WJLA-TV
Encyclopedia
WJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC
affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.
. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company
, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn
section of Arlington, Virginia. WJLA-TV shares a tower with WUSA
in the Tenleytown
section of Washington.
along with WMAL radio (630 AM and 107.3 FM, now WRQX
). It was the first Band III
VHF station (channels 7-13) in the United States. A few months later, the station renamed itself WMAL-TV after its radio sisters. (The WTVW callsign was later formerly used by fellow ABC affiliate WISN-TV
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, having been used briefly at the time of its launch, and is today used by the former ABC and Fox
affiliate WTVW
of Evansville, Indiana
, which recently became an independent television station in 2011.)
WMAL radio had been an affiliate of the NBC
Blue Network
since 1933, and remained with the network after it was spun off by NBC and evolved into ABC. However, channel 7 started as a CBS
station since ABC hadn't gotten into television yet. When ABC launched its television network in 1948, WMAL-TV became ABC's third primary affiliate. It continued to carry some CBS programming until WOIC-TV (later WTOP-TV and now WUSA
) signed on in 1949. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
.
In 1975 Texas businessman Joseph L. Allbritton, the owner of Washington-based Riggs Bank
, purchased the Star along with the WMAL stations. As a condition of the purchase, Allbritton had to break up the newspaper/broadcast combination, which the Federal Communications Commission
was seeking to prohibit under its "one-to-a market
" rule. WMAL-TV was separated first from its radio sisters when ABC purchased WMAL-AM-FM in March 1977. Upon the radio transfer, channel 7 changed its call letters to the current WJLA-TV, after Allbritton's initials. Allbritton then sold the Star to Time, Inc. in February 1978.
Rumors abounded from the mid-1990s onward that ABC might buy WJLA-TV, thus reuniting it with its former radio sisters. However, ABC sold most of its radio properties, including WMAL and WRQX, to Citadel Broadcasting Corporation in June 2007. Even so, WJLA is still an ABC affiliate to this day under Allbritton because the company has an exclusive affiliation deal with the network. After WJZ-TV
in Baltimore
switched to CBS in 1995, WJLA became ABC's longest-tenured affiliate.
In December 2007, WJLA began simulcasting WTOP-FM
on its "Weather Now" digital sub-channel, though dropped this as of late July 2009.
in Little Rock, Arkansas
has used the standard Circle 7 since the 1960s, longer than all WJLA versions combined.
In 2009, WJLA-TV returned its digital broadcasts to its analog channel number, 7. While 90 percent of the station's viewers received their signal by cable or satellite, many of the over-the-air viewers had problems after the final transition. Some needed to rescan, and others needed a VHF antenna. Also, at the same time, the "WJLA-TV" callsign was legally transferred from the now-defunct analog channel 7 to the new digital channel 7 with the "WJLA-DT" callsign being retired.
WJLA applied on August 29, 2009 for special authorization by the FCC to increase its effective radiated power
(ERP) to 52 kW. The power increase was put into effect on September 18, 2009. WJLA already ran 30 kW of ERP, which was higher than the other three VHF stations in the area: WUSA
(12.6 kW), WBAL-TV
(5 kW), and WJZ-TV
(28.8 kW).
WJLA operates two digital subchannels: Doug Hill's Weather Now, which shows weather radar and carries a simulcast of WTOP-FM
, and the Retro Television Network
, as "RTN on ABC7". RTN7 replaced "Local Point TV" at 10:00 a.m. on July 28, 2008. Both subchannels are carried locally by Comcast
and Verizon FiOS
.
Local Point TV was a local version of current.tv, featuring short five minute video segments created by area residents. Abby Fenton, the station's Director of Community Relations said in an interview with Broadcasting & Cable that "the station likes the Local Point programming and is pondering where else it might fit".
In late October 2008, WJLA began simulcasting on local low-powered station WWTD-LP
; the station is expected to continue broadcasting an analog feed of WJLA after the digital transition. In late July 2009, WJLA dropped its locally produced "WeatherNow" channel for The Local AccuWeather Channel
on its DT2 subchannel. It will still carry the "Doug Hill's WeatherNow" name.
