WXII-TV
Encyclopedia
WXII-TV is the NBC
television station
licensed for the Greensboro
–High Point
–Winston-Salem
, North Carolina
(Piedmont Triad
) designated market area with Parts of SWVA
. It is licensed to Winston-Salem and is currently owned by the Hearst Corporation
. Its transmitter is located on Sauratown Mountain in Stokes County, North Carolina
. The station is carried on cable channel 11 in most parts of the market.
's WBTV
and Greensboro's WFMY-TV
. The station at first was owned by a subsidiary of Piedmont Publishing, publishers of the Winston-Salem Journal
and Twin City Sentinel
along with WSJS radio (600 AM
and 104.1 FM, now WTQR
), and Hollywood star Mary Pickford
and her husband Buddy Rogers.
Johnny Beckman, an early employee, recalls working at WSJS-TV in those early years.
The station has always been affiliated with NBC. ABC
was shared with WFMY until WGHP
signed on in 1963. The station first broadcast from the basement of WSJS studios on Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. The first broadcast was of the first game of the World Series
between the New York Yankees
and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The station originally broadcast from an antenna near Kernersville
. The tower was moved to Sauratown Mountain in 1955.
When Piedmont Publishing was sold to Media General
in 1968, Gordon Gray, the longtime publisher of both papers, held onto WSJS-AM-FM-TV as Triangle Broadcasting. Gray also received the franchise for the city's cable system. However, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) ruled that TV stations could not also own the cable systems in their markets. Gray was thus forced to sell WSJS-TV in 1972 to Multimedia Inc., who renamed the station WXII-TV. The letters "XII" from "WXII" are the Roman numerals for the number "12", which is the station's channel number. At the time of the call letter change, the station ran a promotional ad parodying the death of Julius Caesar
to amplify the Roman numeral theme. Two other stations in the market later switched to Roman numeral call letters (WXLV-TV
45 and WLXI-TV
61; WGSR-LP
's previous incarnation also used Roman numerals as WXIV).
Multimedia swapped WXII and WFBC-TV in Greenville, South Carolina
(now WYFF
) to Pulitzer
in 1983 in exchange for KSD-TV in St. Louis (now KSDK
). When Pulitzer bowed out of broadcasting in 1997, Hearst bought the entire group, including WXII.
WXII added This TV
on June 1, 2009.
, WXII is available on SkyBest TV in Sugar Mountain
, Ashe County Cable and Morris Broadband in West Jefferson
, Zito Media in Creston
, and Charter Communications
in the Hickory
area (QAM only), which are part of the Charlotte
DMA
. The NBC affiliate for that DMA, WCNC
, is not available in West Jefferson and Creston. WXII was available on Charter Communications in Boone
until the mid 2000s when it was replaced with WCNC. WXII was also previously available on cable in Richfield
as well.
In Virginia
, WXII is available on Comcast
in Galax
, Chatmoss Cablevision in Danville
, and DirecTV
in Carroll
, Grayson
, and Henry
Counties, and in Danville and Martinsville
, which are part of the Roanoke
DMA.
and Richmond County.
, Dr. Phil
, Anderson
, Inside Edition
, and Entertainment Tonight
.
WXII currently broadcasts 33.5 hours of local news per week, with 5.5 hours on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends. A 2½ hour morning newscast begins at 4:30 am, followed by one-hour blocks at noon and 5 pm, a half-hour block at 6 pm, and a 35-minute wrap at 11 pm. On weekends, a two-hour morning newscast begins at 5 am, followed by half-hour blocks at 6 and 11 pm.
On February 12, 2010, after the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, WXII became the last local station to produce news in 16:9 widescreen SD, joining WGHP and WFMY. For a few months after the switch, weather graphics were still in 4:3 with blue colored curtains presented, but since has upgraded it's graphics to 16:9 widescreen format. The studio cameras and news packages are in 16:9 SD widescreen. As of November 14, 2011, it is the last remaining terrestrial station in the Piedmont Triad (not counting WXLV-TV
, which will begin airing an outsourced newscast some time in 2012) without a newscast in full high definition.
Weekends:
Following the "Hello" campaign of the early 1980s, WXII hired a Florida production company to put together a new image campaign, "Count on Us". This was used for little more than a year and then dropped. In the early 1990s WXII was rebranded "Your Carolina News Connection". As with most TV stations, WXII used custom versions of NBC campaigns—one example being "Come Home to WXII". They also made a local version of "Come Home to the Best, Only on NBC" in 1988, featuring shots of NBC's stars and WXII's anchors throwing a party to coincide with the station's 35th anniversary. The latter clip can be seen on YouTube
(originally uploaded by the station itself).
