- WRC-TV
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WRC-TV 
Washington, D.C. Branding NBC 4 (general)
News 4 (newscasts)Slogan Washington's News Leader
Connected to YouChannels Digital: 48 (UHF)
Virtual: 4 (PSIP)Subchannels (see article) Affiliations NBC Owner NBCUniversal
(NBC Telemundo License, LLC)First air date June 27, 1947 Call letters' meaning Radio Corporation of America
(NBC's former parent)Sister station(s) Comcast Network
CSN WashingtonFormer callsigns WNBW (1947-1954) Former channel number(s) Analog:
4 (VHF, 1947-2009)Transmitter power 813 kW Height 242 m Facility ID 47904 Transmitter coordinates 38°56′24″N 77°4′54″W / 38.94°N 77.08167°W Website www.nbcwashington.com WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C. The station's studios and transmitter are co-located in the Tenleytown neighborhood of northwest Washington.[1]
WRC-TV houses and originates NBC News' Washington bureau, out of which David Gregory, Chris Matthews, Jim Miklaszewski, Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, David Shuster, and Pete Williams are based.
Contents
History
WRC-TV's studio/transmitter facility, which also houses NBC's Washington operations, have been in use since 1958. (Photo is from c. 1962.)
The station traces its roots to experimental W3XNB, which was put on the air by the Radio Corporation of America, the then-parent company of NBC, in 1939. On June 27, 1947, the station received a commercial license and went on the air as WNBW (for NBC Washington). It is Washington's second-oldest licensed television station, after WTTG (channel 5). WNBW was also the second of the five original NBC-owned television stations to sign-on, behind WNBT in New York City (now WNBC) and ahead of WNBQ in Chicago (now WMAQ-TV), WNBK in Cleveland (now WKYC-TV) and KNBH in Los Angeles (now KNBC). The station was operated alongside WRC radio (AM 980, frequency now occupied by WTEM; and FM 93.9, now WKYS).
On October 18, 1954, its callsign changed to the present WRC-TV to match its radio sisters. The new calls reflected NBC's ownership at the time by RCA. It has retained its "-TV" suffix to this day, more than two decades after the radio stations were sold off.
The second presidential debate between candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. David Brinkley's Washington segment of the Huntley-Brinkley Report originated at WRC-TV between 1956 and 1970.
The earliest color videotape in existence is a recording of the dedication of NBC/WRC's Washington studios on May 22, 1958. As Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at the event, it was also the first time a president had been videotaped in color. [1]
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 the only owned-and-operated station in Washington. That distinction ended when WTTG was sold to the newly-created Fox Network in 1986; it has since been accompanied by WDCA and WBDC (now WDCW) in that order, respectively as UPN and WB stations with their owners having stakes in those new networks. Today WRC is one of three network O&O's alongside the Newscorp-owned duopoly of WTTG and WDCA (now a MyNetworkTV station).
On January 14, 2009 WRC-TV and WTTG entered in talks to pool video and share their news helicopters. The agreement is similar to ones already made between Fox and NBC O&Os in Chicago (WMAQ-TV and WFLD) and Philadelphia (WCAU and WTXF).[2]
WRC-TV was the final network affiliated station in the Washington Metropolitan Area to cease news broadcasts in standard definition. On Thursday, April 8, 2010, during the Today show newsbreaks, the station tested the high-definition version of its newscasts and broadcast the newsbreak in HD, but the news was back in standard definition at their next full newscast at 11 a.m. NBC4 started broadcasting from a temporary set on February 8, 2010 while "upgrades" were being made on its main set and the station made final adjustments for its switch to high definition. As of Thursday, April 22, 2010, all newscasts produced by NBC4 are in high definition.
Like all of the DC-area Mobile DTV broadcasters, WRC-TV commenced ATSC-M/H broadcasting on February 27, 2011
Digital programming
WRC-TV's signal is multiplexed. It offers Washington Nonstop on digital channel 4.2 and Universal Sports on 4.3.
