WEHT

WEHT
Evansville, Indiana/Henderson, Kentucky
City of license	Evansville, Indiana
Branding	ABC 25 (1996-2004) (2019-Present) Eyewitness News (2011-Present)
Slogan	Eyewitness News, Everywhere You Are The Most Watched, The Most Trusted (newscasts)
Channels	Digital: 7 (VHF) Virtual: 25 (PSIP)
Affiliations	25.1 ABC(primary since 1995; secondary 1953-1956) 25.2 Laff 25.3 Cozi TV
Owner	Gilmore Broadcasting Corporation (1964-2011) Nexstar Broadcasting (Since 2011)
First air date	September 27, 1953
Call letters' meaning	WatchEvansville/HendersonTelevision
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 50 (1953-1964) 25 (1964-2009)
Former affiliations	CBS (1953-1995) RTV (digital subchannel, 2008-2010)
Transmitter power	8.73 kW
Height	298.7 m
Facility ID	24215
Transmitter coordinates	37°51′56″N 87°34′4″W
Website	tristatehomepage.com
Sister Stations	WTVW

WEHT ("ABC 25") is the ABC-affiliated television station for Tri-State area of Southwestern Indiana, Northwestern Kentucky and Southeastern Illinois that's licensed to Evansville, Indiana. The station broadcasts digitally on VHF channel 7 (the former analog era frequency of CW affiliate WTVW), but maps to Channel 25 via PSIP virtual channel mapping.

Channel 25 broadcasts from a transmitter at its studios on Marywood Drive in Henderson, Kentucky. Syndicated programming on WEHT includes: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and Live with Kelly and Mark. On August 1, 2010, the station aired sports programming on a second digital subchannel.

History[]

As the Tri-State area's first television station, WEHT went on-the-air on UHF channel 50 on September 27, 1953 as a CBS affiliate with a secondary ABC affiliation. It was owned by the Malco Theater Corporation of Memphis, Tennessee (minority interest was held by several Henderson businessmen for the first year).

Hilberg Packing of Cincinnati bought the station in 1957 and Gilmore bought it in 1964. WEHT dropped ABC in 1956 after WTVW signed-on. With Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, the station switched to UHF channel 25 in 1964 soon after Gilmore bought the station.

In mid-1995, the Evansville market's ABC affiliate, WTVW was sold to Petracom Broadcasting and as part of the deal, that station announced that it was switching its affiliation from ABC to Fox. The result brought about a scramble: WEHT signed on with ABC, and WEVV, Evansville's original Fox affiliate, agreed to switch to CBS. The final switch for all three stations was made on December 3, 1995. This is the last station owned by Gilmore as KODE-TV in Joplin, Missouri sold to another company. ^[1]

[edit] Digital television[]

WEHT began broadcasting a digital signal on channel 59 (displayed as channel 25.1 and 25.2 through the use of PSIP) in 2002. Following the DTV transition, the station moved to channel 7.

Originally, WEHT's second digital subchannel carried weather, but on August 25, 2008, the station began airing RTV programming. This lasted until July 31, 2010.

[edit] NEWS 25 Sports Channel[]

On August 1, 2010, WEHT became the third affiliate of the regional sports network Wazoo Sports Network, which launched in late 2009 on WHAS-TV in Louisville and WLEX in Lexington. Wazoo replaced WEHT's former Retro Television Network digital subchannel on WEHT-DT2 at that time. Channel 25 brands it as the NEWS 25 Sports Channel and it has cable carriage on WOW! digital channel 111, Insight digital channel 189 and in Kentucky on Time Warner digital channel 311.

The regional sports television network was dedicated to carrying live coverage of sporting events, as well as classic coverage of past high school and college events. There are also locally-produced shows, the first being "After Further Review," a sports talk show which airs each weeknight at 9:00 PM Central time (10:00 PM Eastern). It is hosted by Mark McVicar and reporter Sean Clark-Weis. This is similar to the arrangement Wazoo Sports has with NBC affiliate WLEX-TV. ^[2]

[edit] News operation[]

At one point in the early 2000s, WEHT produced a 9 p.m. newscast for then-WB (now-defunct CW) affiliate WAZE-TV. The program was canceled due to low ratings. In 2007, this station discontinued its midday (11:30 a.m.) show in favor of paid programming leaving the station without a competitor against WFIE's hour-long Midday with Mike and WTVW's Fox 7 (later Local 7) News at Noon. However, there continues to be a midday broadcast on Fridays. WEHT began airing a newscast weekdays at 4:30 on September 10, 2007. Until August 25, 2008, its news programs were simulcast in their normal time-slots on WEHT-DT2 along with a repeat of the 6 o'clock news at 7. However when RTV programming debuted, the newscasts and weather radar loop were eliminated.

