The building housing the stations owned by Fort Myers Broadcasting Company and Sun Broadcasting sustained what we are told was “catastrophic damage” from the landfall of Hurricane Ian on Wednesday, September 28.
The stations all went off the air after losing generator power around 5pm on Wednesday as the building was inundated from flooding caused by the storm surge. Staffers from their WINK-TV documented the flooding as seen below. Overnight the employees remaining in the building had the be rescued from the rising waters by the Fort Myers Fire Department.
Storm surge got into our WINK studios in Fort Myers, flooded the entire first floor. Lost power and was unable to continue broadcasting on tv/radio. No timetable on return to air. #Ian was the strongest hurricane in Southwest Florida history. Widespread destruction heading home. pic.twitter.com/w6is0EXcpD
— Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWINK) September 29, 2022
307AM: Fire dept is evacuating Wink news staff. #Ian #flwx pic.twitter.com/dzny4NAXP7
— Dylan Federico (@DylanFedericoWX) September 29, 2022
We have been told plans are in motion to get FMBC’s WINK-TV back on-air from an alternate facility. Its programming was being heard on sister AC 96.9 WINK-FM Fort Myers and Soft AC 101.1 WAVV Naples Park as well as Sun Classic Rock “94.5 The Arrow” WARO Naples ahead of the loss of power.
Fort Myers Broadcasting Company owns WINK-TV, WINK-FM, WAVV, Spanish CHR “Latino 97.7” WTLQ-FM Punta Rassa and Spanish Tropical “Maxima 95.7/97.3” W239CL Golden Gate/W247CR Pine Island Center/WINK-HD2.
Sun Broadcasting Company owns WXCW-TV, Conservative Talk “92.5 Right All Along” WFSX-FM Estero, Country “Hell Yeah 93.7” WHEL Sanibel, WARO, Hip Hop “Fly 98.5” WFFY San Carlos Park, “Rock 103.3” W277AP Bayshore/WHEL-HD2, and “Fox Sports 105.9” W290DB Naples/WFSX-HD2
Today’s FCC status report noted that 6 AMs, 15 FMs, and 6 television stations statewide are off the air.
The remainder of the Fort Myers market continues to simulcast other outlets. The Beasley Media Group and Renda Broadcasting stations are airing the audio from Waterman Broadcasting’s combined “NBC 2/ABC 7” WBBH/WZVN. iHeartMedia’s stations in Sarasota, Port Charlotte, and Fort Myers are all simulcasting the coverage from 970 WFLA Tampa.