Were talking about event TV, as everyone settled down in front of their household sets at the same times each day. In this undated file photo, Tom York of WBRC-TV in Birmingham (second from right) attended a Touchdown Club Dinner with Doug Layton, Creed Gilmer, Judge Barber and Paul "Bear" Bryant. Priscilla Huff is the Managing Editor for the Washington, DC Bureau. I guarantee everyone on air has made more than one.". Read more about this topic: WBRC, News Operation, News Team. |. Everyone was tuned in on the same wavelength.. (Gray News) - OpTic Gaming continues to dominate the Halo Championship Series (HCS), winning the kickoff Major of the 2023 season in Charlotte this past weekend. She started as an Intern while in college at UAB earning her degree in Broadcast Journalism. (AL.com file photo), Tom York, a mainstay at WBRC-TV/Channel 6 from 1957 to 1989, became a household name in Birmingham as the host of The Tom York Morning Show. I was the last one hired, York recalled in a 2017 interview with the Over the Mountain Journal. Benny was just a very appealing personality, Hollis said. [35] 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. Three years later, he became vice president and news director at Dallas station KDFW-TV. Lauren joined the WBRC FOX6 News team in March 2022 as a multimedia journalist. Kids from all over Birmingham and central Alabama came to celebrate their birthdays on his show, and to sit in the audience and giggle and cheer as the man in the sailor hat and the double-string tie performed his magic tricks and told his corny jokes, Bob Carlton said in a 2008 story for AL.com. 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). 1103 Beadle Hill Road, Valley Falls, NY 12185. He also owned TV and radio stations in north Alabama. Nearly a decade and a few other jobs later, she is proud to be back in Alabama. Anchors of ABC World News Tonight H. R. Baukhage Pauline Frederick Leo Cherne John Daly Don Goddard John Daly Bill Shadel Bill Lawrence John Cameron Swayze Ron Cochran Peter Jennings Bob Young Frank Reynolds Howard K. Smith Harry Reasoner Barbara Walters Frank Reynolds Max Robinson Peter Jennings Bob Woodruff Elizabeth Vargas Charles Gibson Adopted 12-year-old girl abused and neglected, mother under investigation, 3 arrested following deadly shooting of 13-year-old boy in Tuscaloosa, Man dies in shooting over Alabama, Texas A&M football game, Amber Alert canceled for 15-year-old girl in Alabama, Two men electrocuted during power restoration efforts in Alabama, 2 charged with capital murder after body of kidnapped 3-year-old Kamille McKinney found in landfill, Searching for Kamille McKinney: No evidence for missing Bham toddler found in multiple searches, Kamille McKinney not located at Bham apartment complex after hours-long search, AMBER Alert remains active as search for 3-year-old girl kidnapped in Birmingham, Ala. continues, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey apologizes for wearing blackface in college, Sec. 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. She had been a reporter and weekend news anchor, but she was dismissed from the station on Dec. 16, 2015. I didn't get the right answers, at least the accurate answers.". Bolen switched to WBRC/Channel 6 in 1969, and it would be his last career move. Menu. russian ark mistake; annual revenues zocdoc; hmrc withholding tax on dividends; Two days after graduating from college, Morgan Hightower began her journalism career in Montgomery, Alabama. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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 1995), had recently switched to ABC. Daniel Heffner is a Special Projects Producer for NBC12. OpTic finished the 2022 season by winning the HCS World Championship on the heels of winning the final regular season . Rosemary Lucas was known simply as "Rosemary" on WAPI-TV/Channel 13 in Birmingham. Her son, M. D. Smith III, who worked at the radio stations in advertising sales and was later promoted to program director and vice president, ran the television station as its operations manager. 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 a portion of eastern Alabama in its service area) which combined, cover almost half of Alabama's population. In addition, WBRC produces Fox 6 WBRC Law Call, a weekly call-in programhosted by former WBRC reporter Tiffany Bittner, and airing live after the station's 10:00p.m. newscast on Sunday nightsin which viewers ask members of a panel (usually consisting of personal injury attorneys) for advice on various legal issues; and Absolutely Alabama, a weekly programairing after Law Call on Sundaysconsisting of feature stories about people and places around Alabama.