(since 1984), Wheel of Fortune
(since 1990), The Oprah Winfrey Show
(1989-2011), and Live with Regis and Kelly
. As one of the largest stations not owned-and-operated by the network, the station generally clears all ABC programming, with only two exceptions. Locally-produced sports and election specials preempt the first hour of primetime on a few days in late summer and early fall, while the poorly-watched Saturday night network lineup is occasionally thrown out during the summer in favor of an old movie. If needed, WJLA reschedules network programming at its earliest convenience, usually during the overnight hours. In most cases, any preempted network programming can be seen on Baltimore's WMAR, which is receivable in Washington and its close suburbs with a rooftop antenna.
WJLA airs Clean Skies Sunday, a program on energy issues produced by the American Clean Skies Foundation
, a non-profit run by natural-gas billionaire Aubrey McClendon
, CEO of Chesapeake Energy
.
) to broadcast newscasts in high definition, beginning on December 8, 2008. The newscast has new graphics and made minor changes to the news desk for better viewing quality with high definition. The field reports and news promotions are still in standard definition.
On January 23, 2009, WJLA laid off 26 staff members, including several on-air reporters due to financial constraints. The laid off reporters include Andrea McCarren, Sarah C. Lee, Alisa Parenti, Emily Schmidt, Jennefer Donelan, and weekend sports anchor Greg Toland. Most of the dismissals took effect immediately, but some were allowed to serve out their contracts. WJLA also announced a 4.9% salary cut for all remaining staff and a halt to company contributions to 401(k) retirement plans.
. The station scored a major coup in 1999, when it hired Maureen Bunyan
, former longtime anchorwoman at WUSA. In 2003, Leon Harris
, formerly of CNN
, joined the station as an anchor. In 2004, WJLA hired Bunyan's former anchor desk partner, Gordon Peterson; they have since been reunited for the 6:00 p.m. news. These personnel moves, combined with WUSA's recent troubles, have led to a resurgence in the ratings. In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed number one at 5:00 p.m. in total viewers, and in the 25–54 demo.
Weather team (all meteorologists are heard on WTOP-FM
)
Sports team
Traffic
Reporters
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...
affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company
Allbritton Communications Company
The Allbritton Communications Company is an owner of television stations and other media, based in Arlington, Virginia. All of its stations are affiliated with ABC after signing an affiliation agreement in 1997.-Currently owned:...
, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn
Rosslyn, Virginia
Rosslyn is an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, north of Arlington National Cemetery and directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Rosslyn encompasses the Arlington neighborhoods of North Rosslyn...
section of Arlington, Virginia. WJLA-TV shares a tower with WUSA
WUSA (TV)
WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C.. Owned by the Gannett Company, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network...
in the Tenleytown
Tenleytown
Tenleytown is a historic neighborhood in Northwest, Washington, DC.-History:In 1790, Washington locals began calling the neighborhood "Tennally's Town" after area tavern owner John Tennally...
section of Washington.
History
The District of Columbia's third television station began broadcasting on October 3, 1947 as WTVW, owned by the Washington StarWashington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
along with WMAL radio (630 AM and 107.3 FM, now WRQX
WRQX
WRQX is an American commercial radio station licensed to serve the community of Washington, D.C.. The station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary music format to the Washington Metropolitan Area...
). It was the first Band III
Band III
Band III is the name of a radio frequency range within the very high frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum.Band III ranges from 174 to 230 MHz, and it is primarily used for radio and television broadcasting...
VHF station (channels 7-13) in the United States. A few months later, the station renamed itself WMAL-TV after its radio sisters. (The WTVW callsign was later formerly used by fellow ABC affiliate WISN-TV
WISN-TV
WISN-TV, virtual channel 12.1 , is a television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin serving as an affiliate of the ABC television network. Its signal covers most of southeastern Wisconsin and parts of northeastern Illinois, including Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Waukesha...
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, having been used briefly at the time of its launch, and is today used by the former ABC and Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate WTVW
WTVW
Banam sold WTVW to Petracom Broadcasting in 1995. A 20-percent equity stake in Petracom was purchased by Fox soon afterward, eventually leading to a three-way affiliation swap in which WTVW ended its 39-year ABC affiliation and joined Fox on December 3, 1995, with ABC moving to former CBS...
of Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, which recently became an independent television station in 2011.)
