WRC-TV
kW | |
HAAT | 244 m (801 ft) |
---|---|
Transmitter coordinates | 38°56′24″N 77°4′53″W / 38.94000°N 77.08139°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Website | www |
WRC-TV (channel 4) is a
History
The station traces its roots to
On June 27, 1947, WNBW was re-licensed on channel 4 and signed on the air. Channel 4 is the second-oldest commercially licensed television station in Washington, after
On October 18, 1954, the television station's call sign changed to the present WRC-TV to match its radio sisters.[6] The new calls reflected NBC's ownership at the time by RCA. It has retained its "-TV" suffix to this day, nearly four decades after the radio stations were sold off and changed call letters.
In 1955, while in college and serving as a puppeteer on a WRC-TV program,
The second presidential debate between candidates
The earliest
At the time of its sign-on, channel 4 was one of two wholly network-owned stations in Washington, the other being DuMont's WTTG. DuMont was shut down in 1956, and for the next 30 years, WRC-TV was Washington's only network owned-and-operated station.
From the opening of its Nebraska Avenue facility in 1958 through 2020, WRC-TV housed NBC News' Washington bureau, out of which the network's long-running political affairs program Meet the Press was based.[10][11] In January 2021, NBC News moved the bureau near Capitol Hill.[12]
Telemundo affiliation
In September 2017, NBC announced they were to launch a new
NBC took control of WZDC-CD on January 1, 2018, and added a temporary relay to WRC-TV's digital subchannel 4.3.[17] The channel-sharing agreement took effect on March 7, 2018.[18] Under the agreement, WZDC shares WRC-TV's physical signal as a subchannel would and is managed with its own virtual channel number and license. WZDC's virtual channel changed from 25.1 to 44.1 to avoid a conflict with WDVM-TV, which also occupies virtual channel 25.1.[19]
Programming
Because of its ownership by the network, WRC-TV generally carries the entire NBC network schedule, though the station airs an alternate live feed of NBC Nightly News at 7 p.m. (rather than 6:30 p.m. as with most NBC stations in the Eastern Time Zone), due to a longtime hour-long 6 p.m. newscast. The weekend edition of the network's newscast airs at its usual 6:30 p.m. time slot. Like network flagship WNBC, it airs Meet the Press an hour-and-a-half later than most NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone due to a two-hour Sunday morning newscast.
WRC-TV previously housed
Sports programming
WRC-TV has been the over-the-air home of
News operation
This section needs expansion with: further information on the history of WRC-TV's news department. You can help by adding to it. (June 2013) |
WRC-TV presently broadcasts 45 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 7 hours, 35 minutes each weekday; three hours on Saturdays and five hours on Sundays). By 2001, WRC's newscasts had all been rated number one in the market, with some of the success attributed to Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler, who anchored together from 1989 until Vance's death in 2017. Vance had been with Channel 4 since 1969, and was promoted to anchor three years later.[20] In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed first at 5 am, 6 a.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. in total viewers, and first at 6 am, 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. in the 25–54 demo. It still leads most time slots today, although WTTG's morning news and WJLA's 11 p.m. news have given it much competition in the 25–54 demo.
In 1974, WRC-TV adopted the NewsCenter branding, following the three other NBC-owned stations at the time in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago in adopting the NewsCenter branding.
In 1975, the station adopted
In 1982, after 8 years of using the NewsCenter branding, the news branding was changed to Channel 4 News. The station added a 5 p.m. newscast in 1984. On September 7, 1987, the station changed its news branding to News 4. In 1989, the station used a new promotional campaign "We Work Well Together", produced by Music Oasis, which was also adopted as its news theme until 1992. In 1991, WRC-TV added a morning newscast under the title of News 4 Today. From January 14 to October 25, 1991, the station also produced a 7:30 p.m. newscast for then-independent station WFTY (now CW affiliate WDCW) entitled 7:30 News Headlines. The newscast suffered low ratings throughout its run.
In 1993, the station adopted the news music theme entitled "Working 4 You", which also serves as a current station slogan for News 4. In 1994, WRC-TV expanded a late weekday newscast from 4:30 p.m. to a full-hour at 4 p.m.
On January 14, 2009, WRC-TV and WTTG entered into a
On April 8, 2010, the station began test broadcasts of its news programming in high definition during local news updates seen during
On September 15, 2014, the station's newscasts shifted to a full 16:9 widescreen presentation, therefore becoming the third English-language television station in the Washington, D.C. market to do so, following Tegna-owned CBS affiliate WUSA (January 2013) and Fox-owned WTTG (August 2013). In conjunction with this, the newscast title was changed to a variation of the station's NBC 4 logo and also, its longtime newscast theme music was heavily updated. Also, the station's "Look F" graphics package from NBC ArtWorks, which was introduced 2 years earlier (May 2012), was reformatted for the 16:9 presentation.
