WTVM
Encyclopedia
WTVM is the ABC
-affiliated television station
for Columbus, Georgia
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on VHF channel 11 from a transmitter
in Cusseta
. The station can also be seen on Charter
, Knology
, and Mediacom
channel 10. There is a high definition feed offered on Charter digital channel 707, Mediacom digital channel 810, and Knology digital channel 901.
Owned by Raycom Media
, WTVM operates primary Fox
and secondary MyNetworkTV
affiliate WXTX
(owned by Southeastern Media Holdings
) through a shared services
agreement (SSA). The two share studios on Wynnton Road (GA 22
) in the Dinglewood
section of Columbus. Syndicated
programming on this channel includes: Entertainment Tonight
, Inside Edition
, The Doctors
, and Ellen
.
. It will be replaced with Bounce TV
on September 26, 2011.
station with secondary ABC affiliation. WDAK was the first television station in the Columbus market
(beating rival WRBL
by just over a month) and is the fifth-oldest in the state of Georgia
and second-oldest outside Atlanta. During the late-1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
. It was originally owned by Allen Woodall Sr. (owner of WDAK
-AM 540) and Martin Theaters (forerunner of Carmike Cinemas
). Studios were located on 1st Avenue in Downtown Columbus where Carmike's corporate headquarters are today.
Woodall sold his interest in the station to Martin Theaters in 1956 and the call letters were changed to the current WTVM. It moved to VHF channel 9 in 1960 in a three-way switch-and-move approved by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) in which WRBL
moved from channel 4 to channel 3 and WTVY-TV in Dothan, Alabama
moved from channel 9 to channel 4. The moves were permitted because two years earlier Martin Theaters had bought WROM-TV in Rome, Georgia
and moved it 70 miles north to Chattanooga, Tennessee
while changing its calls to WTVC
. Eventually, WTVM's old channel 28 allotment was occupied by Georgia Public Broadcasting
's WJSP-TV
.
On the same day WTVM moved to channel 9, it switched its primary affiliation to ABC while relegating NBC to secondary status shared with WRBL. This was very unusual for a then two-station market, especially one of Columbus' size. Usually, ABC, as the smallest and weakest network, was relegated to secondary status on one or both of existing stations. However, Martin Theaters wanted to get WTVM in line with WTVC, which has always been an ABC affiliate. Also, a large number of viewers in Western Georgia and Eastern Alabama
did not have access to ABC full-time; the nearest ABC affiliate that put a decent signal into Columbus was WLWA-TV in Atlanta (now NBC affiliate WXIA-TV
). By contrast, NBC had strong outlets in Atlanta's WSB-TV
and Montgomery, Alabama
's WSFA
, with both transmitting fairly clear Grade B signals to the region. Therefore, Martin realized that an ABC affiliation would not bring significant out-of-market competition. Augusta
businessman J. B. Fuqua
bought Martin Theaters in 1969, including both WTVM and WTVC.
Early in 1970, Fuqua moved WTVM to its present studios on Wynnton Road. The station switched to ABC full-time in October of that year when WYEA (now WLTZ
) signed-on and took over the NBC affiliation. Fuqua sold-off his broadcast interests in 1980, with WTVM going to Western Broadcasting. SFN Publishing eventually became the owner in 1984. A group of SFN managers formed Pegasus Broadcasting and purchased WTVM in 1986. Aflac
(which had owned WYEA at one point during the 1970s) bought the station in 1989, making channel 9 Aflac's flagship station. In 1997, Aflac sold its entire broadcasting division, including WTVM, to an investment group that merged with Ellis Communications to form the station's current owner, Raycom Media.
12 News , Huntsville's WAFF
48 News, and Birmingham's Fox 6 News WBRC
in which stations share information, equipment such as satellite trucks or even reporters' stories. Between them, these four stations cover most of the state of Alabama, with the exception of the Mobile/Pensacola DMA. The four stations also comprise the Raycom Weather Network and the Raycom Alabama Weather Blog, where meteorologists from all four stations post forecasts and storm reports, as well as live feeds from all of the cameras that the four stations operate. The site also has live feeds of Live Doppler 9 (WTVM), Doppler 12 StormVision (WSFA), FOX 6 VIPIR (WBRC) and Live StormTrack Doppler 48 (WAFF).
called "Live Doppler 9" (formerly known as TrueView Doppler 9), located on top of WTVM's midtown studios. The station also has access to four different Level 2 NEXRAD
radars branded as the "Doppler 9 Radar Network" (formerly known as TrueView Tracker) which includes the capability to use 3-D graphics to track storms during newscasts. WTVM operates seven skycams (all but one, the Columbus Gov't Center skycam, are sponsored by ALFA Insurance) throughout the viewing area. There are two in Columbus (St. Francis Hospital and Columbus Park Crossing), and one each in Pine Mountain, Georgia
; Auburn, Alabama
; Opelika, Alabama
and Eufaula, Alabama
.
