WDEF-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WDEF-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Local, quick and to the point
station_branding = WDEF News 12
analog = 12 (VHF)
digital = 47 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = CBS
network =
founded =
airdate = April 25, 1954
location = Chattanooga, Tennessee
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Morris Multimedia, Inc.
licensee = WDEF-TV, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = All secondary:
DuMont (1954–1955)
NBC (1954-1956)
ABC (1954-1958)
Independent (1958-2004) UPN (2004-2006)
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 384 m (analog)
376 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 54385
coordinates = coord|35|8|6.8|N|85|19|24.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.wdef.com/ www.wdef.com]

WDEF–TV channel 12 is the CBS affiliate for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned by Morris Multimedia. Its transmitter is located in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

History

The station signed on the air on April 25, 1954, carrying programming from all four networks, though it has always been a primary CBS affiliate. It was owned by Joe Engel, who owned the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team as well as WDEF radio (AM 1370 and FM 92.3). It took the CBS affiliation from WROM-TV (channel 9). It lost NBC to WRGP-TV (now WRCB-TV) in 1956, and lost ABC to WTVC (the former WROM) in 1958.

For many years, WDEF was owned by Park Communications, which was bought by Media General in 1997. In 2006, Media General sold the station to Morris Multimedia. [ [http://www.media-general.com/press/2006/oct13_06.html Media General Completes Sale of WDEF-TV in Chattanooga to Morris Multimedia ] ]

Programming

In its early years, Channel 12 was locally oriented, offering a mix of children's shows, talk and variety programs. Currently, in addition to CBS shows, the station also airs reruns of the classic sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Judy, The 700 Club, Dr. Phil and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Mort Lloyd was the station's top anchor from the station's inception in 1954 until 1958, when he moved to rival NBC affiliate WRGP-TV. He returned to the anchor chair at channel 12 from 1970 until he stepped down to run for Congress in 1974. He won the Democratic nomination, but died in a plane crash while en route to a victory celebration. His widow, Marilyn Lloyd, replaced him on the ballot and won in November, serving twenty years until 1995.

Current Personalities/Employees

* Patrick Core, Chief Meteorologist
* Nordia Epps, 11:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
* Kristin Johnson, General Assignment Reporter
* Amy Katcher, Weekend Meteorologist/Reporter
* Reneé LaSalle,6:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
* Jason Law, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
* Joe Legge, Noon Anchor/Reporter
* Luther Masingill, Community Calendar
* Rick Nyman, Sports Director
* Rachel Oesch, Morning Anchor
* Abena Williams, General Assignment Reporter

Past personalities/Employees

* Debbie Baer, Weather and Human Interest, (1978-1980)
* Jay Berman, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (2003-2006, Now at News 12 Brooklyn)
* Allison Braxton, General Assignment Reporter (2003–06, now at WVUE)
* Chip Chapman, Morning and Noon Meteorologist (now works in Chattanooga radio)
* Lynette Charles, Weekend Meteorologist (now at WPMT)
* Brooke Cornell, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
* Russ Geller, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (1980-1983 now News Director at WCBI)
* Ebony Hall, Reporter (1998-2004, now at WBMA)
* Candice Lee, 6:00 and 11:00 Anchor (now at WCMH)
* Kristy Lindstrom, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
* David Neal, Chief Meteorologist (1987–97, now at WBRC)
* Melissa Riopka, Anchor/Reporter (now at WBMA)
* Alison Starling, Anchor/Reporter (now at WJLA)
* Ben Tackett, Weathercaster (1983-86)
* Kurt Williams, Anchor/Reporter (now at WTKR)
* Cater Lee, News Anchor
* David Carroll, Morning Show Host
* Glenn Halbrooks, News Anchor
* Tracy Moore, News Anchor
* Mike King, News Anchor
* Dale Harris, News Anchor
* John Clark, News Anchor
* Jim Hampton, News Anchor
* Jerry Brown, News Anchor
* Tom Hogue, Reporter, News Anchor
* Dave Daughtry, News Anchor
* Rich Buddine, News Anchor
* Steve Conrad, News Anchor
* Mort Lloyd, News Anchor
* John Gray, Weather
* Harv Bradley, Weather
* Bill Schoocraft, Sports
* Bill Smith, Sports
* Bill McAfee, News Anchor
* Ken Kettering, Sports
* Randy Smith, Sports
* Deb Collins, News Anchor
* Christy Murphy, News Anchor
* Ted Perry, News Anchor
* Bill Ross, News Anchor
* Garry Mac, News Anchor
* Sally Schulze, News Anchor (most recently with WESH-TV, Orlando)
* Heidi Robinson, News Anchor
* Ken Chambers, News Anchor
* Rebecca Williams, News Anchor
* Ray White, News Anchor
* Chet Green, News Anchor
* Suzy Rigsby, News Anchor
* Mike Lewis News Anchor
* Joyce Oscar, News Anchor (now with WSB-TV, Atlanta)
* Rich Everitt, News Anchor
* Mark Grimm, Reporter
* Jim Bradley Reporter
* Margaret Johnson, Noon Anchor
* Linda Edwards Noon Anchor
* Helen Hardin, Reporter, Morning Show Host
* Sarah Harlow, Reporter
* Beth McKay, Reporter
* Dan Lothian, Reporter (now with CNN)
* Kevin Billingsley, Sports Anchor
* Bill Ericson, Sports
* Esme Murphy, Reporter
* Bethany Mowry, Reporter
* Mike Chambers, Reporter
* Doug Thomas, Sports
* Chip Tarkenton, Sports
* Leigh Mosely, Reporter
* Catherine Cate, Reporter
* Elizabeth Batterson, Reporter
* Sherry Wein, Reporter
* Gene Pinder, Reporter
* Mike Andrews, Reporter
* Lauren Thierry, Reporter (formerly of CNN)

References

External links

* [http://www.wdef.com/ WDEF.com]
*TVQ|WDEF
*BIA|WDEF|TV|TV
* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=35017028&x=-85321627&z=18&l=0&m=h&v=2 Location of WDEF studios on Wikimapia]