WPEC

WPEC is a television station licensed to West Palm Beach, Florida, and branded on air as CBS 12. It broadcasts CBS network programming and local news, weather, traffic, public-affairs, and community-focused programming to viewers across the West Palm Beach–Fort Pierce market. The station’s studios are on Fairfield Drive in Mangonia Park, while its main transmitter is southeast of Wellington, Florida. WPEC operates within a Sinclair Broadcast Group station cluster that also includes CW affiliate WTVX and the low-power stations WTCN-CD and WWHB-CD. The station began broadcasting on January 1, 1955, as WEAT-TV, making it the third television station established in West Palm Beach and the market’s second-oldest continuously operating station. It initially carried ABC programming and was associated with WEAT radio. During its early years, the television station passed through several ownership structures. General Teleradio, later reorganized as RKO General, acquired the station soon after its launch, and it was subsequently sold to Palm Beach Broadcasting. In 1963, businessman and developer John D. MacArthur acquired the station through Gardens Broadcasting. Under MacArthur, WEAT-TV introduced color broadcasting and occasionally originated or carried programs produced from his Palm Beach County properties. A major turning point came in the early 1970s. MacArthur began selling his Palm Beach County holdings, and Photo Electronics Corporation, founded by Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. and George W. Mergens, acquired the television station. PEC took operational control in December 1973. On January 27, 1974, the station adopted the WPEC call letters and moved into studio facilities on Fairfield Drive in Mangonia Park. Dreyfoos later became more directly involved in management, expanded the news operation, and repositioned the station with a more modern presentation. WPEC’s local news service grew from a short evening bulletin into a broader operation, although it remained in a competitive ratings position behind NBC affiliate WPTV for much of its history. WPEC changed network affiliation from ABC to CBS in January 1989. The move was connected to CBS’s realignment of stations in South Florida, particularly its acquisition of Miami station WCIX and the resulting concern about coverage in Broward County. Because WPEC’s signal reached parts of Broward County, CBS encouraged the West Palm Beach station to join the network. WPEC invested in southern-market coverage, including news resources in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, and temporarily attracted a substantially larger share of its audience from Broward County. Those viewers generally relied on Miami stations for local news, however, and WPEC eventually scaled back the Broward-focused strategy. In 1995, Dreyfoos sold WPEC to Freedom Communications after receiving competing approaches from several media companies. The transaction made WPEC Freedom’s flagship television property. Freedom exited television in 2011, selling its stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair’s concurrent acquisition of Four Points Media Group brought WTVX and the two low-power stations into the same local ownership group, creating a full television duopoly in the market. WPEC has also served as an operational base for some Sinclair-related programming activities, including the former American Sports Network and news production for other stations. Today, WPEC’s core role is that of a local CBS affiliate: it distributes national CBS programming while producing local journalism and serving as a platform for regional advertising, public-service initiatives, election coverage, debates, and community information. Its brand is closely associated with the CBS 12 identity and with the broader Sinclair station portfolio in South Florida.

