WSBT-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WSBT-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Local News Leader
station_branding = WSBT
analog = 22 (UHF)
digital = 30 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = CBS
network =
founded =
airdate = December 21, 1952
location = South Bend, Indiana
callsign_meaning = South
Bend
Tribune
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Schurz Communications, Inc.
licensee = WSBT, Inc.
sister_stations = WSBT (AM), WNSN
former_affiliations = NBC/ABC/DuMont (1952-1954, all secondary)
UPN (DT2, 2003-2006)
effective_radiated_power = 4790 kW (analog)
229 kW (digital)
HAAT = 325 m (analog)
332.4 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 73983
coordinates = coord|41|36|59.9|N|86|13|0.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.wsbt.com/ www.wsbt.com]

WSBT-TV (channel 22) is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. WSBT is an affiliate of the CBS television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend.

History

Early broadcasting

WSBT-TV first signed on in December 21, 1952 as another media outlet of the South Bend Tribune. It was the first UHF station in the country to produce a live telecast, which was five minutes of news. It was also the first on UHF to telecast a high school basketball tournament, which came from John Adams High School. In 1953, WSBT-TV had several sports related firsts. In the fall of that year, WSBT became the first TV station in the United States to present a closed-circuit telecast of a college football practice. This allowed Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy to direct the practice, as he was hospitalized at the time. WSBT-TV was also the first station in Indiana to broadcast in color, starting in 1954. The station plans to move into a new, state of the art broadcast facility in Mishawaka in September 2008.

UPN Michiana / SBT2

In 2003, WSBT launched UPN Michiana on digital channel 22.2. UPN Michiana became an independent in Fall 2006 when UPN programming merged into the new CW network. At that point, "UPN Michiana" became "SBT2". One of SBT2's new offerings include a weekday 10pm newscast, which began September 5th, 2006.

Expansion

On August 4, 2008, WSBT announced plans to purchase Weigel Broadcasting's three stations in the market, ABC affiliate WBND-LP, CW affiliate WCWW-LP, and My Network TV affiliate WMYS-LP. Since the three stations are all low-power, they are not counted under FCC ownership rules. Alongside WSBT-DT's existing three channels, the purchase will give Schurz Communications a total of six channels in the market, including two "Big Four" network affiliates.

News Staff

Anchors

*Cindy Ward - 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weekdays
*Debra Daniel - 5 and 11 p.m. weekdays
*Jim Pinkerton - 6 and 10 p.m. weekdays
*Kirk Mason - "First Thing In The Morning" and noon weekdays
*Dustin Grove - 6, 10 and 11 p.m. weekends
*Darla Hernandez - Saturday morning

Meteorologists

*Rick Mecklenburg - chief meteorologist
*Cari Peugeot - morning meteorologist
*Andrew Sweeney - weekend meteorologist

ports

*Greg Carroll - sports director
*Pete Byrne - weekend sports anchor
*Carolyn Manno - sports reporter

Reporters

*Megan Baldoni
*Kelli Cheatham
*Ed Ernstes
*Tristan Henry
*Troy Kehoe
*John Paul
*Sarah Rice
*Leanne Tokars

Notable Alumni

*Luke Choate, anchor (now retired)
*Deborah Domine, anchor (now an Elkhart County judge)
*Mike Collins, anchor (retired November 30, 2007 [cite news |first=Andrew S. |last=Hughes |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Signing off |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/southbendtribune/access/1397662671.html?FMT=ABS |work=South Bend Tribune |publisher= |date=2007-12-02 |accessdate=2008-07-21 ] )
* [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1226,00.html Todd Connor] , anchor (now assignment reporter and overnight weekend anchor for Fox News Channel)
*Charlie Adams, sports
* Jon Shaner, meteorolgist
*Paul Silvestri, meteorologist
*Sam Scaman, meteorologist
*Bruce Saunders, meteorologist
*Mike May, puppeteer "Popeye Theater"

ee also

WSBT (AM)

External links

* [http://www.wsbt.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.sbt2.tv/ SBT2 website]
*TVQ|WSBT
*BIA|WSBT|TV|TV

References