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WBIR-TV, channel 10, is the NBC affiliated television station for East Tennessee, Southeastern Kentucky, Swain County, North Carolina and Lee County, Virginia, located in Knoxville, Tennessee. WBIR-TV is owned by the Gannett Company, its studios are located at 1510 and 1513 Bill Williams Avenue in the Belle Morris section of the city, and transmitter on the broadcasting antenna farm on Sharp's Ridge in Knoxville.

History

WBIR-TV signed on the air on August 12, 1956 as an affiliate of the CBS television network, taking that affiliation away from WTVK (channel 26, now WVLT-TV on channel 8). During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network.[1] WBIR-TV was originally owned by a consortium headed by J. Lindsay Nunn and his son, Gilmore Nunn, owners of WBIR radio (1240 AM, now WIFA; and FM 103.5, now WIMZ-FM). The station's call letters come from Jesse W. "Jay" Birdwell, who founded WBIR radio in 1941; Birdwell sold the station to the Nunns in 1944.[2] The Nunns shared ownership with WBIR general manager John P. Hart; Knoxville residents Robert and Martha Ashe, and the Taft family of Cincinnati.[3] In October 1959 the Tafts' broadcast subsidiary, Radio Cincinnati, Inc., purchased the remaining 70 percent of the WBIR stations outright from the other parties.[4]

In January 1961 the Tafts sold WBIR-AM-FM-TV to the News-Piedmont Company of Greenville, South Carolina, owner of WFBC-AM-FM-TV in its hometown.[5][6] In 1967, News-Piedmont merged with Southern Broadcasting to form the Southeastern Broadcasting Corporation. Soon afterward, Southeastern sold all of its radio stations, purchased four more television stations and changed its name to Multimedia, Inc.[7] WBIR-TV and WFBC-TV were its flagship stations.[8]

In 1988, WBIR became an NBC affiliate, swapping affiliations with WTVK just before it moved to channel 8 as WKXT-TV. Ironically, this marked CBS' return to its original affiliate in Knoxville. At the time, NBC was the top-rated network while CBS was in third place near the midpoint of the Laurence Tisch period of that network's history. The biggest reason was that most of Multimedia's stations were NBC affiliates. Companies that own several stations affiliated with the same network generally have more clout with that network. NBC was more than willing to make the switch, since WTVK had been one of its weakest affiliates while WBIR was a solid runner-up to WATE-TV. With the switch, channel 10 became the last major commercial station in Knoxville to change affiliations. The switch also made channel 10 the third station in Knoxville to carry NBC; the network had previously aired on WATE from 1953 to 1979 before moving to WTVK in 1979. Multimedia merged with Gannett in 1995.

For a time in the 1980s, WBIR was seen on several ten-watt translators across East Tennessee and even Virginia. One of them, W04BM, was licensed to LaFollette, Tennessee and operated on channel 4.

In 2008, WBIR-TV debuted new graphics and news music. On June 1, 2011, WBIR-TV & WTNZ-TV debuted a new High-Definition news set & weather studio and a full makeover of branding. However, WBIR-TV retained their logo by adding the HD symbol to the right of the logo.

In 2013 WBIR and WTNZ debuted new on air graphics and new music and New logos.

Digital television

Digital channels

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming
10.1 1080i 16:9 WBIR-HD Main WBIR-TV programming / NBC
10.2 480i 4:3 WBIR-WX Me-TV

The national NBC Weather Plus network is defunct as of December 1, 2008, and was revamped as an affiliate of NBC Plus, utilizing the same graphics as Weather Plus (and is now a computer-updated loop of regional satellite/radar images, current temperatures, and daily forecasts) and without the national on-camera meteorologist segments (though the local OCM segments remained). In late 2011, it was replaced with The Local AccuWeather Channel, branded as "10 Weather Now". On October 8, 2012, it was replaced with Me-TV.[9]

Analog-to-digital conversion

WBIR-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 10, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 31 to its former analog VHF channel 10.[10]

Programming

Syndicated programming on WBIR-TV includes Dr. Phil, The Doctors, and I Love Lucy, among others.

