WZDX

WZDX is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Tennessee Valley area of North Alabama that is licensed to Huntsville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from a transmitter on Monte Sano Mountain. Owned by Grant Broadcasting System II, the station is sister to MyNetworkTV affiliate "WAMY-TV" and the two share studios on North Memorial Parkway (U.S. 231/U.S. 431/U.S. 72). Syndicated programming on WZDX includes: My Name Is Earl, Two and a Half Men, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, and The People's Court.

Digital programming
On WZDX-DT2 as well as Comcast and Charter channel 8 (in most areas) is MyNetworkTV affiliate "WAMY-TV".

History
WZDX began broadcasting on April 20, 1985 airing an analog signal on UHF channel 54. Its first program was an airing of the 1968 film Charly. At that time, the station's transmitter was on Green Mountain in Southeastern Huntsville while its studios were in the northwest section of the city. During the first months after going on-air, WZDX used the slogan "We're Taking You to the Top!". In the beginning, the station was Northern Alabama's first Independent and the first new channel in nearly twenty years. When the new Fox network began broadcasting on October 6, 1986, WZDX abstained from affiliating unlike many independents. However, the station did air occasional Fox broadcasts such as the Emmy Awards.

Eventually in 1990, it became a full time affiliate of the network. In 2002, it launched the second digital signal of the market on UHF channel 41. "WAWB-TV" (now "WAMY-TV"), the area's cable-only WB affiliate, began to be offered on WZDX's second digital subchannel. This move was made in order to offer non-cable viewers access to WB programming. In September 2003, the tower shared by WZDX and ABC affiliate WAAY-TV collapsed killing three men. Until the tower could be replaced, both WZDX and WAAY aired from the tower of CBS affiliate WHNT-TV. WZDX ended programming on its analog signal, on June 12, 2009, as part of the DTV transition in the United States, and remained on its pre-transition digital channel 41, PSIP is used to display its virtual channel as 54. WZDX maximized its transmitting power to 700 kW on July 2.

Newscast
In January 2007, WZDX launched the area’s only local prime time newscast. Airing Sunday though Friday nights at 9, it was produced from the Independent News Network in Davenport, Iowa. Except for two reporters, the news team was based at facilities on Tremont Avenue in that city. Beginning on February 1, 2010, WZDX began to have competition on weeknights because WHNT added a prime time newscast at 9 on its Retro Television Network-affiliated second digital subchannel. On September 20, 2010, WZDX entered into a news agreement with WAAY to produce a nightly newscast at 9 originating from studios on Monte Sano Boulevard Southeast. [1] The new newscast is completely locally-based, and uses anchors and reporters from WAAY, though the weeknight news anchors and meteorologist appear exclusively on Fox 54. [2]

Fox 54 Nine O'Clock News (9 to 9:30 p.m.)

weeknights

weekends
 * Anchors:
 * Ellis Eskew - Monday through Thursday
 * Chase Gallimore - Monday through Thursday
 * Mallory Hoff - Friday
 * StormForce on Fox Weather:
 * Dale Bader - Monday through Thursday
 * Chris Davis - Friday
 * Brian Davis - Fridays & Fill-in
 * Sports:
 * Kyle Burger - Monday and Tuesday
 * Ronnie Duncan - Wednesday through Friday


 * Anchor:
 * Mallory Hoff - Saturday
 * Ellis Eskew - Sunday
 * Chase Gallimore - Sunday
 * StormForce on Fox Weather:
 * Chris Davis - Saturday
 * Brian Davis - Saturdays & Fill-in
 * Dale Bader - Sunday
 * Sports:
 * Ronnie Duncan

Former on-air staff


 * Mark Prater - weather
 * Evan Hutchinson - weather
 * Susie Martin - weather
 * John Beard - news anchor
 * BJ Steed - reporter
 * Ken Conley - reporter
 * Jamiese Price - reporter
 * Wil Elrick - reporter
 * Katie Herrera - reporter
 * Chris Davis - reporter

''WZDX will feature additional personnel from WAAY. See that article for a complete listing.''