WTVC

WTVC is a television station serving Chattanooga, Tennessee, and surrounding communities in parts of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. The station operates on virtual channel 9 and is primarily affiliated with ABC. Its second digital service carries Fox programming under the Fox Chattanooga identity. WTVC is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and shares Chattanooga facilities with WFLI-TV, a Cleveland-licensed station associated with the same ownership group. Sinclair also provides engineering services for WDSI-TV under a local marketing arrangement with New Age Media. The station began broadcasting on June 15, 1953, as WROM-TV, licensed to Rome, Georgia. Although based in Rome, its signal was oriented toward the Chattanooga area. It initially carried NBC and also maintained secondary relationships with CBS, ABC, and the DuMont Television Network. Changing market conditions, the launch of other stations, and affiliation realignments gradually reduced its network role. Martin Theatres acquired the station in 1957 and temporarily took it off the air while moving the transmitter and license operation to Chattanooga. The relocation was part of a broader Federal Communications Commission frequency reallocation in the southeastern United States. The station returned as WTVC on February 11, 1958, as a full-power ABC affiliate. WTVC built a local identity through original programming, including the children's educational program Funtime with Marcia Kling, the horror-movie program Shock Theater, and The Bob Brandy Show. Its local news branding evolved from Eyewitness News to Action News and later to NewsChannel, a designation the station adopted in the late 1980s. Local news and weather remain the station's principal services, supplemented by public-affairs programming and digital distribution. Ownership changed several times. J. B. Fuqua acquired Martin Theatres in 1969, and WTVC was later sold to Belo Corporation in 1980. Freedom Communications acquired the station in 1984. After Freedom entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, it announced the sale of its television stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2011; the transaction closed on April 2, 2012. WTVC expanded its relationship with Fox through digital broadcasting and the transfer of programming assets associated with WDSI-TV. During a 2015 transition, WTVC's second digital channel simulcast WDSI before Fox programming and the Fox Chattanooga identity moved permanently to WTVC-DT2. The station has also carried various multicast services, including a local weather channel affiliated with WeatherNation TV and later programming from TBD, now identified as Roar in the referenced material. The station broadcasts extensive locally produced newscasts, including weekday, weekend, morning, evening, and late-night output. It also produces or carries the public-affairs program This-N-That. WTVC's transmitter is on Signal Mountain in Walden, while its main studios are on Benton Drive in Chattanooga. Its broadcast schedule is presented in Eastern Time even though portions of its market observe Central Time.

WTVC traces its license history to WROM-TV, which began broadcasting from Rome, Georgia, on June 15, 1953. The station initially operated as an NBC affiliate and also carried programs from CBS, ABC, and DuMont. Its signal reached Chattanooga more effectively than Rome, creating a long-term mismatch between its community of license and its practical audience. The arrival of additional stations and the end of DuMont reduced its network affiliations, and WROM-TV eventually operated independently. Martin Theatres purchased the station in 1957 and removed it from the air while arranging a move to Chattanooga. The relocation addressed channel-spacing and signal-overlap issues associated with a wider FCC frequency reassignment in the Southeast. On February 11, 1958, the station resumed operations from Chattanooga as WTVC, using the original WROM-TV license, and became a full-power ABC affiliate. It developed a notable local programming operation, with shows such as Funtime with Marcia Kling, Shock Theater, and The Bob Brandy Show helping establish a distinctive identity beyond network programming. The ownership history subsequently included J. B. Fuqua, Belo Corporation, and Freedom Communications. Fuqua acquired Martin Theatres in 1969. Belo bought WTVC in 1980, later selling it in 1984 to Freedom Communications as Belo prepared to acquire Corinthian Broadcasting and needed to comply with the then-existing FCC limit on ownership of VHF stations. WTVC moved from its original transmitter-site studio to downtown Chattanooga facilities in 1966 and later transferred operations in January 2000 to a digitally equipped studio near the Highway 58 and Highway 153 interchange. WTVC's news identity changed over time. The station used Eyewitness News in the late 1960s and early 1970s, adopted Action News in 1975, and introduced NewsChannel branding in the late 1980s. It developed news-sharing relationships with WFLI-TV and WDSI-TV at different points. WTVC produced a late newscast for WDSI beginning in the 1990s, and a renewed arrangement followed the closure of WDSI's own news department in 2004. Following the movement of Fox programming to WTVC-DT2, the late broadcast became First at 10 on Fox Chattanooga. Freedom Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced in November 2011 that its television stations, including WTVC, would be sold to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The transaction closed on April 2, 2012. Sinclair's subsequent acquisition of non-license assets associated with WDSI led to a digital-channel reorganization. During 2015, WTVC-DT2 simulcast WDSI before becoming the permanent home of Fox programming in the market. Other digital services included WeatherNation TV on WTVC-DT3 beginning in 2014 and later a TBD-related service. WTVC ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the nationwide digital television transition. Its post-transition digital signal returned to VHF channel 9 after operating temporarily on UHF channel 35. The station continues to operate from Chattanooga, transmitting from Signal Mountain and maintaining a low-power coverage arrangement through WPDP-CD. As of the referenced 2024 information, WTVC produces 47 hours of local newscasts per week and continues to combine network programming, local journalism, weather, public affairs, and digital distribution.

