Editing WPIX (section)

===News operation===
As most stations did in the late 1940s and early 1950s, WPIX aired filmed coverage of news events. The station's first news program, ''TelePIX Newsreel'', was the first in New York City to consist entirely of filmed coverage. From 1948 to 1965, WPIX produced ''Three Star News'', a 6:30&nbsp;p.m. newscast which employed a three-anchor format—with Kevin Kennedy reading world and national news, John Tillman reporting local stories and Joe Bolton as the weatherman. Bolton was later assigned to host children's programming and was replaced by Gloria Okon. The program was canceled after an FCC complaint that some of Tillman's "man on the street" interviews were staged with paid actors, most notable of which was a "pro-[[Fidel Castro|Castro]] sympathizer", who was "interviewed" with a copy of the ''[[Daily Worker]]'' newspaper conveniently tucked under his arm.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

WPIX produced the ''[[Independent Network News (TV program)|Independent Network News]]'', a national newscast that was syndicated to independent stations from June 1980 to June 1990. The program – whose live feed was transmitted nationally weeknights at 9:30&nbsp;p.m. ([[Eastern Time Zone|ET]]) – featured the same on-air staff as channel 11's newscasts and was broadcast from the same news studio, with ''INN'' logos covering the station's own logo on various set pieces.<ref>"Still another news group." ''[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]'', May 5, 1980, pg. 37. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1980/1980-05-05-BC.pdf]</ref> In New York City, WPIX paired a 10 p.m. replay of the national news with a live local newscast at 10:30&nbsp;pm, called the ''Action News Metropolitan Report''. As part of a midday expansion of ''INN'', starting in 1981, channel 11 also launched a newscast at 12:30&nbsp;pm. During the decade, WPIX also produced two other programs syndicated to stations that carried the ''INN'' program: the business-oriented ''[[Wall Street Journal]] Report''; and ''From the Editor's Desk'', a Sunday news discussion program hosted by [[Richard Heffner|Richard D. Heffner]], host of the long-running public-affairs program ''[[The Open Mind (TV series)|The Open Mind]]''.

WPIX was also noted{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}} for the many post–news editorials that were delivered by [[Richard N. Hughes]], vice president of news operations from 1969 to 1995. His editorials ended with the tagline "What's your opinion? We'd like to know." Periodically, he would read excerpts from viewers' letters in response to the editorials, invariably closing each excerpt by saying, "And that ends that quote." In 1984, the station renamed its local and syndicated news programs as ''The Independent News''. In 1986, the national ''INN'' newscast was renamed ''USA Tonight'' and aired at 10&nbsp;pm, while the 7:30&nbsp;p.m. program retained the ''Independent News'' title and the 10:30&nbsp;p.m. local newscast was renamed ''New York Tonight''. When ''INN'' was canceled, the 7:30&nbsp;p.m. program ended as well, and WPIX focused its efforts on the 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast.
[[File:Pix 11 News.JPG|thumb|227x227px|A WPIX news van in Brooklyn]]
Over the years, channel 11 has won many news awards{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}} and was the first independent station to win a [[National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences|New York area Emmy award]] for outstanding newscast, first earning the statuette in 1979 and again in 1983. It was a significant comeback for a news operation that was accused of falsifying news reports in the late 1960s, such as labeling stock footage as being shown "via satellite", and claiming a voice report was live from [[Prague]] when it had actually been made from a pay telephone in Manhattan.{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}} As a result, Forum Communications – led by future [[PBS]] and [[NBC News]] president [[Lawrence K. Grossman]] – approached the [[Federal Communications Commission]] to challenge WPIX Inc.'s license to operate channel 11. WPIX and the ''Daily News'' prevailed in 1979 after years of litigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/06/archives/wpix-buys-challenger-ending-a-10year-fight-head-of-station-is.html|last=Brown|first=Les|title=WPIX Buys Challenger, Ending a 10-Year Fight|work=The New York Times|date=June 6, 1979 |access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref> Concurrent with the challenge to its license, WPIX began airing nine public-service programs in mid-1969, including ''Puerto Rican New Yorker'', ''[[Alma Vessells John|Black Pride]]'', ''Suburban Closeup'', ''Focus New Jersey'', ''Everywoman'', ''Rendezvous'', ''Jewish Dimension'', ''[[Sesame Street]]'', and ''The Green Thumb''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/10/archives/wpix-began-9-shows-after-forums-plea.html|title=WPIX Began 9 Shows After Forum's Plea|date=June 10, 1971|access-date=October 7, 2020|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

