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68-611: WAPT (channel 16) is a television station in Jackson, Mississippi , United States, affiliated with ABC . The station is owned by Hearst Television and maintains studios and transmitter facilities on Channel 16 Way (off MS 18 ) in southwest Jackson. WAPT was the third commercial station in Jackson. It signed on in October 1970 and was owned by Jackson-based insurer American Public Life Insurance Company . Under several owners, it had generally been

136-550: A barter in some cases. New World Communications New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc. ) was an American independent production , distribution , and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company . It was founded in 1970 by Roger Corman and Gene Corman as New World Pictures, Ltd. , a producer and distributor of motion pictures , eventually expanding into television production in 1984. New World eventually expanded into broadcasting with

204-742: A 20% interest in New World for $ 500 million. New World was approached by Fox in part due to the group's expanding presence in several primary and secondary markets of NFC teams. New World, meanwhile, was concerned about the effect that the network's loss of NFC rights to Fox would have on both CBS, which was near the bottom of the network ratings at the time, and on the group's CBS-affiliated stations. The stations that became Fox affiliates had to acquire or produce additional programming to fill their broadcast days, as Fox programmed significantly fewer hours of network content (prime time programming for two hours on Monday through Saturdays and three hours on Sundays,

272-531: A 9 p.m. newscast debuted on the MeTV subchannel. The station's signal is multiplexed : WAPT ended regular programming on its analog signal, over UHF channel 16, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television . The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 21, using virtual channel 16. As part of the SAFER Act , WAPT kept its analog signal on

340-549: A UHF station) also did not switch as Fox was already affiliated with a VHF station in the San Diego market, Tijuana , Baja California , Mexico -based XETV-TV (channel 6). Both KNSD and WVTM retained their NBC affiliations, although in 1995 its contract was renewed for ten years. New World planned to sell all three stations as well, in order to comply with the FCC's twelve-station ownership limit. In November 1994, New World sold WSBK-TV to

408-615: A company partially related to Argyle Television Holdings II, which merged with Hearst Broadcasting to form Hearst-Argyle Television in 1997 – acquiring its four stations: CBS affiliates KTBC-TV (channel 7) in Austin, Texas , and KDFW-TV (channel 4) in Dallas ; NBC affiliate WVTM-TV (channel 13) in Birmingham, Alabama ; and ABC affiliate KTVI (channel 2) in St. Louis . Then, New World acquired four of

476-631: A deal announced in September 1994 and consummated in January 1995. The company was made up of investors who had sold the original Argyle Television group to New World Communications . In August 1997, Argyle merged with the Hearst Corporation 's broadcasting unit to form what was then known as Hearst-Argyle Television. The name continued until 2009, when the Hearst Corporation acquired Argyle's stake in

544-428: A management buyout of part of the company, paying $ 120 million for four Price stations, including WAPT; the new ownership was named Northstar Television Group. For a time in 1991, Appleton traveled to Jackson to run the station directly, relieving the general manager, who was recovering from brain surgery. He then fired the news director and told a newspaper reporter that WAPT was the "sick kid" in his station group. WAPT

612-415: A much shorter wavelength, and thus requires a shorter antenna, but also higher power. North American stations can go up to 5000 kW ERP for video and 500 kW audio, or 1000 kW digital. Low channels travel further than high ones at the same power, but UHF does not suffer from as much electromagnetic interference and background "noise" as VHF, making it much more desirable for TV. Despite this, in

680-449: A multi-year affiliation agreement in which New World would switch most of its television stations to the network beginning that fall. The deal would include most of the stations that New World was in the midst of acquiring from Argyle and Citicasters, with all of the affected stations joining Fox after existing affiliation contracts with their then-current network partners concluded. In exchange, Fox parent News Corporation agreed to purchase

748-525: A newly formed production company founded by a consortium of former New World executives (Trans-Atlantic was sold to Lakeshore Entertainment in 1996). Highgate Pictures and Learning Corporation of America were shut down in 1990. On October 7, 1991, New World sold much of its "network" television assets to Sony Pictures Entertainment , who used these assets to relaunch TriStar Television . Some television programs produced by New World such as Santa Barbara and The Wonder Years would remain in production by

