WEAU-TV
Encyclopedia
WEAU-TV is the NBC
affiliate for much of western Wisconsin, including Eau Claire
and La Crosse
. WEAU is licensed to Eau Claire and its transmitter is located in Fairchild, Wisconsin
. WEAU is currently broadcasting from a tower near the station's studio in Eau Claire due to a collapse of its main tower on March 22, 2011. Due to reduced over-the-air coverage WEAU's programming is also shown on a digital subchannel
of WQOW (channel 18.3) in Eau Claire and WLAX
(channel 25.2) in La Crosse.
Western Wisconsin is one of the few markets to receive NBC programming from multiple over-the-air affiliates, as La Crosse is also served by W50DR-D, a repeater of KTTC
from Rochester, Minnesota
that broadcasts from a transmitter tower in La Crescent, Minnesota
, near La Crosse. However, because of its low-power digital repeater
status, W50DR only broadcasts to the very immediate area. WEAU is considered the primary NBC affiliate for that area and is the only affiliate available on cable and satellite providers in the La Crosse area.
, ABC
and DuMont
. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
. One of the first well-known personalities on WEAU was "Sheriff Bob" Dawson, who hosted a kids show during the 1950s and 1960s.
The station initially broadcast from a tower immediately behind the WEAU studios at 1907 South Hastings Way in Eau Claire. A new tower, approximately 1000 feet (304.8 m) tall, was built in the same location in 1956 44°39′50"N 90°57′41"W, before an approximately 2000 feet (609.6 m) tower was constructed near Fairchild, Wisconsin in 1966. The tower in Eau Claire is now topped by the digital transmitter for WQOW.
Morgan Murphy sold off WEAU radio in 1959; in 1962, it sold WEAU-TV to The Post Corporation
of Appleton
(Morgan Murphy would later purchase rival WKBT). WEAU's departure from radio proved short-lived: The Post Corporation purchased Chippewa Falls
radio station WAXX (1150 AM) in 1963, and two years later established a new WEAU-FM at 100.7 (moving to 104.5 when the Fairchild tower was built), which largely simulcast WAXX's country music
format. WEAU-FM's call letters were switched to WAXX-FM in 1977, and in 1978, the country format was moved exclusively to WAXX-FM, with the AM station becoming WAYY (which later moved to 790 AM in a swap with WEAQ). The WEAU-TV news, weather and agriculture departments were used for reports on WAXX-FM and WAYY.
WEAU constructed a weather radar in 1979, the first TV station in the La Crosse/Eau Claire market with its own radar. The radar received graphics upgrades in 1998 and 2006. The station began calling its newscasts NewsCenter 13 around 1979-1980. WEAU premiered its 5 p.m. newscast on September 14, 1981, with Geoff Welch as anchor. The first telecast featured a report from then-WEAU reporter Scott Cohn, later a correspondent for CNBC
. A truck to provide live remote broadcasts came into use in 1983.
In 1984, George N. Gillett Jr.
purchased the Post Corporation stations, including WEAU-TV. WAXX and WAYY were spun off to Central Communications at the same time, and in 1985, the two stations moved out of the WEAU building to a new facility behind WEAU's back parking lot. Despite being under separate ownership, WEAU continued to provide weather services for WAXX and WAYY, as well as additional stations purchased by Central Communications (which included WEAU's original radio properties, WEAQ and WIAL, as well as WECL and WDRK), until December 31, 2001. WEAU resumed weather services to those same six stations, now under the ownership of Maverick Media, on September 11, 2006.
A new news set and music package debuted in August 1984, and WEAU first used weeknight co-anchors (Jim Mertens and Michelle Magadance) in June 1986. Another new news set and music package debuted in April 1988.