On June 29, 2016, the station officially began using the "Look N" graphics package that was first adopted by sister station WNBC (which began using the package on June 11), becoming the sixth NBC-owned station to use this package, following WVIT (June 13), WTVJ (also on June 13), KXAS-TV (June 20) and WMAQ-TV (testing on June 21; full usage beginning June 28).
On July 31, 2017, WRC-TV became the first station in Washington, D.C. to expand its morning newscasts to 4 am. In May 2018, after 10 years of using "The NBC Collection with Working for You" news theme, the station brought back 615 Music's "The Tower" news theme, this time without the famous "Working for You" musical trademark; the news theme was previously used with the "Working for You" signature only in the news opens from 2002 until 2008[clarification needed]; the theme has also been used by sister station WVIT since 2016.
On October 19, 2021, WRC-TV became the last station in the group to introduce their "Look S" graphics, beginning with the 4 p.m. newscast.
Starting with News 4 Today on February 27, 2023, WRC-TV's newscasts moved to a new studio that formerly housed Meet the Press, where an entirely new set debuted for the first time in almost 13 years.
Notable current on-air staff
- Leon Harris – anchor
- Tony Perkins – anchor
- Eun Yang – anchor
Notable former on-air staff
- Miguel Almaguer – reporter (2006–2009); now with NBC News
- University of Maryland[24]
- Fox News Channel[25]
- Nick Charles – sports anchor/reporter (1976–1979); died of cancer on June 25, 2011[26]
- Lindsay Czarniak – sports anchor/reporter (2005–2011); was most recently with ESPN until October 2017,[28] now with Joe Gibbs Racing and Fox Sports
- Fox News Channel
- Peter Ford– news anchor (1988–1992); now CEO of Control Bionics Neural System Technologies
- Doreen Gentzler – anchor (1989–2022); retired[29]
- Angie Goff – anchor (2011–2018); now with WTTG
- Savannah Guthrie – reporter (1999–2002); now co-anchor of NBC's Today Show
- Robert Hager – reporter in the 1960s, later an NBC News correspondent
- Mike Hambrick – anchor (1982–1985); now heard on Howard 100 and Howard 101
- Steve Handelsman – reporter (1984–2017); retired
- Richard C. Harkness – Washington correspondent for NBC network and local radio/TV news anchor (1942–1970); died in 1977
- Jim Hartz – anchor (1977–1979); died in April 2022[30]
- Dan Hellie – sports anchor (2006–2013); now with NFL Network[31]
- Joe Johns – reporter (1983–1993); now with CNN
- Veronica Johnson – meteorologist (2000–2016); now with WJLA-TV
- Susan King – anchor/reporter (1983–1987); now a dean at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
- Joe Krebs – anchor/reporter (1980–2012); died of pancreatic cancer on April 6, 2021[32]
- Suzanne Malveaux – reporter (1996-1999); was most recently at CNN
- Dave Marash – anchor (1985–1989); now with KSFR
- Marjorie Margolies – reporter (1975–1990); former U.S. Congresswoman and mother-in-law of Chelsea Clinton
- Fox News Channel
- Craig Melvin – anchor (2007–2011); now NBC News and Today Show anchor
- George Michael – sports anchor/reporter; former host of The George Michael Sports Machine (1980–2008); died of leukemia on December 24, 2009[33]
- Wendy Rieger – anchor (1988–2021); died of glioblastoma on April 16, 2022[34]
- Bob Ryan – chief meteorologist (1980–2010); retired[35]
- Jim Rosenfield – anchor (2012–2013); now with WCAU (WRC-TV's sister station) in Philadelphia
- Dianna Russini – sports anchor/reporter (2013–2015); now with ESPN
- Willard Scott – NBC page (1950), Bozo the Clown (1959–1962), weather anchor (1968–1980); later on NBC's Today Show; died of natural causes on September 4, 2021[36][37]
- Sue Simmons – anchor/reporter (1976–1980); retired
- Jim Vance – anchor (1969–2017); died of cancer on July 22, 2017[38]
Technical information
Subchannels
The station's signal is
Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
---|---|---|---|---|
4.1 | 1080i | 16:9 |
WRC-HD | Main WRC-TV programming / NBC |
4.2 | 480i | COZI | Cozi TV | |
4.3 | LX | NBC LX Home | ||
4.4 | Oxygen | Oxygen |
Analog-to-digital conversion
WRC-TV shut down its analog signal, on
The station participated in the "Analog Nightlight" program, with its analog signal carrying information on the digital transition until analog signal broadcasts were permanently discontinued on June 26, 2009.
