WBTV (channel 3) is a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Gray Television.The station's studios are located off Morehead Street, just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County.In addition, WBTV's studios continue to house the operations of its former sister radio stations currently owned . Maureen OBoyle WBTV, Husband, Salary, Husband, Age, Net worth, Wiki, Molly Grantham Husband, Bio, Married, Wiki, Wedding, Age, Salary. Kamie . She will co-anchor the weekday 10 p.m. news on KXAS beginning on Sept. 22, KXAS announced earlier this month. National. WBTV was purchased by Montgomery, Alabama based Raycom Media Inc. WBT General Manager Charles H. Crutchfield also eyes Spencer Mountain as the site for a possible television transmitter he is persuading company President Joseph M. Bryan to look into. (Worldwide fears of "Y2K" related problems never materialized.). This studio is the home of commercial productions and special live programming. TV-1 is now renamed The Feezor Studio in memory of Betty Feezor. WGBA-TV wptv Join to Connect WJAC TV. WBTV (channel 3) is a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Gray Television. Charlotte Mayor John Belk proclaims this day as "WBTV Day" in honor of twenty years of community service to the people of Charlotte. She was also the weather . The Charlotte News headlines its editorial page with the title, "And Now Television." It was fed to other TV stations on the air in the Carolinas region.). On May 2, 2022 she announced that she will be leaving WBTV in June, 2022. "WBTV News This Morning" begins at a new time, 5:00am. "Top O' The Day" is the idea of Executive Producer Pat Lee. WBTV's helicopter, "Sky 3," crashes near Dallas, NC while covering a house fire. She was the lead anchor for WBTV News 3 in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina and used to anchor the weekly "Stretching Your Dollar" report. WBTV and WBT Radio present a "Salute to Our Heroes" telethon to raise money and awareness for the Mecklenburg county Vietnam Memorial. This is the Panthers first visit to the Super Bowl. "The CBS Evening News" with Dan Rather is broadcast from the Patterson Studio to celebrate WBTV's 40th Anniversary the previous week. It is the first building in the USA specifically built for color telecasting. She was the evening news anchor for the 5, 6, and 10 O'Clock news at Fox 5 NY WNYW in New York City from 2021 to 2022. The program's original host is Lester Strong. General Manager Charles H. Crutchfield was notified that the FCC had granted WBT a permit to construct a television station. WBTV is first in Charlotte and among the first television stations in the United States to use a satellite news gathering truck. Meet the WBTV News Team! WBTV also originates another CBS "Person to Person" program with Edward R. Murrow and former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes. In times like this, it is so easy to say, I have to mow the lawn, I have to do the laundry, I have to go to work. When you change that one word, I have to to I get to, Hampton said. "[19] To this day, WBTV has been one of CBS' strongest affiliates. WBTV's parent company begins "The Jefferson Standard Foundation" to add financial support to many area community organizations. A look back at TV anchors who have publicly battled cancer. After the installation of a coaxial cable from AT & T, WBTV carries its first Live network program. During the 2016 February sweeps, WBTV surged to first place in all timeslots, including the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts, for the first time in 26 years. Both occupants, WBTV pilot Chip Tayag and WBTV meteorologist Jason Myers, were pronounced dead at the scene. [9][10][11][12] The sale was approved on December 20,[13] and was completed on January 2, 2019. The band shell at Freedom Park in Charlotte is dedicated to former WBTV/WBT personality and public affairs director, Alan Newcomb. WBTV premieres "Top O' the Day" hosted by Clyde McLean with segments by Vivian Harris, Ty Boyd, C.J. Owned by Branson Visitors TV; Gray holds a 50.1% interest in this company. WBTV begins airing color slides for the first time. Underwood. [22] The ACC syndication package moved to cable's ACC Network in 2019. WBTV's "This Morning" premieres with host Jim Patterson and features segments by Dick Taylor. WBTV is first in the Carolinas to begin Closed Captioning for the hearing impaired in its newscasts. It is the North Carolina - Notre Dame football game from South Bend, Indiana. In mid-May 2008, the former Jefferson-Pilot/Lincoln Financial stations launched redesigned websites, powered by the Local Media network division of WorldNow (which operates nearly all of the websites of Raycom's stations), assuming web platform operations from Broadcast Interactive Media. In early 2008, Raycom Sports and Lincoln Financial Sports officially merged under the Raycom Sports banner. (WRVA-TV signed on April 29, 1956.). In 1994, WBTV entered