View source for WSB-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Atlanta}}
{{Other uses|ABC2 (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2012}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WSB-TV
| logo = WSB-TV logo 2010 (cropped).svg
| logo_size = 220px
| logo_alt = A blue rectangle with the text "WSB-TV", the station, with a thin, red strip at the bottom with the text "ATLANTA", the city of license, and a 2 is on the right.
| branding = Channel 2; ''Channel 2 [[Action News]]''
| digital = 32 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 2
| translators = ''see {{section link||Translators}}''
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''2.1:''' [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[Cox Media Group]]
| licensee = Georgia Television, [[LLC]]
| location = [[Atlanta]], Georgia
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1948|9|29|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning = "Welcome South, Brother" (derived from sister station [[WSB (AM)|WSB radio]])
| sister_stations = [[WALR-FM]], [[WSB (AM)|WSB]], [[WSB-FM]], [[WSBB-FM]], [[WSRV]]
| former_callsigns = WCON-TV (CP for channel 2, 1950–1951)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 8 ([[VHF]], 1948–1951), 2 (VHF, 1951–2009)|'''Digital:''' 39 (UHF, 1998–2019)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[NBC]] (1948–1980)|ABC (secondary, 1948–1951)}}
| erp = 869 kW
| haat = {{convert|326|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 23960
| coordinates = {{Coord|33|45|51.7|N|84|21|41.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WSB-TV tower}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{url|www.wsbtv.com}}
}}

'''WSB-TV''' (channel 2) is a [[television station]] in [[Atlanta]], Georgia, United States, affiliated with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. It is the [[Flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] television property of locally based [[Cox Media Group]], which has owned the station since its inception, and is [[sister station|sister]] to radio stations [[WSB (AM)|WSB]] (750 AM), [[WSBB-FM]] (95.5), [[WSRV]] (97.1 FM), [[WSB-FM]] (98.5) and [[WALR-FM]] (104.1). The stations share studios at the WSB Television and Radio Group building on [[Peachtree Street#West Peachtree Street|West Peachtree Street]] in [[Midtown Atlanta]]; [[WSB-TV tower|WSB-TV's transmitter]] is located on the border of the city's [[Poncey-Highland]] and [[Old Fourth Ward]] neighborhoods.

WSB-TV is the second largest ABC-affiliated station by market size that is not [[owned and operated]] by the network (the largest being [[Tegna Inc.|Tegna]]-owned [[WFAA]] in [[Dallas]]).<ref>[https://mediatracks.com/resources/nielsen-dma-rankings-2021/ Nielsen DMA Rankings 2021] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525173958/https://mediatracks.com/resources/nielsen-dma-rankings-2021/ |date=May 25, 2021 }} ''MediaTracks Communications''. Retrieved on February 14, 2021.</ref>

==History==
WSB-TV first began broadcasting on September 29, 1948, originally broadcasting on channel 8. It is the first television station in Georgia, and only the second station south of Washington, D.C., five months behind [[Richmond, Virginia]]'s [[WTVR-TV]] (channel 6). The station was founded by [[James M. Cox]], publisher of ''The Atlanta Journal'', and who also owned WSB radio ([[WSB (AM)|AM 750]] and 104.5 FM, now on [[WSB-FM|98.5 FM]]). [[Cox Enterprises]] owned WSB AM-FM-TV under the banner of Miami Valley Broadcasting Inc., which later changed its name to the current [[Cox Media Group]]. The station was originally a primary [[NBC]] affiliate, owing to its radio sister's longtime affiliation with [[NBC Radio]]. It also carried some ABC programming from 1948 until 1951.