Channel Programming 4.1 Main WRC programming / NBC 4.2 NBC Washington Nonstop 4.3 Universal Sports WRC-TV also has a Mobile DTV feed of subchannel 4.1, labelled "WRC NBC Mobile", broadcasting at 1.83 Mbit/s. This is the lowest bitrate of any DC-area television station mobile feed.[3][4]
On or before June 12, 2009, WRC-TV shut down its analog signal on channel 4 to complete its analog to digital conversion. Its digital signal remained on channel 48.[5] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WRC-TV's virtual channel as "4".
WRC-TV's studios were the home from 1996 to about 2002 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,[6] and aired on Channel 34 to provide the FCC and the National Association of Broadcasters a channel to conduct many experiments in the new format.[7][8] WHD-TV was discontinued around 2002.
The station started broadcasting its local news programs in High Definition full time on April 22, 2010. It is the only station in the U.S. capital that shoots most of its remote field video in 16:9 widescreen; other stations still shoot live field video in 4:3 and then either pillarbox or stretch this content.
On October 27, 2010, 4.2 NBC Plus went off the air and became NBC Washington Nonstop.
Programs
WRC-TV's studios are home to Meet the Press, the longest-running show in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947 and It's Academic, which premiered in 1961 and is the longest-running game show in television history according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Sam and Friends, Jim Henson's late-night precursor to Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, got its start on WRC-TV on May 9, 1955.
Because of its ownership by the network, WRC-TV generally airs the entire NBC schedule, though NBC Nightly News is broadcast a half-hour late (at 7 p.m.) to allow another 30 minutes of local news. WRC-TV was the over-the-air home of Washington Redskins pre-season games for the 2009 season, meaning that some or all of NBC's prime-time schedule was pre-empted by game coverage.
Like other NBC-owned stations, WRC-TV's syndicated program offerings include Access Hollywood, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Nate Berkus Show, among others.
Ratings
As of 2001, WRC's newscasts have been the number one rated station in the market, with the long-running anchor team of Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler. In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed first at 5:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. in total viewers, and first at 6:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. in the 25–54 demo.
On-air staff
Current
News 4 anchors
- Jim Vance - Weeknights @ 6pm & 11pm (1969–present)
- Doreen Gentzler - Weeknights @ 6pm & 11pm also health reporter (1989–present)
- Jim Handly - Weekdays @ 4pm & 5pm and Viewpoint host
- Wendy Rieger - Weeknights @ 5pm and Going Green reporter
- Pat Lawson Muse - Weekdays @ 4pm and Reporter's Notebook & This Week host
- Joe Krebs - Weekday morning anchor
- Eun Yang - Weekday morning anchor
- Barbara Harrison - Midday anchor and Wednesday's Child host
- Angie Goff - Weekend morning anchor
- Aaron Gilchrist - Weekend evening anchor
News 4 reporters
- Jackie Bensen - General assignment reporter
- Julie Carey - General assignment reporter
- Pat Collins - General assignment reporter
- Liz Crenshaw - Consumer reporter
- Steve Handelsman - General assignment reporter; national correspondent
- Megan McGrath - General assignment reporter (daughter of WTTG's Patrick McGrath)
- Mellisa Mollet - general assignment reporter
- Brian Mooar - National Correspondent
- John Schriffen - General assignment reporter
- Danella Sealock - Traffic reporter
- Tom Sherwood - Political reporter
- Darcy Spencer - General assignment reporter
- Shomari Stone - General assignment reporter
- Tisha Thompson - investigative reporter
- Derrick Ward - General assignment reporter
