Misplaced Pages

#409590

125-518: WBRC (channel 6) is a television station in Birmingham, Alabama , United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power , Class A Telemundo affiliate WTBM-CD (channel 24). The two stations studios atop Red Mountain (between Vulcan Trail and Valley View Drive) in southeastern Birmingham, where WBRC's transmitter is also located. The station first signed on

250-638: A barter in some cases. Antebellum architecture Antebellum architecture (from Antebellum South , Latin for "pre-war") is the neoclassical architectural style characteristic of the 19th-century Southern United States , especially the Deep South , from after the birth of the United States with the American Revolution , to the start of the American Civil War . Antebellum architecture

375-453: A holding company operated by equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners that had earlier purchased The New York Times Company 's television station division; the sale was finalized on July 14, 2008. On January 6, 2009, Local TV announced that it would trade WBRC to Raycom Media in exchange for acquiring CBS affiliate WTVR-TV in Richmond, Virginia from that group. Raycom—which was controlled by

500-496: A Fox owned-and-operated station on September 1, 1996, ending its affiliation with ABC after 47 years; however, the station had begun airing the network's short-lived morning program Fox After Breakfast for one month prior to the switch after it dropped Good Morning America from its schedule. The concurrent move of the ABC affiliation to W58CK and its satellites also led to the CBS affiliation for

625-403: A Fox station, and preempted the soap opera Loving throughout its 1986 to 1994 run. Channel 6 originally planned to carry the entire Fox programming schedule when it switched to the network, including its children's program block, Fox Kids ; it intended to air the weekday editions of that block from 1 to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday afternoons. However, in what would be the catalyst to

750-447: A change in the carriage policies for Fox Kids that allowed stations the option of either airing the block or being granted the right to transfer the rights to another station in the market, Sinclair Broadcast Group approached WBRC about retaining the rights to Fox Kids for WTTO, which became an independent station on September 1; Fox allowed WTTO to retain the local rights to the block. WBRC also declined to carry Weekend Marketplace ,

875-421: A distant second until the mid-2000s; CBS affiliate WBMG/WIAT was not a factor for either station for most of its history (to the point where it did not even air any newscasts at three different periods between the early 1980s and February 1998). As a Fox station, WBRC has continued to maintain higher viewership than the other television news outlets in the market, although it has experienced tighter competition since

1000-468: A format similar to York's program, in November of that year. WBRC began to clear the first hour of GMA in the early 1980s, and began airing the two-hour program in its entirety after York retired from the station in 1989. Preemptions and out-of-pattern scheduling of some ABC programs would continue in later years; for example, WBRC aired All My Children on a one-day delay from its 1970 debut until it became

1125-473: A full-scale news department in 1952, when it began operating from the former studios of the original WBRC-FM. Several members of the news department staff in its early years started at WBRC radio including news anchors Harry Mabry and Joe Langston (the latter of whom would also take on a management role as its director of news and editorial policy in 1969), and sports anchor Tom York. In 1969, former WSGN radio anchor Bill Bolen joined WBRC to replace Harry Mabry as

1250-624: A full-time affiliate of the network. This was very unusual for a market with only two commercial stations; usually, one or both stations carried ABC as a secondary affiliation, since that network would not be on anything resembling an equal footing with CBS and NBC until the 1970s. However, Taft had very good relations with ABC. The company's chairman was a personal friend of ABC's president Leonard Goldenson , and several of Taft's other stations, including flagship WKRC-TV in Cincinnati (which would rejoin CBS in 1996), had recently switched to ABC. During

1375-456: A large segment of WBRC's audience. An urban legend regarding the ABC affiliation agreement suggested that the switch was partly motivated by CBS' plans to air Who Speaks For Birmingham? , a controversial CBS Reports documentary focusing on desegregation at Birmingham City Schools that later led to journalist Howard K. Smith 's resignation from CBS News after he quoted an anti-desegregation statement by political scientist Edmund Burke in

SECTION 10

#1732875653410

1500-481: A local marketing agreement with then-owner Osborne Communications Corporation weeks prior); because Tuscaloosa and Anniston were then separate markets, which would result in neither station being counted in Nielsen ratings reports for Birmingham, Allbritton purchased low-power station W58CK (channel 58, now WBMA-LD ), creating a triple- simulcast with WCFT and WJSU, which would act as its satellite stations . WBRC became

1625-527: A lower effective radiated power until October 2009, when its transmitter was upgraded to full power at 1 megawatt at a position on the tower at 373 meters (1,224 ft). The FCC later granted WBRC to reclaim the top level of the tower for its main antenna, improving its digital coverage area (the former main antenna remains in use as an auxiliary antenna). Television station The Fernsehsender Paul Nipkow ( TV Station Paul Nipkow ) in Berlin , Germany ,

1750-535: A move to forestall future commercial competition in the market; WBRC and WABT remained the only commercial stations in Birmingham, which would not get a third commercial broadcast television outlet until WBMG (now WIAT ) debuted in October 1965, on UHF channel 42, a signal considerably weaker than that of either channels 6 or 13, and a problem which hampered that station's progress until the early 2000s. In 1957, Storer sold

1875-415: 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

2000-457: A museum that exhibits artifacts and gardens that showcase its history. Tours are available today that focus on the history of the building, gardens, and artifacts. The mansion was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana and Mississippi. Its effects damaged or destroyed many antebellum buildings throughout the South. This destruction once again raised

