JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Thursday marks a big milestone for a member of the News4JAX family.<\/p>\n
Our sister station CW-17, which is owned by our parent company, Graham Media Group, officially began broadcasting exactly 60 years ago as WJKS on this date in 1966.<\/p>\n
As President Lyndon Johnson passed 800 days in office, there was a big launch of the Apollo-Saturn 201 rocket at Cape Canaveral on Feb. 19, 1966.<\/p>\n
WATCH: Press play below for a documentary from the 50th anniversary of Channel 17<\/p>\n
That same day, 160 miles up the coast, something else launched: Channel 17, which has brought a variety of programming to the Jacksonville community for six decades now.<\/p>\n
When it began as WJKS, it was the newest addition to Jacksonville\u2019s television scene, an ABC affiliate with programming that screamed 1960s and \u201970s. The old studio was on Hogan Road near Southside Boulevard.<\/p>\n
During coverage of the 1972 presidential campaign, Channel 17 got an unexpected shout-out from incumbent President Richard Nixon during a visit to the River City.<\/p>\n
\u201cABC. Well, I\u2019m glad to see you. 17. Howard Smith\u2019s station, right? He\u2019s a great commentator,\u201d Nixon said, referring to longtime ABC News anchor Howard K. Smith.<\/p>\n
Then-Channel 17 General Manager Ralph Becker taking a pie to the face for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (WCWJ Documentary: Jacksonville’s Channel 17: Celebrating 50 Years)<\/p>\n
Channel 17 was also a big supporter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, with then-General Manager Ralph Becker agreeing in 1973 to let everyone who donated $50 \u2013 including employees \u2013 smack him with a pie in the face.<\/p>\n
The Channel 17 News for Little People segment was also popular in the early 1970s, when it featured \u201cDusty the Dragon\u201d \u2013 a puppet voiced by Production Manager Terry Waldon.<\/p>\n
The Channel 17 News for Little People segment was also popular in the early 1970s, when it featured \u201cDusty the Dragon\u201d \u2013 a puppet voiced by Production Manager Terry Waldon. (WCWJ Documentary: Jacksonville’s Channel 17: Celebrating 50 Years)<\/p>\n
In the 1980s and \u201890s, Channel 17 featured a face that might be familiar to News4JAX viewers: Reporter Jim Piggott, who retired from Channel 4 in July 2024, after nearly 30 years at WJXT.<\/p>\n
RELATED | Wish him the best!: Longtime News4JAX reporter Jim Piggott is retiring and we want to hear from you<\/a> | Reporting with Pride: Jim Piggott held City Hall accountable for decades. Now he shares a more personal story<\/a><\/p>\n When he joined the crew at Channel 17, it was an NBC affiliate. When he met for our interview about his time at WJKS, Piggott was wearing his original shirt from the station.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of this shirt,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was my first job here in Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n When he met for our interview about his time at WJKS, Piggott was wearing his original shirt from the station. (WJXT)<\/p>\n