Editing WSVN (section)

=== Awarding the license ===
[[File:WCKT_opening_day_ad.jpg|thumb|WCKT's first day of operations took place on July 29, 1956.]]
The FCC's broadcast bureau challenged Cunningham's recommendation of Biscayne due to Cox and Knight's ownership of the city's two daily newspapers, stating it undermined the commission's policy of encouraging diversity in mass media ownership and risked creating a competitive imbalance in the Miami market.<ref name="Miam550224">{{Cite news|date=February 24, 1955|title=FCC Bureau Challenges Miami TV Report|page=9A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94931275/fcc-bureau-challenges-miami-tv-report/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214235102/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94931275/fcc-bureau-challenges-miami-tv-report/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Dade County [[Central Labor Union]] (CLU), the [[American Federation of Labor]] (AFL),<ref name="Miam550315">{{Cite news|date=March 15, 1955|title=AFL Hits 'Monopoly' Of News|page=2A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94977731/afl-hits-monopoly-of-news/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214232650/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94977731/afl-hits-monopoly-of-news/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) all filed protests with the FCC, with the CLU's protest citing both newspapers holding anti-labor policies,<ref name="Miam550615">{{Cite news|date=June 15, 1955|title=CLU Hits Anew at TV Request|page=2A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94974769/clu-hits-anew-at-tv-request/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214232656/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94974769/clu-hits-anew-at-tv-request/|url-status=live}}</ref> but these were dismissed.<ref name="Miam550503">{{Cite news|date=May 3, 1955|title=Channel 7 Decision Under Study|page=2A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94975070/channel-7-decision-under-study/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214232655/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94975070/channel-7-decision-under-study/|url-status=live}}</ref> The FCC formally awarded the license to Biscayne on January 20, 1956,<ref name="Miam560121">{{Cite news|date=January 21, 1956|title=Channel 7 Award Made|page=2A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94972700/channel-7-award-made/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214232651/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94972700/channel-7-award-made/|url-status=live}}</ref> by a 5–2 vote among the commissioners.{{r|Miam600612}} Losing applicants East Coast Television, South Florida Television, and Sunbeam filed appeals with the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|United States Court of Appeals in Washington]] and were joined by a separate joint appeal filed by [[Storer Broadcasting]], owner of [[Fort Lauderdale]]–licensed [[WGBS-TV]] (channel 23), and Gerico Investment, owners of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate [[WITV (Florida)|WITV]] (channel 17).<ref name="Miam560222">{{Cite news|date=February 22, 1956|title=Four Firms Appeal Channel 7 Award|page=6A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94963104/four-firms-appeal-channel-7-award/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215010027/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94963104/four-firms-appeal-channel-7-award/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Storer-Gerico appeal was filed to prevent WCKT's sign-on until the FCC agreed to a policy of allowing only VHF or UHF stations to be built in a given market but was dismissed.<ref name="Miam560310">{{Cite news|last=Colbert|first=Haines|date=March 10, 1956|title=Channel 7 To Start Telecasting In June|pages=1A–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94637019/channel-7-to-start-telecasting-in-june/ 2A]|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94637009/channel-7-to-start-telecasting-in-june/|access-date=February 12, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214061053/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94637009/channel-7-to-start-telecasting-in-june/|url-status=live}}</ref> Biscayne revealed the WCKT [[call sign]] for their channel 7 license on March 10, 1956, standing for the Cox-Knight-Trammell partnership.<ref name="Miam560318">{{Cite news|last=Roberts|first=Jack W.|date=March 18, 1956|title=Channel 7 To Be One Of Leaders|pages=11, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94964368/channel-7-to-be-one-of-leaders-p2/ 18]:Amusements|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94964304/channel-7-to-be-one-of-leaders/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214231844/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94964304/channel-7-to-be-one-of-leaders/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Confirming Trammell's intentions one year earlier, WCKT would sign on as the market's NBC affiliate, while WIOD was purchased by Biscayne, renamed WCKR and joined the [[NBC Radio Network]].