for many years, wpxt operated a news department and produced its own local newscasts. for a time, the station's nightly prime time news at 10 was simulcasted on sister station wpme. wpxt even produced a weeknight broadcast at 7 on that station at one point but the show was eventually canceled due to poor ratings and inconsistent viewership. it made national headlines a week before the 2000 presidential election when reporter erin fehlau (now at abc affiliate wmur-tv) revealed republican candidate george w. bush had been convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol 24 years earlier.