Gillett began defaulting on some of his purchases in the late 1980s, and in 1990 he sold WEAU to Busse Broadcasting, the owner of KOLN
in Lincoln, Nebraska
and KGIN
in Grand Island, Nebraska
(and at one point also owned WWMT
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
and KOKH-TV
in Oklahoma City
). WEAU was met with tragedy in September 1991, when primetime news anchor Cindy Schott died unexpectedly. Her death was later the subject of a story on Real Life with Jane Pauley
and Dateline NBC
. Five years later, in November 1996, long-time morning meteorologist Jim Riggs died of cancer.
WEAU changed its news music in 1992, its logo in the summer of 1994, and its set in March 1997. WEAU had returned to a solo anchor for the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news (John Froyd) following the death of Cindy Schott, but returned to a co-anchor format for the 10 p.m. news (Pat Kreitlow and Judy Clark) in August 1998, upon Froyd's retirement. New news music was also debuted at that time.
In 1998, Gray Communications Systems (which was subsequently renamed Gray Television) and Cosmos Broadcasting (the broadcasting division of The Liberty Corporation, which has since been merged into Raycom Media
) teamed up to purchase the Busse stations, with WEAU going to Cosmos and KOLN/KGIN going to Gray. Cosmos then traded WEAU back to Gray in exchange for WALB
(Gray's original flagship) in Albany, Georgia
. Another new logo, along with a slight change to the background of the news set, was unveiled in January 2001.
Technology was the highlight of the following decade, as WEAU-DT (which originally transmitted on channel 39) signed-on April 30, 2002, with the digital transmitter located at the top of the tower in Fairchild. Meanwhile, SkyCam 13, located on a small mast atop WEAU's building, debuted in March 2003. A second SkyCam, located atop the RCU corporate headquarters building in downtown Eau Claire, debuted in May 2007. New music started in the summer of 2002, and in September 2004, the station received a new news set, with background and graphics modification in August 2006. The station ended analog broadcasting at approximately 12:30 p.m. on February 16, 2009. At around 1 p.m., WEAU's digital signal moved from channel 39 to channel 13.
A WEAU-produced 9 p.m. newscast for WLAX/WEUX
premiered on August 28, 2006, known as Fox News at 9, and using WEAU personnel for the anchor slots. WEAU launched a local weather channel, "24/7 Weather", on digital subchannel
13.2 on October 2, 2006; it largely carries weather information featuring WEAU meteorologists, but also offers a simulcast of Fox News at 9, as well as Saturday morning E/I
programming provided by NASA TV
. Wisconsin Journal, a weekend feature show, debuted in October 2006; it was dropped in September 2008 due to declining interest in the program. Longtime news director John Hoffland retired on February 2, 2007, having served in that position for 23 years; he was replaced by Glenn Mabie. Hoffland subsequently returned to his post, replacing Mabie, and then died on July 4, 2009, after serving for 25 years as news director. A Sunday 10:30 p.m. half-hour sports show, SportScene Sunday, premiered on April 1, 2007; it was canceled in July 2008. A weekly Friday morning show based on consumer electronics and digital television
, called Technology Spot, premiered on September 7, 2007 at 10:00 a.m; it was canceled in 2009. New news music and open graphics debuted in early October 2007.
. This now included an extensive array of shows and station promotions. However, its newscasts remained in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition for the time being. Also in August 2008, the station switched its branding from NewsCenter 13 to WEAU 13 News and unveiled a new logo incorporating the 2001-era logo with the new branding. The backdrop of the news set was modified by November 2008, to reflect the branding change (the branding at the top of the set was changed by February 2009). A modified version of the WEAU 13 News logo, along with new news graphics, premiered February 1, 2010.
The station began broadcasting their newscasts and all in house productions in high definition
on August 5, 2011. A small graphics update also occurred on that date as well. WEAU is the first station in Eau Claire and second in the DMA market to fully transition to the HD. However, the WEAU-produced newscasts on WLAX/WEUX
were not included in the upgrade because they are produced from a secondary set that currently lacks high-definition cameras.
