View source for WLBT

{{Short description|Television station in Jackson, Mississippi}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WLBT
| city =
| logo = WLBT 3 2023 logo.svg
| logo_size = 220px
| branding = WLBT 3; ''WLBT News''
| digital = 30 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 3
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''3.1:''' [[NBC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| translators =
| country = United States
| founded =
| airdate = {{ubl|{{start date and age|1953|12|19}}|(current license dates from June 1971)}}
| last_airdate =
| location = [[Jackson, Mississippi]]
| callsign_meaning = Lamar Broadcast Television (former owner)
| former_callsigns = WJBT (1953–1954)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 3 ([[VHF]], 1953–2009)|'''Digital:''' 9 (VHF, 2005–2009), 7 (VHF, 2009–2010)}}
| owner = [[Gray Media]]
| licensee = Gray Television Licensee, [[LLC]]
| sister_stations = [[WDBD]], [[WLOO]]
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|'''Both secondary:'''|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (1953–1970)|[[NTA Film Network|NTA]] (1956–1961)}}
| erp = 535 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|624|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 68542
| coordinates = {{Coord|32|12|49.9|N|90|22|56.5|W|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:US-MS|display=inline,title}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{url|https://www.wlbt.com/}}
}}

'''WLBT''' (channel 3) is a [[television station]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]], United States, affiliated with [[NBC]]. It is owned by [[Gray Media]], which also operates [[American Spirit Media]]–owned [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[WDBD]] (channel 40) and [[Vicksburg, Mississippi|Vicksburg]]-licensed [[MyNetworkTV]] outlet [[WLOO]] (channel 35) under [[shared services]] agreements (SSAs). WLOO's [[broadcast license|license]] is owned by [[Tougaloo College]], with American Spirit actually operating the station through a separate [[joint sales agreement]] (JSA); in turn, Gray provides WLOO with limited engineering support. The three stations share studios on South [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]] Street in downtown Jackson; WLBT's transmitter is located on Thigpen Road southeast of [[Raymond, Mississippi]].

Originally a pro-[[racial segregation in the United States|segregationist]] station, in 1969, it became the first station stripped of its right to broadcast for failing to serve the public interest. It was then relaunched under different ownership, becoming a pioneer in racial equality among Southern broadcasters.<ref name="Thomas 2004">{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=William G. III|url=http://southernspaces.org/2004/television-news-and-civil-rights-struggle-views-virginia-and-mississippi|title=Television News and the Civil Rights Struggle: The Views in Virginia and Mississippi|work=Southern Spaces|year=2004}}</ref>

==History==
The station was founded on December 19, 1953, as WJBT by the Lamar Life Insurance Company, owners of radio station [[WJDX (AM)|WJDX]]. It is Jackson's second-oldest television station, following [[WJTV]] (channel 12), which debuted in January 1953. Channel 3 is also Mississippi's third-oldest television station (now-sister station [[WTOK-TV]] in [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]] went on the air three months earlier). A few weeks after its debut, the station was renamed WLBT—which stands for Lamar Broadcasting Television—because the original call letters sounded similar to WJTV.

It has always been an NBC affiliate, given WJDX's affiliation with that network, though it shared [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] with WJTV until [[WAPT]] (channel 16) started broadcasting in 1970. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the [[NTA Film Network]].<ref name="Boxoffice7">{{Cite journal| title = Require Prime Evening Time for NTA Films| journal = Boxoffice| pages = 13| date = November 10, 1956| url = https://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_111056-1| access-date = April 16, 2020| archive-date = June 14, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090614204506/http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_111056-1| url-status = dead}}</ref>

