WPGA-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WPGA-TV
city = Perry, Georgia
station_
station_slogan = You may watch other stations out of habit, but you'll watch ABC Macon for the news.
station_branding = ABC Macon, WPGA-TV (general)
ABC Macon News (During Newscasts)
analog = 58 (UHF)
digital = 32 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = ABC
network =
founded =
airdate = March 1, 1995
location = Macon, Georgia
callsign_meaning = Perry, GeorgiA
"(after the radio station)"
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Register Communications
licensee = Radio Perry, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = Fox (1995)
effective_radiated_power = 1290 kW (analog)
18 kW (digital)
HAAT = 247 m (analog)
185.1 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 54728
coordinates = coord|32|45|4.3|N|83|33|26.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.macon.tv/ www.macon.tv]

WPGA-TV is the ABC television affiliate station serving Macon, Georgia and the Middle Georgia region. It broadcasts on UHF Channel 58, making it one of the highest channel assignments for ABC affiliates in the country. That distinction was formerly held by WBLG (now WTVQ) in Lexington, Kentucky which, until 1980 broadcast on channel 62. The transmitter for WPGA is located in Macon.

History

WPGA signed on in March 1995 as the Macon area's first Fox affiliate. The affiliation lasted only that year; on New Year's Day 1996, WGXA and WPGA swapped affiliations, with WGXA taking the Fox affiliation, and WPGA becoming an ABC affiliate.

WPGA-TV is locally owned by Register Communications, owners of longtime area radio stations WPGA AM (Radio Disney) and WPGA-FM "Mix 100.9" (formerly Magic 101, an R&B station). The radio stations were originally based, but still licensed in, Perry. All of Register Communications' broadcast properties are based in studios on Forsyth Street in Downtown Macon.

Before WPGA-TV signed on in 1995, the Macon area could only receive FOX network programing via a local cable station or via Atlanta's FOX affiliates, first WATL, and later WAGA. When FOX began airing NFL games in the early 1990s, the Football game broadcasts were seen on ABC affiliate WGXA until WPGA signed on.

Newscasts

WPGA have made some attempts to offer news programs. First, there were short morning and evening "News Briefs" featuring video narrated by former WCWB (later WMGT-TV) and WGXA news anchor Ron Wildman. Then the station offered a full newscast from 2001 to 2002 anchored by former WMAZ-TV anchor Tina Hicks. These newscasts aired weeknights at 6:30 and 11:00 pm, pushing ABC World News Tonight to 7:00pm. However "58News" was unsuccessful. After cancelling the newscasts WPGA offered a daily sports news program called the "58 Sports Show"; That too was short lived.

In April 2006, WPGA-TV and WPGA-FM began airing the community-affairs program, Good Morning Middle Georgia. It has been hosted by WPGA-FM Program Director and Morning Air-Personality, Stephen B. The guest list has been wide-ranging, spotlighting many important figure-heads throughout middle Georgia and the surrounding areas. State and nationally-known guests have also appeared on Good Morning Middle Georgia. Topics vary from upcoming events taking place in and around the middle Georgia area, to issues regarding health, education, politics and overall community good. Good Morning Middle Georgia currently airs weekday mornings at 7:25 and 8:25 on WPGA-TV. The program is also heard live on WPGA-FM, Mix 100.9. The first segment is five-minutes long and the second segment is four-minutes long.

On Monday, July 23, 2007; WPGA began airing a new newscast titled "ABC Macon News" produced by the Independent News Network in Davenport, Iowa, this broadcast currently airs Monday through Friday at 7pm and 11pm. This move is interesting as the intent here was to have a local newscast and local presence. But of course, in typical Lowell Register fashion, his "local" newscast is produced in Iowa. [http://www.macon.com/102/story/94518.html] .

George Jobin, Claire Simms and Matt Odom reported on the area's High School football highlights on "The Hilight Zone" Friday nights at 11:20pm during the 2007 season.

Former WMAC-AM morning air personality Jami G. began hosting morning news updates at 7:56 and 8:56, weekdays on WPGA-TV.

Reporter Claire Simms presented a weekly report every Monday night at 7:00 and 11:00 called "The Freedom Report." The series highlighted a different aspect of Robins Air Force Base every week. It began in December 2007 and ended abruptly after the June 23, 2008 broadcast. The Base newspaper featured the report in a print story on January 25, 2008 [http://www.robins.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123083793"] .

On September 2, 2008 ABC Macon will starting air live the 6 a.m. hour of a news/talk radio program on Mix 100.9. The new "Kenny B and Charles E, Your Mix in the Morning" program will air on the radio from 6 a.m.-9 a.m Monday-Friday. With a podcast on [http://www.macon.com/kennyandcharles.html] .

=Current News Personalities=

Anchors

*Libby Allison, Anchor
*John Beard, Anchor
*Sunya Walls, Anchor
*Greg Wilson, Anchor

Producers

*Bill Sindewald, Producer 7 p.m.
*Kelli Hoag, Producer 11 p.m.

Reporters

*Dick Byrd, News Director
*Jami Gaudet, Morning Anchor/Reporter
*Eric Lee, Reporter/Videographer

Meteorologists

*Pat Walker, Chief Meterologist
*Susie Martin, Meteorologist
*Evan Hutchinson, Meterologist

ports

*Jeremy Moss, Sports Anchor
*Roland Glembine, Sports Anchor

Morning Radio Show

* [http://www.hitsandfavorites.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.macon.com/kennyandcharles Kenny Burgamy] , Morning Radio Host
* [http://www.hitsandfavorites.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.macon.com/kennyandcharles Charles E. Richardson] , Morning Radio Host
* [http://www.hitsandfavorites.com/showdj.asp?DJID=39888 Stephen B] , Announcer/Producer
*Liz Fabian, Morning New Reader
*Coach Thom Mead, Morning Sports Anchor

Former Personalities

*Miranda Crissinger, Reporter (now Anchor at WFXL-Albany)
*Bruce Layman, News Director (now at WTAP-Parkersburg, WV)
*Sara Walsh (now at WUSA-Washington, D.C.)
*Julie Wunder (now at WLOS-Asheville, NC)
*Kerry Phillips, Anchor
*Mark Prater, Chief Meteorologist, 11:00pm (now at WIAT-Birmingham)
*Jonathan Swanson, Production Manager (now at WMGT-Macon)
*Matthew Odom Sports Reporter/Hilight Zone Co-Anchor (now at Mercer University Sports Communications)
*George Jobin Hilight Zone Co-Anchor (only for 2007 season, now continues career at Georgia Public Broadcasting)
*Allen Lincoln, Reporter/Photographer (now at 13WMAZ-Macon)
*Claire Simms, Managing Editor/Reporter/Hilight Zone Co-Anchor (now at WECT-Wilmington)
*Nathan O'Leary, News/Sports Anchor
*Rachel Duddles, Reporter/Videographer
*Alex Mason, Videographer
*Hannah Marney, Web Director/ Assignment Editor
*Em Fergusson, Assignment Editor
*Jace Yeomans, Videographer
*Kristen Duffy, Radio Disney
*Emily Hill, Intern
*Meghan Mitchell, Intern
*Eric Bessman, Web Director
*Jim Hysell, Intern
*John Rodriguez Sales Manager (now at Cumulus Broadcasting)
*Tanya Edge, Sales Executive (now at Cumulus Broadcasting)
*Jane Smith, Sales Executive
*Randy, Sales Executive
*Renie Cordell, Sales Executive

References

External links

* [http://www.macon.tv/ ABC Macon Website]
*TVQ|WPGA
*BIA|WPGA|TV|TV