In the mid-to-late 1990s, WXII branded itself as NewsChannel 12, and its positioning statement was "Complete Local Coverage of the Western Piedmont." Once Hearst took full control (around 1999-2000), both the "NewsChannel" and positioning statement were dropped. The station then began branding itself as WXII 12 News. As of 2008, the station refers to itself (TV and Web) as WXII Digital Media.
WXII 12 Weather Plus
Sports Team
Reporters
Hearst Television Washington Bureau
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...
television station
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...
licensed for the Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
–High Point
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
–Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(Piedmont Triad
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...
) designated market area with Parts of SWVA
Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virginia counties on the Appalachian Plateau, all Virginia counties west of the Eastern Continental Divide, or...
. It is licensed to Winston-Salem and is currently owned by the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
. Its transmitter is located on Sauratown Mountain in Stokes County, North Carolina
Stokes County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 44,711 people, 17,579 households, and 13,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 19,262 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
. The station is carried on cable channel 11 in most parts of the market.
History
The station began operation on September 30, 1953 as WSJS-TV. It is the third-oldest surviving station in North Carolina, behind CharlotteCHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
's WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
and Greensboro's WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV is a television station in Greensboro, North Carolina. Owned by the Gannett Company, WFMYis the CBS affiliate for the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem area...
. The station at first was owned by a subsidiary of Piedmont Publishing, publishers of the Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem Journal
The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also features coverage of Northwestern North Carolina and circulates as far west as Tennessee and north to Virginia.The paper is owned by...
and Twin City Sentinel
Twin City Sentinel
The Twin-City Sentinel was the name of the afternoon newspaper published in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Sentinel's masthead was dropped in 1985 when operations were absorbed into its sister paper, the morning Winston-Salem Journal....
along with WSJS radio (600 AM
WSJS
WSJS is a radio station based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that broadcasts at 600 AM. It has a news/talk radio format and its slogan is "The Triad's News Radio", where "Triad" refers to the Piedmont Triad.-Programming:...
and 104.1 FM, now WTQR
WTQR
WTQR is a country music station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and High Point. The Clear Channel Communications outlet broadcasts at 104.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW...
), and Hollywood star Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
and her husband Buddy Rogers.
Johnny Beckman, an early employee, recalls working at WSJS-TV in those early years.
There were three of us, and we all did multiple jobs -- the weather, commercials, a teenage dance party. We were all scrambling around trying to make a living. Broadcasting was not high-paying then. The pay has certainly improved, but it was a more enjoyable career than it has become now.
The station has always been affiliated with NBC. ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
was shared with WFMY until WGHP
WGHP
WGHP, channel 8, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, North Carolina designated market area...
signed on in 1963. The station first broadcast from the basement of WSJS studios on Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. The first broadcast was of the first game of the World Series
1953 World Series
The 1953 World Series matched the four-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a rematch of the 1952 Series. The Yankees won in six games for their fifth straight title—a mark which has not been equalled—and their sixteenth overall...
between the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The station originally broadcast from an antenna near Kernersville
Kernersville, North Carolina
Kernersville is a town in Forsyth County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,126 at the 2000 census. In 2007 the U.S. Census estimated the town's population at 22,309. Kernersville is located at the heart of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area, which consists of the cities...
. The tower was moved to Sauratown Mountain in 1955.
When Piedmont Publishing was sold to Media General
Media General
Media General, Inc. is a media company based in the Southeastern United States. Its major properties include newspapers such as The Tampa Tribune, the Winston-Salem Journal, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, as well as numerous television stations, such as flagship station WFLA-TV.The company was...
in 1968, Gordon Gray, the longtime publisher of both papers, held onto WSJS-AM-FM-TV as Triangle Broadcasting. Gray also received the franchise for the city's cable system. However, the 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) ruled that TV stations could not also own the cable systems in their markets. Gray was thus forced to sell WSJS-TV in 1972 to Multimedia Inc., who renamed the station WXII-TV. The letters "XII" from "WXII" are the Roman numerals for the number "12", which is the station's channel number. At the time of the call letter change, the station ran a promotional ad parodying the death of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
to amplify the Roman numeral theme. Two other stations in the market later switched to Roman numeral call letters (WXLV-TV
WXLV-TV
WXLV-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina that is licensed to Winston-Salem. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 from a transmitter in Randleman along I-73/U.S. 220...
45 and WLXI-TV
WLXI-TV
WLXI is a Christian television station licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina and serving the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point market...
61; WGSR-LP
WGSR-LP
WGSR-LD is a low-power independent television station serving Reidsville, North Carolina, the Piedmont Triad market in North Carolina, and parts of Southside Virginia. The station broadcasts digitally on channel 47, with PSIP also on channel 47. One High-Definition subchannel and two...
