News Operation
WPTY established its first ever news department in 1995 in order to take on the area's other television stations. Included in the launch was a nightly prime time broadcast on WLMT known as NewsWatch 30 at 9. This production competed with WHBQ featuring an energetic, youthful and almost "grunge" look. Several years later, WPTY re-branded its newscasts (with the show on WLMT becoming UPN 30 News at 9) and began modifying its style to reach a broader audience. In 2002, WPTY re-branded to Eyewitness News (with broadcasts on this station becoming known as UPN 30 Eyewitness News) and modified its style once again to have a harder-edged, more aggressive and often "confrontational" approach by its anchors and reporters to cover stories and investigations.
The change resulted in most of the original news anchors and reporters leaving or being laid-off with a complete overhaul in the station's image and presentation. In 2009 with continued low ratings and under control by Newport Television, new management was brought in to the station leading to several firings and lay-offs in the on-air staff. Gradually, WPTY and WLMT dropped most of its confrontational and aggressive style in its local news production. In November 2010 after eight years of operating under the Eyewitness News name, WPTY re-branded yet again with news on WLMT becoming known as ABC 24 News on CW 30. There is continues to be a high level of turnover in personnel. Additionally, the two stations have yet to upgrade the news operation to full high definition level although both WPTY and WLMT upgraded its newscasts to 16:9 widescreen without fanfare on April 29, 2012.
Currently, WPTY produces an hour-long extension of its weekday morning show on WLMT from 7 until 8. There is also a nightly 45 minute prime time newscast at 9 that is followed by a fifteen minute sports highlight show. Fox affiliate WJKT in Jackson simulcasts the nightly 9 o'clock broadcast and sports replay show. During weather forecast segments, WPTY and WLMT feature live NOAA National Weather Service Doppler weather radar data from the Local Forecast Office on Farm Road in Memphis (official address is Walnut Grove Road).
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Famous quotes containing the words news and/or operation:
“Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily;
If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news
By playing it to me with so sour a face.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“It is critical vision alone which can mitigate the unimpeded operation of the automatic.”
—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)