. The tower was shared with former sister radio station WAXX. On March 22, 2011, this tower collapsed during an intense winter storm that brought a mixture of snow, ice, sleet, rain, and gusty winds. For the time being, WEAU is broadcasting from a tower near its studio in Eau Claire, programming is also seen on WQOW subchannel 18.3 in Eau Claire and WLAX
subchannel 25.2 in La Crosse; high-definition programming is available on Charter Communications
channel 606 and is available on 13.1 and 18.3. For a time beforehand, W50DR-D carried WEAU programming in place of KTTC
's schedule for La Crosse viewers.
On May 19, 2011, the FCC also granted WEAU a construction permit for a fill-in translator on UHF channel 25. This translator will serve the immmediate part and areas surrounding the Eau Claire area.
Reporters/Videographers
SkyWarn 13 Meteorologists
WEAU 13 sports team
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate for much of western Wisconsin, including Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
and La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. WEAU is licensed to Eau Claire and its transmitter is located in Fairchild, Wisconsin
Fairchild, Wisconsin
Fairchild is a village in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 564 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Fairchild.-Geography:Fairchild is located at ....
. WEAU is currently broadcasting from a tower near the station's studio in Eau Claire due to a collapse of its main tower on March 22, 2011. Due to reduced over-the-air coverage WEAU's programming is also shown on a digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
of WQOW (channel 18.3) in Eau Claire and WLAX
WLAX
WLAX is the Fox-affiliated television station for Western Wisconsin licensed to La Crosse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter in La Crescent, Minnesota near the studios of ABC affiliate WXOW. The station can also be seen on Charter, Mediacom, and...
(channel 25.2) in La Crosse.
Western Wisconsin is one of the few markets to receive NBC programming from multiple over-the-air affiliates, as La Crosse is also served by W50DR-D, a repeater of KTTC
KTTC
KTTC is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southeastern Minnesota and Northeastern Iowa. Licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Ostrander, Minnesota near the Fillmore and Mower County line...
from Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
that broadcasts from a transmitter tower in La Crescent, Minnesota
La Crescent, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,923 people, 1,940 households, and 1,367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,634.4 people per square mile . There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 668.6 per square mile...
, near La Crosse. However, because of its low-power digital repeater
Broadcast relay station
A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station...
status, W50DR only broadcasts to the very immediate area. WEAU is considered the primary NBC affiliate for that area and is the only affiliate available on cable and satellite providers in the La Crosse area.
History
WEAU-TV signed on the air on December 17, 1953 under the ownership of Central Broadcasting Company, an ownership group led by a predecessor to Morgan Murphy Media and also including the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, along with WEAU radio (790 AM, now WEAQ at 1150 AM, and 94.1 FM, now WIAL). It has always been a primary NBC affiliate, but initially it also carried programs from CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and DuMont
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
NTA Film Network
The NTA Film Network was an early American television network founded by Ely Landau in 1956. The network was not a full-time television network like CBS, NBC, or ABC. Rather, it operated on a part-time basis, broadcasting films and several first-run television programs from major Hollywood studios...
. One of the first well-known personalities on WEAU was "Sheriff Bob" Dawson, who hosted a kids show during the 1950s and 1960s.
The station initially broadcast from a tower immediately behind the WEAU studios at 1907 South Hastings Way in Eau Claire. A new tower, approximately 1000 feet (304.8 m) tall, was built in the same location in 1956 44°39′50"N 90°57′41"W, before an approximately 2000 feet (609.6 m) tower was constructed near Fairchild, Wisconsin in 1966. The tower in Eau Claire is now topped by the digital transmitter for WQOW.
