WRC-TV

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WRC-TV
Image:WRC-TV.gif
Washington, D.C.
Branding NBC 4 (general)
News 4 (news)
Slogan Primary: NBC4 Connected to You
Secondary: Working for You
Channels Analog: 4 (VHF)

Digital: 48 (UHF)
Affiliations NBC
NBC Weather Plus (DT2)
Owner NBC Universal, Inc.
(NBC Telemundo License Company)
First air date June 27, 1947
Call letters’ meaning Radio Corporation of America
(NBC's former parent)
Former callsigns WNBW (1947-1954)
Transmitter Power 100 kW (analog)
813 kW (digital)
Height 227 m (analog)
242 m (digital)
Facility ID 47904
Transmitter Coordinates 38°56′23.7″N, 77°4′52.9″W
Website www.nbc4.com
WRC-TV's studios and tower (1962)
WRC-TV's studios and tower (1962)

WRC-TV "NBC4" is the NBC owned and operated television station in Washington, D.C.. The station broadcasts its analog signal on channel 4 and its digital television signal on channel 48. Its studios and transmitter are located at 4001 Nebraska Avenue, N.W., in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.[1]

WRC-TV originates NBC News' Washington feed for such reporters as David Gregory, Jim Miklaszewski, Andrea Mitchell, and Pete Williams.

It also offers NBC Weather Plus on digital channel 4.2.

Contents

[edit] History

The station signed on for the first time on June 27, 1947 as WNBW (NBC Washington). It is the second of five stations NBC put on the air behind New York City, ahead of Chicago, Cleveland and Los Angeles. It traces its roots to experimental W3XNB in 1939. On October 18, 1954, its callsign changed to WRC-TV, along with WRC-AM-FM, reflecting NBC's ownership at the time by the Radio Corporation of America.

The 2nd presidential debate between candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. David Brinkley's Washington segment of the Huntley-Brinkley Report originated at WRC-TV between 1956 and 1970.

The earliest color videotape in existence is a recording of the dedication of WRC's Washington studios on May 21, 1958. As Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at the event, it was also the first time a president had been videotaped in color. [1]

WRC-TV is one of three network owned-and-operated stations in Washington, D. C., along with Fox Network's WTTG and MyNetworkTV's WDCA - both owned by Newscorp.

[edit] Digital television

Channel Programming
4.1 / 48.1 main WRC-TV/NBC programming
4.2 / 48.2 NBC Weather Plus

[edit] Post-analog shutdown

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009 [2], WRC-TV will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 48. [3] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WRC-TV's virtual channel as 4.

[edit] Programs

WRC-TV's studios are home to several notable programs. These include Meet the Press, the longest-running show in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947; The Redskins Report; The Joe Gibbs Show; Full Court Press; and It's Academic, which premiered in 1961 and is the longest running game show in television history according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Sam and Friends, Jim Henson's late-night precursor to Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, got its start on WRC-TV on May 9, 1955.

[edit] Notable personalities

[edit] Current

[edit] News 4 anchors

  • James Adams, Weekend Evening Anchor/Reporter
  • Keith Garvin, Weekend Morning Anchor/Reporter
  • Doreen Gentzler, 6PM & 11PM Anchor/Health Reporter
  • Jim Handly, 4PM Anchor/Reporter
  • Barbara Harrison, Morning Anchor/"Wednesday's Child" Host/Reporter
  • Joe Krebs, Morning Anchor/"Viewpoint" Host/Reporter
  • Pat Lawson Muse, 4PM Anchor/"Reporter's Notebook" Host/Reporter
  • Wendy Rieger, 5PM Anchor/Reporter
  • Jim Vance, 6PM & 11PM Anchor
  • Eun Yang, Weekend Morning Anchor/Reporter

[edit] News 4 reporters

  • Miguel Almaguer, General Assignment Reporter
  • Jackie Bensen, General Assignment Reporter (Jackie is noted for reporting in remote exterior shots almost invariably; she is almost never seen indoors.)
  • Julie Carey, General Assignment Reporter
  • Pat Collins, General Assignment Reporter
  • Elizabeth "Liz" Crenshaw, Consumer Reporter
  • Michael Flynn, General Assignment Reporter
  • Chris Gordon, Legal Analyst/"LawScope" Host
  • Steve Handelsman, General Assignment Reporter/National Correspondent
  • Megan McGrath, General Assignment Reporter (daughter of WTTG's Patrick McGrath)
  • Tom Sherwood, Political Reporter
  • Darcy Spencer, General Assignment Reporter (?)
  • Jane Watrel, General Assignment Reporter/National Correspondent
  • Tracee Wilkins, General Assignment Reporter (?)