[31]. On July 14, 2009, the station eliminated its Saturday evening 5:00p.m. newscast due to budget cutbacks at the station spurred by the economic downturn. She coordinates content and produces stories with a particular passion for digging into government programs and waste, health care policy and education. Whatever evolves as my second act, I know I will forever be grateful for the first.. of State: Alabama woman who joined ISIS, wants to return home is no longer US citizen; cannot return, UAB employees injured in bus crash in northwest AL, Wichita County Tax Office provides alternative service locations, Kids Fishing Rodeo to be held at Plum Lake. President of my company & Senior Contributing Editor for Heavy Duty Trucking Mag. Jonathan and Morgan will continue their investigative work as a part of WBRCs On Your Side Investigators team. Storer may have used his leverage to secure a primary CBS affiliation for WBRC-TV, which joined the network on July 4, 1954. Early release parolee arrested in Walker Co. Greene County EMS sees turnaround in fortunes. York's program, meanwhile, was so popular that, when ABC debuted AM America in January 1975, WBRC declined to carry itpreferring 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 a format similar to York's program, in November of that year. 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 the edgier content of Fox's programming) and Mark Prater, and sports anchor Mike Raita. The station began clearing Fox NFL Kickoff for the 2016 season. He's worked at television stations in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana, before joining the WBRC FOX6 News team in October 2007. L.A. Weatherwoman (1993-1995) unknown . 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 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). He was one of those people who were prepared to do what was needed. Jennifer joined the WBRC FOX6 News team in March 2021 and plays an integral role with the On Your Side Investigators. Theres going to be a time when none of this means anything to anyone. In 1969, Cousin Cliffs show finally went off the air in Birmingham, so he traded in the sailor cap for a top hat and took his show to Anniston, where it ran for another three years. 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. During the 1970s, ABC aired cartoons from Hanna-Barbera, whose studios were acquired by Taft in 1967. Im not sure what that will be. Mike Dubberly is a Good Day Alabama anchor for WBRC FOX6 News. The video, shared by Phillip Dollar, is of a game that was played last weekend between 11- and 12-year-olds in Alabama. A woman in Alabama is facing charges after police say she refused to let two boys, ages 9 and 10, leave her apartment this weekend after a sleepover. Rachel is an investigative journalist with more than 20 years experience. On March 1, 1961, WBRC-TV signed an agreement with ABC to become a full-time affiliate of the network. The apartment complex is located in the 2700 block of Jefferson Ave. near 28th St. SW. A person of interest is in custody while Birmingham police continue searching for a 3-year-old girl who was kidnapped Saturday night. But after doing the weather for so many years, they had a pretty good idea of what the weather was going to do. Lucas was inducted into the Alabama Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2016. 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. While in school, Lauren worked as the Sports Director, Reporter, and Anchor for UATV News. Joe Langston joined the staff of WBRC-TV/Channel 6 in 1963, appearing on The Tom York Morning Show. He eventually would become the stations director of news and editorial policy, and a signature voice in local broadcasting. Jonathan Skinner joined the WBRC FOX6 News family as a Reporter/MMJ in Oct. 2020. In addition to compensating for the absence of daily national morning and evening newscasts on Fox's schedule, 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. (New World Communications Group Inc. acquires Argyle Television Holdings)", "Fox Gains 12 Stations in New World Deal", "Fox et al. There will certainly be a void when shes gone, but her legacy of hard work, empathy for our audiences, high journalistic standards and kind nature will live on. The high school valedictorian earned scholarships from more than a dozen of the nations top Ivy League and post-secondary institutions. Bill Bolen had a long career in Birmingham broadcasting, on stations that included WBMG-TV/Channel 42 and WBRC-TV/Channel 6. People have welcomed her into their homes and invited her to stay for 40 years. Tigerlily, a 14-year-old golden retriever mix somehow got stuck about 35-feet into an 18-inch sewer pipe and was rescued by private contractors. He was suspended from NBC News for six months in 2015 for exaggerating his involvement in some of his past stories. Aajene was born and raised in Los Angeles, California until she was 11 years old, and then her family moved to Lexington, South Carolina! 