Morgan Murphy sold off WEAU radio in 1959; in 1962, it sold WEAU-TV to The Post Corporation
The Post-Crescent
The Post-Crescent is a daily newspaper based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Part of the Gannett chain of newspapers, it is primarily distributed in numerous counties surrounding the Appleton area.-History:...
of Appleton
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
(Morgan Murphy would later purchase rival WKBT). WEAU's departure from radio proved short-lived: The Post Corporation purchased Chippewa Falls
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
radio station WAXX (1150 AM) in 1963, and two years later established a new WEAU-FM at 100.7 (moving to 104.5 when the Fairchild tower was built), which largely simulcast WAXX's country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. WEAU-FM's call letters were switched to WAXX-FM in 1977, and in 1978, the country format was moved exclusively to WAXX-FM, with the AM station becoming WAYY (which later moved to 790 AM in a swap with WEAQ). The WEAU-TV news, weather and agriculture departments were used for reports on WAXX-FM and WAYY.
WEAU constructed a weather radar in 1979, the first TV station in the La Crosse/Eau Claire market with its own radar. The radar received graphics upgrades in 1998 and 2006. The station began calling its newscasts NewsCenter 13 around 1979-1980. WEAU premiered its 5 p.m. newscast on September 14, 1981, with Geoff Welch as anchor. The first telecast featured a report from then-WEAU reporter Scott Cohn, later a correspondent for CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
. A truck to provide live remote broadcasts came into use in 1983.
In 1984, George N. Gillett Jr.
George N. Gillett Jr.
-Biography:George Gillett graduated from Lake Forest Academy in 1956. He attended Amherst College and is a graduate of Dominican College in Racine, Wisconsin....
purchased the Post Corporation stations, including WEAU-TV. WAXX and WAYY were spun off to Central Communications at the same time, and in 1985, the two stations moved out of the WEAU building to a new facility behind WEAU's back parking lot. Despite being under separate ownership, WEAU continued to provide weather services for WAXX and WAYY, as well as additional stations purchased by Central Communications (which included WEAU's original radio properties, WEAQ and WIAL, as well as WECL and WDRK), until December 31, 2001. WEAU resumed weather services to those same six stations, now under the ownership of Maverick Media, on September 11, 2006.
A new news set and music package debuted in August 1984, and WEAU first used weeknight co-anchors (Jim Mertens and Michelle Magadance) in June 1986. Another new news set and music package debuted in April 1988.
Gillett began defaulting on some of his purchases in the late 1980s, and in 1990 he sold WEAU to Busse Broadcasting, the owner of KOLN
KOLN
KOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...
in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
and KGIN
KOLN
KOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...
in Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
(and at one point also owned WWMT
WWMT
WWMT is the CBS-affiliated television station for West Michigan licensed to Kalamazoo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Chief Noonday Road/M-179, northwest of Yankee Springs Township, along the Barry and Allegan County line. The station can also...
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
and KOKH-TV
KOKH-TV
KOKH-TV, virtual channel 25 , is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma television market...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
). WEAU was met with tragedy in September 1991, when primetime news anchor Cindy Schott died unexpectedly. Her death was later the subject of a story on Real Life with Jane Pauley
Real Life with Jane Pauley
Real Life with Jane Pauley was a newsmagazine television program aired in the United States by NBC from 1990 to 1991.Real Life with Jane Pauley seems to have been presented as an answer to both critics and members of the general public to the frequently-repeated viewpoint that "television news...
and Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
. Five years later, in November 1996, long-time morning meteorologist Jim Riggs died of cancer.
WEAU changed its news music in 1992, its logo in the summer of 1994, and its set in March 1997. WEAU had returned to a solo anchor for the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news (John Froyd) following the death of Cindy Schott, but returned to a co-anchor format for the 10 p.m. news (Pat Kreitlow and Judy Clark) in August 1998, upon Froyd's retirement. New news music was also debuted at that time.
In 1998, Gray Communications Systems (which was subsequently renamed Gray Television) and Cosmos Broadcasting (the broadcasting division of The Liberty Corporation, which has since been merged into Raycom Media
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
) teamed up to purchase the Busse stations, with WEAU going to Cosmos and KOLN/KGIN going to Gray. Cosmos then traded WEAU back to Gray in exchange for WALB
WALB
WALB is the NBC- and ABC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Georgia licensed to Albany. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Doerun along the Colquitt and Worth County line...
