WTSP

===''Action News'': Contending for second===

===''Action News'': Contending for second===

Shortly after, the station hired anchor [[Don Harrison]] from [[KMSP-TV]] in [[Minneapolis]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-stewarts-body-movements/180079006/|date=January 12, 1979|page=3D|first=Robert|last=Bowden|title=Stewart's body movements topple his UNICEF halo|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Harrison lasted two years at the station before leaving for a job with [[HLN (TV channel)|Headline News]]. In a 1982 interview, Harrison described the reputation of WTSP's news department at the time: "When I came in, people watched ''[[Action News]]'' for camp. What was going to happen next? What was going to act up next? A joke."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-channel-10-acts-as-catal/180078424/|date=November 3, 1982|pages=1-D, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-tv-news/180078434/ 5-D]|title=Channel 10 acts as catalyst for upgraded news|first=Karl|last=Vick|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Daniel Ruth in ''[[The Tampa Tribune]]'' wrote that the station's theme song "would have been played to the strains of a circus calliope" and compared the newscasts unfavorably to ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''{{'s}} ''[[Weekend Update]]'' segments.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-action-10-news-comes/180079053/|date=March 26, 1980|page=8-D|first=Daniel|last=Ruth|title='Action 10' News Comes Of Age|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} In the years that followed, the station overhauled its news department, adding an investigative unit, leasing a helicopter, and improving its production values.{{r|Tamp821103}} The helicopter provided the first live images of the 1980 [[Sunshine Skyway collapse]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-picture-perfect-coverage/180080022/|date=May 13, 1980|page=8D|first=Robert|last=Bowden|title=Picture-perfect coverage lacked in-depth reports|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Kinnan was replaced in 1980 by [[Dick Fletcher]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-wally-kinnan-relieved-of/180120447/|date=March 18, 1980|page=10D|title=Wally Kinnan relieved of on-air duties at WTSP|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} By 1982, the news staff had grown to 50 people; WTSP's 11 p.m. newscast was tying or surpassing WFLA-TV's in the ratings, and the 6 p.m. newscast was pulling closer to second-rated WFLA.{{r|Tamp821103}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-wtsp-tries-harder-to-t/180079183/|date=August 30, 1982|page=2-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=WTSP Tries Harder To Take You Along|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} A WTSP special report on migrant laborers, ''Prisoners of the Harvest'', won a [[George Foster Peabody Award]] in 1983; the reporter, Mark Feldstein, joined [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] as a correspondent.{{Cite news|title=Georgia journalism school bestows it's annual Peabody's|page=68|date=April 18, 1983|work=Broadcasting|id={{pq|1014704772}} }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-mark-feldstein-to-be-a/180078934/|date=July 18, 1983|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-feldstein/180078941/ 8D]|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Mark Feldstein to be ABC News correspondent|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}

Shortly after, the station hired anchor [[Don Harrison]] from [[KMSP-TV]] in [[Minneapolis]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-stewarts-body-movements/180079006/|date=January 12, 1979|page=3D|first=Robert|last=Bowden|title=Stewart's body movements topple his UNICEF halo|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Harrison lasted two years at the station before leaving for a job with [[HLN (TV channel)|Headline News]]. In a 1982 interview, Harrison described the reputation of WTSP's news department at the time: "When I came in, people watched ''[[Action News]]'' for camp. What was going to happen next? What was going to act up next? A joke."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-channel-10-acts-as-catal/180078424/|date=November 3, 1982|pages=1-D, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-tv-news/180078434/ 5-D]|title=Channel 10 acts as catalyst for upgraded news|first=Karl|last=Vick|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Daniel Ruth in ''[[The Tampa Tribune]]'' wrote that the station's theme song "would have been played to the strains of a circus calliope" and compared the newscasts unfavorably to ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''{{'s}} ''[[Weekend Update]]'' segments.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-action-10-news-comes/180079053/|date=March 26, 1980|page=8-D|first=Daniel|last=Ruth|title='Action 10' News Comes Of Age|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} In the years that followed, the station overhauled its news department, adding an investigative unit, leasing a helicopter, and improving its production values.{{r|Tamp821103}} The helicopter provided the first live images of the 1980 [[Sunshine Skyway collapse]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-picture-perfect-coverage/180080022/|date=May 13, 1980|page=8D|first=Robert|last=Bowden|title=Picture-perfect coverage lacked in-depth reports|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 1, 2025}} Kinnan was replaced in 1980 by [[Dick Fletcher]].{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-wally-kinnan-relieved-of/180120447/|date=March 18, 1980|page=10D|title=Wally Kinnan relieved of on-air duties at WTSP|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} By 1982, the news staff had grown to 50 people; WTSP's 11 p.m. newscast was tying or surpassing WFLA-TV's in the ratings, and the 6 p.m. newscast was pulling closer to second-rated WFLA.{{r|Tamp821103}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-wtsp-tries-harder-to-t/180079183/|date=August 30, 1982|page=2-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=WTSP Tries Harder To Take You Along|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} A WTSP special report on migrant laborers, ''Prisoners of the Harvest'', won a [[George Foster Peabody Award]] in 1983; the reporter, Mark Feldstein, joined [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] as a correspondent.{{Cite news|title=Georgia journalism school bestows it's{{sic|nolink=yes}} annual Peabody's|page=68|date=April 18, 1983|work=Broadcasting|id={{pq|1014704772}} }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-mark-feldstein-to-be-a/180078934/|date=July 18, 1983|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-feldstein/180078941/ 8D]|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Mark Feldstein to be ABC News correspondent|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}

