WPDE-TV
Encyclopedia
WPDE-TV is the ABC
-affiliated television station
for South Carolina
's Pee Dee
and Grand Strand
areas licensed to Florence
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on UHF channel 16 (virtual channel
15.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter
on Pee Dee Church Road in Dillon
(across from CBS
affiliate WBTW
's tower). The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable
channel 9 and HTC Cablevision
channel 15. There is a high definition feed offered on HTC Cablevision digital channel 815 and Time Warner
Cable digital channel 1105.
Owned by Barrington Broadcasting
, WPDE operates CW/CW Plus
affiliate WWMB
(owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting
) through a local marketing agreement
(LMA). The two outlets share studios (in the Atlantic
Business Park) on Atlantic Avenue in Conway
near US 501
. Syndicated
programming on this station includes Entertainment Tonight
, The Dr. Oz Show
, Judge Judy
, and The Nate Berkus Show
among others.
affiliate WJPM-TV
. It has always been an ABC station and, prior to WPDE's launch, the network was seen through a secondary status on WBTW. The call letters stand for the Big
and Little
Pee DEe Rivers. Unofficially, the calls also represent the station's commitment to viewers: "We're People Dedicated to Excellence." The former Florence Civic Auditorium building on South Cashua Drive was transformed into the station's first facilities. This location would serve WPDE for twenty-two years. Dedication of its current studios in Conway was conducted in early-1981 with remarks by then-Governor
Richard Riley
. Diversified Communications
of Portland, Maine
acquired the station in 1985. It was the company's fourth television station and first property outside Maine
. WPDE would eventually be purchased by Barrington in 2006. On June 12, 2009, its digital signal remained on channel 16 when the analog to digital conversion was completed.
During the analog era, WPDE's over-the-air signal barely covered the entire Florence/Myrtle Beach
market
as typical with most UHF stations at the time. At one point, the North Carolina
side of the market obtained a weaker signal from WPDE compared with Wilmington
's WWAY
and/or WTVD
from Durham
. As of the digital transition, this station can now be regularly picked up in North Carolina because its digital signal is much stronger. In addition, the southern areas of Raleigh
and Greensboro
can pick up ABC from WPDE better than home affiliate WXLV
in Winston-Salem
. WTVD has more reception in that area as well due to its powerful digital signal on VHF channel 11. This station's reception area includes eastern areas of Charlotte
and the Columbia
market. The latter city's ABC affiliate WOLO-TV
can be picked up in the northern and western parts of the Wilmington DMA because WWAY's current digital signal does not make it past US 701 too well.
. This is in part because that station essentially had the area to itself for over a quarter-century with the only real competition being Grade B signals from WECT
in Wilmington and Columbia's WIS
(both affiliates of NBC
). WPDE's launch offered a second option of newscasts from WBTW. In 1996, sister station WWMB began airing the market's first prime time news on weeknights. Produced by WPDE, the show aired for thirty minutes and was originally known as NewsChannel 15 at 10 on TV 21. It was initially anchored by Steve Hawley until late-1996 when he left the station.
The program was then alternately hosted by Dave Gilbert and Tiffany Cochran. After the latter personality departed WPDE and Gilbert died in 1997, the show was renamed UPN 21 News at 10 and anchored by Leo Stallworth (later Audra Grant) until its cancellation in 2000. In 2003, WPDE introduced another prime time newscast on WWMB under the title WPDE NewsChannel 15 at 10 on UPN. Now airing every night, it was anchored on weeknights by Jim Heath. This second generation of the show featured interactive segments such as "Say What?" and "Quick Hits" in a more fast-paced format.
WWMB began having competition to its broadcast in 2004 when Fox affiliate WFXB
entered into a news share agreement with WBTW. This partnership resulted in the area's second prime time broadcast at 10 seen weeknights for a half-hour. On September 18, 2006 with the launch of The CW, WPDE's production on WWMB became known as NewsChannel 15 at 10 on CW 21 and featured an updated graphics theme. There was a further expansion of local newscasts in 2007 when WPDE added a third hour of its weekday Good Morning Carolinas broadcast to WWMB. This was seen from 7 until 8 and was the first local show to debut in the time slot and partially air against the national weekday morning show seen on the big three networks
. For an unknown reason, the production was ultimately dropped.
