WDEF-TV
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| WDEF-TV | |
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| Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
| Branding | WDEF News 12 |
| Slogan | Local, quick and to the point |
| Channels | Analog: 12 (VHF) |
| Affiliations | CBS |
| Owner | Morris Multimedia, Inc. (WDEF-TV, Inc.) |
| First air date | April 25, 1954 |
| Former affiliations | All secondary: DuMont (1954–1955) NBC (1954-1956) ABC (1954-1958) UPN (2004-2006) |
| Transmitter Power | 316 kW (analog) 1000 kW (digital) |
| Height | 384 m (analog) 376 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 54385 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | www.wdef.com |
WDEF–TV channel 12 is the CBS affiliate for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned by Morris Multimedia. Its transmitter is located in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.
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[edit] History
The station signed on the air on April 25, 1954, carrying programming from all four networks, though it has always been a primary CBS affiliate. It was owned by Joe Engel, who owned the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team as well as WDEF radio (AM 1370 and FM 92.3). It took the CBS affiliation from WROM-TV (channel 9). It lost NBC to WRGP-TV (now WRCB-TV) in 1956, and lost ABC to WTVC (the former WROM) in 1958.
The station was first owned by Joe Engel, who owned the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team as well as WDEF radio (AM 1370 and FM 92.3). For many years, WDEF was owned by Park Acquisitions, which was bought by Media General in 1997. In 2006, Media General sold the station to Morris Multimedia.[1]
[edit] Programming
In its early years, Channel 12 was locally oriented, offering a mix of children's shows, talk and variety programs, including "Point Of View", one of the longest–running local public–affairs programs in the country.[citation needed]
Mort Lloyd was the station's top anchor from the station's inception in 1954 until 1958, when he moved to rival NBC affiliate WRGP-TV. He returned to the anchor chair at channel 12 from 1970 until he stepped down to run for Congress in 1974. He won the Democratic nomination, but died in a plane crash while en route to a victory celebration. His widow, Marilyn Lloyd, replaced him on the ballot and won in November, serving twenty years until 1995.
[edit] Current personalities/Employees
- Patrick Core, Chief Meteorologist
- Nordia Epps, 11:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
- Kristin Johnson, General Assignment Reporter
- Amy Katcher, Weekend Meteorologist, Reporter
- Reneé LaSalle,6:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
- Jason Law, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
- Joe Legge, Noon Anchor/Reporter
- Luther Masingill, Community Calendar
- Bethany Mowry, General Assignment Reporter
- Rick Nyman, Sports Director
- Rachel Oesch, Morning Anchor
- Abena Williams, General Assignment Reporter
[edit] Past personalities/Employees
- Debbie Baer, Weather and Human Interest, c.1978-1980
- Jay Berman, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (2003-2006, Now at News 12 Brooklyn)
- Allison Braxton, General Assignment Reporter (2003–06, now at WVUE)
- Chip Chapman, Morning and Noon Meteorologist (recently seen at WTVC)
- Lynette Charles, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
- Brooke Cornell, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
- Russ Geller, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (1980-1983 now News Director at WCBI)
- Ebony Hall, Reporter (1998-2004, now at WBMA)
- Candice Lee, 6:00 and 11:00 Anchor (now at WCMH)
- Kristy Lindstrom, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
- David Neal, Chief Meteorologist (1987–97, now at WBRC)
- Melissa Riopka, Anchor/Reporter (now at WBMA)
- Alison Starling, Anchor/Reporter
- Ben Tackett, Weathercaster (1983-86)
- Kurt Williams, Anchor/Reporter (now at WTKR)
- Cater Lee, News Anchor
- David Carroll, Morning Show Host
- Glenn Halbrooks, News Anchor
- Tracy Moore, News Anchor
- Mike King, News Anchor
- Dale Harris, News Anchor
- John Clark, News Anchor
- Jim Hampton, News Anchor
- Jerry Brown, News Anchor
- Tom Hogue, Reporter, News Anchor
- Dave Daughtry, News Anchor
- Rich Buddine, News Anchor
- Steve Conrad, News Anchor
- Mort Lloyd, News Anchor
- John Gray, Weather
- Harv Bradley, Weather
- Bill Schoocraft, Sports
- Bill Smith, Sports
- Bill McAfee, News Anchor
- Ken Kettering, Sports
- Randy Smith, Sports
- Deb Collins, News Anchor
- Christy Murphy, News Anchor
- Ted Perry, News Anchor
- Bill Ross, News Anchor
- Garry Mac, News Anchor
- Sally Schulze, News Anchor
- Heidi Robinson, News Anchor
- Ken Chambers, News Anchor
- Rebecca Williams, News Anchor
- Ray White, News Anchor
- Chet Green, News Anchor
- Suzy Rigsby, News Anchor
- Mike Lewis, News Anchor
- Joyce Oscar, News Anchor
- Rich Everitt, News Anchor
- Mark Grimm, Reporter
- Jim Bradley, Reporter
- Margaret Johnson, Noon Anchor
- Linda Edwards, Noon Anchor
- Helen Hardin, Reporter, Morning Show Host
- Sarah Harlow, Reporter
- Beth McKay, Reporter
- Dan Lothian, Reporter
- Kevin Billingsley Sports Anchor
- Bill Ericson Sports
- Esme Murphy Reporter
- Mike Chambers Reporter
- Doug Thomas Sports
- Chip Tarkenton Sports
- Leigh Mosely Reporter
- Catherine Cate Reporter
- Elizabeth Batterson Reporter
- Sherry Wein Reporter
- Gene Pinder Reporter
- Mike Andrews Reporter
- Lauren Thierry Reporter
[edit] External links
- WDEF.com
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WDEF
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WDEF-TV
- Location of WDEF studios on Wikimapia
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