into a news share agreement to produce a 10:00p.m. newscast for then-independent station WJZY; the newscast later moved to PBS member station WTVI, before returning to WJZY in 2003 and then to that station's duopoly partner, MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYT-TV in April 2012. While WBT, and sister station WLNK were purchased by Braintree, Massachusetts based Greater Media Inc. Traffic. He was only the third main anchor in the station's history, following Mayes and Inman. The first was WBTW in Florence, South Carolina, which was built and signed on in 1954; indeed, the call letters were chosen specifically because "W" is the next letter in the alphabet after "V." The two stations were separately programmed, but shared a microwave system from 1959 onward. Among those present are Andy Griffith, Edward R. Murrow, Shepherd Strudwock, John Scott Trotter, Norman Cordon, Anne Jeffreys, David Brinkley, Sydney Blackmer and Governor Terry Sanford. Lori Stokes (born September 16, 1962) is an American former journalist and news anchor. 's name for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her exact date of birth is currently under review and will soon be updated. The FCC denies a request by WBTV to increase the antenna height and move its transmitter to a site near Denver, NC. The FCC prohibits the stations' "Grade B" signals to overlap. transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts, Channel 23 digital TV stations in the United States, Channel 3 virtual TV stations in the United States, Entercom To Swap Charlotte Stations To Radio One For WPHI, WTEM and St. Louis Duo, "Celebrating WBTV's anniversary WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC", "Lincoln Financial Press Releases LFG Announces Sale of Television, Sports, and Charlotte Radio Properties", Charlotte Observer | 17 November 2007 | Old TV-radio couple breaking up, "State dedicates historic marker to memorialize NC's oldest broadcast station", "Historical marker spotlights Wilder Building, broadcasting's Charlotte birthplace", "GRAY AND RAYCOM TO COMBINE IN A $3.6 BILLION TRANSACTION", "Gray Acquiring Raycom For $3.65B, Forming No. Here's what that means for viewers", "SVTV Stations - the things you care that others won't", FCC WBTV-Tower's Antenna Structure Registration, Drawings of Jefferson Pilot Comm. Katie then moved to the WBTV evening news team, reporting the traffic. The H-D-T-V station will be called WBTV-DT and be on channel 23. During the first year of operation, WBTV ran a test pattern with news and weather announcements from 12:00 noon to 6:30 pm. . Lori Wilson joined the WSB-TV Channel 2 in 2017. Morning Anchor Steve Johnson. The popularity of a series of specials commemorating the station's 25th anniversary in 1974 led to a long-running program, Those Were the Years, hosted by Mike McKay and featuring episodes of classic television shows such as Dragnet, You Bet Your Life and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The name "Sky 3" was chosen in a contest among viewers. WBTV is the Observer's news partner. After WBTV Telenews at 7:00 pm, the network program "The Cliff Edwards Show" was on at 7:15 pm, at 7:30 pm Robert Ripley's "Believe it or Not" was broadcast, featuring the Charlotte Rotary Boys Choir. Former Charlotte WBTV Reporters Starting A New Movement For Women Who "Flew The Coop". It is WJZY-TV. [20] Feezor's show was also carried on Richmond sister station WWBT after Jefferson-Pilot bought the station in 1968. In response to the devastating floods due to Hurricane Floyd in Eastern North Carolina, WBTV/WBT/107.9 The Link announced a joint project called "Flood Relief - Baby Aid." WBTV returns to broadcasting local Editorials. "High Q" is later hosted by Jim Patterson and Mike McKay. At the time, the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company also had a 16.5% interest in the Greensboro News Company, licensee of WFMY-TV, which signed on from Greensboro two months after WBTV. Mayes said years later that channel 9 offered him a deal that was too lucrative for him to resist, considering that he had kids in college. In addition to its legacy as the state's first television station, it also benefited from its ties to WBT, one of the most respected radio news operations in the Southeastern United States. Fred is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and WCNC Charlotte Main Evening Anchor, alongside Vanessa Ruffes. Chesley piped in North Carolina's historic win in the 1957 NCAA tournament to channel 3 and several other television stations in the state. Feezor retired in 1977 due to a brain tumor, an illness from which she died in 1978. A lot! The money will be used for the Char-Wheels group to participate in the National Wheelchair Games in Hawaii. And by the end of 1949 the number had risen to 8,500 television sets. WBTV installs a satellite Earth Station enabling instant television coverage from anywhere in the world. WBTV is making big changes to its