WMAL radio had been an affiliate of the NBC
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...
Blue Network
Blue Network
The Blue Network, and its immediate predecessor, the NBC Blue Network, were the on-air names of an American radio production and distribution service from 1927 to 1945...
since 1933, and remained with the network after it was spun off by NBC and evolved into ABC. However, channel 7 started as a CBS
CBS
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...
station since ABC hadn't gotten into television yet. When ABC launched its television network in 1948, WMAL-TV became ABC's third primary affiliate. It continued to carry some CBS programming until WOIC-TV (later WTOP-TV and now WUSA
WUSA (TV)
WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C.. Owned by the Gannett Company, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network...
) signed on in 1949. 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...
.
In 1975 Texas businessman Joseph L. Allbritton, the owner of Washington-based Riggs Bank
Riggs Bank
Riggs Bank was a Washington, D.C.-based commercial bank with branches located in the surrounding metropolitan area and offices around the world. For most of its history, it was the largest bank in the nation's capital. Riggs had been controlled by the Albritton family since the 1980s, but they lost...
, purchased the Star along with the WMAL stations. As a condition of the purchase, Allbritton had to break up the newspaper/broadcast combination, which the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
was seeking to prohibit under its "one-to-a market
Concentration of media ownership
Concentration of media ownership refers to a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media...
" rule. WMAL-TV was separated first from its radio sisters when ABC purchased WMAL-AM-FM in March 1977. Upon the radio transfer, channel 7 changed its call letters to the current WJLA-TV, after Allbritton's initials. Allbritton then sold the Star to Time, Inc. in February 1978.
Rumors abounded from the mid-1990s onward that ABC might buy WJLA-TV, thus reuniting it with its former radio sisters. However, ABC sold most of its radio properties, including WMAL and WRQX, to Citadel Broadcasting Corporation in June 2007. Even so, WJLA is still an ABC affiliate to this day under Allbritton because the company has an exclusive affiliation deal with the network. After WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
switched to CBS in 1995, WJLA became ABC's longest-tenured affiliate.
In December 2007, WJLA began simulcasting WTOP-FM
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
on its "Weather Now" digital sub-channel, though dropped this as of late July 2009.
Logos and idents
Since 1970, WMAL-TV/WJLA has used a variation of the Circle 7 logo, which has long been associated with ABC affiliates. From 1970 to 2001, WMAL/WJLA used its own version of the logo, with the "7" modified to accommodate the circle. This version was probably the longest continuously used numeric logo in Washington's television history. The only real modification came in 1998, after it began calling itself ABC 7 on-air and added the ABC logo to the left. In 2001, WJLA adopted the standard version of the Circle 7 logo, re-fueling speculation that ABC would buy the station. WJLA-TV is the largest ABC affiliate to use the Circle 7 that is not an ABC owned-and-operated station. In addition, sister station KATVKATV
KATV, channel 7, is an ABC affiliated television station serving the Little Rock television market and central Arkansas. The station is owned by Allbritton Communications Company....
in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
has used the standard Circle 7 since the 1960s, longer than all WJLA versions combined.
Digital television
| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 7.1 | Main WJLA programming / ABC |
| 7.2 | Doug Hill's WeatherNow The Local AccuWeather Channel The Local AccuWeather Channel is a 24-hour, weather-oriented, commercially sponsored broadcast and cable television network in the United States owned and operated by AccuWeather, Inc., which is headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania.... |
| 7.3 | Retro Television Network Retro Television Network The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs... |
In 2009, WJLA-TV returned its digital broadcasts to its analog channel number, 7. While 90 percent of the station's viewers received their signal by cable or satellite, many of the over-the-air viewers had problems after the final transition. Some needed to rescan, and others needed a VHF antenna. Also, at the same time, the "WJLA-TV" callsign was legally transferred from the now-defunct analog channel 7 to the new digital channel 7 with the "WJLA-DT" callsign being retired.