Beginning in 1996, WRC-TV's studios were the home of WHD-TV, an experimental high definition television station owned by a consortium of industry groups and stations which carried the nation's first program in the format transmitted by a television station, an episode of Meet the Press,[41] and aired on UHF channel 34 to provide the FCC and the National Association of Broadcasters a channel to conduct many experiments in the new format.[42][43] WHD-TV was discontinued around 2002.
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WRC-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Digital Signal Sources". The Washington Post. May 20, 2008. Archived from the original on June 1, 2018.
- ^ "Whatever Happened To Channel 1?".
- ^ "WRC-TV History Cards". FCC CDBS. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Staff (July 27, 1942). "Four FM Permits Cancelled by FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. p. 18.
- ^ "RCA Replaces NBC In O & O Calls" (PDF). Broadcasting-Telecasting. October 4, 1954. p. 78 – via World Radio History.
- ISBN 978-1598848311. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ "RCA-NBC Firsts in Color Television". Archived from the original on February 6, 2006.
- ^ "Eisenhower WRC-TV 1958 (oldest known colour videotaping)". Archived from the original on April 12, 2015 – via YouTube.
- ^ "NBC News D.C. bureau moves out of longtime building, headed to new facility near Capitol". NewscastStudio. September 19, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ "NBC looking at studio space away from Nebraska Ave". Politico. April 26, 2017.
- ^ Werpin, Alex (January 25, 2021). "NBC News Officially Debuts New D.C. Studios Near Capitol Hill". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ Diana Marszalek (September 11, 2017). "Telemundo Launching a Washington O&O in December". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ "NBCUniversal to launch Telemundo station". Washington Business Journal. American City Business Journals. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ "Telemundo ends affiliate deal with ZGS to launch O&O in D.C." Media Moves. September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ Miller, Mark K. (December 4, 2017). "NBCU Adding ZGS Stations To Telemundo". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ Tsoflias Siegel, Stephanie (February 1, 2018). "Telemundo Completes Acquisition of ZGS Communications". TVSpy. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station". FCC LMS. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
- ^ "Cómo re-escanear tu TV para recibir Telemundo 44". Telemundo Washington DC (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 27, 2018.
- ^ Schudel, Matt. "Jim Vance, Washington's longest-serving local news anchor, is dead at 75 Archived July 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine". The Washington Post. July 22, 2017.
- ^ Arch Campbell Remembers His Friend Jim Vance Archived July 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Washingtonian, June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ WRC-TV: News 4 at 11pm Saturday – 07/22/17 Archived June 1, 2018, at the Wayback Machine YouTube clip. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
- ^ "Fox And NBC To Share In DC". Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ^ "Atkinson throws in towel". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014.
- ^ "Shannon Bream to Cover Supreme Court for Fox News". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
- ^ "Former News4 Sportscaster Nick Charles Dies of Cancer at 64". NBC4 Washington. June 26, 2011. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014.
- ^ "Couric's days at WRC recalled". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014.
- ^ "Lindsay Czarniak, sports anchor, to leave NBC4 for ESPN". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017.
- ^ Longtime NBC4 anchor Doreen Gentzler announces retirement Archived October 31, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, October 28, 2022
- ^ Jim Hartz
- ^ "Dan Hellie joins NFL Network". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015.
- ^ Joe Krebs, Channel 4 reporter and 'steadfast soldier' of D.C. morning news, dies at 78 Archived April 9, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, April 6, 2021
- ^ "Leonard Shapiro: Loss of Michael Is a Truly Deep Cut". The Washington Post. December 29, 2008. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.
- ^ Wendy Rieger, longtime Channel 4 anchor in Washington, dies at 65 Archived April 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, April 16, 2022
- ^ "Bob Ryan retiring after 33 years of TV weather forecasting". WJLA. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013.
- ^ "Willard Scott, weather reporter and centenarian birthday greeter". TODAY. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014.
- ^ Weisholtz, Drew. "Willard Scott, legendary TODAY weatherman, dies at 87". Today.com. NBCUniversal. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
- ^ Jim Vance, Washington's longest-serving local news anchor, is dead at 75 Archived July 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, July 22, 2017
- ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WRC". RabbitEars.Info. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/consumer-household-electronics-high/7693519-1.html [dead link]
- ^ Brinkley, Joel (March 3, 1997). "Warts and Wrinkles Can't Hide From High-Definition TV". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
- ^ "DTV Broadcast History". Archived from the original on February 11, 2009.
External links
- Official website
- "NBC-4 Washington". Archived from the original on December 10, 1997. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
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