'Positively Jax Day' event collects more than 21,000 pounds of food

To say the first-ever Positively Jax Day, in Jacksonville, was a success, would be a massive understatement.

WJXT and WCWJ viewers and readers truly outdid themselves. When it came to the Positively Jax food drive, people came out in droves to donate canned fruits and vegetables, cereal and other non-perishable goods to help feed families in need all across the area.

The results were staggering: The station collected more than 21,000 pounds of food. That’s more than 10 tons, or the weight of an average-sized elephant. Plus, the community donated more than $5,300 to Feeding Northeast Florida.

Combined, those donations work out to roughly 50,000 meals for families who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Here is a massive THANK YOU to everyone who chipped in, whether the contribution meant dropping off food, donating money to this worthy cause, or volunteering time and energy.

The work isn’t done just yet.

While the food drive was a strong start, the next goal is to share 1,000 good deeds (or Random "Jax" of Kindness), happening around town.

The next Positively Jax event is set for Feb. 20.

The station will host a Positively Jax Community Cleanup with Beaches Go Green, and is welcoming volunteers to pick up litter at three sites throughout the community.

WJXT studio manager celebrates 50 years with the station

Fifty years is a long time to do anything.

The year Freddie Rhodes started at WJXT-TV, a gallon of gas cost 40 cents, the microprocessor was first invented and Disney World opened in Orlando.

Five decades later, this beloved gentle giant is still keeping the team in line in Jacksonville -- and blessing the community.

A deacon at Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ, Rhodes is constantly doing things for others. He’s been a devoted husband for 40 years, raised five sons and now has nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A 53-year broadcast radio veteran, Rhodes -- who is legendary for his baritone voice and size 17 shoes -- clearly has no problems committing.

His wife, Sara, describes him as mild, meek, humble, loving and caring.

News4Jax celebrated with Freddie five years ago for his 45th anniversary, so the station knew it had to come back even bigger this year.

Channel 4 got even more folks in on our celebration.

From one News4Jax legend to another, “Fifty years. Congratulations, Freddie,” said retired WJXT Chief Meteorologist George Winterling. “God bless you in all that you do. It’s your old friend, George.”

Mayor Lenny Curry even recognized Rhodes' long term of exceptional service with News4Jax, and declared Jan. 15, 2021, as Freddie Rhodes Day in Jacksonville.

The mayor said he encourages “all citizens to strive each day to display the compassion for others and the unparalleled work ethic that Freddie has shown each day for the last 50 years.”

Along with his work at WJXT, Rhodes is the program director for Gospel station WCGL Victory AM 1360 in Jacksonville. He’s an award-winning announcer who’s been in radio longer than in TV, and he’s well-known in the industry.

“I want to take this time to congratulate my man, Freddie Rhodes. You know you’re one of my favorites. God bless you and may you have many, many more years,” said gospel musician Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson.

Freddie is motivated by his family and his faith.

Congrats on 50 wonderful years!

Read more.

Jacksonville chooses News4JAX in July 2020

News4JAX is again Jacksonville’s top choice for local news, winning all local news time periods from early morning through late night.

News4JAX had the most Adult 25-54 viewers for the recently concluded July ratings period, according to independent ratings data released by the Nielsen Company. News4JAX also grew over July 2019 for Adults 25-54 in morning news 7-10 a.m., early news 5-7 p.m. and late news 10-11:30 p.m.

Morning News is No. 1 in all major demos, and leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. earning 5,300 Adult 25-54 viewers and a 9 share.

News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 7,000 Adult 25-54 viewers.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX wins with 9,000 Adult 25-54 viewers, tripling the nearest competitor. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with adults in the 6-7 a.m. time period, bringing in more than 11,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and an impressive 14 share. That is double the closest competitor.

"The Morning Show" (7-9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with 12,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and a 14 share to beat out local and national competitors. "The Morning Show" also has growth in all major demos over last July while its competitors have declines.

At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beats "Today Show" third hour by 116% with 9,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and shows year-over-year increases while WTLV has declines.

“At a time when accurate, important information is literally developing every hour, we are again very proud to be the place the people of Jacksonville trust above all others for local news,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT and WCWJ Vice President and General Manager. “I’m very proud of how we continue to cover the stories that matter to our community and help people make informed decisions on how to keep themselves and their friends and family safe.”

News4JAX at 4 p.m. has 9,000 Adult 25-54 viewers, beating "Action News Jax at 4 p.m.," "Dr. Phil," "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

In Evening News, News4JAX is No. 1 from 5-6:30 p.m. and shows growth year over year in every major demo. News4JAX at 5 p.m. takes the time period with 12,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and beats the WTLV/WJXX and WJAX/WFOX duopolies even when these stations add their newscasts together. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 13,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and beats the WTLV/WJXX and WJAX/WFOX combos. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer and John Gaughan is No. 1 with 15,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and a 10 share.

