WAGT (TV)

WAGT

Augusta, Georgia
United States
Branding NBC 26 (general)
NBC 26 News (newscasts)
CW Augusta (DT2)
Slogan On Your Side
TV Now (on DT2)
Channels Digital: 30 (UHF)
Virtual: 26 (PSIP)
Subchannels (see article)
Affiliations NBC
Owner Gray Television
(Gray Television Licensee, LLC)
First air date December 24, 1968 (1968-12-24)
Call letters' meaning Augusta's Great Television
Sister station(s) WRDW-TV, WAGT-CD
Former callsigns WATU-TV (1968–1981)
Former channel number(s) 26 (UHF analog, 1968–2009)
Former affiliations Dark (1970–1974)
Transmitter power 400 kW
Height 483 m (1,585 ft)
Facility ID 70699
Transmitter coordinates 33°24′20.7″N 81°50′0.5″W / 33.405750°N 81.833472°W / 33.405750; -81.833472
Licensing authority FCC
Public license information: Profile
CDBS
Website 26nbc.com

WAGT, channel 26, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Augusta, Georgia, USA. WAGT is owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television, and operates as part of a duopoly with CBS affiliate WRDW-TV (channel 12). While the two stations are licensed to Augusta, their combined studio/office facility and transmitters are located across the Savannah River in South Carolina, respectively in North Augusta and Beech Island.

Digital channels

Channel Video Aspect PSIP short name Programming
26.1 1080i 16:9 WAGTNBC Main WAGT programming / NBC
26.2 480i WAGT CW CW Augusta

History

The station began operations December 24, 1968 as WATU-TV, the third television station in Augusta. Dr. Harold W. Twisdale, a dentist from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.-based engineer David L. Steel were the leaders of the original ownership group, operating as Augusta Telecasters Inc.[1] The Twisdale/Steel group, which had interests in other planned stations (WCTU-TV in Charlotte being the only of their other interests to make it to air), was granted a construction permit for the Augusta outlet in late 1967. On paper, the new channel 26 was an NBC affiliate at its launch. Unfortunately, the station became one of numerous UHF start-ups of that era that failed to obtain a foothold against long-established VHF competition.

Ever since WJBF (channel 6) had dropped its primary NBC affiliation in favor of a full ABC affiliation in 1967, NBC had been relegated to off-hours clearances on WJBF and WRDW-TV. Even after WATU signed on, NBC allowed WJBF and WRDW to cherry-pick its stronger shows, most likely because most Augusta-area viewers still didn't have UHF-capable sets. WATU was thus left with most of NBC's news programming, as well as lower-rated entertainment shows. During this time, it was not unusual for tape-delayed NBC programs to air on both WJBF and WRDW between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. before the respective networks' prime-time feeds began for the evening. WJBF also aired the Today Show and WRDW-TV ran The Tonight Show. Another problem for channel 26 came from Columbia, South Carolina, where WIS-TV (channel 10) provided at least "Grade B" coverage on VHF to most of the South Carolina side of the Augusta market, and aired the full NBC schedule. Mainly because of those situations, WATU-TV went dark in 1970.

Similar situations occurred in two other Southern markets that were "intermixed" with one UHF and two VHF channels. At the same time WATU was shut down, the owners of NBC station WRDU-TV (now WRDC) in Durham, North Carolina petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for help in its battle against then-CBS affiliate WTVD, which had been cherry-picking NBC programs for several years.[2] In 1971 the FCC ruled that VHF stations in markets with three or more commercial outlets could be affiliated with only one network. This forced WTVD and, by extension, WAPI-TV (now WVTM-TV) in Birmingham to choose between one of the networks; WTVD ultimately chose CBS full-time while WAPI-TV went with NBC.[3] Though this decision was too late to save WATU's first incarnation, a precedent was set which allowed the station to return to the airwaves. Channel 26 returned to the air in 1974 with a full NBC affiliation. As a result of that FCC decree, WATU's return forced WJBF and WRDW to drop NBC programming once and for all. Still, the station continued to struggle under the handicap of a fairly weak UHF signal.