On January 26, 2009 days after anchor Jim Heath left WPDE, WWMB's nightly 10 o'clock show was canceled. A repeat of NewsChannel 15 at 7 was subsequently added in its place on weeknights with live weather updates. Eventually, this program was dropped as well. WWMB currently airs a rebroadcast of WPDE's Carolina & Company Live in the weeknight 10 p.m. time slot. In March 2008, WBTW became the first station in the market to upgrade newscasts to 16:9
enhanced definition widescreen
. Although not true high definition, broadcasts match the aspect ratio
of HD television screens. Since its sign-on August 7, 2008, NBC affiliate WMBF-TV
has been offering local news in full high definition. WPDE remained the last outlet with pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition news until October 26, 2010 when it upgraded to 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen. Corresponding with the change came a new set and updated graphics package.
Weekdays at noon, the station airs a lifestyle/entertainment show called Carolina & Company Live. Airing in a magazine-type format from a secondary set, the broadcast is hosted by Cecil Chandler (formerly at WBTW for 36 years), Amanda Kinseth, and meteorologist Darren Stack. During the program, there are various interview segments and business spotlights. Unlike most ABC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone
, WPDE does not offer newscasts on weeknights at 5 and/or 5:30. It maintains partnerships with local radio stations WYEZ
-FM 94.5, WRNN-FM
99.5, WJMX-AM
970, and WRNN-AM
1450. In addition to its main studios, WPDE operates a bureau on South Floyd Drive in Florence nearby WMBF's bureau on South Cashua Drive.
Carolina & Company Live
Meteorologists
Sports
Reporters
Notable former personnel
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
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
for South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
's Pee Dee
Pee Dee
The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is the northeastern corner of the state. It is the area of the lower watershed of the Pee Dee River, named after the Pee Dee Native American tribe. Its center is Florence...
and Grand Strand
Grand Strand
The Grand Strand refers to a large stretch of beaches on the East Coast of the United States extending from Little River to Georgetown in the U.S. State of South Carolina. It consists of 60+ miles along an essentially uninterrupted arc of beach land, beginning around the Little River and...
areas licensed to Florence
Florence, South Carolina
-Municipal government and politics:The City of Florence has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and city council are elected every four years, with no term limits...
. It broadcasts a 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...
digital signal on UHF channel 16 (virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
15.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter
Diversified Communications Tower
Diversified Communications Tower is a 2000-foot guyed mast for TV transmission in Floyd Dale, South Carolina, USA. Diversified Communications Tower was built in 1981 and is 609.6 meters high. The tower itself is 585.6 meters; the antenna is 24 meters. It is one of the tallest structures in the...
on Pee Dee Church Road in Dillon
Dillon, South Carolina
Dillon, South Carolina, the county seat of Dillon County, was established on December 22, 1888. The name of the city came from James W. Dillon, who was a key component in bringing a railroad through this area of the state, which led to development and formation of the County. Dillon’s population...
(across from 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...
affiliate WBTW
WBTW
WBTW is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Pee Dee and Grand Strand areas of South Carolina that is licensed to Florence. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter southeast of Dillon on Pee Dee Church Road. Owned by Media General, the station...
's tower). The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
channel 9 and HTC Cablevision
Horry Telephone Cooperative
Horry Telephone Cooperative is America's largest telephone cooperative and the 25th largest telecommunications company in America. The cooperative was incorporated on June 16, 1952 to serve the rural areas of Horry County, South Carolina where it was cost prohibitive for national telephone...
channel 15. There is a high definition feed offered on HTC Cablevision digital channel 815 and Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
Cable digital channel 1105.
