WREG-TV
Encyclopedia
WREG-TV is Memphis, Tennessee
's CBS
television affiliate, operating on digital channel 28, and uses PSIP 3 as its virtual channel. The station is owned by Local TV
, which took over all of the television stations formerly owned by The New York Times Company
on May 7, 2007. Its transmitter is located in Memphis.
1956 as WREC-TV. Owned by electrical engineer and radio dealer Hoyt Wooten along with WREC radio (AM 600
and FM 102.7, now WEGR
), the station began regular broadcasts the next day. The calls stood for Wooten's radio store, the Wooten Radio-Electric Company. It took the CBS affiliation from WHBQ-TV
because WREC-AM had been a CBS affiliate since 1929. Studios were located in the Peabody Hotel
in downtown Memphis. Wooten had actually applied for one of the first television licenses in the country, in 1928.
For its first six years, WREC-TV was the only locally-owned station in Memphis (WHBQ-TV
was owned by General Tire
and WMC-TV
was owned by Scripps). However, in 1963, Wooten sold WREC-AM-FM-TV to Cowles Communications. In turn, Cowles sold WREC-TV to the New York Times in 1971 and the call letters changed to WREG-TV; it later sold the radio stations to other interests. Four years later in 1975, the Times built new facilities for WREG on one of the highest points on Chickasaw Bluff
, overlooking the Mississippi River
. The station also maintains studio space in the Peabody Place shopping center, adjacent to the Peabody Hotel
, marking a partial return of sorts to its early years.
For more than two decades, WREG has been in a Nielsen ratings war for first place with longtime powerhouse WMC-TV. But WREG never actually won a ratings period until February, 2006. That was the debut of a new anchor team with years of experience at other stations in the Memphis market. Claudia Barr was previously a main anchor at competitor WHBQ (Memphis's FOX affiliate) and Richard Ransom was previously a morning anchor and reporter at WMC (Memphis's NBC affiliate). Ransom and Barr replaced longtime anchors Jerry Tate and Pam McKelvy. Since that time, WREG has won the all-important 10pm ratings battle three times more often than WMC. The number of victories for the important morning news battle anchored by Kris Anderson and Markova Reed is just as dominant.
WREG often works together with a sister Local TV
station, WHNT-TV
in Huntsville, Alabama
. The two often share resources on large stories, such as the April 2007 trial of Mary Winkler
. For the first week of the trial, WREG worked from the satellite truck of WHNT. During the second week, WHNT worked from WREG's truck. Also, reporters from one station often do live reports for the other. Further, WHNT also airs News Channel 3 Knowledge Bowl on its digital sub-channel.
The station became a charter affiliate of Tribune Broadcasting
's multicast channel Antenna TV
upon its launch on January 1, 2011 and is carried on digital subchannel 3.3. The network, whose programming consists of classic sitcoms from the 1950s to the 1990s during the afternoon and evening, and movies during the morning and late night hours, debut on Local TV, LLC-owned stations in other markets as well as stations owned by Antenna TV's parent company Tribune Company
on the same date.
, WREG-TV continued on its pre-transitional digital channel when the analog to digital conversion completed.
Week", "John Wayne
Week"), which proved to be very popular with viewers. However, like most major network affiliates in the early 1980s, channel 3 began cutting back on the heavy amount of movie airings that occupied much of its off-network schedule, a move prompted by the presence of cable, VCRs, and the emergence of then-independent competitors WPTY-TV
in 1978 and WMKW (now WLMT
) in 1983.
Over the years, WREG has produced many local programs and series, such as Knowledge Bowl (mentioned above) and Mid-South Outdoors (later known as News Channel 3 Outdoors). Additional news programs are Live at 9, which has a talk show format and Informed Sources, which airs weekly on Sundays to talk about current local issues.
WREG is one of the few CBS stations that pre-empts the Saturday Early Show in favor of a Saturday morning newscast. Syndicated programs on Channel 3 include Inside Edition
, Jeopardy!