“The growth of our news ratings during the pandemic is a testament to the hard work by our staff to deliver quality, trusted content and (reporting) facts and not (creating) fear,” Ellis said. “With more anchors and reporters people know and trust, there really is a difference between the local news outlets in Jacksonville. We watch the other stations in town follow our lead every day. It’s clear our community recognizes that and knows we are Jacksonville’s one true local television station.”

Viewers made that clear again in late news with wins in all major demos and year-over-year growth with male viewers. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with 16,000 Adult 25-54 viewers and again at 10:30 p.m. with 13,000.

News4JAX is No. 1 at 11 p.m. with 11,000 Adult 25-54 viewers, beating the WJAX and WFOX Action News newscasts even when they report the ratings for both stations added together for all major demos. Late news shows year-over-year increases from 10-11:30 p.m. for Adults 25-54.

Channel 4 The Local Station the most-watched TV station in Jacksonville for the 2019-20 broadcast season

Channel 4 The Local Station is the most-watched television station in Jacksonville for the 2019-20 broadcast season, according to numbers released by independent measurement from Nielsen Media Research.

WJXT is No. 1 total day in the most-coveted demographic for advertisers, adults ages 25-54. In all three of the marquee local news day parts, News4JAX finished No. 1 in the same key adult 25-54 demos for the 2019-20 broadcast season in the Jacksonville TV market. The strength of News4JAX broadcasts are driven by the station’s original reporting, breaking news and weather coverage, news anchors viewers know and trust, and the station’s deep connection to the local community.

WJXT continues to be a prominent choice for prime-time viewing as well in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. The lineup of "Last Man Standing," "Blackish" and "The Big Bang Theory" beat ABC prime for adults 25-54, men 25-54 and men 18-49 for the 2019-20 season overall.

"The Big Bang Theory" on WJXT is the top-syndicated entertainment show in Jacksonville. Also, "Entertainment Tonight" finished the broadcast season as the top entertainment news show, and "Inside Edition" finished the broadcast season as the top-syndicated news magazine show.

“When you consider the options today for viewing with cable and streaming, to outperform all of these choices validates the point broadcast television is still as important as ever,” said Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT and WCWJ. “People today are led to believe broadcast TV is dying. That’s just simply not true. In Jacksonville, over the long haul, it is clear broadcast television is still the most popular place to watch news, entertainment and special events. This also means it is still far and away the absolute best place for advertisers to get their messages seen and heard.”

Morning News on Channel 4 continues to win every major demo from 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in most time periods, beats all news competitors in the market combined. News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. is No. 1 by 100% for adult 25-54 impressions.

News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 11,000 adult 25-54 viewers and nearly beats "First Coast News" on WTLV and "Action News Jax" on WJAX and WFOX combined.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX wins by 136% with 14,000 adult 25-54 viewers, nearly tying all other news competitors combined.

News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with 16,000 adult 25-54 viewers in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period.

"The Morning Show" (7 to 9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton, Melanie Lawson and Richard Nunn is No. 1 in the time period with 15,000 adult 25-54 viewers, beating out all other newscasts, including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX.

It also has nearly double the viewers of "Action News Jax" on WFOX. May 2020 marks The Morning Show’s 107th consecutive month winning the time period in household ratings, as well. At 9 a.m., The Morning Show 2 beats the Today Show 3 in all major demos.

“I’m fortunate to see first-hand the commitment of the News4JAX team to this community,” Ellis said. “The work they put in to be there when it matters most and to produce important, engaging local content every day is what we do. To see that same commitment by the viewers of Jacksonville back to us reflects the special relationship Channel 4 continues to have with our community. It’s been that way for decades. We are honored and do not take it for granted.”

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is the most-watched in the time period with an average of 13,000 adults ages 25-54 watching every day for the broadcast season.

News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 14,000 adults 25-54.

News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer, chief meteorologist John Gaughan and sports analyst Mark Brunell, is No. 1 with 17,000 adults 25-54, beating the closest competitor, "Action News Jax" on WJAX, by 44%.

The story continues in late news where WJXT is No. 1 with "The Ten O’Clock News" with 17,000 adult 25-54 viewers and outperforms "Action News Jax" on WFOX by 132%.

Again at 10:30 p.m., News4JAX is No. 1 with 14,000 adult 25-54 viewers, beating WFOX by 138%.

News4JAX is No. 1 at 11 p.m. for adults 25-54 with 12,000 tuning in.