- Jane Watrel - General assignment reporter; national correspondent
- Tracee Wilkins - General assignment reporter
Meteorologists
- Doug Kammerer (AMS Certified) - Chief Meteorologist at 5, 6 and 11pm
- Veronica Johnson (AMS) - 4pm Meteorologist and America This Week host
- Tom Kierein (AMS) - Morning/Midday Meteorologist
- Chuck Bell (AMS) - Weekend Meteorologist
- Kim Martucci (NWA) - Fill-in Meteorologist
Sports reporters
- Dan Hellie - Sports anchor and reporter during the week, Sports Final co-host and Hellie Pad host
- Hakem Dermish - Sports reporter and producer
Notable former on-air staff
- Jess Atkinson - Sports anchor/reporter (1990–1996)
- Shannon Bream - Weekend evening anchor/reporter (2004–2007)
- Campbell Brown - Reporter (1993–1996; formerly with NBC News; now with CNN)
- Wally Bruckner - Sports anchor/reporter (1990–2006)[9]
- Nick Charles - Sports anchor/reporter (1976–1979; also at WJZ-TV Baltimore; 1st CNN sports anchor)(Deceased 2011)
- Richard L. Coe - Entertainment critic prior to Arch Campbell (1960s-1974; deceased)
- Katie Couric - General assignment reporter (1987–1989; former NBC Today show co-host; later anchored the CBS Evening News)
- Lindsay Czarniak - Sports anchor/reporter (2005–2011; Sports Final co-host and former Sports Machine co-host) - now at ESPN
- Steve Doocy - Features reporter (1983–1989)
- Robert Hager - Reporter (1960–1965; formerly an NBC News correspondent)
- Mike Hambrick - Anchor (1981–1985)
- Richard C. Harkness - News reporter/anchor (1940s–1960s)
- Jim Hartz - Anchor (1976–1979)
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault - Reporter (1967–1968)
- Lynda Lopez - Reporter (1986–1997)
- Catherine "Cassie" Mackin - Anchor/reporter (1969–1972; deceased)
- Suzanne Malveaux - Reporter (1996–1999)
- Dave Marash - Anchor/reporter (1985–1989)
- Doug McKelway - (?–2001) - reporter and anchor - now at Fox News Channel
- George Michael - Sports anchor/reporter; former host of The George Michael Sports Machine (1980–March 25, 2007); hosted Monday segments from Redskins Park and Redskins Report/Full Court Press until December 2008[10] (died December 24, 2009)
- Max Robinson - reporter (1967–1968; deceased)
- Charlie Rose - Talk show host (1981–1984)
- Tim Russert - Frequent correspondent from Meet the Press; deceased
- Bob Ryan - AMS Certified Meteorologist (1980–2010)-now at WJLA-TV
- Willard Scott - NBC page (1950; Bozo the Clown from 1959–1962; meteorologist (1968–1980); now at NBC's Today Show)
- Sue Simmons - Anchor/reporter (1976–1980)
- Carole Simpson - Reporter/public affairs host (1977–1982)
- Jim Simpson - Sports reporter (1960s)
- Kimberly Lohman Suiters - Weekend anchor (2008-2011)
- Linda Vester - Reporter (1992–1993; formerly with Fox News Channel)
References
- ^ "Digital Signal Sources". The Washington Post. 2008-05-20. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/05/20/GR2008052000207.html?sid=ST2008051902978.
- ^ "Fox And NBC To Share In DC". http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162178-Fox_And_NBC_To_Share_In_DC.php. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=atscmph
- ^ http://www.mdtvsignalmap.com/
- ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/consumer-household-electronics-high/7693519-1.html
- ^ Brinkley, Joel (March 3, 1997). "Warts and Wrinkles Can't Hide From High-Definition TV". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/03/business/warts-and-wrinkles-can-t-hide-from-high-definition-tv.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1.
- ^ http://www.oldradio.com/current/bc_dtv.htm
- ^ Shapiro, Leonard (4 October 2006). "For Bruckner, Time to Chase a Dream". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/04/AR2006100401163.html. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
- ^ "Leonard Shapiro: Loss of Michael Is a Truly Deep Cut". The Washington Post. December 29, 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/29/AR2008122901353.html.