===Opposition to civil rights===
[[File:WLBT_Advocacy_Against_Admission_of_James_Meredith_to_University_of_Mississippi.jpg|thumb|A 1962 WLBT editorial protesting the admission of [[James Meredith]] to the [[University of Mississippi]].]]
The station gained notoriety for its aggressive support of racial segregation in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s. Lamar had close ties to the state's white political and business elite and with segregationist groups, such as the [[White Citizens' Council]]. Indeed, a number of station executives, including general manager Fred Beard, were Citizens' Council members. It went as far as to coordinate opposition to civil rights with these groups.<ref name="Thomas 2004"/> For instance, the station allowed the WCC to operate a bookstore in the lobby of its studios in downtown Jackson.<ref name=racebeat>{{cite book | author = [[Gene Roberts (journalist)|Roberts, Gene]] and [[Hank Klibanoff]] | title = The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation | publisher = [[Alfred A. Knopf]] | place = New York | year = 2006 | isbn = 0-679-40381-7| title-link = The Race Beat }}</ref> Station manager Fred Beard editorialized on the air against the admission of [[James Meredith]] to the [[University of Mississippi]] in 1962, arguing that states should determine who should and should not be allowed to attend their schools.<ref name=unsa />

For the most part, the station ignored the [[Civil Rights Movement]], [[Blackout (broadcasting)|blacking out]] coverage of it from [[NBC News]] programming (and often falsely claiming that the interruptions were the result of technical difficulties), and providing a platform on its local newscasts and public affairs programs for individuals advocating resistance to efforts by the federal government to integrate public schools and allow [[African-American]]s to vote. It also preempted NBC programs that even mildly referred to racial justice or featured African-American actors prominently.<ref name=racebeat /> In 1955, when civil rights lawyer [[Thurgood Marshall]]—later appointed to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]—appeared on ''[[The Today Show]]'', WLBT interrupted the interview, putting up a sign that said, "Sorry, Cable Trouble."<ref name=everett-parker>{{cite news |last=Colker |first=David |date=September 23, 2015 |title=Everett Parker Fought TV Station's racism in the 60's |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-everett-parker-20150923-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |access-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> Beard later declared he had pulled the interview, saying that television networks had become instruments of "Negro propaganda".<ref name=unsa>{{cite web|last1=Mills|first1=Kay|title=The Civil Right Case that Transformed Television|url=https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/fall/channels-1.html|website=National Archives|publisher=Prologue Magazine|access-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

Owners and staffers at several other television stations in the South did not like network coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, including [[WBRC-TV]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]], [[WRAL-TV]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], and WUSN-TV (now [[WCBD-TV]]) in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. Although some Southern stations severed their ties with their networks in order to prevent being forced to air coverage of the movement (WRAL and WUSN both switched from NBC to ABC in 1962), WLBT kept its affiliation with NBC, even though that network historically had an extremely low tolerance towards local preemptions at the time.<ref name=racebeat /> Indeed, many NBC stars, like ''[[Bonanza]]''{{'}}s [[Michael Landon]] and [[Pernell Roberts]], were speaking out on behalf of civil rights. This was largely because WLBT's only competition was CBS affiliate WJTV, a situation that lasted until 1970, when the market picked up a full-time ABC affiliate in WAPT.

Over the years, NBC—along with civil rights groups and the work of Rev. [[Everett Parker]] of the [[United Church of Christ]] (UCC)—sent numerous petitions to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to complain of WLBT's flagrant bias.<ref name=unsa /><ref name=everett-parker /> The FCC issued several warnings to Lamar, but these went unheeded. Finally, in 1964, Rev. Parker and the UCC's Office of Communication formally petitioned the FCC to revoke WLBT's license. The FCC ruled that the petitioners had no standing because they had no economic interest in the station or were not subject to electronic interference from WLBT's signal. The UCC appealed to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia]]. In 1966, the court, in an opinion by [[Warren Burger]], later to become [[Chief Justice of the United States]], ruled that the public had the right to take part in FCC hearings in order to protect the public interest.<ref name=unsa/>

By this time, WLBT had taken a few steps to change its segregationist image. It had fired Beard, hired some black announcers and began airing black church services.<ref name=unsa/> At a new hearing held in 1967, the FCC again ruled in favor of Lamar. The UCC again appealed to the Appeals Court, which found Lamar's record to be beyond repair and ordered the FCC to revoke Lamar's license in 1969. Lamar appealed, but lost in 1971.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The FCC & Censorship: Legendary Media Activist Everett Parker on the Revocation of WLBT's TV License in the 1960s for Shutting Out Voices of the Civil Rights Movement |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/6/the_fcc_censorship_legendary_media_activist |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=Democracy Now! |language=en}}</ref> To this day, WLBT remains one of only two television stations that has ever lost its license for violating FCC regulations on fairness. The other station, WJIM-TV (now [[WLNS-TV]]) in [[Lansing, Michigan]], had its license reinstated on appeal.

