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'''WRC-TV''', [[virtual channel]] 4 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]] [[digital terrestrial television|digital]] channel 34), is an [[NBC]] [[owned-and-operated station |
'''WRC-TV''', [[virtual channel]] 4 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]] [[digital terrestrial television|digital]] channel 34), is an [[NBC]] [[owned-and-operated station]], [[television station]] [[city of license]] to the American [[List of capitals in the United States|capital city]] of [[Washington, D.C.]]. Owned by the [[NBC Owned Television Stations]] subsidiary of [[NBCUniversal]] (itself a subsidiary of [[Comcast]]), it is [[sister station]] to [[Class A television service]] [[Telemundo]] owned-and-operated station [[WZDC-CD]] (channel 44) and [[regional sports network]] [[NBC Sports Washington]]. WRC-TV and WZDC-CD share studios and transmitter facilities on Nebraska Avenue in the [[Tenleytown]] neighborhood of [[Northwest (Washington, D.C.)|Northwest]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Digital Signal Sources |work=The Washington Post |date=May 20, 2008 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/05/20/GR2008052000207.html?sid=ST2008051902978 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601144936/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/05/20/GR2008052000207.html?sid=ST2008051902978 |archivedate=June 1, 2018 }}</ref> |
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WRC-TV houses and originates [[NBC News]]' Washington bureau, out of which the network's (and television's) long-running political events program, ''[[Meet the Press]]'', is based. |
WRC-TV houses and originates [[NBC News]]' Washington bureau, out of which the network's (and television's) long-running political events program, ''[[Meet the Press]]'', is based. |
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On [[cable television |
On [[cable television]], the station is available on [[Xfinity|Comcast Xfinity]] channel 24 in Washington, D.C. ([[C-SPAN]] is carried on cable channel 4) and channel 4 in the [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]] suburbs, and on [[Cox Communications]], [[RCN Corporation|RCN]] and [[Verizon Fios]] channel 4. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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[[File:WRC-TV.jpg|thumb|right|225px|WRC-TV's studio/transmitter facility, which also houses NBC's Washington operations, have been in use since 1958. (1962 photograph)]] |
[[File:WRC-TV.jpg|thumb|right|225px|WRC-TV's studio/transmitter facility, which also houses NBC's Washington operations, have been in use since 1958. (1962 photograph)]] |
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The station traces its roots to [[history of |
The station traces its roots to [[history of television]] station '''W3XNB''', which was put on the air by the [[RCA]], the then-parent company of NBC, in 1939. A construction permit with the commercial [[call signs in North America]] '''WNBW''' (standing for "<u>NB</u>C <u>W</u>ashington") was first issued on channel 3 (60–66 MHz, numbered channel 2 prior to 1946)<ref>{{cite web |title=Whatever Happened To Channel 1? |url=http://www.tech-notes.tv/History&Trivia/Channel%20One/Channel_1.htm}}</ref> on December 23, 1941. NBC requested this permit to be cancelled on June 29, 1942; channel 3 was reallocated to [[Harrisonburg, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=WRC-TV History Cards |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=86800 |website=FCC CDBS}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Staff |title=Four FM Permits Cancelled by FCC |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1942/1942-07-27-BC.pdf |work=Broadcasting |date=July 27, 1942 |page=18}}</ref> |
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On June 27, 1947, WNBW was re-licensed on channel 4 and signed on the air. Channel 4 is the second-oldest commercially licensed television station in Washington, after [[WTTG]] (channel 5), which signed on six months earlier in January 1947. WNBW was also the second of the five original NBC-owned television stations to sign-on, behind [[WNBC |
On June 27, 1947, WNBW was re-licensed on channel 4 and signed on the air. Channel 4 is the second-oldest commercially licensed television station in Washington, after [[WTTG]] (channel 5), which signed on six months earlier in January 1947. WNBW was also the second of the five original NBC-owned television stations to sign-on, behind [[WNBC]]/[[New York City]] and ahead of [[WMAQ-TV]]/[[Chicago]], [[WKYC]]/[[Cleveland]] and [[KNBC]]/[[Los Angeles]]. The station was operated alongside WRC radio (980 AM, now [[WTEM]], and 93.9 FM, now [[WKYS]]). |
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On October 18, 1954, the television station's callsign changed to the present '''WRC-TV''' to match its radio sisters.<ref>"RCA replaces NBC in O&O calls." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', October 4, 1954, pg. 78. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/54-OCR/1954-10-04-BC-0078.pdf]{{dead link|date=July 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The new calls reflected NBC's ownership at the time by RCA. It has retained its "-TV" suffix to this day, nearly four decades after the radio stations were sold off and changed call letters. |
On October 18, 1954, the television station's callsign changed to the present '''WRC-TV''' to match its radio sisters.<ref>"RCA replaces NBC in O&O calls." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', October 4, 1954, pg. 78. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/54-OCR/1954-10-04-BC-0078.pdf]{{dead link|date=July 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The new calls reflected NBC's ownership at the time by RCA. It has retained its "-TV" suffix to this day, nearly four decades after the radio stations were sold off and changed call letters. |
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In 1955, while in college and serving as a puppeteer on a WRC-TV program, [[Jim Henson]] was asked to create a puppet show for the station. The series he created, ''[[Sam and Friends]]'', was the first series to feature [[ |
In 1955, while in college and serving as a puppeteer on a WRC-TV program, [[Jim Henson]] was asked to create a puppet show for the station. The series he created, ''[[Sam and Friends]]'', was the first series to feature [[The Muppets]], and launched the [[The Jim Henson Company]].<ref name=1EPC>{{cite book|last1=Sickels|first1=Robert C.|title=100 Entertainers Who Changed America: An Encyclopedia of Pop Culture Luminaries [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Pop Culture Luminaries|date=Aug 8, 2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1598848311|pages=253–258|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXCjAQAAQBAJ&q=Rowlf+the+Dog+commercials+Purina+Dog+Chow&pg=PA254|accessdate=September 23, 2014}}</ref> |
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The second presidential debate between candidates [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Richard M. Nixon]] was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. [[David Brinkley]]'s Washington segment of the |
The second presidential debate between candidates [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Richard M. Nixon]] was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. [[David Brinkley]]'s Washington segment of the [[The Huntley–Brinkley Report|''The Huntley–Brinkley Report'']] originated at WRC-TV between 1956 and 1970, as did Washington reports or commentaries by Brinkley or [[John Chancellor]] on ''[[NBC Nightly News]]'' in the 1970s. |
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The earliest [[color television |
The earliest [[color television]] videotape in existence is a recording of the dedication of NBC/WRC's Washington studios on May 22, 1958. As [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] spoke at the event, introduced by NBC President Robert W. Sarnoff, it was also the first time a U.S. president had been videotaped in color.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/rca-nbc_firsts.html |title=RCA-NBC Firsts in Color Television |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206115435/http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/rca-nbc_firsts.html |archivedate=February 6, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqHZcXvUAs|title=Eisenhower WRC-TV 1958 (oldest known colour videotaping)|work=YouTube|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412214727/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqHZcXvUAs|archivedate=April 12, 2015}}</ref> |
