WACH
Encyclopedia
WACH is the Fox-affiliated television station
for the Midlands of South Carolina
. It is licensed to Columbia
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter along SC 12 in Southwestern Kershaw County. Owned by Barrington Broadcasting
, the station has studios on Pickens Street in Downtown Columbia. Syndicated
programming on WACH includes: The Insider
, The Wendy Williams Show
, and Divorce Court
.
in Greenville
. It was the first station in Columbia not to be affiliated with one of the major networks, as well as the first completely new commercial license in the area since WIS
signed-on in September 1953. Initially as WCCT, it ran religious programs most of the broadcast day such as 700 Club, Richard Roberts
, Jimmy Swaggart
, PTL Club, and others. It also ran an in house Christian program called Niteline, which was initially produced by WGGS. Eventually, WCCT began producing its own version of the show. For about six hours a day, WCCT ran general entertainment family shows including cartoons, old sitcoms, westerns, and hunting/sports shows. However, its programming policy was very conservative so as not to offend the sensibilities of its mostly fundamentalist and Pentecostal viewership.
The station was sold to FCVS Communications in 1988 who renamed it WACH that June 11 and made it Columbia's Fox affiliate under the on-air nickname "WACH-TV 57" . For Fox' first seasons, Columbia viewers watched the fledgling network on WTTG
from Washington, D.C.
, which had been available on cable systems for many years. That station continued to be available on Columbia's two major cable systems, Wometco
and TCI, for several years afterward. WACH significantly upgraded its programming with a far racier schedule than had been available before. At first, WACH kept Christian programming on weekdays from 9 in the morning until noon and from midnight to 2 in the morning per an agreement with the former owners. It also agreed to continue producing and airing Niteline for an hour a day for five years. This was gone by 1993 along with most of the religious shows. The station eventually re-branded itself "WACH Fox 57" in the 1990s. (The WCCT-TV call sign today belongs to The CW
affiliate in Waterbury, Connecticut
, serving the Hartford
media market.)
FCVS eventually bought two other stations, WKCH-TV (now WTNZ
) in Knoxville, Tennessee
and WEVU-TV (now WZVN-TV
) in Naples, Florida
. FCVS sold its entire television division to Ellis Communications in 1993. Ellis folded into Raycom Media
four years later. On March 27, 2006, Raycom announced that WACH was one of the twelve television stations that would be sold to Barrington Broadcasting. This came as a result of Raycom's merger with The Liberty Corporation. Raycom could not form a duopoly
between WACH and Liberty's former flagship station, NBC
affiliate WIS, due to Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations preventing one company owning two of the four largest stations in a market
. The company opted to keep the longer-established WIS and put WACH up for sale. The transaction was completed on August 11, 2006. In 2009, WACH left channel 57 and moved to channel 48 when the analog to digital conversion was completed, but the PSIP continues to refer to channel 57.
On April 23, 2007, WACH launched its weekday morning show WACH Fox News Good Day. This airs head-on against WIS and WLTX
for local news during the first hour. The station touts the fact that it is the only local news program during the time WIS, WLTX, and WOLO-TV
air national morning news shows. On September 28, 2009, WACH began broadcasting the news in 16:9
widescreen
accompanied by a new graphics package. It was the first station in Columbia to gather news in the field in widescreen format. However, it is not in high definition but rather enhanced standard definition. WACH changed its music package to the Enforcer from Gari Communications on November 9, 2009 along with another minor graphics update. The station also launched a new thirty-minute newscast weeknights at 7:30 p.m. called WACH Fox Report. The show's style is different from Good Day and News at 10 in content and anchor presentation. The information is presented in an entertainment style format.
In April 2010, WACH did a complete overhaul of its news department. This included a new set, a complete graphics overhaul, and the return of former anchor Arielle Riposta to co-anchor WACH Fox News at 10 on weeknights. Long-time anchor Mike Woolfolk had departed WACH in February 2010 and was replaced by Darryl Hood. The morning show was changed from WACH Fox News Good Day to Good Day Columbia. Former evening anchor Ashley Norris and former Sports Director Brian McConchie became the anchors of this revamped show. Katie Williams moved from mornings to anchor the 7:30 p.m. broadcast.
During the summer of 2010, another shuffle resulted in an expanded Good Day Columbia from 5 to 9 AM, the departure of Arielle Riposta from the anchor desk, the departure of Ashley Norris from the station, and the promotion of Janet Parker to Good Day Columbia co-anchor. Adam Pinsker was moved off the weekend sports desk and replaced with Sara Jane Harris. The WACH FOX Report was moved to 6:30 and became a traditional-style newscast with 10 p.m. anchors Darryl Hood and Katie Williams. Cheryn Stone was brought in to anchor weekends. Eventually, Cheryn Stone was moved to fill in the spot vacated by Ashley Norris on Good Day Columbia, with Fraendy Clervaud serving on the weekend desk.
On July 7, 2011, the station converted its newscasts to High Definition, making it the last station in Columbia (as well as the first in the Barrington group) to do so. The Enforcer music package from Gari Communications was retained, but a new graphics package was phased in over the next couple of days after the launch.