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 Midday (12:00 to 12:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 at 5:00 (5:00 to 5:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 at 5:30 (5:30 to 6:00 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 at 6:00 (6:00 to 6:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
News Leader 9 Nightside at 11:00 (11:00 to 11:35 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
News Leader 9 at 6:00 (6:00 to 6:30 P.M.)
Weekends
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
News Leader 9 Nightside Weekends (11:00 to 11:30 P.M.)
Weekends
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
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
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 Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
. 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 VHF channel 11 from a transmitter
WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower
WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower, also known as the WTVM TV Mast, is a 533 meter guyed mast used for television broadcasting by WTVM/WRBL and FM radio broadcasting by WVRK-FM. It is located near Cusseta, Georgia, USA at 32°19′26.0″N, 84°46′46″W....
in Cusseta
Cusseta, Georgia
Cusseta-Chattahoochee County is unified city-county in Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,196 at the 2000 Census..-History:...
. The station can also be seen on Charter
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, Knology
Knology
Knology Inc. is a cable company that formed in 1994 by ITC Holding Company, Inc, a telecommunications holding company in West Point, Georgia that also founded Internet service provider Mindspring. In late 1994, shortly after Knology's inception, two employees made a $600,000 investment to make...
, and Mediacom
Mediacom
Mediacom is a cable television and communications provider in the United States. Founded in July 1995, it serves primarily smaller markets in the Midwest and Southern United States. Formerly a publicly traded firm, it went private in a $600.0 million transaction in March 2011 and is, as of 2011,...
channel 10. There is a high definition feed offered on Charter digital channel 707, Mediacom digital channel 810, and Knology digital channel 901.
Owned by Raycom Media
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
, WTVM operates primary 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...
and secondary MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate WXTX
WXTX
WXTX is the primary Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the Chattahoochee Valley of West Central Georgia and East Central Alabama. Licensed to Columbus, Georgia, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 49 from a transmitter in the Vista Terrance...
(owned by Southeastern Media Holdings
Southeastern Media Holdings
Southeastern Media Holdings is a broadcasting company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It owns television stations in several cities in the Southeastern United States.-Fox Affiliates:* WXTX-TV, Columbus, Georgia* WSFX-TV, Wilmington, North Carolina...
) through a shared services
Shared services
Shared services refers to the provision of a service by one part of an organization or group where that service had previously been found in more than one part of the organization or group. Thus the funding and resourcing of the service is shared and the providing department effectively becomes an...
agreement (SSA). The two share studios on Wynnton Road (GA 22
Georgia State Route 22
State Route 22 is a state route located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from the Alabama state line in Columbus east, then northeast, then north, to Comer.-Route description:...
) in the Dinglewood
Dinglewood, Columbus, Georgia
Dinglewood is a neighborhood/subdistrict located at the southern edge of Downtown Columbus, Georgia. In it is the tallest building in Columbus, the Aflac Tower. It is also home to the famous Dinglewood Pharmacy, which serves, in the opinions of the city's residents, the city's best scrambled hot dog...
section of Columbus. 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 channel 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...
, 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...
, The Doctors
The Doctors (2008 TV series)
The Doctors is an American syndicated talk show airing daily in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Sweden and Finland. It debuted on September 8, 2008. The hour-long daytime program is produced by Phil McGraw and his son Jay McGraw and is distributed domestically and globally by CBS Television...
, and Ellen
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
.
Digital television
On WTVM-DT2, Mediacom digital channel 803, Charter digital channel 108, and Knology digital channel 170 is a 24-hour local weather channel. Programming consists of current weather conditions with forecasts, a live feed of "Live Doppler 9", and severe weather alerts when conditions warrant. On Saturday mornings, the subchannel broadcasts educational shows to fulfill an E/I requirement. Despite being called "Storm Team 9 Weather Now", it is not affiliated with The Local AccuWeather ChannelThe 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....