, Entertainment Tonight
, and The Insider
.
On Sunday, June 13 at 10:00 p.m., WREG-TV became the third station in the Memphis area to broadcast local newscasts in High Definition
. The switch came with some updates to the newsroom set and new graphics but have had major technical glitches during the initial week of the switch to HD. Both of its main rivals, WMC-TV
and WHBQ-TV
respectively, have already made the switch to HD news.
Reporters
Weather Team
Sports Team
}
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
's 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...
television affiliate, operating on digital channel 28, and uses PSIP 3 as its virtual channel. The station is owned by Local TV
Local TV
Local TV LLC is a limited liability corporation, owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners , which operates 18 local network-affiliated television stations in the United States.-History:...
, which took over all of the television stations formerly owned by The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company is an American media company best known as the publisher of its namesake, The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. has served as Chairman of the Board since 1997. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City....
on May 7, 2007. Its transmitter is located in Memphis.
History
WREG-TV first went to air on New Year's DayNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
1956 as WREC-TV. Owned by electrical engineer and radio dealer Hoyt Wooten along with WREC radio (AM 600
WREC
WREC is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Memphis, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. The station is also broadcast on HD radio....
and FM 102.7, now WEGR
WEGR
WEGR is a classic rock formatted radio station in Memphis, Tennessee. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasts at 102.7 FM.-History:...
), the station began regular broadcasts the next day. The calls stood for Wooten's radio store, the Wooten Radio-Electric Company. It took the CBS affiliation from WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Its studios and transmitter are located in Memphis.-Under RKO General:...
because WREC-AM had been a CBS affiliate since 1929. Studios were located in the Peabody Hotel
Peabody Hotel
The Peabody Hotel is a luxury hotel in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The hotel is well known for the famous "Peabody Ducks" that live on the hotel rooftop, but which make daily treks to the hotel's lobby in a daily "March of Ducks" celebration.- History :...
in downtown Memphis. Wooten had actually applied for one of the first television licenses in the country, in 1928.
For its first six years, WREC-TV was the only locally-owned station in Memphis (WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Its studios and transmitter are located in Memphis.-Under RKO General:...
was owned by General Tire
General Tire
The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.General Tire was founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William F. O'Neil. Products included the low-pressure "General Balloon Jumbo" and the "Dual 90" tire...
and WMC-TV
WMC-TV
WMC-TV is the NBC affiliate television station for the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The station serves roughly the western third of Tennessee, northwestern Mississippi, northeastern Arkansas and the southeastern corner of Missouri over the air on satellite and on various cable systems. Its...
was owned by Scripps). However, in 1963, Wooten sold WREC-AM-FM-TV to Cowles Communications. In turn, Cowles sold WREC-TV to the New York Times in 1971 and the call letters changed to WREG-TV; it later sold the radio stations to other interests. Four years later in 1975, the Times built new facilities for WREG on one of the highest points on Chickasaw Bluff
Chickasaw Bluff
The term Chickasaw Bluff refers to high ground rising about above the flood plain between Fulton in Lauderdale County, Tennessee and Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee. Composed of eroded Pleistocene loess over Pliocene glacial gravel, they are slide prone...
, overlooking the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The station also maintains studio space in the Peabody Place shopping center, adjacent to the Peabody Hotel
Peabody Hotel
The Peabody Hotel is a luxury hotel in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The hotel is well known for the famous "Peabody Ducks" that live on the hotel rooftop, but which make daily treks to the hotel's lobby in a daily "March of Ducks" celebration.- History :...
, marking a partial return of sorts to its early years.
