WGBC

WGBC is a full-power television station serving Meridian, Mississippi, and the surrounding eastern Mississippi region. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 30 and is affiliated with Fox and NBC through separate digital programming streams. It operates as part of a shared station group with CBS affiliate WMDN, a relationship commonly presented under the “The Meridian Family of Stations” identity. WGBC and WMDN share studio and transmitter facilities on Crestview Circle in unincorporated Lauderdale County, south of Meridian. The channel 30 allocation has a complicated history. The first station to use it was WCOC-TV, which began broadcasting in 1954 under the ownership of Crystal Oil Company, the owner of WCOC radio. WCOC-TV had expected to obtain the local CBS affiliation, but CBS instead selected WTOK-TV, which operated on the stronger VHF channel 11. WCOC-TV lasted only a few months, transmitting from April 7 until August 1, 1954. A later attempt to move the allocation to Pachuta and use VHF channel 7 did not succeed; that channel ultimately went to WDAM-TV after its own channel reassignment. The channel remained unused for decades until WLBT in Jackson pursued a station intended to serve eastern Mississippi. A construction permit was issued in 1981, and WLBM-TV began broadcasting on June 2, 1982, as a low-powered semi-satellite. Its operation was interrupted by a studio fire on April 17, 1990. Civic Communications subsequently decided not to restore the station, leaving much of the region without a local over-the-air NBC affiliate. Global Communications acquired the dormant channel 30 license and returned it to service as WGBC on September 15, 1991. The station entered into a local marketing agreement with WMDN, a CBS affiliate that had itself undergone several operational changes. WGBC initially attempted to establish a local news identity, but its first news operation ended in the mid-1990s. Later news programming was produced or shared with WMDN under brands including “24/30 News,” although sustained competition from WTOK-TV made local news production difficult. A major programming change arrived in late 2008 and early 2009, when WGBC added Fox to its first digital subchannel. Fox Meridian launched on January 5, 2009, while NBC moved to a second digital subchannel in high definition. Retro Television Network programming initially filled non-network periods, but the station later dropped Retro TV and adopted the “Fox 30” identity full time. The arrangement gave the market a Fox service on WGBC’s primary digital stream while preserving NBC availability through the station’s second stream. WGBC expanded its news role again in 2015, launching a half-hour 9 p.m. newscast in October of that year. In 2017, WGBC-DT2 and WMDN added 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts produced partly through a centralized operation in Little Rock, Arkansas. The centralized operation was later acquired by Waypoint Media, renamed News Hub, and subsequently acquired by Coastal Television. Waypoint Media announced in 2021 that it would sell WGBC and eight other television stations to Coastal Television for $36.9 million. WMDN was sold separately to Big Horn Television for $2.55 million, with Coastal continuing to operate it under a local marketing agreement. Both transactions closed on January 4, 2022. WGBC therefore remains a local broadcast outlet under Coastal ownership, combining network programming, local weather and community information, and news services for the Meridian market.

The channel 30 allocation in Meridian has been used by several different broadcast operations. WCOC-TV was the first station to operate on the channel, beginning service on April 7, 1954. Owned by Crystal Oil Company alongside WCOC radio, the station sought a CBS affiliation but lost the opportunity to WTOK-TV. With limited network support and a less advantageous channel position, WCOC-TV ceased broadcasting on August 1 of the same year. A proposal to relocate the allocation to Pachuta and use VHF channel 7 also failed after that channel was assigned to WDAM-TV. The allocation remained dark until WLBT in Jackson pursued a station designed to serve eastern Mississippi. The resulting WLBM-TV received a construction permit in September 1981 and began broadcasting on June 2, 1982. It operated as a low-powered semi-satellite and carried NBC programming, helping restore a local NBC presence to an area that had previously relied on signals from WTOK-TV, WHTV, WDAM-TV, or WLBT. A fire at the station’s studios on April 17, 1990, took WLBM-TV off the air. Civic Communications ultimately chose not to resume operations, leaving the license dormant. Global Communications later acquired the license and relaunched channel 30 as WGBC on September 15, 1991. WGBC formed a local marketing agreement with WMDN, the Meridian CBS affiliate. The relationship allowed the stations to share certain facilities and operational resources while maintaining separate network identities. WGBC’s first local news effort, WGBC News 30, ran from 1991 to 1994. After the effort ended, the station participated in news simulcasts and shared programming with WMDN, including the 24/30 News identity. WMDN’s own news production was eventually discontinued in 2005 after difficulty competing with established market leader WTOK-TV. WGBC’s programming strategy changed substantially with the transition to digital television. In late 2008, the station secured Fox programming for its first digital subchannel. Fox Meridian formally launched on January 5, 2009. NBC programming was shifted to a second digital subchannel and continued in high definition, while Retro Television Network programming initially occupied periods outside the network schedules. By fall 2010, Retro TV had been removed and the main stream was branded Fox 30. Waypoint Media acquired WGBC in January 2008 and renewed its relationship with WMDN. Under Waypoint, the station continued to carry Fox and NBC programming while developing limited local information services. These included short weather cut-ins during national morning programs, a community-events segment called The Morning Report with Angie Denney, and the Monday cooking feature Local Flavor. In 2015, WGBC announced a new half-hour 9 p.m. newscast, which began airing on October 5. This was the first full-scale prime-time local newscast in the Meridian market. In 2017, WGBC-DT2 and WMDN expanded their schedules with 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts branded Twin States News. The programming was produced partly through the Independent News Network in Little Rock. Waypoint acquired that centralized news operation in 2019 and renamed it News Hub; Coastal Television later acquired News Hub as part of its broader television business. Waypoint announced in July 2021 that WGBC would be sold to Coastal Television Broadcasting Company, while WMDN would be sold to Big Horn Television. The WGBC transaction was reported at $36.9 million, and the separate WMDN transaction at $2.55 million. Both sales closed on January 4, 2022. WGBC now operates under Coastal ownership and remains closely connected to WMDN through shared facilities and a local marketing arrangement. The stations continue to serve Meridian and the surrounding eastern Mississippi region as the Meridian Family of Stations.

