WAKA
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| WAKA | |
|---|---|
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| Selma/Montgomery, Alabama | |
| Branding | CBS 8 |
| Slogan | Coverage You Can Count On |
| Channels | 8 (VHF) analog, 55 (UHF) (planned move to 42) digital |
| Affiliations | CBS |
| Owner | Bahakel Communications |
| Founded | March 17, 1960 |
| Former callsigns | WSLA-TV (1960-84) |
| Former affiliations | ABC (1960-1968) Silent (1968-1972) |
| Website | www.waka.com |
WAKA is a CBS-affiliated television station on channel 8 in central Alabama. The station is licensed to Selma but its main studios are in Montgomery. WAKA's transmitter is located at Gordonsville in Lowndes County.
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[edit] History
Channel 8 debuted on March 17, 1960 as WSLA-TV (call meaning: SeLmA). The station has always been a CBS affiliate, even though Montgomery already had a CBS affiliate, WCOV-TV. WSLA applied on several occasions to increase its coverage area in order to cover Montgomery. However, the FCC blocked this move each time due to protests from WCOV and ABC affiliate WKAB-TV. Both stations mentioned were on the UHF dial and were unwilling to lose out on the growth of UHF stations in the city; and WCOV wanted its CBS affiliation protected.
Due to intense competition from the Montgomery stations, especially WSFA, WSLA was taken off the air due to lack of financial viability between 1968 and 1972, when Charles Grisham of Huntsville purchased the station. The callsign changed to WAKA in 1984, shortly after it won a construction permit for the current transmitter. Bahakel Communications bought WAKA from Grisham in 1985 and remains the owner today. That same year, WAKA signed on for the first time from its current transmitter. WAKA officially became Montgomery's CBS affiliate when today's Fox affiliate WCOV lost it at the same time.
[edit] Programming
WAKA's CBS 8 News consistently ranks as the second-highest rated in the market, behind WSFA. Newscasts air on weekdays from 5:30-7 AM, 12-12:30 PM, 5-5:30 PM, 6-6:30 PM and 10-10:30 PM; and Saturdays from 6-6:30 PM and 10-10:30 PM and Sunday's from 5-5:30 PM and 10-10:30 PM. WAKA also produces CW News at 9, a 9 p.m. newscast for CW affiliate WBMM in Tuskegee.
Syndicated programming on WAKA includes Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, The Montel Williams Show, and Inside Edition.
[edit] Current News Personalities
News Anchors: Ashley Paige, Jeff Sanders, Glenn Halbrooks, Stefanie Hicks, Monica Allen, Kristie Welch
Reporters: Trish Williford, Lauren Bethune, David Hagood, Robert O'Shields
Weather: David Baxley Karli Ritter
Sports: Dee Jackson, Kayla Anderson
[edit] External links
| Broadcast television in the Montgomery / Selma market (Nielsen DMA #116) | ||
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WAKA 8 (CBS) - WSFA 12 (NBC) - WCOV 20 (FOX) - WBMM 22 (The CW) - WJMY-LP 25 (i/A1/ShopNBC) - WAIQ 26 / WIIQ 41 (PBS/APT) - WNCF 32 (ABC) - WFRZ-LP 34 (CTVN) - WETU 39 (i) - WMCF 45 (TBN) - WRJM 67 (MNTV) |
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| Local digital television channels | ||
| Bahakel Communications |
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Television Stations: WABG | WAKA | WBBJ | WCCB | WFXB | WOLO | WRSP / WCCU |