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At the time of its sign-on, channel 4 was one of two wholly network-owned stations in Washington, the other being [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]]'s WTTG. DuMont was shut down in 1956, and for the next 30 years WRC-TV was Washington's only network [[owned-and-operated station]]. That distinction ended when WTTG was sold to the [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]], regaining its status as a network owned-and-operated station upon it becoming a charter station for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network on its startup in 1986; it has since been accompanied by [[WDCA]] (channel 20) as [[UPN]] was owned by the station's owner [[Viacom ( |
At the time of its sign-on, channel 4 was one of two wholly network-owned stations in Washington, the other being [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]]'s WTTG. DuMont was shut down in 1956, and for the next 30 years WRC-TV was Washington's only network [[owned-and-operated station]]. That distinction ended when WTTG was sold to the [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]], regaining its status as a network owned-and-operated station upon it becoming a charter station for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network on its startup in 1986; it has since been accompanied by [[WDCA]] (channel 20) as [[UPN]] was owned by the station's owner [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]] until 2001 when Viacom traded the station to Fox (it is currently affiliated with the [[MyNetworkTV]] programming service). Today, WRC is one of three network-owned stations in the nation's capital, alongside the [[Fox Television Stations]]-owned [[duopoly (broadcasting)|duopoly]] of WTTG and WDCA. |
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===Telemundo affiliation=== |
===Telemundo affiliation=== |
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In September 2017, NBC announced they were to launch a new [[Telemundo]] owned-and-operated station based out of WRC-TV. [[ZGS Communications]], owner of Washington's existing Telemundo affiliate [[WZDC-CD]] (channel 25), sold the station's channel allocation in the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC)'s 2017–18 [[ |
In September 2017, NBC announced they were to launch a new [[Telemundo]] owned-and-operated station based out of WRC-TV. [[ZGS Communications]], owner of Washington's existing Telemundo affiliate [[WZDC-CD]] (channel 25), sold the station's channel allocation in the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC)'s 2017–18 [[2016 United States wireless spectrum auction]], accepting a $66 million payout to turn off its signal and continue operations by sharing the channel of another station. A Telemundo spokesperson stated that the sale of WZDC's spectrum "gave us the ability to take back the Telemundo affiliation for this market," without elaborating what that meant.<ref>{{cite news|title=Telemundo Launching a Washington O&O in December|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/telemundo-launching-washington-oo-december/168520|author=Diana Marszalek|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=September 11, 2017|accessdate=September 12, 2017|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912022554/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/telemundo-launching-washington-oo-december/168520|archivedate=September 12, 2017}}</ref><ref name="dcbizjournal-tmddc">{{cite news|title=NBCUniversal to launch Telemundo station|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2017/09/12/nbc-washington-to-launch-telemundo-station.html|newspaper=Washington Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=September 12, 2017|accessdate=September 13, 2017|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913231006/https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2017/09/12/nbc-washington-to-launch-telemundo-station.html|archivedate=September 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name="mediamoves-tmddc">{{cite web|title=Telemundo ends affiliate deal with ZGS to launch O&O in D.C.|url=https://www.mediamoves.com/2017/09/telemundo-ends-affiliate-deal-with-zgs-to-launch-oo-in-d-c.html|website=Media Moves|date=September 11, 2017|accessdate=September 13, 2017|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912102526/https://www.mediamoves.com/2017/09/telemundo-ends-affiliate-deal-with-zgs-to-launch-oo-in-d-c.html|archivedate=September 12, 2017}}</ref> NBC later purchased WZDC-CD with the intention of moving its over-the-air signal to that of WRC-TV through a channel-sharing agreement.<ref name="tvnc-saletotelemundo">{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Mark K.|title=NBCU Adding ZGS Stations To Telemundo|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/109362/nbcu-adding-zgs-stations-to-telemundo|accessdate=December 4, 2017|work=TVNewsCheck|date=December 4, 2017|language=en|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074450/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/109362/nbcu-adding-zgs-stations-to-telemundo|archivedate=December 6, 2017}}</ref> |
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NBC took control of WZDC-CD on January 1, 2018, and added a temporary relay to WRC-TV's digital subchannel 4.3.<ref name="zgssalecomplete">{{cite news|last1=Tsoflias Siegel|first1=Stephanie|title=Telemundo Completes Acquisition of ZGS Communications|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/telemundo-completes-acquisition-of-zgs-communications/199942|accessdate=February 1, 2018|work=TVSpy|date=February 1, 2018|language=en|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202071520/http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/telemundo-completes-acquisition-of-zgs-communications/199942|archivedate=February 2, 2018}}</ref> The channel-sharing agreement took effect on March 7, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&id=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&goBack=N|website=FCC LMS|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307031717/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&id=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&goBack=N|archivedate=March 7, 2018}}</ref> Under the agreement, WZDC shares WRC-TV's physical signal as a subchannel would, but exercises control over its part of the signal and retains its own [[virtual channel]] number and license. WZDC's virtual channel changed from 25.1 to 44.1 to avoid a conflict with [[WDVM-TV]], which also occupies virtual channel 25.1.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cómo re-escanear tu TV para recibir Telemundo 44|url=https://www.telemundowashingtondc.com/noticias/local/Como-reescanear-tu-televisor-para-recibir-Telemundo-44_Washington-DC-472976723.html|website=Telemundo Washington DC|language=es|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227094318/https://www.telemundowashingtondc.com/noticias/local/Como-reescanear-tu-televisor-para-recibir-Telemundo-44_Washington-DC-472976723.html|archivedate=February 27, 2018}}</ref> |
NBC took control of WZDC-CD on January 1, 2018, and added a temporary relay to WRC-TV's digital subchannel 4.3.<ref name="zgssalecomplete">{{cite news|last1=Tsoflias Siegel|first1=Stephanie|title=Telemundo Completes Acquisition of ZGS Communications|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/telemundo-completes-acquisition-of-zgs-communications/199942|accessdate=February 1, 2018|work=TVSpy|date=February 1, 2018|language=en|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202071520/http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/telemundo-completes-acquisition-of-zgs-communications/199942|archivedate=February 2, 2018}}</ref> The channel-sharing agreement took effect on March 7, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&id=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&goBack=N|website=FCC LMS|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307031717/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&id=25076f91619169b50161b9db595637d2&goBack=N|archivedate=March 7, 2018}}</ref> Under the agreement, WZDC shares WRC-TV's physical signal as a subchannel would, but exercises control over its part of the signal and retains its own [[virtual channel]] number and license. WZDC's virtual channel changed from 25.1 to 44.1 to avoid a conflict with [[WDVM-TV]], which also occupies virtual channel 25.1.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cómo re-escanear tu TV para recibir Telemundo 44|url=https://www.telemundowashingtondc.com/noticias/local/Como-reescanear-tu-televisor-para-recibir-Telemundo-44_Washington-DC-472976723.html|website=Telemundo Washington DC|language=es|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227094318/https://www.telemundowashingtondc.com/noticias/local/Como-reescanear-tu-televisor-para-recibir-Telemundo-44_Washington-DC-472976723.html|archivedate=February 27, 2018}}</ref> |