WPEC began service as WEAT-TV on January 1, 1955, following the Federal Communications Commission’s reopening of applications for television channels after a postwar licensing freeze. WEAT-TV was associated with WEAT radio and selected ABC as its primary network affiliation. It became the second VHF television station to sign on in West Palm Beach, following the station now known as WPTV. General Teleradio announced an acquisition of the WEAT radio and television properties within the station’s first year. General Teleradio was later reorganized as RKO General, but its ownership was brief. In 1957, the stations were sold to Rex Rand and Bertram Lebhar Jr., who operated through Palm Beach Broadcasting. A later dispute involving John D. MacArthur led to negotiations for an outright purchase. MacArthur completed the acquisition in 1963 through Gardens Broadcasting. He invested in new facilities and brought color broadcasting to the station. WEAT-TV also carried programming originating from MacArthur-owned locations, including a nationally distributed game show produced at the Colonnades Beach Hotel during the 1967–68 season. MacArthur began liquidating many of his local business interests in the early 1970s. Photo Electronics Corporation, a technology company founded by Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. and George W. Mergens, acquired the television station. PEC’s technical and photographic businesses had provided the capital for the purchase, and the company assumed operating control on December 1, 1973. On January 27, 1974, the station became WPEC and moved to its current studio complex in Mangonia Park. The ownership change also required the station to rebuild much of its news staff because of the separation from the WEAT radio operation. Dreyfoos initially delegated much of the station’s day-to-day management while pursuing other technology projects. By the end of 1980, he had taken a more active management role, changed senior personnel, and recruited Bob Wiegand as general manager. WPEC expanded its facilities and increased its local-news ambitions. One of the first programming changes under the new direction was extending the evening newscast from thirty minutes to an hour. The station attempted to modernize its on-air presentation and compete more aggressively with WPTV, the long-established market leader. The most consequential programming decision in WPEC’s history was the switch from ABC to CBS in January 1989. CBS was restructuring its Miami affiliation arrangements after acquiring WCIX, whose technical coverage left parts of Broward County underserved. WPEC’s signal reached portions of Broward County, making it strategically useful to CBS. The station strengthened its southern-market reporting, including bureaus in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, and promoted itself to viewers in the area. Broward’s share of WPEC’s total audience rose sharply after the affiliation change, particularly during network programming. The strategy was less successful for local news because many Broward viewers continued to watch Miami stations for regional reporting. WPEC’s news department also developed a long-running production relationship with Fox affiliate WFLX. Beginning in 1991, WPEC produced WFLX’s late local newscast, later adding a morning program and additional hours. The arrangement allowed WFLX to offer local news while enabling WPEC to distribute production costs across more programming. The partnership ended in 2010 when WPTV assumed production of WFLX’s newscasts. Dreyfoos placed WPEC on the market in 1995 after receiving interest from prospective buyers and concluding that the station would benefit from belonging to a larger broadcast group. Freedom Communications purchased the station in a transaction valued at more than $150 million, making WPEC the company’s flagship television property. Freedom retained the station until 2011, when it sold its television holdings to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair’s related purchase of Four Points Media Group added WTVX, WTCN-CD, and WWHB-CD to the local cluster. Under Sinclair, WPEC has continued as a CBS affiliate and local-news provider. The station hosted facilities for the American Sports Network, a Sinclair sports programming and syndication service that operated from 2014 through 2017. It also provided news production support for Sinclair-managed WGFL in Gainesville until that arrangement ended in 2023. WPEC remains focused on local broadcast journalism, weather, public affairs, digital publishing, and network distribution in the West Palm Beach–Fort Pierce market.

1. 2022Gubernatorial debate hosted

   The station hosted a Florida gubernatorial debate involving Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist.

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2. 2014American Sports Network operations

   WPEC facilities hosted operations for Sinclair’s American Sports Network.

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3. 2011Sinclair acquisition

   Sinclair acquired WPEC from Freedom Communications and combined it with other local stations.

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4. 1995Freedom Communications acquisition

   Freedom Communications bought WPEC, making it the group’s flagship television station.

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5. 1991WFLX news-production partnership begins

   WPEC began producing a local late newscast for Fox affiliate WFLX.

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6. 1989CBS affiliation begins

   WPEC ended its long ABC affiliation and became the CBS station for the West Palm Beach market.

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7. 1974WPEC identity introduced

   The station changed its call sign to WPEC and moved to its Fairfield Drive studios in Mangonia Park.

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8. 1973Photo Electronics Corporation takes control

   PEC assumed operating control after acquiring the station from MacArthur.

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9. 1963John D. MacArthur acquires the station

   MacArthur purchased the station through Gardens Broadcasting.

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10. 1957Palm Beach Broadcasting ownership

    General Teleradio/RKO General sold the station to Rex Rand and Bertram Lebhar Jr.’s Palm Beach Broadcasting.

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11. 1955WEAT-TV begins broadcasting

    The station signed on January 1 as WEAT-TV, an ABC affiliate serving West Palm Beach and surrounding areas.