In 1950, Cox bought Atlanta's other major newspaper, ''The Atlanta Constitution,'' from its longtime owners, the Howell family. Both newspapers owned broadcast properties. Included in the latter were AM station WCON (550&nbsp;kHz), which ceased operations May 31, 1950, in favor of the clear channel WSB;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20885568/|date=May 31, 1950|page=1|work=Atlanta Constitution|title=WCON Will Cease Operations Tonight|access-date=February 21, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174927/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20885568/wcon-radio-ceases-operations/|url-status=live}}</ref> WCON-FM, which was merged with WSB-FM on the former's 98.5&nbsp;MHz frequency;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318409/|date=April 9, 1950|title=The Constitution Seeks To Assign WCON-FM, TV|agency=Associated Press|work=Atlanta Constitution|page=13-A|access-date=February 21, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174943/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318409/the-constitution-seeks-to-assign/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the construction permit for WCON-TV (channel 2), which before the merger had begun construction on its [[WSB-TV tower|tower at 780 Willoughby Way]] that it billed as the world's tallest. However, Cox now had a problem. At the time, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) did not permit the sale of television station construction permits, considering it "trafficking". Cox thus had no choice but to keep the construction permit for WCON-TV rather than the already-operating WSB-TV.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1950/BC-1950-03-20.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=March 20, 1950|access-date=February 20, 2020|page=23|title=Cox, Howell Merge: Affects Atlanta AM-TV|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174920/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1950/BC-1950-03-20.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> To solve the problem, Cox sold the channel 8 license for $525,000 to Broadcasting, Inc., a group of local businessmen, in 1951, with plans to move the WSB-TV call letters and intellectual unit to channel 2. The sale was challenged by applicants for additional stations that were affected by the then-ongoing freeze on new construction permits, including [[Georgia Tech]] (owners of [[WGKA|WGST radio]])<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45363812/|access-date=February 21, 2020|date=April 25, 1951|page=6|work=Atlanta Constitution|title=Tech Moves To Halt TV Sale Here|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and [[Decatur, Georgia|Decatur]] radio station owner, E. D. Rivers,{{r|authorizes}} in part because planned allocation changes meant that there would be no further commercial VHF stations for Atlanta and they sought to operate the channel as well.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318427/|title=Tech Seeks To Block TV Sale|date=June 23, 1951|agency=Associated Press|work=Atlanta Constitution|page=2|access-date=February 21, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174925/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318427/tech-seeks-to-block-tv-sale/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The FCC dismissed the complaints and approved the sale of the channel 8 license to Broadcasting, Inc., in August 1951.<ref name="authorizes">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318396/|work=Atlanta Constitution|page=1|title=FCC Authorizes Sale Of WSB-TV's Properties|access-date=February 21, 2020|date=August 10, 1951|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174949/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318396/fcc-authorizes-sale-of-wsb-tvs/|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 1951, channel 2 began broadcasting test patterns as WCON-TV—the only time the call letters were used on air—receiving reception reports from as far as {{convert|230|mi|km|sp=us}} away.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318442/|title=WSB's TV Tops World In Coverage|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318431/wsbtv/ 9]|date=September 26, 1951|work=Atlanta Constitution|first=Paul|last=Jones|access-date=February 21, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174925/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45318442/wsbs-tv-tops-world-in-coverage/|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 30, WSB-TV officially moved to channel 2; channel 8 returned at 5 p.m. that day as ABC affiliate WLTV.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45356578/cox_alerts_tv_industry_to_major_duties/|title=Cox Alerts TV Industry to Major Duties In Dedicating Powerful Facilities of WSB|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45356547/wsbtv/ 3]|work=Atlanta Constitution|date=October 1, 1951|access-date=February 21, 2020|archive-date=February 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222010956/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45356578/cox_alerts_tv_industry_to_major_duties/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1953, WLTV became WLWA-TV (now [[WXIA-TV]]) and was moved to channel 11 in order to resolve interference with [[WTVC|channel 9 at Rome, Georgia]]. (The channel 8 allocation was then moved to [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] and reserved for [[non-commercial educational]] use; it is now [[WGTV]], a [[PBS]] [[network affiliate#Member stations|member station]], and also the flagship television station of [[Georgia Public Broadcasting]].) Due to the way the 1950–51 transactions were structured legally, WXIA operates under the license originally granted to WSB-TV in 1948, while the latter's present license is a new one dating from 1951.<ref name="hc">{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=87037 |title= History Cards for WXIA-TV|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}--></ref>

With the move to channel 2, WSB-TV significantly increased its coverage area; it now provided at least secondary coverage from the [[Tennessee]]-Georgia state line to [[Albany, Georgia|Albany]], as far west as the [[Alabama]]-Georgia line, and as far east as the outer fringes of [[Upstate South Carolina]]. The analog channel 2 signal [[Sporadic E propagation|traveled a very long distance]] under normal conditions, and WSB-TV could now better penetrate the more rugged parts of the [[north Georgia mountains]].