Source: Nielsen September 23, 2019 - May 15, 2020 average. PAVs for News programming. Prime is based on time-period averages, WJXT and WFOX M-F 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., WTLV, WJXX, WJAX, WCWJ 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Total day is M-F 3 a.m. to 3 a.m.

WJXT proves to be most trusted source for local news in Northeast Florida, South Georgia during COVID-19 pandemic

Jacksonville has spoken: The majority of people choose one local news organization above all others when it mattered most.

News4JAX is, once again, Jacksonville’s top choice for local news, winning all local news time periods from early morning through late night, as it was announced this week by WJXT Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis.

News4JAX had the most adults ages 25 to 54 as viewers for the recently concluded May ratings period, according to independent ratings data released by the Nielsen Company, the demographic coveted most by advertisers. News4JAX.com was also the most viewed website, according to independent data released by comScore.

Morning News is No. 1 for all major demos, and leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. earning 5,000 A25-54 viewers and a 7-share.

News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 7,000 A25-54 viewers. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with 10,000 A25-54 viewers, more than doubling the nearest competitor.

News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with adults in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period, bringing in more than 13,000 A25-54 viewers and a 16-share, nearly three times the closest competitor.

The Morning Show (7 to 9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with 16,000 A25-54 viewers and a 16-share. That is growth of three share points compared to a year ago, and beat all other newscasts, including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX, ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX and other local newscast in the time period on WFOX.

At 9 a.m., The Morning Show 2 beats "Today" by 54% with 12,000 A25-54 viewers.

“There has never been a time when news has been more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic," Ellis said. "To again be the top choice for our community from morning through night, day-in and day-out, for this critical information confirms the people of Jacksonville want news from a trusted source. As Jacksonville’s only truly local television, we are very proud to lead the market again, and it confirms our goal to serve our community continues to resonate.”

In early evening news, in addition to winning the A25-54 demo, News4JAX also had the most year-to-year ratings growth.

News4JAX at 4 p.m. had 8,000 A25-54 viewers, beating Action News Jax at 4 p.m., "Dr. Phil," "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most-watched in the time period with 13,000 A25-54 viewers. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 15,000 A25-54 viewers. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with 17,000 A25-54 viewers and a 12-share.

“The growth of our news ratings during the pandemic is a testament to the hard work by our staff to deliver quality, trusted content and reports facts and not create fear,” Ellis said. “With more anchors and reporters people know and trust, there really is a difference between the local news outlets in Jacksonville. It’s clear our community appreciates and recognizes that fact.”

News4JAX also won all major demos in late news. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with 17,000 A25-54 viewers and again at 10:30 p.m. with 14,000.

News4JAX was No. 1 at 11 p.m. with 12,000 A25-54 viewers, beating both First Coast News and the WJAX and WFOX Action News newscasts, even when added together.

Late news has seen year-over-year growth particularly at 10 p.m., where there is a 26% increase over last May.

WJXT also recently received recognition for its work from two major award organizations.

WJXT earned a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Overall Excellence award from the Radio and Television News Directors Association. The RTNDA also awarded the station Murrow Awards for Breaking News Coverage for its work during the Miami Airplane crash at NAS JAX and News4JAX.com was named best website.

News4JAX also earned 11 awards from The Florida Association of Broadcasters, including Best Newscast, Best Website, Best Investigative Story and the organization's top award as Station of the Year.

Jacksonville chooses THE Local Station again to start the new year

The new year kicked off at THE Local Station with more than 13 million pageviews on News4JAX.com and the No. 1 spot for all local news.

Morning News leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 am with 13,132 households (HH) watching for a 10 share.

News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 20,221 HH watching. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with 26,168 HHs and a 17 share. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period bringing in 33,488 viewing HHs and a 19 share. The Morning Show (7 to 9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with 34,892 HHs and a 18 share, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s Today Show on WTLV, CBS This Morning on WJAX and ABC’s Good Morning America on WJXX.

At 9 a.m., The Morning Show 2 beats Today Show by 64% with 25,058 HHs.

Wendy Williams on WCWJ has improved the time period at 10 a.m. over last January and has improved the performance of the show compared to its run on WJXX in January 2019. River City Live was No. 2 in the time period with 10,974 HHs. News4JAX at 4 p.m. beat Ellen, Dr. Phil and Judge Judy for the No. 1 spot with 22,846 HHs watching.

In Evening News, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is the most-watched local news in the time period with 36,7119 HHs. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with 38,313 HHs. News4JAX at 6 p.m. anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan is No. 1 with 46,340 HHs and a 14 share.

The story continues in Late News, as The 10:00 O’Clock News at 10 p.m. is the most-watched late newscast in the market.

WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. and had 32,455 HHs watching and at 10:30 p.m. 25,760 HHs tuned in. News4JAX at 11 p.m. kept Jacksonville informed again for the No. 1 spot at 11 p.m. with 23,617 HHs on WJXT. News4JAX at 11 p.m. brings in an additional 2,940 viewing HHs from WCWJ.

“With another month of important local stories, including the significant developments with JEA and the death of former Mayor Jake Godbold, we are again very proud to be the top choice in Jacksonville for news and information,” said Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT/WCWJ. “When you watch Channel 4 or go to News4JAX.com, I think it’s clear the difference between our newscasts and others continues to be people you know and trust who have been here long enough to know what stories mean to our community. That’s what being Jacksonville’s one true local station is all about.”

News4JAX celebrates students passionate about reading

THE Local Station, in partnership with Douglas Law Firm, is proud to present News4JAX National Reading Awareness Month.

Beginning in March, News4JAX will spotlight children grades 1-5 who are passionate about reading, and plans to celebrate four local classrooms who embrace the joy of literature.

“Studies have shown reading to children just 20 minutes a day can have an enormous impact on the cognitive development of children. In our ongoing effort to serve our local community, News4JAX wants to remind everyone of this important fact and get out into our local schools to spread this important message,” said Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT/WCWJ.

To participate, parents and teachers should send a video of their child or classroom telling us why they are passionate about reading, and why they would like additional books in their classroom.

Video submissions can be sent through www.News4JAX.com/reading or by visiting the News4JAX.com contest page. Nominations are open through Feb. 17. Four winning classrooms will be announced on Feb. 28.

During each week of March, a member of The Morning Show team will bring a few of their favorite books into a winning classroom and read to the kids. The winning classroom will receive a pizza party and $100 Scholastic gift card to re-stock its library.

Contest requirements:

• The video must be 2 minutes or less, filmed with a horizontal frame.
• Child or classroom must be in grades 1-5 to participate.
• Video must be submitted on News4JAX.com/reading or the News4JAX contest page by Feb. 17.
• All counties in the Jacksonville DMA are eligible to participate.

WJXT produces documentary about Bahamas

WJXT Channel 4 was expected to air a special presentation Tuesday called "96 Hours of Anguish."

The news documentary is a raw, real and graphic look at the destruction in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, which struck the islands starting Sept. 1.

WJXT reporter Vic Micolucci and photojournalist Jesse Hanson spent four days, or 96 hours, on the ground and in the air covering the disaster from the hardest-hit areas.

The team documented the devastation, search and rescue operations and the relief effort.

The eye-opening film features Bahamians who are struggling to survive and Florida-based volunteer operations that brought life-sustaining supplies into the hard-to-access islands.

“We covered unimaginable destruction and pain,” Micolucci said. “We witnessed heartbreak and smelled death, but we also saw unbelievable generosity and resiliency. Sometimes the worst scenarios can bring out the best in humanity.”

Micolucci and Executive Producer Jodi Mohrmann and senior editor Mike Jones spent more than a week combing through hours of footage to accurately and honestly show the situation in the decimated towns.

The hour-long film features stories of survival and the plans to rebuild the islands.

WJXT presents 'Curtains Up'

WJXT Channel 4 is taking viewers behind the curtain with the High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience at Florida State College at Jacksonville as they prepare and present numbers from Disney’s Newsies.

The hour-long special will incorporate behind-the-scenes and live performances from some of the most talented students in Northeast Florida, starting at 8 p.m. July 18.

The Local Station has teamed with FSCJ to produce a documentary-style special showcasing how the cast and crew are preparing for their performances July 19-21 and July 26-28.

"Curtains Up" includes exclusive footage of auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, set development and a special look at the training behind one of the choreographed fight scenes. The program will also have live performances of popular Newsies songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Watch What Happens,” “The World Will Know,” “That’s Rich” and “The King of New York.”

“The partnership this year between Florida State College at Jacksonville and WJXT Channel 4 is the epitome of the word ‘community.’ It is a great opportunity to further highlight the more than 70 student performers from Northeast Florida who have worked so hard throughout the summer to put on this fantastic production," said Beth Harvey, director of the Wilson Center for the Arts.

More than 70 seventh- through 12th-grade students are cast in this production as dancers, performers and technicians to recreate Disney’s 2012 Broadway hit.

“As the only truly local television station in town, we want to highlight all students from every part of Jacksonville, and we’re very proud to be the first and only station taking the time to celebrate the artistic talent seen in our community,” said WJXT Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis. “Young people involved in theater, music and dance don’t get enough recognition. We’re thrilled to show off their talents and see first-hand their hard work pay off on prime time TV.”