2125-695: A portion of eastern Alabama in its service area) – which combined, cover almost half of Alabama's population. The service allows the stations to pool story content seen on the stations' newscasts and websites, as well as share information and newsgathering equipment (such as satellite trucks). The four stations also comprise the Raycom Weather Network and the Raycom Alabama Weather Blog, where meteorologists from all four stations post forecasts and storm reports, and which provide live feeds from cameras and Doppler weather radar systems that each of

2250-675: A primary NBC affiliate (earning the affiliation as a result of WBRC radio's longtime affiliation with the NBC Red Network ), and also carried secondary affiliations with ABC and the DuMont Television Network ; during the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network . WBRC-TV originally operated from WBRC radio's facilities on 19th Street and 2nd Avenue, near downtown Birmingham, which originally only housed business and master control operations;

2375-452: A prime time newscast at 9 p.m. to compensate for the lack of prime time programming provided by Fox during that hour; however, it filled the 9:30 p.m. half-hour with syndicated programs (originally reruns of Seinfeld , then from 1997 afterward, Jeopardy! ) as a tentpole between the 9 and 10 p.m. newscasts from the September 1996 switch until September 2002, when it expanded

2500-514: A purchase option-structured deal for $ 717 million (although the transfer/assignment applications for the stations involved in the Argyle purchases were not filed with the FCC until after New World's acquisition of the four Citicasters stations was completed); this posed a problem for New World on two counts. At the time, the FCC forbade any broadcasting company from owning two commercial television stations in

2625-578: A role in reinforcing the social structures of the time. The relationship between antebellum architecture and the social hierarchy of the 19th dentury continues to be studied, as modern views of these buildings address both their architectural beauty and their historical associations with slavery. Georgia's Old Governor's Mansion is one of the finest examples of the High Greek Revival architecture of this period. The mansion, located in Milledgeville ,

SECTION 20

#1732875653410

2750-418: A slide of the station's logo. In September 1950, at which time newscasts were expanded to 15 minutes, anchor segments began to be conducted in-studio after it acquired camera equipment to recorded live programming; kinescopes of 16-mm film footage shot by a photographer for local stories and still photographs for illustration of national and international stories were used for story content. The station launched

2875-425: 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

3000-584: A very limited selection of shows, seemingly headed toward an exclusive CBS affiliation by 1960; even still, WBRC retained some of CBS' higher-rated soap operas on its daytime schedule until about 1968, when those programs moved to either WAPI-TV or WBMG. Another factor, though supposedly not as important as the Taft-Goldenson relationship, was CBS News ' apparent strong support of the Civil Rights Movement , which did not sit well with many white viewers,

3125-675: A year after the purchase was announced as WBRC's affiliation agreement with that network was not set to expire until August 31, 1996. This gave ABC a sufficient amount of time to find another station to replace channel 6 as its central Alabama affiliate. In January 1996, ABC struck a deal with Allbritton Communications to affiliate with CBS stations WCFT-TV (channel 33, now Heroes & Icons affiliate WSES ) in Tuscaloosa and WJSU-TV (channel 40, now Heroes & Icons affiliate WGWW ) in Anniston (the latter of which Allbritton had agreed to operate under

3250-525: Is multiplexed : WBRC shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 6, at 8:55 a.m. on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 50, using virtual channel 6. The station operated its digital transmission facilities under special temporary authorization at

3375-496: 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,

3500-461: Is a Neoclassical style plantation house with distinctive elements like columns and a large portico. The architecture reflects Jackson's personal style and political power during the Antebellum period. First (Scots) Presbyterian Church (Charleston, South Carolina) This church is an example of Greek Revival architecture, marked by its large columns and classical proportions. The design reflects

3625-495: Is a notable example of the architectural relationship between plantation estates and agricultural practices. The Rosedown Plantation (St. Francisville, Louisiana) An example of Greek Revival residential architecture, Rosedown features large columns and symmetrical facades. The design is intended to reflect the wealth and status of the owners, which was largely tied to plantation economy. The Hermitage (Nashville, Tennessee) Home to President Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage

3750-470: 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

3875-529: Is especially characterized by Georgian , Neo-classical , and Greek Revival style homes and mansions . These plantation houses were built in the southern American states during roughly the 30 years before the American Civil War; approximately between the 1830s to 1860s. While Antebellum style homes have their roots in Neoclassical architectural styles, several adaptations to were made to compensate for

WBRC - Misplaced Pages Continue

4000-551: Is illustrated with highly decorated entrances featuring colonnades , including a lunette over the door. Virginia State Capitol (Richmond, Virginia) Designed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, this building shows the Neoclassical style. Its grand columns and symmetry are all examples of the Classical style, which was widely used in government buildings. North Carolina State Capitol (Raleigh, North Carolina) Built in

4125-547: Is important in understanding its historical and architectural context. Oak Alley Plantation (Vacherie, Louisiana) Oak Alley is a Greek Revival mansion, recognized for its long avenue of oak trees leading up to the house. The building’s classical features, including columns and symmetry, reflect the style's influence in the Antebellum South. Fruitland (Augusta, Georgia) Designed by James Monroe and incorporating both Greek Revival and Palladian elements, Fruitland