[edit] Meteorologists

  • Chuck Bell (AMS), Fill-in Meteorologist
  • Veronica Johnson (AMS), 4PM Meteorologist/"America This Week" Host
  • Tom Kierein (AMS), Morning Meteorologist
  • Bob Ryan (AMS Certified), 5, 6, 11PM Chief Meteorologist
  • Steve Villanueva (AMS), Weekend Meteorologist

[edit] Sports reporters

  • Lindsay Czarniak, Sports Director-Anchor/former "Sports Machine" Co-Host/Fill-in Sports Anchor
  • Dan Hellie, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
  • Hakem Dermish, Sports Reporter

[edit] Former personalities

  • Clay Anderson - meteorologist (1999-2006, now with PEPCO)
  • Paul Anthony - weekend Weather Anchor (1972-1979, now on WETA-TV)
  • Mil Arcega - weekend morning anchor/reporter (1998-2004)
  • Jess Atkinson - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1990-1996, last seen on WUSA-TV)
  • Morgan Beatty - newscaster (1950s)
  • Neil Boggs - Anchor (1967-1972)
  • Shannon Bream - weekend evening anchor/reporter (2004-2007, now a Washington, DC-based reporter at Fox News Channel)
  • Wally Bruckner - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1990-2006)
  • Andrea Brody - Sports Reporter/"Sports Machine" Co-Host/Correspondent (2002-2007)
  • Campbell Brown - reporter (1993-1996, formerly with NBC News, now with CNN)
  • John Buren - sports anchor/reporter (1977-1978)
  • Kelly Burke - reporter/"Wednesday's Child" Host (1976-1987)
  • Arch Campbell - Entertainment Reporter (1974-2006, now at WJLA in same position)
  • Darrian Chapman - Sports Reporter (1995-2000, deceased)
  • Nick Charles - Sports Anchor/Reporter (1976-1979, also at WJZ-TV Baltimore and 1st CNN Sports Anchor, now at Showtime)
  • Scott Clark - Sports Anchor (1980s, now with WABC-TV New York)
  • John Cochran - reporter (early 1970s, now Capitol Hill correspondent at ABC News)
  • Richard Coe, Entertainment Critic prior to Arch Campbell (1960's-1974)
  • Katie Couric - General Assignment Reporter (1987-1989, Former NBC Today Show Co-Host... Now anchoring the CBS Evening News)
  • Dan Daniels - Sports Commentator (late 60's/early 70's)
  • Steve Doocy - Features Reporter (1983-1989, now "FOX and Friends" Co-Host at FOX News Channel)
  • Tony Dorsey - General Assignment Reporter (1998-2006, now a spokesman for the Washington, D.C. Department of Fire and EMS services.)
  • Peter Ford - News Anchor (1977-1990)
  • Andy Fox - reporter (1981-1986, now at WAVY-TV in Portsmouth, Virginia)
  • Frank Forrester - weatherman (1960s)
  • Robert Hager - reporter (1960-1965, formerly an NBC News correspondent)
  • Mike Hambrick - anchor (1981-1985, now with the National Association of Manufacturers [2])
  • Richard C. Harkness - news reporter and anchor (1940s-1960s)
  • Jim Hartz - anchor (1976-1979)
  • I.J. Hudson - Technology Reporter (1985-2007)
  • Andrew Humphrey - Meteorologist (1995-1998, now at WDIV-TV in Detroit)
  • Charlayne Hunter-Gault - reporter (1967-1968, now with NPR)
  • Debbi Jarvis (Debbi Lockhart) - Anchor/Reporter (1994-2003, now at PEPCO)
  • Dave Jones - Meteorologist (1991-2001)
  • Susan Kidd - 5 PM anchor (1983-2006)
  • Bob Kur - reporter (1973-1976, was with Washington Post Radio until its Sept. 2007 demise, now at WTOP radio)
  • Marty Levin - 5 and 6 PM anchor (1980-1982, now at KNSD in San Diego)
  • Lynda Lopez - reporter (1986-1997)
  • Shari Macias - reporter (1994-2001)
  • Suzanne Malveaux - Reporter (1996-1999, now White House correspondent at CNN)
  • Dave Marash - Anchor/Reporter (1985-1989, now at Al Jazeera's English language service)
  • Catherine "Cassie" Mackin - anchor/reporter (1969-1972, deceased)