WJXT-TV4 wins the 2018-19 TV season

The 2018-19 traditional Nielsen television season has come to a close and WJXT Channel 4 | THE Local Station is No. 1 in all local news areas and beat several major broadcast networks in entertainment programming in prime time, once again.

The station's newscasts delivered No. 1 result in all dayparts, continuing a run of dominance in the Jacksonville market.

“It’s incredibly humbling to see month after month, year after year how the community continues to make us their first choice for local news,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT vice president and general manager. “We take being Jacksonville's number one source for news very seriously. We know viewers look to us first for important local stories that make a difference in Jacksonville. That's our focus. That’s what being The Local Station is all about.”

Morning News continues to lead the charge, winning every major demo 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in most time periods, beating all news competitors in the market combined.

News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. is No. 1 by 88% for Adult 25-54 ratings. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.4 Adult 25-54 rating, tying the combined competition of WTLV, WJXX, WJAX and WFOX.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won by 93% with a 2.9, once again tying all other news competitors combined. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 in Adults 25-54 ratings in the 6-7 a.m. time period, garnering a 3.2 Adult 25-54.

"The Morning Show" (7‑9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.5 Adult 25-54 rating, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. May 2019 marks "The Morning Show’s" 95th consecutive month winning the time period in HH ratings. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beat "Today" with and without Megyn Kelly.

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most watched in the time period with a 1.9 A25‑54 rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.0 Adults 25-54 rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m. anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer and John Gaughan is No. 1 with a 2.2 Adult 25-54 rating, beating the closest competition by 22%.

The story continues in late news where WJXT is No. 1 with "The Ten O’Clock News" with a 2.3 rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 1.9 rating for Adults 25-54. News4JAX is No. 1 at 11 p.m. for Adults 25-54 with a 1.8.

WJXT continues to be a prominent choice for prime viewing in Jacksonville. The lineup of "Last Man Standing" and "The Big Bang Theory" beat ABC prime in every major demo for the 2018-19 season overall.

Source: Nielsen September 24, 2018-May 24, 2019 average. PAVs for News programming. Prime is based on time period averages WJXT and WFOX M-F 8p-10p, WTLV, WJXX, WJAX, WCWJ 8p-11p.

News4JAX partners with Visit Jacksonville for JaxBest Guide

News4JAX.com has partnered with Visit Jacksonville to create an annual voter-centric guide highlighting the best local attractions and businesses that shape the city.

This resource will live year-round on the News4JAX.com website with new voting categories populated monthly. Winners of each category will be announced at the end of each voting phase, and will reign as the category winner over the next 12 months.

“Visit Jacksonville makes the perfect partner for the JAX BEST promotion because it is our mission to promote the best that Jacksonville has to offer to the world every day, so who better to help us find those top options than our local residents?” said Michael Corrigan, CEO and president of Visit Jacksonville. “We invite Jacksonville to watch WJXT and WCWJ for updates on the JAX BEST campaign, vote and help us choose the best attractions, parks, breweries, museums and experiences available in Jacksonville. We want the people that live here to help us spread the word on their favorite places in Jax!”

The first round of voting began June 17, and will cover the following 10 categories: Best Breweries, Trails, Dog Parks, Public Art, Coffee, Fishing Charters, Surf Spots, Animal Encounters, Golf Courses and Water Sports Rentals.

Winners from the first round will be announced the week of July 8, followed by a new set of categories the week of July 15.

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Visit Jacksonville to create the ultimate guide of all the best things our great city has to offer,” WJXT and WCWJ Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis said. “The best local spots chosen entirely by local people is what makes this the definitive ‘Best of’ list. We can’t wait to unveil it.”

The inspiration behind JaxBest stemmed from the mutual desire to further educate residents and visitors alike on local businesses, events and attractions as our city continues to flourish. JaxBest will permanently live on News4JAX.com as an informational guide for users seeking new experiences around our city. To vote, please visit News4JAX.com/jaxbest.

Jacksonville chooses THE Local Station again in May 2019

There were several big stories in the month of May in Jacksonville, including a passenger plane skidding off the runway at NAS JAX, and once again, THE Local Station, News4JAX finished the month as the No. 1 source for local news with Jacksonville households.

Morning news leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m., earning a 2.7 rating and 12 share for households. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period, with a 3.3 household (HH) rating. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 4.3, more than doubling the nearest competitor’s HH rating. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 in the 6-7 a.m. time period, garnering a 5.8 HH rating and an impressive 20 share.
"The Morning Show" (7-9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 6.1 HH rating and a 18 share, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beats "Today" by 91% with a 4.4 HH rating.

"River City Live" was No. 2 in the time period with a 2.0 HH rating for May. News4JAX at 4 p.m. did a 2.8 HH rating, beating "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most watched in the time period, with a 5.2 HH rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period, with a 5.4 HH rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with a 6.1 HH rating and a 12 share.