4250-792: 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

4375-547: Is the second-oldest television station in Alabama, signing on just over one month after WAFM-TV (channel 13, now WVTM-TV ), which debuted on May 29. It was originally owned by the Birmingham Broadcasting Company, run by Eloise D. Hanna, along with WBRC radio. Hanna's first husband, M. D. Smith, had bought WBRC radio from Bell in 1928. Her son, M. D. Smith III, who worked at the radio stations in advertising sales and

4500-565: The Greek Revival style, this building features a central dome and classical columns. The design falls largely under the classical indications of Antebellum Architecture with grand colums on the facade among other items. Monticello (Charlottesville, Virginia) The home of Thomas Jefferson, Monticello blends Neoclassical and Palladian styles, with its iconic dome and symmetrical design reflecting Jefferson's architectural vision. The plantation relied on enslaved labor for its operation, which

4625-552: The Mississippi border in the west to the Georgia border in the east. In addition, although FM broadcasting was in its infancy at the time of the network switch, the advantage of channel 6's audio being heard at 87.7 FM at the far end of the FM dial would be taken advantage of by WBRC in promotional advertising up until the 2009 digital transition , allowing the station's audience to listen to

4750-603: The New Orleans Pelicans announced a broader deal to form the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, which will broadcast nearly all 2024–25 Pelicans games on Gray's stations in the Gulf South , including WBRC. WBRC presently broadcasts 64 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 11 hours each weekday, 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours on Saturdays and five hours on Sundays); in regards to

4875-716: The Retirement Systems of Alabama —was headquartered in Montgomery (the market to the adjacent south of the Birmingham DMA), and also owned that market's NBC affiliate WSFA as well as Huntsville NBC affiliate WAFF . The transfer closed on March 31, 2009. On June 25, 2018, Atlanta-based Gray Television announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets (consisting of Raycom's 63 existing owned-and/or-operated television stations, including WBRC), and Gray's 93 television stations) under

5000-515: The Southern states during the colonial period and in U.S. territories after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 along with a wave of immigration from Europe in 1812. Great numbers of Europeans seeking economic opportunities emigrated to America after Napoleon 's defeat and the end of the war of 1812. This new wave of entrepreneurs began to dominate not only the economy, but also the architecture of

5125-405: 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

WBRC - Misplaced Pages Continue

5250-526: The economic downturn . On October 26, 2009, WBRC became the second television station in the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Anniston market (after WVTM-TV)—and the third station in Alabama—to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition ; the news set and the graphics were also redesigned as part of the transition. On September 12, 2016, the station debuted a 4 p.m. newscast, placing

5375-534: 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

5500-630: The infomercial block that Fox replaced its remaining Saturday morning children's programming block with in January 2009; the rights were instead acquired by WABM. WBRC and WGHP were the only Fox-owned stations that did not air the network's children's program blocks until 2003, when now-former sister stations KTTV in Los Angeles and WFLD in Chicago moved the block to their UPN -affiliated sister stations ( KCOP-TV and WPWR-TV ). On September 17, 2024, Gray and

5625-540: The 10 a.m. hour. However, ABC largely brushed off the preemption issue, even though it would eventually become the No. 1 network nationwide by the late 1970s, because of WBRC's status as central Alabama's dominant station. WBRC cemented viewer allegiances by carrying a heavy schedule of local programs during the 1960s and 1970s, most notably two long-running morning shows. The first was The Morning Show , hosted by sports anchor Tom York ; airing for 32 years from 1957 to 1989, it

5750-502: The 1970s, ABC aired cartoons from Hanna-Barbera , whose studios were acquired by Taft in 1967. Taft later bought ABC's former syndication arm, Worldvision Enterprises , in 1979 (ABC spun off this division in 1973 as a result of fin-syn laws, which have since been repealed). This also marked a significant turnaround for channel 6's relationship with the network, as during the later 1950s, the amount of ABC programming on WBRC had been dramatically reduced from about 50% of its schedule to only

5875-511: The Anniston-Gadsden market to move to WNAL-TV (channel 44, now Ion Television owned-and-operated station WPXH-TV ), which—along with WTTO and its Tuscaloosa satellite WDBB (channel 17)—lost its Fox affiliation to WBRC. With the switch to Fox, WBRC became one of only a few television stations in the United States to have maintained primary affiliations with all of the Big Three networks , and

6000-491: The Antebellum period, reflecting classical traditions. The Exchange and Provost Dungeon (Charleston, South Carolina) This building, part of Charleston’s commercial and military history, features both Georgian and Neoclassical design elements. It is a key example of Charleston's role as a major port city, involved in trade and slavery during the Antebellum era. The features associated with antebellum architecture were introduced by people of European descent who settled in

6125-445: The Antebellum period, this Art Deco building reflects the continuing influence of classical design elements in the state’s architecture, including the use of grand columns and verticality somewhat falling under the umbrella of Antebellum Architecture. Charleston City Hall (Charleston, South Carolina) Built in the Neoclassical style, this building features symmetry and formal design, which were common in government buildings during

6250-534: The Birmingham–Tuscaloosa–Anniston market). The station began clearing Fox NFL Kickoff for the 2016 season . Channel 6 has only aired Fox's prime time, news and sports programming since it joined the network in September 1996, with the only programs relating to Fox's children's programming blocks for the final twelve years that Fox carried programming aimed at that demographic consisting of fall preview specials and network promotions that aired within