The Twisdale/Steel group sold WATU to local businessmen J. Thomas Jones and Francis Robertson, in the late 1970s.[4] Jones and Robertson, in turn, sold the station to South Bend, Indiana-based Schurz Communications in 1980.[5][6] The new owners changed the station's call letters to the current WAGT on July 7, 1981, and for much of the next decade, the station used the on-air branding 26 Power. Even during a very prosperous period for NBC as a whole, WAGT continued to languish in the ratings even after the arrival of cable in the area mitigated the signal problem somewhat. WAGT not only had to compete against WJBF and WRDW, but also had to contend with Columbia's WIS-TV, one of the strongest NBC affiliates in the nation. WIS was available on cable in much of the area (even in Augusta itself) well into the 21st century.

Under Media General

In October 2009, Schurz and WJBF's present owner, Media General, announced that the two would enter into joint sales and shared services agreements in January 2010. This resulted in the two stations combining news operations, advertising sales, and other operational services, with Schurz remaining responsible for programming and the maintaining of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Most of WAGT's managerial staff were dismissed and other employees were reassigned to different positions.[7] Media General had initially intended to move WAGT into an expanded wing of WJBF's studios on Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta. However, that facility, built in 1956, was unable to sustain the expansion needed to house both stations. Media General instead chose to renovate a former Barnes & Noble store at Augusta West to serve as a joint headquarters for both stations.[8] The new facility was expected to be completed by April 2011, but was ultimately pushed back until October.[9]

Acquisition by Gray, Media General lawsuit

WAGT's last logo under Schurz Communications ownership and Media General's SSA/JSA.

On September 14, 2015, Schurz announced that it would sell its broadcasting assets to Gray Television. WAGT's operations were to be consolidated with those of Gray's existing Augusta station WRDW-TV, and Gray announced that it planned to offer WAGT's broadcast spectrum during the FCC's upcoming spectrum incentive auction.[10] However, Gray could not normally own WAGT and WRDW, as they are both within the top four stations in the market; Gray requested a waiver of the FCC's duopoly rules to own the two stations temporarily until the completion of the auction later in 2016, but proposed to shut down WAGT entirely upon closure of the acquisition so it would not technically be operating more than one of the top four stations in the market.[11] In January 2016, Gray filed for special temporary authority for WAGT to shut down its full-power signal so it could be replaced on the same technical facilities and UHF channel 30 by a recently acquired low-power station, WRDW-CD.[12] Presumably, Gray planned to move NBC programming to WRDW-CD after the completion of the sale.[13]

The FCC approved the sale and Gray's waiver to the duopoly rules on February 12, 2016, but ruled that Gray must, until the auction is complete, continue operating WAGT separately, and not enter into any joint sales arrangements with WRDW or any other station.[11] Upon the closing of the deal on February 16, 2016, Gray took over WAGT; the Media General-produced newscasts were replaced by simulcasts of WRDW's newscasts.[14][15] The same day, Gray issued a statement accusing WJBF of "[refusing] to agree to a smooth transition of personnel [from WAGT]", as WAGT's employees fall under the employment of Media General due to the SSA.[16] Media General, however, accused Gray of violating the shared services and joint sales agreements between WAGT and WJBF; the agreements, which last through 2020, stipulated that any future owner of WAGT had to maintain the agreements with WJBF. Media General believed that Gray was attempting to back out of the agreements by means of the spectrum auction.[17][13]

On February 26, 2016, a preliminary injunction was granted against Gray in the Richmond County Superior Court, which required that Media General re-assume control of WAGT, and prohibits Gray from selling WAGT in the spectrum incentive auction.[17] Gray attempted to block the injunction, claiming that the agreements with Media General made it impossible to comply with the conditions prohibiting WAGT from partaking in joint sales agreements following Gray's purchase of the station. However, Gray's request was denied.[18][19] At the same time, the Media General-controlled WAGT website was re-activated, and began to produce online-only newscasts using WAGT's news staff.[20] On March 7, 2016, Media General re-assumed control of WAGT, pending hearings on March 10, 2016.[19]