The story continues in late news, as "The Ten O’Clock News" is the most-watched late newscast in the market. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 4.8 HH rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 3.8 rating.

“We are very proud to again be the go-to place for local news in Jacksonville,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT and WCWJ vice president and general manager. “When reports came in that a passenger plane was in the St. Johns River, we knew it was a big story. Our coverage by the news team that the viewers of Jacksonville know and trust was appropriate and thorough. I’m very proud of how we covered this important breaking news story and helped the people of our community again this month.”

WJXT-TV4 wins every major local news area in April

THE Local Station continues to be Jacksonville’s No. 1 source for local news and swept all major news areas with adult ages 25-54 viewers, the most coveted demographic for television advertisers.

Morning news leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. earning a 1.9 rating and 13-share for adults 25-54.

News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.3 A25-54 rating. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 2.8, nearly doubling the nearest competitor's A25-54 rating.

News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with adults in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period, garnering a 3.3 A25-54 rating and an impressive 20 share.

"The Morning Show," which runs from 7 to 9 a.m., anchored by Bruce Hamilton, Jennifer Waugh and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.5 A25-54 rating and a 15-share, beating out all other newscasts, including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today Show" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX.

At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beats "Today" by 50%, with a 1.5 A25-54.

News4JAX at 4 p.m. and "Inside Edition" take the time period with a 1.3 A25-54, beating "Dr. Phil," "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is the most-watched in the time period with a 1.9 A25-54 rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.0 A25-54 rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with a 2.3 A25-54 rating and a 9-share.

The story continues in late news, with wins in The Ten O’Clock News at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 2.8 A25-54 rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 2.3 rating.

News4JAX was No. 1 at 11 p.m. with a 2.1 A25-54, beating both the WJAX and WFOX Action News newscasts, even when added together.

Late news has seen year-over-year growth, particularly at 10 p.m., where it is seeing a 27% increase over last April.

“In a month with a tremendous amount of important local news and severe weather that threatened the safety of our viewers, we’re proud to be the go-to place for critical information for our community,” said WJXT/WCWJ Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis. “Serving Jacksonville as The Local Station is what we’re all about.”

Gators Breakdown podcast reaches 1 million listens

When Dave Waters first began recording a University of Florida Gators-themed podcast in 2016, it was just a hobby. He never expected it to explode in popularity -- skyrocketing from 100 listens an episode to 6,000.

Now, nearly three years later, Gators Breakdown has become a top sports podcast on iTunes. This week, Waters reached yet another milestone on his journey by cracking the one-million listens mark.

“It’s still hard to believe that former players I grew up watching, ESPN and SEC Network personalities, reporters … trust what Gators Breakdown is doing and hop on to talk Gators football with me,” Waters said.

Waters, 35, got his start at WJXT in news production in 2006. Soon, he began volunteering to shoot football games. Still, it wasn’t until 10 years later that he parlayed his love of the Gators into a podcast. These days, he's a commercial production manager for WJXT.

Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT/WCWJ, said he encourages all employees to pursue their passion, and in Waters' case, that's tracking the latest developments in Gators football.

"There's no substitute for someone who cares about the subject they're covering," Ellis said. "That's been one of the secret ingredients in our station's success over the years. Our team really cares."

As Ellis points out, podcasts like Gators Breakdown are just another way for the station to connect with its community ‑ and a reflection of viewers' and readers' appetite for high-quality sports content.

"Our commitment to local sports content -- high school and college sports especially -- on all of our content platforms is the best it's been in years," Ellis said. "Dave's been a big part of that."

Follow @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in: Megaphone | iTunes | YouTube | Google Play

Graham Media Group’s podcast division partners with our broadcast television stations to create compelling, original audio content, bringing captivating stories to new audiences and giving listeners more stories to love. Headed by Zak Rosen, our podcasts have gained national attention with the popularity of the true-crime series Shattered, and the series Mismatch, featuring interesting stories about the incompatible, unsuitable and out of step. Learn more at grahammedia.com/podcasts.

WJXT-TV4 wins big in morning, early and late news areas in March

THE Local Station is again Jacksonville’s No. 1 source for local news -- and swept all morning and late news areas with the Jacksonville viewers for the month of March.

Morning News leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m., more than doubling the nearest competitor’s HH ratings. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 4.4 HH rating, beating the competition combined.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 5.2. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with households in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period, garnering a 6.3 and an impressive 21 share. The Morning Show (7 to 9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 6.4 HH rating and an 19 share, beating out all other newscasts, including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today Show" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. At 9 a.m., The Morning Show 2 beats "Today's" third hour with a 4.9 HH rating.

