WPGA-TV
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| WPGA-TV | |
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| Macon, Georgia | |
| City of license | Perry, Georgia |
| Branding | ABC Macon, WPGA-TV (general) ABC Macon News (During Newscasts) |
| Slogan | You may watch other stations out of habit, but you'll watch ABC Macon for the news. |
| Channels | Analog: 58 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | ABC |
| Owner | Register Communications (Radio Perry, Inc.) |
| First air date | March 1, 1995 |
| Call letters’ meaning | Perry, GeorgiA (after the radio station) |
| Former affiliations | Fox (1995) |
| Transmitter Power | 1290 kW (analog) 18 kW (digital) |
| Height | 247 m (analog) 185.1 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 54728 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | www.macon.tv |
WPGA-TV is the ABC television affiliate station serving Macon, Georgia and the Middle Georgia region. It broadcasts on UHF Channel 58, making it one of the highest channel assignments for ABC affiliates in the country. That distinction was formerly held by WBLG (now WTVQ) in Lexington, Kentucky which, until 1980 broadcast on channel 62. The transmitter for WPGA is located in Macon.
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[edit] History
WPGA signed on in March of 1995 as the Macon area's first Fox affiliate. The affiliation lasted only that year; on New Year's Day 1996, WGXA and WPGA swapped affiliations, with WGXA taking the Fox affiliation, and WPGA becoming an ABC affiliate.
WPGA-TV is locally owned by Register Communications, owners of longtime area radio stations WPGA AM (Radio Disney) and WPGA-FM "Mix 100.9" (formerly Magic 101, an R&B station). The radio stations were originally based, but still licensed in, Perry. All of Register Communications' broadcast properties are based in studios on Forsyth Street in Downtown Macon.
Before WPGA-TV signed on in 1995, the Macon area could only receive FOX network programing via a local cable station or via Atlanta's FOX affiliates, first WATL, and later WAGA. When FOX began airing NFL games in the early 1990's, the Football game broadcasts were seen on ABC affiliate WGXA until WPGA signed on.
[edit] Newscasts
WPGA have made some attempts to offer news programs. First, there were short morning and evening "News Briefs" featuring video narrated by former WCWB (later WMGT-TV) and WGXA news anchor Ron Wildman. Then the station offered a full newscast from 2001 to 2002 anchored by former WMAZ-TV anchor Tina Hicks. These newscasts aired weeknights at 6:30 and 11:00 pm, pushing ABC World News Tonight to 7:00pm. However "58News" was unsuccessful. After cancelling the newscasts WPGA offered a daily sports news program called the "58 Sports Show"; That too was shortly lived.
In April of 2006, WPGA-TV and WPGA-FM began airing the community-affairs program, Good Morning Middle Georgia. It has been hosted by WPGA-FM Program Director and Morning Air-Personality, Stephen B. The guest list has been wide-ranging, spotlighting many important figure-heads throughout middle Georgia and the surrounding areas. State and nationally-known guests have also appeared on Good Morning Middle Georgia. Topics vary from upcoming events taking place in and around the middle Georgia area, to issues regarding health, education, politics and overall community good. Stephen B. currently hosts Good Morning Middle Georgia weekday mornings at 7:25 and 8:25 on WPGA-TV. The program is also heard live on WPGA-FM, Mix 100.9. The first segment is five-minutes long and the second segment is four-minutes long.
On Monday, July 23, 2007; WPGA began airing a new newscast titled "ABC Macon News" produced by the Independent News Network in Davenport, Iowa, this broadcast currently airs Monday through Friday at 7pm and 11pm. [1]
George Jobin, Claire Simms and Matt Odom report on the area's High School football highlights on "The Hilight Zone" Friday nights at 11:20pm.
Former WMAC-AM morning air personality Jami G. began hosting morning news updates at 7:56 and 8:56, weekdays on WPGA-TV.
Reporter Claire Simms presents a weekly report every Monday night at 7:00 and 11:00 called "The Freedom Report." The series highlights a different aspect of Robins Air Force Base every week. The Base newspaper featured the report in a print story on January 25, 2007 [1].
[edit] Current Personalities
[edit] News
- Libby Allison, Anchor, 7:00 and 11:00pm
- John Beard, Anchor, 11:00pm
- Dick Byrd, Reporter/News Director
- Stephen B., Good Morning Middle Georgia, Mix 100.9 FM
- Carolyn Crayton, Community Service Director/PR
- Rachel Duddles, Reporter
- Jami Gaudet, Reporter/Morning Anchor
- Eric Lee, Reporter/Photographer
- Allen Lincoln, Reporter/Photographer
- Claire Simms, Reporter/Managing Editor/Hilight Zone Co-Anchor
- Sunya Walls, Anchor
- Greg Wilson, Anchor, 7:00pm
[edit] Weather
- Mark Prater, Chief Meteorologist, 11:00pm
- Susie Martin, Meteorologist, 7:00pm
[edit] Sports
- George Jobin, Hilight Zone Co-Anchor
- Jeremy Moss, Sports Anchor, 7:00pm
- Matt Odom, Reporter/Sports Reporter/Hilight Zone Co-Anchor
- Nathan O'Leary, Sports Anchor, 11:00pm
[edit] Former Personalities
- Kerry Phillips - Anchor
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- ABC Macon Website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WPGA
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WPGA-TV
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