  • Bob McBride, Anchor/Reporter (1982-1986)
  • Robert McCormick - reporter and commentator in the 1960s
  • Doug McKelway, 5PM anchor/Reporter (1992-2002, now at WJLA-TV/News Channel 8; second stint at that station)
  • George Michael, Sports Anchor/Reporter/Former Host of The George Michael Sports Machine (1980-March 25, 2007)
  • Jeff Napshin, General Assignment Reporter (2004-2006, now at WUSA-TV)
  • Angela Owens - reporter (1981-1984, now in public relations for WRC)
  • Bryson Rash - original Anchor (June 27, 1947-1960s), President of National Press Club (1963), and News Director in 1973 when WRC won a Peabody Award for its Home Rule coverage.
  • Glenn Rinker - anchor (1969-1976, deceased)
  • Max Robinson - reporter (1967-1968, deceased)
  • Charlie Rose - talk show host (1981-1984)
  • Mary Alice Salinas - Anchor/Reporter (1995-2005)
  • Willard Scott - NBC Page (1950), Bozo the Clown (1959-1962), Meteorologist (1968-1980, now at NBC's Today Show)
  • Dave "The Mouth" Sheehan - Last sports anchor prior to George Michael (1975-1980)
  • Maurice Siegel, Sports Commentator (late 60's/early 70's, deceased)
  • Sue Simmons - Anchor/Reporter (1976-1980, now at WNBC-TV in New York)
  • Jim Simpson - sports reporter (1960s)
  • Carole Simpson - reporter/public affairs host (1977-1982)
  • Jill Sorenson - sports reporter (2000-2004, moved to WTTG, now a SportsNite anchor and reporter at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic)
  • Joel A. Spivak - anchor (1987-1988)
  • Greg Starddard - General Assignment Reporter (2003-2005)
  • Tippy Stringer- "weather girl" (mid 1950's); later married NBC news anchor Chet Huntley of Huntley-Brinkley fame.
  • Henry Tenenbaum [3] - Anchor (1981-1987, Formerly of WUSA-TV, later moved to WJLA and now at KRON in San Francisco)
  • Fred Thomas - Anchor/Reporter (1975-1987)
  • Lea Thompson - Anchor/Reporter (1985-1992, now a correspondent on Dateline NBC)
  • Kathy Vara - reporter (1992-1994, now at KABC-TV in Los Angeles)
  • Linda Vester - reporter (1992-1993, formerly with Fox News Channel)
  • Don Williams - reporter (1989-1990)
  • Chikage Windler - Meteorologist (1998-2003, now at KSTP-TV (ABC) in Minneapolis, MN)
  • Vernon Womble (1968-1970)

[edit] Former producers

  • Brenda Mallory - News4 at 5, now owns consulting firm.
  • Faith Murphy - former Web producer, NBC4.com. Launched local msnbc.com site (1996)

This list is incomplete. You can help by expanding it.

[edit] News/station presentation

[edit] Newscast titles

  • Texaco Headlines (1950s)
  • Big City News (1962-1966)
  • News 4 (1966-1975)
  • The NewsCenter (1975-1978)
  • NewsCenter 4 (1978-1982)
  • Channel 4 News (1982-1987)
  • News 4 (1987-present)

[edit] Newscast music

  • Theme from Shaft, Stanley Black (1975-1977)
  • NBC TV-Radio Newspulse, Fred Weinberg Productions (1977-1980)
  • My Mood, MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) (1980-present; used as a close)
  • NewsCenter Theme, Michael Randall Music (1980-1983)
  • NewsCenter II Theme, Michael Randall Music (1983-1986)
  • WRC 1986 News Theme, Unknown (1986-1987)
  • WRC News Package, Music Oasis (1987-1989)
  • We Work Well Together, Music Oasis (1989-1992)
  • WRC - Working 4 You, Unknown (1993-1997)
  • Working For You, 615 Music (1997-Present)
  • The Tower (V.1, V.2, V.3) W/ Working For You Signature, 615 Music (2002-Present)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Digital Signal Sources", The Washington Post, 2008-05-20. 
  2. ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
  3. ^ http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101233214&formid=387&fac_num=47904