In Evening News, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most-watched in the time period, with a 5.4 HH rating. News4JAX increases that to a 5.8 HH rating and, again, wins the time period. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with a 7.2 HH rating and a 14 share.

The story continues in Late News, with wins in The Ten O’Clock News at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 5.6 HH rating and again at 10:30 with a 4.4 HH rating. News4JAX was No. 1 at 11 p.m. with a 4.2 HH rating.

WCWJ continues to see great growth in "Access with Mom" and "Blackish," increasing HH ratings year over year as well as month over month. "Dateline" at 10 p.m. has doubled the rating in the time period from March 2018, and increased its HH rating from the month prior.

“March was another terrific month with local events on our station that demonstrated our commitment to Jacksonville as the only true local TV station. In addition to our local news, our coverage of the only debate with all qualified mayoral candidates, election night itself, and our exclusive coverage of the Gate River Run were again indicators there’s no other station like Channel 4 in town,” said Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT and CW17.

News4Jax team joins executive producer's fight, works to raise money for ALS cure

You never know when life is going to throw you a curve ball.

For Sharon Siegel-Cohen, one of the executive producers on The Morning Show at Channel 4, it started as something quite innocuous.

“I tripped when we were on a family vacation and had trouble with my ankle,” Siegel-Cohen said. "The problem persisted for months and neither I, nor my doctors, could figure out what was wrong."

It took doctors some time, but they eventually figured out what was going on. Siegel-Cohen has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS -- sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a disorder that affects the function of nerves and muscles that tends to strike people between the ages of 40 and 70.

About 5,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year -- that's more than 13 new cases a day. It's estimated there are more than 20,000 Americans living with it at any given time.

"I was in denial at first," Siegel-Cohen said. “But then I decided to use my voice and fight this disease and do what I can to help find a cure.”

Since her diagnosis, raising awareness about ALS has become Siegel-Cohen's mission, and her family on The Morning Show is dedicated to helping her. Now, WJXT-TV would like you to join in on that mission.

On Tuesday night, Bruce, Melanie, Crystal, Richard, Vic and Elizabeth from Channel 4 will be working as celebrity servers at Brucci's Pizza near Beach Boulevard and Hodges, and Siegel-Cohen will be there, too.

All the money the Channel 4 team raises through tips between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. will be donated to the local ALS Society.

The Florida Times-Union, also known as jacksonville.com, also recently featured Siegel-Cohen in a column by Mike Clark.

Clark described how he got to know Siegel-Cohen in 1980, as he reviewed movies for Channel 4.

"Sharon was my producer and helped me adjust to the demands of reading a teleprompter," Clark said. "Saying something meaningful in 90 seconds was a good writing lesson. Trying to appear both authoritative and relaxed was quite a challenge. Sharon, a first-rate talent, took good care. We even did a few standups outside the studio."

Clark also drew attention to Jacksonville’s Walk for A Cure, which will take place Saturday, March 30, at Tinseltown. You can sign up and contribute here.

"Sharon’s Songbirds" is the name of her group. Siegel-Cohen also will be honored May 4, as she's set to receive a Courage Award at a gala to benefit Augie’s Quest, a reference to Augie Nieto, co-founder and CEO of Life Fitness. Augie’s Quest is a nonprofit dedicated to helping find a treatment and cure for ALS.

WJXT-TV4 wins big in morning, early and late news areas in February

THE Local Station is again Jacksonville’s No. 1 source for local news, and swept all morning and late news areas with the Jacksonville viewers for the month of February.

Morning News leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. No. 1 nearly tripling the nearest competitor’s HH ratings. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 4.1 HH rating, more than doubling the nearest competitor. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 4.9.

News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with households in the 6 to 7 a.m. time period garnering a 6.1 and an impressive 21 share. The Morning Show (7-9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 5.9 HH rating and an 18 share, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today Show" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beats "Today Show" third hour with a 4.1 HH rating.

In Evening News, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is the most watched in the time period with a 5.2 HH rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan, is No. 1, with a 7.1 HH rating and a 13 share.

The story continues in Late News, with wins in The Ten O’Clock News at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 5.0 HH rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 3.6 HH rating. News4JAX was No. 1 at 11 pm with a 3.7 HH rating.

“It is extremely gratifying to see how the people of Jacksonville trust News4JAX above all others for their local news,” said Bob Ellis, vice president and general manager of WJXT and CW17. “The commitment of our staff to tell important stories from all areas of town and make Jacksonville a better place is real. To know month after month viewers count on us as their primary source of news makes us fiercely proud and reinforces our commitment as this city’s only true local television station.”