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 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. While she was born in Texas, Lauren is an Alabama native. WBRC (channel 6) is a television station in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. 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. Political Reporter Lydia Nusbaum joined WSFA and the Gray family in June 2018. WBRC Fox 6 News (TV Series 2000- ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. An Alabama medical helicopter pilot was released from the hospital Friday after a 187-day stay in the COVID unit. Curtis Means was born at 21 weeks and one day at UAB Hospital in Alabama. She also interned at the local NBC affiliate. And I know Im not alone. This gave ABC a sufficient amount of time to find another station to replace channel 6 as its central Alabama affiliate. Channel 6 also launched a prime time newscast at 9:00p.m. to compensate for the lack of prime time programming provided by Fox during that hour; however, it filled the 9:30p.m. half-hour with syndicated programs (originally reruns of Seinfeld, then from 1997 afterward, Jeopardy!) Movies. WBRCs new anchor lineup in the weekday evenings is as follows: Jonathan Hardison and Catherine Patterson. After New World merged with Fox in 1997, WBRC was reunited with four of its sister stations from the Storer era: WJBK, WAGA-TV in Atlanta, WJW in Cleveland and WITI in Milwaukee. Brooke Allen - traffic reporter (2008-2009), Dave Bondy reporter (2001-2010; now at WPXI in Pittsburgh), Mary Brown - weekend evenings meteorologist (1983-1985; deceased), "Country Boy" Eddie Burns - host of longest produced program for local country music talent, The "Country Boy" Eddie Show (1957-1993; retired), Shane Butler - weekend evening meteorologist (1993-1996; now at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Georgia), Wynette Byrd (Tammy Wynette) was a regular performer on WBRC's, John Carroll - meteorologist (19961999; currently at KREX-TV in Grand Junction, CO), Dan Cates - Assistant Promotions Director and Bureau Chief (1984-1993; now at WSPA-TV in Greenville, South Carolina), Bruce Cunningham - sports director (1985-1989; now at WBFF-TV in Baltimore), Brian Curtis - weekend news anchor reporter (1993-1995; now at KXAS-TV in Dallas, Texas), Chris Davis - weekend meteorologist (2002-2005), Terri Denard - weekend anchor reporter (19821993; now at University of Alabama), Michael Douglas - morning reporter; consumer reporter/producer (1996-1998; retired), Jonathan Elias - reporter (1988-1991; now at WBZ-TV in Boston), Art Franklin - weekend news anchor weekday evenings news anchor (1991-2003; retired from WAGA-TV in 2008), Ron Grillo - weekend sports anchor/fill-in anchor reporter (19781994), Eli Gold sports anchor (1980-1989; currently the voice of University of Alabama football & hosts the weekly, Cynthia Gould - weekend news anchor (2001-2006; currently weekend news anchor at WIAT in Birmingham), Donna Hamilton - weekday weather reporter (1977-1981; now at WBAL-TV in Baltimore), Mike Hogewood sports anchor (1981-1986 currently lead broadcaster for the Atlantic Coast Conference), Michael Jones - fill-in anchor/reporter (1983-1994), Rick Journey - weekend anchor, weekdays morning anchor, and Tuscaloosa reporter (19922012), Ted Klimasewski ("Dr. Ted K") - meteorologist (1988-1990, 1999; currently a fill-in meteorologist at WEAC-CA), Jason Kelley - weekend weather meteorologist (2009-2010), Brenda Ladun - Anchor and "Six on Your Side" reporter (19871996; now at WBMA/WCFT/WJSU), Larry Langford reporter (1970s; former mayor of Birmingham), Joe Langston anchor (1955-1981 and 1983-1987; retired), Andrea Lindenburg - weekend anchor, later weekday evening anchor (1993-2004; now at WVTM-TV), Harry Mabry anchor (1960s-1970s; deceased), Brandy Malone - general traffic reporter (2005-2008; last at WZTV in Nashville), Linda Mays - daybreak and noon anchor (1988-1996; now at WBMA/WCFT/WJSU), Pat McReynolds - weekend anchor and "Good Day Alabama" morning anchor (1995-2000; now at KPHO-TV in Phoenix, Arizona), Bev Montgomery - weekday evenings anchor (1983-1987), David Neal - weeday evenings meteorologist (1996-2008; last at WIAT), Ashley Nix - general assignment reporter (2004-2011), Mark Prater - weekday mornings meteorologist (1994-1996; now at WIAT), Dave Pylant - weekday mornings meteorologist (1984-1989; now at KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kansas), Mike Raita - weekdays sports anchor/fill-in anchor (1989-1995; now at WBMA/WCFT/WJSU), Atticus Rominger - "Six on Your Side" consumer reporter (1999-2006), Mike Royer - weekday evenings weather anchor (1979-1989; now a news anchor at WVTM-TV), Sara Sanders - weekend mornings meteorologist (2008-2009), Dan Satterfield - weekday mornings/afternoon meteorologist (1989-1994), Kevin Selle - weekend meteorologist (1990-1993; now at TXCN), Emily Stroud - fill-in anchor (1991-1994), Laurie Stroud - weekday anchor for "Daybreak" and "Family Healthcast" reporter (1991-1993), James Spann meteorologist (19891996; now at WBMA/WCFT/WJSU), Devon Walsh - weekday evening anchor and "Six Family Health" reporter (2002-2008; now at WKRG-TV in Mobile), Herb Winches - sports anchor (1976-1985; now at WERC-AM), Sally Wiggin anchor/reporter (19771980; now at WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Tom York sports anchor/host of WBRC's long-running. [11] 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. "And the sad part for me is, when I started in the late '70s, I was the only female in the first and the third newsrooms I worked in. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. To a generation of baby boomers who grew up in Birmingham and around Alabama in the 1950s and 1960s, Cliff Holman was a legend. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. WBRC - News Operation - News Team - Former On-air Staff. The transfer closed on March 31, 2009. Carle died in 2014. It was reportedly the victim's first day on the job. Toi graduated with his Masters of Arts degree in New Media Journalism in 2016 from Full Sail University, while working as a reporter in Lafayette. Monday night, Church posted on her Facebook timeline that she was told by Fox 6 management that "nobody would miss me" and urged "the hundreds of you who've asked" to call the station on her behalf. Matt Daniel joined the WBRC First Alert weather team in August 2018 as a digital meteorologist/weather producer. An adoptive mother is under investigation after being accused of possible child neglect. She had a last name, of course, but Rosemary Lucas didnt really need one during her career at WAPI-TV/Channel 13. failures of government agencies, product flaws and other transparency issues. 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, the first television station in the state to begin color broadcasts), which aired on WBRC until 1970, when it moved to WAPI-TV. 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 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 the network's owned-and-operated station group, Fox Television Stations. [4] 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. Thats why the old programs mean so much to people. She joined the Gray Television in January 2022 as a producer. "So I was talking to a bail bondsman and two people that he was with, and I said, 'You're here to get Marcus Lundy out?' Audiences liked and trusted Gray, and her sunny good looks were a bonus. He was the epitome of the stern, no-nonsense, never-crack-a-smile-on-the-air kind of guy, Hollis said. Jonathan says its a blessing to be able to come to Birmingham and work in one of the best cities in the south. Man shot to death on his first day of work in Ala. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. She also serves as the editor of WBRC's "Daily 6" Newsletter. 7, 2009 at 11:58 PM PDT This week as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of WBRC-TV, it is time for us to look back on six decades of news reporting. "As far as they were concerned, nothing I did was going to be good enough because they wanted to replace me for a variety of reasons," she said. Church, who has four adopted dogs, has encouraged people who are looking for pets to adopt from humane societies or animal rescue groups. He has lived, attended school, raised his family and worked in the South all his life. (Fox 6 photo). Janet said, I look forward to having quality time with my family and the freedom to do something new. I put up with a lot. make sure the graphviz executables are on your systems' path. He started his career in 1954 at radio station WSGN-AM, where he was a sales person, news director and disc jockey, hosting a Saturday night rock n roll show he called Rollin with Bolen. After 11 years at WSGN, Bolen broke into television at CBS affiliate WBMG-TV/Channel 42 in 1965, where he was a street reporter and anchor. Meanwhile, many of Church's fans went on her Facebook page to voice their displeasure with Fox 6 for letting her go, and they shared a photograph of her with the headline, "You Will Be Missed Karen Church.". #Wbrc Fox6 News Anchors | NewsBreak NewsBreak provides latest and breaking news about #Wbrc Fox6 News Anchors. 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. (AL.com file photo). 