WFTS-TV

What WFTS-TV does

WFTS-TV, operating as Tampa Bay 28, is an ABC-affiliated local broadcast television station serving the nine-county Tampa Bay metropolitan area in Florida (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Hernando, and Citrus counties). Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Tampa, the station has between 251 and 500 employees and is owned and operated by Scripps Media, Inc., a subsidiary of the publicly traded E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). It produces local news, weather, sports coverage (Tampa Bay Lightning, Rays, Buccaneers, and USF), investigative journalism through its I-Team unit, and community engagement programming — exporting this content across over-the-air broadcast (channel 28), cable/satellite carriage, OTT streaming (Tampa Bay 28+), a FAST weather channel (Tampa Bay 28 Weather 24/7), a website (tampabay28.com), iOS/Android apps, and major social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok).

The technical platform combines traditional broadcast transmission infrastructure with digital streaming capabilities for multi-platform content delivery, supporting interactive radar, push-notification alerting for breaking news and severe weather, and a hurricane tracking product (Tracking the Tropics). Specialized sub-brands include Good Morning Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay's Morning Blend, The Spot - Tampa Bay 66 (a digital property targeting younger audiences launched in 2025), Price of Paradise (cost-of-living investigative series), and the I-Team's Home Sweet HOA and Patient No More series.

The business model is a hybrid of (1) advertising revenue — local television spot ads, sponsored content segments (Marketplace, Home Pros, Real Estate Essentials, Don't Waste Your Money), and digital advertising across owned properties; (2) carriage fees — recurring payments from cable and satellite providers (Spectrum, Comcast, Dish Network, with DirecTV currently in dispute and removed from lineup) for distribution rights; and (3) ad-supported digital streaming revenue via the FAST channel and Tampa Bay 28+. Customer segments are Tampa Bay-area residents (consumers of local news, weather, sports) and local/regional businesses seeking advertising reach into the DMA. Leadership: Teresa Morgan was appointed Vice President and General Manager effective January 1, 2025.

Name

WFTS-TV

Legal name

Scripps Media, Inc.

Website

https://abcactionnews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

WFTS-TV (Tampa Bay 28) is an ABC-affiliated local broadcast television station serving the nine-county Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Owned by Scripps Media (E.W. Scripps Company), it delivers local news, weather, sports, and investigative journalism across broadcast, streaming, and digital channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• Local news coverage
• Weather forecasting services
• Investigative journalism
• Streaming media service

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Television advertising including local spot ads, sponsored content segments (Marketplace, Home Pros, Real Estate Essentials), and digital advertising on website and social platforms. The station carries segments like 'Don't Waste Your Money' consumer reporting and branded marketplace content.
2. Carriage Fees: Fees paid by cable and satellite providers for carrying the station's broadcast signal. Currently experiencing distribution dispute with DirecTV.
3. Digital Subscriptions/Streaming: Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) content available through website and apps, generating digital advertising revenue.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

WFTS-TV (operating as Tampa Bay 28) is a local ABC-affiliated broadcast television station that delivers free over-the-air local news, weather, sports, and investigative journalism to viewers across the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Core offerings include the main Tampa Bay 28 broadcast channel, the Tampa Bay 28+ OTT streaming service, the Tampa Bay 28 Weather 24/7 continuous weather channel, and the WFTS mobile applications for iOS and Android. Revenue is generated primarily through on-air and digital advertising, supported by carriage fees from cable and satellite providers.