WJLA applied on August 29, 2009 for special authorization by the FCC to increase its effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) to 52 kW. The power increase was put into effect on September 18, 2009. WJLA already ran 30 kW of ERP, which was higher than the other three VHF stations in the area: WUSA
WUSA (TV)
WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C.. Owned by the Gannett Company, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network...
(12.6 kW), WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11. It is one of the flagship stations of Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which also owns sister radio stations WBAL and...
(5 kW), and WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
(28.8 kW).
WJLA operates two digital subchannels: Doug Hill's Weather Now, which shows weather radar and carries a simulcast of WTOP-FM
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
, and the Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
, as "RTN on ABC7". RTN7 replaced "Local Point TV" at 10:00 a.m. on July 28, 2008. Both subchannels are carried locally by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
and Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
.
Local Point TV was a local version of current.tv, featuring short five minute video segments created by area residents. Abby Fenton, the station's Director of Community Relations said in an interview with Broadcasting & Cable that "the station likes the Local Point programming and is pondering where else it might fit".
In late October 2008, WJLA began simulcasting on local low-powered station WWTD-LP
WWTD-LP
WWTD-LD is a low-powered digital television station in Washington, D.C., broadcasting locally on channel 14. The station is owned by DC Broadcasting, Inc. which itself is wholly owned by Syncomm Media and Christopher Blair of Denver, Colorado....
; the station is expected to continue broadcasting an analog feed of WJLA after the digital transition. In late July 2009, WJLA dropped its locally produced "WeatherNow" channel for The Local AccuWeather Channel
The Local AccuWeather Channel
The Local AccuWeather Channel is a 24-hour, weather-oriented, commercially sponsored broadcast and cable television network in the United States owned and operated by AccuWeather, Inc., which is headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania....
on its DT2 subchannel. It will still carry the "Doug Hill's WeatherNow" name.
Programming
Syndicated programming on WJLA includes Jeopardy!Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
(since 1984), Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
(since 1990), The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
(1989-2011), and Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
. As one of the largest stations not owned-and-operated by the network, the station generally clears all ABC programming, with only two exceptions. Locally-produced sports and election specials preempt the first hour of primetime on a few days in late summer and early fall, while the poorly-watched Saturday night network lineup is occasionally thrown out during the summer in favor of an old movie. If needed, WJLA reschedules network programming at its earliest convenience, usually during the overnight hours. In most cases, any preempted network programming can be seen on Baltimore's WMAR, which is receivable in Washington and its close suburbs with a rooftop antenna.
WJLA airs Clean Skies Sunday, a program on energy issues produced by the American Clean Skies Foundation
American Clean Skies Foundation
American Clean Skies Foundation is a 501 nonprofit organization devoted to research and debate on clean energy. ACSF's mission is to promote understanding and discussion of issues related to energy--to expand America's energy options....
, a non-profit run by natural-gas billionaire Aubrey McClendon
Aubrey McClendon
Aubrey Kerr McClendon is the chief executive officer, chairman, and co-founder of Chesapeake Energy Corporation . He is an outspoken advocate for natural gas as a cleaner and safer alternative to oil and coal fuels...
, CEO of Chesapeake Energy
Chesapeake Energy
Chesapeake Energy is the second largest producer of natural gas in the United States, a top 15 producer of U.S. liquids and the most active driller of new wells, according to an November 2011 investor presentation. It recorded 3Q 2011 natural gas production of an average of approximately of...
.
News operation
WJLA has the largest news team in the Washington area. As the flagship station of the Allbritton chain, WJLA provides national news headlines for other Allbritton-owned stations. WJLA became the second television station in Washington (behind CBS affiliate WUSAWUSA (TV)
WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C.. Owned by the Gannett Company, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network...
) to broadcast newscasts in high definition, beginning on December 8, 2008. The newscast has new graphics and made minor changes to the news desk for better viewing quality with high definition. The field reports and news promotions are still in standard definition.
On January 23, 2009, WJLA laid off 26 staff members, including several on-air reporters due to financial constraints. The laid off reporters include Andrea McCarren, Sarah C. Lee, Alisa Parenti, Emily Schmidt, Jennefer Donelan, and weekend sports anchor Greg Toland. Most of the dismissals took effect immediately, but some were allowed to serve out their contracts. WJLA also announced a 4.9% salary cut for all remaining staff and a halt to company contributions to 401(k) retirement plans.