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816-436: A news producer for WAPT, wrote a letter to Newsweek saying that Borat's appearance on the station had led to her losing her job: "Because of him, my boss lost faith in my abilities and second-guessed everything I did thereafter...How upsetting that a man who leaves so much harm in his path is lauded as a comedic genius." Although Arthur had said she was fired from the station in the letter to Newsweek , she had previously told

884-574: A secondary Tampa affiliate in Sarasota -based WWSB ). The concurrent purchases of WBRC and WGHP posed issues as, at the time, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) only allowed a single company to own a maximum of 12 television stations nationwide (the Argyle and Citicasters purchases, combined with the seven stations it earlier acquired from SCI Television, would have given New World

952-533: A station in Birmingham, Alabama , and an affiliate of American Public Life Insurance Company , a Jackson-based insurer. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated the applications for consideration in the same comparative hearing case, and in October, the two merged their applications. At the time, it was stated that channel 16 would begin broadcasting in the fall of 1967. By March 1969, American Public Life had announced in its 1968 annual report to shareholders that construction activities were underway and

1020-508: A station. Three New World stations were excluded from the Fox affiliation deal. In Boston, where New World owned WSBK-TV, Fox was already affiliated with WFXT (channel 25). WVTM was exempted in Birmingham, as, in the summer of 1995, New World sold WBRC as well as WGHP to Fox Television Stations , with WBRC switching to Fox after its affiliation contract with ABC expired on August 31, 1996. KNSD (also

1088-505: A total of 15 stations) and in the case of Birmingham, New World could not keep WBRC and WVTM in any event, as the FCC forbade common ownership of two television stations in the same market . As a result, following the completion of the Citicasters station purchases in late March 1995, New World placed WBRC and WGHP in a blind trust and sought buyers for both stations. The biggest deal involving New World Communications would aid in changing

1156-425: A variety of ways to generate revenue from television commercials . They may be an independent station or part of a broadcasting network , or some other structure. They can produce some or all of their programs or buy some broadcast syndication programming for or all of it from other stations or independent production companies. Many stations have some sort of television studio , which on major-network stations

1224-496: Is non-commercial educational (NCE) and considered public broadcasting . To avoid concentration of media ownership of television stations, government regulations in most countries generally limit the ownership of television stations by television networks or other media operators, but these regulations vary considerably. Some countries have set up nationwide television networks, in which individual television stations act as mere repeaters of nationwide programs . In those countries,

1292-470: Is broadcast via terrestrial radio waves. A group of television stations with common ownership or affiliation are known as a TV network and an individual station within the network is referred to as O&O or affiliate , respectively. Because television station signals use the electromagnetic spectrum, which in the past has been a common, scarce resource, governments often claim authority to regulate them. Broadcast television systems standards vary around

1360-792: Is often used for newscasts or other local programming . There is usually a news department , where journalists gather information. There is also a section where electronic news-gathering (ENG) operations are based, receiving remote broadcasts via remote pickup unit or satellite TV . Outside broadcasting vans, production trucks , or SUVs with electronic field production (EFP) equipment are sent out with reporters , who may also bring back news stories on video tape rather than sending them back live . To keep pace with technology United States television stations have been replacing operators with broadcast automation systems to increase profits in recent years. Some stations (known as repeaters or translators ) only simulcast another, usually

1428-671: The Associated Press that she had resigned. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, 19 employees of WDSU , the Hearst-Argyle station in New Orleans , relocated to WAPT. A secondary set was built at WAPT to support temporary newscasts from Jackson, which were broadcast on radio and internet. WDSU anchors were later sent to WESH in Orlando ; they did not return to New Orleans until October. WAPT began producing local news in early 1971. Bert Case

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1496-499: The Big Three broadcast television networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) and therefore had higher value with advertisers (compared to its predominately UHF affiliate body, the vast majority of which were independent stations before joining the network), in an effort to bolster the network's newly acquired package of NFL game telecasts. Shortly after the Citicasters acquisition announcement, on May 23, 1994, New World Communications and Fox reached

1564-470: The Paramount Stations Group subsidiary of Viacom for $ 100 million. Later that year, Brandon Tartikoff , who helped NBC out of its ratings doldrums in the 1980s in his former role as President of Entertainment at NBC, joined New World Communications in an executive position; concurrently, New World acquired Tartikoff's production company Moving Target Productions. New World also acquired

