Two Ft. Myers, Florida, television stations, Hearst-owned WBBH and Montclair Communications’ WZVN, have embraced shared branding as “Gulf Coast.” WBBH is now “Gulf Coast NBC,” and WZVN operates as “Gulf Coast ABC,” reflecting their network affiliations.
The stations share a building and many operations via a local marketing agreement (LMA), though each maintains its own studio. This rebranding abandons the previous “NBC2” and “ABC7” monikers, a move away from channel numbers, particularly relevant as viewers transition to streaming and over-the-air viewing.
The new branding includes the website gulfcoastnewsnow.com and social media variations. The stations emphasized “expanding digital offerings,” including an updated mobile app under Hearst’s “Very Local” banner. A statement assured viewers of continued “trusted award-winning journalism,” with no immediate programming changes.
The LMA between WBBH and WZVN dates back to 1994. Ownership changed in 2023, with Hearst acquiring WBBH and Montclair acquiring WZVN after a series of previous owners. Montclair was founded by Lara Kunkler, goddaughter of Waterman founder Bernie Waterman.
The new logo features an interconnected “G” and “C” for “Gulf Coast,” with network logos integrated. The color scheme favors WBBH’s previous blue. The “Gulf Coast” wording often appears stacked across two lines, or on a single line above “News” for newscasts.
Both stations now utilize Hearst’s “digarid” graphics package, along with updated bug boxes. WBBH dropped its “First Alert” weather branding, adopting “Gulf Coast Weather.” WZVN also updated its weather branding.