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| 4.2 || rowspan=2|[[480i]] || COZI || [[Cozi TV]] |
| 4.2 || rowspan=2|[[480i]] || COZI || [[Cozi TV]] |
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| 4.3 || Lx || [[NBCUniversal Television and Streaming |
| 4.3 || Lx || [[NBCUniversal Television and Streaming]] |
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WRC-TV shut down its analog signal, on [[Very high frequency|VHF]] channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcasts on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 48.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |accessdate=March 24, 2012}}</ref> Through the use of [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP]], digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 4. |
WRC-TV shut down its analog signal, on [[Very high frequency|VHF]] channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcasts on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 48.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |accessdate=March 24, 2012}}</ref> Through the use of [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP]], digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 4. |
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The station participated in the "[[Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act |
The station participated in the "[[Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act]]" program, with its analog signal carrying information on the digital transition until analog signal broadcasts were permanently discontinued on June 26, 2009. |
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Beginning in 1996, WRC-TV's studios were the home of '''WHD-TV''', an experimental [[high-definition television |
Beginning in 1996, WRC-TV's studios were the home of '''WHD-TV''', an experimental [[high-definition television]] television station owned by a [[consortium]] of industry groups and stations which carried the nation's first program in the format transmitted by a television station, an episode of ''[[Meet the Press]]'',<ref>http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/consumer-household-electronics-high/7693519-1.html</ref> and aired on UHF channel 34 to provide the FCC and the [[National Association of Broadcasters]] a channel to conduct many experiments in the new format.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/03/business/warts-and-wrinkles-can-t-hide-from-high-definition-tv.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 | work=The New York Times | title=Warts and Wrinkles Can't Hide From High-Definition TV | first=Joel | last=Brinkley | date=March 3, 1997 | url-status=live | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228133830/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/03/business/warts-and-wrinkles-can-t-hide-from-high-definition-tv.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 | archivedate=December 28, 2016 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldradio.com/current/bc_dtv.htm|title=DTV Broadcast History|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211152730/http://www.oldradio.com/current/bc_dtv.htm|archivedate=February 11, 2009}}</ref> WHD-TV was discontinued around 2002. |
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==Programming== |
==Programming== |
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[[File:Mac McGarry - It's Academic.jpg|thumb|200px|The late Mac McGarry was the original host of ''It's Academic'' until June 2011. (Photo is from |
[[File:Mac McGarry - It's Academic.jpg|thumb|200px|The late Mac McGarry was the original host of ''It's Academic'' until June 2011. (Photo is from [[Circa]] 2009.)]] |
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As of September 2019, [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programs broadcast by WRC-TV include ''[[Access Hollywood]]'', ''[[The Kelly Clarkson Show]]'' (both are produced by sister station KNBC), and ''[[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]]'', among others. |
As of September 2019, [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programs broadcast by WRC-TV include ''[[Access Hollywood]]'', ''[[The Kelly Clarkson Show]]'' (both are produced by sister station KNBC), and ''[[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]]'', among others. |
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Because of its ownership by the network, WRC-TV generally carries the entire NBC network schedule, though the station airs an alternate live feed of ''NBC Nightly News'' at 7 p.m. (rather than 6:30 p.m. as with most NBC stations in the [[Eastern Time Zone]]), due to a longtime hour-long 6 p.m. newscast. The weekend edition of the network's newscast airs at its usual 6:30 p.m. time slot. Like network flagship WNBC, it airs ''Meet the Press'' an hour-and-a-half later than most NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone due to a two-hour Sunday morning newscast. |
Because of its ownership by the network, WRC-TV generally carries the entire NBC network schedule, though the station airs an alternate live feed of ''NBC Nightly News'' at 7 p.m. (rather than 6:30 p.m. as with most NBC stations in the [[Eastern Time Zone]]), due to a longtime hour-long 6 p.m. newscast. The weekend edition of the network's newscast airs at its usual 6:30 p.m. time slot. Like network flagship WNBC, it airs ''Meet the Press'' an hour-and-a-half later than most NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone due to a two-hour Sunday morning newscast. |
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WRC-TV's building is home to ''Meet the Press'', the longest-running program in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947 and ''[[It's Academic]]'', which premiered in 1961 and is the longest-running [[game show]] in television history according to the |
WRC-TV's building is home to ''Meet the Press'', the longest-running program in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947 and ''[[It's Academic]]'', which premiered in 1961 and is the longest-running [[game show]] in television history according to the [[Guinness World Records|''Guinness World Records'']]. ''Sam and Friends'', Jim Henson's late-night precursor to ''[[Sesame Street]]'' and ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', got its start on WRC-TV on May 9, 1955. WRC-TV was served as the production facilities for the original run of ''[[The McLaughlin Group]]'' from its premiere in 1982 until May 2008, when the production facilities moved to [[Tegna Inc.]]-owned [[CBS]] affiliate and WRC-TV's rival [[WUSA (TV)|WUSA]] and it remained until the original show's ending in 2016. |
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===Sports programming=== |
===Sports programming=== |
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WRC-TV has been the over-the-air home of Washington Redskins (now the [[Washington Football Team]]) preseason games since [[2009 Washington Redskins season |
WRC-TV has been the over-the-air home of Washington Redskins (now the [[Washington Football Team]]) preseason games since [[2009 Washington Redskins season]]. Before the Comcast-NBC Universal merger, games were only shown in [[standard-definition television]] on WRC, with actual rightsholder CSN Mid-Atlantic (now [[NBC Sports Washington]]) exclusively airing the high definition broadcast. In addition, all of the team's games aired via NBC's broadcast contract with the NFL are also broadcast (from [[1970 Washington Redskins season|1970]] to [[1997 Washington Redskins season]], these were games in which the team played host to an [[American Football Conference|AFC]] team, since 2006, all [[NBC Sunday Night Football|''NBC Sunday Night Football'']] are shown on WRC-TV). The station aired coverage of the Redskins' victory in [[Super Bowl XVII]]. |
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In addition, all [[Washington Capitals]] games broadcast through [[NHL on NBC| |
In addition, all [[Washington Capitals]] games broadcast through [[NHL on NBC|''NHL on NBC'']] with the [[National Hockey League|NHL]] are also broadcast; this included the team's first-ever [[Stanley Cup Finals]] victory in [[2018 Stanley Cup Finals]]. |
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WRC-TV also aired games involving the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Washington Wizards|Washington Bullets/Wizards]] from [[1990–91 Washington Bullets season |