The Heartland Series

Main article: The Heartland Series

The Heartland Series, hosted by Bill Landry, was a popular documentary series produced by WBIR from 1984 until 2009. It was conceived in 1984 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It continued to celebrate the people and the land of the entire Appalachian region, presenting re-enactments of historic events and feature stories about regional culture.[11] In February 2009, WBIR announced that it would suspend production of the series in September 2009, but would continue to show the hundreds of episodes already produced "for as long as the viewers like them."[11] The last episode was taped at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris on August 8, 2009 before an audience estimated at 10,000 people, one of the largest crowds in the museum's history.[12][13]

During its 25-year history, The Heartland Series received several awards, including four Emmy Awards[14] United States embassies around the world keep tapes of The Heartland Series broadcasts as an information resource on life in Appalachia.[15]

Our Stories

In 2006, WBIR celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special report on some of the past stories captured on WBIR for the past 50 years. These reports were called "Our Stories" and included retrospectives on events such as U.S. Presidents visiting Knoxville and East Tennessee, major crimes and even the 25th Anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair.

Friends Across the Mountains Telethon

WBIR co-produces a yearly telethon with Asheville, North Carolina ABC affiliate WLOS, benefiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The proceeds from the telethon go to the upkeep of the park. It is hosted by WBIR Anchor Emeritus Bill Williams.

News operation

WBIR has been the market leader in East Tennessee for more than 30 years.[citation needed] Specifically, the morning and 6 p.m. newscasts normally get better ratings than WATE and WVLT's newscasts combined.[citation needed] Currently, WBIR has the largest news team in East Tennessee[citation needed] and produces the most news programming in the area.[citation needed]

Prior to September 15, 2008, this show was aired at 5 p.m. on weekdays under the title LIVE at Five. The program focused on community events and celebrity interviews. In 2008, the show was moved to 4 p.m. and was temporarily renamed LIVE at Five at Four with WBIR asking for viewers' opinions on a new name. The quirky temporary name, however, was embraced by viewers and LIVE at Five at Four has remained the brand for the 4 p.m. program. In 2010, LIVE at Five at Four debuted new graphics to better reflect programming shown on the newscast.

Until late March 2011, WBIR-TV produced a 10 p.m. newscast for CW affiliate WBXX-TV. On March 28, WBIR-TV began producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for Fox affiliate WTNZ (channel 43). WBIR also begin producing a weekday morning news show at 7 a.m. that begin in June 2012 for that station. Both stations' newscasts began airing in high definition on June 1, 2011, making WBIR and WTNZ the second and third stations in Knoxville to make the upgrade.[16]

On October 28, 2013 10 News WBIR expanded their weekday noon newscast from 25 minutes to one full hour.

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

  • The Esso Reporter (1956–1960)
  • The Big News (1960–1970)
  • Action 10 News (1970-1974 & 1977-2004)
  • NewsCenter 10 (1974-1977)
  • 10News (2004–present)[17]

Station slogans

  • Straight from the Heart (of East Tennessee) (1983–present)

Newscast themes

  • The Action News Theme by Unknown Composer (1970?–19??)
  • Move Closer to Your World by Mayoham Music (19??-19??)
  • A Taste for Passion: Obsession by Jean-Luc Ponty (19??-19??)
  • TuesdayC by Tuesday Productions (?-?)
  • Theme From Firepower by Gato Barbieri (19??–19??)
  • Power News (V.1, V.2, V.3) by 615 Music (1985–19??)
  • WBIR 1994 News Theme by unknown composer (19??-19??)
  • Newsmark by 615 Music (19??–2000)
  • Heartland (V.1, V.2) by 615 Music (2000–2008)
  • Gannett News Music Package by Rampage Music New York, Inc. (2008–2013)
  • This Is Home by Gari Media Group (2013–present)

News team

Current on-air staff

The station's current on-the-air staff include:[18]

News Team

Anchors

  • John Becker – weeknights at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.; also host of Inside Tennessee and Service and Sacrifice segment producer
  • Russell Biven – weekday mornings (4:30-7 a.m.) on 10News Today and weekdays on LIVE at Five at 4:00; also special sports reporter
  • Abby Ham – weekday mornings (5-7 a.m.) on 10News Today; also Your Stories segment producer
  • Beth Haynes – weekdays on LIVE at Five at 4:00 and weeknights at 5 p.m.; also HomeGrown segment producer
  • Ashley Izbicki – weekend mornings (8-9 a.m. Saturdays, 7-8 & 9-9:30 a.m. Sundays); also weekday morning and weeknight reporter
  • Moira Kaye – weekday morning headline news and Monday through Wednesday at noon
  • Jennifer Meckles – weekend evenings at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.; also weeknight reporter
  • Mary Scott – Thursday and Friday at noon; also weeknight reporter
  • Robin Wilhoit – weeknights at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
  • Bill Williams – Anchor Emeritus and special reporter