While hearings were held for a permanent licensee, WLBT's license was transferred to Communications Improvement, Inc.—an [[Racial integration|integrated]], non-profit group that promised to make the station a beacon of tolerance. A new group of managers, including some of the first African American television executives in the South, recreated the station as a far more neutral news source. However, it retained the WLBT callsign and claimed the original station's history as its own. It retained the NBC affiliation and most of its employees, and also donated revenue to charities.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 7, 1979 |title=Black Group Is Awarded License for Television Station in Mississippi |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/07/archives/black-group-is-awarded-license-for-television-station-in.html |access-date=May 29, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=racebeat />

In 1973, the FCC was asked to revoke WLBT's broadcast license because the station's largest shareholder, William Mounger, also served as a [[Jackson Academy (Mississippi)|Jackson Academy]] Vice President.<ref name="ddt73">{{cite news|date=November 30, 1973|first=Robert|last=Ruby|title=FCC asked to Reconsider|page=16|work="Delta Democrat Times}}</ref> The FCC filing stated that, since Mounger was affiliated with a [[segregation academy]], he was not fit to hold a broadcast license.<ref name="ddt73"/><ref>{{Cite book|title=Changing channels : the civil rights case that transformed television|last=Kay.|first=Mills|date=2004|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|isbn=9781604736045|location=Jackson, Miss.|oclc=774384400}}</ref> In 1974, the FCC rejected the complaint on the grounds that the complaint was untimely since the evidence of Mounger's association with the school and the school's discriminatory practices was available from at least 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Commission |first=United States Federal Communications |date=1976 |title=FCC Reports, Second Series, Volume 48, August 16, 1974 to October 18, 1974 |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc306602/m1/837/ |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=UNT Digital Library |language=English}}</ref>

===WLBT today===
WLBT was one of the first television stations in the South to devote a significant block of airtime and dedicated personnel to the production of local investigative, documentary-style news—these blocks typically aired during off-network hours. ''Probe'' was a 30-minute program that aired weekly. It garnered numerous awards, including a [[Peabody Award|George Foster Peabody award]] in 1976 for a segment called "Power Politics in Mississippi".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peabody Archives |url=http://www.peabody.uga.edu/archives/ |access-date=March 10, 2007 |archive-date=April 15, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060415181656/http://www.peabody.uga.edu/archives/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As the hearings dragged out through the 1970s, the five competing groups concluded that nothing was to be gained from further proceedings. They merged as TV-3, Inc., a consortium with Blacks holding controlling interest and headed by a majority-Black board. The merged group was awarded the license in late 1979,<ref name=unsa/> and took control of the station on January 9, 1980. In 1984, Civic Communications, one of the five groups that won the full license, bought out its partners and became sole owner of the station. [[Frank Melton]], who later became mayor of Jackson, became CEO.

From 1982 to 1991, the station operated a low-power satellite in Meridian, Mississippi, WLBM; that station is now a stand-alone station, [[WGBC]].

In 2000, Melton sold the station to [[Liberty Corporation]]. Even with the station's growth over the last two decades (see below), the growing trend toward consolidation in the media industry made it difficult for Melton to buy stronger syndicated programming or sell advertising.<ref name=unsa/> Liberty in turn merged with [[Raycom Media]] in 2006.