On September 19, 2011, WACH dropped its 6:30 p.m. newscast, instead choosing to air syndicated program during that time slot.
SkyWACH Weather Team
Sports Team
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
for the Midlands of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. It is licensed to Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. It broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter along SC 12 in Southwestern Kershaw County. Owned by Barrington Broadcasting
Barrington Broadcasting
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC , headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois is an entity wholly focused on broadcast television. The company's assets mainly consist of television stations in middle and small sized markets...
, the station has studios on Pickens Street in Downtown Columbia. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on WACH includes: The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
, The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
, and Divorce Court
Divorce Court
Divorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest...
.
History
After several false starts dating to 1980, the station signed-on November 25, 1985 as WCCT-TV an independent station owned by Carolina Christian Broadcasting, which also owned WGGS-TVWGGS-TV
WGGS-TV is an independent Christian television station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina. It serves the western regions of North and South Carolina. It broadcasts on UHF channel 16, and is owned by Carolina Christian Broadcasting...
in Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
. It was the first station in Columbia not to be affiliated with one of the major networks, as well as the first completely new commercial license in the area since WIS
WIS
WIS, channel 10, is an NBC-affiliated television station in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Owned by Raycom Media, WIS has studios on Bull Street in downtown Columbia, and transmitter located in Lugoff, South Carolina.-History:...
signed-on in September 1953. Initially as WCCT, it ran religious programs most of the broadcast day such as 700 Club, Richard Roberts
Richard Roberts (evangelist)
Richard Roberts is an American evangelist. Roberts is chairman and chief executive officer of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. Since his healing ministry began in 1980, he has preached on six continents. Holding his first overseas crusade in South Africa in 1982, he has since traveled...
, Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Lee Swaggart is a Pentecostal American pastor, teacher, musician, television host, and televangelist. He has preached to crowds around the world through his weekly telecast...
, PTL Club, and others. It also ran an in house Christian program called Niteline, which was initially produced by WGGS. Eventually, WCCT began producing its own version of the show. For about six hours a day, WCCT ran general entertainment family shows including cartoons, old sitcoms, westerns, and hunting/sports shows. However, its programming policy was very conservative so as not to offend the sensibilities of its mostly fundamentalist and Pentecostal viewership.
The station was sold to FCVS Communications in 1988 who renamed it WACH that June 11 and made it Columbia's Fox affiliate under the on-air nickname "WACH-TV 57" . For Fox' first seasons, Columbia viewers watched the fledgling network on WTTG
WTTG
WTTG, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, which had been available on cable systems for many years. That station continued to be available on Columbia's two major cable systems, Wometco
Wometco Enterprises
Wometco Enterprises is a company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida; a suburb of Miami. It was a large media company but today it is known only as the owner of the Miami Seaquarium.- History :...
and TCI, for several years afterward. WACH significantly upgraded its programming with a far racier schedule than had been available before. At first, WACH kept Christian programming on weekdays from 9 in the morning until noon and from midnight to 2 in the morning per an agreement with the former owners. It also agreed to continue producing and airing Niteline for an hour a day for five years. This was gone by 1993 along with most of the religious shows. The station eventually re-branded itself "WACH Fox 57" in the 1990s. (The WCCT-TV call sign today belongs to The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate in Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, serving the Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
media market.)
FCVS eventually bought two other stations, WKCH-TV (now WTNZ
WTNZ
WTNZ is the Fox-affiliated television station for Eastern Tennessee licensed to Knoxville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 34 from a transmitter on Sharp's Ridge in the city's Arlington section. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 11 and in high definition...
) in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
and WEVU-TV (now WZVN-TV
WZVN-TV
WZVN-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida licensed to Naples. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from a transmitter in Southeastern Punta Gorda along SR 31. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in high definition on...
) in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
. FCVS sold its entire television division to Ellis Communications in 1993. Ellis folded into Raycom Media
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
four years later. On March 27, 2006, Raycom announced that WACH was one of the twelve television stations that would be sold to Barrington Broadcasting. This came as a result of Raycom's merger with The Liberty Corporation. Raycom could not form a duopoly
Duopoly (broadcasting)
In United States broadcast television and radio, duopoly is a term used to describe a single company which owns two or more stations in the same city or community....
between WACH and Liberty's former flagship station, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate WIS, due to Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) regulations preventing one company owning two of the four largest stations in a market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
. The company opted to keep the longer-established WIS and put WACH up for sale. The transaction was completed on August 11, 2006. In 2009, WACH left channel 57 and moved to channel 48 when the analog to digital conversion was completed, but the PSIP continues to refer to channel 57.