For more than two decades, WREG has been in a Nielsen ratings war for first place with longtime powerhouse WMC-TV. But WREG never actually won a ratings period until February, 2006. That was the debut of a new anchor team with years of experience at other stations in the Memphis market. Claudia Barr was previously a main anchor at competitor WHBQ (Memphis's FOX affiliate) and Richard Ransom was previously a morning anchor and reporter at WMC (Memphis's NBC affiliate). Ransom and Barr replaced longtime anchors Jerry Tate and Pam McKelvy. Since that time, WREG has won the all-important 10pm ratings battle three times more often than WMC. The number of victories for the important morning news battle anchored by Kris Anderson and Markova Reed is just as dominant.
WREG often works together with a sister Local TV
Local TV
Local TV LLC is a limited liability corporation, owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners , which operates 18 local network-affiliated television stations in the United States.-History:...
station, WHNT-TV
WHNT-TV
WHNT-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tennessee Valley area of North Alabama that is licensed to Huntsville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter on Monte Sano. Owned by Local TV, the station has studios on Holmes Avenue Northwest in...
in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
. The two often share resources on large stories, such as the April 2007 trial of Mary Winkler
Mary Winkler
Mary Carol Winkler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2006 shooting death of her husband, Matthew Winkler, the pulpit minister at the Fourth Street Church of Christ in the small town of Selmer, Tennessee...
. For the first week of the trial, WREG worked from the satellite truck of WHNT. During the second week, WHNT worked from WREG's truck. Also, reporters from one station often do live reports for the other. Further, WHNT also airs News Channel 3 Knowledge Bowl on its digital sub-channel.
Digital television
The station's digital channel is UHF 28, multiplexed:| Virtual Channel |
Video | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 1080i 1080i 1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels... |
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 WREG-TV programming / CBS |
| 3.2 | 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 | News Channel 3 Anytime |
| 3.3 | Antenna TV |
The station became a charter affiliate of Tribune Broadcasting
Tribune Broadcasting
The Tribune Broadcasting Company is a group of radio and television stations located throughout the United States which are owned and operated by the Tribune Company, a media conglomerate based in Chicago, Illinois and named for the flagship Chicago Tribune newspaper.- History :Tribune Broadcasting...
's multicast channel Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
upon its launch on January 1, 2011 and is carried on digital subchannel 3.3. The network, whose programming consists of classic sitcoms from the 1950s to the 1990s during the afternoon and evening, and movies during the morning and late night hours, debut on Local TV, LLC-owned stations in other markets as well as stations owned by Antenna TV's parent company Tribune Company
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
on the same date.
Analog-to-digital transition
On June 12, 2009DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
, WREG-TV continued on its pre-transitional digital channel when the analog to digital conversion completed.
Programming history
Throughout the early 1960s into the late 1980s, WREC/WREG claimed to possess the largest motion picture library of any TV station in the United States, which was evidenced in its daily (late afternoons and late nights) and weekend programming lineup at the time. The station used some of those features for theme weeks (e.g., "GodzillaGodzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
Week", "John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
Week"), which proved to be very popular with viewers. However, like most major network affiliates in the early 1980s, channel 3 began cutting back on the heavy amount of movie airings that occupied much of its off-network schedule, a move prompted by the presence of cable, VCRs, and the emergence of then-independent competitors WPTY-TV
WPTY-TV
WPTY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for west Tennessee that is licensed to Memphis. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 25 from a transmitter in the Brunswick section of Arlington. Owned by Newport Television, the station is sister to CW affiliate WLMT and Fox...
in 1978 and WMKW (now WLMT
WLMT
WLMT is the CW-affiliated television station for Western Tennessee licensed to Memphis. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 31 from a transmitter in Arlington's Brunswick section. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 9 and in high definition on digital channel...
) in 1983.
Over the years, WREG has produced many local programs and series, such as Knowledge Bowl (mentioned above) and Mid-South Outdoors (later known as News Channel 3 Outdoors). Additional news programs are Live at 9, which has a talk show format and Informed Sources, which airs weekly on Sundays to talk about current local issues.
WREG is one of the few CBS stations that pre-empts the Saturday Early Show in favor of a Saturday morning newscast. Syndicated programs on Channel 3 include Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
, 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...