6375-508: The FM station suspended operations in June 1948 due to continued revenue losses due to the lack of radios equipped with FM tuners, Hanna borrowed $ 150,000 to build a new studio facility and transmitter atop Red Mountain for the television station. In September 1950, WBRC established a coaxial cable link with fellow NBC-DuMont affiliate WRGB (now a CBS affiliate) in Schenectady, New York , allowing

SECTION 50

#1732875653410

6500-619: The Greek Revival style, symbolized the control and dominance of the plantation economy. In contrast, enslaved laborers, who worked on these plantations, viewed these structures differently. They largely saw them as representations of oppression and subjugation. Driskell and Trawalter (2021) explored how perception of Antebellum Architecture varied by race, with white Southerners viewing the buildings as symbols of identity and status, while Black individuals and enslaved people saw them largely as symbols of opression. These differing perspectives held

6625-467: The Oconee region, is one example of this, with distinct adaptations to the local conditions. Aspects of the local architecture that diverge from the standard style include the materials used and other modifications reflecting the local climate. The iconic plantation homes of the antebellum style were largely faithful to the original design but incorporated locally sourced brick, which acted as an insulator against

6750-504: The Southern United States), it was a perfect fit for Birmingham. Unusual for a commercial broadcaster, Storer supported educational television , and the company donated two transmitters and frequencies in the Birmingham market (channels 7 and 10, which were respectively occupied by WCIQ and WBIQ when both stations signed on in 1955) to Alabama Educational Television (now Alabama Public Television ). This also, however, may have been

6875-965: The Storer era: WJBK, WAGA-TV in Atlanta , WJW in Cleveland and WITI in Milwaukee . WBRC would become the only remaining station in the Birmingham–Tuscaloosa–Anniston market that was owned by a major commercial broadcast television network, after Media General completed its acquisition of WVTM from NBC Television Stations on June 26, 2006. However, on December 22, 2007, Fox announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell WBRC and seven other Fox owned-and-operated stations (WDAF-TV, WGHP, WJW, WITI, KTVI in St. Louis , KDVR in Denver and KSTU in Salt Lake City ) to Local TV ,

7000-627: 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

7125-578: The WBRC radio stations, which changed their call letters to WERC-AM and FM . In 1966, WBRC-TV began broadcasting local programming in color , after the station purchased two color cameras; among the first local programs to be produced in color was the Alabama Crimson Tide football coaches' program, The Bear Bryant Show (originated from CBS affiliate WCOV-TV (now also a Fox affiliate) in Montgomery,

7250-605: The WBRC stations to Radio Cincinnati Inc., the forerunner of what would become Taft Broadcasting , for $ 2.3 million. Storer had to sell its broadcast holdings in Birmingham after it purchased radio station WIBG (now WNTP ) in Philadelphia and its television sister, WPFH (later WVUE ) in Wilmington, Delaware (whose frequency is now occupied by WHYY-TV ), to comply with the FCC's ownership limits of that time period. On March 1, 1961, WBRC-TV signed an agreement with ABC to become

7375-435: The WBRC television and radio stations to Storer Broadcasting for $ 2.3 million—a handsome return on her first husband's purchase of WBRC radio 25 years earlier. George B. Storer, the company's founder and chairman, was a member of the board of directors at CBS , and most of his television stations were affiliates of that network. Storer may have used his leverage to secure a primary CBS affiliation for WBRC-TV, which joined

7500-465: The air on July 1, 1949, originally broadcasting on VHF channel 4 as WBRC-TV (standing for Bell Radio Company, after Fountain Heights physician J. C. Bell, founder of radio station WBRC (960 AM, now WERC); the "-TV" suffix was dropped from the call sign in June 1999). Although WBRC-TV was the first television station in Birmingham to be granted a license by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it

7625-561: The closing narration, viewed by network president William S. Paley as editorializing his views in support of school integration; however, the special aired on May 18 of that year, two months after the ABC agreement was signed. ABC had very few full-time affiliates south of Washington, D.C. at the time, but now it had the full benefit of one of the South's strongest signals, best antenna locations and largest coverage areas. WBRC-TV's signal provided at least secondary coverage as far north as Decatur and extending south to near Montgomery , and from

SECTION 60

#1732875653410

7750-454: The company was in the process of acquiring through the Argyle and Citicasters deals, including WBRC – to the network, in exchange for the latter's then-parent company News Corporation purchasing a 20% equity stake in New World; the stations would become Fox affiliates once their affiliation contracts with existing network partners expired (with the first stations involved in the deal switching to

7875-477: The completion of a hostile takeover of the group. In December 1993, Great American Communications was restructured again into Citicasters after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . Citicasters then decided to put most of its television stations up for sale. These moves, though, did not immediately affect WBRC's high standing in the ratings or its reputation in the community. On May 5, 1994, Great American Communications (which would later be renamed Citicasters following

8000-582: The completion of its restructuring) agreed to sell WBRC and three other television stations – WDAF-TV in Kansas City , KSAZ-TV in Phoenix and WGHP in High Point, North Carolina – to New World Communications – for $ 350 million in cash and $ 10 million in share warrants . However, three weeks later, New World agreed to purchase four stations owned by Argyle Television Holdings, WVTM being among them, in