's previous incarnation also used Roman numerals as WXIV).
Multimedia swapped WXII and WFBC-TV in Greenville, South Carolina
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...
(now WYFF
WYFF
WYFF is the NBC-affiliate television station based in Greenville, South Carolina. It serves a media market which includes Greenville/Spartanburg and Anderson in South Carolina and Asheville/Hendersonville, North Carolina. The market covers large portions of western North Carolina and upstate South...
) to Pulitzer
Pulitzer, Inc.
Founded by Joseph Pulitzer , Pulitzer Inc., owned 14 daily newspapers across the United States, and one weekly chain. Its papers included the St...
in 1983 in exchange for KSD-TV in St. Louis (now KSDK
KSDK
KSDK, Channel 5, is the NBC-affiliated television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KSDK is owned and operated by Gannett Company, and the station's transmitter is located in Marlborough, Missouri. The station broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 35, using its former analog channel assignment...
). When Pulitzer bowed out of broadcasting in 1997, Hearst bought the entire group, including WXII.
Digital programming
| Channel | Video | Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | 1080i 1080i 1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels... |
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 ... |
Main WXII-TV programming / NBC |
| 12.2 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | This TV This TV This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies.... |
WXII added This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
on June 1, 2009.
Out-of-market cable and DirecTV coverage
In North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, WXII is available on SkyBest TV in Sugar Mountain
Sugar Mountain, North Carolina
Sugar Mountain is a village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The village is located on Sugar Mountain's north slope. The population was 226 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sugar Mountain is located at ....
, Ashe County Cable and Morris Broadband in West Jefferson
West Jefferson, North Carolina
West Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.-History:West Jefferson was incorporated as a city in 1909, and it is the second-oldest incorporated town in Ashe County. West Jefferson has the distinction of having the only cheese...
, Zito Media in Creston
Creston, North Carolina
Creston is an unincorporated community in Ashe County, North Carolina, southwest of Grayson. It lies at an elevation of 2,861 feet ....
, and Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
in the Hickory
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
area (QAM only), which are part of the Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
DMA
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 NBC affiliate for that DMA, WCNC
WCNC-TV
WCNC-TV is the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 22 and is carried on cable channel 6 on most area cable systems. It is owned by the Belo Corporation...
, is not available in West Jefferson and Creston. WXII was available on Charter Communications in Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
until the mid 2000s when it was replaced with WCNC. WXII was also previously available on cable in Richfield
Richfield, North Carolina
Richfield is a town in Stanly County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 515 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Richfield is located at ....
as well.
In Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, WXII is available on Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
in Galax
Galax, Virginia
Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 7,042 as of 2010...
, Chatmoss Cablevision in Danville
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
, and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
in Carroll
Carroll County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,245 people, 12,186 households, and 8,786 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile . There were 14,680 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
, Grayson
Grayson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,917 people, 7,259 households, and 5,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile . There were 9,123 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
, and Henry
Henry County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The population density was 152 people per square mile . There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
Counties, and in Danville and Martinsville
Martinsville, Virginia
Martinsville is an independent city which is surrounded by Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,821 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes...
, which are part of the Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
DMA.
CATV
In the 1970s and 1980s, WXII was once carried in southern Moore CountyMoore County, North Carolina
Moore County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 74,769. Its county seat is Carthage.- History :The county was formed in 1784 from Cumberland County...
and Richmond County.
Programming
Syndicated programs on WXII12 include: Live with Regis and KellyLive with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
, Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil (TV series)
Dr. Phil is a reality/talk television show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002...
, Anderson
Anderson
-People:* Anderson Cooper, American television personality, son of Gloria Vanderbilt* Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira, Manchester United football player-Places:In Canada:* Anderson, British Columbia* Anderson Bay, British Columbia...
, Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
, and Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
.
News operation
Ratings began to increase following a series of severe weather events in the late 1980s and early 1990s.WXII currently broadcasts 33.5 hours of local news per week, with 5.5 hours on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends. A 2½ hour morning newscast begins at 4:30 am, followed by one-hour blocks at noon and 5 pm, a half-hour block at 6 pm, and a 35-minute wrap at 11 pm. On weekends, a two-hour morning newscast begins at 5 am, followed by half-hour blocks at 6 and 11 pm.
On February 12, 2010, after the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, WXII became the last local station to produce news in 16:9 widescreen SD, joining WGHP and WFMY. For a few months after the switch, weather graphics were still in 4:3 with blue colored curtains presented, but since has upgraded it's graphics to 16:9 widescreen format. The studio cameras and news packages are in 16:9 SD widescreen. As of November 14, 2011, it is the last remaining terrestrial station in the Piedmont Triad (not counting WXLV-TV
WXLV-TV
WXLV-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina that is licensed to Winston-Salem. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 from a transmitter in Randleman along I-73/U.S. 220...