On June 5, 2000, WPIX launched a weekday morning newscast, the ''WB11 Morning News'' (now the ''PIX 11 Morning News''),<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2000/BC-2000-05-08.pdf#page=94 The news also rises] ''Broadcasting & Cable'', May 8, 2000, pg.94.</ref> which has grown to challenge the established network morning programs as well as its more direct competitor, WNYW's ''[[Good Day New York]]''.

On April 26, 2008, WPIX became the fourth television station in New York City to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in [[high-definition television|high definition]]. The station resumed a half-hour early evening newscast on September 14, 2009, that ran nightly at 6:30&nbsp;pm,<ref name="nydn-630wpix">{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/08/31/2009-08-31_veteran_tv_news_.html|last=Huff|first=Richard|date=August 31, 2009|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=September 2, 2009|title=Veteran local TV news director Karen Scott leaving WPIX/Channel 11 after 16 years}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pix11.com/2014/02/10/news-anchor-apologizes-after-mistaking-samuel-l-jackson-for-laurence-fishburne/|title=News anchor apologizes after mistaking Samuel L. Jackson for Laurence Fishburne|work=WPIX |date=February 10, 2014|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref> until it was replaced by syndicated reruns on June 27, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/06/16/2010-06-16_wpix_pulls_plug_on_630_newscast_anchored_by_jim_watkins_and_kaity_tong.html|title=NYDN Movies – Reviews, Movie News, Film Trailers, Movie Critics - NY Daily News|website=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref> Three months later, on September 11, the station launched a weekend evening 6 p.m. newscast (making WPIX one of the few U.S. television stations to carry an early evening newscast on weekends, without an existing weekday news program in that daypart).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/link/2010/09/03/45003/wpix-to-launch-6-pm-weekend-news |title=WPIX/Channel 11 to launch 6 pm weekend newscast on Sept. 11 – NY Daily News |publisher=Tvnewscheck.com |date=September 3, 2010 |access-date=February 14, 2012}}</ref> On September 20, 2010, WPIX expanded its weekday morning newscast to five hours, with the addition of an hour at 4&nbsp;am.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/455063-WPIX_To_Launch_4_A_M_News.php|title=WPIX To Launch 4 A.M. News - Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref>

On October 11, 2010, newly appointed [[news director]] Bill Carey instituted controversial format changes for the newscasts in an attempt to boost the station's ratings. Carey made the newscasts flashier than they had previously been; [[Kaity Tong]] and [[Jim Watkins (news anchor)|Jim Watkins]] were replaced as anchors of the weeknight 10 p.m. broadcasts by [[Jodi Applegate]], and multiple commentators and an edgy graphics and music package were introduced. The revamped newscast's first week was not well received by most viewers or critics, with the station fielding numerous complaints through phone calls, emails and Facebook comments,<ref name="nydailynews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_wpixch_11_viewers_vocally_unhappy_about_revamp_of_news_channel_new_anchor_appleg.html?r=entertainment|location=New York|work=Daily News | title=Elliptical vs. treadmill: Which will give you the better workout?|first=Richard|last=Huff|date=October 13, 2010}}</ref> as well as a scathing review in the ''Daily News''.<ref name="nydailynews.com"/> A Facebook page was created calling for Tong and Watkins's return to the 10&nbsp;pm news.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bring-back-Kaity-and-Jim/163909300301345|title=Facebook - Log In or Sign Up|via=Facebook|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=March 2024}} WPIX's sports department was shut down in March 2011, with sports segments being reduced to a two-minute feature presented by the station's news anchors. In September 2011, WPIX relieved Watkins of his duties as weekend anchor, replacing him with Tong (who now solo anchors the 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays). By late 2011, the station's newscast ratings would fall to last place. Carey, who stepped down on October 3, 2012, was replaced as news director by Mark Effron in April 2013.<ref>[http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking-bill-carey-stepping-down-as-wpix-news-director-for-internet-startup_b69192 Breaking: Bill Carey Stepping Down as WPIX News Director, Likely for Internet Startup], ''[[Mediabistro.com|FishbowlNY]]'', October 3, 2012.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/wpix-appoints-mark-effron-news-director-article-1.1311819 |title=WPIX/Ch. 11 names Mark Effron as news director |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |date=April 9, 2013 |last=Barmash |first=Jerry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412033309/https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/wpix-appoints-mark-effron-news-director-article-1.1311819 |archive-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref>