Owned by Barrington Broadcasting
Barrington Broadcasting
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC , headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois is an entity wholly focused on broadcast television. The company's assets mainly consist of television stations in middle and small sized markets...
, WPDE operates CW/CW Plus
The CW Plus
The CW Plus is a group of primarily digital sub-channels, analog, and non-broadcast cable television outlets for the CW Television Network, for markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States....
affiliate WWMB
WWMB
WWMB is CW-affiliated television station for South Carolina's Pee Dee and Grand Strand areas licensed to Florence. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 21 from a transmitter on Pee Dee Church Road in Dillon . The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 8 and...
(owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting
SagamoreHill Broadcasting
SagamoreHill Broadcasting is a privately held American holding company that owns eleven television stations largely based in the southern United States...
) through a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
(LMA). The two outlets share studios (in the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
Business Park) on Atlantic Avenue in Conway
Conway, South Carolina
Conway is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 16,317 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Horry County and is part of the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. It is the home of Coastal Carolina University....
near US 501
U.S. Route 501
-North Carolina business loops:-Virginia business loop:-External links:*...
. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on this station includes Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show is an American syndicated television talk show, hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and teaching professor at Columbia University who became famous for his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show from 2004 until 2009....
, Judge Judy
Judge Judy
Judge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
, and The Nate Berkus Show
The Nate Berkus Show
The Nate Berkus Show, commonly referred to as The Nate Show, is a syndicated talk show hosted by interior designer Nate Berkus, which premiered on September 13, 2010....
among others.
Digital programming
On WPDE-DT2, HTC Cablevision channel 93, and Time Warner Cable digital channel 106 is a 24-hour local weather channel.| Channels | Name | Video Display resolution The display resolution of a digital television or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube , flat panel or projection... |
Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.1 | WPDE-HD | 720p 720p 720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan... |
16:9 16:9 16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ... |
Main WPDE programming / ABC |
| 15.2 | WPDE-WX | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | "NewsChannel 15 First Alert Weather on the 15's" |
History
The station signed-on November 22, 1980 with an analog signal on UHF channel 15. It was the area's third outlet after WBTW and PBSPublic Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliate WJPM-TV
South Carolina Educational Television
South Carolina Educational Television is the statewide public television and public radio network in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It consists of all the Public Broadcasting Service member [television stations and National Public Radio member radio stations in the state...
. It has always been an ABC station and, prior to WPDE's launch, the network was seen through a secondary status on WBTW. The call letters stand for the Big
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
and Little
Little Pee Dee River
The Little Pee Dee River is a tributary of the Pee Dee River . The Little Pee Dee technically arises near Laurinburg, North Carolina as Gum Swamp, which flows southward, receiving several small tributaries, across the South Carolina border into Red Bluff Lake, near McColl, South Carolina...
Pee DEe Rivers. Unofficially, the calls also represent the station's commitment to viewers: "We're People Dedicated to Excellence." The former Florence Civic Auditorium building on South Cashua Drive was transformed into the station's first facilities. This location would serve WPDE for twenty-two years. Dedication of its current studios in Conway was conducted in early-1981 with remarks by then-Governor
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
Richard Riley
Richard Riley
Richard Wilson Riley , American politician, was United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th Governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. Diversified Communications
Diversified Communications
Diversified Communications is a broadcasting company, headquartered in Portland, Maine. Among the various publications and broadcast outlets, the company organizes trade shows, publishes magazines, produces digital business and operates broadcast stations....
of Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
acquired the station in 1985. It was the company's fourth television station and first property outside Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. WPDE would eventually be purchased by Barrington in 2006. On June 12, 2009, its digital signal remained on channel 16 when the analog to digital conversion was completed.
