History and culture
WTVJ put Florida on television
Miami's WTVJ went on the air in 1949 as Florida's first television station.
Florida’s first TV station did not arrive with the cable box and remote most people remember. It arrived in Miami in 1949.
WTVJ went on the air on March 21, 1949. It was Florida’s first television station and the nation’s 16th. That early timing changed South Florida life. Hurricanes, politics, sports, Spanish-language news, and local disasters all had a new way to reach living rooms.
One early hurricane broadcast came just months after the station began, before storms even had names. That detail shows why local television mattered so quickly in Florida. Weather was not just a program segment. It was part of daily safety and planning.
If you like media history, check WTVJ’s current public history pages or local archives before chasing old studio locations. The station story is clear, but buildings, ownership, call signs, and public records can take a little sorting.
Where to see it
WTVJ/NBC 6 public history material and Miami media-history archives. Check current public pages before looking for old studio locations.
Official sources
Last checked against these sources: July 1, 2026.