In 1956, the WSB stations moved into the noted "White Columns" building, designed and built according to the [[Colonial Revival]] style, a defining characteristic of Atlanta architecture.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&query=%22white+columns...+wsb%27s+fabulous+new+home&dr_year=1956-1956&t=406|title='White Columns'...WSB's Fabulous New Home|date=November 7, 1956|work=Atlanta Journal and Constitution Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003153501/https://www.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&query=%22white+columns...+wsb%27s+fabulous+new+home&dr_year=1956-1956&t=406|archive-date=October 3, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> They would remain there for 43 years, until a much more [[Modern architecture|modernist]] concrete and glass facility was built adjacent to it (on the same property) in 1998. The new building, which has been dubbed "Digital White Columns" by some, is located just off Atlanta's famed [[Peachtree Street]], on the [[cul-de-sac|dead-end]] northern portion of West Peachtree Street which is actually ''east'' of Peachtree Street. This is near the [[Brookwood Hills]] area, and just east of the "Brookwood split", a [[highway interchange]] where the [[Downtown Connector]] splits into [[Interstate 75 in Georgia|Interstates 75]] and [[Interstate 85 in Georgia|85]] on the north end. The older building was [[demolition|razed]] shortly after the new building was occupied. The original [[column]]s that stood on the front [[portico]] of the old building were placed in a garden area alongside the new building. Brand new white columns have been placed inside the [[atrium (architecture)|glass-enclosed]] [[lobby (room)|lobby]] of the newer building. WSB-TV is located less than one block south of the building formerly utilized by WXIA when that station moved its operations to [[WATL]]'s studios in 2008.

In December 1965, WSB was the first television station in Georgia to broadcast live in [[color television|color]], beginning with Ruth Kent's ''Today in Georgia'' program.<ref>{{Cite news|title=WSB-TV Pioneers with Colorcast|last=Gray|first=Dick|date=December 17, 1965|work=Atlanta Journal}}</ref>

In 1972, the station aired the name of a murdered rape victim in violation of Georgia's [[Rape shield law#Identification of alleged rape victims by media outlets|shield law]]. The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] overturned the law in ''[[Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn]]'' in 1975.

ABC was the highest-rated network for most of the late 1970s and, at that time, was looking for stronger affiliates across the country, including Atlanta. ABC's longtime Atlanta outlet, WXIA, frequently traded second place with WAGA. However, WSB-TV was the far-and-away market leader despite being affiliated with last-place NBC. In June 1980, WSB announced that it would drop NBC and affiliate with ABC; WXIA subsequently agreed to join NBC. Some network daytime shows changed stations in August, while the full affiliation switch occurred on September 1. In January 1986, the station debuted the current number "2" logo it continues to use to this day.

On March 12, 2011, WSB-TV and [[WGCL-TV]] turned on their [[ATSC-M/H]] signals for the first time, becoming the first stations in the Atlanta area to offer [[Mobile DTV]] broadcasts.

