WDBD
kW | |
| HAAT | 598 m (1,962 ft) |
|---|---|
| Transmitter coordinates | 32°12′49.9″N 90°22′56.5″W / 32.213861°N 90.382361°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | fox40jackson |
WDBD (channel 40) is a
History
The station began broadcasting on November 30, 1984,
On October 7, 2001, due to a payment dispute between Pegasus and Fox, WDBD became an affiliate of The WB, leaving Jackson without an over-the-air Fox affiliate for the next 23 months; sister station WPXT in Portland, Maine, also made the switch at the same time as Pegasus and Fox failed to agree on an affiliation agreement for the two stations. It would not be until September 2003 when WUFX (now sister station WLOO) signed-on in nearby Vicksburg and became the area's second Fox affiliate. In the interim, programming from the network was provided on cable via WNTZ-TV for those who lived in the Natchez area and via Foxnet for those living in the Jackson–Vicksburg area.
In January and February 2006, respectively, it was announced that UPN and The WB would merge and form The CW while News Corporation (owner of Fox) made public another new programming service called MyNetworkTV would start up as well. UPN affiliate WRBJ was announced as Jackson's CW affiliate while WUFX eventually joined MyNetworkTV. In advance of switching to the latter network, WUFX and WDBD swapped affiliations. On July 3, 2006, the former picked up The WB but began identifying itself on-air as "My 35" in anticipation of joining the new service. Meanwhile, WDBD rejoined Fox and became known as "Fox 40".
WDBD and WUFX were sold by previous owner Jackson Television, who began operating the two stations and
Roundtable Broadcasting filed to sell WDBD and WXMS-LP to American Spirit Media in July 2012. As part of the deal, the station's operations were taken over by Raycom Media, owner of WLBT, under a shared services agreement; American Spirit also acquired WUFX and WBMS-CA from Vicksburg Broadcasting, but spun off the WUFX license to Tougaloo College (though it operates that station under a joint sales agreement).[10] The transaction was consummated on November 13.[11]
2017–18 American Spirit Media/DirecTV and AT&T U-verse dispute
WDBD's parent company, American Spirit Media, failed to renew its retransmission contract with
This dispute has been particularly frustrating for viewers in the Jackson market, as it has coincided with the beginning of the
News operation
On August 12, 1991, WDBD debuted a local newscast called Mississippi News Tonight which was simulcast on WXXV-TV in Gulfport and produced by Love Communications, who owned
In August 2008, WDBD established a second news department and began airing a thirty-minute prime time show. Known as Fox 40 News at 9, this was originally seen every night. After a short period of time, however, weekend broadcasts were dropped due to inadequate resources. On January 24, 2009, the weeknight newscast began airing in high definition resulting in this outlet becoming Jackson's first television station to make the upgrade. With the change came a new logo and an updated graphics package based on the standardized theme seen on Fox owned-and-operated stations.
In April 2010, WDBD added two weeknight newscasts, both half-hour in length. The early evening show, known as Fox 40 News at 6, directly competed with news programs seen on the area's big three affiliates. This would subsequently be dropped for a 5:30 p.m. broadcast, which currently airs against the national evening network newscasts. The late night program, called Fox 40 News at 10 on My 35, aired on WUFX and also competed with the area's big three outlets.
A further expansion occurred on January 17, 2011, after WDBD launched a weekday morning show called Fox 40 & Friends (name adapted from
After American Spirit Media completed its acquisition of WDBD and entered into the shared services agreement with WLBT, the station's news department was shut down resulting in several members of the WDBD staff being laid-off. Production of the station's newscasts was assumed by WLBT on November 12, 2012, with all of the news programming retained (except for the 10 p.m. show on WUFX since it would compete with WLBT). Its weekday morning show was renamed a third time to Fox 40 Morning News at this point.
All newscasts on this station currently originate from WLBT's primary set at its South Jefferson Street studios except with separate on-air duratrans and graphics indicating the Fox-branded newscasts. Although it shares a majority of on-air personnel with WLBT, WDBD maintains a separate additional news anchor for the weekday morning and weeknight shows. WLBT and WDBD operate a combined news department under the Mississippi News Now branding very similar to Raycom partnerships in Tucson, Arizona (with Tegna-owned KMSB), and Toledo, Ohio (with American Spirit Media-owned WUPW).[17][18]
Technical information
Subchannels
The station's signal is
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.1 | 720p | 16:9 |
WDBD-TV | Main WDBD programming / Fox |
| 40.2 | 480i | 4:3 |
Antenna | Antenna TV |
| 40.3 | 16:9 | Grit | Grit | |
| 40.4 | Justice | True Crime Network | ||
| 40.5 | Defy | Defy TV |
Analog-to-digital conversion
WDBD shut down its analog signal, over
WDBD upgraded the new digital signal to full-power as opposed to the special temporary authority operation before the switchover. The change was needed because its previous VHF digital signal had a tough time reaching the outer suburbs of Jackson. The current UHF signal pushes well into the Monroe, Louisiana, market to the west and the Greenwood–Greenville–Cleveland market to the north.
References
- ^ a b Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. B-45. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "Obituary of Hal Bernard Dixon". Chattanoogan.com. December 31, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WDBD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Nashville woman licensed for new local TV station," Jackson Clarion-Ledger, September 3, 1982, Page 1-A and 12-A
- ^ "Delta outfits rate high in L.A., The Hattiesburg American, February 27, 1987, Page 4A
- ^ "In Brief..." (PDF). Broadcasting. July 4, 1988. p. 72. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ WDBD Gets New Owners, The Clarion-Ledger, March 21, 1989, Page 6A
- ^ "Another deal, another ownership situation for NAB graduate". Television Business Report. March 18, 2010. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
- ^ http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/469540-Market_Eye_Lots_of_Action_in_Jackson.php [dead link]
- ^ Seyler, Dave (August 1, 2012). "TV dealings in the Jackson MS market". Television Business Report. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ "Application Search Details".
- ^ Farrell, Michael (September 22, 2017). "American Spirit Media Stations Go Dark to DirecTV". BroadcastingCable.com.
- ^ "Rube Quits Channel 3," Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS, July 23, 1991, Page D1-D2
- ^ "Jackson's Love-life proves short," Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS, April 18, 1992, Page 3B
- ^ The ClarionLedger: WDBD to start local newscasts
- ^ "New Morning Show, News Team at WDBD". January 18, 2011.
- ^ Gates, Jimme E. (August 21, 2012). "Fox TV station WDBD sold". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
- ^ Gates, Jimmie (November 12, 2012). "Fox Affiliate WDBD Fox 40 begins joint news operation with WLBT". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
- ^ RabbitEars TV Query for WDBD
- ^ List of Digital Full-Power Stations