8125-492: The current Raycom stations. The sale was approved on December 20 and completed on January 2, 2019. WBRC currently carries the majority of the Fox network schedule, though it delays the network's Saturday late night block (currently a repeat of a prime time reality show) one hour due to the station's 10 p.m. newscast and its carriage of the syndicated sports interview program In Depth with Graham Bensinger ; in addition, following

8250-559: The early 2000s against WBMA-LD and a resurgent WIAT (both of which currently engage in a spirited competition for second place); WBRC's 9 p.m. newscast has consistently ranked as one of the most-watched prime time newscasts in the U.S. for most of its run since its debut in 1996. WBRC television's news operations began with the launch of the station in 1949, originally consisting of five-minute-long newscasts at sign-on and sign-off that were originally anchored by operations manager M.D. Smith III, who read wire copies of local news headlines over

8375-610: The edgier content of Fox's programming) and Mark Prater, and sports anchor Mike Raita. In 2009, WBRC became a founding member station of the Raycom News Network, a service created to allow the sharing of news resources among the four Raycom-owned television stations that serve Alabama – including NBC affiliate WSFA in Montgomery, NBC affiliate WAFF in Huntsville and ABC affiliate WTVM in Columbus, Georgia (the latter of which includes

8500-488: The expansion of WBRC's news lineup also filled timeslots vacated by the departures of Good Morning America and World News Tonight through the discontinuance of its ABC affiliation. WBRC also lost several longtime anchors and reporters to the W58CK/WCFT/WJSU trimulcast at that time, including news anchors Linda Mays and Brenda Ladun, meteorologists James Spann (who himself reportedly left WBRC due to his disapproval over

8625-616: The first half of the 19th century. A prime example of the influence of immigrants in antebellum architecture is Stanton Hall . The Hall was built by Frederick Stanton, an immigrant from Ireland who made his fortune in trading cotton. The design was based on the Revival style. The Hall also goes to show the increasingly connected national and global economy in which antebellum architecture emerged. The house used mantel pieces from New York, gas-burning chandeliers from Philadelphia, and mirrors from France. Similar to many antebellum homes, Stanton Hall

8750-424: The first television station in the state to begin color broadcasts), which aired on WBRC until 1970, when it moved to WAPI-TV. Meanwhile, WBRC-TV had become one of ABC's strongest affiliates, a position it retained for the next quarter-century. For a time, it incorporated the ABC circle logo inside its own "6" logo (just as it had done with the CBS eye in the 1950s). Channel 6 could make a plausible claim to be not only

8875-515: The first television stations in the region to adopt a 24-hour-a-day programming schedule. After it suffered significant structural damage due to an ice storm that affected the Southeastern U.S. in the winter of 1985, the station's original transmitter tower was replaced in 1986, with a new tower on Red Mountain 3 miles (4.8 km) east of the original tower's location. In October 1987, Taft was restructured into Great American Communications following

9000-498: The former's corporate umbrella. The cash-and-stock merger transaction valued at $ 3.6 billion—in which Gray shareholders would acquire preferred stock currently held by Raycom—resulted in WBRC gaining new sister stations in adjacent markets, including ABC affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian and CBS/NBC affiliates WTVY and WRGX-LD in Dothan (while separating it from WDFX ), in addition to

9125-522: The front and rear of the house. A hipped or gabled roof are characteristics of antebellum architecture and often feature a cupola . (A cupola is a dome-like structure on top of a building that provides ventilation and serves as decoration. ) These mansions were also often surrounded by grand gardens with geometrically cut bushes that complemented the symmetry of the houses. Antebellum architectural structures often have multiple stories or levels. The interior of these mansions were just as extravagant as

9250-477: The group's 1996 merger with Fox Television Stations (WGHP and WJBK in Detroit, which became a sister station to WBRC as a result of the New World merger, were the only others to comply with the network's branding techniques; the remaining ten stations did not incorporate network branding until after the merger was finalized). After New World merged with Fox in 1997, WBRC was reunited with four of its sister stations from

9375-420: 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

9500-418: The hot subtropical climate of the southern United States. The main exterior characteristics of antebellum architecture included huge pillars, a balcony that ran along the whole outside edge of the house creating a porch that offers shade and spot to enjoy a breeze, and a sitting area in the cooler evenings. The evenly spaced large windows ventilated the warm air outside. Most homes had big centered entrances at

9625-431: The hotter summer climate. The regional variations also differ due to local economic conditions, with the economy being primarily based on cotton cultivation and farming. The buildings were constructed as demonstrations of wealth and power, with these key aspects serving as central design elements. The buildings showcased the material success of local plantations, which were the primary examples of antebellum architecture in

9750-501: The house more in line with contemporary styles, adding Doric columns and making it more Classical and Revivalist in appearance. Like other homes of its time, the Hermitage was built in a symmetrical design with equal amounts of corridors and rooms. Not just reflecting the cultural differences between the West and East in this time, the Hermitage also was part of the South's economy. The Hermitage

9875-503: The influence of classical architecture in religious buildings during the Antebellum period. St. Philip's Church (Charleston, South Carolina) St. Philip's Church blends Georgian and Greek Revival styles, with its notable bell tower and use of other classical elements. The church is an example of how religious architecture during the Antebellum period often incorporated these popular architectural styles. The Louisiana State Capitol (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Though constructed after

