JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Happy 45th birthday, FOX30! The station first signed on the air on Feb. 15, 1981.
A full page ad ran in the Florida Times-Union on Sunday, February 8, 1981, exactly one week before Channel 30, WAWS-TV signed on.
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Programming consisted of kids shows, sitcoms from the ’50s & ’60s and movies on the weekend.
The main attraction was the 8 O’Clock movie each weeknight, which aired with only two commercial interruptions. The movie package was extensive, and “The Deer Hunter” actually aired unedited.
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Channel 30 was known for it’s original programming which included “TV Powww!,” a live interactive video game show for kids, many 12 hour marathon airings of shows like “Star Trek,” “The Twilight Zone” and “The Honeymooners,” and even professional wrestling that was recorded in our studio.
Offices and the studio were located on Hogan Road, the current location of our transmitter and tower site.
Construction started in the fall of 1980 and was completed in January, 1981.
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Originally, being an Independent station, Channel 30 became part of the FOX network in 1986.
There were many logo changes throughout the years.
The call letters, WAWS were named for Ashley Wellhouse Stein, the granddaughter of Martin Stein, the founder of Regency Square.
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