WJKT

WJKT

Jackson, Tennessee
Branding	Fox 16
Channels	Digital: 39 (UHF) Virtual: 16 (PSIP)
Subchannels	16.1 Fox 16.2 TheCoolTV
Owner	Newport Television (Newport Television License, LLC)
First air date	April 10, 1985
Call letters' meaning	We're JacKson, Tennessee
Sister station(s)	WPTY-TV, WLMT
Former callsigns	WJWT (1985-1990) WMTU (1990-2001)
Former channel number(s)	16 (UHF analog, 1985-2009)
Former affiliations	Independent (1981-1987) Fox (1987-1995) UPN (1995-2006) The WB (secondary, 2003-2006)
Transmitter power	392 kW
Height	296 m
Facility ID	68519
Transmitter coordinates	35°47′27.1″N 89°5′58.2″W

WJKT is the Fox-affiliated television station for Western Tennessee licensed to Jackson. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 (or virtual channel 16.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter in Alamo. It can also be seen on Charter channel 9 and Jackson Energy Authority Broadband channel 12. There is a high definition feed offered on Jackson Energy Authority Broadband digital channel 204 and Charter digital channel 716. Owned by Newport Television, the station maintains a local advertising sales office on Oil Well Road in Jackson.

However, master control and most internal operations for WJKT are based out of the studios of sister stations ABC affiliate WPTY-TV and CW affiliate WLMT on Union Avenue Extension along Poplar Avenue/US 72/TN 57 in the Midtown section of Memphis. Syndicated programming on this station includes Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, My Name is Earl and Judge Judy among others. Fox owned-and-operated station WHBQ-TV in Memphis has an over-the-air signal that reaches just short of Jackson proper. That outlet is also offered on Charter and Jackson Energy Authority Broadband channel 13 (as well as in HD on the latter system on digital channel 189).

Digital Television

WJKT-DT2 and Jackson Energy Authority Broadband digital channel 194 is TheCoolTV.

Channels	Name	Video	Aspect	Programming
16.1	WJKT-DT	720p	16:9	Main WJKT programming / FOX
16.2	N/A	480i	4:3	TheCoolTV

History

WJKT station signed-on April 10, 1985 as WJWT and was Jackson's third television station (after WDXI-TV now WBBJ-TV and WLJT). It was owned by MT Communications. It aired an analog signal on UHF channel 16 and was the area's first Independent. It would join Fox for the first time in April 1987. After MT Broadcasting bought WCAY Nashville (renaming it WXMT) and buying WMKW (now WLMT) in Memphis, WMTU began mostly simulcasting WMKW/WLMT.

WJWT became WMTU on January 8, 1990 and during that year Fox pulled its affiliation from WLMT and gave it to WPTY. However, WMTU retained its Fox affiliation, though outside of the network programming the two stations continued to simulcast. When Clear Channel Communications began programming WLMT in 1992, the LMA included WMTU as well.

The two stations became charter UPN affiliates on January 16, 1995. However, WMTU remained a primary Fox affiliate until its acquisition of WHBQ-TV in Memphis that November, at which point the station reverted to being a full semi-satellite of WLMT. To reflect its status as a Jackson station, channel 16 changed its calls to WJKT on September 17, 2001; around the same time, Clear Channel bought it and WLMT outright. In 2003, programming from The WB moved from WPTY (where it was airing in a secondary nature during late night time slots) to WLMT/WJKT where it also aired out of pattern. That May, after a tornado, the station's studios moved from a location shared with TotalReach Television, a local production company located in Downtown Jackson, to a facility on Radio Road in Jackson shared with Clear Channel's Jackson radio stations (which were later sold to Forever Communications).

On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN announced the two networks would cease broadcasting and merge to form The CW. WJKT declined to affiliate with The CW or MyNetworkTV, choosing instead to rejoin Fox on August 21. Meanwhile, WLMT began broadcasting The CW on September 18; it serves as the default over-the-air affiliate for Jackson, since cable-only The WB 100+ outlet "WBJK" joined The CW Plus. After WJKT, along with the rest of Clear Channel's television group, was purchased by Newport Television in 2008, local offices were relocated to Oil Well Road.

Newscasts

WJKT airs all national breaking news coverage from Fox News and the network's weekly public affairs show. However, unlike most Fox affiliates, it does not operate a local news department of its own. The station does simulcast a nightly 45 minute prime time newscast from WLMT. Produced by WPTY, this is followed by a fifteen minute sports highlight program. Although most coverage presented focuses on the greater Memphis area, WPTY will cover the Jackson area during severe weather events.

Anchors

• Cameron Harper - weeknight news
• Jeff Beimfohr - weekend news and reporter
• Mark Walden (CBM and NWA Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist seen weeknights
• Lauren Raymer - weekend meteorologist
• Corey Maclin - weeknight sports
• Kathy Morris - weekend sports and sports reporter

Reporters

• Shelley Orman - Mississippi
• Rodney Dunigan
• Randy Wimbley
• Joyce Peterson
• Jackie Orozco
• Shelvia Dancy
• Jeni DiPrizio
• Joy Lambert
• April Norris
• Eli Ross

External links

• WJKT "Fox 16"
• Fox
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WJKT