News operation
WTXL presently broadcasts 28 1/2 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 4 1/2 hours each weekday and three hours each on Saturdays and Sundays).
WTXL has traditionally been a distant runner up in the ratings to longtime dominant WCTV. WTWC has never been a contender in the market because its two attempts to air local newscasts were both unsuccessful. The second news department operated by that station was ultimately shuttered due to poor viewership and budget cuts. Throughout the duration of the operational outsourcing agreement between WTXL and WTWC, WTXL produced some limited newscast programming on WTWC, even though WTWC was the senior partner in the agreement. More specifically, WTXL's on-air team provided WTWC with weekday morning local news and weather cut-ins seen at 7:27 and 8:26 during its airing of Today. There were also news and weather briefs aired weeknights at 5:58 and 6:28 on the NBC outlet. The aforementioned programming was taped in advance since WTXL already had prior commitments with its own local newscasts. In addition, there was severe weather coverage presented on WTWC when conditions warranted (such as during a tornado warning).
On January 15, 2001, through a news share arrangement, WTXL began producing a weeknight prime time broadcast for "WBXT" called WB 28 News at 10. Airing for thirty minutes, the show was seen exclusively on cable and billed as the market's only prime time local show seen in the 10 p.m. time slot.[17] Since the WB station periodically changed channel locations on area cable systems, the name was changed to reflect this. It was later called WB 11 News at 10 and then WB 6 News at 10. The "WBXT" newscast produced by WTXL was eventually canceled in September 2003.
In August 2007, after resuming operations independent of WTWC, WTXL debuted a new set from new studios in Midway, featuring the same design scheme as then-sister station WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama. At the same time, this outlet became the first television station in the market to upgrade local newscasts to high definition level. Corresponding with the launch of Bounce TV on WTXL-DT2, the market's only weeknight local newscast in early prime time was added to the subchannel's schedule. The show, known as Bounce TV News at 7, could be seen for thirty minutes featuring a separate graphics package and music theme from the main channel's broadcasts. For an unknown reason, the show was dropped after its October 25, 2013, airing.
In January 2018, WTXL began using the Raycom Media standardized graphics in its newscasts. Coinciding with the change, WTXL also began using "Inergy" by Stephen Arnold Music, which was coincidentally the standardized music package for its future owner Scripps. On November 19, 2019, WTXL debuted new graphics and a new set, as well as a new music package from Stephen Arnold Music.