morning and afternoon-evening news anchor teams, giving longtime station personalities Alex Giles and John Carter new roles. The station's studios are located off Morehead Street, just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County. The added space houses Jefferson Productions and expands the WBTV, WBT offices. For many years, WBTV aired Face the Nation on Sundays at 11:30a.m.; most CBS affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone air it at 10:30a.m. Due to North Carolina's status as a college basketball hotbed and local teams North Carolina and Duke being mainstays in the tournament, NCAA tournament games are consistently among the highest-rated programs in the market during playoff season. "Extravision" was received with set-top decoder boxes. WBTV upgraded to ATSC 3.0 on July 7, 2021. When WAGA-TV in Atlanta, which signed on the air four months before WBTV, switched to Fox in December 1994, WBTV became the longest-tenured CBS affiliate located south of Washington, D.C. WFMY-TV in Greensboro, the second-oldest station in the Carolinas, is the network's second-longest tenured affiliate south of the capital; it signed on three months after WBTV. This was in part due to being the only reliably viewable station in town for nine years, as well as the station's long tradition of strong local news coverage. Locally originated programming this week is "signed" for the deaf. Watch Live. WBTV, in cooperation with Duke Power begins displaying an electric light bulb symbol in the corner of the TV screen to alert Carolina viewers of an energy crisis situation. Maureen Jeralyn O'Boyle (born July 14, 1963) is an American television reporter and news anchor. Ratings come out for various local programs on WBTV. WBTV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 3, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. It starred Frederic March and Janet Gaynor. (The First Union computer was one of the first giant computers in Charlotte.). WBTV airs a number of special Carolina Panthers programs saluting the run to the playoffs for the second time in five years. Special programming and area events are created to raise awareness of opportunities and issues facing children and parents in the Carolinas. Diana Williams (later at WABC-TV in New York City; now retired) served as an anchor at WBTV during the early 1980s; she was succeeded as the station's main female anchor by Sara James (now a reporter for Dateline NBC). The Jefferson Standard Convocation program brings nationally known speakers to Charlotte. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Maureen OBoyle July 14, 1963. It was completely installed and ready for on-air use in just 2 hours and 56 minutes. After 45 years, this reporter is leaving WBTV. 1 in basketball TV ratings, "A production, distribution, and event management company", "Broadcasting legend, Doug Mayes, returns to WBTV for final broad WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC", "About 140,000 lose WBTV in Dish dispute | CharlotteObserver.com", "Historic sweep: WBTV wrestles the news ratings lead from WSOC", "A new radio generation at CBS | CharlotteObserver.com", "More News Shows Coming-in to beat WSOC's broadcast of GMA", Channel 3 to add newscasts to Bounce channel, "Charlotte, NC OTA Page 141 AVS Forum | Home Theater Discussions And Reviews", "Charlotte, NC OTA Page 156 AVS Forum | Home Theater Discussions And Reviews", "Country music network 'Circle' to launch with 16 shows", "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds", "These Charlotte TV stations upgraded broadcasts. By Joe Marusak. WBTV/WBT/107.9 The Link broadcast LIVE from various CVS locations in the viewing and listening area over the next two weeks. WBTV keeps viewers who have battery powered TV's informed with life saving advice and news. When WBTV signed on the air there were an estimated 1,000 television sets in the area. A Live program, "WBTV: The First 50 Years," is anchored by Paul Cameron and Denise Dory, with special guest Loonis McGlohon. [31] On April 1, 2012, This TV was dropped and the third subchannel was once again removed to make room for WBTV's mobile DTV service, but was brought back on October 8, 2014, with the Grit network. Underwood retires. However, if there is one person who knows how to find the good in anything, it is WBTV friend Kristen Hampton, a former WBTV reporter. Other notable on-air personalities include Western bureau chief Steve Ohnesorge, who started as a photographer at WBTV in 1975. CBS News anchorwoman Katie Couric hosts The CBS Evening News from Charlotte. In 1955, WBT and WBTV moved to a then state-of-the-art facility on a hill atop Morehead Street, where both stations are still based today. WBTVforms its"Creative Services Group" to operate as part of the Programming Department in cooperation with the Sales Department. By August 1, 1949, there are already 2,000 sets in Carolina households. Introduction : Maureen O'Boyle is an American news anchor and presenter, For starters, she's won two Emmys for her work; she was named the RTDNAC TV News Reporter of the Year for both Carolinas in 2011; she's reported on issues from gangs and terrorism to kids facing uphill medical battles; and she anchors the evening newscasts for WBTV. The permanent switchover occurred at 5:55am on June 12, 2009. The show was known at various times as Tiny Town, Whistle Stop, Fred Kirby's Little Rascals and Kirby's Corral. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. For many years, WBTV was one of the country's most dominant television stations. WBTV begins a public service project called "WBTV On the Job". (Three cameras were used for the telecast. Since 2008, WBTV has partnered with its sister stations in South CarolinaWCSC, WIS in Columbia and WMBF-TV in Myrtle Beach and WHNS in Greenvilleto cover stories in South Carolina. WBTV's C.J. But he lasted only four months there and was let go in March. Charlotte is ranked as the seventh largest single-station market in the United States. Company President Charles Crutchfield is named Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on "American Values". That station actually dates back to a ham radio station that started in late 1920. WBTV begins operation of a more energy efficient "Sky 3." But he's not calling it 'retirement.'. Marshall Scott's piloting skills are given credit for both men to be able to "walk away" from the crash. WBTV announces development of a sister company, Jefferson-Carolina Corporation, a major community antenna television company. WBTV favored the Redskins while WSPA favored the Falcons, in tandem with most CBS affiliates in their respective states. WBTV begins a letter writing campaign to help free American prisoners-of-war in North Vietnam the project is called "Write Hanoi". After her return from New York in 2009, Katie began working as the Traffic Producer for Triangle Traffic Network, a radio station out of Raleigh, NC. It was seen for several years at 11:30p.m. on Fridays, preempting the CBS late-night shows which competed poorly against The Tonight Show. The Bell Jet Ranger replaced substitute news gathering helicopters. Most all of the staff is on duty in the entire JPC chain of TV and Radio stations. There are now 19,210 television sets in the WBTV viewing area. Hosts Paul Cameron and Maureen O'Boyle will take a look at the growth of the station over the past 60 years. 2014 - 2023 Marathi.TV - All Rights Reserved. Channel 3 did not face a serious challenge by any other news-producing station in the market until 1981. Billy Graham will also be inducted. former Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Jacksonville to discuss the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), and November 2020 . WBTV expands "the Early Report" at 6:00 pm to a full 30 minutes. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Maureen O'Boyle July 14, 1963. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Education : Qualifications, High School & College Read More Maureen O'Boyle WBTV, Husband . WBTV turns off the analog channel "3" signal, and begins broadcasting only on over-the-air digital channel 23. To make room for Top O' the Day, WBTV aired The Price Is Right on a one-day delay at 10:30a.m., preempting whatever game show CBS aired at that time. WBTV also claims to have been the first station in the world to record and rebroadcast programs on color videotape; to use a live camera and microwave relay inside a race car; and to have a fully computerized news operation. However, WBTV still shares the Julian Price Place studio with its former radio sisters, and they also retain a news partnership. Dr. George Heaton of Myers Park Baptist Church has the program. Pilot Marshall Scott and photographer David Little are only slightly injured. The FCC grants WBTV the first commercial permit in the United States to construct a Digital Television Station. Former Lowcountry attorney Alex Murdaugh is a suspect in . It will also later develop the first totally computerized newsroom in the World for WBTV. "Where are they now?". (He was one of the main news anchors on WBTV till he stepped down from the anchor desk in late 1974. "WBTV" is the Grand Marshall of "The 52nd Annual Carolinas' Carrousel Parade." WBTV is the first TV station in the World to use a LIVE camera and microwave equipment mounted in a race car. It is a Robinson R44 Raven II. And the WBTV Raleigh Bureau is expanded. Jennifer Abney WPDE is an American Murrow Award-Winning journalist working as the co-anchor of the 5, 6, 7 & 11 pm news with Trey Paul. At this time of this year there are 1,004,400 television sets in the Charlotte market. Both have been produced by Raycom Sports after their acquisition of Lincoln Financial's sports division during the 20072008 season. WBTV's Lori Thomas and WBT Radio's Mike Collins begin a TV Radio morning show partnership and simulcast. Morning and midday anchor John Carter formerly served as a North Carolina state senator prior to joining the station. 