WRC-TV also aired games involving the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Washington Wizards|Washington Bullets/Wizards]] from [[1990–91 Washington Bullets season]] to [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season]] via [[NBA on NBC]]. |
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==News operation== |
==News operation== |
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In 1975, the station adopted [[MFSB]]'s song "My Mood" as the closing theme music for the 6:00 p.m. newscast every Friday, which remains in use by the station today.<ref>[https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/07/23/arch-campbell-remembers-his-friend-jim-vance/ Arch Campbell Remembers His Friend Jim Vance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723165829/https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/07/23/arch-campbell-remembers-his-friend-jim-vance/ |date=July 23, 2017 }}, ''The Washingtonian'', June 23, 2017, Retrieved July 26, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYgs069D7rY&t=27m39s WRC-TV: News 4 at 11pm Saturday – 07/22/17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601144930/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYgs069D7rY&t=27m39s |date=June 1, 2018 }} YouTube clip, Retrieved July 23, 2017.</ref> Michael Randall commissioned the news theme for WRC-TV entitled "NewsCenter Theme", which was used by the station until 1986; also, [[Charlie Rose]] was hired by WRC-TV after his short stint at [[KXAS-TV]] in [[Dallas]] and hosted the ''Charlie Rose Show'' from its premiere in 1980 until he left the station in 1984 for [[CBS News]]. The station also hired [[George Michael (sportscaster)|George Michael]] as their sports anchor, eventually launching the nationally syndicated program ''[[The George Michael Sports Machine]]'', which originated from the studios of WRC-TV from its entire run from 1984 until 2007 (''The George Michael Sports Machine'' was distributed by the station's sister company [[NBCUniversal Television Distribution]]). |
In 1975, the station adopted [[MFSB]]'s song "My Mood" as the closing theme music for the 6:00 p.m. newscast every Friday, which remains in use by the station today.<ref>[https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/07/23/arch-campbell-remembers-his-friend-jim-vance/ Arch Campbell Remembers His Friend Jim Vance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723165829/https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/07/23/arch-campbell-remembers-his-friend-jim-vance/ |date=July 23, 2017 }}, ''The Washingtonian'', June 23, 2017, Retrieved July 26, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYgs069D7rY&t=27m39s WRC-TV: News 4 at 11pm Saturday – 07/22/17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601144930/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYgs069D7rY&t=27m39s |date=June 1, 2018 }} YouTube clip, Retrieved July 23, 2017.</ref> Michael Randall commissioned the news theme for WRC-TV entitled "NewsCenter Theme", which was used by the station until 1986; also, [[Charlie Rose]] was hired by WRC-TV after his short stint at [[KXAS-TV]] in [[Dallas]] and hosted the ''Charlie Rose Show'' from its premiere in 1980 until he left the station in 1984 for [[CBS News]]. The station also hired [[George Michael (sportscaster)|George Michael]] as their sports anchor, eventually launching the nationally syndicated program ''[[The George Michael Sports Machine]]'', which originated from the studios of WRC-TV from its entire run from 1984 until 2007 (''The George Michael Sports Machine'' was distributed by the station's sister company [[NBCUniversal Television Distribution]]). |
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In 1982, after 8 years of using the ''NewsCenter'' branding, the news branding was changed to ''Channel 4 News''. The station added a 5:00 p.m. newscast in 1984. In 1989, the news branding was changed again to its current name of ''News 4''. Coinciding with the name change, the station used a new promotional campaign "We Work Well Together", produced by Music Oasis, which was also adopted as its news theme until 1992. In 1991, WRC-TV added a morning newscast under the title of ''News 4 Today'', becoming the first morning newscast in Washington, D.C. From January 14 to October 25, 1991, the station also produced a 7:30 p.m. newscast for then-[[Independent station (North America)|independent station]] WFTY (now [[The |
In 1982, after 8 years of using the ''NewsCenter'' branding, the news branding was changed to ''Channel 4 News''. The station added a 5:00 p.m. newscast in 1984. In 1989, the news branding was changed again to its current name of ''News 4''. Coinciding with the name change, the station used a new promotional campaign "We Work Well Together", produced by Music Oasis, which was also adopted as its news theme until 1992. In 1991, WRC-TV added a morning newscast under the title of ''News 4 Today'', becoming the first morning newscast in Washington, D.C. From January 14 to October 25, 1991, the station also produced a 7:30 p.m. newscast for then-[[Independent station (North America)|independent station]] WFTY (now [[The CW]] affiliate [[WDCW]]) entitled ''7:30 News Headlines''. The newscast suffered low ratings during its run. |
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In 1993, the station adopted the news music theme entitled "Working 4 You", which also serves as a current station slogan for News 4. [[615 Music]] remixed the theme in 1997, this time under the title of "Working For You". The theme was also used by other NBC affiliated stations (including [[WHO-TV]] in [[Des Moines, |
In 1993, the station adopted the news music theme entitled "Working 4 You", which also serves as a current station slogan for News 4. [[615 Music]] remixed the theme in 1997, this time under the title of "Working For You". The theme was also used by other NBC affiliated stations (including [[WHO-TV]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], [[KPLC]] in [[Lake Charles, Louisiana]], [[WPSD-TV]] in [[Paducah, Kentucky]], and [[WEAU]] in [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]]). In 2002, WRC-TV adopted "The Tower" news theme commissioned by 615 Music from Chicago sister station WMAQ-TV with the notes of the "Working For You" theme as a musical trademark added only in the news opens. The "Working For You" theme continued to be used as a closing theme for all of its newscasts. Both "Working For You" and "The Tower V.1 with Working For You" were both in use by the station until 2008, when they switched to [[Frank Gari|Gari Media Group]]'s "The NBC Collection" now with added notes of the "Working For You" theme. |
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On January 14, 2009, WRC-TV and WTTG entered into a [[Local News Service]] (called LNS) agreement in which the two stations pool video and share news helicopter footage. The agreement is similar to ones already made between Fox and NBC owned-and-operated stations in Chicago (WMAQ-TV and [[WFLD]]) and [[Philadelphia]] ([[WCAU]] and [[WTXF]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162178-Fox_And_NBC_To_Share_In_DC.php|title=Fox And NBC To Share In DC|accessdate=January 14, 2009|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925034243/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162178-Fox_And_NBC_To_Share_In_DC.php|archivedate=September 25, 2012}}</ref> WUSA later joined that agreement. In 2012, News Director Camille Edwards announced the station would no longer participate in LNS, but the stations would continue to share the helicopter. In 2016, the station launched its own helicopter, Chopper4. |
On January 14, 2009, WRC-TV and WTTG entered into a [[Local News Service]] (called LNS) agreement in which the two stations pool video and share news helicopter footage. The agreement is similar to ones already made between Fox and NBC owned-and-operated stations in Chicago (WMAQ-TV and [[WFLD]]) and [[Philadelphia]] ([[WCAU]] and [[WTXF-TV]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162178-Fox_And_NBC_To_Share_In_DC.php|title=Fox And NBC To Share In DC|accessdate=January 14, 2009|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925034243/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/162178-Fox_And_NBC_To_Share_In_DC.php|archivedate=September 25, 2012}}</ref> WUSA later joined that agreement. In 2012, News Director Camille Edwards announced the station would no longer participate in LNS, but the stations would continue to share the helicopter. In 2016, the station launched its own helicopter, Chopper4. |