1632-614: The United States ; New World Television , a production unit focusing on television programs (the first television programs produced by the unit were the soap opera Santa Barbara and the made-for-TV movie Playing With Fire ); and New World Video , which would handle home video distribution of films produced mainly by New World Pictures. It would eventually see success of its video division in its first few months of its operation. In May 1986, New World acquired post-production facility Lions Gate Studios for $ 4.4 million. That November

1700-405: The broadcast range , or geographic area, that the station is limited to, allocates the broadcast frequency of the radio spectrum for that station's transmissions, sets limits on what types of television programs can be programmed for broadcast and requires a station to broadcast a minimum amount of certain programs types, such as public affairs messages . Another form of television station

1768-534: The electricity bill and emergency backup generators . In North America , full-power stations on band I (channels 2 to 6) are generally limited to 100 kW analog video ( VSB ) and 10 kW analog audio ( FM ), or 45 kW digital ( 8VSB ) ERP. Stations on band III (channels 7 to 13) can go up by 5 dB to 316 kW video, 31.6 kW audio, or 160 kW digital. Low-VHF stations are often subject to long-distance reception just as with FM. There are no stations on Channel 1 . UHF , by comparison, has

1836-404: The very high frequency (VHF) band, had larger coverage areas; WAPT's signal reached about 69 percent of the area that WLBT's did. In addition, the station had fewer resources in every area. With just one sportscaster, anchors got burned out keeping up with central Mississippi sports, particularly when WLBT and WJTV both had larger teams; WAPT often cycled through sports anchors. At the end of 1988,

1904-441: The 1970s – returned to the company as its new CEO. Later that year Thompson left the company to form his own firm. On February 21, 1984, New World Pictures added 3 new pictures in order to expect to produce a minimum of 14 releases per year, and had plans to start their own regional network. In 1984, the company created three new divisions: New World International , which would handle distribution of New World's productions outside

1972-503: The Monday through Saturday children's block Fox Kids , and an hour of late night programming on Saturdays) than its three established major network competitors; on top of that, most of the New World stations (with KTVI later becoming the lone exception) declined to carry the Fox Kids block. The time vacated by news programs, daytime shows and children's programs from each station's former network

2040-552: The U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking another large portion of this band (channels 52 to 69) away, in contrast to the rest of the world, which has been taking VHF instead. This means that some stations left on VHF are harder to receive after the analog shutdown . Since at least 1974, there are no stations on channel 37 in North America for radio astronomy purposes. Most television stations are commercial broadcasting enterprises which are structured in

2108-420: The acquisition of seven television stations in 1993, with the broadcasting unit expanding through additional purchases made during 1994. 20th Century Fox (then solely-owned by News Corporation ), controlled by Rupert Murdoch , became a major investor in 1994 and purchased the company outright in 1997; the alliance with Murdoch, specifically through a group affiliation agreement with New World reached between

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2176-544: The acquisitions of Cannell Entertainment and entertainment magazine Premiere . In May 1996, New World sold WVTM and KNSD to NBC Television Stations for $ 425 million. On July 17, 1996, Fox parent News Corporation announced that it would acquire the remainder of New World Communications for $ 2.48 billion in stock. When the merger with News Corporation was finalized on January 22, 1997, New World's television production and distribution arms folded into 20th Century Fox Television and 20th Television , respectively and

2244-461: The age of 93. New World Pictures's founder Roger Corman died at his home in Santa Monica, California , on May 9, 2024, at the age of 98. Founded on July 8, 1970, New World Pictures, Ltd. was co-founded by B-movie director Roger Corman and his brother Gene , following their departure from American International Pictures (AIP). As the last remaining national low-budget film distributor at

2312-539: The air until June 26 to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop of public service announcements from the National Association of Broadcasters . Television station The Fernsehsender Paul Nipkow ( TV Station Paul Nipkow ) in Berlin , Germany , was the first regular television service in the world. It was on the air from 22 March 1935, until it was shut down in 1944. The station

2380-577: The company acquired the Marvel Entertainment Group (MEG), the corporate parent of Marvel Comics from the liquidated Cadence Industries . In July 1967, William "Bill" Deneen left Encyclopædia Britannica Films to start up the Learning Corporation of America , a rival company with Columbia Pictures . It would quickly become one of EBF's biggest rivals in the 16mm field. During his past decade with EBF, William Deneen's specialty

