WAPT is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Jackson and Central Mississippi, owned by Hearst Television.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
WAPT is a broadcast television station serving Jackson, Mississippi, and the surrounding Central Mississippi market. Operating on virtual channel 16, the station is affiliated primarily with ABC and is owned by Hearst Television. Its studios and transmitter facilities are located together on Channel 16 Way near Mississippi Highway 18 in southwest Jackson. WAPT is a local-media brand rather than a national consumer brand: its value is built around network programming, locally produced news, weather, sports, public-service coverage, and the reach of its broadcast and digital platforms. The station was the third commercial television station to launch in Jackson. Its origins date to a 1965 application process for the channel 16 allocation involving radio broadcaster John MacLendon and an affiliate of Jackson-based American Public Life Insurance Company. The competing applications were consolidated, and American Public Life ultimately acquired MacLendon's interest after his death. Construction began in the late 1960s, but an antenna-delivery delay caused by a strike at an RCA facility postponed the planned launch. WAPT finally began broadcasting on October 3, 1970. Its arrival completed full local access to programming from the three major American television networks then serving Jackson, since existing stations had stopped carrying ABC programming shortly before WAPT signed on. WAPT began producing local news in early 1971. For much of its history, it ranked behind WLBT and WJTV in Jackson local-news ratings. The station's later arrival and its UHF signal contributed to a smaller historical coverage footprint than the two established VHF stations. Limited staffing and resources also affected its news operation, including periods when it had a comparatively small sports department and experienced frequent changes in sports-anchor personnel. Nevertheless, WAPT gradually expanded its local programming. Weekend news returned in 1990 after a temporary discontinuation, a weekday morning newscast began in 1992, weekend morning broadcasts were added in 2011, and a 9 p.m. newscast launched on the station's MeTV-associated digital channel in 2020. Under Hearst ownership, the station became more competitive with WJTV for second place in the local-news market, although WLBT remained the leading competitor in the cited historical account. Ownership changed several times during WAPT's first decades. American Public Life sold the station in 1976 to Television America Sixteen, a consortium of six investors. Clay Broadcasting acquired it in 1979 and pledged to improve its equipment and news department. Price Communications bought Clay's television group in 1987, and a management buyout led by Price executive Dick Appleton created Northstar Television Group in 1989. Argyle Television II acquired WAPT in a transaction completed in January 1995. Argyle then combined with the Hearst broadcasting operation in 1997, creating Hearst-Argyle Television. Hearst later acquired Argyle's remaining interest, took the company private, and renamed it Hearst Television in 2009. The WAPT brand has also been associated with notable broadcasting incidents. In 1993 it initially declined to air ABC's NYPD Blue because of concerns about the program's language, nudity, and violence, but restored the program in January 1995 after changes were made. In 2005, a WAPT news interview featuring Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Borat was secretly filmed for the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Station personnel had been told that the appearance was for a Bulgarian documentary, and a WAPT news producer later publicly described professional consequences arising from the segment. During Hurricane Katrina, WAPT also served as a temporary operational base for employees of Hearst-Argyle sister station WDSU in New Orleans, supporting emergency newscasts and related production while the New Orleans station was displaced. WAPT completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting in June 2009. Its digital signal retained virtual channel 16 while using a different physical UHF channel. The station continues to combine ABC network programming with local journalism and multicast services. According to the supplied reference material, its fourth digital subchannel was scheduled to assume the CBS affiliation for the Jackson market from WJTV on August 1, 2026, reflecting a wider affiliation realignment involving Hearst-owned stations and Nexstar Media Group-owned stations.