On September 12, 2011, WPIX restored an early evening newscast to its weeknight schedule with the debut of an hour-long 5 p.m. broadcast, which was originally aimed at women between the ages of 18 and 49.<ref>[http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking-wpix-to-air-5-p-m-newscast-starting-in-september_b40043 Breaking: WPIX to Air 5 p.m. Newscast Starting in September], ''FishbowlNY'', July 28, 2011.</ref> On December 19, 2012, Jodi Applegate left WPIX, to prepare for the birth of her child through a [[surrogacy|gestational surrogate]]. Morning anchor Tamsen Fadal was later named her replacement; the station later restored a two-anchor format with the hiring of WNBC sports anchor Scott Stanford as Fadal's co-anchor on the 5&nbsp;pm and 10&nbsp;pm newscasts in September 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/scott-stanford-joins-wpix-from-rival-wnbc_b101971|title=Scott Stanford Joins WPIX From Rival WNBC|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref> In March 2014, WPIX hired consumer reporter [[Arnold Diaz]] (who was fired by WNYW two months earlier due to the shutdown of its consumer investigative unit) to head up a new four-person investigative unit.<ref>{{cite news|title=WPIX Hires Arnold Diaz For Newly-Formed Investigative Unit|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wpix-hires-arnold-diaz-for-newly-formed-investigative-unit_b118085|first=Merrill|last=Knox|work=TVSpy|date=March 26, 2014|access-date=August 12, 2014}}</ref> On April 5, 2014, WPIX moved its weekend early evening newscast one hour earlier, from 6 to 5&nbsp;pm.<ref>[http://ftvlive.com/todays-news/2014/1/9/expanding-the-news-in-the-big-apple Expanding the News in the Big Apple] ''FTVLive'', January 9, 2014.</ref>

On April 23, 2014, the station debuted a new graphics package during its 5 p.m. newscast (the opening sequences used in this package had previously debuted in January 2014, but were updated with the revamp); along with the change, the station brought back Non-Stop Music's "WPIX Custom News Package", which had previously been used as the theme for WPIX's evening newscasts from 1993 until the 2010 format change. On June 9, the station reduced the morning newscast to four hours (with the 4 a.m. hour replaced with syndicated programs) to allow the station "the flexibility to invest more resources into the key morning hours".<ref>{{cite news|title=WPIX Remakes AM Show in Effort to Expand News Coverage Elsewhere|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wpix-remakes-am-show-in-effort-to-expand-news-coverage-elsewhere_b122274|first=Kevin|last=Eck|work=TVSpy|date=June 9, 2014|access-date=August 12, 2014}}</ref> On July 14, 2014, [[John Muller]] (who joined WPIX in 1999 and served as anchor of the morning newscast from its launch until he left for [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] in 2011) returned to the station as evening co-anchor; Scott Stanford was reassigned to lead sports anchor (as part of a gradual reformation of the sports department that included the launch of the highlight program ''PIX11 Sports Desk'').<ref>{{cite news|title=John Muller Returns to WPIX, Scott Stanford Goes Back to Sports|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/john-muller-returns-to-wpix-scott-stanford-goes-back-to-sports_b121994|first=Kevin|last=Eck|work=TVSpy|date=June 3, 2014|access-date=August 12, 2014}}</ref>

During the July 2014 ratings period and again during the August 2014 ratings period, WPIX beat WNYW and WNBC, earning 3rd place in ratings only behind WABC and WCBS in the 5 p.m. timeslot among adults 25–54 (as well as in certain other demographics) for the first time since 2011; it was the only newscast in the market to make year-to-year gains in key demographics. WPIX's newscasts also saw increases in the morning and at 10&nbsp;pm in the 25–54 demographic.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140813011021/http://tunedinnyc.com/2014/08/04/strong-july-for-wpix-at-5-p-m/ Strong July for WPIX at 5 p.m.]}}, ''Tuned in New York'', August 4, 2014.</ref>

