WPTV to produce daily newscasts for WFLX

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A new era in West Palm Beach television starts on Jan. 1, 2011, when WPTV, the market’s NBC affiliate, begins producing 17 hours of weekly news programming for WFLX, the market’s FOX affiliate.

WPTV, owned and operated by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP), has aired the market’s top-ranked newscasts for decades. WFLX, owned and operated by Raycom Media, launched in 1982 and was a FOX affiliate when the network launched in 1986. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, WPTV will produce newscasts for WFLX from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. seven nights a week, and 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

“We’re energized by the prospects of extending our reach into this market’s homes by up to three additional hours each day,” said Steve Wasserman, WPTV’s vice president and general manager. “As the most-trusted television news brand in the region, we’re eager to work with a great partner like WFLX to enhance our news team’s engagement with this community.”

When the partnership begins on New Year’s Day, it marks the first time any of the nine Scripps stations have produced an on-air newscast for a non-Scripps station. WPTV will hire more than a dozen news professionals to generate the WFLX-branded newscasts, which will be produced on a separate set at WPTV’s Banyan Boulevard studios.

“This is a partnership that will be great for both organizations and our viewers,” said John Spinola, the vice president and general manager of WFLX. “Our reputation for delivering the finest in entertainment and sports programming will definitely be enhanced by this relationship with the leading news organization in Florida.”