WBBJ-TV
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| Jackson, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
| Branding | WBBJ ABC 7 (general) WBBJ CBS 7 (DT3) 7 Eyewitness News (news) |
| Slogan | West Tennessee's News, Weather, Sports Channel |
| Channels | Digital: 43 (UHF) Virtual: 7 (PSIP) |
| Subchannels | 7.1 ABC (1967-present) 7.2 ABC (SAP/DVS) 7.3 CBS (primary) Me-TV (secondary) |
| Owner | Bahakel Communications (Tennessee Broadcasting Partners) |
| First air date | March 6, 1955 |
| Call letters' meaning | We're Bahakel Broadcasting of Jackson |
| Former callsigns | WDXI-TV (1955–1967) |
| Former channel number(s) | 7 (VHF analog, 1955–2009) |
| Former affiliations | DT1: CBS (1955–1967) DT3: Doppler weather radar/NOAA weather (?-2011) |
| Transmitter power | 1,000 kW |
| Height | 302 m |
| Class | DT |
| Facility ID | 65204 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 35°38′16″N 88°41′33″W / 35.63778°N 88.6925°W |
| Website | WBBJtv.com |
WBBJ-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Western Tennessee licensed to Jackson. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 43 (or virtual channel 7.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter on Potts Chapel Road in unincorporated Eastern Madison County. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 7 and Jackson Energy Authority Broadband channel 8. There is a high definition feed provided on Jackson Energy Authority Broadband digital channel 201 and Charter digital channel 707. Owned by Bahakel Communications, WBBJ has studios on Muse Street in Jackson. Syndicated programming on the station includes Wheel of Fortune, Dr. Phil, Jeopardy!, and Live with Kelly among others. Jackson can also see ABC programming over-the-air through WPTY-TV in Memphis, which is not carried on local cable providers.
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[edit] Digital Programming
On WBBJ-DT2 and Charter digital channel 135 is a standard definition simulcast of its main signal. On WBBJ-DT3 and Jackson Energy Authority Broadband digital channel 197 is a 24-hour live feed of a NOAA National Weather Service Doppler weather radar with audio from NOAA Weather Radio. To satisfy the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E/I child programing requirement, the service airs shows targeted toward the age group on weekends.
On January 1, 2012, WBBJ-DT3 became the area's CBS affiliate, bringing the network back to the market (and back to WBBJ, which carried the network until 1967). Outside of CBS programming, WBBJ-DT3 also carries programming from Me-TV, syndicated programming, and WBBJ newscasts (either simulcast with the main channel or shown exclusively on the subchannel).[1] [2] [3] [4]
| Channels | Name | Video | Aspect | Programing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | WBBJ-DT | 720p | 16:9 | main WBBJ programming/ABC SAP/Descriptive Video Service on DT2 |
| 7.2 | WBBJ-DV | |||
| 7.3 | WBBJ-DT3 | 480i | CBS (primary) and Me-TV (secondary) |
[edit] Station History
The station signed on March 6, 1955 as WDXI-TV, Jackson's first television station. It operated an analog signal on VHF channel 7, and was a CBS affiliate owned by Aaron Robinson along with WDXI radio (1310 AM). Cy Bahakel bought the station in 1966[5] and changed the call letters to the current WBBJ-TV[6] (as Robinson's estate held on to WDXI radio[5]). Since then, WBBJ has had the longest ownership tenure of any station in Tennessee, surpassing stations in much larger markets in the state.
Soon after Bahakel took over, in January 1967, the station dropped CBS in favor of ABC (which WDXI-TV had carried as a secondary affiliation for some time beforehand); since then (and until the launch of WBBJ's CBS-affiliated subchannel), Jackson has received CBS programming from WREC-TV/WREG-TV in Memphis.[7] Like many of the stations that operated in analog on channel 7, the station has used various versions of the circle 7 logo over the years; since 2003, WBBJ has used the original, ABC-trademarked version.