On April 20, 2015, WPIX debuted a 6 p.m. newscast on weekdays with current evening anchors John Muller and Tamsen Fadal.<ref>[http://www.locatetv.com/tv/pix11-news-at-6/9116452 "Locate TV- WPIX CW Schedule – 4/10/2015 6 PM "PIX11 News At Six."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413044919/http://www.locatetv.com/tv/pix11-news-at-6/9116452 |date=April 13, 2015 }}, April 5, 2015.</ref> On December 8, 2015, WPIX announced the hiring of former WWOR anchor Brenda Blackmon, and the addition of a new 6:30&nbsp;p.m. program, to rival the network news on the other main stations. Kaity Tong and Blackmon began anchoring the broadcast on January 11, 2016. The 6:30&nbsp;p.m. newscast was cancelled in September 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=WPIX Drops 6:30 Newscast|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wpix-drops-630-newscast/176734|first=Kevin|last=Eck|work=TVSpy|date=August 19, 2016|access-date=September 21, 2016}}</ref>

On April 13, 2016, WPIX made an announcement of more anchor changes preceding May Sweeps. This includes Scott Stanford moving from evening sports anchor to morning news anchor with Sukanya Krishnan. Kori Chambers, formerly on the morning show, and weekend evenings, will co-anchor with Tamsen Fadal on the weekday 5 p.m. version and handle political coverage for the station. Andy Adler, who handled weekend sports duties, will become the primary sports anchor. In addition, Kala Rama and Craig Treadway, who anchored on the weekends, will now anchor the first portion of the morning news (5–6 a.m.).

In May 2017, WPIX once again revamped its anchor lineup. The station announced that former ''[[CBS Morning News]]'' and ''[[Early Today]]'' anchor [[Betty Nguyen]] would become part of the morning news team along with a returning Dan Mannarino, with Scott Stanford once again returned to anchoring sports for the evening broadcasts. In addition, WPIX announced that it would begin featuring traffic reports from [[WCBS (AM)|WCBS radio]]'s Tom Kaminski, who reports from the radio station's helicopter as he does every weekday; when he files his television reports the helicopter is referred to as "Air 11".

Until the show's cancellation in spring 2022, WPIX's news studio was the home base for the daily [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]] entertainment news series ''[[Daily Mail]] TV'' from [[CBS Media Ventures]], which WPIX carried locally. This was done to avert a costly remodeling of the ''Daily Mail'' New York bureau for television operations. WPIX only contributed technical staff to the series, and ''Daily Mail TV'' was taped using removable logos which overlay WPIX's logos on the set during 'dark' time for the studio (in [[breaking news]] situations during ''Daily Mail TV'' tapings, WPIX originated coverage from its newsroom instead).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2017/09/13/jesse-palmer-daily-mail-tv/|title=Jesse Palmer and 'Daily Mail TV' to debut from familiar NYC home|last=Dillon|first=Dak|date=September 13, 2017|work=NewscastStudio|access-date=December 13, 2018}}</ref>

In January 2020, WPIX expanded its morning newscast to include the 9{{nbsp}}a.m. hour.<ref>{{cite news|title=PIX11 announces Morning News expansion; station adds 9 a.m. hour beginning Jan. 2020|url=https://www.pix11.com/news/local-news/pix11-announces-morning-news-expansion-station-adds-9-a-m-hour-beginning-jan-2020|date=December 18, 2019|access-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref> On September 14, 2020, WPIX added an hour-long 10{{nbsp}}a.m. newscast, becoming New York's only 10{{nbsp}}a.m. newscast; the newscast now runs from 4{{nbsp}}a.m. to 10{{nbsp}}a.m.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |title=WPIX Expanding News With New Hour at 10 a.m. |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/wpix-expanding-news-with-new-hour-at-10-am |work=Broadcasting + Cable |date=August 14, 2020 |access-date=September 14, 2020}}</ref>