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Tallahassee TV Stations Clash Over News Production Deal
Gray-owned CBS affiliate WCTV pulls out of agreement to produce newscasts for Sinclair's Fox station
Jan. 28, 2026 at 12:39am
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An insider source has revealed that a deal between the top-rated Gray-owned CBS affiliate WCTV and Sinclair's Fox station Fox 49 in Tallahassee, Florida has fallen through. WCTV had previously agreed to produce news content for Fox 49's 7am and 10pm newscasts, but has now pulled out of the arrangement, reportedly due to Sinclair balking at WCTV's request for more money.
Why it matters
The breakdown of this news production partnership highlights the competitive tensions between major broadcast groups like Gray and Sinclair as they vie for viewers and advertising revenue in local TV markets. It also raises questions about the ability of a Sinclair station to truly deliver 'local' news when the content is being produced from a different market over 4 hours away.
The details
According to the insider source, WCTV, the dominant CBS affiliate in the Tallahassee market, had agreed to produce newscasts for the Sinclair-owned Fox 49 station. However, WCTV has now pulled out of this arrangement, with the source indicating that WCTV wanted more money from Sinclair to continue the partnership, and Sinclair refused. As a result, WCTV is continuing to air the newscasts on its own MyTV channel, while Fox 49 is now promoting its own 'local' news that will actually be produced and anchored from Sinclair's sister station in Pensacola, over 4 hours away.
- The deal between WCTV and Fox 49 fell through in January 2026.
The players
WCTV
The top-rated CBS affiliate station in the Tallahassee, Florida market, owned by the Gray television group.
Fox 49
The Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate station in Tallahassee, Florida.
Sinclair
A major broadcast group that owns television stations across the United States, including Fox 49 in Tallahassee.
Gray
A television broadcasting company that owns WCTV, the dominant CBS affiliate in Tallahassee.
The takeaway
This breakdown in the news production partnership between the top stations in Tallahassee underscores the competitive dynamics and financial pressures facing local television broadcasters as they navigate changing viewer habits and the evolving media landscape.
