NWA_TV_guy 151 Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 (edited) 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 7 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
abric 178 Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288693 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Producer 207 Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 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. 4 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288694 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 909 Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 This is great news! I was wondering when this was going to happen. I figured they would be looking, given what KHOU went through... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288714 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1512 Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 (edited) 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 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288721 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC 7 Denver 1712 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288742 Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycnewsjunkie 1439 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 15 hours ago, ABC 7 Denver said: Sale to Scripps, you mean. They already own WFTX. 2 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288752 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie56 3293 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 If anything, they’d be bound for Gray. WINK-WXCW is already being run like a Gray shop. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288753 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Producer 207 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-288763 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Producer 207 Posted September 30, 2024 Share Posted September 30, 2024 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-300735 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DENDude 216 Posted October 4, 2024 Share Posted October 4, 2024 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-300842 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Producer 207 Posted October 5, 2024 Share Posted October 5, 2024 (edited) 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 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-300866 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRolyPoly 2362 Posted October 7, 2024 Share Posted October 7, 2024 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. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-300898 Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianpr3 178 Posted October 12, 2024 Share Posted October 12, 2024 They were using the gateway studio during storm coverage 1 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-300996 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottSchell 352 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 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? 2 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-304013 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recovering Producer 207 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 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.) 1 1 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/19766-wink-tvfort-myers-broadcasting-company-new-facilities/#findComment-304049 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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