===Sale to Gray Television===
On June 25, 2018, [[Atlanta]]-based [[Gray Television]] announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets (consisting of Raycom's 63 existing owned-and/or-operated television stations, including WLBT, WDBD and WLOO), and Gray's 93 television stations) under Gray's corporate umbrella. The cash-and-stock merger transaction valued at $3.6 billion – in which Gray shareholders would acquire preferred stock currently held by Raycom – resulted in WLBT gaining new [[sister station]]s in nearby markets, including CBS/ABC affiliate [[KNOE-TV]] in [[Monroe, Louisiana]], and ABC affiliate WTOK-TV in Meridian. The combined company would be in every Mississippi market except for Greenville and Columbus–Tupelo as a result.<ref>{{cite press release|title=GRAY AND RAYCOM TO COMBINE IN A $3.6 BILLION TRANSACTION|url=https://www.raycommedia.com/gray-and-raycom-to-combine-in-a-3-6-billion-transaction/#amnewsers|website=[[Raycom Media]]|date=June 25, 2018|access-date=June 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625161249/https://www.raycommedia.com/gray-and-raycom-to-combine-in-a-3-6-billion-transaction/#amnewsers|archive-date=June 25, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="graycom">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/114556/gray-to-buy-raycom-for-36-billion|title=Gray To Buy Raycom For $3.6 Billion|last=Miller|first=Mark K.|work=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|date=June 25, 2018|access-date=June 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gray Buying Raycom for $3.6B|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/gray-buying-raycom-for-3-6b|author=John Eggerton|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=June 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gray Acquiring Raycom For $3.65B, Forming No. 3 Local TV Group|url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/grey-acquiring-raycom-for-3-65-billion-forming-no-3-local-tv-group-1202416667/|author=Dade Hayes|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|date=June 25, 2018}}</ref> The sale was approved on December 20,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eggertonpublished |first=John |date=December 20, 2018 |title=FCC OK With Gray-Raycom Merger |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/fcc-ok-with-gray-raycom-merger |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=Broadcasting Cable |language=en}}</ref> and was completed on January 2, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/227754/gray-closes-3-6-billion-raycom-merger/|title=Gray Closes On $3.6 Billion Raycom Merger|work=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|date=January 2, 2019|access-date=January 3, 2019|archive-date=January 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103060110/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/227754/gray-closes-3-6-billion-raycom-merger/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Tower collapse==
On October 23, 1997, three [[Canada|Canadian]] men from Canada's LeBlanc & Royal were preparing to replace the guy wires of WLBT's {{convert|1999|ft|m|0|adj=on}} transmission tower near Raymond when the tower collapsed, killing them. The workers were at the {{convert|1500|ft|m|0|adj=on}} level and held on to the tower as it fell.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tower Collapse |url=https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2020-01/1998_r_06.pdf}}</ref>

The tower's collapse knocked WLBT and the local [[PBS]]/[[Mississippi ETV Network]] station WMPN off the air for several hours. WLBT was able to resume broadcasting on a {{convert|100|ft|m|0|adj=on}} secondary tower, which only reached about half of its normal viewing area until a new {{convert|2000|ft|m|0|adj=on}} tower was completed in 1999.

The 1,999-foot tower was actually the second WLBT transmission tower to fall at their Raymond site. WLBT's original transmission tower collapsed on March 3, 1966, when the [[Candlestick Park Tornado]], one of only two F5 tornadoes in Mississippi's history, struck the tower and transmitter building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Candlestick Park Tornado |url=https://www.weather.gov/jan/1966_03_03_candlestick_park_tor}}</ref> WLBT engineers salvaged what they could of the transmitter and operated on the same stand by tower as it would operate with later after the second tower collapse. When the replacement tower was completed later in 1966, the new tower was one of the tallest structures east of the Mississippi River and was in service until the second collapse in 1997.