History
WAPT's history began in the mid-1960s, when two groups sought the Federal Communications Commission's allocation for television channel 16 in Jackson, Mississippi. One applicant was associated with John MacLendon, who owned Jackson radio station WOKJ and a television station in Birmingham, Alabama. The other was connected to American Public Life Insurance Company, a Jackson-based insurer. The FCC placed the applications into a comparative hearing process, but the parties consolidated their proposals in October 1965. American Public Life later acquired MacLendon's half interest from his estate after he died in 1969. American Public Life reported that construction was underway by 1969 and that the prospective station, named WAPT, was negotiating an ABC affiliation. The station was intended to begin earlier, but a strike at an RCA plant in Camden, New Jersey, delayed delivery of its antenna. On September 1, 1970, Jackson's existing commercial stations, WLBT and WJTV, stopped carrying ABC programs. WAPT was not yet ready to launch, however, creating uncertainty over how ABC programming would reach local viewers. WAPT began operations on October 3, 1970. A football game between Ole Miss and Alabama was shown by both WJTV and WAPT that day because WJTV had been prepared as a contingency outlet if the new station could not begin on schedule. WAPT started producing local news in early 1971. Bert Case served as its first news director and later joined WLBT, where he developed a long broadcasting career. The station's first sports anchor, Dick Thames, died in a 1972 plane crash while preparing a news story; a WAPT cameraman recorded images of the crash. These early events established the station as a local news organization as well as an ABC outlet. In 1976, American Public Life sold WAPT to Television America Sixteen, a consortium of six professional and business investors. The reported transaction involved a cash payment of $500,000 and the assumption of $3 million in liabilities. Clay Broadcasting purchased the station three years later for a reported $7.5 million. Clay promised improvements to WAPT's equipment and news operation, which had struggled to compete despite ABC's strong network position. Price Communications acquired Clay's four-station television group in 1987. In 1989, Price executive Dick Appleton led a management buyout involving four Price stations, including WAPT, and the new group became Northstar Television Group. Appleton temporarily managed WAPT directly in 1991 while the station's general manager recovered from brain surgery; he described the station as the weaker performer in the group and replaced its news director. WAPT's news ratings were shaped by its late entry into the Jackson market and by technical differences between its UHF signal and the stronger coverage historically available from the established VHF stations WLBT and WJTV. The cited account states that WAPT's signal historically reached approximately 69 percent of the area covered by WLBT's signal. The station also operated with fewer newsroom resources, particularly in sports. It discontinued weekend newscasts at the end of 1988, restored them in November 1990 under Northstar, and added a weekday morning newscast in 1992. The station made several programming and personnel changes during the 1990s. WAPT was among dozens of stations that initially declined to air ABC's NYPD Blue when the program premiered in September 1993, citing language, nudity, and violence. It reversed that decision in January 1995 after ABC modified the program. Argyle Television II acquired three Northstar stations, including WAPT, in a transaction announced in 1994 and completed in January 1995. Argyle subsequently made substantial changes to WAPT's news staff, including the dismissal of evening anchor Stephanie Bell-Flynt and commentator Cal Adams. News director Bob Noonan, who had recently taken the role, described the changes as an effort to create a more competitive newsroom. In August 1997, Argyle merged with Hearst's broadcasting unit to form Hearst-Argyle Television. Hearst later bought Argyle's remaining interest, took the company private, and renamed the operation Hearst Television in 2009. WAPT remained part of that group. During the 2000s and 2010s, it improved its competitive position against WJTV, although WLBT continued to lead the local-news market in the historical account. Hearst gradually expanded WAPT's schedule, adding weekend morning newscasts in 2011 and a 9 p.m. newscast on a MeTV-associated digital subchannel in 2020. WAPT received national attention in 2005 after Sacha Baron Cohen appeared on a station news program as the fictional character Borat. The appearance had been presented to station personnel as an interview for a Bulgarian television documentary, but it was secretly recorded for the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. WAPT news producer Dharma Arthur later wrote publicly about the professional consequences she associated with the segment; accounts differed as to whether she had been dismissed or had resigned. That same year, Hurricane Katrina caused WDSU in New Orleans, another Hearst-Argyle station, to relocate 19 employees to WAPT. WAPT constructed an additional set and helped support temporary television, radio, and internet newscasts. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the nationwide digital transition. Its digital service continued to use virtual channel 16. Under the supplied reference material, WAPT's fourth subchannel was scheduled to take over the Jackson market's CBS affiliation from WJTV on August 1, 2026. This planned change would broaden the station's network role while preserving WAPT's principal identity as a Jackson-based local broadcaster and ABC affiliate.