2448-1117: The company until their cancellations in 1993; New World would not return to producing programs for the major broadcast television networks until early 1995. On February 17, 1993, Perelman purchased SCI Television from George Gillett , acquiring the company's seven television stations: CBS affiliates WAGA-TV (channel 5) in Atlanta , WJBK-TV (channel 2) in Detroit , WJW-TV (channel 8) in Cleveland , WITI-TV (channel 6) in Milwaukee and WTVT (channel 13) in Tampa ; NBC affiliate KNSD (channel 39) in San Diego ; and independent station WSBK-TV (channel 38) in Boston . SCI had undergone several corporate restructurings following its 1987 purchase by Gillett Communications from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (which, in turn, had acquired

2516-585: The face of American broadcasting. In the wake of Fox 's landmark $ 1.58-billion deal with the National Football League (NFL) on December 17, 1993, which awarded it the television rights to the National Football Conference (NFC) beginning with the league's 1994 season , the network began seeking agreements with various station groups such as SF Broadcasting to affiliate with VHF stations that had established histories as affiliates of

2584-534: The filmmaking careers of Jonathan Demme ( Caged Heat , Crazy Mama ), Jonathan Kaplan ( White Line Fever ), Ron Howard ( Grand Theft Auto ), Paul Bartel ( Death Race 2000 ) and Joe Dante ( Piranha ), all of whom made some of their early films as interns for the company. New World also released foreign films from acclaimed directors such as Ingmar Bergman ( Cries and Whispers , Autumn Sonata ), Federico Fellini ( Amarcord ) and Akira Kurosawa ( Dersu Uzala ). The distribution of such films

2652-497: The former New World television stations were transferred into its Fox Television Stations subsidiary, turning the former group's twelve Fox affiliates into owned-and-operated stations of the network, joining WGHP and WBRC. The New World Animation and Marvel Films Animation libraries were acquired by Saban Entertainment and Fox Kids Worldwide (in turn acquired by Disney through its 2001 purchase of Fox Family Worldwide) following News Corporation's acquisition of New World. As part of

2720-508: The group by Perelman in the summer of 1993. In 1993, New World Entertainment purchased ownership stakes in syndication distributor Genesis Entertainment through Four Star Television and made a direct purchase of infomercial production company, Guthy-Renker . With the asset expansion, the company changed its name to New World Communications . The company expanded its broadcasting holdings in May 1994 with its purchase of Argyle Television –

2788-549: The group, promising improvements in the news department, which continued to badly lag even though ABC was the number-one network at the time. Clay sought to update WAPT's equipment and expand the staff of the station. Price Communications acquired Clay's four-station group in 1987 for $ 60 million after Clay began soliciting bids for the company's holdings; Price acquired the TV stations, while Thomson Newspapers acquired its print publications. Two years later, Price executive Dick Appleton led

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2856-420: The highest point available in the transmission area, such as on a summit , the top of a high skyscraper , or on a tall radio tower . To get a signal from the master control room to the transmitter, a studio/transmitter link (STL) is used. The link can be either by radio or T1 / E1 . A transmitter/studio link (TSL) may also send telemetry back to the station, but this may be embedded in subcarriers of

2924-437: The job only seven weeks, defended the firings as necessary to "put a more competitive team on the field". In the 2000s and 2010s, WAPT has become more competitive with WJTV for second place, though both stations continue to trail WLBT. Hearst has expanded the station's news offerings progressively under its ownership. Weekend morning newscasts, sandwiching the weekend editions of Good Morning America , debuted in 2011. In 2020,

2992-495: The latter case, New World decided against buying WTSP, as WTVT had the higher viewership of the two stations and market-wide signal coverage (WTSP's analog signal did not adequately cover southern sections of the Tampa–St. Petersburg market, as its transmitter was short-spaced to avoid interfering with the signal of Miami ABC affiliate WPLG , as both stations broadcast on VHF channel 10; because of this reason, ABC has long maintained

3060-400: The local television station has no station identification and, from a consumer's point of view, there is no practical distinction between a network and a station, with only small regional changes in programming, such as local television news . To broadcast its programs, a television station requires operators to operate equipment, a transmitter or radio antenna , which is often located at