LIVE at Five at 4:00

  • Russell Biven – co-anchor
  • Beth Haynes – co-anchor
  • Stoney Sharp – reporter and fill-in anchor
  • Emily Stroud – reporter and fill-in anchor
  • Jonathan Jones – reporter and "10 About Town" segment producer

Inside Tennessee

  • John Becker – host/Moderator
  • Don Bosch – Panelist
  • Mike Cohen – Panelist
  • Dennis Francis – Panelist
  • Jack McAlroy – Panelist
  • Susan Richardson Williams – Panelist

Weather Team

  • Todd Howell (NWA member) – Chief Meteorologist; weekday afternoons on LIVE at Five at 4:00 and weeknights at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.
  • Mike Witcher (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and NWA Seals of Approval) – Meteorologist; weekday mornings (4:30-7 a.m.) on 10News Today and Monday through Wednesday at noon
  • Ella Dorsey – Meteorologist; Thursday and Friday at noon and weekend mornings (8-9 a.m. Saturdays) and (7-8 & 9-9:30 a.m. Sundays) and weekend evenings at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
  • Bob Becker – Fill-in Meteorologist

Sports

  • Kris Budden – Sports reporter and fill-in sports anchor; also NFL on Fox reporter
  • Nick Carboni – Sports Director; weeknights at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
  • Courtney Lyle – Sports anchor; weekends at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and sports reporter
  • Patrick Murray – Sports reporter

Traffic

  • Ed Rupp – weekday mornings on 10News Today (5:55-7 a.m.), weekday afternoons on Live at Five at 4:00 and weeknights at 5 p.m.
  • Kent Stephens – fill-in

Reporters

  • Eleanor Beck – reporter and 10News I-Team investigative reporter and fill-in anchor
  • Steve Butera – reporter
  • Mike Donila – 10News I-Team investigative reporter and producer
  • John Henry – reporter
  • Evan Johnson – reporter
  • Jim Matheny – reporter
  • Jeff Mondlock – reporter
  • Katie Roach – weekday morning reporter on 10News Today; also weekday morning breaking news anchor
  • Ken Schwall – Positively Schwall segment producer and fill-in anchor
  • Heidi Wigdahl – reporter
    • Note all reporters are general assignment reporters unless otherwise stated.

Notable former on-air staff

References

  1. ^ "Require Prime Evening Time for NTA Films", Boxoffice: 13, November 10, 1956
  2. ^ "FCC approves sales and transfers of 5 stations." Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising, January 17, 1944, pg. 22. [1]
  3. ^ "FCC okays ownership shifts for KTHT, WBIR." Broadcasting - Telecasting, April 13, 1953, pg. 52. [2]
  4. ^ "Changing hands." Broadcasting, October 12, 1959, pg. 54
  5. ^ "Changing hands." Broadcasting, September 26, 1960, pg. 50
  6. ^ "Principals complete WBIR-AM-TV transfer." Broadcasting, January 16, 1961, pg. 53. [3]
  7. ^ "Southeast newspapers, stations plan merger." Broadcasting, August 14, 1967, pp. 54-55. [4][5]
  8. ^ Television Factbook #49, WBIR-TV, WFBC-TV Histories, 1980 Edition)
  9. ^ "Everything old is new again on MeTV!". WBIR.com. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  10. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  11. ^ a b Terry Morrow, WBIR stops production of 'The Heartland Series', Tele-Buddy's Tinseltown Tales, knoxnews.com, February 12, 2009
  12. ^ Fred Brown, 'Heartland Series' says goodbye; Many turn out to celebrate longtime WBIR series, Knoxville News Sentinel, August 9, 2009
  13. ^ Terry Morrow, 10,000 fans turn out for last 'Heartland Series' taping, Knoxnews.com, August 12, 2009
  14. ^ Knoxville News / Knoxville Weather, KnoxvilleTennessee.com website, accessed October 6, 2009
  15. ^ WBIR-TV, Gannett website, accessed October 6, 2009
  16. ^ 10News now broadcasting in high definition on WBIR & WTNZ [6],"10News now broadcasting in high definition on WBIR & WTNZ"
  17. ^ WBIR NBC 2010 Open
  18. ^ Meet the Team, WBIR.com. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  19. ^ "CNN Promotes Jim Acosta to National Political Correspondent". CNN. February 6, 2012.
  20. ^ http://www.wbir.com/videos/life/people/2013/10/18/3014279/
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