View source for WNCT-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Greenville, North Carolina}}
{{about|the television station in Greenville, North Carolina|the [[Class A television service|Class A]] television station in New York City that held the call sign WNCT-CD in March 2018|WNDT-CD}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WNCT-TV
| logo                   = WNCT logo 2021.svg
| logo_size              = 250px
| image                  = WNCT-DT2 2024.svg
| image_size             = 150px
| city                   = Greenville, North Carolina
| branding               = {{ubl|WNCT 9|[[Eastern North Carolina]] CW (9.2)}}
| analog                 =
| digital                = 12 ([[VHF]])
| virtual                = 9
| translators            =
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''9.1:''' [[CBS]]|'''9.2:''' [[CW+]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| founded                =
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1953|12|22|p=y}}
| location               = {{ubl|[[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]]–[[Washington, North Carolina|Washington]]–[[New Bern]]–|[[Jacksonville, North Carolina]]}}
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = North Carolina Television
| former_callsigns       = WNCT (1953–1965)<ref name="cc1">{{cite news|title=For the record|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1965/1965-01-11-BC.pdf#page=85|work=Broadcasting|date=January 11, 1965|page=91}}</ref>
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 9 (VHF, 1953–2009)|'''Digital:''' 10 (VHF, 2000–2020)}}
| owner                  = [[Nexstar Media Group]]
| licensee               = Nexstar Media Inc.
| sister_stations        =
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|'''Both secondary:'''|[[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] (1953–1955)|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (1953–1962)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jeff560.tripod.com/1952tv.html|title=Commercial Television Stations of the U. S., 1952|website=jeff560.tripod.com|access-date=April 24, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814142118/http://jeff560.tripod.com/1952tv.html|archive-date=August 14, 2017}}</ref>}}
| erp                    = 35.2&nbsp;kW
| haat                   = {{convert|573.6|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  =
| facility_id            = 57838
| coordinates            = {{coord|35|21|55.9|N|77|23|34.6|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.wnct.com/}}
}}
'''WNCT-TV''' (channel 9) is a [[television station]] in [[Greenville, North Carolina]], United States, affiliated with [[CBS]] and owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]]. Its second subchannel serves as an [[owned-and-operated station]] of [[The CW]] (via [[The CW Plus]]), as Nexstar owns a majority stake in the network. WNCT-TV's studios are located on South Evans Street in Greenville, and its transmitter is located in [[Pitt County, North Carolina#Townships|Grifton Township]] along [[NC 118]].

WNCT-TV is recognized as the oldest operating television station in [[Eastern North Carolina]] and the fourth oldest in North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web |title=Photographs of WNCT Television Station |url=https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/special/ead/findingaids/1442 |website=East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA. |access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref>

==History==
The station signed on December 22, 1953, and aired an [[analog television|analog]] signal on VHF channel 9. It is the fourth-oldest continuously operating television station in North Carolina (behind [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]'s [[WBTV]], [[Greensboro]]'s [[WFMY-TV]], and [[Winston-Salem]]'s [[WXII-TV]]) and the oldest station in the eastern part of the state. The station was originally owned by ''[[The Daily Reflector]]'' along with WGTC radio (1590 AM and beginning in 1963, 107.7 FM).

It has always been a primary CBS affiliate but also carried some [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] shows along with [[Washington, North Carolina|Washington]]-based [[NBC]] outlet [[WITN-TV]] (channel 7). It became an exclusive CBS affiliate when WNBE-TV (channel 12, now [[WCTI-TV]]) signed on from [[New Bern]] in 1963. WNCT maintained a secondary relation with [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] from 1953 until the network shut down in 1955. From 1959 until 1998, it aired a weekday morning talk show known as ''Carolina Today'', which included local hosts such as Robert Allen (aka "Slim Short"),<ref>{{cite web |title=Robert Allen Obituary |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/reflector/name/robert-allen-obituary?id=27574548 |date=October 23, 2007 |website=Legacy.com |access-date=March 7, 2024}}</ref> Jim Woods<ref>{{cite web |title=WNCT 70th Anniversary Special |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWSRgqMmh8w&t=1624s |date=December 22, 2023 |via=YouTube |access-date=March 7, 2024}}</ref> and Judge [[Charles H. Whedbee]]. WNCT was the first station in the area to broadcast in [[color television|color]].

[[File:WNCT 001.jpg|thumb|The Rev. [[William J. Hadden]], Jr., on the set for his television program, ''Lessons for Learning'', on WNCT-TV from 1961 to 1966.]]
[[Roy H. Park]] bought ''The Daily Reflector'' and WNCT in 1961, followed by WGTC radio in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|title=Changing hands|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1961/1961-10-02-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=October 2, 1961|page=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Changing hands|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1963/1963-08-05-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=August 5, 1963|page=79}}</ref> The radio stations changed their calls to [[WNCT-AM]]-[[WNCT-FM|FM]] by 1965, at which time the TV station added the "-TV" suffix to its callsign.<ref name="cc2">{{cite news|title=For the record|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1964/1964-01-20-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=January 20, 1964|page=85}}</ref><ref name="cc1" /> The television station remained the flagship of Park Communications until it merged with [[Media General]] in 1997.<ref name="wnct.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.wnct.com/nct/online/site_information/ |title= About Us &#124; WNCT|website=wnct.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109134825/http://www.wnct.com/nct/online/site_information/ |archive-date=January 9, 2009}}</ref>

[[File:Wnct tv.PNG|200px|thumb|right|Logo prior to October 11, 2021]]
WNCT-TV served part of the [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]] [[media market|market]] (mostly [[Pender County]]) until that city got its own CBS affiliate, WJKA-TV, in 1984. When that outlet switched to [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in 1994 and became [[WSFX-TV]], WNCT resumed serving as the default CBS affiliate for parts of the Wilmington area until [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] WILM-LP (now [[WILM-LD]]) switched its affiliation to CBS in 2000. However, WNCT still served some parts of that area which could not obtain WILM's off-air signal and/or on [[cable television|cable]] until 2017 when [[WWAY]] acquired the CBS affiliation for its second digital subchannel.

