WJBF
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| WJBF | |
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| Augusta, Georgia | |
| Branding | WJBF NewsChannel6 |
| Slogan | The Station You Count On |
| Channels | Analog: 6 (VHF) |
| Affiliations | ABC (secondary until 1968) |
| Owner | Media General (Media General Communications Holdings, LLC) |
| First air date | November 1953[1] |
| Call letters’ meaning | J. B. Fuqua (founder of the station) |
| Former affiliations | Primary: NBC (1953-1968) Secondary: NBC (1968-1974) DuMont (1953-1956) |
| Transmitter Power | 100 kW (analog) 1000 kW (digital) |
| Height | 495 m (analog) 507 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 27140 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | www.wjbf.com |
WJBF, channel 6, is an ABC-affiliated television station in Augusta, Georgia, owned by Media General. WJBF's studios are located at 1001 Reynolds Street in Augusta, and its transmitter is located in Jackson, South Carolina. Its bright yellow building, which was built sometime in the early 1960s, is an easily identified landmark in downtown Augusta.
WJBF has been named Georgia's Station of The Year several times by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.
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[edit] History
Augusta's first television station, WJBF-TV signed-on for the first time on November 23, 1953, founded by local entrepreneur J.B. Fuqua. ([1]) Channel 6 carried a primary NBC affiliation and a secondary ABC affiliation, before switching to an ABC primary/NBC secondary alignment in 1968. When WATU (channel 26, now WAGT) signed on in December 1968, it was assumed that NBC would go to the new station. However, WJBF continued with its secondary NBC affiliation (airing both the Today and Tonight shows, among other programs), sharing it with basic CBS affiliate WRDW-TV (channel 12). The failure of WATU to secure a full-time network affiliation caused that station to go dark in 1970. WJBF became a full ABC affiliate when WATU returned to the air in 1974, this time with a primary NBC affiliation.
In the 1980s, the station's newscasts went under the name "NewsWatch." After being acquired by Spartan Radiocasting in 1992, WJBF, along with some sister affiliates also acquired changed their branding to "NewsChannel", WJBF and most of its sister affiliates still use the branding today after being sold off to Media General. The branding features the stations standard call letters followed by NewsChannel then the station number (eg., "WJBF NewsChannel 6" or "WSPA NewsChannel 7", or "WNEG NewsChannel 32").
WJBF NewsChannel 6 broadcasts in the mornings ("Good Morning Augusta"), and at midday, 5, 5:30, 6, and 11 p.m.
In the 1990s, WJBF obtained an agreement with the Augusta Mall to run a closed-circuit "Mall TV" feed on TV screens throughout the mall, featuring the day's news and coverage of some local special events. WJBF operated this service until the late 1990s.
WJBF also had a local agreement with Comcast to air a rebroadcast of the 6 p.m. newscast on the cable provider's channel 66. The station no longer rebroadcasts that newscast on the cable channel; instead, it now produces a 10 p.m. newscast which airs on WFXG, the local Fox affiliate, titled "FOX 54 News at Ten." It is the oldest and most popular 10pm newscast in the market, being launched in 2004. WAGT launched a 10pm newscast also in 2004 on WBEK-CA (WBEK 16) and eventually moved on to WBAU/WAGT-DT2 (WB 23/CW Augusta). WAGT's 10pm newscast was scrapped in 2008, leaving WFXG the only contender at 10pm.
[edit] Noticeable Station Changes
- October 2003-
- WJBF changed its graphics design to keep up with its parent company, Media General's, desired appearance.
- 2004-
- It renovated its studio from top to bottom, replacing the newscast set (gutting and removing the late 1980s set with a design preferred by most of its sister Media General stations). Started airing "FOX 54 News at Ten" on WFXG-TV, using different graphics and duratrans concealing their WJBF identity (what most stations do with their 10pm newscasts on other stations). As of late, FOX 54 News at Ten still uses the same graphics and duratrans.
- July 2006-
- with Media General purchasing new equipment for the station, WJBF slightly tweaked their on-air appearance by adopting animated lower thirds, over the shoulders, and full screens; something revolutionary for the station, considering the look has remained rather basic since their change in 2003.
- September 2006
- Weather graphics were revamped
- The openings to newscasts changed.
- Adopted "News Matrix" by Stephen Arnold which was only used 3 months, replacing the longtime music used "Counterpoint" also by Stephen Arnold.
- October 2006
- More changes started to appear, including swift fast-paced animated graphics, and a new fast paced "6 More Reasons to Watch" segment.
- December 2006
- When Stephen Arnold Music rates rose, The music changed again to a new music package composed by JDK Music of Richmond, VA for the Media General broadcast group. The package is currently in use all of Media General's television stations (with the exception of WCWJ).
