WVIR-TV

WVIR-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter on Carters Mountain south of Charlottesville. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 4 and in high definition on digital channel 211. Owned by the Waterman Broadcasting Corporation, WVIR has studios on East Market Street (US 250 Bus) in Downtown Charlottesville. Syndicatedprogramming on the station includes: Wheel of Fortune, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy! Jeopardy!], Oprah, and Dr. Phil''.

Repeaters
In addition to the main signal, WVIR can be seen on two translators. A third one, analog W31CE channel 31, is still listed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). [1]

Digital programming
On WVIR-DT2, Comcast digital channel 208, and live streaming video on its website is a 24-hour local weather channel. On WVIR-DT3 and Comcast channel 12 is the area's CW affiliate which gets all of its programming from The CW Plus. Repeater W41DT-D also offers WVIR's two subchannels.

History
It signed-on March 11, 1973 as the first television station based in Charlottesville and second outlet (after WHSV-TV) between Richmond and Roanoke. In 1986, Waterman Broadcasting purchased the station. Until August 15, 2004, it was the only outlet in the Charlottesville market affiliated with a major network with outside stations being seen on cable and over-the-air. On that date, WCAV signed-on becoming the area's first CBS affiliate and first station to mount a challenge against WVIR. On September 18, 2006, this channel launched a new second digital subchannel to be the area's CW affiliate. On September 13, 2007, WVIR began offering NBC Weather Plus on that digital subchannel resulting in The CW moving to a new third subchannel.

In December 2008, the national Weather Plus feed was shut down and a local weather channel programmed by WVIR was added in its place. The WVIR Dateline News set with former News Director/weeknight anchor Dave Cupp and meteorologist Robert Van Winkle were featured in the Dave Matthews Band video "Everyday" released in 2001. Its call letters were featured in an episode of Saturday Night Live on October 7, 2006. The station is featured in the 2007 film Evan Almighty. WVIR's broadcasts became digital-only effective at 12:30 in the afternoon on February 17, 2009. [2]

As part of the analog nightlight service, the station was required by the FCC to leave its analog signal on-air for two months after the end of digital transition at an estimated cost to the station of $20,000 to broadcast an endless loop of instructional video on digital converter box installation. This was interrupted daily to carry local newscasts. [3] Every year, WVIR holds an annual telethon to help raise money forUniversity of Virginia Health System's Children's Hospital. The telethon, as part of the Children's Miracle Network, is held at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The broadcast consists of current and former WVIR on-air staff answering phones and talking to patients at the hospital.

WVIR-DT3 often pre-empts programming from The CW Plus in order to air local shows. This includes local news and Cristina's Court instead of Family Court With Judge Penny. During the week, Sex and The City normally shown at 10 on The CW Plus airs at 1:30 the next morning after all programs on The CW have ended for the day. On weekends, the same happens for Punk'd. In addition to WVIR, Comcast systems offer WWBT from Richmond on digital channel 194. It is sister station to fellow NBC affiliate WBBH-TV (company flagship) and ABC affiliateWZVN-TV (operated by Waterman through LMA). Both serve the Southwest Florida area and are based in Fort Myers.

News operation
Eventually, the broadcast was renamed NBC 29 News at 10 and began to mirror programs seen on the main channel. Like all CW Plus affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone, WVIR-DT3 offers the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz on weekday mornings from 6 until 9. On April 19, 2008, WVIR began airing newscasts in high definition becoming the first in the market to do so. The prime time shows on WVIR-DT3 were not included in the upgrade because the digital subchannel airs in standard definition.

WCAV and its sister stations employ the largest news team dedicated exclusively to the Charlottesville market. While WVIR dedicates some staff to adjacent areas such as Harrisonburg and Staunton (both technically part of a separate market), WCAV focuses its coverage solely on counties comprising the Charlottesville viewing area. On September 18, 2006 alongside the launch of The CW, a new nightly prime time newscast began airing on WVIR-DT3. Competing with a show on Class A Fox affiliate WAHU-CD (produced by WCAV), this was originally known as CW 29 News at 10 and featured a separate graphics package and news music theme.