The station's CBS [[high-definition television|high-definition]] signal was picked up by [[DirecTV]] on January 7, 2009, and this is also carried on [[Dish Network]]. WNCT's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009.<ref name="Analog to Digital">{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=hraunfoss.fcc.gov |access-date=May 22, 2022 |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> On that date at 6:30 in the evening, the station signed off its analog signal for the final time.

==WNCT-DT2==
'''WNCT-DT2''', branded '''Eastern North Carolina CW''', is the [[CW Plus]]-affiliated second [[digital subchannel]] of WNCT-TV. It originally carried a full-time image of WNCT's [[Pulse-Doppler radar|Doppler]] [[weather radar]]. The current iteration of the channel launched on the network's first day of operation on September 18, 2006 (when [[The WB]] and [[UPN]] merged; [[WCTI-TV|WCTI-DT3]] was the UPN affiliate, which was also shut down), replacing the market's former WB affiliate "WGWB", which had launched on September 21, 1998.

==News operation==
Even before a full news department was established, WNCT offered [[weather forecasts]] to area farmers. For coverage of [[severe weather]] events such as [[hurricane]]s and floods, the station received a national [[Edward R. Murrow Award (Radio Television Digital News Association)|Edward R. Murrow Award]] and was the smallest television station to get this recognition. It also won a [[Partnership for Public Service|Service to America Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.wnct.com/about-us/ |title=Greenville, NC - News, Weather, Sports |publisher=WNCT |access-date=September 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421134150/http://wnct.com/about-us/ |archive-date=April 21, 2016 }}</ref>

In terms of [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]], Eastern North Carolina is usually not fiercely competitive during [[sweeps]] periods. Generally, WNCT trades the ratings crown with WITN and WCTI. In July 2008, this station became the area's most watched outlet after taking first place weeknights at 6 and 11. But since then, it has fallen to 3rd place weeknights at 6. As of May 2010, WITN has won the sign-on to sign-off honors for two consecutive ratings periods. The NBC station won all news time periods except for the weekday noon time slot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6579887.htmlLink|title=3|website=broadcastingcable.com|access-date=April 24, 2018}}</ref>

In the late-1990s, WNCT began producing the [[media market|market]]'s original prime time newscast on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[WFXI]]/WYDO (then owned by [[Piedmont Television]]) through a news share agreement. Known on-air as ''Fox News at 10'', the broadcast could be seen every night for thirty minutes. Although it featured most of WNCT's on-air team, the show did maintain a separate news anchor. The outsourcing arrangement was terminated in December 2007 after WCTI became a sister station to WFXI/WYDO through their management by the [[Bonten Media Group]].

Initially in January 2008, WCTI began repeating its nightly 6 o'clock newscast in the 10 o'clock time slot on WFXI/WYDO. Eventually, a new nightly prime time broadcast (produced by WCTI) was added to the Fox affiliate on January 28. Meanwhile, WNCT began airing a new newscast at 10 on its CW-affiliated subchannel. This program is currently known as ''9 on Your Side at 10 on The CW'' and can be seen every night for a half-hour competing with the WFXI/WYDO broadcast (seen for an hour on weeknights, thirty minutes on weekends).

During [[weather forecast]] segments, the station features a live [[NOAA]] [[National Weather Service]] weather radar originating from the Local Forecast Office on Roberts Road in [[Newport, North Carolina|Newport]] (on-air, this is known as "Live VIPIR 9"). In addition to the main studios, WNCT operates a bureau in Jacksonville (on South Marine Boulevard/US 17 BUS). On October 17, 2013, WNCT became the area's third television outlet to upgrade news production to high definition behind WCTI and WITN. The station provides weather updates for [[WZGO]]-FM 91.1, [[WIKS]]-FM 101.9, [[WMGV]]-FM 103.3, and [[WNCT-FM]] 107.9.

==Subchannels==
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WNCT-TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WNCT#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WNCT|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|access-date=April 24, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918061550/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WNCT#station|archive-date=September 18, 2016}}</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" | 9.1
| [[1080i]] || rowspan="2"| [[16:9]] || WNCT-DT || [[CBS]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.2
| [[720p]] || WNCTCW || [[The CW Plus]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.3
| rowspan=2| [[480i]] || [[4:3]] || REWIND || [[Rewind TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.4
| 16:9 || Mystery || [[Ion Mystery]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.wnct.com//}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160903210731/http://wnct.com/category/the-cw/ WNCT-DT2 website]

{{Greenville/New Bern/Washington TV}}
{{North Carolina TV}}
{{NXST TV}}
{{Major U.S. TV O-O Stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wnct-Tv}}
[[Category:1953 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:CBS affiliates]]
[[Category:The CW affiliates]]
[[Category:Ion Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:Nexstar Media Group]]
[[Category:Rewind TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1953]]
[[Category:Television stations in Greenville, North Carolina|NCT-TV]]