WJHP-TV
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Metropolis Company (renamed Jacksonville Journal Company) |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Defunct | 1957 |
| Fate | Ceased operations due to financial difficulties and competition |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
| Owner | Jacksonville Journal Company |
WJHP-TV (channel 36) operated as a television broadcaster in Jacksonville, Florida, under the ownership of the Jacksonville Journal Company, which also controlled WJHP (1320 AM) and the Jacksonville Journal newspaper. As Jacksonville's second television outlet, it transmitted from 1953 until 1957 but encountered financial difficulties attributed to its ultra high frequency (UHF) designation, which hindered both advertiser interest and viewer accessibility. The station discontinued service soon after WFGA-TV commenced on very high frequency (VHF) channel 12, attracting network affiliations and undermining WJHP-TV's market sustainability. Its studios were located on Philips Highway.
History
Beginning as the Metropolis Company before renaming in 1952, the Jacksonville Journal Company had sought television broadcasting opportunities since 1948, initially applying for VHF channel 8 to complement its WJHP-AM-FM radio outlets. Although the FCC initially approved this channel in August 1948, subsequent frequency reallocation removed channel 8 from the Jacksonville market. In December 1952, amid competition from Pensacola's WEAR, the company reapplied for UHF channel 36; an agreement permitted both entities to operate on separate frequencies.
After receiving construction authorization, the company purchased the former Peacock Club nightclub on Philips Highway in August 1953 to consolidate radio and television operations. By November, WJHP-TV secured affiliations with both NBC and ABC, initiating test transmissions on November 30, 1953, and commencing regular programming on December 13.
Throughout its tenure, WJHP-TV sought a VHF frequency to strengthen its competitive stance. In 1955, it proposed allocating channel 36 to Duval County schools if commercial use of reserved channel 7 became available. When the FCC assigned VHF channel 12 to Florida-Georgia Television Company in September 1956, the Jacksonville Journal Company filed an appeal, highlighting operating deficits totaling $448,900 and construction expenses amounting to $561,575 by mid-1956, alongside NBC’s uncertain commitment to affiliation. NBC had indicated intentions to transfer its programming to channel 12 once authorized.
The FCC’s ruling was upheld by an appeals court in May 1957; subsequent efforts to convert channel 7 for commercial use or reassign channel 12 as a UHF frequency were unsuccessful. WFGA-TV launched as an NBC affiliate on September 1, 1957. Confronted with escalating competition and mounting financial strain, John H. Perry Jr. announced that WJHP-TV would terminate broadcasts on October 25, 1957, while anticipating regulatory relief through an additional VHF allocation. Following closure, a country music show hosted by Johnny Tillotson migrated from WJHP-TV to WFGA-TV.
The sought-after VHF channel allocation never came to fruition; in August 1960, at the company’s request, the FCC revoked WJHP-TV’s construction permit. The frequency remained dormant until Rust Craft Broadcasting applied for it in 1963 but ultimately opted for channel 17 to secure network affiliation approval. This request was authorized by the FCC in August 1964, culminating in the debut of WJKS-TV in February 1966.