WOFL will launch its oft-discussed 11 p.m. newscast on Jan. 7, Florida Today reported. News about the late newscast was first revealed nearly a year ago, with a then-projected launch date of sometime in April. But the project never got off the ground. In the meantime, Fox 35 did launch its 6 p.m. newscast.
Cale Ramaker, who has been co-anchor of the 6 p.m. show, will leave that post to helm the 11 p.m. newscast as well as continue as the 10 p.m. co-anchor with Corrina Sullivan. Station newcomer Mike Dunston inherits Ramaker’s anchor chair on the 6 o’clock show.
GM Stan Knott told Florida Today that the 11 p.m. news will be a “hyper-local program designed to complement” Fox 35 News at 10.”The show is going to have a great energy, great feel and pace,” he said. “It really will be designed as an alternative to the other newscasts in the market, which have a lot of similarity to each other.”
Knott said the newscast will have “11 at 11,” — the day’s top stories in the first 11 minutes of the show — plus “Five Things You Need to Know,” — tips for viewers.
Knott didn’t say it, but I would assume Fox 35 will follow the model of nearly every other Fox O&O which launched an 11 p.m. newcast and use the News Edge format made popular at Fox sister WTVT in Tampa.