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On April 8, 2010, the station began test broadcasts of its news programming in high definition during local news updates seen during ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]''; regular newscasts continued to be broadcast in standard definition. WRC-TV started broadcasting its newscasts from a temporary set on February 8, 2010 while "upgrades" were being made on its main set and the station made final adjustments for its switch to high definition. On April 22, 2010, WRC became the fourth (and final) [[American English|English-language]] television station in the Washington, D.C. [[media |
On April 8, 2010, the station began test broadcasts of its news programming in high definition during local news updates seen during ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]''; regular newscasts continued to be broadcast in standard definition. WRC-TV started broadcasting its newscasts from a temporary set on February 8, 2010 while "upgrades" were being made on its main set and the station made final adjustments for its switch to high definition. On April 22, 2010, WRC became the fourth (and final) [[American English|English-language]] television station in the Washington, D.C. [[media market]] to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition. It is the only station in the Washington market that shoots most of its remote field video in [[16:9 aspect ratio]] [[widescreen]]; other stations still shoot live field video in [[Fullscreen (aspect ratio)|fullscreen]] and then either [[pillarbox]] or stretch this content to widescreen—though WRC's field video is shot in standard definition. |
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On September 15, 2014, the station's newscasts shifted to a full 16:9 widescreen presentation, therefore becoming the third English-language television station in the Washington, D.C. market to do so, following Tegna-owned CBS affiliate WUSA (January 2013) and Fox O&O WTTG (August 2013). In conjunction with this, the newscast title was changed to a variation of the station's NBC 4 logo and also, its longtime newscast theme music was heavily updated. Also, the station's "Look F" graphics package from NBC ArtWorks, which was introduced 2 years earlier (May 2012), was reformatted for the 16:9 presentation. |
On September 15, 2014, the station's newscasts shifted to a full 16:9 widescreen presentation, therefore becoming the third English-language television station in the Washington, D.C. market to do so, following Tegna-owned CBS affiliate WUSA (January 2013) and Fox O&O WTTG (August 2013). In conjunction with this, the newscast title was changed to a variation of the station's NBC 4 logo and also, its longtime newscast theme music was heavily updated. Also, the station's "Look F" graphics package from NBC ArtWorks, which was introduced 2 years earlier (May 2012), was reformatted for the 16:9 presentation. |
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====Notable former on-air staff==== |
====Notable former on-air staff==== |
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* [[Jess Atkinson]] – sports anchor (1990–1996); now back at his Alma mater, the [[University of Maryland]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jun/7/20020607-031144-3381r/|title=Atkinson throws in towel|work=The Washington Times|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913194127/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jun/7/20020607-031144-3381r/|archivedate=September 13, 2014}}</ref> |
* [[Jess Atkinson]] – sports anchor (1990–1996); now back at his Alma mater, the [[University of Maryland, College Park]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jun/7/20020607-031144-3381r/|title=Atkinson throws in towel|work=The Washington Times|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913194127/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jun/7/20020607-031144-3381r/|archivedate=September 13, 2014}}</ref> |
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* [[Shannon Bream]] – anchor (2004–2007); now with [[Fox News |
* [[Shannon Bream]] – anchor (2004–2007); now with [[Fox News]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/01/AR2007110102456.html|title=Shannon Bream to Cover Supreme Court for Fox News|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228133815/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/01/AR2007110102456.html|archivedate=December 28, 2016}}</ref> |
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* [[Nick Charles (sportscaster)|Nick Charles]] – sports anchor/reporter (1976–1979); died of cancer in 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Former-News4-Sportscaster-Nick-Charles-Dies-of-Cancer-at-64-124561259.html|title=Former News4 Sportscaster Nick Charles Dies of Cancer at 64|work=NBC4 Washington|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908092401/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Former-News4-Sportscaster-Nick-Charles-Dies-of-Cancer-at-64-124561259.html|archivedate=September 8, 2014}}</ref> |
* [[Nick Charles (sportscaster)|Nick Charles]] – sports anchor/reporter (1976–1979); died of cancer in 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Former-News4-Sportscaster-Nick-Charles-Dies-of-Cancer-at-64-124561259.html|title=Former News4 Sportscaster Nick Charles Dies of Cancer at 64|work=NBC4 Washington|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908092401/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Former-News4-Sportscaster-Nick-Charles-Dies-of-Cancer-at-64-124561259.html|archivedate=September 8, 2014}}</ref> |
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* [[Katie Couric]] – reporter (1987–1989); now with [[Yahoo]] News<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/may/30/20060530-095100-6077r/?page=all|title=Couric's days at WRC recalled – Washington Times|work=The Washington Times|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912170434/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/may/30/20060530-095100-6077r/?page=all|archivedate=September 12, 2014}}</ref> |
* [[Katie Couric]] – reporter (1987–1989); now with [[Yahoo!]] News<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/may/30/20060530-095100-6077r/?page=all|title=Couric's days at WRC recalled – Washington Times|work=The Washington Times|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912170434/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/may/30/20060530-095100-6077r/?page=all|archivedate=September 12, 2014}}</ref> |
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* [[Whitney Cummings]] – multi-media journalist (now an actress & producer) |
* [[Whitney Cummings]] – multi-media journalist (now an actress & producer) |
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* [[Lindsay Czarniak]] – sports anchor/reporter (2005–2011); was most recently with [[ESPN]] until October 2017,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/sports-anchor-lindsay-czarniak-to-leave-nbc4-for-espn/2011/06/22/AGUsodgH_story.html|title=Lindsay Czarniak, sports anchor, to leave NBC4 for ESPN|work=Washington Post|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928010120/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/sports-anchor-lindsay-czarniak-to-leave-nbc4-for-espn/2011/06/22/AGUsodgH_story.html|archivedate=September 28, 2017}}</ref> now with [[Joe Gibbs Racing]] |
* [[Lindsay Czarniak]] – sports anchor/reporter (2005–2011); was most recently with [[ESPN]] until October 2017,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/sports-anchor-lindsay-czarniak-to-leave-nbc4-for-espn/2011/06/22/AGUsodgH_story.html|title=Lindsay Czarniak, sports anchor, to leave NBC4 for ESPN|work=Washington Post|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928010120/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/sports-anchor-lindsay-czarniak-to-leave-nbc4-for-espn/2011/06/22/AGUsodgH_story.html|archivedate=September 28, 2017}}</ref> now with [[Joe Gibbs Racing]] |
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* [[Steve Doocy]] – features reporter (1983–1989); now with [[Fox News |
* [[Steve Doocy]] – features reporter (1983–1989); now with [[Fox News]] |
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* [[Peter |
* [[Peter Shann Ford]] – news anchor (1988–1992); now CEO of Control Bionics Neural System Technologies |
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* [[Angie Goff]] – anchor; now with [[WTTG]] |
* [[Angie Goff]] – anchor; now with [[WTTG]] |
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* [[Savannah Guthrie]] – reporter (1999–2002); now co-anchor of NBC's ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today |
* [[Savannah Guthrie]] – reporter (1999–2002); now co-anchor of NBC's ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' |