In addition to its main studios, WVIR operates an Augusta County Bureau in The News Virginian newsroom (owned by Media General) on West Main Street/US 340 Bus in Waynesboro. There is also a sales office (serving the Shenandoah Valley) at Orchard Hills Square in Staunton along Lee Jackson Highway/US 11. Although the station does not operate a weather radar of its own, WVIR features live NOAANational Weather Service radar data from several regional sites. This is presented in a forecasting system on-air known as "Storm Team 29 Live Triple Doppler". It also offers local weather to computer users via the WeatherBug service. All weekday broadcasts except the prime time news at 10 are streamed live on WVIR's website.

Newscast titles

 * Channel 29 Eyewitness News (1973-1980)
 * Dateline News (1980-1994)
 * Dateline 29 News (1994-2004)
 * NBC 29 News (2004-2008)
 * NBC 29 HD News (2008-present)

Station slogans

 * "The News Headquarters for Central Virginia" (late 1970s)
 * "Virginia's News and Information Center" (early 1980s)
 * "TV 29, Let's All Be There!" (1984-1986, localized version of NBC campaign)
 * "Come Home to TV 29" (1986-1987, localized version of NBC campaign)
 * "Virginia's Most Powerful Television Station" (1994-1999)
 * "Your First Choice for Local News in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley" (1999-2003)
 * "Count on Us" (2003-present)

News team
Anchors


 * Shane Edinger - weekday mornings
 * Stacia Harris - weekday mornings and reporter
 * Sharon Gregory - weekdays at noon also weeknights at 5 and 5:30
 * Steve Rappaport - weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, and 11 (also "Cville Scene" segment producer)
 * Libby Allison - weeknights at 6, 10, and 11
 * Julie Bercik - weekend mornings and reporter
 * Matt Talhelm - weekend evenings and Augusta County Bureau reporter Monday through Wednesday nights at 11

Storm Team 29


 * Eric Pritchett (NWA Seal of Approval) - weeknights
 * Norm Sprouse - weekday mornings
 * David Rogers (NWA Seal of Approval) - Monday through Wednesday at noon and weekend mornings
 * Clayton Stiver (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - Thursday through Friday at noon and weekend evenings

Sports


 * Marty Hudtloff - Director seen weeknights at 6, 10, and 11
 * Mike Shiers - weekend evenings
 * Jesse Boeckermann - sports reporter and photographer (also sports producer)

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


 * Cathy Harding - "Cville Scene" segment producer
 * Jennifer Von Reuter - weekday mornings
 * Ken Slack - Augusta County Bureau
 * Rita Smith - registered dietitian
 * Adam Rhew - State Capitol
 * Keith McGilvery
 * Dannika Lewis
 * Derick Waller
 * Henry Graff
 * Kasey Hott

Former on-air staff

 * Lonnie Quinn (now weatherman on The Saturday Early Show on CBS and at WCBS-TV)
 * Paul Merrill (now at WXXA-TV)
 * Sara Gavin (now at WOWK-TV)
 * Adam Longo (now at WKMG-TV)
 * Joe Holden (now at WBRE-TV)
 * Melinda Semadeni (now at WBBH-TV)
 * Robert Van Winkle (now at WBBH-TV)
 * Tom Roussey (now at WBTV)
 * Alison Burns (now at KIRO-TV)
 * Brigida Mack (now at WSOC-TV)
 * Ric Barrick (now at WTVR-TV)
 * Patrick Flanary (now living in Tampa, FL)
 * Maggie Newland (now at KSTP-TV)
 * Jason Kurtz (now at WZVN-TV)
 * Beth Duffy (now at WCAV)
 * Christina Mora ( now at WBBH-TV)
 * Bill Duvall (last at TV3 Winchester)
 * Mark O'Brien (now at WTEN)
 * Dana Hackett (now at WAFB-TV)
 * Kristina Cruise (now at WLWT)
 * Tim Furlong (now at WCAU)
 * Chuck Wade (now at WHAM-TV)
 * Leyla Santiago (now at KTUU-TV)
 * Joanna Shrewsbury
 * Loretta Boniti (now at Carolina News 14)
 * Lisa Washington (now at WHNT-TV)
 * David Douglas (now at WISC-TV)
 * Annie Scholz (now at WTEN)
 * Crystal Cameron <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">[3] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">[4]
 * Tamara Hinton (now Communications Director, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture)
 * Claire O'Brien
 * Jenn McDaniel
 * Lindsay Murphy (now at WTTG)
 * Liz Nagy (now at WEAR TV)
 * Tracy Clemons (now at KSLA News 12)
 * Todd Hawkins
 * Lynn Adair
 * Eva Masloff