. It will be replaced with Bounce TV
Bounce TV
Bounce TV is a United States television network airing on digital terrestrial television stations. Promoted as "the first 24/7 digital multicast broadcast network created exclusively for African Americans," Bounce TV launched on September 26, 2011 and features programming geared toward blacks in...
on September 26, 2011.
| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 9.1 | Main WTVM programming / ABC |
| 9.2 | Storm Team 9 Weather Now (To be replaced by Bounce TV on 9/26/2011.) |
History
The station signed-on for the first time on October 6, 1953 as WDAK-TV airing an analog signal on UHF channel 28. It was a primary NBCNBC
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...
station with secondary ABC affiliation. WDAK was the first television station in the Columbus 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...
(beating rival WRBL
WRBL
WRBL, virtual channel 3 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Columbus, Georgia. The station is owned by Media General, with studios in Columbus...
by just over a month) and is the fifth-oldest in the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and second-oldest outside Atlanta. 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...
. It was originally owned by Allen Woodall Sr. (owner of WDAK
WDAK
WDAK is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Columbus, Georgia, USA, the station serves the Columbus/Phenix City/Auburn area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications and features programing from Westwood One, CNN Radio and Fox News Radio...
-AM 540) and Martin Theaters (forerunner of Carmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas Inc. is a motion picture exhibitor headquartered in Columbus, Georgia in the United States of America. As of December 31, 2010 it operates or has an interest in 239 theaters with 2,236 screens in 35 states, making it the fourth largest theatre company in the United States.Carmike...
). Studios were located on 1st Avenue in Downtown Columbus where Carmike's corporate headquarters are today.
Woodall sold his interest in the station to Martin Theaters in 1956 and the call letters were changed to the current WTVM. It moved to VHF channel 9 in 1960 in a three-way switch-and-move approved by 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...
(FCC) in which WRBL
WRBL
WRBL, virtual channel 3 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Columbus, Georgia. The station is owned by Media General, with studios in Columbus...
moved from channel 4 to channel 3 and WTVY-TV in Dothan, Alabama
Dothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
moved from channel 9 to channel 4. The moves were permitted because two years earlier Martin Theaters had bought WROM-TV in Rome, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
and moved it 70 miles north to Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
while changing its calls to WTVC
WTVC
WTVC is the ABC television affiliate in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter on Signal Mountain in the community of Walden...
. Eventually, WTVM's old channel 28 allotment was occupied by Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....
's WJSP-TV
WJSP-TV
WJSP-TV 23 , part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting Public Broadcasting Service member Public broadcasting network, serves Columbus, Georgia and the surrounding west-central Georgia and far east-central Alabama region. The transmitter and radio antenna are located just south of Warm Springs on...
.
On the same day WTVM moved to channel 9, it switched its primary affiliation to ABC while relegating NBC to secondary status shared with WRBL. This was very unusual for a then two-station market, especially one of Columbus' size. Usually, ABC, as the smallest and weakest network, was relegated to secondary status on one or both of existing stations. However, Martin Theaters wanted to get WTVM in line with WTVC, which has always been an ABC affiliate. Also, a large number of viewers in Western Georgia and Eastern Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
did not have access to ABC full-time; the nearest ABC affiliate that put a decent signal into Columbus was WLWA-TV in Atlanta (now NBC affiliate WXIA-TV
WXIA-TV
WXIA-TV, virtual channel 11.1 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Atlanta, Georgia. Popularly known by its 11 Alive moniker, WXIA is owned by the Gannett Company in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WATL...
). By contrast, NBC had strong outlets in Atlanta's WSB-TV
WSB-TV
WSB-TV, virtual channel 2.1 , is the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship television station of Cox Enterprises and its Cox Media Group subsidiary...
and Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
's WSFA
WSFA
WSFA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt region licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Grady along the Montgomery and Pike County line. The station can also be seen on Knology and Charter...
, with both transmitting fairly clear Grade B signals to the region. Therefore, Martin realized that an ABC affiliation would not bring significant out-of-market competition. Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
businessman J. B. Fuqua
J. B. Fuqua
John Brooks "J.B." Fuqua was a businessman, philanthropist and chairman of The Fuqua Companies and Fuqua Enterprises....
bought Martin Theaters in 1969, including both WTVM and WTVC.
Early in 1970, Fuqua moved WTVM to its present studios on Wynnton Road. The station switched to ABC full-time in October of that year when WYEA (now WLTZ
WLTZ
WLTZ is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Chattahoochee Valley of West-Central Georgia and East-Central Alabama. Licensed to Columbus, Georgia, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from its studios on NBC 38 Drive in the Vista Terrance section of South...