Ratings
Prior to 2001, WJLA's newscasts had long rated third in the market, behind WUSA and NBC-owned WRC-TVWRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
. The station scored a major coup in 1999, when it hired Maureen Bunyan
Maureen Bunyan
Maureen Bunyan is an Aruban-American Washington, D.C.-based television journalist. Currently she is the lead co-anchor at WJLA-TV.Bunyan is a founder and board member of IWMF , a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists...
, former longtime anchorwoman at WUSA. In 2003, Leon Harris
Leon Harris
Leon Harris is an American newscaster. Harris was born to Leon Sr. and Lorrene Harris in Akron, Ohio. He has three brothers: Marcus, Jerry, and J.J., who still reside in Akron; and a sister, Kimberly, who lives in Houston....
, formerly of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, joined the station as an anchor. In 2004, WJLA hired Bunyan's former anchor desk partner, Gordon Peterson; they have since been reunited for the 6:00 p.m. news. These personnel moves, combined with WUSA's recent troubles, have led to a resurgence in the ratings. In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed number one at 5:00 p.m. in total viewers, and in the 25–54 demo.
Current on-air staff
Anchors- Pamela BrownPamela Ashley BrownFor other persons named Pamela Brown, see Pamela Brown .Pamela Ashley Brown , is an American television reporter and newscaster. Brown works as a on-air reporter and occasional anchor for ABC Washington, D.C., affiliate WJLA-TV...
- Thursday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.); also weekday reporter - Maureen BunyanMaureen BunyanMaureen Bunyan is an Aruban-American Washington, D.C.-based television journalist. Currently she is the lead co-anchor at WJLA-TV.Bunyan is a founder and board member of IWMF , a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists...
- weeknights at 6 p.m. - Leon HarrisLeon HarrisLeon Harris is an American newscaster. Harris was born to Leon Sr. and Lorrene Harris in Akron, Ohio. He has three brothers: Marcus, Jerry, and J.J., who still reside in Akron; and a sister, Kimberly, who lives in Houston....
- weeknights at 5 and 11 p.m. - Greta Kreuz - Friday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.); also Maryland Bureau chief
- Kendis GibsonKendis GibsonKendis Gibson is currently a weekend anchor and reporter at WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C.-Education:Gibson received a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Oswego.-Career:...
- weekends at 6 and 11 p.m. - Gordon Peterson - weeknights at 6 p.m.; also host of Inside Washington
- Cynné Simpson - weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.) and noon
- Alison StarlingAlison StarlingAlison Starling is the co-anchor of WJLA-TV's PM newscast. She was previously the co anchor of the early morning program "Good Morning Washington" In addition, she also anchors Politico.com's "Playback" video segment--"where we watch so you don't have to"--which shows excerpts of late night...
- weeknights at 5 and 11 p.m. - Scott Thuman - Monday-Wednesday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.); also Senior Political Reporter
Weather team (all meteorologists are heard on WTOP-FM
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
)
- Doug HillDoug HillDoug Hill is the Chief Meteorologist for ABC 7 News/WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. He is the meteorologist for ABC 7 News at 5, 6, and 11. He has been awarded the "Seal of Approval" from the American Meteorological Society. Hill has also been honored with a Washington Emmy Award for broadcast...
(AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (6:30-7 a.m.) and weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m. - Bob RyanBob Ryan (meteorologist)Bob Ryan is a meteorologist who forecasts for WJLA, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C.. From 1980–2010, he served as the Chief meteorologist at Washington NBC affiliate WRC-TV. Before serving as the station's chief meteorologist for 30 years, he was previously the Today Show's first on-air...
(AMS Seal of Approval) - lead meteorologist; weeknights at 11 p.m. - Adam Caskey (AMS Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-6:30 a.m.) and noon - Steve Rudin (NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekends at 6 and 11 p.m. - Brian van de Graaff (AMS Seal of Approval) - fill-in, also weekday mornings on NewsChannel 8
- Devon Lucie (AMS Seal of Approval) - fill-in, also weekday evenings on NewsChannel 8
- Dave Zahren - meteorologist; weekend mornings, also weekends on NewsChannel 8
Sports team
- Tim BrantTim BrantTim Brant is an American sportscaster and Vice President and Director of Sports for ABC 7 / WJLA-TV in Washington DC. He has spent nearly thirty years covering sports nationally for CBS and ABC....