• 2015

  Fox moves to WTVC-DT2

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming becomes the permanent service on WTVC's second digital channel under the Fox Chattanooga brand.

• 2014

  Weekend morning news expands

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  WTVC launches Good Morning Chattanooga Weekend.

• 2012

  Sinclair ownership begins

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair Broadcast Group completes its purchase of WTVC from Freedom Communications.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  WTVC shuts down its analog VHF signal and continues as a digital station on post-transition VHF channel 9.

• 2000

  WTVC moves to a digital-era studio

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves into a new 26,000-square-foot facility near the Highway 58 and Highway 153 interchange.

• 1984

  Freedom Communications becomes owner

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  Freedom Communications acquires WTVC from Belo.

• 1980

  Belo acquires WTVC

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  Belo Corporation purchases the station as part of its television expansion and later places it on the market during a broader acquisition plan.

• 1966

  Operations move to downtown Chattanooga

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  WTVC relocates its studio operation to facilities in the Golden Gateway Shopping Center.

• 1958

  WTVC launches in Chattanooga

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  The station returns as WTVC and becomes a full-power ABC affiliate.

• 1957

  Martin Theatres acquires the station

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  Martin Theatres purchases WROM-TV and takes it off the air while preparing its relocation to Chattanooga.

• 1953

  WROM-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WTVCen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on from Rome, Georgia, as WROM-TV, initially carrying NBC programming with additional secondary affiliations.

A locally focused broadcast news and entertainment station combining ABC network programming, Fox programming on a digital subchannel, weather coverage, community affairs, and digital news distribution for the Chattanooga television market.

• Local television news

  NewsChannel 9

  WTVC's principal local-news identity, covering Chattanooga-area breaking news, weather, traffic, public safety, politics, community issues, and regional events through scheduled broadcasts and online distribution.

• Digital television network service · 2015

  Fox Chattanooga

  The Fox-branded service carried on WTVC-DT2. It became the Chattanooga home of Fox programming after a 2015 reorganization involving Sinclair's local broadcast assets and the former WDSI operation.

• Public affairs

  This-N-That

  A locally produced public-affairs program that includes interviews and community topics, with news and weather updates when appropriate. James Howard is identified as its current host in the referenced material.

• Multicast television · 2014

  WTVC digital multicast services

  Additional digital services carried by WTVC have included a WeatherNation TV local weather channel and later TBD-related programming. Channel assignments and service branding have changed over time.

• 2015

  Move Fox programming to WTVC-DT2Generation change

  Background

  Sinclair acquired non-license assets associated with WDSI-TV and reorganized the Fox, This TV, Comet, MeTV, and MyNetworkTV services in the Chattanooga market.

  Action taken

  WTVC-DT2 first simulcast WDSI and then became the permanent home of Fox programming under the Fox Chattanooga identity.

  Aftermath

  The former WDSI main-channel programming arrangement changed, while viewers using cable, satellite, and EPB systems generally retained the relevant channel positions.

  Source

• 2011

  Sell WTVC to Sinclair Broadcast GroupM&A

  Background

  Freedom Communications entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and announced a sale of its television stations.

  Action taken

  Freedom agreed to sell WTVC and other stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group; the transaction closed on April 2, 2012.

  Aftermath

  WTVC became part of Sinclair's Chattanooga station group and later participated in Sinclair's reorganization of Fox and multicast services.

  Source

• 2009

  Complete the digital television transitionStrategy

  Background

  Federal rules required full-power United States television stations to end analog broadcasting.

  Action taken

  WTVC shut down its analog channel 9 signal and continued digital operations, ultimately using VHF channel 9 after the transition.

  Aftermath

  The station expanded its digital transmission capacity and later used multicast channels for additional network and specialized programming.

  Source

• 1957

  Relocate the station from Rome to ChattanoogaStrategy

  Background

  WROM-TV's signal and audience were oriented strongly toward Chattanooga, while FCC channel-spacing and overlap rules complicated Martin Theatres' plans for related station holdings.

  Action taken

  Martin Theatres took WROM-TV off the air, moved its transmitter and operating base north, and relaunched the station as WTVC in Chattanooga in 1958.

  Aftermath

  The relocation established Chattanooga as the station's long-term market and enabled full-power ABC service under the WTVC identity.

  Source

1. 1WTVCen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WTVC NewsChannel 9newschannel9.com