WINK-TV/Fort Myers Broadcasting Company new facilities

[LocalNewsNerd7000 159]

FMBC is moving WINK-TV/FM and its other broadcast properties to a new location in Fort Myers. 
 

https://winknews.com/2023/08/03/wink-tv-buys-new-headquarters-for-18-5-million-in-gateway/?fbclid=IwAR3Yyw6O2ZTVoHxkWrLeA89O1SMpK5Be8Ej_NekLrvaQg5PNhTHpSJndUFI_aem_AaMEvmtuQXLZePPjjqtvctHajRDZI7uLCJtrqfGxDuaq1AlZXiLX22uIxa63Kek3tRk&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Edited August 4, 2023 by NWA_TV_guy

[abric 227]

I figured this would be happening given what happened with Hurricane Ian last year that flooded their studios and knocked them off the air. Pulling a KHOU.

[Recovering Producer 410]

An overdue upgrade for WINK and absolutely necessary for any possible sale in the future. No company in their right mind (or their insurance company) would take on that building after Ian.

Oddly enough, they were committed to a future in that building until a few weeks before Ian. If you look at Fort Myers building permits - they shelved a plan just a few weeks before the storm to add a studio to the northwest side of the building—the part of the building closest to the creek and water. 

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 1158]

This is great news! I was wondering when this was going to happen.  I figured they would be looking, given what KHOU went through...

[GoldenShine9 1520]

22 hours ago, Recovering Producer said:

An overdue upgrade for WINK and absolutely necessary for any possible sale in the future. No company in their right mind (or their insurance company) would take on that building after Ian.

Oddly enough, they were committed to a future in that building until a few weeks before Ian. If you look at Fort Myers building permits - they shelved a plan just a few weeks before the storm to add a studio to the northwest side of the building—the part of the building closest to the creek and water. 

 

They probably also realized that it would be a critical piece of a potential sale. In addition, the insurance costs in Florida as a whole are skyrocketing now and that would be outrageously high where they were previously.

Edited August 4, 2023 by GoldenShine9

[ABC 7 Denver 1889]

On 8/4/2023 at 3:17 PM, GoldenShine9 said:

 

They probably also realized that it would be a critical piece of a potential sale. In addition, the insurance costs in Florida as a whole are skyrocketing now and that would be outrageously high where they were previously.

 

Sale to Scripps, you mean.

[nycnewsjunkie 1464]

15 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said:

Sale to Scripps, you mean.

They already own WFTX.

[Georgie56 3661]

If anything, they’d be bound for Gray. WINK-WXCW is already being run like a Gray shop.

[Recovering Producer 410]

3 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

If anything, they’d be bound for Gray. WINK-WXCW is already being run like a Gray shop.

If a Fort Myers Broadcasting WINK/Sun WXCW sale happens, under current ownership rules, unless they find a main owner and sidecar willing to take on radio properties, someone would need to find two different companies to divest the radio properties owned by FMBC and Sun. (By my count FMBC has three full-power FM stations, Sun has 4 FM stations - no current legal way for one company to own 7 FM stations in a market)  Those companies would need to have a similar relationship or unwind their connected operation on the radio side. Not impossible. But a piece of the puzzle that could complicate negotiations of any potential deal because of tax advantages for the sellers to sell whole rather than piece by piece. 

[Recovering Producer 410]

The new building renovations for WINK can't be finished fast enough it appears. I don't have screen grabs, but at some point late Thursday while Helene was off the Gulf Coast, newscasts were moved into the newsroom. When they were back in the studio on Friday, you could hear drying fans very loud in the background of studio shots, which makes me think the creek next to WINK overflowed into the building again. 

[DENDude 259]

WINK says in its own article, they thought they would be moving into there new studio space within a year, that article is dated August 3, 2023. So at this point we are beyond a year.   And would Sun Broadcasting's WARO, WHEL, WSFX & WXCW move with them into the new space??  I'm guessing yes, because it's a side car operation.

