WIAT 42

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WIAT TV is the CBS-TV affiliate for the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston market. It is a UHF television station licensed to Birmingham, on analog channel 42 (digital channel 30). Its transmitter is located on Red Mountain. The station is currently owned by Media General, but has been put on the market recently.

The station's call letters, changed to WIAT in 1998, stand for "It's about time". Before then, it was known as WBMG.

On New Year's Day 1998, General Manager Eric Land cancelled WBMG's newscast and shut down the news department. Over the next month, the station went through a serious overhaul from graphics and set to logo and newscast format. During that time, the station showed a picture of a clock at 5 and 10 p.m. -- the slots where the news used to air. The station's call letters were changed to WIAT, which stood for It's About Time, the station's new slogan. The new format debuted on February 5, 1998 -- the same day as the start of the Winter Olympics--with a new name, "CBS42 Daily News." The station does not have any on-air reporters, which is somewhat unusual for most modern TV stations.

Ratings improved somewhat, but many problems behind the scenes occurred involving on-air talent and management that led to lawsuits. However, that year the station received its first two Emmy Awards in station history. The station recently updated its graphics, set and newscast title to "News42, It's About Time."

WIAT has steadily improved its ratings in the last decade, and has been far more competitive than ever before. In fact, it has actually finished first in some timeslots.

Beginning in October of 2005 WIAT teamed with WB affiliate WTTO to begin producing a 9 p.m. newscast. Using the same set and anchors as WIAT and a modified graphics package, the WB News at 9 airs 7 days per week.

In April 2006, Media General bought four NBC owned and operated stations, including WVTM. Since the FCC does not allow one person to own two of the four largest stations in a single market, Media General opted to keep the higher-rated WVTM and sell WIAT to another owner. One of the rumored buyers is CBS, while other local parties have said to be interested. Another rumored buyer is Raycom Media, which has reportedly wanted a Birmingham station for years. [1]

WIAT does not air a morning newscast, but reportedly will begin a morning show in May of 2007.

Newscast titles

  • News42 at 5:00 (airs Monday through Saturday)
  • News42 at 10:00 (everyday)
  • News42 at 5:30 (airs Sundays)

Transmitter

The WIAT-TV Tower is a 363.9 metre high guyed mast, located at 30°41'17.0" N and 87°47'54.0" W. The WIAT-TV Tower was built in 1974.

External links

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