On July 24, 2018, WSB-TV parent Cox Enterprises announced that it was "exploring strategic options" for Cox Media Group's television stations, which the company said could involve "partnering or merging these stations into a larger TV company".<ref name="abc-cmgtvforsale">{{cite news |last1=Simon |first1=Mollie |title=Cox Enterprises looks to sell its TV stations |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/07/24/cox-enterprises-looks-to-sell-its-tv-stations.html |access-date=July 24, 2018 |work=[[Atlanta Business Chronicle]] |date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=October 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174949/https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/07/24/cox-enterprises-looks-to-sell-its-tv-stations.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Cox Media Group's president, Kim Guthrie, subsequently clarified to trade publication ''Radio & Television Business Report'' that the company was solely seeking "a merger or partnership" and not an outright sale of the television stations.<ref name="tvbr-coxmergerpartnership">{{cite news |last1=Jacobson |first1=Adam |title=Cox On The Block: TV 'Merger or Partnership' Confirmed |url=https://www.rbr.com/cox-on-the-block-ajc-confirms-possible-tv-station-sale/ |access-date=July 25, 2018 |work=Radio & Television Business Report |date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725063622/https://www.rbr.com/cox-on-the-block-ajc-confirms-possible-tv-station-sale/ |archive-date=July 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2019, it was announced that [[Apollo Global Management]] would acquire Cox Media Group and [[Northwest Broadcasting]]'s stations.<ref name="coxsaletoapollo1">{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174558/apollo-global-management-acquires-coxs-television-stations-plus-radio-newspapers-in-dayton/|title=Apollo Global Management Acquires Cox's Television Stations Plus Radio & Newspapers In Dayton|work=RadioInsight|date=February 15, 2019|access-date=February 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216035237/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174558/apollo-global-management-acquires-coxs-television-stations-plus-radio-newspapers-in-dayton/|archive-date=February 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="terriermedia">{{cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/231448/cox-tv-valued-3-1-billion-apollo-acquisition/|title=Cox TV Valued At $3.1 Billion In Apollo Acquisition|last=Jessell|first=Harry A.|work=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia LLC|date=March 6, 2019|access-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307002857/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/231448/cox-tv-valued-3-1-billion-apollo-acquisition/|archive-date=March 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Although the group planned to operate under the name Terrier Media, it was later announced in June 2019 that Apollo would also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses, and retain the Cox Media Group name.<ref name="rbr-radiosaletoapollo">{{cite news |last1=Jacobson |first1=Adam |title=It's Official: Cox Radio, Gamut, CoxReps Going To Apollo |url=https://www.rbr.com/cox-media-group-radio-apollo/ |access-date=June 26, 2019 |work=Radio & Television Business Report |date=June 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626225641/https://www.rbr.com/cox-media-group-radio-apollo/ |archive-date=June 26, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The sale was completed on December 17, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/182425/apollo-global-management-closes-on-its-acquisition-of-cox-media-group/|title=Apollo Global Management Closes On Its Acquisition Of Cox Media Group|last=Venta|first=Lance|work=RadioInsight|date=December 17, 2019|access-date=December 17, 2019|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174926/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/182425/apollo-global-management-closes-on-its-acquisition-of-cox-media-group/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Programming==
===Past programming preemptions and deferrals===
As an NBC affiliate, WSB-TV preempted programs airing from noon to 2 p.m. in favor of airing a feature film presentation during that time. It would also air at least one film from its lineup in prime time, and it would also preempt the non-[[NFL on NBC|NFL]]-related [[NBC Sports]] programs in favor of carrying still another film, plus ''[[The Lawrence Welk Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?626853-Which-station-in-your-market-was-is-pre-emption-happy |title=Which station in your market was/Is pre-emption happy – RadioDiscussions |access-date=May 7, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174925/https://www.radiodiscussions.com/threads/which-station-in-your-market-was-is-pre-emption-happy.626853/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2004, WSB-TV and the other two ABC stations under Cox ownership ([[WSOC-TV]] in Charlotte and [[WFTV]] in Orlando) declined to telecast the [[Steven Spielberg]] film ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]'' due to the graphic violence and profanity in the film after the FCC stepped up its vigilance on these matters following the [[Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show|Janet Jackson–Justin Timberlake Super Bowl incident]] that year. The FCC declared the film as not indecent once the telecast of the war drama concluded.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=September 5, 2008|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-11-11-private-ryan_x.htm|title=Some stations shelved 'Private Ryan' amid FCC fears |work=USA Today|date=November 11, 2004|last=Oldenburg|first=Ann }}</ref>

===Sports programming===
The station was the original local television broadcaster of the relocated [[Atlanta Braves]] baseball team, carrying the games from [[1966 Atlanta Braves season|1966]] to [[1972 Atlanta Braves season|1972]], until the Braves telecasts moved to WTCG (now [[WPCH-TV]]) in [[1973 Atlanta Braves season|1973]]. Its sister AM station was the longtime radio flagship of the Braves, carrying the broadcasts for 38 out of the 46 years that the franchise has been in Atlanta, dating back to 1966. [[Ernie Johnson, Sr.]], a former Braves pitcher and father of [[Ernie Johnson, Jr.|his namesake]] [[Turner Sports]] broadcaster, with future [[National Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] announcer [[Milo Hamilton]] (who simultaneously pulled double-duty anchoring Channel 2's sportscasts during this time) were the main announcers for what was then the largest television network in the history of baseball. WSB-TV also aired all Braves games whenever they appeared on [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]'s coverage from 1966 to 1980, and then with [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] from 1981 to 1989, along with [[The Baseball Network]] regional coverage in 1994 and 1995, including games 1, 4, and 5 in the [[1995 World Series]], which the Braves won (games 2, 3, and the clinching game 6 aired on NBC, thus locally on WXIA).

WSB-TV has also been involved with the NFL's [[Atlanta Falcons]]; from 1970 to 1979, it aired sold-out games at [[Atlanta Fulton County Stadium]] where Falcons hosted an [[American Football Conference|AFC]] team from NBC, then from 1980 to 2005, ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' from ABC. The station has served as the local outlet for Falcons games which are a part of ''[[ESPN]] Monday Night Football'' since [[2006 Atlanta Falcons season|2006]], when it moved from ABC to ESPN as part of the NFL's requirements to syndicate cable games to local markets. WSB-TV served as the official local broadcaster of [[Super Bowl XXXIV]], held at the [[Georgia Dome]].