- sports director; weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m. - Horace Holmes - sports anchor; weekends at 6 and 11 p.m., also weeknight fill-in and sports reporter
- Gregg Mace - sports anchor; weekend fill-in, also sports director at sister station WHTM-TVWHTM-TVWHTM-TV "ABC 27" is the ABC-affiliated television station for South Central Pennsylvania that's licensed to Harrisburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter on the ridge north of I-81 along the Cumberland and Perry County line...
- Britt McHenry - sports reporter and fill-in anchor
Traffic
- Lisa Baden - weekday mornings
- Eric Thomas - weeknights at 5 p.m.
- Jim Russ - weekday morning fill-in
Reporters
- Natasha Barrett - general assignment reporter
- Brad Bell - Prince George's County Bureau chief
- Arch Campbell - entertainment reporter
- Brianne Carter - general assignment reporter
- Mike Conneen - general assignment reporter
- Rebecca Cooper - national correspondent
- Bruce Depuyt - general assignment reporter
- Jennifer Donelan - general assignment reporter
- Ben Eisler - general assignment reporter
- Lisa FletcherLisa FletcherLisa Fletcher is an award winning American television journalist. She is an investigative reporter and news anchor who has covered stories around the world - both for ABC News as a correspondent and various major-market television stations, including most currently WJLA in Washington, DC.While...
- general assignment reporter - Sam Ford - DC Bureau chief
- Autria Godfrey (Thuman) - general assignment reporter
- John Gonzalez - general assignment reporter
- Glenn Harris - general assignment reporter
- Melanie Hastings - general assignment reporter
- Horace Holmes - general assignment and sports reporter
- Suzanne Kennedy - general assignment reporter
- Jay Korff - general assignment reporter
- Dave Lucas - general assignment reporter
- Jummy Olabanji - general assignment reporter
- Kathy Park - general assignment reporter
- Julie Parker - general assignment reporter
- Gail Pennybacker - Fairfax County Bureau chief
- Courtney Robinson - general assignment reporter
- Philip Stewart - general assignment reporter
- Stephen Tschida - general assignment reporter
- Kris Van Cleave - general assignment reporter
- Tiffany Wilson - general assignment reporter
Notable former staff
- Roberta BaskinRoberta BaskinRoberta Baskin is an investigative reporter, who until early 2009 was the Director of the Investigative Team at WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C.. As of late 2010 she has been working in the Department of Health and Human Service's office of inspector general as a senior communications adviser...
- reporter (1980s-1991, 2007–2009, now senior communications advisor for the Department of Health and Human Services) - Paul BerryPaul Berry (television)Paul Berry is an award-winning producer, reporter, and news anchor who covered news in Washington, D.C. and Detroit, U.S...
- anchor/reporter (1971–1999, now in public relations) - James Brown - sports reporter (1984, now at CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
) - Jack ConatyJack ConatyJack Conaty was the chief political correspondent for WFLD-TV in Chicago from 1987 to 2009.He holds a bachelor's degree in English from Providence College in Rhode Island...
- national correspondent (1980–1986) - Carol CostelloCarol CostelloCarol Costello is a CNN national correspondent and anchor, working out of the network's New York City bureau. She was part of CNN's Peabody-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 presidential election, and also covered the Virginia Tech shootings, the Obama inauguration and the Casey...
- morning anchor (1996–2001, now appears on CNN's Situation Room) - Nancy CordesNancy CordesNancy Cordes, née Weiner, is the CBS News Congressional Correspondent based in Washington, D.C. She is a regular contributor to allCBS News broadcasts and platforms...
- reporter (1999–2003, now CBS News Congressional Correspondent and Transportation and Consumer Safety Correspondent ) - Elliott FrancisElliott FrancisElliott Francis is a Washington, D.C.-based television journalistElliott Francis spent 7 years as a report and weekend co-anchor at WJLA, the ABC news affiliate in Washington, D.C...