- 2026
Planned CBS affiliation shift
[1]The station's fourth subchannel is scheduled to become the Jackson market's CBS affiliate on August 1, 2026.
- 2020
Digital-subchannel evening news launches
[1]A 9 p.m. newscast begins on the station's MeTV-associated digital subchannel.
- 2011
Weekend morning newscasts launch
[1]WAPT adds weekend morning local news programming.
- 2009
Digital transition
[1]WAPT ends regular analog broadcasting and continues digital service using virtual channel 16.
- 2005
Hurricane Katrina emergency support
[1]WAPT hosts displaced WDSU personnel and supports temporary newscast production.
- 1997
WAPT joins Hearst-Argyle Television
[1]Argyle combines with Hearst's broadcasting unit.
- 1995
Argyle Television takes ownership
[1]Argyle Television II completes its acquisition of WAPT and makes changes to the station's news operation.
- 1992
Morning news expands
[1]The station launches a weekday morning newscast.
- 1990
Weekend news returns
[1]WAPT restores weekend newscasts after having discontinued them in 1988.
- 1989
Northstar Television Group is formed
[1]A management buyout led by Dick Appleton places WAPT in the newly formed Northstar group.
Products and positioning
A locally focused broadcast television station combining ABC network content with news, weather, sports, public-service programming, and digital multicast services for Jackson and Central Mississippi.
Local television news · 1971
WAPT local news
WAPT's locally produced news operation covers Jackson and Central Mississippi, including breaking news, politics, community affairs, sports, and weather. The schedule has expanded over time from an initial early-1970s operation to include morning, weekend, and digital-subchannel evening broadcasts.
Network television affiliation · 1970
ABC programming
ABC network programming is the station's principal network service. WAPT negotiated an ABC affiliation before signing on and became Jackson's ABC outlet when it began broadcasting in 1970.
Multicast television
Digital multicast services
WAPT operates digital subchannels carrying additional television services. Its multicast operation has included MeTV-associated programming and a local 9 p.m. newscast; the supplied reference also describes a planned CBS affiliation for the fourth subchannel in 2026.
Controversies
2005
Borat interview deception
Sacha Baron Cohen appeared on WAPT in character as Borat after the station was told that the interview was for a Bulgarian television documentary. The encounter was secretly recorded for the film Borat. WAPT producer Dharma Arthur later publicly described professional harm connected with the segment, although accounts differed on whether she had been fired or had resigned.
Brand decisions
2026
Planned CBS affiliation on fourth subchannelStrategyBackground
The supplied reference describes a Jackson affiliation realignment involving Hearst-owned and Nexstar Media Group-owned stations.
Action taken
WAPT's fourth digital subchannel is scheduled to replace WJTV as the Jackson market's CBS affiliate on August 1, 2026.
Aftermath
If implemented as described, the change would give WAPT a broader network role in the Jackson market while retaining its principal ABC affiliation.
2020
Launch of a 9 p.m. digital-subchannel newscastProduct launchBackground
Hearst expanded WAPT's local-news schedule through its digital multicast operation.
Action taken
WAPT introduced a 9 p.m. newscast on its MeTV-associated subchannel.
Aftermath
The move provided an additional local-news time slot outside the station's main-channel schedule.
2005
Emergency support for WDSU during Hurricane KatrinaStrategyBackground
Hurricane Katrina displaced employees and disrupted operations at Hearst-Argyle station WDSU in New Orleans.
Action taken
WAPT hosted 19 WDSU employees and built a secondary set to support temporary television, radio, and internet newscasts.
Aftermath
WDSU personnel later moved to another sister station before returning to New Orleans in October.
1993
Initial refusal to air NYPD BlueOtherBackground
WAPT and other ABC affiliates objected to the program's language, nudity, and violence when it debuted.
Action taken
The station declined to carry the program at launch, then reversed the decision in January 1995 after ABC made changes.
Aftermath
WAPT resumed its role as an outlet for the ABC program.
Sources2 sources
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