3 Local TV Group", "Gray Closes On $3.6 Billion Raycom Merger", "Gray Completes Acquisition of Raycom Media and Related Transactions", "Initial investigative report released on WBTV helicopter crash that killed 2 people", "TV meteorologist, pilot die in news helicopter crash", "WBTV helicopter crashes on I-77 South, two killed", "Helicopter crash leaves TV meteorologist and pilot dead in Charlotte, North Carolina", "WBTV mourning the loss of meteorologist Jason Myers, pilot Chip Tayag", "Reaction to fatal WBTV helicopter crash - 2 dead in TV news helicopter crash", "Live Updates: Charlotte meteorologist and pilot from WBTV killed in helicopter crash off Interstate 77", "TV Meteorologist and Pilot Die in Helicopter Crash in North Carolina", "A final day of flying: hovering over uptown, South End and a deadly path along I-77", "Channel 3 Launched TV Era in East Tennessee | Bob Cox's Yesteryear", "Chronology of WBTV WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC", Louisville No. WBTV-DT broadcasts the first nationally televised HDTV program, the launch of the Space Shuttle with John Glenn returning to space. [24] Soon after Raycom took control of the station, WBTV began airing local newscasts and CBS programs in high definition. However, when Face the Nation was permanently expanded to an hour in 2012, WBTV moved the show to 10:30a.m. WBTV gained a major ratings windfall in 198182, when CBS won the television rights to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. by Marathi.TV Editorial Team; Feb 10, 2023 Feb 20, 2023; 6 Comments; Maureen O'Boyle July 14, 1963. Following the 2005 retirement of longtime WSOC anchorman Bill Walker, WBTV began billing lead anchorman Paul Cameron as "The Voice of Experience." . At high noon, viewers saw the picture of the American flag on the screen and heard the "Star Spangled Banner." Charlotte, North Carolina, United States Kristi solo-anchors the weekend morning shows on WBTV. Channel 3 took on secondary affiliations with NBC and ABC until Charlotte's second VHF station, WSOC-TV (channel 9), took the NBC affiliation when it signed on in April 1957. Underwood, Mike McKay, Lou Heckler, Clara Lowry, Dick Taylor and Jim Patterson. WBTV viewers raised money for African communities hit hard by the worst drought of the 20th century. A special "Toast and Roast" is held in the Patterson studio. Underwood introduces "Consumer Corner." WBTV begins a year-long focus "For Kids Sake". WBTV's Mike McKay begins hosting a local news magazine program weekdays at 5:30pm. News Anchor/Reporter WBTV Jun 2017 - Aug 2021 4 years 3 months. Former WBTV Good News reporter Kristen Hampton provides a positive message amid uncertain times, Medical Marijuana bill passes NC Senate; some cannabis supporters against bill, 8-year-old helps raise money for favorite Waffle House worker in need of car, North Carolina Supreme Court to revisit school funding, Vigil to be held Saturday in memory of three men killed in Rock Hill 25 years ago, Re-using the cheater beans from breakfast for dinner with Chef Elizabeth, Product Test: Elissia and Caroline try out bundt cake pan with removable bottom, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. WBTV, WBT, and WLNK continue to stay based in the same building at One Julian Price Place, as they have been since 1955. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. It is the only commercial television station in the market that has never changed its primary affiliation. Patterson was killed in a single-car accident in Charlotte in 1986; Kirby died in 1996 at age 85. are in the standing-room only attendance. The station airs at least two games a year, typically when the team plays host to an AFC opponent at Bank of America Stadium; starting in 2014, through the NFL's new "cross-flex" broadcast rules, games that would normally air on Fox (locally on WJZY) can be moved arbitrarily to CBS and vice versa. WBTV is the first television station in the Carolinas to broadcast in stereo sound. Studios here until 1955"). A special demonstration of WBTV's mobile television truck is conducted in Greenville. This experience gave her a thirst for covering news stories, and working as a news anchor. The show is hosted by John Kilgo and Lisa Cooley and is called "Live at Five". On July 12, 2010, the simulcast was replaced with This TV. WBT radio long hosted live country music. Shortly before the television station went on the air, its call letters were modified from WBT-TV to WBTV. Celebrations around Charlotte and the World are covered on the news. WBTV inaugurates a new Internet business venture, called "ClickCarolina.com." WBTV's new building is dedicated on the birthday of Thomas Jefferson. Meet the WBTV News Team! When it debuted, WBTV was the 13th television station in the United States[2] and the first in the Carolinas; it is the oldest television station located between Richmond and Atlanta. WBTV begins first use, on