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Local CBS affiliate focused on television news, weather, regional information, and network entertainment for the West Palm Beach–Fort Pierce market.

• CBS 12 television serviceBroadcast television1989

  WPEC’s primary broadcast service combines CBS network programming with locally produced news, weather, traffic, public affairs, election coverage, and community information. The service is distributed over the station’s terrestrial signal and supported by the CBS 12 digital platform. Its audience focus is the West Palm Beach–Fort Pierce market, with particular relevance to Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and nearby South Florida communities.

• CBS12.comDigital media

  The station’s website extends the CBS 12 brand beyond linear television with local news articles, video, weather information, alerts, breaking-news coverage, and market-specific service journalism. It functions as the principal digital destination associated with WPEC’s broadcast operation.

• Local news productionTelevision news1955

  WPEC produces scheduled and breaking local-news coverage, including newscasts, severe-weather reporting, traffic information, investigative and public-interest reporting, election coverage, and regional features. The department has periodically produced programming for related stations and has historically used bureaus and expanded reporting to reach communities south and north of West Palm Beach.

• 1989Broward County CBS coverage expansion

  Broward County · South Florida

  Following the move to CBS, WPEC promoted its ability to deliver CBS programming into parts of Broward County and expanded reporting resources through Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale bureaus. The effort sought to capture viewers affected by the Miami affiliation change.

  Outcome. The station gained a larger Broward audience for CBS network programming, but viewers generally continued to use Miami stations for local news. WPEC later reduced the Broward-focused initiative.

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• 2011Sale to Sinclair Broadcast GroupM&A

  Freedom Communications decided to exit television, while Sinclair was expanding its local broadcast portfolio.

  What changed. Sinclair acquired WPEC and combined it with WTVX, WTCN-CD, and WWHB-CD through related transactions.

  Aftermath. The transactions created a full local station grouping under Sinclair ownership and expanded shared operational resources in the market.

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• 1995Sale to Freedom CommunicationsM&A

  After receiving interest from multiple media companies and observing a broader wave of broadcast consolidation, Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. decided to sell WPEC.

  What changed. Freedom Communications acquired WPEC and related station property, making WPEC its flagship television asset.

  Aftermath. WPEC moved from local entrepreneurial ownership into a larger station group and remained with Freedom until its 2011 television exit.

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• 1991WFLX local-news production agreementOther

  Fox encouraged affiliates to add local news, while WFLX lacked its own established newsroom and WPEC already maintained a production operation.

  What changed. WPEC began producing WFLX’s late local newscast and later added morning programming.

  Aftermath. The arrangement continued for nearly two decades before ending in 2010, when WPTV took over production of WFLX news.

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• 1989Switch from ABC to CBSStrategy

  CBS needed stronger over-the-air coverage in parts of South Florida after changing its Miami affiliation arrangements. WPEC’s signal extended into Broward County, making the station strategically valuable.

  What changed. WPEC ended its 34-year ABC affiliation and became a CBS affiliate in January 1989, while expanding southern-market news coverage and promotion.

  Aftermath. Network-programming reach in Broward County increased, but the station did not displace Miami broadcasters for most local-news viewing.

  • WPBF — WPBF became the incoming ABC affiliate in the West Palm Beach market after ABC selected it instead of returning affiliation to WTVX or choosing WFLX.
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• 2022WPEC hosts Florida gubernatorial debate

  WPEC hosted a gubernatorial debate between Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce.

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• 2011Freedom Communications sells television stations to Sinclair

  Sinclair agreed to acquire Freedom Communications’ television stations, including WPEC, while separately acquiring Four Points stations in the same market.

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• 1988WPEC announces move from ABC to CBS

  WPEC announced that it would become a CBS affiliate in January 1989 as part of a broader CBS realignment in South Florida.

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• 1974WPEC changes call sign and moves into Mangonia Park studios

  The station adopted the WPEC call letters after Photo Electronics Corporation assumed control and established the Fairfield Drive studio operation.

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1. WPEC
2. WPEC official website