External links
- WRC-TV website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WRC-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WRC-TV
Broadcast television in the greater Washington, D.C. area Local stations Public television Spanish language Cable channels CN8 • Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic • NewsChannel 8 • FPA • AIM • PACDC • MASN
Hagerstown Adjacent locals Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television Baltimore, MD: WMAR (2.1 ABC, 2.3 WX) • WBAL (11.1 NBC, 11.2 WX) • WJZ (13.1 CBS) • WUTB (24.1 MNTV) • WBFF (45.1 Fox) • WNUV (54.1 CW) • WMPB (67.1 PBS/MPT, 67.2 MPT2, 67.3 V-me)
Winchester, VA: WHSV1-DT (3.1 ABC, 3.2 Fox, 3.3 ABC/This, 3.4 MNTV) • WAZT-CA 10/WAZC-LP 16/WAZF-CA 28/WAZW-CA 48 (TBN) • WVPY (21.1 PBS, 21.2 Create, 21.3 V-me) • WDWA 23 (DS)
West Virginia: W07DN-D / W08EE-D / W09CT-D / W23DR-D / W41DK-D (24.1/24.3 PBS/WVPB SD/HD, 24.2 Create) • WWPX (60.1 ION, 60.2 Qubo, 60.3 ION Life)Silent station ATSC-M/H
(Mobile DTV)
encrypted channels
are italicizedVirginia Broadcast television: Bristol • Bluefield • Charlottesville • Hampton Roads • Harrisonburg • Richmond • Roanoke • Washington, DC
West Virginia Broadcast television: Bluefield • Clarksburg/Weston • Huntington/Charleston • Parkersburg • Washington, DC • Wheeling
Maryland Broadcast television: Baltimore • Pittsburgh, PA • Salisbury • Washington, D.C.Pennsylvania Broadcast television: Binghamton, NY • Buffalo, NY • Elmira, NY • Erie • Johnstown/Altoona/State College • New York City • Philadelphia • Pittsburgh • Scranton/Wilkes-Barre • Susquehanna Valley (Harrisburg) • Washington, DC • Youngstown, OH
Owned-and-operated stations of the major television networks of the United States ABC (8): CBS (14): The CW8 (8): Fox1 (17): MyNetworkTV1 (10): NBC3 (10): Telefutura5 (22): Telemundo3 (16): Univision5 (22): KABE · KAKW · KDTV · KFTV · KMEX · KTVW · KUTH · KUVE · KUVN · KUVS · KWEX · KXLN · WFDC-DT6 · WGBO · WLII / WSUR · WLTV · WQHS · WUVC · WUVG · WUVP · WXTV- Both Fox and MyNetworkTV are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
- WOGX is a semi-satellite of WOFL.
- Both NBC and Telemundo are owned by NBC Universal, a joint venture between Comcast (51%) and General Electric (49%).
- Both stations are jointly owned in a joint venture between NBC Universal (76%) and LIN Television (24%).
- Both Univision and Telefutura are privately owned by Broadcasting Media Partners, Inc., a venture which includes Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, Providence Equity Partners, Inc., TPG Capital, L.P., Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., and Saban Capital Group, Inc.
- Univision owns the licenses to these stations but the stations themselves are operated by Entravision Communications under Local Marketing Agreements.
- NBC Universal owns the license but the station is operated by ZGS Communications.
- The CW network is jointly owned by CBS (50%) and Warner Bros. (50%). All CW stations listed here are owned by CBS.
Categories:- Television stations in Washington, D.C.
- NBC owned-and-operated television stations
- NBC network affiliates
- NBC Universal
- Television channels and stations established in 1947
- Channel 48 digital TV stations in the United States
- Channel 4 virtual TV stations in the United States
- ATSC-M/H stations
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