, 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...
, and The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
.
On Sunday, June 13 at 10:00 p.m., WREG-TV became the third station in the Memphis area to broadcast local newscasts 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...
. The switch came with some updates to the newsroom set and new graphics but have had major technical glitches during the initial week of the switch to HD. Both of its main rivals, WMC-TV
WMC-TV
WMC-TV is the NBC affiliate television station for the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The station serves roughly the western third of Tennessee, northwestern Mississippi, northeastern Arkansas and the southeastern corner of Missouri over the air on satellite and on various cable systems. Its...
and WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Its studios and transmitter are located in Memphis.-Under RKO General:...
respectively, have already made the switch to HD news.
Current on-air staff
Current Anchors- Kris Anderson - Daybreak/noon anchor
- Claudia Barr - 5, 6 and 10 p.m. anchor
- Alex Coleman - Live @ 9, 4 and 4:30pm anchor
- Marybeth Conley - Live @ 9 anchor
- Richard Ransom - 5, 6 and 10 p.m. anchor
- Markova Reed - Daybreak anchor
- Stephanie Scurlock - Daybreak weekend anchor
- April Thompson - 4 and 4:30pm anchor
- Dennis Turner - Daybreak weekend anchor
Reporters
- Melissa Moon - general assignment reporter
- Keli Rabon - Investigative reporter
- Scott Noll - Investigative reporter
- Candace McCowan - Daybreak reporter
- Natasha Chen - general assignment reporter
- George Brown - WREG.com
Weather Team
- Tim Simpson - 4, 4:30 & 6 p.m. chief meteorologist
- Jim Jaggers - 5 & 10 p.m. meteorologist
- Todd Demers - Daybreak/noon meteorologist
- Austen Onek - weekend meteorologist
Sports Team
- Glenn Carver - sports director
- Mike Ceide - weekend sports anchor
News personnel
- John Gwin, Joel Rosenber, Ed Randle - Daybreak News director
- George Brown - Web Content Manager for WREG.com; formerly of WMC
- Faith Hannah, Eric Lipford, Rich Holden - Daybreak Producers
- Jen Cates - Live @ 9, producer
Former on-air staff
- Paul Dorman
- Pam Crittendon
- John Powell
- Fred Cook
- Pam McKelvy Hammer (now at WKIM-FM)
- Joe Larkins (retired)
- Natalie Allen (now at CNN and CNN International)
- Mike Lawhead
- Carolyn Brookter
- Jerry Tate (retired)
- Cindy Whipple
- Rick Jackson
- Jim Jenkins
- Fran Curran
- Kimberly Van Scoy
- Rob Sylvestor
- Susie Robinette
- Gene Hocutt
- Sharon Crews
- Dorothy Tucker
- Brian Teigland (deceased)
- Theo Travers (now at Nickelodeon)
- Tom Stocker
- Larry Ennis
- Jeff Beimfohr (now at WPTY)
- Jim Bonds
- Olin Morris
- Sheryl Kahn
- Earle Farrell (now at WHBQ-TV)
- Ray Pohlman
- De Anna Sheffield
- Jennifer Van Vranken
- Cheryl Kepes
- Annie Kim
- Brian Kuebler
- Amy Speropoulos (now at WMC-TV)
- Christine Connolly (now at KRON-TV; San Francisco)
- Norm Brewer (deceased)
- David Sandifer
- Tom Powell (now at WSJV-TV)
- Omari Flemming (located at another station)
- Mike Matthews
Newscast titles
- NewsWatch 3 (1970s-early 1980s)
- News 3 (1980s-1993)
- NewsChannel 3 (1993–present)
Station slogans
- Hello Memphis (1982–1985; during period station used Frank Gari's "Hello News")
- Memphis & Channel 3 (1987–1992)
- Where Local News Comes First (1997–1998)
- Your 21st Century Starts Here (1998–2000)
- On Your Side (2000–present)
External links
}