3128-419: The main broadcast. Stations which retransmit or simulcast another may simply pick-up that station over-the-air , or via STL or satellite. The license usually specifies which other station it is allowed to carry. VHF stations often have very tall antennas due to their long wavelength , but require much less effective radiated power (ERP), and therefore use much less transmitter power output , also saving on

3196-454: The most expensive looking school films of the era, despite being made very economically. In 1987, New World acquired educational film company Learning Corporation of America and independent film studio Highgate Pictures . By this time New World Pictures changed its name to New World Entertainment to better reflect its range of subsidiaries besides the film studio, including its purchase of Marvel Comics , and partner Harry Sloan said that

3264-419: The name change would have the revised banner "more accurately reflects the business the company is in". Also that year New World almost purchased two toy companies, Kenner Parker Toys and Mattel , but both planned acquisitions never materialized (although Tonka would acquire Kenner in 1987). Around this time, New World faced a major financial slump and the company began restructuring itself. This began with

3332-476: The programmes seen on its owner's flagship station, and have no television studio or production facilities of their own. This is common in developing countries . Low-power stations typically also fall into this category worldwide. Most stations which are not simulcast produce their own station identifications . TV stations may also advertise on or provide weather (or news) services to local radio stations , particularly co-owned sister stations . This may be

3400-513: The remaining interest in Genesis Entertainment, which expanded upon New World's production assets into television distribution (Genesis has subsequently renamed New World-Genesis Distribution following the closure of the purchase). After New World took over Moving Target Productions, the production company was renamed to MT2 Services. In 1995, Stone Stanley Productions was signed an exclusive agreement with New World Entertainment. 1995 saw

3468-720: The sale of Marvel Entertainment Group to Andrews Group (run by financier Ronald Perelman ) on January 6, 1989; Marvel Productions was excluded from the sale. After a failed bid by Giancarlo Parretti 's Pathe Communications , New World was sold to the Andrews Group in April 1989; Perelman indicated that, while New World's television operations would continue, their motion picture and home video activity would be cut back, if not scrapped entirely. The bulk of its film and home video holdings were sold in January 1990 to Trans-Atlantic Pictures,

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3536-639: The six television stations owned by Citicasters : ABC affiliates WBRC-TV (channel 6) in Birmingham and WGHP-TV (channel 8) in High Point, North Carolina ; NBC affiliate WDAF-TV (channel 4) in Kansas City, Missouri ; and CBS affiliate KSAZ-TV (channel 10) in Phoenix . Citicasters retained ownership of ABC affiliates WKRC-TV (channel 12) in Cincinnati, Ohio , and WTSP (channel 10) in St. Petersburg, Florida ; in

3604-510: The station ceased broadcasting weekend newscasts; under Northstar, WAPT restored weekend news in November 1990 and began airing a morning newscast in 1992. Argyle made a major shakeup of the station's news talent after it took over in 1995. Two station staples, anchor Stephanie Bell-Flynt and commentator Cal Adams, were fired in September 1995, with Bell-Flynt being replaced on the evening newscasts she anchored. News director Bob Noonan, who had been on

3672-641: The station for "eliminating the biggest headache which has plagued Jackson since the first TV was plugged in". American Public Life Insurance Company sold WAPT in 1976 to a consortium of six professional and business investors, known as Television America Sixteen, for $ 500,000 and the assumption of another $ 3 million in liabilities; at the same time, its board chairman sold his interest in WRBT-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . Three years later, Clay Broadcasting of Charleston, West Virginia , acquired WAPT for $ 7.5 million from

3740-463: The station, dubbed WAPT, was negotiating with ABC for affiliation. However, that November, MacLendon died of a heart attack in a Miami hospital; he had fallen ill on a business trip to Central America. American Public Life Insurance Company then acquired MacLendon's 50-percent share from his estate. On September 1, 1970, the two commercial stations in Jackson, NBC affiliate WLBT and CBS affiliate WJTV , ceased airing ABC programming. However, WAPT

3808-401: The stations' former parent Storer Communications in 1985). Earlier in the decade, the group – then known as GCI Broadcast Services, Inc. – had restructured after defaulting on some of its financing agreements. Eventually, the renamed, SCI ran into severe financial problems and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 1992. SCI was folded into New World, following the completion of its purchase of