[edit] Newscasts
On August 1, 2007, WBBJ debuted new graphics, logo, music, and an updated weather set. The station, which had been using Frank Gari's "Image News" music package since 1999, switched to "In-Sink" by Nashville, Tennessee-based company 615 Music. Also on this date, the weeknight 5 o'clock newscast dropped the Live at 5 branding and returned to ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 5. Local radio station WFHU-FM 91.5 simulcasts that broadcast. The ninety minute weekday morning show became Good Morning West Tennessee.
Unlike most ABC affiliates, WBBJ still does not offer a full, two-hour weekday morning newscast. In addition to network and syndicated programming, there are local newscast offerings on WBBJ-DT3 through simulcasts with the main channel and broadcasts in new time slots. It offers local news weekdays at noon for thirty minutes as well as weeknights at 5:30 and 6:30 seen exclusively on the CBS subchannel. As a result, CBS Evening News airs tape-delayed weeknights at 6:00 which is a half-hour later than most affiliates in the Central Time Zone. [8]
[edit] Newscast titles
- NewsCenter 7 (1980s-1996)
- 7 Eyewitness News (1996–2007)
- ABC 7 Eyewitness News (2007-2011)
- 7 Eyewitness News (2011-present)
[edit] Station slogans
- "The Spirit of West Tennessee" (late 1980s–1999, general)
- "The News Source of West Tennessee" (1994–1999, news)
- "West Tennessee's News Source" (1994–1999, news)
- "Live. Local. Latebreaking." (1999–2007)
- "West Tennessee's News, Weather, Sports Channel" (2007–present)
- "CBS for West Tennessee" (2012-present, DT3)
[edit] News team [9]
Anchors
- Tom Britt - weekdays at 11:30 a.m., weekdays at noon, and weeknights at 5
- Brad Douglass - weeknights at 5:30, 6, and 10
- Modupe Idowu - weekend evenings and reporter
- Caitlyn Jones - weekday mornings and reporter
- Keli McAlister - weeknights at 6, 6:30, and 10
- Joe Sullivan - weekday mornings and reporter
- Daniel Wilkerson - Saturday mornings and reporter
7 Eyewitness News Storm Team
- Gary Pickens - Chief seen weeknights
- Mike McEvoy (AMS Seal of Approval) - weekday mornings, weekdays at 11:30 a.m., and weekdays at noon
- Ryan Hoke - Saturday mornings
- Brittany Patterson - weekend evenings and news reporter
Sports
- Greg Hammond - weeknights at 6, 6:30, and 10 (also sports reporter)
- Adam Wells - weekend evenings and sports reporter
Reporters
- Emily Cassulo - fill-in news anchor
- Ryan Cleek - videojournalist
- Gil Hollingsworth - Chief Photographer
- Ardray Maxwell - photojournalist
- Casey Palmer - videojournalist
- Megan Pinkley
Notable former staff
- Lew Jetton - reporter, weather, and sports anchor
- Anne Pressly - reporter (one month; now deceased)
- Courtney Friel - news anchor
[edit] References
- ^ http://metvnetwork.com/wherewatch.php?marketID=184
- ^ Knox, Merrill (November 7, 2011). "Jackson, TN Will Get CBS Affiliate In January 2012". TVSpy. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/jackson-tn-will-get-cbs-affiliate-in-january-2012_b28234. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ Malone, Michael (November 7, 2011). "CBS Coming to Jackson, Tenn.". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/476355-CBS_Coming_to_Jackson_Tenn_.php. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/WBBJ-to-Add-CBS-Affiliat-133370063.html
- ^ a b "A bumper crop of station sales" (PDF). Broadcasting: pp. 58–60. April 25, 1966. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive%20BC/BC%201966/BC%201966%2004%2025.pdf. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ "For the record" (PDF). Broadcasting: p. 107. November 7, 1966. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/66-OCR/BC-1966-11-07-Page-0107.pdf. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ "WDXI-TV switches to fulltime ABC-TV" (PDF). Broadcasting: p. 50. December 5, 1966. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/66-OCR/BC-1966-12-05-Page-0050.pdf. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111230/NEWS01/112300325/WBBJ-adds-CBS-shows?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
- ^ Meet the News Team
[edit] External links
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