[Recovering Producer 410]

20 hours ago, DENDude said:

WINK says in its own article, they thought they would be moving into there new studio space within a year, that article is dated August 3, 2023. So at this point we are beyond a year.   And would Sun Broadcasting's WARO, WHEL, WSFX & WXCW move with them into the new space??  I'm guessing yes, because it's a side car operation.

 

Because I'm a public records nerd, it looks like part of the renovation project at the new building is still in the permitting process. Building renovation is underway based on permits, but things like satellite dishes and STL Tower are still moving through the process. Granted, those can get built fast once permits are secured.

 

Sun absolutely will be moving with FMBC/WINK. The two companies are more like conjoined twins than sidecars. 

Edited October 5, 2024 by Recovering Producer

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

On 10/5/2024 at 10:07 AM, Recovering Producer said:

Sun absolutely will be moving with FMBC/WINK. The two companies are more like conjoined twins than sidecars. 

 

This is why they get away with having two TV stations and loads of radio stations (3 via FMBC and 4 via Sun) on their roster.

[brianpr3 199]

They were using the gateway studio during storm coverage 

[ScottSchell 423]

Sorry for bumping this but has anyone heard any updates on the new building if construction work is still going on or any ideas on if or when WINK will move?

[Recovering Producer 410]

On 2/27/2025 at 9:19 PM, ScottSchell said:

Sorry for bumping this but has anyone heard any updates on the new building if construction work is still going on or any ideas on if or when WINK will move?

Last update I heard from a former coworker from my time there was hopefully early Summer 2025. No explanation why. I'd guess the 1-2 punch of Ian in 2022 and Milton in 2024 means construction crews in Southwest Florida are in high demand. 

 

(Which gives me flashbacks to the economic meltdown of 2008/2009 when Southwest Florida's heavily home construction based economy driven by 2004/2005 hurricane season rebuilds and massive growth collapsed hard and Lee County turned into Foreclosure Land USA for several years.) 

[Recovering Producer 410]

For just $5.95 million, you could be the next owner of the flood prone soon to be former Fort Myers Broadcasting facility in Downtown Fort Myers! I would guess this means the move to Gateway is getting close to reality. 

 

[nathannah 2792]

At least the real estate agents gave us a really nice tour of the building out of this link. Not often you see a station tour without anyone working in the facility showing it off.

 

 

[MicFlag 33]

The amount of money and attention spent on that facility for such a local operation is mind-blowing. It could easily house a small multi-state network. I think just about any prospective buyer would want to know why they wouldn't want to keep that place. If it is that exposed to the water, why would anybody want it?

[GoldenShine_10 263]

54 minutes ago, MicFlag said:

The amount of money and attention spent on that facility for such a local operation is mind-blowing. It could easily house a small multi-state network. I think just about any prospective buyer would want to know why they wouldn't want to keep that place. If it is that exposed to the water, why would anybody want it?

 

Residential property - there's a lot of people willing to risk it for the next hurricane.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

4 hours ago, nathannah said:

At least the real estate agents gave us a really nice tour of the building out of this link. Not often you see a station tour without anyone working in the facility showing it off.

 

 

 

Too bad they can't stay there because of the continual risk of flooding from hurricanes and other tropical events.

 

Also, I did spot a few folks there, including WINK's Lauren Kriedler! I recognized her instantly.

[LocalNewsNerd7000 159]

Newscasts will originate from the new Gateway site starting today, 01/12. 
 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16nRJAedVs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

Edited January 12 by LocalNewsNerd7000

[MediaZone4K 2661]

WINK New set

 

[sfomspphl 545]

Nice job creating warmth and depth / perspective. 

[DENDude 259]

Saw this earlier on Facebook & X, a little exchange between some folks and Mr. Jim Schwartzel, where he proclaims he has nothing to do with WINK-TV or WINK-FM..   Uh right, I don't believe this for a minute. 

 

So why is WINK news shown on WXCW a "Sun Broadcasting" owned outlet??   It says he has no role in FMBC. 

 

 

Edited January 14 by DENDude