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* [[Robert Hager]] – reporter in the 1960s, later an [[NBC News]] correspondent |
* [[Robert Hager]] – reporter in the 1960s, later an [[NBC News]] correspondent |
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* [[Mike Hambrick]] – anchor (1982–1985); now heard on [[Howard 100 and Howard 101]] |
* [[Mike Hambrick]] – anchor (1982–1985); now heard on [[Howard 100 and Howard 101]] |
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* [[Richard |
* [[Richard Harkness]] – Washington correspondent for NBC network and local radio/TV news anchor (1942–1970); died in 1977 |
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* [[Jim Hartz]] – anchor (1977–1979)<ref>[http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/Press.hom/JimHartzBio.pdf Jim Hartz]{{dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=Bibliographies-BreakfastOfChampions |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
* [[Jim Hartz]] – anchor (1977–1979)<ref>[http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/Press.hom/JimHartzBio.pdf Jim Hartz]{{dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=Bibliographies-BreakfastOfChampions |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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* [[Dan Hellie]] – sports anchor (2006–2013); now with [[NFL Network]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/07/10/dan-hellie-joins-the-nfl-network/|title=Dan Hellie joins NFL Network|work=Washington Post|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105060625/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/07/10/dan-hellie-joins-the-nfl-network/|archivedate=January 5, 2015}}</ref> |
* [[Dan Hellie]] – sports anchor (2006–2013); now with [[NFL Network]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/07/10/dan-hellie-joins-the-nfl-network/|title=Dan Hellie joins NFL Network|work=Washington Post|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105060625/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/07/10/dan-hellie-joins-the-nfl-network/|archivedate=January 5, 2015}}</ref> |
Revision as of 23:01, 6 November 2020
| |
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Channels | |
Branding | NBC 4 (general) News 4 (newscasts) |
Programming | |
Affiliations | |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
WZDC-CD NBC Sports Washington | |
History | |
First air date | June 27, 1947 (76 years ago) as WNBW |
Former call signs | WNBW (1947–1954) |
Former channel number(s) |
|
NBC Weather Plus (DT2) | |
Call sign meaning | Radio Corporation of America (NBC's former parent) |
Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 47904 |
ERP | 1,000 kW |
HAAT | 244 m (801 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°56′24″N 77°4′53″W / 38.94000°N 77.08139°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Website | www |
WRC-TV, virtual channel 4 (UHF digital channel 34), is an NBC owned-and-operated station, television station city of license to the American capital city of Washington, D.C.. Owned by the NBC Owned Television Stations subsidiary of NBCUniversal (itself a subsidiary of Comcast), it is sister station to Class A television service Telemundo owned-and-operated station WZDC-CD (channel 44) and regional sports network NBC Sports Washington. WRC-TV and WZDC-CD share studios and transmitter facilities on Nebraska Avenue in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Northwest.[3]
WRC-TV houses and originates NBC News' Washington bureau, out of which the network's (and television's) long-running political events program, Meet the Press, is based.
On cable television, the station is available on Comcast Xfinity channel 24 in Washington, D.C. (C-SPAN is carried on cable channel 4) and channel 4 in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, and on Cox Communications, RCN and Verizon Fios channel 4.
History
The station traces its roots to history of television station W3XNB, which was put on the air by the RCA, the then-parent company of NBC, in 1939. A construction permit with the commercial call signs in North America WNBW (standing for "NBC Washington") was first issued on channel 3 (60–66 MHz, numbered channel 2 prior to 1946)[4] on December 23, 1941. NBC requested this permit to be cancelled on June 29, 1942; channel 3 was reallocated to Harrisonburg, Virginia.[5][6]
On June 27, 1947, WNBW was re-licensed on channel 4 and signed on the air. Channel 4 is the second-oldest commercially licensed television station in Washington, after WTTG (channel 5), which signed on six months earlier in January 1947. WNBW was also the second of the five original NBC-owned television stations to sign-on, behind WNBC/New York City and ahead of WMAQ-TV/Chicago, WKYC/Cleveland and KNBC/Los Angeles. The station was operated alongside WRC radio (980 AM, now WTEM, and 93.9 FM, now WKYS).
On October 18, 1954, the television station's callsign changed to the present WRC-TV to match its radio sisters.[7] The new calls reflected NBC's ownership at the time by RCA. It has retained its "-TV" suffix to this day, nearly four decades after the radio stations were sold off and changed call letters.
In 1955, while in college and serving as a puppeteer on a WRC-TV program, Jim Henson was asked to create a puppet show for the station. The series he created, Sam and Friends, was the first series to feature The Muppets, and launched the The Jim Henson Company.[8]
The second presidential debate between candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. David Brinkley's Washington segment of the The Huntley–Brinkley Report originated at WRC-TV between 1956 and 1970, as did Washington reports or commentaries by Brinkley or John Chancellor on NBC Nightly News in the 1970s.
The earliest color television videotape in existence is a recording of the dedication of NBC/WRC's Washington studios on May 22, 1958. As Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at the event, introduced by NBC President Robert W. Sarnoff, it was also the first time a U.S. president had been videotaped in color.[9][10]
At the time of its sign-on, channel 4 was one of two wholly network-owned stations in Washington, the other being DuMont's WTTG. DuMont was shut down in 1956, and for the next 30 years WRC-TV was Washington's only network owned-and-operated station. That distinction ended when WTTG was sold to the News Corporation, regaining its status as a network owned-and-operated station upon it becoming a charter station for the Fox network on its startup in 1986; it has since been accompanied by WDCA (channel 20) as UPN was owned by the station's owner Viacom until 2001 when Viacom traded the station to Fox (it is currently affiliated with the MyNetworkTV programming service). Today, WRC is one of three network-owned stations in the nation's capital, alongside the Fox Television Stations-owned duopoly of WTTG and WDCA.
Telemundo affiliation
In September 2017, NBC announced they were to launch a new Telemundo owned-and-operated station based out of WRC-TV. ZGS Communications, owner of Washington's existing Telemundo affiliate WZDC-CD (channel 25), sold the station's channel allocation in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s 2017–18 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction, accepting a $66 million payout to turn off its signal and continue operations by sharing the channel of another station. A Telemundo spokesperson stated that the sale of WZDC's spectrum "gave us the ability to take back the Telemundo affiliation for this market," without elaborating what that meant.[11][12][13] NBC later purchased WZDC-CD with the intention of moving its over-the-air signal to that of WRC-TV through a channel-sharing agreement.[14]
NBC took control of WZDC-CD on January 1, 2018, and added a temporary relay to WRC-TV's digital subchannel 4.3.[15] The channel-sharing agreement took effect on March 7, 2018.[16] Under the agreement, WZDC shares WRC-TV's physical signal as a subchannel would, but exercises control over its part of the signal and retains its own virtual channel number and license. WZDC's virtual channel changed from 25.1 to 44.1 to avoid a conflict with WDVM-TV, which also occupies virtual channel 25.1.[17]
Digital television
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[1] |
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4.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | WRC-HD | Main WRC-TV programming / NBC |
4.2 | 480i | COZI | Cozi TV | |
4.3 | Lx | NBCUniversal Television and Streaming |
Analog-to-digital conversion
WRC-TV shut down its analog signal, on VHF channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 48.[18] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 4.