News operation
WACH launched a 10 p.m. newscast in 1996 produced by WIS through a news share agreement. It was one of the first prime time broadcasts in South Carolina and the only 10 o'clock newscast in Columbia. For many years, it was one of the highest-rated prime time newscasts in the nation. This station ended the news agreement with WIS on March 4, 2007 and established its own news operations at its facilities on Pickens Street. In March 2007, Mike Woolfolk (longtime co-anchor and managing editor of WACH Fox News at 10) was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Region III of the National Association of Black Journalists.On April 23, 2007, WACH launched its weekday morning show WACH Fox News Good Day. This airs head-on against WIS and WLTX
WLTX
WLTX, is the CBS-affiliated television station in Columbia, South Carolina. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter located in Lugoff, South Carolina. Syndicated programming on the station includes: The Andy Griffith Show, The Doctors, The Ellen DeGeneres...
for local news during the first hour. The station touts the fact that it is the only local news program during the time WIS, WLTX, and WOLO-TV
WOLO-TV
WOLO-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for South Carolina's Midlands licensed to Columbia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Rush Road in unincorporated Southwestern Kershaw County. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable...
air national morning news shows. On September 28, 2009, WACH began broadcasting the news in 16:9
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
accompanied by a new graphics package. It was the first station in Columbia to gather news in the field in widescreen format. However, it is not in high definition but rather enhanced standard definition. WACH changed its music package to the Enforcer from Gari Communications on November 9, 2009 along with another minor graphics update. The station also launched a new thirty-minute newscast weeknights at 7:30 p.m. called WACH Fox Report. The show's style is different from Good Day and News at 10 in content and anchor presentation. The information is presented in an entertainment style format.
In April 2010, WACH did a complete overhaul of its news department. This included a new set, a complete graphics overhaul, and the return of former anchor Arielle Riposta to co-anchor WACH Fox News at 10 on weeknights. Long-time anchor Mike Woolfolk had departed WACH in February 2010 and was replaced by Darryl Hood. The morning show was changed from WACH Fox News Good Day to Good Day Columbia. Former evening anchor Ashley Norris and former Sports Director Brian McConchie became the anchors of this revamped show. Katie Williams moved from mornings to anchor the 7:30 p.m. broadcast.
During the summer of 2010, another shuffle resulted in an expanded Good Day Columbia from 5 to 9 AM, the departure of Arielle Riposta from the anchor desk, the departure of Ashley Norris from the station, and the promotion of Janet Parker to Good Day Columbia co-anchor. Adam Pinsker was moved off the weekend sports desk and replaced with Sara Jane Harris. The WACH FOX Report was moved to 6:30 and became a traditional-style newscast with 10 p.m. anchors Darryl Hood and Katie Williams. Cheryn Stone was brought in to anchor weekends. Eventually, Cheryn Stone was moved to fill in the spot vacated by Ashley Norris on Good Day Columbia, with Fraendy Clervaud serving on the weekend desk.
On July 7, 2011, the station converted its newscasts to High Definition, making it the last station in Columbia (as well as the first in the Barrington group) to do so. The Enforcer music package from Gari Communications was retained, but a new graphics package was phased in over the next couple of days after the launch.
On September 19, 2011, WACH dropped its 6:30 p.m. newscast, instead choosing to air syndicated program during that time slot.
Station slogans
- "Just WACH" (2000–2009; general slogan)
- "Columbia's Only Primetime News" (2002–2008; news slogan)
- "Columbia's Very Own" (2009–2010)
- "Columbia's Own" (2010–present)
- "Your News" (2010-present; news slogan)
News music packages
- "Image News" by Gari CommunicationsFrank GariFrank Gari is a popular singer and songwriter from the late 1950s and early 1960s. His best known songs as a performer are "Utopia" , "Lullaby of Love" and "Princess" , all of which hit the U.S. Top 40 in 1961. He co-wrote with Roger McGuinn the song Beach Ball for Bobby Darin...
(1996–2002) - "The ParamountThe ParamountThe Paramount may refer to:* Paramount Theater, one of several venues by the same name* The Paramount Ballroom, Alec Lazo's ballroom in West Palm Beach, Florida* The Paramount, a shopping centre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
" by Gari Communications (2002–2009) - "Fox Affiliate News Theme" by OSI Music (2008–2009)
- "The CBS Enforcer Music Collection" by Gari Communications (2009–present)
News team
Anchors and Reporters- Fraendy Clervaud - weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.); also general assignment reporter
- Darryl Hood - weeknights at 10 p.m.
- Brian McConchie - general assignment reporter; also rotating 10 p.m. anchor
- Janet Parker - weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.); also news reporter
- Tyler Ryan - weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.); also "Tyler Travels" correspondent
- Cheryn Stone - general assignment reporter; also rotating 10 p.m. anchor
- Katie Williams - weeknights at 10 p.m.
- Katie McKee - general assignment reporter
- Rob Starkey - general assignment reporter; also fill-in sports anchor
SkyWACH Weather Team
- Justin Kier - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 10 p.m.; also news reporter
- Henry Rothenberg - Weather Anchor; weekday mornings (5-9 a.m.)
- Alexis King - Weather Anchor, weekends at 10 p.m.
Sports Team
- Ric Garni - Sports Director, weeknights at 10 p.m.; also senior producer
- Adam Pinsker - Sports Anchor, fill-in; also weekday reporter