) signed-on and took over the NBC affiliation. Fuqua sold-off his broadcast interests in 1980, with WTVM going to Western Broadcasting. SFN Publishing eventually became the owner in 1984. A group of SFN managers formed Pegasus Broadcasting and purchased WTVM in 1986. Aflac
Aflac
Aflac Incorporated is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States, founded in 1955 and based in Columbus, Georgia. In the United States, Aflac underwrites a wide range of insurance policies, but is perhaps more known for its payroll deduction insurance coverage, which pays...
(which had owned WYEA at one point during the 1970s) bought the station in 1989, making channel 9 Aflac's flagship station. In 1997, Aflac sold its entire broadcasting division, including WTVM, to an investment group that merged with Ellis Communications to form the station's current owner, Raycom Media.
Raycom News Network and Raycom Alabama Weather Network
Since half of the viewing area includes eastern Alabama, WTVM is part of the Raycom News Network, a system designed to rapidly share information among Raycom's widespread group of television stations and websites in Alabama. A regional network has developed among Montgomery's WSFAWSFA
WSFA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt region licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Grady along the Montgomery and Pike County line. The station can also be seen on Knology and Charter...
12 News , Huntsville's WAFF
WAFF
WAFF may refer to:*Waff , a character in the Dune universe*WAFF , a television station licensed to Huntsville, Alabama, United States*West Asian Football Federation...
48 News, and Birmingham's Fox 6 News WBRC
WBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
in which stations share information, equipment such as satellite trucks or even reporters' stories. Between them, these four stations cover most of the state of Alabama, with the exception of the Mobile/Pensacola DMA. The four stations also comprise the Raycom Weather Network and the Raycom Alabama Weather Blog, where meteorologists from all four stations post forecasts and storm reports, as well as live feeds from all of the cameras that the four stations operate. The site also has live feeds of Live Doppler 9 (WTVM), Doppler 12 StormVision (WSFA), FOX 6 VIPIR (WBRC) and Live StormTrack Doppler 48 (WAFF).
Live Doppler 9 Weather Center and Alfa Insurance Skycam Network
News Leader 9 operates the Chattahoochee Valley's only live regional weather radarWeather radar
Weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, estimate its type . Modern weather radars are mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the...
called "Live Doppler 9" (formerly known as TrueView Doppler 9), located on top of WTVM's midtown studios. The station also has access to four different Level 2 NEXRAD
NEXRAD
NEXRAD or Nexrad is a network of 159 high-resolution Doppler weather radars operated by the National Weather Service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of Commerce...
radars branded as the "Doppler 9 Radar Network" (formerly known as TrueView Tracker) which includes the capability to use 3-D graphics to track storms during newscasts. WTVM operates seven skycams (all but one, the Columbus Gov't Center skycam, are sponsored by ALFA Insurance) throughout the viewing area. There are two in Columbus (St. Francis Hospital and Columbus Park Crossing), and one each in Pine Mountain, Georgia
Pine Mountain, Georgia
Pine Mountain, Georgia may refer to any of the following locations in the United States:*Pine Mountain, Harris County, Georgia, a town*Pine Mountain, Rabun County, Georgia, an unincorporated community...
; Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
; Opelika, Alabama
Opelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477...
and Eufaula, Alabama
Eufaula, Alabama
Eufaula is a city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 13,908.-Geography:Eufaula is located at 31°53'21.732" North, 85°9'13.586" West ....
.
News operation
In addition to the main studios, the station operates an East Alabama bureau on Executive Park Drive in Opelika. WTVM produces a nightly prime time show for sister station WXTX known as Fox 54 News at 10. At one point, there was also an hour long broadcast seen weekday mornings at 7 on that station. However, this production (called Fox 54 Morning News) was canceled.Newscast titles
- News Scope (1964–1977)
- Action 9 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...
(1977–1989) - First News (1989–1990)
- THE News Leader (1990-1996, similar to sister station WTOC-TVWTOC-TVWTOC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southeastern Georgia's Coastal Empire and Southern South Carolina's Lowcountry. Licensed to Savannah, Georgia, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11 from a transmitter along Fort Argyle Road/SR 204 in unincorporated...
's "THE News") - WTVM News Leader 9 (1996–present)
News
News Leader 9 Morning (5:30 to 7:00 A.M.)Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 Midday (12:00 to 12:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
News Leader 9 at 5:00 (5:00 to 5:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
- Derek Kinkade (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...
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,...
Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist
News Leader 9 at 5:30 (5:30 to 6:00 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
- Derek Kinkade (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...
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,...
Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist
News Leader 9 at 6:00 (6:00 to 6:30 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
- Derek Kinkade (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...
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,...
Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist
Sports Leader 9
- Dave Platta - Sports Director
News Leader 9 Nightside at 11:00 (11:00 to 11:35 P.M.)
Weekdays
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
- Derek Kinkade (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...
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,...
Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist
Sports Leader 9
- Dave Platta - Sports Director
News Leader 9 at 6:00 (6:00 to 6:30 P.M.)
Weekends
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
News Leader 9 Nightside Weekends (11:00 to 11:30 P.M.)
Weekends
Anchors
Storm Team 9 Weather
Sports Leader 9
Reporters
- Taylor Kinkade - general assignment reporter; also "Be There" segment producer
- Lindsey Connell - general assignment reporter
- Semone Doughton - News 9 M.D. HealthWatch reporter
- Roslyn Giles - general assignment reporter
- Curtis McCloud - general assignment reporter
- Laura Ann Sills - general assignment reporter
- Elizabeth White- East Alabama bureau chief
- Katherine Kington- East Alabama bureau reporter
Segments Airing on News Leader 9
-
- "Chuck's History Lesson"- Chuck Leonard visits a town in the viewing area and tours interesting sites and landmarks.
- "Woman to Woman"- Cheryl Renee interviews prominent women in the Chattahoochee Valley. Airs each Tuesday.
- "Be There" (done with the Muscogee County School District)- Taylor Barnhill interviews families that include education into their everyday lives.
- "Share the Wealth"- Barbara Gauthier helps a local person fallen on hard times get back on their feet with a cash gift.
- "Hot or Not"- Andrew Wittenberg and Derek Kinkade go over the top sports stories and give their opinions during "Sunday Sports Overtime".
- "On the Road with Jason Dennis"- Similar to "Chuck's History Lesson", "On the Road" takes Jason to a town in the viewing area and explores its history.
- "Hometown Spirit"- Dave Platta, Andrew Wittenberg and Derek Kinkade travel to the site of Sports Leader 9's Game of the Week to give a preview of the game and talk with the coaches. During High School Football Season.
- "Hometown Flavor"- Derek Kinkade travels to a restaurant in the "Valley" and samples some of the eats. Started as a part of "Hometown Spirit", now airs every Wednesday.
- "I Challenge Derek"- Derek Kinkade challenges a person from a school or city of the Game of the Week in anything. Past challenges include Sports Trivia, Tennis, Cheerleading, Wing Eat-Off and Cup Stacking. Airs as part of "Hometown Spirit", sometimes airs outside the season.
- "Scott's Ride for Miracles"- News Leader 9 follows Scott Ressmeyer and friends every year as they trek across the country on motorcycles to benefit the Children's Miracle Network.
- "Twitter in the Morning"- The "Morning Show" team reads messages sent to News Leader 9's Twitter account.
- "What's Happening, Cheryl"- Cheryl Renee goes over the latest happenings in the "Valley".
- "Word of the Day"- Word is picked by viewer and said on News Leader 9 Morning.
- "St. Jude Dream Home"- Campaign where viewere by $100 raffle tickets with multiple prizes given away and one winning a brand new house, usually in the Columbus suburb of Midland.
- "Beyond the Battlefield"- News about the Ft. Benning military base, located to Columbus' south.
- "Family Focus"- Barbara Gauthier reports on news that affects the family, such as recalls.
- "Pet of the Week"- Either the Muscogee County or Lee County Humane Society will being in a loving pet that is available for adoption.
Former News Leader 9 Segments
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- "Wild, Wild Web" - Former WTVM reporter James Valles' daily technology segment featuring the latest tech news, trending topics, and videos.
- "Hot Sites" - Former WTVM reporter James Valles' weekly technology segment featuring unique and useful internet destinations.
- "Right for the Start"- Wedding Giveaway in 2010, wedding was aired live during News Leader 9 at 5:30.
- "Backyard BBQ"- Derek Kinkade gives away a grill and hosts a BBQ in the backyard of the winner with the Char-Broil in Phenix City providing the grill and food.
- "Drive for Green"- Sponsored by Rivertown Ford, competition that gave money to a school or organization that showed how they were being green. Shaw High School in Columbus won the contest and the $1,000 first prize.
- "Coastal Crisis"- Campaign during the Gulf Oil Spill in 2010. Shared resources with the other members of the Raycom News Network. Led to special in Gulf Shores, AL called "Coastal Crisis: Impact Alabama". The members of the Raycom News Network provided production and talent. It was shown on the News Network as well as other Raycom stations, such as WALB in Albany, GA and WTOC in Savannah, GA.