3876-441: The third-rated station for local news in the market, a historic position attributable to its late entrance and smaller coverage area in the 1970s and 1980s. Argyle Television acquired WAPT in 1995, then proceeded to merge with Hearst in 1997. The station has become more competitive in local news under Hearst ownership. In 1965, two groups sought Jackson's channel 16 allocation: John MacLendon, owner of Jackson radio station WOKJ and

3944-635: The time, New World quickly became one of the most successful independent companies in the nation. Corman hoped to continue AIP's formula at New World, making low-budget films by new talent and distributing them internationally. However, it started out with only ten domestic offices, and one each in Canada and the United Kingdom ; its films were distributed regionally by other companies. New World initially made exploitation films such as The Student Nurses and other small-scale productions. Corman helped launch

4012-603: The two companies in May 1994, helped to cement the Fox network as the fourth major U.S. television network . Although effectively defunct, it continues to exist as holding companies within the Fox Corporation corporate structure along with various regional subsidiaries (e.g. " New World Communications of Tampa "). New World Pictures's co-founder Gene Corman died at his home in Beverly Hills, California , on September 28, 2020, at

4080-422: The venture, took it private, and renamed it Hearst Television. In 2005, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared as his Borat character in a news interview while secretly filming a segment for the movie of the same name . The station had been told by a publicist that the appearance was for a Bulgarian television documentary and was provided a fake website to that effect. After the film's release the next year, Dharma Arthur,

4148-455: The world. Television stations broadcasting over an analog system were typically limited to one television channel , but digital television enables broadcasting via subchannels as well. Television stations usually require a broadcast license from a government agency which sets the requirements and limitations on the station. In the United States, for example, a television license defines

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4216-567: Was conceived by Corman in an effort to disassociate New World as an exhibitor of exploitation films. In 1983, Corman sold New World to Larry Kupin, Harry E. Sloan and Larry A. Thompson for $ 16.5 million; the three new owners decided to take the company public . Corman retained the film library, while New World acquired home video rights to the releases. In 1984, Robert Rehme – who formerly served as chief executive officer of Avco Embassy Pictures and Universal Pictures and had previously worked for New World as its vice president of sales in

4284-534: Was filled by additional syndicated programming and, in particular, local newscasts. The deal as a whole (as well as a second affiliation agreement that was struck one month after the New World deal through the purchase of four stations by a joint venture with Savoy Pictures ) caused a domino effect that resulted in various individual and group affiliation deals involving all four networks (primarily CBS, Fox, and ABC) affecting television stations in more than 70 media markets ; in most of those areas, New World did not own

4352-478: Was geography films, being owner of an independent film company since 1950 that was distributing through EBF until they absorbed his company and made him vice president. Among his most famous in-depth looks of everyday life overseas were a series on Japan , Hungary and Communism and a trio shot on Samuel Bronston 's sets of Fall of the Roman Empire , including Claudius: Boy of Ancient Rome . These were certainly

4420-535: Was named after Paul Gottlieb Nipkow , the inventor of the Nipkow disk . Most often the term "television station" refers to a station which broadcasts structured content to an audience or it refers to the organization that operates the station. A terrestrial television transmission can occur via analog television signals or, more recently, via digital television signals. Television stations are differentiated from cable television or other video providers as their content

4488-519: Was not ready to go on the air; a strike at the RCA factory in Camden, New Jersey , delayed the delivery of its antenna. WAPT began broadcasting on October 3, 1970; a football game between Ole Miss and Alabama was carried that day by WJTV and WAPT, as WJTV had been a backup plan if channel 16 could not start in time. Its arrival brought full three-network service to Jackson: Tom Dupree of The Clarion-Ledger hailed

4556-409: Was one of 57 stations that declined to carry NYPD Blue when it debuted in September 1993; the show's language, nudity, and violence led all five of the state's ABC affiliates to decline to air the program at the outset. The station reversed its stance in January 1995, with general manager Stuart Kellogg citing changes made by ABC. Argyle Television II acquired three of the four Northstar stations in

4624-422: Was the first news director; he went on to a 40-year career at WLBT when he left in 1974. Dick Thames, the first sports anchor, died in a 1972 plane crash as he was preparing a news story; footage of the crash was filmed by a WAPT cameraman. WAPT has traditionally been the third-rated station for local news in Jackson, behind WJTV and market leader WLBT. In part, this was because, historically, WLBT and WJTV, both on

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