WNDU-TV

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WNDU-TV
Image:WNDU logo.png
South Bend, Indiana
Branding Newscenter 16
Slogan Your Severe Weather Station
Channels Analog: 16 (UHF)

Digital: 42 (UHF)
Affiliations NBC
Owner Gray Television, Inc.
(Gray Television Licensee, Inc.)
First air date July 15, 1955
Call letters’ meaning Notre
Dame
University
Former channel number(s) 46 (1955-1957)
Transmitter Power 4170 kW (analog)
560 kW (digital)
Height 326 m (analog)
282 m (digital)
Facility ID 41674
Transmitter Coordinates 41°36′20.4″N, 86°12′46.2″W (analog)
41°36′19.5″N, 86°12′45.2″W (digital)
Website www.wndu.com

WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local doppler radar image.

Contents

[edit] Station History

WNDU-TV went on the air on July 15, 1955 on Channel 46. It was owned by the University of Notre Dame through a subsidiary, Michiana Television Corporation. In 1957, to much fanfare, WNDU-TV moved to its present-day assignment on Channel 16.

An NBC affiliate from the very beginning, WNDU-TV's early broadcast schedule included programs like Romper Room, and the first local telecast of a Notre Dame football game. WNDU aired the non-commercial Sesame Street from 1970 to 1974 until PBS member station WNIT came on air. [1] WNDU-TV used a helicopter for its news broadcasts from 1980's until 2006. Due to an increased focus on news, WNDU-TV stopped airing Saturday morning cartoons in 1994 to make room for a three-hour newscast. However, WNDU currently airs NBC's qubo programming block for 3 of the four hours on Saturday with the final hour airing on Sunday mornings at 7am due to E/I requirements.

Since its launch, Regis Philbin's talk show has aired on WNDU.

On March 5, 2006, the University of Notre Dame sold the station to Gray Television for $85 million cash, which the university is planning to put into an endowment fund.

[edit] Logos

WNDU's current logo.

[edit] Notable WNDU Staff Members

Many of the WNDU staff members perform double duties as anchors or news correspondents, but only the most significant roles are listed.

  • Cindi Clawson - meteorologist (also fills in on CLTV based in Chicago)
  • Angelo Di Carlo - sports anchor/reporter
  • Alana Greenfogel - reporter
  • Mike Hoffman - chief meteorologist and severe weather expert
  • Marcie Kobriger - anchor/reporter
  • Jeff Jeffers - The Dean of Local Sports
  • Erin Logan - anchor/reporter
  • Maureen McFadden - anchor
  • Terry McFadden - anchor
  • Sarah Platt - weekend anchor/reporter
  • Mark Peterson - senior reporter
  • Joel Schipper - morning reporter/Saturday morning anchor
  • Gary Sieber - weekend morning anchor/meteorologist
  • Tricia Sloma - morning anchor
  • Stephanie Stang - reporter
  • Doug Story - Emmy award winning director (however, not as good as Rod Copley)
  • Gordy Young - morning anchor/weathercaster
  • Ryan Famuliner-reporter

Maureen McFadden and Terry McFadden, who co-anchor evening news on WNDU, are brother and sister.

[edit] Former Personalities

  • Dick Addis (weathercaster for 30+ years; died March 19, 2006[1])
  • Mike Collins (main anchor, went to competitor WSBT-TV)
  • Bonnie Druker (reporter) (went to WISH-TV Indianapolis)
  • Dawn Meyer (5PM anchor, now retired)
  • Jennie Renevich (reporter,weekend anchor) (now a reporter/fill-in anchor at WTHR Indianapolis)
  • Jack Nolan (sports anchor) (Now at Notre Dame)
  • Jen Strathman (reporter) (now at KSHB-TV)
  • Kimberly Torres (reporter)
  • Janelle Hall (Reporter) (now at WTAE-TV)
  • Virginia Johnson (weekend anchor)
  • Jay Hermizinski (weekend anchor)(now at WISH-TV Indianapolis)
  • Claudine Wong (reporter, weekend anchor)
  • Tiffany Tucker (reporter) (now at KTVU-TV)
  • Mike Jacobson (reporter-2000-2002)

[edit] Controversy

Under Notre Dame's ownership, WNDU opted not to air some NBC shows out of concerns over their content; such shows included the animated series God, the Devil and Bob and the American version of the British sitcom Coupling.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Weather forecaster Dick Addis dies at 74", South Bend Tribune, March 21, 2006. 
v • d • e
Broadcast television in the South Bend/Elkhart market (Nielsen DMA #89)

WYGN-LP 12 (3ABN) - WNDU 16 (NBC) - W18CF 18 (TBN) - WSBT 22 (CBS) (ind. on DT2) - WCWW-LP 25 (CW) - WSJV 28 (Fox) - WNIT 34 (PBS) - WHME 46 (LeSEA) - WBND-LP 57 (ABC) - WMYS-LP 69 (MNTV)
v • d • e
Gray Television, Inc.

ABC Network Affiliate: KAKE · KOLO · WBKO · WHSV · WTOK · WVAW · TV3 Winchester (WHSV-DT3) (cable only)
CBS Network Affiliates: KBTX · KKTV · KOLN/KGIN · KWTX · KXII · WCAV · WCTV · WIBW · WIFR · WKYT · WRDW · WSAW · WSWG · WTVY · WVLT · WYMT
The CW Network Affiliates1: KBTX · KKCO · KWTX · WBKO · WJHG · WKYT · WTOK · WYMT
Fox Network Affiliates: KXII1 · WAHU · WBKO1 · WHSV1 · WSYM2 · WTOK1 · WTAP1
Independent Television Station1: WOWT
MyNetworkTV Affiliates1: KKTV (KKTV-DT2) · KOLN/KGIN · KXII · WAHU · WCTV · WHSV · WIBW · WJHG · WRDW · WSAW · WSAZ · WSWG · WTOK · WTVY · WTAP · WVLT
NBC Network Affiliates: KKCO · WEAU · WILX · WITN · WJHG · WMTV · WNDU · WOWT · WSAZ · WTAP
1These stations broadcast these networks on their digital subchannels.
2Gray and Journal Broadcast Group entered into a "news share" agreement.
Annual Revenue: $332.1 USD (2006) · Employees: N/A · Stock Symbol: NYSE: GTN · Website: www.graycommunications.com
v • d • e
NBC Network Affiliates in the state of Indiana
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, PBS, Religious and Other stations in the state of Indiana