WXIA-TV - News Operation

News Operation

Currently, WXIA broadcasts a total of 27 hours of local newscasts every week (with 4½ hours on weekdays, two hours on Saturdays and 2½ hours on Sundays). Unlike most NBC affiliates, the station does not carry local newscasts in the weeknight 5 p.m. timeslot; nor does it air one prior to the Sunday edition of Today.

The station began calling itself "News Watch" for its newscasts in 1963 and began broadcasting news in color for the first time on March 20, 1967. From the early 1970s onward, channel 11's newscasts waged a spirited battle with WAGA-TV for second place behind long-dominant WSB-TV. Since WAGA switched to Fox in 1994, WXIA has been a solid runner-up, usually finishing well ahead of perennial third-place finisher WGCL-TV; however, by May 2009, WXIA's ratings had been surpassed by WGCL at Noon and 11 pm. The Today in Atlanta morning news programs had experienced a 40% ratings drop, leaving them a very distant third behind the local morning shows on WSB and WAGA, and sometimes fourth behind WGCL.

WXIA also aired the NBC Weather Plus service on its digital over-the-air signal, as well as on Charter's and Comcast's digital cable system in the Atlanta area. This is now called "11Alive Weather" WXIA formerly had a partnership with The Weather Channel to use their weather forecasters and provide local weather forecasts.

The station's Doppler weather radar site is located west of Atlanta in far southern Cobb County, south-southwest of Mableton, on the south side of Interstate 20 not far west of Six Flags Over Georgia.

WXIA began airing its daily local newscasts in high definition on February 2, 2006, the first Atlanta station to do so. To signal the conversion to HD, an HD-friendly new TV studio from Production Design Group, Ltd. was built and graphics from Giant Octopus were created.

In February 2010, WXIA began a nightly news segment, "Bull Fighters", which consists of eight reporters/anchors. The segment is usually provided by former WAGA sports reporter Jeff Hullinger.

On April 28, 2010, due to Early Today beginning at 4 a.m., the debut of a new 4:30 a.m. newscast called Wake Up with Chesley features meteorologist Chesley McNeil and travel producer Matt Holmes. In addition to news updates throughout the show, McNeil primarily gives weather updates while Holmes gives travel delays and information. The music opening for the show does not use the mandated Gannett music theme.