• 2022

  Coastal Television becomes owner

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  The WGBC sale closes on January 4, 2022.

• 2021

  Coastal Television acquisition announced

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  Waypoint announces the sale of WGBC to Coastal Television as part of a broader station divestiture.

• 2019

  Waypoint renames centralized news operation News Hub

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  After acquiring the Independent News Network operation, Waypoint Media rebrands it as News Hub.

• 2017

  Twin States News expands local coverage

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  WGBC-DT2 and WMDN add 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts through a partly centralized production arrangement.

• 2015

  Prime-time newscast launches

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  WGBC begins a half-hour 9 p.m. local newscast on October 5.

• 2010

  Station adopts Fox 30 branding

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  Retro Television Network programming is dropped and the primary digital service adopts a full-time Fox 30 identity.

• 2009

  Fox Meridian launches on WGBC-DT1

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming begins on the station’s primary digital subchannel, while NBC moves to WGBC-DT2.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  WGBC shuts down its analog UHF channel 30 signal as part of the nationwide United States digital television transition.

• 2008

  Waypoint Media acquires WGBC

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  Local businessman Michael Reed, through Waypoint Media, acquires WGBC and renews the LMA relationship with WMDN.

• 2005

  WMDN ends its local news production effort

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  The shared local-news arrangement is curtailed after difficulty competing in the Meridian market.

• 1994

  Initial WGBC News 30 operation ends

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  The station’s first local weekday newscasts are discontinued after a short operating period.

• 1991

  WGBC launches

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  Global Communications revives the dormant channel 30 license and begins broadcasting as WGBC.

• 1990

  Studio fire takes WLBM-TV off the air

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  A fire damages the station’s studios; the operation is not restored by its then-owner.

• 1982

  WLBM-TV signs on

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  WLBM-TV begins broadcasting as a low-powered semi-satellite on channel 30.

• 1981

  Construction permit issued for WLBM-TV

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  A construction permit is issued for a station intended to restore local NBC service to eastern Mississippi.

• 1954

  WCOC-TV begins operation

  [1]WGBCen.wikipedia.org

  The first channel 30 station in Meridian begins broadcasting under Crystal Oil Company ownership but signs off after several months.

A local broadcast station combining Fox and NBC network programming with regional weather, community information, and selected local news services for Meridian and eastern Mississippi.

• Fox network television service · 2009

  Fox 30

  WGBC’s primary digital programming service carries Fox network programming for Meridian and the surrounding eastern Mississippi area. It was introduced as Fox Meridian in January 2009 and later adopted the Fox 30 branding after Retro Television Network programming was removed from non-network periods.

• NBC network television service · 2009

  NBC on WGBC-DT2

  NBC programming is distributed through WGBC’s second digital subchannel. The move placed NBC on a new digital stream when Fox was added to the station’s primary stream, and it enabled NBC programming to continue in high definition.

• Local information programming

  Local weather and community programming

  WGBC and its associated station operations have carried short local weather updates and community-information features alongside national morning programming. The Morning Report with Angie Denney focuses on community events, while Local Flavor provides a Monday cooking segment.

• Local television news · 2017

  Twin States News

  Twin States News was a shared local-news identity used by WGBC-DT2 and WMDN for evening newscasts. Its production used a partly centralized model involving the Independent News Network and later News Hub.

• 2021

  Sell WGBC to Coastal TelevisionM&A

  Background

  Waypoint Media announced a broader divestiture of nine television stations, including WGBC.

  Action taken

  Waypoint agreed to sell WGBC to Coastal Television Broadcasting Company for $36.9 million. WMDN was sold separately to Big Horn Television and remained subject to Coastal operation under an LMA.

  Aftermath

  The transactions closed on January 4, 2022, placing WGBC under Coastal ownership while preserving its operational relationship with WMDN.

  Reported purchase price for WGBC and eight other Waypoint television stations. $36.9 million transaction value (Announced July 2021; completed January 4, 2022)

  Source

• 2017

  Use centralized production for expanded newscastsStrategy

  Background

  WGBC and WMDN sought to expand local news availability while operating under shared ownership or service arrangements.

  Action taken

  WGBC-DT2 and WMDN launched 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts under the Twin States News name, with production partly commissioned from the Independent News Network.

  Aftermath

  The centralized operation was later acquired by Waypoint Media, renamed News Hub, and eventually acquired by Coastal Television.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch a 9 p.m. local newscastProduct launch

  Background

  WGBC had previously discontinued or shared local news production and relied on limited news and weather cut-ins.

  Action taken

  The station introduced a half-hour prime-time newscast beginning October 5, 2015.

  Aftermath

  The launch gave the Meridian market its first full-scale 9 p.m. local newscast.

  Source

• 2008

  Add Fox to the primary digital streamStrategy

  Background

  WGBC sought to expand its network offering during the transition to digital television. Fox had previously been available in the market through a digital subchannel of WTOK-TV.

  Action taken

  The station placed Fox programming on WGBC-DT1 and moved NBC to WGBC-DT2, initially using Retro Television Network programming during non-network periods.

  Aftermath

  Fox became available in high definition through the station’s principal digital service, while NBC continued through the second subchannel. Retro TV was later dropped and the service adopted Fox 30 branding.

  Source

1. 1WGBCen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WGBC official websitewgbctv.com