1 network nationwide by the late 1970s, because of WBRC's status as central Alabama's dominant station. Owner | Frankly Speaking Communications | Media Consultant & Presentation Trainer, Award-Winning CBS Reporter, Speaker. She also serves as the editor of WBRC's "Daily 6" Newsletter. He retired from television in 1996. Professional Background CheckInformation on professionals, their work history and resumes. Birmingham TV newscaster Karen Church is no longer employed at Fox 6/WBRC-TV, where she had been a reporter and weekend news anchor for the past 17 years. Neal had the advantage of having some of the best puppeteers, Hollis said. Now more than ever, viewers rely on television news to stay informed about everything from the latest pandemic developments to the fight for racial equality, the economy, and the upcoming election, said Shannon Isbell, News Director at WBRC FOX6 News. Firefighters in Colorado appear to be trained for everything after a group was tasked with removing a car from a swimming pool this week. [12][13] Under the arrangement, New World owned the licenses of both stations, while Citicasters continued to control their operations under outsourcing agreements. If you were a regular viewer of Birmingham TV stations during the 1950s to the 1970s, some very popular names are likely to spring to mind. Janet has served the community on various boards including Urban Ministries, The Board of Visitors of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, AIDS Alabama, The American Red Cross and Goodwill Industries. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Over . I dont remember the story, but I remember her delivery. The new lineup follows the retirement of Janet Hall after 40 years of service to WBRC FOX6 News audiences. Caresse Jackman is a national consumer investigative reporter with a focus on exposing scams and digging into consumer concerns. Toi is a native of New Orleans but has been a reporter at FOX10 in Mobile for the past three years. Lauren is a Texas native. By WBRC Staff and Emily Van de Riet. He also was a fixture on Birmingham radio stations ranging from WVOK-AM to WERC-AM, sharing sports news and opinions in the 1990s and 2000s. The station has the largest news staff of any television station in Alabama, with around half of its approximately 160 employees employed with the news department in on-air, administrative and production positions. Herb Winches was a familiar face on WBRC-TV/Channel 6 and WVTM-TV/Channel 13 in Birmingham. (AL.com file photo). 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 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). At WBRC, the Fox affiliate in Birmingham, Ala., well-known anchor Janet Hall will retire from the desk this summer after 40 . Tonia Michele is a First Alert Weather Meteorologist at WBRC FOX6 News. In 1999 she was named the Local Hero in the Fight Against Breast Cancer by the Komen Foundation. [1] the "-TV" suffix was dropped from the call sign in June 1999). Benny Carle, second from right, in a 1950s press photo. In 1984, the station became one of the first television stations in the region to adopt a 24-hour-a-day programming schedule. In December 1993, Great American Communications was restructured again into Citicasters after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (AL.com file photo), Herb Winches was a familiar face on Birmingham TV for more than a decade, working as a sports anchor at WBRC-TV/Channel 6 and WVTM-TV/Channel 13 during the mid-1970s and 1980s. The concurrent move of the ABC affiliation to W58CK and its satellites also led to the CBS affiliation for 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. I have nearly 25 years of experience in TV news, including the past 10 years spent here at KRDO NewsChannel 13. (AL.com file photo). Before that she worked at local stations in Louisiana and Virginia. The station launched a full-scale news department in 1952, when it began operating from the former studios of the original WBRC-FM. The cash-and-stock merger transaction valued at $3.6billion in which Gray shareholders would acquire preferred stock currently held by Raycom will result 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 the current Raycom stations. [8][9] However, three weeks later, New World agreed to purchase four stations owned by Argyle Television Holdings, WVTM being among them, in a purchase option-structured deal for $717million[10] (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. 1982: Tom Brokaw steps in, with Roger Mudd co-anchoring through 1983. Everyone knows who Janet Hall is. She was game for anything, Hollis said. Before signing on at WBMG, he worked as a disc jockey for radio station WSGN-AM, known as 610 for its position on the dial. Joe Langston - anchor (1955-1981 and 1983-1987; retired) Andrea Lindenburg - weekend anchor, later weekday evening anchor (1993-2004; now at WVTM-TV) Harry Mabry - anchor (1960s-1970s; deceased) Brandy Malone - general traffic reporter (2005-2008; last at WZTV in Nashville) Linda Mays - daybreak and noon anchor (1988-1996; now at WBMA/WCFT/WJSU) As Bob Carlton put it in a 2015 feature story for AL.com: Most folks around Birmingham and Central Alabama still remember Winches as the good-guy sportscaster who signed on with a cordial, Hello again, everybody, and parted with his signature, Hit em straight., Joe Langston of WBRC-TV/Channel 6 was a signature voice in Birmingham broadcasting.