First Coast Spelling Bee to crown regional champion

WJXT will host the 75th annual First Coast Spelling Bee driven by Jenkins Hyundai of Jacksonville on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Spellers representing 14 area counties will take the stage at Jacksonville University’s Swisher Theatre to compete for the opportunity to represent the First Coast at the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, DC.

News4JAX Anchor Melanie Lawson again will serve as pronouncer while News4JAX Anchor Bruce Hamilton hosts the broadcast with analysis provided by Jeff Hess, FSCJ Dean of Communication. The First Coast Spelling Bee is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:45 p.m.

WHAT: First Coast Spelling Bee driven by Jenkins Hyundai of Jacksonville

WHEN: 8 p.m., Tuesday, February 19

WHERE: Jacksonville University’s Swisher Theatre 2800 University Blvd. North Jacksonville

The First Coast Spelling Bee will be broadcast live on WJXT Channel 4 and streamed on News4JAX.com from 8 to 10 p.m.

Participating Spellers in Spelling Order:

1. Ansley Cutshaw of Nassau County
2. Cassie Clay of Suwannee County
3. Jenna Hinson of Madison County
4. Cyanne Carey of Baker County
5. Sarah Welch of Hamilton County
6. Graham Glasheen of Duval County
7. Patrick Narcowich of Union County
8. Armand KÜykendall of Putnam County
9. Brandon Plum of Bradford County
10. Erik Williams of Clay County
11. Addison Davis of Flagler County
12. Nicholas Chowdhury of Columbia County
13. Francheska Melendez of Alachua County
14. Manischa Wijayawardhana of St. Johns County

WJXT announces 'HaLeigh Cummings: Into Thin Air' podcast and News4Jax I-Team special reports

WJXT has announced a new four-episode podcast "HaLeigh Cummings: Into Thin Air," an original true-crime podcast.

Jennifer Waugh sets the scene of a little girl from Putnam County who vanished from bed. She was sleeping right next to her little brother. Hundreds of people searched for her, but she was never found.

“Ten years ago, this story captivated North Florida as details emerged after HaLeigh’s disappearance," WJXT VP and General Manager Bob Ellis said. "A decade later, there’s still more to learn about what happened. Jennifer Waugh was a major part of the coverage for the entire city when this happened ten years ago, and she’s spent the past several months investigating to provide fresh perspective with news stories for all platforms of News4Jax, including a riveting podcast.”

In addition, in the week leading up to the 10th year of HaLeigh’s disappearance, lead investigators broke their silence during a series of special reports. For the first time ever, they reveal their theories about who they believe is responsible for HaLeigh’s disappearance and where they think she is now.

WJXT hopes the "HaLeigh Cummings: Into Thin Air" stories and podcast series will generate new leads. Viewers and podcast listeners can call 888-277-TIPS and could be eligible for a $15,000 reward.

The "HaLeigh Cummings: Into Thin Air" podcast premieres Feb. 11. The entire series will be available for free on preferred podcast listening platforms. The series of special reports airs Feb. 4-8 on WJXT’s The Morning Show, Feb. 7 on News4JAX at 5 p.m., and Feb. 10 on The 10 O’Clock News.

WJXT-TV4 wins every major local news area in November

Once again, THE Local Station is Jacksonville’s No. 1 source for local news, and WJXT has swept all major news areas with the adult 25-54 viewers -- the most coveted demographic for television advertisers.

Morning news leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m., beating the combined competition’s A25-54 ratings. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.5 A25-54 rating, again beating the combined competition of WTLV, WJXX, WJAX and WFOX.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 3.1, more than doubling the nearest competitors' A25-54 rating. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 with adults in the 6-7 a.m. time period, garnering a 3.1 A25-54 rating and an impressive 19 share. The Morning Show (7-9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.6 A25-54 rating and a 16 share, beating out all other newscasts, including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show" beats "Today" with and without Megyn Kelly, with a 1.4 A25-54.

News4JAX at 4 p.m. and "Inside Edition" take the time period with a 1.4 A25-54, beating "Dr. Phil," "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most watched in the time period, with a 2.1 A25-54 rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.1 A25-54 rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with a 2.1 A25-54 rating and an 8 share.

The story continues in late news, with wins in The Ten O’Clock News at 10 and 10:30. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 2.4 A25-54 rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 2.1 rating. News4JAX was No. 1 at 11 p.m. with a 1.8 A25-54, beating both the WJAX and WFOX Action News newscasts, even when added together.

“It is incredibly gratifying to our entire staff to see month after month, year after year, the viewers of Jacksonville choose News4JAX as their number one choice for local news,” Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis said. “We are so proud to be Jacksonville’s only truly local television station, serving this community and seeing how they respond to our commitment makes us work even harder to make Jacksonville a better place to live.”