WPTY-TV
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| WPTY-TV | |
|---|---|
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| Memphis, Tennessee | |
| Branding | ABC 24 (general) Eyewitness News (newscasts) |
| Slogan | Eyewitness News Everywhere |
| Channels | Analog: 24 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | ABC |
| Owner | Newport Television, LLC |
| First air date | September 10, 1978 |
| Call letters’ meaning | PeTrY Television (original owner) |
| Sister station(s) | WLMT |
| Former affiliations | independent (1978-1990) Fox (1990-1995) |
| Transmitter Power | 3020 kW (analog) 1000 kW (digital) |
| Height | 340 m (both) |
| Facility ID | 11907 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | ABC24/CW30 |
WPTY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Memphis, Tennessee. Licensed to the city, the station broadcasts an analog signal on UHF channel 24 and a digital signal on UHF channel 25. WPTY's transmitter is located in Brunswick. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications as part of a duopoly with the area's CW affiliate WLMT. The two stations share studios located on Union Avenue Extension near the Aulon section of Memphis. WPTY is known on-air as ABC 24.
[edit] History
The station began broadcasting on September 10, 1978 and was the market's first UHF outlet and independent television station. WPTY also served as the secondary network outlet for the other three stations in town whenever they passed on shows in favor of local fare.
The station was owned by Petry Television (hence the call letters) and ran a general entertainment format of cartoons, movies, sitcoms, westerns, and drama shows.
By 1983, WPTY picked up competition when TVX Broadcast Group's WMKW signed on and sparked a rivalry between the two stations. TVX signed a deal to affiliate all of their stations with Fox in 1987. This resulting in WMKW becoming the area's Fox affiliate. Fox pulled the affiliation from WMKW (now known as WLMT) in February of 1990 and gave it to WPTY. This came because TVX's deal with Fox included a clause stating that if a station was sold it could lose its Fox affiliation.
Clear Channel Communications bought WPTY in 1992. A year later, a local marketing agreement between Clear Channel and WLMT brought the two rival stations together.
In 1994, Fox Television Stations surprised the market by buying longtime ABC affiliate WHBQ-TV and announced that the station would become the new Fox affiliate. ABC, in turn, decided to go with WPTY as its new affiliate. On December 1, 1995, WPTY became the new home for ABC.
At that time, WPTY decided to completely re-brand itself and started a news department. The newscasts on WPTY were branded as "News Watch 24" and featured an energetic, youthful, almost "grunge" look. Several years later, the station re-branded the newscasts as "ABC 24 News" and began to modify its style to reach a broader audience. At this point, WPTY began evolving into a traditional network affiliate running mostly first run syndicated shows and a few sitcoms while WLMT ran cartoons, movies, sitcoms, and some reality / talk shows as well. In 2001, Clear Channel would buy WLMT outright making the two stations sisters.
WPTY's news operation, currently using the "Eyewitness News" branding, has shown tremendous growth but still remains last in market ratings, behind those of long-dominating rivals Channel 3 (WREG/CBS) and Channel 5 (WMC/NBC), plus third-place Channel 13 (WHBQ/Fox). It was honored in 2005 with Associated Press broadcasting awards for "Best Breaking News", "Best Newscast", "Best Reporter", and "Best Sportscast". WPTY was also honored in 2005 with an Edward R. Murrow award and a regional Emmy Award as the "Best Weekend Newscast". In the same Associated Press award period in 2006, the station was honored with 9 awards including "Best Overall Newscast". WPTY does well with its current ABC lineup and syndicated fare.
On April 20, 2007, Clear Channel entered into an agreement to sell its entire television stations group to Providence Equity Partners. [1]
[edit] News team
WPTY produces three newscasts for sister station WLMT. During the week, there are ones at 7 AM and 9 PM. On the weekends, there is one at 9 PM. WPTY's weather radar is known as "Live ExacTrack Doppler".
Anchors
- Terrance Bates - weekday mornings and 11 A.M.
- Bonny Kinney - weekday mornings and 11 A.M.
- Cameron Harper - weeknights
- Dee Griffin - weeknights
- Darryl Hood - weekends
- reporter
- Joyce Peterson - weekends
Eyewitness News Meteorologists
- Brian Teigland - Chief seen on weeknights
- heard on WREC-AM 600 and KWAM-AM
- Mark Walden - weekday mornings and 11 A.M.
- heard on WREC-AM 600 and KWAM-AM
- Henry Rothenberg - weekends
- fill-in
- weather reporter
Sports
- Rob Petrone - weeknights at 6, 9, and 10
- Kathy Morris - weekends
- sports reporter
- Ari Bergeron - sports reporter
Reporters
- Ursula Jones - weekday morning trafficr
- Rae Lyn Hartley - entertainment seen on weekdays at 7 A.M., 11 A.M., and 9 P.M.
- Alexis Amorose
- Brian Heap
- Dana Rebik
- Jeni DiPrizio
- Rebecca Medina
- Sarah Buduson
- Tenikka Smith
Former Personalities
- Greg Gaston - Sports Director
- Tom Butler - weekend anchor
- now at KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities
- Dayna Devon - weeknight anchor
- now host of Extra
[edit] External links
- WPTY-TV/DT "ABC 24"
- ABC
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WPTY-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WPTY-TV
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