<ref name="Miam560311">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=March 11, 1956|title=Here's the First Look at New WCKT Television Studio|page=9B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94963752/heres-the-first-look-at-new-wckt/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214232653/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94963752/heres-the-first-look-at-new-wckt/|url-status=live}}</ref> This resulted in the network terminating its existing affiliation with WGBS-TV,<ref name="StorerEquipSale">{{Cite news|date=April 8, 1957|title=Storer's Miami UHF Shuts Down; Equipment Sold to WPST-TV|volume=51|page=9|work=Broadcasting-Telecasting|issue=14|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1957/1957-04-08-BC.pdf|access-date=December 2, 2017|via=World Radio History|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308025007/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1957/1957-04-08-BC.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> which was forced to convert into an [[Independent station|independent]].<ref name="Miam560728">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=July 28, 1956|title=Incomplete WCKT Is Impressive|page=20B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94898498/incomplete-wckt-is-impressive/|access-date=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213214247/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94898498/incomplete-wckt-is-impressive/|url-status=live}}</ref> Groundbreaking for the new combined radio-television studios at the WCKR transmitter site<ref name="Miam531124">{{Cite news|date=November 24, 1953|title=Huge Radio-TV Station Sought For Miami Area|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94636236/huge-radio-tv-station-sought-for-miami/|access-date=February 12, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214061051/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94636236/huge-radio-tv-station-sought-for-miami/|url-status=live}}</ref> took place on March 20, 1956; Trammell promised the facility would be completed by June.<ref name="Miam560320">{{Cite news|last=Sosin|first=Milt|date=March 20, 1956|title=TV's New WCKT Building Is Begun|page=7A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94931066/tvs-new-wckt-building-is-begun/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214061049/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94931066/tvs-new-wckt-building-is-begun/|url-status=live}}</ref> In order to prevent [[Interference (communication)|interference]] from WCKR's towers, $25,000 worth of [[copper]] [[sheeting]] ({{Inflation|index=US|value=250000|start_year=1956|fmt=eq|cursign=$}}) was installed around the entire building, encasing it to create "a shield within a shield".<ref name="MiamiN19560729p24">{{Cite news |date=July 29, 1956 |title=Huge Studio Of WCKT Can Take Any 'Live' Show Produced Now |page=10B |newspaper=The Miami News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97868391/huge-studio-of-wckt-can-take-any-live/ |access-date=March 22, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The building was still partially unfinished when WCKT took to the air on July 29, 1956, with an open house to the general public set to take place by the fall.{{r|Miam560728}} Promotion manager Bob Nashick had an idea for an extravagant opening ceremony including [[Water skiing|water-skiers]] and [[skydivers]], saying, "I want to see the biggest [[traffic jam]] in history on the Causeway"; this was rejected by management.<ref name="Miam760731">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=July 31, 1976|title=Happy Birthday, Ch. 7; It's Been Twenty Years|page=4B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94946943/happy-birthday-ch-7-its-been/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214231849/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94946943/happy-birthday-ch-7-its-been/|url-status=live}}</ref> Writing for the ''Herald'', Jack Anderson described the facility as "impressive" but noted the absence of a [[parking lot]], saying, "it would help to have some [[Swiss Alps|Swiss]] [[mountain climbing]] experience to get into the building."{{r|Miam560728}} Dedication of the building took place on November 10, 1956, with multiple dignitaries and politicians in attendance including [[Florida governor]] [[LeRoy Collins]], Sen. George Smathers, FCC chairman [[George McConnaughey]], and commissioner [[John C. Doerfer]]; WCKT and WCKR broadcast the dedication live.<ref name="Miam561111">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack E.|date=November 11, 1956|title=WCKT Dedication Attracts 1,200|page=2A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94970431/wckt-dedication-attracts-1200/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214231845/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94970431/wckt-dedication-attracts-1200/|url-status=live}}</ref>