The station airs select [[Atlanta Hawks]] games through [[NBA on ABC|ABC's contract with the NBA]]. It also broadcasts [[Georgia Bulldogs football|Georgia Bulldogs]] and [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football]] games through ''[[ABC College Football]]''.

===News operation===
[[File:WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News (2010).svg|thumb|right|180px|Channel 2 Action News Logo]]
WSB-TV presently broadcasts 47 hours, 35 minutes of locally produced newscasts each week (with 7 hours, 5 minutes each weekday, 5 hours, 35 minutes on Saturdays and 6 hours, 35 minutes on Sundays).

Local news programming has had a strong presence on channel 2 since its debut, and it has led the news [[audience measurement|ratings]] in Atlanta for as long as records have been kept. WSB-TV is one of the few Big Three affiliates to carry a midday newscast on weekends (sister stations [[WFTV]] in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[WSOC-TV]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] and [[WHIO-TV]] in [[Dayton]] also offer a half-hour noon newscast on weekends).{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} In addition, WSB-TV's weekend newscast output is larger than that of Fox owned-and-operated station WAGA-TV (channel 5), which offers a larger overall weekly (and weekday) newscast output than WSB-TV.

WSB-TV became the second station in the Atlanta market (behind WXIA-TV) and the second Cox-owned station (behind WFTV) to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in [[High-definition television|high definition]]. The first HD broadcast was on September 27, 2006; during its noon broadcast. With the switch came a new HD-ready set and a graphics package designed by Giant Octopus.

In mid-November 2009, reporter Tom Jones and a cameraman escaped serious injury when the [[telescopic cylinder|telescoping]] [[radio mast]] of their [[electronic news-gathering]] van (holding a [[microwave]] [[television antenna|antenna]] for the [[remote pickup unit]] used for [[outside broadcasting]]) contacted 115-[[kilovolt]] [[high-voltage]] [[Overhead power line|powerlines]] while leaving the [[Fulton County, Georgia|Fulton County]] Jail. [[Georgia Power]] staff were surprised that anyone survived, but the two were treated for minor burns and [[smoke inhalation]] at [[Grady Memorial Hospital]] and released later in the day. The massive [[electric spark]] caused an explosion, left a [[Explosion crater|crater]] underneath the van, arced to and broke a water main, and caused a brief [[power outage]]; the vehicle was a [[total loss]].<ref>[https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/news-photographer-reporter-escape-serious-injury-in-eng-van-accident News photographer, reporter escape serious injury in ENG van accident] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731172304/https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/news-photographer-reporter-escape-serious-injury-in-eng-van-accident |date=July 31, 2018 }}, ''Broadcast Engineering'', November 24, 2009.</ref><ref>[https://www.ajc.com/news/local/wsb-employees-survive-truck-explosion/Blgr8xPVcSDimXnyYhDwtL/ WSB-TV employees survive truck explosion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731213425/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/wsb-employees-survive-truck-explosion/Blgr8xPVcSDimXnyYhDwtL/ |date=July 31, 2018 }}, ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', November 18, 2009.</ref><ref>[https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/tv-eng-van-explodes TV ENG Van Explodes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801003634/https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/tv-eng-van-explodes |date=August 1, 2018 }}, ''TVTechnology'', November 19, 2009.</ref>