10000-569: The late 1960s to the mid-1990s. Even still, due to signal impairment in mountainous areas of northeastern Alabama, WBRC operated two low-power translators to extend its programming to that part of the state, W29AO (channel 29) in Anniston in W15AP (channel 15) in Gadsden . In 1982, WBRC began receiving ABC network and syndicated programming, and news footage via satellite . In 1984, the station became one of

10125-512: The lawsuit. In July 2008, the station announced that James-Paul Dice – a former meteorologist at CBS affiliate WHNT-TV in Huntsville – would replace Neal as chief meteorologist. On July 29, 2008, the parties to the lawsuit filed a stipulation of dismissal, stating that the dispute had been resolved in mediation. The terms of the settlement were not immediately disclosed. Neal now works for WeatherNation as chief meteorologist. The station's signal

10250-539: The length of the ABC Evening News ; however, the 15-minute local newscast beat The Huntley-Brinkley Report on WAPI-TV/WVTM and the CBS Evening News on WBMG in the ratings. In 1979, channel 6 became the first television station in Alabama to acquire a helicopter for newsgathering, "Chopper 6". In 1983, Bev Montgomery made history as the first African American to anchor a newscast in the Birmingham market when he

10375-400: 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

10500-419: 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

10625-451: The most-watched station in the Birmingham market but in the entire state of Alabama, thanks in part to unusually weak competition. CBS affiliate WBMG (channel 42, now WIAT ), which signed on in October 1965 as the market's third commercial television station, was not a factor and, in fact, was among the lowest-rated major-network affiliates in the nation at some points, making Birmingham a de facto two-station market to industry observers from

10750-458: The network in September 1994). Although the network's Birmingham charter affiliate, WTTO (channel 21), was one of Fox's strongest affiliates at the time, the network found the chance to align with WBRC too much to resist because of its longstanding ratings dominance in the market. The group's affiliation deal with Fox also gave New World a chance to solve its ownership problem by reaching an agreement with Citicasters to sell WBRC and WGHP directly to

10875-623: The network on July 4, 1954. NBC programming subsequently moved to channel 13 (by then, using the call sign WABT); both stations, however, retained a secondary affiliation with ABC. On September 17 of that year, the WBRC stations moved to a new, much larger studio facility located on Red Mountain that was built by Storer, where channel 6 continues to operate from to this day. The building, like many of those built by Storer to serve as studios for its broadcast properties, resembled an antebellum mansion. While it may have been out of place in most of Storer's other markets (many of which were located outside of

11000-465: The network's owned-and-operated station group, Fox Television Stations . Fox was unable to immediately purchase the two stations outright due to questions over the American citizenship of then-parent company News Corporation 's Australian-born CEO Rupert Murdoch . New World then decided to acquire the stations itself, but place them in an outside trust company that it established; New World would sell

11125-492: The network's prime time lineup. WBRC became the first television station to broadcast the United Cerebral Palsy Telethon , an event to raise money for the cerebral palsy research organization that premiered in 1949; it was from WBRC that the event emerged into national prominence, with national celebrities even making appearances on the telecast. Even in its final years on WBRC, mini-documentaries produced by

11250-414: The news department in on-air, administrative and production positions. WBRC has been the ratings leader in the market for most of the last half-century, dating back to its tenure as an ABC affiliate. Its newscasts were also among the highest-rated local news programs in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s; WBRC had won practically every news timeslot for many years, with WAPI-TV/WVTM-TV coming in at

11375-449: The newscasts that existed during its final years as an ABC affiliate, but expanded its weekday morning newscast from one to three hours (with the addition of a two-hour extension, known for most of its run as Good Day Alabama , from 7 to 9 a.m.), and bridged the separate 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts on Monday through Friday nights to form a 90-minute early-evening news block (by adding a half-hour newscast at 5:30). Channel 6 also launched

11500-463: The number of hours devoted to news programming, it is the highest local newscast output in the state of Alabama. In addition, the station produces Fox 6 Sideline , a high school football program that debuted in September 1989 as an ABC affiliate, which airs Friday nights after the 10 p.m. newscasts during the fall. The station has the largest news staff of any television station in Alabama, with around half of its approximately 160 employees employed with

11625-463: The only one in the country to have had primary affiliations with all four current major networks; it also became the first network-owned commercial television station in the state of Alabama. At that time, WBRC phased out its longstanding "Channel 6" brand and began branding itself as "Fox 6", becoming one of three Fox stations affected by the affiliation deal between the network and New World to adopt Fox's standardized station branding conventions prior to

11750-459: The operations of WBRC and WGHP to Fox Television Stations, which took over operational control through time brokerage agreements with New World and purchased the stations three months later on July 22; Fox formally finalized the purchase of the two stations on January 17, 1996. Although it was now owned by the O&;O group of another network, Fox now had to run channel 6 as an ABC affiliate for more than

11875-568: The outside. Common features included enormous foyers, sweeping open stairways, ballrooms, grand dining rooms, and detailed design work. The design work included intricate shapes and patterns made from plaster used to adorn walls and furniture. It was also used to create wood and floor designs. Designs additionally include friezes , large pier glasses , and marble mantels. Greek revival components apparent in antebellum architecture include doorways, often recessed and flanked by pilastered and entablatured columns. Similarly, Georgian architecture

