Founded in 1947 by television pioneer Allen B. DuMont, FOX 5 DC (originally known as WTTG) came into being as the very first commercial television station in the nation's capital. The idea sparked when DuMont, an inventor who manufactured TV sets, needed a station to broadcast programs so people would actually want to buy his televisions. He named the station WTTG to honor his chief engineer and best friend, Dr. Thomas T. Goldsmith, who helped him develop the technology. Today, the station is owned and operated by Fox Corporation. Today, FOX 5 DC is run by a large team of anchors and reporters and is mainly focused on local news for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (often called the DMV). Because of their location near the White House, they cover a heavy mix of national politics, crime, weather, and sports (covering the Commanders, Capitals, and Nationals). They are based in Bethesda, Maryland, and serve as a primary news source for the Washington metropolitan area. One interesting fact: A unique fact about FOX 5 DC is its history as the flagship station for a "forgotten" television network. Before it joined FOX, the station was the home base for the DuMont Television Network, which was actually the world's first commercial TV network. While the DuMont network eventually went out of business in the 1950s, WTTG survived and became one of the most successful independent stations in the country.