WVTM

WVTM (NBC 13) is a television station owned by Tampa, Florida-based Media General and broadcast across Central Alabama on channel 13. The call letters stand for "Vulcan Times Mirror" and its studios are located on Red Mountain adjacent to Vulcan Park. Gene Kirkconnel is the general manager.

History

WVTM is the latest incarnation of Alabama's first television station, WAFM, which went on the air on July 1, 1949 with a mix of programs from ABC and CBS. The station was sold to the Birmingham News, along with WAPI-AM and WAPI-FM, in 1953. In 1954 they swapped networks with WBRC 6 to become an NBC affiliate. The new owners first changed the call letters to WABT, before switching to WAPI-TV in 1958, after the News was purchased by Newhouse. In 1961 the station became Birmingham's home for CBS programming. Later it resumed broadcasting the NBC network.

The ownership and name remained the same through the late 1970s, but in 1980 Newhouse's Advance Publications group left the broadcasting business and sold the station to Times-Mirror Broadcasting, from whom it took its current name.

The 1990s brought a series of ownership changes. Argyle Broadcasting purchased it from Times-Mirror in the early part of the decade, then sold it to New World Communications in 1994. In 1996 the National Broadcasting Company purchased the station outright, holding onto it until Media General purchased it on June 26, 2006.

In July 2007 Media General began an overhaul of the news department. Gina Redmond took over Fran Curry's co-anchor spot with Mike Royer for the evening news. Andrea Lindenberg and Rod Carter were hired as the co-anchors of the morning news. Other plans include investments in new cameras, weather equipment and studio sets, as well as a lighted NBC peacock sign on Red Mountain.

Notable personalities

News anchors/reporters

• Rod Carter (2007–10)
• Malena Cunningham/Wells (1994- )
• Fran Curry ( -2007)
• Wendell Harris
• Pam Huff (1977–94)
• Melony Johnson (2002- )
• Joe Langston (1980- )
• Ken Lass (2002- )
• Gene Lively ( -1994)
• Melissa Pace (2002- )
• Mike Royer (1989–present)
• Gina Redmond (2005–10)
• Phil Rozen (1982–95)
• Ken Ward (2001–04)
• Roy L. Wood, Jr (1980s- )

Sports anchors

• Herb Winches (1980 - )
• Ken Lass (1990 - )
• Jim Dunaway (2000 - 2007)
• Don Hawes
• Scott Palmer

Weather/meteorologists

• Jerry Tracy
• Richard Jacks
• Jay Prater
• James Spann (1980 - )
• Rosemary Lucas ( - 1980)

Preceded by: WAPI-TV

NBC affiliate 1980 - present

Succeeded by: current

External links

• WVTM NBC 13 website
• "A Bit on 13..." at Birmingham TV News
• WVTM FCC database entry

References

• Carlton, Bob (July 4, 2007) "Lindenberg to anchor mornings on NBC 13." Birmingham News.