In the mid-1980s, WTSP was firmly in a second-place position in the local news—where it had once finished fourth.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-profanity-on-the-air-i/180276373/|date=June 22, 1985|page=13-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Profanity on the air is a sign of changes|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]] ratings for July 1985 showed its 11 p.m. news tying longtime leader WTVT in the ratings and surpassing it by 2,000 households, though Arbitron reported a substantial distance between the two stations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-surveys-disagree-on-wh/180276513/|date=August 30, 1985|page=3-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Surveys disagree on who leads news race|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} Walt Belcher praised the station's coverage of [[Hurricane Elena]] that September, noting that it "might have the best-looking newscast in the Bay area" and "proved it has the graphics, talent, and hustle to match [WTVT]".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-despite-obstacles-tv/180276621/|date=September 2, 1985|page=1-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Despite obstacles, TV provided solid coverage|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} Karl Vick of the ''St. Petersburg Times'' credited WTSP's modern news presentation with forcing changes at its competitors, WXFL{{efn|WFLA-TV was known as WXFL from 1983 to 1988.}} and WTVT.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-competition-keeps-tv-sta/180276805/|date=October 9, 1985|page=Suncoast '85 87|first=Karl|last=Vick|title=Competition keeps TV stations adjusting their service|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} With this momentum behind it, in September 1986, WTSP changed its evening news at 6 p.m. from half-hour to an hour, competing head-to-head with WTVT and leaving WXFL with the only 6 p.m. half-hour report.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-channel-10-taking-the-pl/180079192/|date=August 15, 1986|page=3D|title=Channel 10 taking the plunge next month to hour newscast|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-action-news-ready-to/180078381/|date=August 18, 1986|page=1D|title='Action News' ready to trounce 'Big 13'|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The change was not a success. Where once it seemed like WTSP might supplant WTVT as the most-watched early evening newscast, it suddenly found itself tied with WXFL.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-channel-8s-6-pm-new/180277242/|date=December 13, 1986|page=9-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Channel 8's 6 p.m. newscast gets big boost in latest TV ratings|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The move was undone after less than a year,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-tv-station-halves-even/180277496/|date=August 11, 1987|page=2-B|title=TV station halves evening newscast|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} and by July 1988 WTSP was in third and a resurgent WXFL had tied WTVT in the 6 p.m. news ratings race.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-channel-8-claims-top-n/180277776/|date=August 19, 1988|page=5-F|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Channel 8 claims top news spot|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}

In the mid-1980s, WTSP was firmly in a second-place position in the local news—where it had once finished fourth.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-profanity-on-the-air-i/180276373/|date=June 22, 1985|page=13-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Profanity on the air is a sign of changes|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]] ratings for July 1985 showed its 11 p.m. news tying longtime leader WTVT in the ratings and surpassing it by 2,000 households, though Arbitron reported a substantial distance between the two stations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-surveys-disagree-on-wh/180276513/|date=August 30, 1985|page=3-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Surveys disagree on who leads news race|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} Walt Belcher praised the station's coverage of [[Hurricane Elena]] that September, noting that it "might have the best-looking newscast in the Bay area" and "proved it has the graphics, talent, and hustle to match [WTVT]".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-despite-obstacles-tv/180276621/|date=September 2, 1985|page=1-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Despite obstacles, TV provided solid coverage|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} Karl Vick of the ''St. Petersburg Times'' credited WTSP's modern news presentation with forcing changes at its competitors, WXFL{{efn|WFLA-TV was known as WXFL from 1983 to 1988.}} and WTVT.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-competition-keeps-tv-sta/180276805/|date=October 9, 1985|page=Suncoast '85 87|first=Karl|last=Vick|title=Competition keeps TV stations adjusting their service|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} With this momentum behind it, in September 1986, WTSP changed its evening news at 6 p.m. from half-hour to an hour, competing head-to-head with WTVT and leaving WXFL with the only 6 p.m. half-hour report.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-channel-10-taking-the-pl/180079192/|date=August 15, 1986|page=3D|title=Channel 10 taking the plunge next month to hour newscast|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-action-news-ready-to/180078381/|date=August 18, 1986|page=1D|title='Action News' ready to trounce 'Big 13'|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The change was not a success. Where once it seemed like WTSP might supplant WTVT as the most-watched early evening newscast, it suddenly found itself tied with WXFL.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-channel-8s-6-pm-new/180277242/|date=December 13, 1986|page=9-D|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Channel 8's 6 p.m. newscast gets big boost in latest TV ratings|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} The move was undone after less than a year,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-tv-station-halves-even/180277496/|date=August 11, 1987|page=2-B|title=TV station halves evening newscast|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}} and by July 1988 WTSP was in third and a resurgent WXFL had tied WTVT in the 6 p.m. news ratings race.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-channel-8-claims-top-n/180277776/|date=August 19, 1988|page=5-F|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Channel 8 claims top news spot|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2025}}