The station participated in the "Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act" program, with its analog signal carrying information on the digital transition until analog signal broadcasts were permanently discontinued on June 26, 2009.
Beginning in 1996, WRC-TV's studios were the home of WHD-TV, an experimental high-definition television television station owned by a consortium of industry groups and stations which carried the nation's first program in the format transmitted by a television station, an episode of Meet the Press,[19] and aired on UHF channel 34 to provide the FCC and the National Association of Broadcasters a channel to conduct many experiments in the new format.[20][21] WHD-TV was discontinued around 2002.
Programming
As of September 2019, syndicated programs broadcast by WRC-TV include Access Hollywood, The Kelly Clarkson Show (both are produced by sister station KNBC), and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, among others.
Because of its ownership by the network, WRC-TV generally carries the entire NBC network schedule, though the station airs an alternate live feed of NBC Nightly News at 7 p.m. (rather than 6:30 p.m. as with most NBC stations in the Eastern Time Zone), due to a longtime hour-long 6 p.m. newscast. The weekend edition of the network's newscast airs at its usual 6:30 p.m. time slot. Like network flagship WNBC, it airs Meet the Press an hour-and-a-half later than most NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone due to a two-hour Sunday morning newscast.
WRC-TV's building is home to Meet the Press, the longest-running program in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947 and It's Academic, which premiered in 1961 and is the longest-running game show in television history according to the Guinness World Records. Sam and Friends, Jim Henson's late-night precursor to Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, got its start on WRC-TV on May 9, 1955. WRC-TV was served as the production facilities for the original run of The McLaughlin Group from its premiere in 1982 until May 2008, when the production facilities moved to Tegna Inc.-owned CBS affiliate and WRC-TV's rival WUSA and it remained until the original show's ending in 2016.
Sports programming
WRC-TV has been the over-the-air home of Washington Redskins (now the Washington Football Team) preseason games since 2009 Washington Redskins season. Before the Comcast-NBC Universal merger, games were only shown in standard-definition television on WRC, with actual rightsholder CSN Mid-Atlantic (now NBC Sports Washington) exclusively airing the high definition broadcast. In addition, all of the team's games aired via NBC's broadcast contract with the NFL are also broadcast (from 1970 to 1997 Washington Redskins season, these were games in which the team played host to an AFC team, since 2006, all NBC Sunday Night Football are shown on WRC-TV). The station aired coverage of the Redskins' victory in Super Bowl XVII.
In addition, all Washington Capitals games broadcast through NHL on NBC with the NHL are also broadcast; this included the team's first-ever Stanley Cup Finals victory in 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.
WRC-TV also aired games involving the NBA's Washington Bullets/Wizards from 1990–91 Washington Bullets season to 2001–02 Washington Wizards season via NBA on NBC.
News operation
WRC-TV presently broadcasts 45 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 7 hours, 35 minutes each weekday; three hours on Saturdays and five hours on Sundays). By 2001, WRC's newscasts had all been rated number one in the market, with some of the success attributed to Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler, who anchored together from 1989 until Vance's death in 2017. Vance had been with Channel 4 since 1969, and was promoted to anchor three years later.[22] In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed first at 5:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. in total viewers, and first at 6:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. in the 25–54 demo. It still leads most time slots today, although WTTG's morning news and WJLA's 11:00 pm news have given it much competition in the 25–54 demo.
In 1974, WRC-TV adopted the NewsCenter branding, following the three other NBC-owned stations at the time in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago in adopting the NewsCenter branding.
In 1975, the station adopted MFSB's song "My Mood" as the closing theme music for the 6:00 p.m. newscast every Friday, which remains in use by the station today.[23][24] Michael Randall commissioned the news theme for WRC-TV entitled "NewsCenter Theme", which was used by the station until 1986; also, Charlie Rose was hired by WRC-TV after his short stint at KXAS-TV in Dallas and hosted the Charlie Rose Show from its premiere in 1980 until he left the station in 1984 for CBS News. The station also hired George Michael as their sports anchor, eventually launching the nationally syndicated program The George Michael Sports Machine, which originated from the studios of WRC-TV from its entire run from 1984 until 2007 (The George Michael Sports Machine was distributed by the station's sister company NBCUniversal Television Distribution).
In 1982, after 8 years of using the NewsCenter branding, the news branding was changed to Channel 4 News. The station added a 5:00 p.m. newscast in 1984. In 1989, the news branding was changed again to its current name of News 4. Coinciding with the name change, the station used a new promotional campaign "We Work Well Together", produced by Music Oasis, which was also adopted as its news theme until 1992. In 1991, WRC-TV added a morning newscast under the title of News 4 Today, becoming the first morning newscast in Washington, D.C. From January 14 to October 25, 1991, the station also produced a 7:30 p.m. newscast for then-independent station WFTY (now The CW affiliate WDCW) entitled 7:30 News Headlines. The newscast suffered low ratings during its run.
In 1993, the station adopted the news music theme entitled "Working 4 You", which also serves as a current station slogan for News 4. 615 Music remixed the theme in 1997, this time under the title of "Working For You". The theme was also used by other NBC affiliated stations (including WHO-TV in Des Moines, Iowa, KPLC in Lake Charles, Louisiana, WPSD-TV in Paducah, Kentucky, and WEAU in Eau Claire, Wisconsin). In 2002, WRC-TV adopted "The Tower" news theme commissioned by 615 Music from Chicago sister station WMAQ-TV with the notes of the "Working For You" theme as a musical trademark added only in the news opens. The "Working For You" theme continued to be used as a closing theme for all of its newscasts. Both "Working For You" and "The Tower V.1 with Working For You" were both in use by the station until 2008, when they switched to Gari Media Group's "The NBC Collection" now with added notes of the "Working For You" theme.
On January 14, 2009, WRC-TV and WTTG entered into a Local News Service (called LNS) agreement in which the two stations pool video and share news helicopter footage. The agreement is similar to ones already made between Fox and NBC owned-and-operated stations in Chicago (WMAQ-TV and WFLD) and Philadelphia (WCAU and WTXF-TV).[25] WUSA later joined that agreement. In 2012, News Director Camille Edwards announced the station would no longer participate in LNS, but the stations would continue to share the helicopter. In 2016, the station launched its own helicopter, Chopper4.
On April 8, 2010, the station began test broadcasts of its news programming in high definition during local news updates seen during Today; regular newscasts continued to be broadcast in standard definition. WRC-TV started broadcasting its newscasts from a temporary set on February 8, 2010 while "upgrades" were being made on its main set and the station made final adjustments for its switch to high definition. On April 22, 2010, WRC became the fourth (and final) English-language television station in the Washington, D.C. media market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition. It is the only station in the Washington market that shoots most of its remote field video in 16:9 aspect ratio widescreen; other stations still shoot live field video in fullscreen and then either pillarbox or stretch this content to widescreen—though WRC's field video is shot in standard definition.