(Gray's original flagship) in Albany, Georgia
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
. Another new logo, along with a slight change to the background of the news set, was unveiled in January 2001.
Technology was the highlight of the following decade, as WEAU-DT (which originally transmitted on channel 39) signed-on April 30, 2002, with the digital transmitter located at the top of the tower in Fairchild. Meanwhile, SkyCam 13, located on a small mast atop WEAU's building, debuted in March 2003. A second SkyCam, located atop the RCU corporate headquarters building in downtown Eau Claire, debuted in May 2007. New music started in the summer of 2002, and in September 2004, the station received a new news set, with background and graphics modification in August 2006. The station ended analog broadcasting at approximately 12:30 p.m. on February 16, 2009. At around 1 p.m., WEAU's digital signal moved from channel 39 to channel 13.
A WEAU-produced 9 p.m. newscast for WLAX/WEUX
WLAX
WLAX is the Fox-affiliated television station for Western Wisconsin licensed to La Crosse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter in La Crescent, Minnesota near the studios of ABC affiliate WXOW. The station can also be seen on Charter, Mediacom, and...
premiered on August 28, 2006, known as Fox News at 9, and using WEAU personnel for the anchor slots. WEAU launched a local weather channel, "24/7 Weather", on digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
13.2 on October 2, 2006; it largely carries weather information featuring WEAU meteorologists, but also offers a simulcast of Fox News at 9, as well as Saturday morning E/I
E/I
E/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
programming provided by NASA TV
NASA TV
NASA TV is the television service of the United States government agency NASA. NASA TV is broadcast by satellite with a simulcast over the Internet. Local cable television systems across the U.S. and amateur television repeaters may carry NASA TV at their discretion, as NASA-created content is...
. Wisconsin Journal, a weekend feature show, debuted in October 2006; it was dropped in September 2008 due to declining interest in the program. Longtime news director John Hoffland retired on February 2, 2007, having served in that position for 23 years; he was replaced by Glenn Mabie. Hoffland subsequently returned to his post, replacing Mabie, and then died on July 4, 2009, after serving for 25 years as news director. A Sunday 10:30 p.m. half-hour sports show, SportScene Sunday, premiered on April 1, 2007; it was canceled in July 2008. A weekly Friday morning show based on consumer electronics and digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
, called Technology Spot, premiered on September 7, 2007 at 10:00 a.m; it was canceled in 2009. New news music and open graphics debuted in early October 2007.
High Definition
In August 2008, WEAU became one of the first stations in Wisconsin to produce content in high definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
. This now included an extensive array of shows and station promotions. However, its newscasts remained in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition for the time being. Also in August 2008, the station switched its branding from NewsCenter 13 to WEAU 13 News and unveiled a new logo incorporating the 2001-era logo with the new branding. The backdrop of the news set was modified by November 2008, to reflect the branding change (the branding at the top of the set was changed by February 2009). A modified version of the WEAU 13 News logo, along with new news graphics, premiered February 1, 2010.
The station began broadcasting their newscasts and all in house productions in high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on August 5, 2011. A small graphics update also occurred on that date as well. WEAU is the first station in Eau Claire and second in the DMA market to fully transition to the HD. However, the WEAU-produced newscasts on WLAX/WEUX
WLAX
WLAX is the Fox-affiliated television station for Western Wisconsin licensed to La Crosse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter in La Crescent, Minnesota near the studios of ABC affiliate WXOW. The station can also be seen on Charter, Mediacom, and...
were not included in the upgrade because they are produced from a secondary set that currently lacks high-definition cameras.