In August 2018, WSB-TV added two additional hours to its weekday morning newscast during ''Good Morning America'', an expansion exclusive to its 24-hour streaming channel, ''WSB NOW,'' available on its website and apps.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://changingnewscasts.wordpress.com/2018/08/02/wsb-expanded-morning-news-but-only-for-streaming-devices/|title=WSB has expanded its morning news, but only for those with streaming devices|work=Changing Newscasts|date=August 2, 2018|access-date=August 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815232816/https://changingnewscasts.wordpress.com/2018/08/02/wsb-expanded-morning-news-but-only-for-streaming-devices/|archive-date=August 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2020, WSB-TV changed the name of its 11 p.m. newscast to ''WSB Tonight''. The station's nightly newscast had been called the ''Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat'' since the early 1990s. The newscast began as a nightly update on the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (U.S. state)|COVID-19 pandemic]], but the name change appears to be permanent. The ''Nightbeat'' name was still used for weekend newscasts, but the station began using the new name for weekend newscasts later in the year.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ho|first=Rodney|date=May 6, 2020|title=Briefs: WSB broadcast name change; OWN's 'Ambitions' canceled; NatGeo doc features five Atlanta WWII vets|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/briefs-wsb-broadcast-name-change-own-ambitions-canceled-natgeo-doc-features-five-atlanta-wwii-vets/FMmNoah3zwZHxegV2KDR5I/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925072647/https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/briefs-wsb-broadcast-name-change-own-ambitions-canceled-natgeo-doc-features-five-atlanta-wwii-vets/FMmNoah3zwZHxegV2KDR5I/|archive-date=September 25, 2020|access-date=|website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> Unlike the ''Nightbeat'', which was a rundown of the day's top stories, ''WSB Tonight'' goes into detail about the biggest stories of the day.

On September 5, 2020, WSB-TV became the first station in the Atlanta market to expand its weekend morning newscast to 5&nbsp;a.m.

====Notable current on-air staff====
* [[Sophia Choi]] – anchor/reporter
* [[Linda Stouffer]] – weekday morning anchor
* Eboni Deon – weekend meteorologist

====Notable former on-air staff====
* [[Sandra Bookman]] – anchor/reporter (1989–1998)
* [[Tom Brokaw]] – anchor/reporter (1965–1966)
* [[Steve Buckhantz]] – sports anchor/reporter
* [[Glenn Burns]] – chief meteorologist (1982–2022)
* [[Dale Cardwell]] – investigative reporter (1996–2007)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2007/06/02/cardwell_leaves_wsbtv_one_day.html |title=Cardwell leaves WSB-TV one day, announces for U.S. Senate the next &#124; Political Insider &#124; ajc.com |access-date=June 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707122930/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2007/06/02/cardwell_leaves_wsbtv_one_day.html |archive-date=July 7, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Milo Hamilton]] – sports director (1968–1976)
* [[Ernie Johnson, Jr.]] – sports anchor/reporter (1982–1989)
* [[Monica Jones Kaufman Pearson|Monica Kaufman Pearson]] – anchor (1975–2012)
* [[Don Kennedy]] – host ("Officer Don") of long-running Atlanta children's TV show ''The [[Popeye]] Club'' (1956–1970)
* [[Stu Klitenic]] – sports anchor/reporter (1989–1996)
* [[Jovita Moore]] – anchor/reporter (1998–2021)
* [[John Palmer (TV journalist)|John Palmer]] – anchor/reporter (1960–1962)
* [[Byron Pitts]] – reporter (1994–1996)
* [[Bob Richards (meteorologist)|Bob Richards]] – meteorologist
* [[Hal Suit]] – anchor/news director (1948–1978)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=23007 |title=Our Campaigns – Candidate – Hal Suit |access-date=June 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929122106/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=23007 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Ukee Washington]] – sports anchor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/personality/ukee-washington/|title=Ukee Washington biography|publisher=[[KYW-TV]]|access-date=September 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928161053/http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/personality/ukee-washington/|archive-date=September 28, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WSB-TV<ref name=rei>{{cite web|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WSB|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WSB#station|website=RabbitEars.Info|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211081037/http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WSB#station|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope = "col" colspan="3"|[[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Short name
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Programming
|-
! scope = "col" | {{small|Atlanta}}||{{small|Athens}}||{{small|Gainesville}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 2.1 || 2.11 || 2.21
| [[720p]] || rowspan=5| [[16:9]] || WSB-HD || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 2.2 || 2.12 || 2.22
| rowspan=4| [[480i]] || BOUNCE || [[Bounce TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 2.3 || 2.13 || 2.23
| Dabl ||[[Dabl]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 2.4 || 2.14 || 2.24
| WEST || [[WEST (TV network)|WEST]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 2.5 || 2.15 || 2.25
| ION || [[Ion Television]]
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399;"
! scope = "row" | [[WPCH-TV|17.3]] || 17.13 || 17.23
| 480i || 16:9 || COURT || [[Court TV]] ([[WPCH-TV]])
|}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}