On September 15, 2014, the station's newscasts shifted to a full 16:9 widescreen presentation, therefore becoming the third English-language television station in the Washington, D.C. market to do so, following Tegna-owned CBS affiliate WUSA (January 2013) and Fox O&O WTTG (August 2013). In conjunction with this, the newscast title was changed to a variation of the station's NBC 4 logo and also, its longtime newscast theme music was heavily updated. Also, the station's "Look F" graphics package from NBC ArtWorks, which was introduced 2 years earlier (May 2012), was reformatted for the 16:9 presentation.
On June 29, 2016, the station officially began using the "Look N" graphics package that was first adopted by sister station WNBC (which began using the package on June 11), becoming the sixth NBC-owned station to use this package, following WVIT (June 13), WTVJ (also on June 13), KXAS-TV (June 20) and WMAQ-TV (testing on June 21; full usage beginning June 28).
On July 31, 2017, WRC-TV became the first station in Washington, D.C. to expand its morning newscasts to 4:00 a.m. In May 2018, after 10 years of using "The NBC Collection with Working for You" news theme, the station brought back 615 Music's "The Tower" news theme, this time without the famous "Working for You" musical trademark; the news theme was previously used with the "Working for You" signature only in the news opens from 2002 until 2008[clarification needed]; the theme has also been used by sister station WVIT since 2016.
On-air staff
Notable current on-air staff
- Doreen Gentzler – anchor
- Leon Harris – anchor
- Eun Yang – anchor
Notable former on-air staff
- Jess Atkinson – sports anchor (1990–1996); now back at his Alma mater, the University of Maryland, College Park[26]
- Shannon Bream – anchor (2004–2007); now with Fox News[27]
- Nick Charles – sports anchor/reporter (1976–1979); died of cancer in 2011[28]
- Katie Couric – reporter (1987–1989); now with Yahoo! News[29]
- Whitney Cummings – multi-media journalist (now an actress & producer)
- Lindsay Czarniak – sports anchor/reporter (2005–2011); was most recently with ESPN until October 2017,[30] now with Joe Gibbs Racing
- Steve Doocy – features reporter (1983–1989); now with Fox News
- Peter Shann Ford – news anchor (1988–1992); now CEO of Control Bionics Neural System Technologies
- Angie Goff – anchor; now with WTTG
- Savannah Guthrie – reporter (1999–2002); now co-anchor of NBC's Today
- Robert Hager – reporter in the 1960s, later an NBC News correspondent
- Mike Hambrick – anchor (1982–1985); now heard on Howard 100 and Howard 101
- Richard Harkness – Washington correspondent for NBC network and local radio/TV news anchor (1942–1970); died in 1977
- Jim Hartz – anchor (1977–1979)[31]
- Dan Hellie – sports anchor (2006–2013); now with NFL Network[32]
- Dave Marash – anchor (1985–1989); now with KSFR
- Marjorie Margolies – reporter (1975–1990); former U.S. Congresswoman and mother-in-law of Chelsea Clinton
- Craig Melvin – anchor (2007–2011); now MSNBC and Today Show anchor
- George Michael – sports anchor/reporter; former host of The George Michael Sports Machine (1980–2008); died of leukemia in 2009[33]
- Bob Ryan – weatherman (1980–2010); retired[34]
- Jim Rosenfield – anchor; now with WCAU (WRC-TV's sister station) in Philadelphia
- Willard Scott – NBC page (1950), Bozo the Clown (1959–1962), weather anchor (1968–1980); later on NBC's Today Show)[35]
- Jim Vance – anchor (1969–2017); died of cancer in 2017[36]
References
- ^ a b "Digital TV Market Listing for WRC". RabbitEars.Info. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WRC-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Digital Signal Sources". The Washington Post. May 20, 2008. Archived from the original on June 1, 2018.
- ^ "Whatever Happened To Channel 1?".
- ^ "WRC-TV History Cards". FCC CDBS.
- ^ Staff (July 27, 1942). "Four FM Permits Cancelled by FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. p. 18.
- ^ "RCA replaces NBC in O&O calls." Broadcasting – Telecasting, October 4, 1954, pg. 78. [1][permanent dead link]
- ^ Sickels, Robert C. (August 8, 2013). 100 Entertainers Who Changed America: An Encyclopedia of Pop Culture Luminaries [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Pop Culture Luminaries. ABC-CLIO. pp. 253–258. ISBN 978-1598848311. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ "RCA-NBC Firsts in Color Television". Archived from the original on February 6, 2006.
- ^ "Eisenhower WRC-TV 1958 (oldest known colour videotaping)". YouTube. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015.
- ^ Diana Marszalek (September 11, 2017). "Telemundo Launching a Washington O&O in December". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ "NBCUniversal to launch Telemundo station". Washington Business Journal. American City Business Journals. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ "Telemundo ends affiliate deal with ZGS to launch O&O in D.C." Media Moves. September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ Miller, Mark K. (December 4, 2017). "NBCU Adding ZGS Stations To Telemundo". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ Tsoflias Siegel, Stephanie (February 1, 2018). "Telemundo Completes Acquisition of ZGS Communications". TVSpy. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station". FCC LMS. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018.
- ^ "Cómo re-escanear tu TV para recibir Telemundo 44". Telemundo Washington DC (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 27, 2018.
- ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/consumer-household-electronics-high/7693519-1.html
- ^ Brinkley, Joel (March 3, 1997). "Warts and Wrinkles Can't Hide From High-Definition TV". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
- ^ "DTV Broadcast History". Archived from the original on February 11, 2009.
- ^ Schudel, Matt. "Jim Vance, Washington’s longest-serving local news anchor, is dead at 75 Archived July 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine". The Washington Post. July 22, 2017.
- ^ Arch Campbell Remembers His Friend Jim Vance Archived July 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Washingtonian, June 23, 2017, Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ WRC-TV: News 4 at 11pm Saturday – 07/22/17 Archived June 1, 2018, at the Wayback Machine YouTube clip, Retrieved July 23, 2017.
- ^ "Fox And NBC To Share In DC". Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ^ "Atkinson throws in towel". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014.
- ^ "Shannon Bream to Cover Supreme Court for Fox News". Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
- ^ "Former News4 Sportscaster Nick Charles Dies of Cancer at 64". NBC4 Washington. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014.
- ^ "Couric's days at WRC recalled – Washington Times". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014.
- ^ "Lindsay Czarniak, sports anchor, to leave NBC4 for ESPN". Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017.
- ^ Jim Hartz[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Dan Hellie joins NFL Network". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015.
- ^ "Leonard Shapiro: Loss of Michael Is a Truly Deep Cut". The Washington Post. December 29, 2008. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.
- ^ "Bob Ryan retiring after 33 years of TV weather forecasting". WJLA. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013.
- ^ "Willard Scott, weather reporter and centenarian birthday greeter". TODAY. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014.
- ^ Jim Vance, Washington’s longest-serving local news anchor, is dead at 75 Archived July 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post, July 22, 2017
External links
- Official website
- Template:TVQ
- Template:BIA
- "NBC-4 Washington". Archived from the original on December 10, 1997. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
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