Transmission tower
The transmission tower 44°39′49.5"N 90°57′41.3"W for WEAU was the tallest structure in the state of Wisconsin, topping out at 2000 feet (609.6 m), or over 500 feet (152.4 m) taller than the Empire State BuildingEmpire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
. The tower was shared with former sister radio station WAXX. On March 22, 2011, this tower collapsed during an intense winter storm that brought a mixture of snow, ice, sleet, rain, and gusty winds. For the time being, WEAU is broadcasting from a tower near its studio in Eau Claire, programming is also seen on WQOW subchannel 18.3 in Eau Claire and WLAX
WLAX
WLAX is the Fox-affiliated television station for Western Wisconsin licensed to La Crosse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter in La Crescent, Minnesota near the studios of ABC affiliate WXOW. The station can also be seen on Charter, Mediacom, and...
subchannel 25.2 in La Crosse; high-definition programming is available on Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
channel 606 and is available on 13.1 and 18.3. For a time beforehand, W50DR-D carried WEAU programming in place of KTTC
KTTC
KTTC is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southeastern Minnesota and Northeastern Iowa. Licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Ostrander, Minnesota near the Fillmore and Mower County line...
's schedule for La Crosse viewers.
On May 19, 2011, the FCC also granted WEAU a construction permit for a fill-in translator on UHF channel 25. This translator will serve the immmediate part and areas surrounding the Eau Claire area.
Current on-air staff
News Anchors- Judy Clark: WEAU 13 News Today at 10am & Weeknights at 5 & 6pm
- Sarah Stokes: Weeknights at 10pm, Weeknight Fox Anchor
- Chris Herzog: Managing Editor/Weeknight Anchor 6 & 10pm
- Meghan Kulig: Weekday Mornings at Sunrise and Noon
- Amelia Cerling: Weekend Evenings at 6 & 10 PM
Reporters/Videographers
- Andrew Fefer
- Jenny You
- Kelly Schlicht
- Megan Peterson
- Chris Baylor
- Martha Boehm
SkyWarn 13 Meteorologists
- Darren Maier: (Chief Meteorologist) Weekdays 5, 6, and 10.
- Mark Holley: Mornings & Noon
- Andrew McCawley: Fox News at 9
- Matt Hoffman: Weekends & Weekends on Fox News at 9
WEAU 13 sports team
- Bob Gallaher: (Sports Director) Weeknights
- Matt Cullen: Weekday Fox Anchor
- Justus Cleveland: Weekend Anchor/Fox Weekend
Notable former on-air staff
- Craig Coshun: FSN North Broadcaster/Big Ten Play-By-Play Announcer; WEAU Reporter/Anchor: 1988-90
- Pat KreitlowPat KreitlowPatrick J. "Pat" Kreitlow is an American politician. A Democrat, Kreitlow was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate that representing Wisconsin's 23rd Senate district from 2007 to 2011. In November 2008, Senator Kreitlow was elected President pro tempore of the Wisconsin State Senate by the...
: Wisconsin State Senator, 23rd District (D-Chippewa Falls), 2007–2011; WEAU Anchor/Reporter: mid 1990s-2005 - Cameron SandersCameron SandersRonald L. "Cameron" Sanders Ronald L. "Cameron" Sanders is an American Journalist as well as a Consultant to non-profits and corporations on media matters. He was Business Editor and Host of public radio’s Marketplace 1989-1993 and a correspondent for CNN from 1989–1993, based in Los Angeles. He...
: CNN Correspondent & Host of public radio's "Marketplace; WEAU Reporter: 1979-80
Newscast titles
- Your Esso Reporter (1953-1957)
- The Robinson Report (1957-1968)
- Newsnight (1968-1974)
- NewsCenter 13 (1974-2008)
- WEAU 13 News (2008-present)
Station slogans
- Tall Tower Territory (1960s-1970s)
- TV-13, Proud As A Peacock (1979-1981; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- TV-13, Our Pride Is Showing (1981-1982; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- We're TV-13, Just Watch Us Now (1982-1983; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- TV-13 There, Be There (1983-1984; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- TV-13, Let`s All Be There (1984-1986; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- Come Home to TV-13 (1986-1987; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
External links
- WEAU-TV website
- http://www.fybush.com/sites/2006/site-060310.html