==Programming==
There were two noteworthy preemptions made by WLBT after the start of its 1971 license. One was the miniseries ''[[Freedom Road]]'' (which was filmed in nearby [[Natchez, Mississippi|Natchez]])<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?543123-TV-Shows-That-Had-Trouble-In-Certain-Regions-Of-The-County/page3 |title = TV Shows That Had Trouble in Certain Regions of the County - Page 3| work=Radio Discussions }}</ref> and another was the short-lived animated sitcom ''[[God, the Devil and Bob]]''.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?689615-Network-shows-that-never-aired-or-were-dropped-in-some-markets-due-to-controversy |title = Network shows that never aired or were dropped in some markets due to controversy| work=Radio Discussions }}</ref> The latter was mostly preempted due to the controversy it stirred within the religious community.<ref>{{cite magazine|title= God, the Devil and Bob |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|date=January 10, 2005|url= https://ew.com/article/2005/01/10/god-devil-and-bob/|access-date=August 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= God, the Devil and a boycott |publisher=[[BBC]]|date=March 18, 2000|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/03/99/tom_brook/681071.stm|access-date=August 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= BBC buys animated sitcom that shook US|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=October 19, 2000|url= https://www.theguardian.com/media/2000/oct/19/broadcasting.bbc1|access-date=August 29, 2010|location=[[London]]|first=Matt|last=Wells}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Viewers find NBC's 'God' offensive|work=[[New York Daily News]]|location=[[New York, NY]]|date=March 13, 2000|url= http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2000/03/13/2000-03-13_viewers_find_nbc_s__god__off.html|access-date=August 29, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=January 2012|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref>

On December 30, 2023, WLBT parent company Gray Television announced it had reached an agreement with the [[New Orleans Pelicans]] to air 10 games on the station during the [[2023–24 New Orleans Pelicans season|2023–24 season]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wafb.com/2023/12/31/wafb-will-televise-10-this-seasons-pelicans-games/|title=WAFB will televise 10 of this season's Pelicans games|publisher=[[WAFB]]|date=December 30, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>

On September 17, 2024, Gray and the Pelicans announced a broader deal to form the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, which will broadcast nearly all 2024–25 Pelicans games on Gray's stations in the [[Gulf South]], including WLBT.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Christian |title=The Pelicans officially have a new TV broadcast home. Here's how you can watch it. |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/pelicans-announce-partnership-with-gulf-coast-sports-and-entertainment-network/article_492a62ea-747a-11ef-9d92-5b56342891ee.html |access-date=September 17, 2024 |work=NOLA.com |date=September 17, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

===News operation===
For most of the last 30 years, WLBT has been the dominant news station in Jackson. It currently has the market's only helicopter used for breaking news gathering and traffic reports. The station launched a weekday afternoon 4 p.m. newscast in March 2008; this was the first of its kind in Jackson. In October 2010, WLBT began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition becoming the second television outlet in the area to make the upgrade.

After American Spirit Media completed its acquisition of WDBD and entered into the shared services agreement with WLBT, the Fox station's news department was shut down resulting in several members of the WDBD staff being laid-off. Production of its newscasts was assumed by WLBT on November 12, 2012, with all of the news programming retained (except for the 10 p.m. show on WUFX, now WLOO, since it would compete with WLBT). In addition, WDBD added Saturday and Sunday editions of its prime time broadcast at 9.

All newscasts on WDBD currently originate from WLBT's primary set at the South Jefferson Street studios except with separate on-air [[duratrans]] and graphics indicating the Fox-branded newscasts. Although it shares a majority of on-air personnel with WLBT, WDBD maintains a separate additional news anchor for the weekday morning and weeknight shows. WLBT and WDBD operate a combined news department under the ''Mississippi News Now'' branding very similar to Raycom partnerships in [[KOLD-TV|Tucson, Arizona]] (with [[Tegna, Inc.|Tegna]]-owned [[KMSB]]) and [[WTOL|Toledo, Ohio]] (with [[WUPW]]; those stations are no longer sisters of WLBT).<ref name=tcl-wdbdwlbtnews>{{cite news|last=Gates|first=Jimme E.|title=Fox TV station WDBD sold|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120822/BIZ/208220320/Fox-TV-station-WDBD-sold?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7ctext%7cHome%7cs|access-date=August 23, 2012|newspaper=[[The Clarion-Ledger]]|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gates|first=Jimmie|title=Fox Affiliate WDBD Fox 40 begins joint news operation with WLBT|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012121112013|access-date=November 12, 2012|newspaper=The Clarion Ledger|date=November 12, 2012}}</ref>