- March 2008
- WJBF introduced a brand new graphics package on the air. They are part of a standardized graphics package created by Giant Octopus for Media General. They are designed for high definition and standard definition, and most standard definition Media General stations received the new graphics with full animation and larger modified WFLA-style studios. WJBF hasn't received those changes, and has received still versions of the graphics (being the only station out of all Media General's Standard Definition stations to not receive major updates).
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- The "6 More Reasons to Watch" segment has been dropped with getting the new graphics. As of a week after getting the new graphics, no major changes still have happened.
- April 2008
- WJBF has launched more promotions and launched the new graphics in full animation. Set changes have yet to be announced.
- May/June 2008
- WJBF's slogan has changed slightly from its long running "Coverage You Can Count On", and is now branded in promos as "The Station You Count On". WJBF's old MG graphics are only slightly visible in promos, and are the last remaining hints of WJBF's old look. No set changes have been made, and at this point won't be made any time soon. WJBF has announced plans to go High Definition, however their "Coming up at Five" promos, the ID brands them as "WJBF-TV HD Augusta, GA".
[edit] News Department
[edit] Personalities
WJBF's personalities have mainly remained the same over the years.
Bob Young, a former WJBF anchor, became mayor of Augusta in 1998 and served two terms in that office before relocating to Atlanta.
Brad Means (anchor), Jennie Montgomery (anchor), George Myers (chief meteorologist), George Eskola (senior reporter), Renita Crawford (anchor/reporter: 1990s; reporter: 2000s-present), and Mary Morrison (anchor) have each been at the station for at least over 10 years. The newsroom is managed by Mark Rosen, a long-time WJBF employee, who became news director in 2000.
[edit] Current personalities
- Brad Means, Anchor/Reporter/Assistant News Director
- Mary Morrison, Morning and Noon Anchor
- Renita Crawford, Reporter/Fill-In Anchor
- George Eskola, Senior Reporter
- George Myers, Chief Meteorologist
- Jennie Montgomery, Anchor/Reporter
- John Lynn, Weekend Meteorologist
- Tara Miller, Weekend Sports Anchor
- Matt Monroe, Morning Meteorologist
- Kimberely Scott, Anchor/Reporter
- Fraendy Clervaud, Reporter
- Paige Tucker, Weekend Anchor/Reporter
- Barclay Bishop, Reporter
[edit] Notable alumni
- Shelia Adams, Reporter (1983-1988)
- Tim Brown, Anchor/Reporter (?-1998)
- Stan Byrdy, Sports Anchor/Reporter (1985-1995, now at WAGT-TV)
- Chase Cain, Reporter (2005-2006), now at WLEX-TV in Lexington, KY
- Tiffany Cochran Edwards, Anchor/Reporter (?, last seen at WXIA-TV) daughter of the famed O.J. Simpson attorney, the late Johnnie Cochran
- Tony Cornish Jr., Sports Anchor (1994-1996, now at WMPR-FM)
- Chip Creamer, General Assignment Reporter (1997-2006, Now director of internet sales at rivl WRDW-TV)
- Patricia Crosby, Anchor/Reporter (1993-1995, now at WTLV/WJXX)
- Marlin Willams, Sports Director (1996-2002) Now at WLOV-TV in Tupelo, Miss
- Barbara Dawson, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (2002-2004, came here from rival NBC stationWAGT-TV), currently starring in ASHLEY Home Furniture Store commercials.
- Noel Glasgow, Weekend Sports Anchor (2002-2004)
- Paul Herdtner, Weekend Anchor (1994-1996), now a Monday-Friday morning anchor at WDAF-TV Kansas City, MO
- Raphael James, Anchor/Reporter (?, now at WCSC-TV)
- Tom Knight, Meteorologist (late 1980s?-1995, later went to rival WAGT)
- Michelle Lima, Weekend Anchor (1994-1996, deceased)
- Dana Lynn McIntyre, General Assignment Reporter (1996-2005, now at WGCL-TV)
- Emily Pantelides, General Assignment Reporter (2003-2006), now weekday anchor at WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach, FL
- Peter Robbins, Anchor/Reporter (2003-2005), now in West Palm Beach, FL
- Terry Sams, Anchor, Entertainment Personality, Weather Forecaster and General Manager a.k.a Trooper Terry (1961-1992)
- Crystal Styles, "FOX 54 News at Ten" Anchor/Reporter (2004-2005)
- Jenna Susko, Reporter (2006-2007), now at WPMI-TV in Mobile, AL
- Bob Young, Anchor (1985-1998), became mayor of Augusta (1999-2005)
- Sheryl Williams, Anchor/Reporter (2005-2007)
- Dave Hansen, Anchor/Reporter (2006-2007)
[edit] Pictures
 Current WJBF logo in news promo graphics used from 2004-2008. |
[edit] External links
- WJBF Homepage
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WJBF
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WJBF-TV
[edit] References
- ^ The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says November 23, while the Television and Cable Factbook says November 22.
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