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Broadcast television in the Washington, D.C./Hagerstown, MD market (Nielsen DMA #9)

Local television stations
WRC 4 (NBC, WX Plus on DT2) - WTTG 5 (Fox) - WJLA 7 (ABC) - WUSA 9 (CBS) - WFDC 14 (UNI) - WDCA 20 (MNTV) - WMPT 22/WFPT 62 (PBS/MPT) -
WDDN-LP 23 (DS) - WZDC-LP 25 (TEL) - WETA 26 (PBS) - WHUT 32 (PBS) - WMDO-CA 47 (TFR) - WWTD 49 (WUFO) - WDCW 50 (The CW) - WNVC 56 (Ind) - WIAV-LP 58 (AV/Ind) - WPXW 66 (ION, qubo on DT2, ION Life on DT3, Worship on DT4)

Local digital television channels
WNVT 30 (Ind)

Local cable television channels
CN8 - Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic - News Channel 8 - AIM - PACDC

Stations serving Hagerstown, Maryland and surrounding area
WHAG 25 (NBC) - WWPB 31 (PBS/MPT) - WWPX 60 (ION) - WJAL 68 (Ind)

Stations serving Winchester, Virginia and surrounding area
TV3 Winchester 3 (WHSV-DT3) (ABC) - WAZT-CA 10/WAZC-LP 16/WAZF-CA 28/WAZW-CA 48 (TBN) - W15AD 15/W17AL 17/W41AO 41/W48AA 48/W69AC 69 (PBS/WVPB) - WDWA-LP 23 (DS) - WVPY 42 (PBS)
See also broadcast television in the Baltimore market
v • d • e
NBC Universal, Inc. (a subsidiary of General Electric and Vivendi)
Universal Studios
Broadcast TV assets
NBC Universal Cable
CNBC global channels
CNBC Europe branches
Class CNBC (20%) • CNBC-e • CNBC Arabiya (according to CNBC Europe) • CNBC Nordic • CNBC Africa • TVN CNBC Biznes
CNBC Asia branches
NBC Universal
global networks
SCI FI Channel • 13th Street • Universal Channel • Hallmark Channel • Movies 24 • KidsCo7 • Diva TV • Studio Universal • Das Vierte •
Sci Fi global channels
US • UK • Germany • France • Australia • Spain • Benelux • Poland • Romania • Russia • Latin America
NBC Universal
Television Group
NBC O&Os
KNBC • KNSD3 • KNTV • KXAS3 • WCAU • WMAQ • WNBC • WRC • WTVJ8 • WVIT8
Telemundo O&Os
KBLR • KEJT-LP • KHRR • KDEN • KNSO • KTAZ • KTMD • KVDA • KSTS • KVEA • KXTX • WKAQ • WNEU6 • WNJU • WSCV • WSNS
ShopNBC O&Os
Spanish independent
TV stations
Internet ventures:
msnbc.com2 • NBBC4 • iVillage • Television Without Pity • OUTzoneTV.com • getTRIO.com • BrilliantButCancelled.com • calamitygame.com • Hulu
Other assets:
  1. 50%, with Viacom's Paramount Pictures.
  2. Co-owned with Microsoft in a joint venture (82% owned by NBC, 18% owned by Microsoft).
  3. The stations are co-owned with LIN TV in a joint venture (76% owned by NBC, 24% owned by LIN).
  4. A joint venture between NBC Universal and its broadcast affiliates.
  5. Co-owned with Corus Entertainment, Classic Media, Scholastic Books and ION Media Networks
  6. The station is owned by NBC Universal, but is controlled by ZGS Broadcast Holdings.
  7. Co-owned with Corus Entertainment and DiC Entertainment.
  8. These stations have been put up for sale by NBC Universal. Buyer(s) are anonymous or unannounced at this time.