12000-468: The prime time newscast to one hour (WBRC is one of several Fox stations that offer newscasts in both the final hour of prime time and the traditional late news timeslot, one of the few affiliated with the network that runs a nightly newscast in the latter slot and one of the few to continue its Big Three-era late-evening newscast after switching to Fox). In addition to compensating for the absence of daily national morning and evening newscasts on Fox's schedule,

12125-498: The program's move from Fox Sports 1 to Fox in September 2015, WBRC formerly was one of several Fox affiliates that has declined carriage of the Sunday pre-game show Fox NFL Kickoff during the NFL regular season due to existing programming contracts (unlike in other markets where a Fox station has declined carriage of Fox NFL Kickoff , the program was not broadcast by any other station in

12250-476: 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

12375-643: The public to America's history with slavery. Antebellum Architecture in the Southern United States is largely associated with various buildings largely made up of the Greek Revival Style that fills much of the South. Regional variations can be found such as in Middle Georgia which reveal how variables such as local resources, climate, and numerous other factors can influence the architectual style. The architecture of Middle Georgia, particularly in

12500-493: The question of whether or not these buildings, as symbols of a wealthy society propped up by slavery, should be preserved. For example, Grass Lawn , an antebellum mansion in Gulfport, Mississippi , was totally destroyed by the hurricane. As the community began to raise funds to rebuild the mansion, it faced resistance from parts of the community who opposed the symbolism of the mansion. Though it eventually passed through city council,

12625-465: The region. An estimated 20% of antebellum mansions remain intact in the south today due to many being burned during the Civil War, natural disasters, and their neglect. Many antebellum homes are now museums; Georgia's Old Governor's Mansion is an example of this. The mansion belongs to Georgia College , and is its most treasured structure. In 2001, the structure began its restoration, and now serves as

12750-444: The same market; in addition, the concurrent acquisitions of the Argyle and Citicasters stations put New World three stations over the national television ownership cap that the agency enforced at the time, which allowed broadcasters to own a maximum of twelve stations nationwide. On May 23, 1994, New World signed an affiliation agreement with Fox to switch twelve television stations – six that New World had already owned and eight that

12875-489: The show's format and did most of the commercials himself in the studio live. York's program, meanwhile, was so popular that, when ABC debuted AM America in January 1975, WBRC declined to carry it—preferring not to alter, let alone cancel, what had become a local television institution in The Morning Show ; this continued after ABC replaced the more news-driven AM America with Good Morning America , which maintained

13000-729: The station (which were produced by Randy Mize and Tom Stovall) for the local segments aired during the UCP Telethon; WBRC stopped producing and broadcasting the local segments of the telethon soon after it switched to Fox in 1996. WBRC began producing live local programming in 1950 after it converted the building that formerly housed WBRC-FM into a makeshift television studio; the station also acquired additional studio camera equipment, including shows such as Coffee Break , Supersonic Sam and Cowboy Theatre . Like many network affiliates, WBRC-TV would preempt ABC programming occasionally or regularly, in some cases. For example, according to local legends,

13125-559: The station and ABC network programming on both traditional radio receivers and car stereos . The station's weather department designed its presentations to relay information for both its traditional television and radio audiences in severe weather situations. The station became exclusively affiliated with ABC on September 7, 1961; on that date, channel 13 (by then known as WAPI-TV) assumed rights to CBS and NBC programming, although WBRC continued to occasionally carry certain CBS shows that WAPI chose not to carry through 1965. In 1972, Taft sold

13250-442: The station in competition with WVTM and WBMA, which have both aired 4 p.m. newscasts for several years. In May 2008, David Neal (who had been with WBRC since 1997) filed a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit against WBRC and members of the station's management team, after he was fired as chief meteorologist of the station's weather department without explanation that March. The station denied any wrongdoing, and began defending

13375-424: The station initially turned down Bewitched , not because it was concerned about witchcraft , but because it concerned a mixed marriage (between a witch and a mortal); there were fears that Bewitched would encourage what some segregationists referred to as " cross-breeding "; channel 6 would not clear Bewitched until 1967 (although, according to the October 15, 1965, issue of The Birmingham News , Bewitched

13500-410: The station originally relied mainly on network and film content for much of the programming it broadcast. The station's transmitter was originally purposed as the transmitter facilities for radio station WBRC-FM (102.5, now WBPT at 106.9 FM; original frequency now occupied by WDXB ), which signed on in 1947 with the highest radiated power of any radio station worldwide, operating at 500,000 watts; after

13625-622: The station to broadcast NBC and DuMont network programs both live and live-to-air. On February 19, 1953, WBRC-TV moved to channel 6 as part of a frequency realignment ordered by the FCC, resulting from the Sixth Report and Order issued the year prior in 1952. This move was made to alleviate signal interference problems between WBRC and WSM-TV (now sister station WSMV-TV ) in Nashville , which also transmitted on channel 4, that were present in portions of northern Alabama. Later that year, Hanna also sold

13750-668: The station's main news anchor; Bolen would remain a fixture at channel 6 (eventually becoming anchor of the station's weekday morning newscast in 1990) for 42 years until his retirement in 2010. In 1978, WBRC became the first television station in the Birmingham market to acquire a microwave truck for electronic news-gathering purposes, and became the first to provide live breaking news coverage on-scene. The station would not begin producing half-hour evening newscasts until 1979, eleven years after ABC expanded its national evening newscast to 30 minutes. Station management declined ABC's insistence that WBRC expand its 6 p.m. newscast to match