[[File:MeTV 2.2 Atlanta.png|thumb|right|150px|DT2 logo during MeTV affiliation.]]
WSB's digital channel went on the air on November 21, 1998. The over-the-air [[digital subchannel]] 2.2 started carrying the [[Retro Television Network]] on January 28, 2008.<ref name="abizc">{{cite news |author= |date=November 20, 2007 |title=TV classics come to WSB with RTN |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/11/19/daily13.html?t=printable |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321205919/http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/11/19/daily13.html?t=printable |archive-date=March 21, 2008 |access-date=December 12, 2007 |work=[[Atlanta Business Chronicle]] |publisher=[[American City Business Journals]], Inc.}}</ref> Prior to this, the channel was [[dead air|blank]], or later with a small [[station ID]] in the lower corner. RTV programming was replaced with MeTV on June 1, 2011. Later on March 25, 2017, MeTV was replaced with [[Ion Mystery|Escape]] and on September 25, 2017, Escape was replaced with [[Bounce TV]].

In 2021, a simulcast of [[WKTB-CD]]'s Telemundo subchannel moved to WSB-TV from [[WPXA-TV]]. After WGCL-TV's owner, [[Gray Television]], bought WKTB-CD the following year, the subchannel simulcast moved to WGCL-TV's spectrum (remaining mapped to virtual channel 47.1).

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WSB-TV shut down its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 2, on June 12, 2009, at 12:30&nbsp;p.m., during a [[remote broadcast|live broadcast]] from the station's [[transmitter plant|transmitter room]] on the noon newscast, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|archive-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref> The switchover was led by Don McClellan, one of the station's veteran journalists who was celebrating his 50th year at the station during the switchover. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 39,<ref name="FCCForm387">{{Cite web |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101231057&formid=387&fac_num=23960 |title=CDBS Print<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=November 5, 2008 |archive-date=October 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027174928/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101231057&formid=387&fac_num=23960 |url-status=live }}</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 2.

During late August and into September 2009, the station removed its analog [[Television transmitter|transmitter]] from the top of the tower, and moved its side-mounted digital antenna up from its previous lower location on the tower.

On September 6, 2019, at 9 a.m., WSB-TV shifted from physical channel 39 to 32 because of the [[spectrum reallocation#Broadcast incentive auction|spectrum incentive auction]], which removed channels 38 to 51 from the television [[bandplan]], repacking those stations into channels 2 to 36.

===Translators===
* '''WSB-TV (DRT)''' 17 [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]]
* '''WSB-TV (DRT)''' 20 [[Gainesville, Georgia|Gainesville]]
* '''WSB-TV (DRT)''' 17 [[Newnan]] (CP)

In March 2009, the station filed applications for two digital fill-in [[broadcast translator|translator]]s (both of which also carry the WSB-TV callsign), due to expected loss of signal strength toward the east and northeast of Atlanta as a result of the shortcomings of the [[ATSC]] digital broadcast standard. The station's [[Gainesville, Georgia|Gainesville]]-[[city of license|licensed]] translator broadcasts on UHF channel 20, and began operations on June 26. It is located on the same [[radio tower]] as Cox's [[WSRV]] FM and [[WSBB-FM]], and reaches as far into Atlanta's north-northeastern suburbs as [[Lilburn, Georgia|Lilburn]]. The Athens-licensed translator broadcasts on UHF channel 17, with its transmitter located southwest of [[Winder, Georgia|Winder]], and its signal also reaches as far west as Lilburn. WSB-TV requested special temporary authority to begin immediate operation of these stations, pending approval of its regular applications.

The [[broadcast range|signal coverage]] of both stations largely overlap with one another, and are almost entirely within the estimated coverage area of the main station; however, [[distributed transmission]] ([[co-channel|on-channel]] [[Repeater#Usage|boosters]]) would not be used. The translators are intended to overcome the terrain obstructions caused by [[Stone Mountain]] to the east of the WSB transmitter, and were in operation by January 2011. The Athens translator uses virtual channels 2.11 to 2.15 instead of 2.1 to 2.5, while the Gainesville translator uses 2.21 to 2.25, allowing viewers to choose whichever station whose signal is better receivable at a given time (certain ATSC tuners may have trouble with two stations using the same virtual channel, and even if not, the user would have to enter the channel number and press "channel-up" or "channel-down" buttons to access the alternates, which would not be separately labeled or identified by the tuner).