- weekend anchor/reporter (1997–2007) - Charles GibsonCharles GibsonCharles deWolf "Charlie" Gibson is a former American broadcast television anchor and journalist. He was a host of Good Morning America from 1987 to 1998 and 1999 to 2006 and anchor of World News with Charles Gibson from 2006 to 2009....
- anchor/reporter (1970–1973, now retired) - Frank HerzogFrank HerzogFrank Herzog is a former American sportscaster, best known for his role as a play-by-play announcer for Washington Redskins radio broadcasts from 1979 to 2004, where he teamed with Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen...
- sports anchor (1979–1992, retired. Was also play-by-play voice for the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
from 1979–2004) - Christianne KleinChristianne KleinChristianne Klein is an Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist, acclaimed author, television personality and former anchor and correspondent for ABC News . While at ABC, she operated in both New York, NY and Washington DC. In New York she anchored breaking news coverage for the network and...
- weekend anchor/reporter (2005–2006, now an anchor and correspondent for ABC NewsABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
) - Sarah Lee - morning reporter
- Dan LewisDan Lewis (newsreader)Dan Lewis is a long-time news presenter and reporter for KOMO-TV, in Seattle, Washington.He came to KOMO-TV in 1987 after working at television station WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., replacing retiring news anchor Jim Harriott. Before that, he had worked at WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
- anchor (1984–1987, now at KOMO-TVKOMO-TVKOMO-TV, virtual channel 4, is a television station in Seattle, Washington. It is an affiliate of ABC and broadcasts on digital channel 38. KOMO-TV is the flagship station of Fisher Communications, and its studios and offices are co-located with sister radio stations KOMO , KVI , and KPLZ-FM ...
in Seattle) - Kathleen MatthewsKathleen MatthewsKathleen Matthews is the chief communications and public affairs officer for Marriott International, the leading global hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland...
-anchor/reporter (1983-2008, now chief communications and public affairs officer for Marriott InternationalMarriott InternationalMarriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
) - Josh MankiewiczJosh MankiewiczJosh Mankiewicz is an American journalist who has been reporting for Dateline NBC since 1995. He has also reported for The Today Show and NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams...
- reporter (1980–1982, now at NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
) - Doug McKelwayDoug McKelwayDouglas B. McKelway is a television journalist who serves as a general assignment reporter for the Washington, D.C. bureau of the Fox News Channel. He joined the network in November 2010. McKelway previously worked at the Washington D.C. ABC affiliate WJLA-TV.He was born and raised in Washington...
- anchor (?-2010, now at Fox News ChannelFox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
) - Chris McKendryChris McKendryChris McKendry has been a journalist for ESPN since 1996. Currently, she primarily serves as co-anchor of the 12-3pm ET weekday block of live SportsCenter shows, alongside John Buccigross...
- weekend sports anchor (1994–1996; now at ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - David SchoumacherDavid SchoumacherDavid Schoumacher was a newspaper and television journalist. He was also a television anchor in Washington D.C. from the 1950s until he retired...
- anchor (1976–1988; retired) - Lori StokesLori StokesLori Stokes is co-anchor of Eyewitness News This Morning and Eyewitness News at Noon alongside Ken Rosato on WABC-TV in New York City...
- anchor (1992–1996; now at WABC-TVWABC-TVWABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
) - Greg TolandGreg TolandGreg Toland was the weekend sports anchor for ABC 7 News/ WJLA-TV. His dismissal was announced on January 23, 2009 due to financial constraints. He joined the ABC 7 Sports Department in October 2000. He has worked as a sports anchor for Fox and CBS Affiliates in other cities as well before coming...
- weekend sports anchor/reporter (200X-2009; now a sports anchor/reporter at Comcast SportsNet Washington) - Rene Knott - sports anchor/reporter (now at KSDKKSDKKSDK, Channel 5, is the NBC-affiliated television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KSDK is owned and operated by Gannett Company, and the station's transmitter is located in Marlborough, Missouri. The station broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 35, using its former analog channel assignment...
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