13875-421: The stations operate (the only Raycom-owned station in Alabama that did not participate in the arrangement was fellow Fox affiliate WDFX-TV in Dothan , whose news programming was produced by WSFA under a news share agreement and is no longer a sister station to those other stations). On July 14, 2009, the station eliminated its Saturday evening 5 p.m. newscast due to budget cutbacks at the station spurred by

14000-555: The stations to Fox Television Stations, which, in turn, would pay the group $ 130 million in promissory notes upon the transfer's completion. New World formally filed an application with the FCC to transfer WBRC to the trust on October 12, 1994, one month after it filed transferred WGHP on September 9; the FCC approved the transfer on April 3, 1995. Under the arrangement, New World owned the licenses of both stations, while Citicasters continued to control their operations under outsourcing agreements . In April 1995, Citicasters transferred

14125-467: The story of the slaves who worked the land. Boone Hall is a prime example of modern antebellum museums. The museum uses nine of the original slave cabins built between 1790 and 1810 as part of its "Black History in America" exhibit. In the exhibit, each cabin presents different aspects of slave life on the plantation. While the style's history remains controversial, exhibits like these are important in exposing

14250-399: 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

14375-459: Was a more general-interest interview and features program that was formatted basically a local version of Today ; WBRC anchor Joe Langston (who also hosted the children's programs Birthday Party and Junior Auction for the station in the late 1960s) and comedian Fannie Flagg joined as York's co-hosts in the early 1960s (Flagg would leave for Los Angeles in 1964 to become a writer for Candid Camera ). Fiddler, guitarist and vocalist Eddie Burns

14500-500: Was an active plantation which grew the period's dominant cash crop, cotton. Antibellum Architecture holds numerous close ties with social and racial structures that existed throughout the Southern United States in the 19th century. Plantations and other grand Antebellum Architecture constructions stood as displays of wealth and power for white Southerners, reflecting the success of the plantation economies, which relied on enslaved labour. The design and placement of these buildings, often in

14625-443: Was appointed anchor of the station's weekend evening newscasts. In 1988, the station acquired satellite news-gathering vehicles, "Skylink 6", to conduct and beam live remote footage transmitted to the studio via satellite. After WBRC became a Fox station in September 1996, the station shifted its programming focus heavily towards local news, increasing its output from about 25 hours a week to around 40 hours. The station retained all of

14750-630: Was built using a fortune Stanton made trading cotton. During the Civil War, like many other plantation houses, the Hall was occupied by Union soldiers. President Andrew Jackson 's home, The Hermitage , is another prime example of both antebellum architecture and the social conditions in which it arose. It was built in the Federal Style which, while losing favor in the more trendy East, was still popular in Western slave states like Tennessee. Later, renovations made

14875-455: Was designed by Charles Cluskey , an Irish immigrant who emigrated to New York City in 1827 where he trained to be an architect under the firm Town and Davis , and was built by Timothy Porter in 1839. Like other antebellum homes, this mansion has Ionic columns, a covered porch, and symmetrically placed windows. For over thirty years, this mansion housed many Georgian chief executives such as George Crawford , Howell Cobb and Joseph E. Brown . It

15000-477: Was invited to bring his musical group to serve as The Morning Show ' s house band and act as the program's bandleader; however, within a few months, station management offered Burns his own morning program on channel 6. That series, Country Boy Eddie , which was aimed at rural Alabama viewers, featured local country , bluegrass and Southern Gospel music artists during its 36-year run from 1957 until December 31 , 1993. Over time, Burns added novelty acts to

15125-483: Was later promoted to program director and vice president, ran the television station as its operations manager. His son, M. D. Smith IV later organized Smith Broadcasting, which purchased WAFG-TV, Channel 31 in Huntsville, Alabama in 1963, with himself as operations manager. The call letters were immediately changed to WAAY-TV . M. D. Smith III is also named a remote general manager of WAAY-TV from Birmingham. Originally broadcasting for three hours per day, it operated as

15250-483: Was owned by the descendants of Stanton for several decades after the Civil War, but eventually the financial burden was too much and it became the Stanton College for Young Ladies. Today most antebellum buildings serve as museums. These museums, especially the museums located at former plantations, often attempt to show both sides of the architectural style. While celebrating the beauty of the buildings, they also tell

15375-518: Was shown airing at its in-pattern time of Thursdays at 8 p.m. ( Central ) on WBRC). Channel 6 continued these practices for most of its years with ABC. It also preempted the ABC Evening News (the forerunner to World News Tonight ) from the program's debut in 1968 until August 7, 1972 (when both it and WJRT-TV in Flint, Michigan , became the last two ABC affiliates to begin airing the network newscast), as well as daytime network programs at aired during

15500-674: 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 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

15625-484: Was used as a stage for their speeches, and a place to introduce important guests. This mansion also played a part in the Civil War; General William T. Sherman headquartered in the building in 1864 and it was claimed as a prize in the " March to the Sea ." After the war, the mansion was abandoned when Georgia's government was moved to Atlanta. After the Civil War, the upkeep of these homes was strained. Stanton Hall, for example,

#409590