On June 10, 2009, WEHT introduced another 9 o'clock newscast, this time on RTV25. It once again competed head-to-head against then WTVW's 9pm Newscast and, beginning in September 2009, WFIE's 14 News at 9 on "14Xtra." However, with the decision to terminate RTV programming in July 2010, this newscast was canceled.

On September 13, 2010, NEWS 25 began airing a 4:00 PM newscast, replacing Deal or No Deal, which went out of syndication.

On December 1, 2011, WEHT was merged with (current CW affiliate) WTVW after Nexstar bought the Gilmore owned station which would end the "News 25" era after nearly 20 years. The station was branded to "Eyewitness News" and was known as "WEHT Local" until July 2019 as they were renamed "ABC 25", which they were previously known as between 1996-2004.

[edit] Radio partnership[]

In April 2009, NEWS 25's weekday morning anchors started voicing radio news updates for Townsquare Media-owned stations WKDQ, WGBF (AM) and WGBF-FM, WJLT, WDKS, and WBKR.^[3]

The Townsquare stations also air weather updates from NEWS 25's meteorologists, and are part of the station's "First Warning Doppler Radio Network," which simulcasts the TV station's audio feed whenever severe weather necessitates wall-to-wall coverage.

News/station presentation[]

Newscast titles[]

25 Alive News
TV-25 News (?-1978/79)
NewsCenter 25 (1978/79?–1980s)
NewsFirst 25 (1980s–1994)
News 25 (1994–2011)
Eyewitness News (2011–present)

Station slogans[]

"Friends Of The Family On 25 WEHT" (1990s-94)
"This is CBS, on 25" (1992-1994, local version of CBS ad campaign)
"I am 25 People" (1994-1995, local version of CBS ad campaign)
"You're on 25" (September-December 1995, last local version of CBS ad campaign before switching to ABC)
"First at Home" (1994-1996)
"Watched by More Evansville, 25, ABC" (1995-1996; first local version of ABC ad campaign)
"News 25, Where News Comes First" (1996-2001)
"News 25, Live, Local, Accurate" (2001-2003)
"Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always Alerting." (2005-2011, primary slogan)
"News 25 Gets Answers" (2009-2011, secondary slogan)
"Eyewitness News, Everywhere You Are" (2012-Present)

News team[]

Anchors

Brad Byrd - weeknights at 5 (Since 1979) (Also Serves as WTVW's 9PM Anchor since 2011)
Brandon Bartlett- WTVW 6:30 Anchor & WEHT 6 & 10PM Anchor
Shelley Kirk (Since 1990) (Left in 2012), Returned in 2015 as anchor for "Eyewitness News Daybreak", now current anchor at 4, 5, 6, and 10pm.
Jessica Costello - WTVW 6:30 & 9PM anchor; fill-in on WEHT
Gretchen Ross - Morning anchor for both WEHT & WTVW
Joe Bird - Morning Anchor for both WEHT & WTVW
Ange Humphrey - Lifestyles Host
Hannah Haerle - Weekend Evening Anchor for both WEHT & WTVW

Eyewitness News: Your Weather Authority

Wayne Hart (Certified Broadcast Meteorologist) - Chief meteorologist; weekdays at 4 & weeknights at 5, 6 & 10pm (Since 1993); 6:30 & 9PM on WTVW Since 2011
Ron Rhodes (NWA seal of approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings Eyewitness News Daybreak (5-7am) (Previously Served as WTVW's Evening Chief Meteorologist from 1995-2011)
Stacey May - Meteorologist; weekends (previously served as WEHT's News 25 Daybreak Meteorologist from 2004-2009)
Joe Bird - Meteorologist; fill-in
Cody Bailey - meteorologist

Sports

Michael Gross - sports director; weeknights
Collin Davies - weekends

Reporters

Notable former staff[]