====Notable former on-air staff====
* [[Woodie Assaf]] – weather reporter (1953–2001)
* [[Randall Pinkston]] – reporter and anchor (1971–1974)

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WLBT<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WLBT|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WLBT|website=[[RabbitEars]]|accessdate=February 25, 2025}}</ref>
! scope="col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope="col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope="col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope="col" | Short name
! scope="col" | Programming
|-
! scope="row" | 3.1
| [[1080i]] || rowspan=7| [[16:9]] || WLBT-DT || [[NBC]]
|-
! scope="row" | 3.2
| rowspan=6| [[480i]] || Bounce || [[Bounce TV]]
|-
! scope="row" | 3.3
| GCSEN || Gulf Coast SEN
|-
! scope="row" | 3.4
| Laff || [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]]
|-
! scope="row" | 3.5
| Mystery ||[[Ion Mystery]]
|-
! scope="row" | 3.6
| Dabl || [[Dabl]]
|-
! scope="row" | 3.7
| The365 || [[The365]]
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WLBT shut down its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 3, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=something went wrong |url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090206/BIZ/902060338/-1/frontpagetabmodule-1V}}</ref><ref name="Analog to Digital">{{Cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=List of Digital Full-Power Stations |access-date=January 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The station's digital signal relocated its pre-transition to VHF channel 7,<ref name="FCCForm387">{{Cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101274190&formid=387&fac=68542|title=CDBS Print|website=licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 3.

On January 14, 2010, WLBT moved to UHF channel 30, because of viewers having difficulty receiving their signal on VHF channel 7.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1337134&Service=DT&Form_id=301&Facility_id=68542 | title=Application View ... Redirecting | access-date=December 11, 2018 | archive-date=March 1, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301043035/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1337134&Service=DT&Form_id=301&Facility_id=68542 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11655796 |title=Get Ready to Re-scan - WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS |access-date=December 11, 2018 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222043114/http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11655796 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some stations solved the problem with the power increase, but WLBT could not due to potential interference to another station.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/366969-KUAC_Makes_Unusual_Digital_Switch.php?rssid=20068&q=digital+tv |title=KUAC Makes Unusual Digital Switch|last=Dickson|first=Glen|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=November 2, 2009|access-date=November 5, 2009}}</ref> The former channel 7 transmitter was later moved to its sister station in [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]]–[[Hattiesburg]], [[WDAM-TV]].

==See also==
* [[Timeline of the civil rights movement]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060405183743/http://www.mtr.org/events/satellite/civilrights/civil1.htm On the Front Lines: Television and African-American Issues] From the [[Museum of Television & Radio]]; includes info on WLBT in the 1960s
* [[Woodie Assaf]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|first=Kay|last=Mills|title=Changing channels: the civil rights case that transformed television|url=https://archive.org/details/changingchannels00mill|url-access=registration|access-date=August 30, 2011|year=2004|publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi|isbn=978-1-57806-519-6}}
* {{cite book|first=Steven D.|last=Classen|title=Watching Jim Crow: the struggles over Mississippi TV, 1955-1969|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=weUaD1ZqIsMC|access-date=August 30, 2011|year=2004|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-3341-8}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.wlbt.com/}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160314033640/http://jackson.thistv.com/ WLBT-DT3 website]

{{Jackson TV}}
{{Mississippi TV}}
{{Louisiana TV}}
{{Gray TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wlbt}}
[[Category:1953 establishments in Mississippi]]
[[Category:African-American history of Mississippi]]
[[Category:Bounce TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Dabl affiliates]]
[[Category:Gray Media]]
[[Category:History of African-American civil rights]]
[[Category:Ion Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:Laff (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:NBC affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1953]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1971]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Television stations in Jackson, Mississippi|LBT]]