In late June 2009, the station also applied for a translator on channel 14 just southwest of [[Rome, Georgia|Rome]]. That translator would cover a significant portion of [[northwest Georgia]] from the same tower as [[WQTU]] (102.3 FM) and [[WSRM (FM)|WSRM]] (93.5 FM), and the same site as [[WGPB]] (97.7 FM), W212AR (90.3 FM), and W215BA (90.9 FM).<ref>{{Cite web |title=FM Query Results -- Audio Division (FCC) USA |url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?type=0&list=1&dist=1&dlat2=34&mlat2=14&slat2=2&dlon2=85&mlon2=13&slon2=50&size=10 |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=FCC.gov |quote=Center Latitude: N 33 24 43.00  Center Longitude: W 84 50 3.00}}</ref> The application was dismissed on August 21, 2019.<ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1319028 "Application Search Details"], CDBS Public Access, [[Federal Communications Commission]], August 21, 2019, Retrieved April 6, 2022.{{dead link|date=April 2025}}</ref> In October 2010, WSB-TV applied for and later received a [[construction permit]] for another translator southwest of Atlanta in [[Newnan]] on channel 17. This translator would be co-located on the same tower as Cox-owned [[WALR-FM]] (104.1), and less than {{convert|.25|mi|km}} west of another tower holding [[WRDG]] (105.3 FM; which is not owned by Cox).<ref>{{Cite web |title=FM Query Results -- Audio Division (FCC) USA |url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?type=0&list=1&dist=1&dlat2=33&mlat2=24&slat2=43&dlon2=84&mlon2=50&slon2=3&size=10 |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=FCC.gov |quote=Center Latitude: N 33 24 43.00  Center Longitude: W 84 50 3.00}}</ref>

==Out-of-market coverage==
In northwest Georgia, WSB-TV was carried in some of the counties covered by the [[Chattanooga]] DMA: [[Catoosa County, Georgia|Catoosa]], [[Dade County, Georgia|Dade]], [[Murray County, Georgia|Murray]], and [[Walker County, Georgia|Walker]], but remains on line-ups in [[Whitfield County, Georgia|Whitfield County]]. WSB is carried in the far [[northeast Georgia]] counties in the [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]]–[[Spartanburg]]–[[Asheville]] DMA in [[Elbert County, Georgia|Elbert]], [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin]], [[Hart County, Georgia|Hart]] and [[Stephens County, Georgia|Stephens]] counties.

In [[central Georgia]], WSB-TV was available to subscribers of then-co-owned cable provider [[Cox Communications]] in the [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]] area, although ABC programming was usually [[blackout (broadcasting)|blacked out]] by another local ABC affiliate, [[WGXA|WGXA-DT2]]. Given the long distance to Middle Georgia, it was likely that WSB-TV was [[uplink]]ed to the [[AMC-10 (satellite)|AMC-10]] [[satellite television|TV satellite]]. WSB was also carried in [[Vidalia, Georgia|Vidalia]] in the [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]] DMA.

In south Georgia (as far south as the Florida border), it was carried on Cox Communications, and virtually all TCI, later [[Mediacom]] systems, with the exception of the [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]] operation due to a historic lack of an ABC affiliate in the Albany media market covering [[southwest Georgia]]. Since the market's NBC affiliate [[WALB]] began carrying ABC on its 10.2 digital subchannel in 2010, WSB has been dropped by almost all systems. Given the long distance to South Georgia, it was likely that WSB-TV was uplinked to the AMC-10 TV satellite. [[Charter Communications]] also carried WSB for its subscribers in the town of [[Douglas, Georgia|Douglas]] in [[Coffee County, Georgia|Coffee County]].

In [[western North Carolina]] it is carried in the [[Cherokee County, North Carolina|Cherokee County]] town of [[Murphy, North Carolina|Murphy]], alongside Asheville ABC affiliate [[WLOS]].

In northeast Alabama, it was carried on the cable systems in Gadsden ([[Xfinity|Comcast]]) and Anniston (New Channel, now [[Sparklight]]) in the 80s.

==See also==
* [[Channel 2 virtual TV stations in the United States]]
* [[Channel 32 digital TV stations in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.wsbtv.com/ WSBTV.com] – Official website
* [https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/ugabma_wsbn WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection] from the [[Digital Library of Georgia]]

{{Atlanta TV}}
{{ABC Georgia}}
{{Alabama TV}}
{{COXMG}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wsb-Tv}}
[[Category:1948 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Bounce TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Cox Media Group]]
[[Category:Dabl affiliates]]
[[Category:Ion Television affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1948]]
[[Category:Television stations in Atlanta|SB-TV]]
[[Category:WEST (TV network) affiliates]]