- WDEF-TV
Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WDEF-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Local, quick and to the point
station_branding = WDEF News 12
analog = 12 (VHF)
digital = 47 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations =CBS
network =
founded =
airdate =April 25 ,1954
location =Chattanooga, Tennessee
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Morris Multimedia, Inc.
licensee = WDEF-TV, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = All secondary:
DuMont (1954–1955)NBC (1954-1956)
ABC (1954-1958)
Independent (1958-2004)UPN (2004-2006)
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 384 m (analog)
376 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 54385
coordinates = coord|35|8|6.8|N|85|19|24.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.wdef.com/ www.wdef.com]WDEF–TV channel 12 is the
CBS affiliate forChattanooga and theTennessee Valley . The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned byMorris Multimedia . Its transmitter is located inSignal Mountain, Tennessee .History
The station signed on the air on
April 25 ,1954 , carrying programming from all four networks, though it has always been a primary CBS affiliate. It was owned byJoe Engel , who owned theChattanooga Lookouts baseball team as well as WDEF radio (AM 1370 and FM 92.3). It took the CBS affiliation from WROM-TV (channel 9). It lostNBC to WRGP-TV (nowWRCB-TV ) in1956 , and lost ABC toWTVC (the former WROM) in1958 .For many years, WDEF was owned by Park Communications, which was bought by
Media General in1997 . In 2006, Media General sold the station toMorris Multimedia . [ [http://www.media-general.com/press/2006/oct13_06.html Media General Completes Sale of WDEF-TV in Chattanooga to Morris Multimedia ] ]Programming
In its early years, Channel 12 was locally oriented, offering a mix of children's shows, talk and variety programs. Currently, in addition to CBS shows, the station also airs reruns of the classic sitcom
The Andy Griffith Show , Judge Joe Brown,Judge Judy ,The 700 Club , Dr. Phil and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.Mort Lloyd was the station's top anchor from the station's inception in 1954 until 1958, when he moved to rival NBC affiliate WRGP-TV. He returned to the anchor chair at channel 12 from 1970 until he stepped down to run for Congress in
1974 . He won the Democratic nomination, but died in a plane crash while en route to a victory celebration. His widow,Marilyn Lloyd , replaced him on the ballot and won in November, serving twenty years until1995 .Current Personalities/Employees
* Patrick Core, Chief Meteorologist
* Nordia Epps, 11:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
* Kristin Johnson, General Assignment Reporter
* Amy Katcher, Weekend Meteorologist/Reporter
* Reneé LaSalle,6:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
* Jason Law, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
* Joe Legge, Noon Anchor/Reporter
* Luther Masingill, Community Calendar
* Rick Nyman, Sports Director
* Rachel Oesch, Morning Anchor
* Abena Williams, General Assignment ReporterPast personalities/Employees
* Debbie Baer, Weather and Human Interest, (1978-1980)
* Jay Berman, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (2003-2006, Now at News 12 Brooklyn)
* Allison Braxton, General Assignment Reporter (2003–06, now atWVUE )
* Chip Chapman, Morning and Noon Meteorologist (now works in Chattanooga radio)
* Lynette Charles, Weekend Meteorologist (now atWPMT )
* Brooke Cornell, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
* Russ Geller, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (1980-1983 now News Director at WCBI)
* Ebony Hall, Reporter (1998-2004, now atWBMA )
* Candice Lee, 6:00 and 11:00 Anchor (now atWCMH )
* Kristy Lindstrom, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
* David Neal, Chief Meteorologist (1987–97, now atWBRC )
* Melissa Riopka, Anchor/Reporter (now atWBMA )
*Alison Starling , Anchor/Reporter (now atWJLA )
* Ben Tackett, Weathercaster (1983-86)
* Kurt Williams, Anchor/Reporter (now atWTKR )
* Cater Lee, News Anchor
* David Carroll, Morning Show Host
* Glenn Halbrooks, News Anchor
* Tracy Moore, News Anchor
* Mike King, News Anchor
* Dale Harris, News Anchor
* John Clark, News Anchor
* Jim Hampton, News Anchor
* Jerry Brown, News Anchor
* Tom Hogue, Reporter, News Anchor
* Dave Daughtry, News Anchor
* Rich Buddine, News Anchor
* Steve Conrad, News Anchor
* Mort Lloyd, News Anchor
* John Gray, Weather
* Harv Bradley, Weather
* Bill Schoocraft, Sports
* Bill Smith, Sports
* Bill McAfee, News Anchor
* Ken Kettering, Sports
* Randy Smith, Sports
* Deb Collins, News Anchor
* Christy Murphy, News Anchor
* Ted Perry, News Anchor
* Bill Ross, News Anchor
* Garry Mac, News Anchor
* Sally Schulze, News Anchor (most recently withWESH-TV , Orlando)
* Heidi Robinson, News Anchor
* Ken Chambers, News Anchor
* Rebecca Williams, News Anchor
* Ray White, News Anchor
* Chet Green, News Anchor
* Suzy Rigsby, News Anchor
* Mike Lewis News Anchor
* Joyce Oscar, News Anchor (now withWSB-TV , Atlanta)
* Rich Everitt, News Anchor
* Mark Grimm, Reporter
* Jim Bradley Reporter
* Margaret Johnson, Noon Anchor
* Linda Edwards Noon Anchor
* Helen Hardin, Reporter, Morning Show Host
* Sarah Harlow, Reporter
* Beth McKay, Reporter
*Dan Lothian , Reporter (now withCNN )
* Kevin Billingsley, Sports Anchor
* Bill Ericson, Sports
* Esme Murphy, Reporter
* Bethany Mowry, Reporter
* Mike Chambers, Reporter
* Doug Thomas, Sports
* Chip Tarkenton, Sports
* Leigh Mosely, Reporter
* Catherine Cate, Reporter
* Elizabeth Batterson, Reporter
* Sherry Wein, Reporter
* Gene Pinder, Reporter
* Mike Andrews, Reporter
* Lauren Thierry, Reporter (formerly ofCNN )References
External links
* [http://www.wdef.com/ WDEF.com]
*TVQ|WDEF
*BIA|WDEF|TV|TV
* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=35017028&x=-85321627&z=18&l=0&m=h&v=2 Location of WDEF studios on Wikimapia]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.