WMGT-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WMGT-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Clear, Accurate, To The Point
station_branding = Today's MGT
analog = 41 (UHF)
digital = 40 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = NBC
network =
founded =
airdate = September 30, 1968
location = Macon, Georgia
callsign_meaning = Middle
Georgia
Television
former_callsigns = WCWB-TV (1968-1983)
WMGT (1983-2003)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Morris Multimedia, Inc.
licensee = Morris Network, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 1050 kW (analog)
110 kW (digital)
HAAT = 241 m (analog)
189 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 43847
coordinates = coord|32|45|11.2|N|83|33|47.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.todaysmgt.com/ www.todaysmgt.com]

WMGT-TV is Macon, Georgia's NBC affiliate. It is currently owned by Morris Multimedia as part of its Morris Network division, as it has been since 1978. Its transmitter is located in Macon.

History

WMGT-TV began broadcasting on September 30, 1968 as WCWB-TV, the first commercial station started in Middle Georgia since WMAZ-TV started in 1953; it has always been an NBC affiliate. Unlike many NBC affiliates in two-station markets, WCWB did not assume a secondary ABC affiliation; the market did not get a full ABC affiliate until 1982 (in WGXA).

Its studios were located at the transmitter location 15 miles east of Macon, on what locals term the "Cochran Short Route" (US-129). The station renamed itself WMGT in 1983, to reflect the Middle Georgia area it serves. One final change to the station's legal callsign took place in 2003, when the "-TV" suffix was added.

During its first 24 years on the air, channel 41's newscasts were never competitive with WMAZ, in part because many households didn't even have UHF-capable sets. It fell even further behind when WGXA signed on in 1982 and immediately surged to second place due to a more modern on-air look. In 1992, WMGT shut down its news department. For the next 12 years, WMGT aired no local newscasts at all.

In 2000, the station moved into a two-story renovated warehouse in downtown Macon, adding to the revitalization of the historic area and signifying future growth for the station. In September 2004, WMGT relaunched its news department.

On April 3, 2006, the station retired its "41" logo and "41 NBC" branding in favor of a new logo and branding, Today's MGT.

=Current News Personalities=

Anchors

*Brandon Long, 5:30 p.m. Anchor/Reporter, Managing Editor
*Brooke Martin, 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Anchor/Reporter
*Coreen Savitski, Daybreak Anchor/Reporter

Reporters

*Gabe Dalusky, General Assignment Reporter
*Liz Foster, General Assignment Reporter
*Antwan Harris, General Assignment Reporter
*Aundrea Cline-Thomas, General Assignment Reporter

Meteorologist

*Lauren Casey, Daybreak Meteorologist
*Brian Fowler, Chief Meteorologist
*Chrissy Keeley, Substitute Meteorologist

ports

*Bill Shanks, The End Zone Host

Personalities

*Jackie Cooper, Movie Critic

Past personalities

*Seth Bauguess, General Assignment Reporter (2004-2006, now at WKEF/WRGT Dayton
*Ryan Chambers, Fill-In Meteorologist/Sport Reporter
*Mark Christian, General Assignment Reporter (2006-2007,now at KERO Bakersfield, CA)
*Ashley DeBeltrand Fuori, Morning Meteorologist (2004-2005)
*Walt Gray, Anchor/Reporter (During the WCWB era, now at KCRA/KQCASacramento)
*Russ Geller, Weathercaster (During the WCWB era, now News Director at WCBI)
*Stephanie Golden, Morning Anchor/Reporter (2004-2005)
*Jennifer Gordon, General Assignment Reporter (2005-2006)
*Gaynor Hall, Morning Anchor/Reporter (2004-2006)
*Heather Graf, General Assignment Reporter (2006-2007, now at WLOS in Asheville, NC)
*Ashanti Hathaway, General Assignment Reporter (2005-2006)
*Susan Jackson, 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Anchor/Reporter (2004-2006)
*Derek Kinkade, Morning Meteorologist (2005-2006, now at WTVM/WXTX Columbus, GA)
*Stephanie Leydon, Anchor/Reporter (During the pre-1992 era, last seen at WLVI Boston)
*Ke'Sha Lopez, Daybreak Anchor/Reporter (2004-2008)
*Monica Lorriane, Morning Anchor/Reporter (2006-2007)
*Jerry Mathewson, Chief Meteorologist (2004-2007)
*Gavin Moberg, Sport Reporter 2007
*Kaitlyn Pratt, General Assignment Reporter (2004-2005, now at WSAV Savannah)
*Chris Smith, Morning Meteorologist (2005, now the meteorologist CNN)
*Melissa Sogegian, General Assignment Reporter (2004-2006, now at Bay News 9 Tampa Bay)
*Callie Starnes, General Assignment Reporter (2007-2008)
*Neysa Wilkins-Trout, Anchor (____-1992), now at WJHG-TV News Channel 7 in Panama City)
*Dave Carter-Anchor
*Karen Acar
*John Hosenberg
*Keysha Morgan
*Liz Jarvis-Fabian (later worked as an anchor/reporter at WGXA and WMAZ and now anchors a morning webcast and writes for The Macon Telegraph)
*Dodie Cantrell (now General Manager of WMAZ)
*Jim Lee (former news director and later a Macon City Councilman) died in 2004
*Dave Culbreath-Sportscaster
*Jeff Zell-Sportscaster

External links

* [http://www.wmgt.com/ WMGT-TV website]
*TVQ|WMGT
*BIA|WMGT|TV|TV