Scott Adkins - former WEHT News 25 At 5PM anchor (2008-2011)
Corey Allan - Former WEHT News 25 Owensboro Newsroom photographer
Noah Alatza (Weekend Evening Anchor 2020-2021)
Drew Amman- sports anchor (Previously Served as Sports anchor for WEHT from 2004-2009, Later at WTVW as Sports director from 2009-2011) (Now at WXIX Fox 19 in Cincinnati, OH)
Mark Asciolla - former sports anchor
Kelley Ashford
Kimberly Barbour
Matt Barbour - reporter (2010-2011)
Jake Bosewell (Morning Anchor 2017-2021)
Michelle Boss - fill-in meteorologist for KREM-TV
Ryan Braschler - former Weekend Anchor & Sports reporter (Previously WTVW Reporter in 2011)
Eric Burke - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor (1999-2001)
Sean Clark-Weis - also co-host of "After Further Review" on NEWS 25 Sports Channel
Chip Consoer - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor (2002-2006)
Jon Crisos - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor (2007-2009)
Julie Demer - former WEHT News 25 Weekend, later Daybreak meteorologist (1999-2001)
Scott Dimmich - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Meteorologist (2009-2011)
Juile Dolan (Former Eyewitness News Daybreak Anchor (5-7am) (Originally Served as WTVW's weeknight Anchor from 2009-2011) (later at WLKY-TV)
Paul Emmick - The Weather Channel, WRTV, WDRB (Deceased)
Chad Evans - Former WEHT News 25 Meteorologist (2005-2006), (Later at WTHI, then WLFI, then WEVV, now at WLFI)
Brent Frazier - Former WEHT News 25 Weekend Anchor (1998-2000)
Drew Gardner- weather anchor; fill-in, reporter and fill-in news anchor (Previously Served as WTVW's Weekend Meteorologist in 2010-11) (Now at WLKY-TV)
Mark Glover - former reporter, later WEHT News 25 At 5PM Anchor (1993-2009)
Chris Goodman - Former WEHT News 25 Weekend Sports anchor (later at WFIE)
Courtney Gousman- WEHT News 25 Weekend Anchor (2008-2011) (later at KSDK, Then WBBM & WGN TV, then WEWS-TV)
Allison Hatcher - spokesperson for Allstate Insurance
David Heckard (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seal of approval) - meteorologist/reporter (2011-2013) (Previously Served as WEHT's News 25 Weekend Meteorologist from 2006-2011) (Now at Spectrum News 13 in Tampa FL)
Jacqui Jeras - CNN meteorologist
Alexandra Johnson - Former anchor for Both WEHT & WTVW (2015-2019)
Kara Kirtley - Morning Anchor (2013-2014)
Laura Kirtley - Anchor/Lifestyles Host (2012-2016)
Bruce Kopp - (later weekday morning anchor at WTHR)
Doug Kufner - Weekend Sports anchor for both WEHT & WTVW 2011-12 (Previously served as WTVW Sports anchor from 2006-11)
Mike Maguire - WEHT NewsFirst 25 Chief Meteorologist from the 1980s until 1993
Amy Mangold - former WEHT & WTVW Evening Anchor (2017-2019)
Lindsay Merwin (Former weekend evening anchor 2011-2013) (Previously Served as WTVW's Weekend Evening Anchor in 2011)
Peggy Mitchell - The Peggy Mitchell Show host from 1961 to 1986; died on April 28, 2009 after suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease.
Kayla Moody - Former weekend anchor (2013-15) (originally WTVW Morning reporter in 2011)
Randy Moore (Former Eyewitness News Daybreak (5-7am) also reporter (Previously Served as WTVW's Evening anchor from 1990-2011) (Now at WFIE-TV)
Amanda Mueller - former weekend anchor/reporter (2017-2020)
Greg Parker - Morning Anchor (2014-2017)
Randall Parmley- sports anchor; fill-in, also sports reporter (Since 2004, later sports director)
Doug Paul - Voiceover (1994-1997) (Deceased)
Mike Pickett (Owensboro Newsroom Reporter)
Cathy Pribyl - Former WEHT News 25 Anchor
Laura Ray - WEHT Reporter, the mother of Whitney Ray (Deceased)
Whitney Ray (Former Evening Anchor from 2012-13) (Previously served as WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor from 2009-2011) (The daughter of former reporter Laura Ray)
Bill Riales - former WEHT Anchor (1986-2000) (Now at WKRG as anchor/investigative reporter)
Angie Richards - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor (1998-2009)
Gary Rizzo - former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Meteorologist (1993-2000)
Marc Robbins - former sports director
Amy Rutledge- Now at WGN-TV
Shalah Sasse- Anchor/Reporter (Previously Served as WTVW's Weekend Evening Anchor from 2009-2011, later Weeknight anchor from 2013-2014)
Karen Scullin - Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor (1994-1998) (now at KMSP-TV)
David Shepherd - former political reporter/fill-in anchor (2011-13) (Previously WEHT News 25 Weekend Anchor in 2011) now at WTWO-TV
Tina Stein - Former anchor for Both WEHT & WTVW (2013-2016)
Kris Erik Stevens - Voiceover (1996-2001)
Katherine Stolp - Former WEHT News 25 Weekend Anchor (2005-2008)
Leanne Stuck - former weekend anchor (2017-2018)
Nischelle Turner - Fox Sports NFL sideline reporter (now co-host of Entertainment Tonight)
Jordan Vandenberge - Anchor/Reporter (Former WEHT News 25 Daybreak Anchor from 2010-2011, later weekend anchor for both WEHT & WTVW from 2014-2017)
Jonathan Weaver - former WEHT Meteorologist (later Vanderburgh County, Indiana councilman) (now at WEVV-TV)
Bill Weber - NBC Sports
Eric Weisfeld - former WEHT Weekend Anchor (Now at WMBF-TV)
Lance Wilkerson (Sports anchor 1993-2010)