During the analog era, WPDE's over-the-air signal barely covered the entire Florence/Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
as typical with most UHF stations at the time. At one point, the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
side of the market obtained a weaker signal from WPDE compared with Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
's WWAY
WWAY
WWAY is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Cape Fear area of North Carolina that is licensed to Wilmington. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 46 from a transmitter northwest of Bolivia. Owned by Morris Multimedia, the station has studios on North Front Street...
and/or WTVD
WTVD
WTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
from Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. As of the digital transition, this station can now be regularly picked up in North Carolina because its digital signal is much stronger. In addition, the southern areas of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
can pick up ABC from WPDE better than home affiliate WXLV
WXLV-TV
WXLV-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina that is licensed to Winston-Salem. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 from a transmitter in Randleman along I-73/U.S. 220...
in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. WTVD has more reception in that area as well due to its powerful digital signal on VHF channel 11. This station's reception area includes eastern areas of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and the Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
market. The latter city's ABC affiliate WOLO-TV
WOLO-TV
WOLO-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for South Carolina's Midlands licensed to Columbia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Rush Road in unincorporated Southwestern Kershaw County. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable...
can be picked up in the northern and western parts of the Wilmington DMA because WWAY's current digital signal does not make it past US 701 too well.
News operation
Historically, WBTW has been the dominant station in Florence/Myrtle Beach according to local Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. This is in part because that station essentially had the area to itself for over a quarter-century with the only real competition being Grade B signals from WECT
WECT
WECT is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Cape Fear and Sandhills areas of North Carolina that is licensed to Wilmington. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter southwest of Winnabow. The station can also be seen on Time Warner and Charter...
in Wilmington and Columbia's WIS
WIS
WIS, channel 10, is an NBC-affiliated television station in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Owned by Raycom Media, WIS has studios on Bull Street in downtown Columbia, and transmitter located in Lugoff, South Carolina.-History:...
(both affiliates of 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...
). WPDE's launch offered a second option of newscasts from WBTW. In 1996, sister station WWMB began airing the market's first prime time news on weeknights. Produced by WPDE, the show aired for thirty minutes and was originally known as NewsChannel 15 at 10 on TV 21. It was initially anchored by Steve Hawley until late-1996 when he left the station.
The program was then alternately hosted by Dave Gilbert and Tiffany Cochran. After the latter personality departed WPDE and Gilbert died in 1997, the show was renamed UPN 21 News at 10 and anchored by Leo Stallworth (later Audra Grant) until its cancellation in 2000. In 2003, WPDE introduced another prime time newscast on WWMB under the title WPDE NewsChannel 15 at 10 on UPN. Now airing every night, it was anchored on weeknights by Jim Heath. This second generation of the show featured interactive segments such as "Say What?" and "Quick Hits" in a more fast-paced format.
WWMB began having competition to its broadcast in 2004 when Fox affiliate WFXB
WFXB
WFXB is the Fox-affiliated television station for South Carolina's Grand Strand and Pee Dee areas licensed to Myrtle Beach. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 18 from a transmitter in Mullins. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable and HTC Cablevision channel 7...
entered into a news share agreement with WBTW. This partnership resulted in the area's second prime time broadcast at 10 seen weeknights for a half-hour. On September 18, 2006 with the launch of The CW, WPDE's production on WWMB became known as NewsChannel 15 at 10 on CW 21 and featured an updated graphics theme. There was a further expansion of local newscasts in 2007 when WPDE added a third hour of its weekday Good Morning Carolinas broadcast to WWMB. This was seen from 7 until 8 and was the first local show to debut in the time slot and partially air against the national weekday morning show seen on the big three networks
Big Three Television Networks
The Big Three Television Networks are the three traditional commercial broadcast television networks in the United States: ABC, CBS and NBC...
. For an unknown reason, the production was ultimately dropped.