On March 10, 2016, the FCC disclosed that it had begun an investigation into Media General's attempts to retain control of WAGT; the investigation explored the possibility of initiating a license revocation hearing under Section 312 of the Communications Act. Deputy General Counsel David Gossett argued that "by seeking and obtaining the injunctive provision forbidding Gray to contribute the WAGT license in the upcoming FCC incentive auction, Media General has also violated Section 310(d) of the Communications Act. That section requires advance approval by the Commission for any assignment or transfer of control of a broadcast license. The Commission has long taken the view that it is a violation of Section 310(d) for a company (here, Media General) to seek injunctive relief that interferes with a licensee's ultimate control of a station."[21][22] The Department of Justice also declared an interest in the case.[21] The next day, Gray admitted that they were about to launch separate news productions for WAGT, but that they were unable to do so because of the injunction.[23]

On March 23, 2016, the Supreme Court of Georgia struck down the injunction without addressing the litigation, allowing Gray to re-assume control of the station. WRDW general manager John Ray stated that Media General was now cooperating with Gray to smoothly transition WAGT back to its own control. As previously planned, Gray launched a separate news production for WAGT after it re-assumed control of the station.[24]

On July 13, 2016, the FCC fined Media General $700,000.[25]

News operation

For at least the first quarter of a century on-the-air, WAGT aired virtually no local newscasts apart from brief news and weather cut-ins during Today on weekday mornings and the early evenings and late evenings on weeknights. On September 21, 1995, the station finally established its first ever news department with broadcasts under the name 26 News. Initially included in the launch was a nightly show at 11. Soon after, a nightly newscast at 6 and a weekday morning show were added to the schedule.

The latter program was expanded in June 2003 to a full two-hours (from 5 until 7) in the morning resulting in WAGT being the first outlet in the market to make such a launch. In addition, there was also a thirty-minute news and lifestyle show weekdays at noon called Top 'o the Day. Although that program would eventually be dropped, the station added a new midday newscast at 11 on September 10, 2007 that aired for a half-hour.

For the most part over the years, WAGT has traditionally maintained a third-place ranking among the area's other big three affiliates. The station has changed its branding several times in attempts to improve ratings and increase viewership by adopting variations including 26 Action News. It finally re-branded in 2003 as WAGT News. Between 2003 and 2005, Action News was completely phased out along with the "3D Weather" (a.k.a. "3 Degree Guarantee") weather segments. In 2005, its newscasts were branded as NBC 26 News phasing out the call letters "WAGT" in most but not all station graphics and logos. This was due to the fact the graphics package produced by Television By Design was less than a year old and still carried the WAGT News moniker. Along with this re-brand came other changes such as updates to the studio set, graphics package, and the regional Doppler weather radar.

After WJBF renovated its studios in 2004, the station entered into a news share agreement with Fox affiliate WFXG (then owned by Southeastern Media Holdings and operated by Raycom Media). The outsourcing arrangement resulted in a nightly prime time newscast to debut on that station. Known as Fox 54 News at 10, the thirty-minute program originated from WJBF's studios on Reynolds Street in Downtown Augusta. The broadcast featured different on-air graphics and modified WJBF's existing set with separate duratrans in order to conceal WJBF's logo. The principal look of the set and on-air graphics for Fox 54 News at 10 remained the same from the newscast's launch and always used Gari Media Group's "The X Package" as its music theme.

Meanwhile, WAGT decided to establish its own weeknight prime time newscast at 10 in 2004 to offer an alternative against WFXG's effort. The production launched a few days after that outlet's show and was initially seen on Class A Independent station WBEK-CA (ironically Augusta's original Fox station, and now WAGT-CD) through a similar outsourcing agreement. Known as WBEK 16 News at 10, this program was soon cancelled due to low ratings and inconsistent viewership. The broadcast was unable to directly compete against WFXG's news because that broadcast was very successful in the time slot from its start.

After being retooled, WAGT's weeknight prime time newscast was relaunched on "WBAU" and became known as WB 23 News at 10. With that station's September 2006 affiliation switch to The CW, WAGT renamed the broadcast CW Augusta Now and tailored its format towards a younger audience as was the case with the newly formed network. On April 23, 2007 in an attempt to boost continual anemic ratings, WAGT decided to drop the CW Augusta Now title and its fast-paced format replacing it with a more traditional newscast. However, NBC Augusta News at 10 was still unable to mount a strong challenge and alternative to WFXG's newscast so it was cancelled in April 2008.

