Studio 31 Media Archive's video: WINK News Opens 1 19 2021 New Graphics

On Monday, January 18, 2021, locally owned CBS affiliate WINK-TV, channel 11 in Fort Myers and Naples in Southwest Florida debuted an updated look done entirely in-house. Pretty slick if you ask me and WINK has become one of my favorite stations in the past few years. WINK is owned in a complicated arrangement with Fort Myers Broadcasting Company and Sun Broadcasting (no relation to Sun Broadcast Group, a radio syndication and sales company). The two are technically separate companies but share common management and facilities. Both are locally based companies with WINK being owned by the McBride family and Sun owned by the Schwartzel family. With this local ownership (as well as the local ownership of NBC affiliate WBBH/ABC affiliate WZVN), Fort Myers is one of the most interesting and most competitive mid-markets in my opinion. Not only is Southwest Florida a beautiful place overall, but both stations have family ownership willing to make big investments in their people and product (Fox affiliate WFTX is the only chain-owned station here, owned by Scripps). WINK is the leader (largely a by-product of being the only VHF station in the analog era) but not by much. WBBH has been a strong station for many years now with an equally good product (though I think WBBH has much better storm coverage). WINK has not branded with its channel number (11) since 1983 largely due to cable penetration in the SWFL market being so high. WINK is carried on channel 5 on cable but does not brand with that either like its competitors. The WINK calls are super distinct so there's no problem just branding with that in my opinion. Now on to the new look, created entirely in-house. I really really like it, it's super slick and super modern! While I love the Scripps look (used locally on WFTX Fox 4), I feel like this builds on that and improves it. My only complaint is the use of DIN as the font. I feel like this would have looked so much better with Proxima Nova as the font. I'll admit I'm biased because Proxima Nova is my favorite font, but other than that this is a solid look from WINK. Job well done. Music remains CBS Enforcer from Gari Music. Collier County native and former WINK-FM DJ Brian Lee provides voiceover for the station. Anchors include Corey Lazar, Lindsey Sablan, meteorologist Matt Devitt, Nicole Gabe, Therese O'Shea, Amanda Hall, Russ McCaskey (I had no clue he landed here after he was bounced from KTVT), Lois Thome, Chris Cifatte, chief meteorologist Jim Farrell, and meteorologist KC Sherman. Reporters include CNN's Karin Caifa, Sydney Persing and Breana Ross. That's a lot of anchors for one day and it's good to a station still invest in talent like that. I'll just say that it sucks that McCaskey downgraded markets because he's definitely top 10 material, but I'm glad he landed on his feet after the CBS bloodbath. I also really like reporter Sydney Persing, she's a really strong writer and good reporter and I hope she lands in a larger market soon. Not to say the others aren't talented, because this station does have some strong talent, but those two merit a mention for me. Time stamps: 0:00 - WINK News This Morning (4.30am) 0:51 - Breaking News (noon) 1:58 - Breaking News rejoin (4.30pm) 2:22 - WINK News at 5 4:19 - WINK News at 6 6:30 - WINK News at 6.30 (WXCW) 7:30 - WINK News at 7 8:31 - WINK News Nightbeat cold open (11pm WINK/10pm WXCW - the open is the exact same on both stations) ©2021 Fort Myers Broadcasting Company and WINK-TV, no copyright infringement intended. For educational and historical purposes only. We do not profit off of this video.