a regular basis, of helicopter-supported news coverage. During the month of the letter writing campaign WBTV received 372,000 letters from viewers in the Carolinas. An awards program to honor the highest ideals and achievements in the field of public services in the United States. (WCSC is the first television station on the air in the state of South Carolina, signing on in 1953. "Doug Mayes was a true professional and outstanding broadcast journalist who inspired . WBTV premieres its own locally produced pop-music videos program. The station aired a tribute at their 4:30 p.m. newscast where the anchors shared their grief. Prior to joining in 2004, evening anchor Maureen O'Boyle, a Charlotte native and graduate of West Charlotte High School, served as anchor of the syndicated newsmagazines A Current Affair and Extra. (Construction of WBT-TV was delayed quite a few months due to the flurry of TV stations going on-the-air in larger U.S. cities. Languages: Italian. WBTV conducts a Southeastern television conference for TV industry people to learn how to create and manage a television station. WBTV later forms a "network" of radio station for the simulcast. Carol Wonsavage was the inaugural producer for the show. WBTV begins a major public service campaign on Diabetes awareness. The updated "WBTV Morning Report" premieres with anchors Lori Ogilvie and Jim Patterson. WBTV News makes the switch to color news film. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The helicopter uses aviation fuel, rather than jet fuel. From 1958 to 1974, WBTV's studio facilities served as the home for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling telecasts. News. WBTV's parent company forms Jefferson Data Systems. Charles Crutchfield 'invented' "The Briarhoppers" for WBT Radio in 1934. WBTV credited its strong social media presence and its talent continuity for the ratings win, while WSOC lost much of its main talent in the previous year. WBTV News in the evening expands to an hour long program from 5:30 to 6:30om. The Betty Feezor Show was replaced by an hour-long midday news and variety show, Top O' the Day. Viewers also saw for the first time on Carolina television the personalities they had heard so often, and for so long, on WBT Radio. In 2008, for instance, NCAA games on WBTV attracted a 13.4 rating and a 24 share, the third-highest in the nation (behind only WLKY-TV in Louisville and WREG-TV in Memphis).[21]. There are still only about 30 HDTV stations on the air in the United States. WBTV's only competition in its early years came from a UHF station on channel 36, known as WAYS-TV and then WQMC-TV, which broadcast briefly from 1953 to 1955. Segments on the program included On the Square, in which Doug Mayes solicited opinions from various Charlotte-area residents about current news topics, as well as C. J. Underwood's Down Home with the Carolina Camera, where otherwise unknown or low-profile Carolinians were temporarily given celebrity status for their whimsical talents, novel collections, or for the way they impacted their communities. She grew up in Hendersonville, NC, and graduated from UNC. WBTV does it first remote telecast from the Charlotte Coliseum, (now Bojangles' Coliseum) for the NCAA Eastern Regional basketball game. Mecklenburg County alone has 76,100 TV sets. WBZ-TV created the first female anchor team when Gail Harris joined Shelby Scott on First Four News. WBTV is the first television station in the Carolinas to simulcast its audio of the 6:00pm news on a radio station, WBT Radio. All rights reserved. Updated September 22, 2021 3:46 PM. WBTV and WBT Radio were sold to different companies, ending one of the longest running radio and television station ownership groups in the nation. The quintessential anchorman, Tom Ellis got behind the Channel 4 news desk and was soon joined . ABC programming continued to be split among the three stations until 1967, when WCCB became a full-time ABC affiliate. He last worked at WBTV News in 1982, but his legacy lives on. The station's digital signal is multiplexed: WBTV had previously carried a standard-definition simulcast of the station's main channel on its second digital subchannel. The studio address, One Julian Price Place, is named in honor of the executive who effectively founded Jefferson Standard/Jefferson-Pilot through an early-20th century merger. WBTV begins sponsorship of the Salvation Army/Eastland Mall "Angel Tree." Charlotte, NC. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, WBTV aired a Sunday morning program that featured singing cowboy Fred Kirby and his sidekick "Uncle Jim" (played by Jim Patterson). Industry: Broadcast Media. WBTV broadcasts from Charlotte's first "Springfest." "She is the perfect fit alongside Alex Giles at 4 p.m.". The merger coincided with the start of the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference basketball season. WBTV begins news at noon with "The Noon Report" hosted by Don Robertson and Pat Lee.