Telemundo Miami

The construction permit for channel 51 was awarded in 1965, but channel 51 did not begin broadcasting until December 6, 1968,^[2] as WSMS-TV. The Broward Broadcasting Company, owned by attorney Paris G. Singer, was the original permit holder.^[3] The call letters had been selected to mean “Where Sun Meets Sea”; a proposed sister station for Tampa would have been WTSS, for “Where The Sun Sets”.^[4] Delayed from a planned October 1 start due to bad weather,^[5] WSMS was the first station in Fort Lauderdale in 12 years, operating from its studios on Federal Highway.^[6] The station aired syndicated programming as well as all-color local news and sports, alongside other local productions including Romper Room, the afternoon interview show Talk About Town and the cartoon show Capt’n’ Zero,^[6] plus local stock market reports.^[7] Channel 51’s news moved to 10 p.m. in July 1969, making it the only local newscast in that time slot in South Florida.^[8]

Engineering difficulties forced WSMS-TV to suspend operations on February 6, 1970;^[9] while local news reports only mentioned engineering problems, in its request for silence with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), WSMS-TV also cited financial difficulties.^[10] In April, the station announced it would remain off air, citing the financial condition of Gold Coast Telecasting, the licensee.^[11]