence, including the return of local news through D'Latinos. In April 2019, Media Vista announced that it would sell its stations, including WUVF-LD, to Sun Broadcasting. The sale closed on July 1, 2019. Under Sun Broadcasting, WUVF operates within a group of Southwest Florida television stations that includes Fox affiliate WFTX-TV, CW affiliate WXCW, and low-power station WANA-LD. Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, which owns WINK-TV, operates WUVF, WFTX, WXCW, and WANA under a shared services agreement. WUVF's studios are on Corporate Lakes Drive in Gateway, and its transmitter is on Channel 30 Drive at a tower shared with radio stations. WLZE's transmitter is north of Fort Myers Shores near the Charlotte–Lee county line. The station's business identity is based on local broadcast distribution and Spanish-language network affiliation. Its programming scope includes network entertainment and news, local news when available, and regional television service delivered through WUVF-LD and its translator.

• 2019

  Sun Broadcasting completed its acquisition

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Sun Broadcasting completed its purchase of Media Vista's stations, including WUVF-LD, on July 1.

• 2013

  Local programming returned through D'Latinos

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Media Vista restored a local Spanish-language programming presence with the D'Latinos program.

• 2012

  SP Television agreed to sell the stations to Media Vista Group

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The ownership transition for WUVF and WLZE was announced in December.

• 2009

  Silver Point Capital acquisition completed

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WUVF and WLZE were sold at auction to Silver Point Capital, with the transaction finalized in August.

• 2009

  WLZE was added to Dish Network

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The WUVF translator WLZE began carriage on Dish Network in October.

• 2008

  Proposed sale to Luken Communications

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Equity Media Holdings announced a proposed $8 million sale of five Southwest Florida stations, including WUVF and WLZE, to Luken Communications.

• 2008

  Local newscasts were suspended

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Equity's companywide suspension of news programming ended WUVF's Spanish-language 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. local broadcasts.

• 2006

  WEVU-CA began serving as a WUVF satellite

  [1]WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WEVU-CA supplied WUVF programming to satellite distribution and at one point simulcast the station's evening newscast before carrying more of the WUVF schedule.

A local Spanish-language television outlet for Southwest Florida, combining Univision and UniMás network programming with regional distribution and periodic local-news production.

• Local television station

  WUVF-LD broadcast service

  The station's primary offering is a low-power over-the-air television service licensed to Naples and serving Southwest Florida. Its schedule is built around Spanish-language network programming from Univision and UniMás, supplemented by local or regional programming when available.

• Television translator

  WLZE-LD translator service

  WLZE-LD is a Fort Myers low-power station that retransmits WUVF-LD programming, extending the station's regional reach. Its transmitter is located north of Fort Myers Shores near the Charlotte–Lee county line.

• Local television program · 2013

  D'Latinos

  D'Latinos was a locally produced Spanish-language program that represented the return of local news and community-oriented programming to WUVF after the cancellation of Equity-era newscasts.

• 2019

  Sale to Sun BroadcastingM&A

  Background

  Media Vista Group announced the sale of its station portfolio, including WUVF-LD.

  Action taken

  Sun Broadcasting agreed to acquire the stations, with the transaction completed on July 1, 2019.

  Aftermath

  WUVF became part of Sun Broadcasting's Southwest Florida station group and continued operating under a shared-services structure involving Fort Myers Broadcasting Company.

  Announced transaction value. $9.75 million (2019)

  Source

• 2012

  Sale to Media Vista GroupM&A

  Background

  SP Television sought a new owner for WUVF and WLZE after the Silver Point ownership period.

  Action taken

  SP Television reached an agreement to sell the stations to Media Vista Group.

  Aftermath

  Media Vista later reintroduced local programming through D'Latinos.

  Source

• 2009

  Acquisition by Silver Point CapitalM&A

  Background

  After the proposed Luken transaction failed amid Equity's bankruptcy proceedings, WUVF and WLZE were offered at auction.

  Action taken

  Silver Point Capital acquired the two stations at auction, with the sale finalized in August.

  Aftermath

  WUVF surrendered its Class A classification, while WLZE later expanded its distribution through Dish Network.

  Source

• 2008

  Proposed sale of WUVF and WLZE to Luken CommunicationsM&A

  Background

  Equity Media Holdings sought to sell its Southwest Florida stations during a period of corporate financial losses.

  Action taken

  Equity announced a proposed sale of five stations, including WUVF and WLZE, to Luken Communications for $8 million.

  Aftermath

  The deal did not close. Equity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy later in 2008, and Luken withdrew related acquisition offers.

  Announced transaction value. $8 million (2008)

  Source

1. 1WUVF-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Univision Southwest Florida official websiteunivisionswf.com