Product overview

Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS-TV) is a local broadcast television station operated by Scripps Media, serving the Tampa Bay Florida metropolitan area. The station delivers news through a unified broadcast platform complemented by digital streaming services, mobile applications, and specialized programming modules. Core offerings include the main Tampa Bay 28 broadcast channel, 24/7 weather streaming, and Tampa Bay 28+ streaming service. Supporting modules encompass I-Team investigative reports, Good Morning Tampa Bay morning programming, Tampa Bay's Morning Blend lifestyle content, community engagement initiatives (Tampa Bay 28 Gives and Tampa Bay 28 Listens), and seasonal hurricane tracking through Tracking the Tropics. The station also maintains mobile applications for iOS and Android enabling on-the-go access to news and weather alerts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tampa Bay 28+: Over-the-top (OTT) streaming service offering live and on-demand Tampa Bay 28 content
• Tampa Bay 28 Weather 24/7
• Good Morning Tampa Bay
• The Spot - Tampa Bay 66
• I-Team Investigations
• Price of Paradise
• Full Circle Florida

Products and services

• Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS-TV) Broadcast Station Primary local ABC-affiliated broadcast television station delivering free over-the-air local news, weather, sports, and investigative reporting to viewers across the Tampa Bay metropolitan area spanning nine counties.
• Tampa Bay 28+ Streaming Service Over-the-top (OTT) streaming service offering live and on-demand Tampa Bay 28 local news, weather coverage, and extended programming beyond traditional broadcast schedules, accessible via website and connected TV platforms.
• Tampa Bay 28 Weather 24/7 Continuous weather streaming channel providing round-the-clock radar, forecasts, severe weather alerts, and hurricane tracking dedicated to the Tampa Bay region.
• WFTS Mobile App Smartphone application for iOS and Android providing on-the-go access to Tampa Bay 28 local news, weather alerts, live streams, and breaking news push notifications.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Scripps News GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTampa Bay 28 operates as part of the Scripps News Group network, receiving national news content and sharing resources across the E.W. Scripps portfolio of local television stations. The partnership provides syndicated national and international news coverage alongside local programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP): Parent company of WFTS-TV; operates a portfolio of local ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates across the U.S. Comparable as the corporate sibling providing shared services, syndicated content, and group-level ad sales that frame WFTS-TV's operating economics.

Broad incumbents

• Nexstar Media Group: Largest U.S. owner of local TV stations, including WFLA in Tampa. Indirectly comparable as the consolidated operator peer through which WFTS-TV competes on group-level ad sales and station-portfolio economics.
• Tegna Inc. Major U.S. broadcast group with network-affiliated stations nationwide. Operates local stations pursuing similar local-news, advertising, and digital-streaming strategies as WFTS-TV.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Large U.S. local-TV station group operating across multiple markets. Comparable to the Scripps ownership structure governing WFTS-TV, with overlapping local-news and political-ad business models.

Direct peers

• Bay News 9 (Spectrum): Regional 24/7 cable news channel owned by Charter/Spectrum covering the Tampa Bay region. Competes for local news viewership, severe-weather coverage, and political/community storytelling within the same DMA.
• WTVT (Fox 13 Tampa Bay): FOX-owned local station (Fox 13) competing head-to-head with WFTS-TV across the same Tampa Bay DMA for news, weather, and advertising share. Direct competitor in local news, sports, and weather across broadcast, app, and streaming.
• WTTA (Great 38): MyNetworkTV/Telemundo affiliate operating in the Tampa Bay DMA, competing for Spanish-language and general-entertainment audiences overlapping with WFTS-TV's coverage territory.
• WTSP (CBS News Tampa Bay, 10 Tampa Bay): CBS-affiliated station also serving the Tampa Bay DMA, providing local news, weather, and sports. Directly competes with WFTS-TV for viewers and advertisers within overlapping county coverage.
• WFLA-TV (News Channel 8): NBC-affiliated local station owned by Nexstar Media Group, competing with WFTS-TV for the same Tampa Bay audience and advertisers across linear broadcast, digital, and mobile. Closest network/competitor mapping since it is an ABC vs. NBC affiliate in the same market.

Regional players

• WEDU (PBS Tampa Bay): Public broadcasting station serving the Tampa Bay region, providing local and national programming. Overlaps with WFTS-TV in local public-affairs and community content, but does not compete on commercial advertising or sports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/abcactionnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCK0UUsCjtMRNtS3BPh1Yc4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/tampabaynews
• Instagraminstagram.com/tampabay_28
• TikToktiktok.com/@tampabay_28
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wfts-tv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WFTS-TV