Following a national trend among television stations, WAGT's continual third-place ranking and low advertising sales resulted in Schurz Communications handing over daily operations to Media General and rival WJBF. The ABC outlet continued producing WFXG's Fox 54 News at 10 despite the operational agreements with WAGT. As a result, some reporters and video footage from this station began to be seen on WFXG. In January 2010, WAGT dropped its weekday midday show and added a weeknight newscast at 7 that can currently be seen for a half-hour. This show remains the market's only local broadcast seen in the time slot.

Although physical operations of WAGT and WJBF remained based at their respective facilities for the time being, later plans called for the station to move into expanded space at WJBF's studios on Reynolds Street. Media General ultimately decided to construct a new combined facility at the Augusta West Shopping Center in a former Barnes & Noble bookstore.[9] The new facility was designed to allow the two stations to maintain autonomous, competing news operations, with separate studios, newsrooms, on-air personalities, and sales departments for each station. However, some content sharing still occurs between the two stations.[26]

In July 2011, WFXG announced that it would move its 10 p.m. newscast in-house later in the year, in cooperation with other Raycom Media stations.[27][28] In turn, WJBF launched a new 10 p.m. newscast. on WAGT-DT2.[29]

Upon Gray's resumption of control over WAGT on March 28, 2016, new in-house 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. newscasts premiered to replace the Media General-produced newscasts. They are produced from a separate set with alternate anchors to differentiate them from WRDW's newscasts. All other newscasts carried by WAGT are simulcast from WRDW.[24][19][30][31]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1969
  2. ↑ "Networks, V's balk at aid for UHF's." Broadcasting, September 21, 1970, pg. 40.
  3. ↑ "One (network) to a customer." Broadcasting, March 29, 1971, pg. 68.
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Changing Hands." Broadcasting, June 2, 1980, pg. 46
  6. ↑ WATU-TV/Schurz Communications advertisement. Broadcasting, August 18, 1980, pg. 39.
  7. ↑ Emerson, LaTina (December 30, 2009). "WJBF, WAGT still negotiating with on-air personnel". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  8. ↑ http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/61044/facility-helps-duop-tvs-keep-own-identities
  9. 1 2 Emerson, LaTina (December 2, 2010). "WBBQ, other stations to move to new locations". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Gray Buying Schurz For $442.5 Million". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  11. 1 2 FCC Approves Gray-Schurz TV Station Deal. Broadcasting & Cable, February 12, 2016, Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Engineering Statement - Request For Special Temporary Authority". Chesapeake RF Consultants, LLC/Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  13. 1 2 "What To Make Of The Strange Case Of WAGT?". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "Gray Television and WRDW News 12 Welcome WAGT NBC 26". WRDW.com. Gray Television. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Gray Closes Schurz Acquisition, Related Transactions, And Incremental Term Loan Facility Press Release, Gray Television, Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Gray Blames Media General for Possible Job Losses at Augusta Station". TVSpy.com. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Judge's action may delay WAGT sale". The Augusta Chronicle. February 26, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ "An Update on the Battle Over WAGT". TVSpy. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 "Corporate battle over WAGT-TV unresolved as judge sets another hearing". The Augusta Chronicle. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  20. ↑ "Has WAGT Gone Rogue? Station Goes Online After New Owner Cancels Newscasts". TVSpy. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Case 1:16-cv-00026-JRH-BKE Document 33" (PDF). United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "FCC Launches Investigation Of Media General". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  23. ↑ "Gray Ready to Launch News on WAGT But Can't, Citing Media General Obstruction". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  24. 1 2 "Georgia Supreme Court strikes down Superior Court injunction over WAGT". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  25. ↑ "In the Matter of Media General Operations, Inc." (PDF). FCC. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  26. ↑ Arthur Greenwald (July 26, 2012). "Facility Helps Duop TVs Keep Own Identities". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Fox station building its own news studio". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  28. ↑ "WFXG Plans New, In-House 10 p.m. News For Fall". TVSpy. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  29. ↑ http://www2.wjbf.com/entertainment/2011/sep/26/watch-wjbf-news-channel-6-1000-pm-cw-ar-2467222/
  30. ↑ "Gray Producing Newscast on WAGT". TVSpy. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  31. ↑ "Gray Producing Newscast on WAGT". TVSpy. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
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