On January 26, 2009 days after anchor Jim Heath left WPDE, WWMB's nightly 10 o'clock show was canceled. A repeat of NewsChannel 15 at 7 was subsequently added in its place on weeknights with live weather updates. Eventually, this program was dropped as well. WWMB currently airs a rebroadcast of WPDE's Carolina & Company Live in the weeknight 10 p.m. time slot. In March 2008, WBTW became the first station in the market to upgrade newscasts to 16:9
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
enhanced definition widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
. Although not true high definition, broadcasts match the aspect ratio
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
of HD television screens. Since its sign-on August 7, 2008, NBC affiliate WMBF-TV
WMBF-TV
WMBF-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Grand Strand and Pee Dee areas of South Carolina that is licensed to Myrtle Beach. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter in Bucksville. It can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 10 , 120 ,...
has been offering local news in full high definition. WPDE remained the last outlet with pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition news until October 26, 2010 when it upgraded to 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen. Corresponding with the change came a new set and updated graphics package.
Weekdays at noon, the station airs a lifestyle/entertainment show called Carolina & Company Live. Airing in a magazine-type format from a secondary set, the broadcast is hosted by Cecil Chandler (formerly at WBTW for 36 years), Amanda Kinseth, and meteorologist Darren Stack. During the program, there are various interview segments and business spotlights. Unlike most ABC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
, WPDE does not offer newscasts on weeknights at 5 and/or 5:30. It maintains partnerships with local radio stations WYEZ
WYEZ
WYEZ is a rhythmic oldies radio station licensed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and serves the Grand Strand area. The Fidelity Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 94.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 12 kW...
-FM 94.5, WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM is a News/Talk radio station licensed to Socastee, South Carolina and serves the Grand Strand area. The NextMedia outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 99.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 21.5 kW...
99.5, WJMX-AM
WJMX (AM)
WJMX is a news/talk radio station located in Florence, South Carolina, United States. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast on 970 AM with an effective radiated power of 10 kW during the day, non-directional and 3 kW at night, directional.- History :WJMX...
970, and WRNN-AM
WRNN (AM)
WRNN is a radio station licensed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, serving the Myrtle Beach area. The station is currently owned by NextMedia Broadcasting....
1450. In addition to its main studios, WPDE operates a bureau on South Floyd Drive in Florence nearby WMBF's bureau on South Cashua Drive.
Newscast titles
- Pee Dee 15 News (1980–1983)
- 15 News (1983–1986, 1993–1996)
- Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
(1986–1993) - NewsChannel 15 (1996–present)
Station slogans
- "Hello Grand Strand/Hello Pee Dee/Say Hello!(1984–1989, featured when station used Frank GariFrank GariFrank Gari is a popular singer and songwriter from the late 1950s and early 1960s. His best known songs as a performer are "Utopia" , "Lullaby of Love" and "Princess" , all of which hit the U.S. Top 40 in 1961. He co-wrote with Roger McGuinn the song Beach Ball for Bobby Darin...
's "Hello News") - "Action News is Everywhere" (1989–1991)
- "The Team to Watch" (1991–1993)
- "The Carolinas' NewsChannel" (1996–1998)
- "Your Local Team" (2003–2010)
- "Your News" (2010–present)
News team
Anchors- Jason Claspell - weekday mornings 5 to 7AM
- Lisa Edge - weekends at 6 and 11PM and weekday reporter
- Allyson Floyd - assistant news director, weeknights at 6, 7, and 11PM
- Tim McGinnis - managing editor, weeknights at 6, 7, and 11PM also host of "Carolina This Week"
- Holly Morgan - weekday mornings 5 to 7AM
Carolina & Company Live
- Cecil Chandler - co-host
- Amanda Kinseth - co-host
Meteorologists
- Mallory Nicholls - weekends
- Ed Piotrowski (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, weeknights - Darren Stack (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) - weekday mornings
Sports
- Rich Chrampanis - Sports Director, weeknights
- Mark Haggard - weekends and sports reporter
Reporters
- Joel Allen
- Tonya Brown
- Ryan Naquin
- Lindsey Theis
Notable former personnel
- Nancy O'Dell - Entertainment TonightEntertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
- Stuart ScottStuart ScottStuart Scott is a sportscaster and anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter.-Early life and career:Scott attended Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and went to college at the University of North Carolina. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity...
- 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....