WNDU-TV

WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. The station is an affiliate of the NBC television network. Its transmitter is located in South Bend. WNDU-TV broadcasts in HDTV on Channel 42, additionally simulcasting a local Doppler radar image. Syndicated programming on the station includes: Live with Regis and Kelly, Ellen, Rachael Ray, and AgDay. WNDU-TV's broadcasts has been digital-only since 11:59pm February 16, 2009.

History
WNDU-TV went on the air on July 15, 1955 on Channel 46. It was owned by the University of Notre Dame through a subsidiary, Michiana Television Corporation. In 1957, to much fanfare, WNDU-TV moved to analog Channel 16.

An NBC affiliate from the very beginning, WNDU-TV's early broadcast schedule included programs like Romper Room, and the first local telecast of a Notre Dame football game. WNDU aired the non-commercial Sesame Street from 1970 to 1974 until PBS member station WNITcame on air.

From 1968 to 1986, WNDU aired Beyond Our Control, a locally-produced program.

WNDU-TV used a helicopter for its news broadcasts from 1980s until 2006.

Due to an increased focus on news, WNDU-TV stopped airing Saturday morning cartoons in 1994 to make room for a three-hour newscast. However, WNDU currently airs NBC's qubo programming block for three of the four hours on Saturday with the final hour airing on Sunday mornings at 7am due to E/I requirements.

On March 5, 2006, the University of Notre Dame sold the station to Gray Television for $85 million cash, which the university is planning to put into an endowment fund.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2010, starting with its noon newscast, WNDU became the second station in South Bend (behind WSBT) to broadcast local news in high definition [1].

Controversy
Under Notre Dame's ownership, WNDU opted not to air some NBC shows out of concerns over their content; such shows included the animated series God, the Devil and Bob (for content offensive to the religious values of the university) and the American version of the Britishsitcom Coupling (for sexual content concerns). The latter series instead aired on WSBT-DT2, then South Bend's UPN affiliate after the end of the UPN schedule on Thursday night.

The station also aired the contentious Notre Dame commencement address of President Barack Obama in full on May 17, 2009, in lieu of the first half of an NHL playoff game.

News Team
Many of the WNDU staff members perform double duties as anchors or news correspondents, but only the most significant roles are listed.

[2]

Anchors


 * Maureen McFadden - weeknights at 5:00 & 6:00 p.m.
 * Terry McFadden - weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 11:00 p.m.
 * Joel Schipper - weekend mornings, evenings (also reporter)
 * Tricia Sloma - weekday mornings, noon (also reporter)

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 * Mike Hoffmann - (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; Weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 11:00
 * Cindi Clawson - (AMS Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; Weekend Evenings
 * Gary Sieber - Weather Anchor; Saturday Mornings
 * Frank Waugh - (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seal of Approval)- Meteorologist

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 * Jeff Jeffers - "The Dean of Local Sports"- Sports Director - Weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 11:00 p.m.
 * Angelo DiCarlo - Weekend evenings (also weekday reporter)

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; ">Reporters


 * Brandon Lewis - General assignment reporter
 * Kevin Lewis - General assignment reporter
 * Nick McGurk - General assignment reporter
 * Mark Peterson - General assignment reporter
 * Katherine Rufener - General assignment reporter
 * Stephanie Stang - General assignment reporter

Former on-air staff

 * Dick Addis (weathercaster; died March 19, 2006<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">[3] )
 * Gordy Young Weather Anchor; Weekday mornings and noon (also weekday morning and noon news anchor) (1994-2010) (retired)
 * Jim McAteer (weekend sports anchor)
 * Robert Borelli (reporter/anchor)
 * Mike Collins (main anchor, went to competitor WSBT-TV)(now retired)
 * Bonnie Druker (reporter) (went to WISH-TV Indianapolis)
 * Erin Logan - anchor/reporter (2007-2010) (terminated for personal incident)

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 * Dawn Meyer (5PM anchor, now retired)
 * Tracie Strahan (reporter and producer) (now at reporter WNBC-TV)
 * Jennie Runevich (reporter,weekend anchor) (now a reporter/weekend anchor at WTHR Indianapolis)
 * Jack Nolan (sports anchor) (Now at Notre Dame)
 * Jen Strathman (reporter) (now at KSHB-TV)
 * Kimberly Torres (reporter)
 * Alana Greenfogel (reporter) (2007-2010) (now at KOAT-TV Albuquerque)
 * Anqunette Jamison (reporter) (now at WFXT-TV)
 * Cathy Ray (anchor/reporter) (last at KTNV-TV)
 * Janelle Hall (Reporter) (now at WTAE-TV)
 * Virginia Johnson (weekend anchor)
 * Michelle Relerford (weekend anchor/reporter) (now reporter at WHDH-TV)
 * Hannah Storm (?) (last anchor of The Early Show on CBS, now with SportsCenter on ESPN)
 * Jay Hermizinski (weekend anchor)(now at WISH-TV Indianapolis)
 * Marcie Kobriger (reporter/anchor) (2006-2008) (now at WBAY-TV Green Bay)
 * Sarah Platt (reporter/weekend anchor) (2006-2009) (now at WITI-TV Milwaukee)
 * Tom Randles (news photographer/editor) (now news anchor at WSMV-TV Nashville)
 * Judi Lykowski (night side weekday reporter 2002-2006)(now TV broadcasting teacher/adjunct prof.)
 * Lisa Green (weather intern) (now at KVLY-TV)
 * Claudine Wong (reporter, weekend anchor)
 * Tiffany Tucker (reporter) (now at KTVU-TV)
 * Mike Jacobson (reporter-2000-2002)
 * Rod Johnson-(reporter 1968-1974)
 * Ryan Famuliner - reporter / anchor

Newscast titles

 * Your Esso Reporter (1955-1962)
 * Television 16 Reports (1962-1968)
 * Television 16 News (1968-1977)
 * NewsCenter 16 (1977-present)

Station slogans

 * Channel 16, Proud as a Peacock! (1980-1981; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
 * Your 24-Hour News Source (1991-1994)
 * Coverage You Can Count On (1994-2007)
 * Your Severe Weather Station (2007-present)