WMTV

WMTV (digital channel 19 and PSIP virtual channel 15) is a NBC affiliated television station serving Madison, Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated by Gray Television, and has its studio and transmitter located in Madison.

History
WMTV signed on the air in July 1953 on channel 33 and was an affiliate of ABC, DuMont, and NBC. In 1956, WKOW-TV, which had the CBSaffiliation, picked up the ABC affiliation from WMTV after losing CBS to then-new VHF station WISC-TV, thus resulting in WMTV becoming solely affiliated with NBC.

In 1960 WMTV switched channels from 33 to 15, where it remained until analog broadcasting ceased just before midnight on February 17, 2009. The station's over-the-air broadcasts are now on digital channel 19, though it is found through PSIP protocol on virtual channels 15.1 (NBC) and 15.2 (The AccuWeather Channel).

On October 16, 2010, WMTV became the second commercial TV station in Madison to produce all of its newscasts in high-definition, the first being WISC-TV. On October 18, 2010, the station also began airing its flagship syndicated programs ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy! Jeopardy!] and Wheel of Fortune'' in HD.

Analog-to-digital conversion
WMTV ceased analog broadcasting just before midnight on February 17, 2009. A title slide of the station ID and slogan was aired with an announcer indicating the station was permanently ceasing analog broadcasting to southern Wisconsin but continuing digitally on channel 19, appearing as virtual channel 15.1 through PSIP protocol. Then in a final sign-off similar to early U.S. television broadcasts, a live camera shot of the U.S. and Wisconsin state flags aired as "The Star Spangled Banner", the U.S. national anthem, played in the background. The station then switched to the black-and-white Indian Head test pattern for one or two minutes before permanently switching off the analog signal.

Although the final analog-to-digital conversion date for U.S. television stations was extended to June 12, 2009, the station opted to switch on the original date of February 17 because it had been heavily promoting that conversion date on the air and through community outreach events in the Madison coverage area.

The station's channel 19 signal is also used by Chicago's WGN-TV and WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan, causing interference between it and those two stations in the easternmost portions of their coverage area, mainly in Walworth County, which is just outside the Madison market (though WXMI's signal is limited by the Kettle Moraine range west of Jefferson County).

Newscast titles

 * WMTV News (1953-1975)
 * WMTV News and Sports Service (1975-1981)
 * NewsScene 15 (1981-1990)
 * 15 News (1990-1998)
 * NBC 15 News (1998-present)

Station slogans

 * It's Happening on WMTV (1970-1972)
 * Come and See WMTV (1973-1974)
 * WMTV, Proud As a Peacock (1979-1981; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * WMTV, Our Pride is Showing (1981-1982; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * We're WMTV, Just Watch Us Now (1982-1983; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * WMTV There, Be There (1983-1984; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * WMTV, Let's All Be There (1984-1986; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * Come Home To The Best, WMTV (1988-1990; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * WMTV, is The Place to Be (1990-1991; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * Coverage You Can Count On (1999-present)

Current on-air staff
Anchors


 * Christine Bellport - weekday mornings (5-7 a.m.)
 * Dana Brueck - weekend evenings
 * Leigh Mills - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Barclay Pollak - weekend mornings
 * John Stofflet - weeknights at 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Carleen Wild - weekdays at 11 a.m., 4 and 5 p.m.

Weather team


 * David George - Meteorologist; weeknights at 4, 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Amy Carlson - Meteorologist; weekend mornings
 * Chuck Koch - Meteorologist; weekend evenings
 * Charlie Shortino - Meteorologist; weekday mornings (5-7 a.m.) and 11 a.m.

Sports team


 * Robb Vogel - Sports Director; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * David Kmiecik - Sports Anchor; weekend & evenings

Reporters


 * Gabe Buch - WOLX traffic reporter
 * Adam Elliot - WOLX traffic reporter
 * Tim Elliott - general assignment reporter
 * Zac Schultz - general assignment reporter
 * Chris Woodard - general assignment reporter

Former on-air staff

 * Brock Bergey - Weekend Evening, then Weekend Mornings News Anchor (position eliminated)
 * Diane Carbonara - anchor (now anchor and producer at WFLD-TV in Chicago)
 * Renee Charles
 * Craig Coshun - Sports (now with FSN North)
 * Elmer Childress - Weather (now travels with wife June)
 * Jack Eich - Sports Director (1981-1986)
 * Judy Fraser - "Miss Judy" on Romper Room (now at WCIA in Springfield, Illinois)
 * Sarah Gardner - Weekend Weather Anchor, Writer/producer
 * Sarah Carlson - weekday mornings, (now with WISC-TV)
 * Mike "Jocko" Jacques - Weekend Sports Anchor (2005-2007)
 * Michael McKinney, popular anchor who died in 2006 after a long battle with cancer
 * Shawn Prebil - WTDY traffic reporter
 * Michelle Riell - Weekend Morning Weather
 * Michael Rigsby - Sports (Now runs dirt bike racing website)
 * Steve Rudin - weather anchor (now at WJLA in Washington, DC)
 * Jeff Schlesser - General Assignment & Contact 15 Reporter (2002-2005; now at WTVT-TV in Tampa)
 * Pam Tauscher
 * Carole Walker
 * Morgan Welk - WTDY traffic reporter
 * Jeremy Woods - Sports