, which will begin airing an outsourced newscast some time in 2012) without a newscast in full high definition.
Newscasts
Weekdays- 4:30-7:00 a.m. - Kimberly Van Scoy, Nicole Ducouer, Austin Caviness, & Mary Beth Brown
- 12:00-1:00 p.m. - Margaret Johnson, Michelle Kennedy (Monday-Wednesday), Brian Slocum (Thursday-Friday)
- 5:00-6:00 p.m. - Wanda Starke, Cameron Kent, Lanie Pope, Michelle Kennedy (Monday-Wednesday)
- 6:00-6:30 p.m. - Wanda Starke, Cameron Kent, Lanie Pope, Kenny Beck
- 11:00-11:35 p.m. - Wanda Starke, Cameron Kent, Lanie Pope, Kenny Beck
Weekends:
- 5:00-7:00 a.m. - Veronica White, Brian Slocum
- 6:00-6:30 p.m. - Ericka Miller, Michelle Kennedy,
- 11:00-11:35 p.m. - Ericka Miller, Michelle Kennedy,
News/station presentation
WXII used the "Hello News" theme package in the early 1980s. Their campaign song was "Hello Piedmont."Following the "Hello" campaign of the early 1980s, WXII hired a Florida production company to put together a new image campaign, "Count on Us". This was used for little more than a year and then dropped. In the early 1990s WXII was rebranded "Your Carolina News Connection". As with most TV stations, WXII used custom versions of NBC campaigns—one example being "Come Home to WXII". They also made a local version of "Come Home to the Best, Only on NBC" in 1988, featuring shots of NBC's stars and WXII's anchors throwing a party to coincide with the station's 35th anniversary. The latter clip can be seen on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(originally uploaded by the station itself).
In the mid-to-late 1990s, WXII branded itself as NewsChannel 12, and its positioning statement was "Complete Local Coverage of the Western Piedmont." Once Hearst took full control (around 1999-2000), both the "NewsChannel" and positioning statement were dropped. The station then began branding itself as WXII 12 News. As of 2008, the station refers to itself (TV and Web) as WXII Digital Media.
Newscast titles
- WSJS-TV News (1953–1964)
- Golden Triangle News Report (1964-1971)
- Eyewitness NewsEyewitness NewsEyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
(1971–1977) - NewsCenter 12 (1977–1985)
- Channel 12 News (1985–1992)
- Newswatch 12 (1992–1996)
- NewsChannel 12 (1996–2000)
- WXII NewsChannel 12 (2000–2003)
- WXII 12 News (2003–present)
Station slogans
- Count on Us (late 1980s)
- Your Carolina News Connection (1991–1996)
- Complete Local Coverage of the Western Piedmont (1996–2004)
- Your Home for Piedmont-Triad and Southwest Virginia News (2007–2008)
- The Number 1 Choice for News in the Triad (2009–present)
Current on-air staff
Current anchors- Nicole Ducouer - Weekday mornings; also reporter
- Margaret Johnson - Weekdays at noon; also morning reporter
- Cameron Kent - Weeknights at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.
- Ericka Miller - Weekends at 6 and 11 p.m.; weekday reporter
- Wanda Starke - Weeknights at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.
- Kimberly Van Scoy - Weekday Mornings;
- Veronica White - Weekend Morning Anchor and Morning Reporter
WXII 12 Weather Plus
- Lanie Pope (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
and NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; Monday-Fridays at 5, weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m. - Austin Caviness (AMS Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekday mornings
- Michelle Kennedy (AMS Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; Monday-Wednesdays at noon and 5 p.m. and weekends at 6 and 11 p.m. - Brian Slocum (NWA Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; Thursday-Fridays at noon and weekend mornings
Sports Team
- Kenny Beck - Sports Director; weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m., formerly weekend morning anchor
Reporters
- Stephanie Berzinski - General Assignment Reporter
- Mary Beth Brown - Girl Talk Reporter
- Arthur Mondale - Weekday Mornings Reporter
- Bill O’Neil - investigative reporter
- Rob Wu - General Assignment Reporter
- Dr. Wiggy - Health Reporter
Hearst Television Washington Bureau
- Kate Amara - Washington Bureau reporter
- Sally Kidd - Washington Bureau reporter
- Nikole Killion - Washington Bureau reporter
Former on-air staff
- John Beard, former anchor and reporter.
- Tolly Carr, former morning anchor, charged with felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle and driving while intoxicated in March 2007.
- Paul DellegattoPaul DellegattoPaul N. Dellegatto is an American meteorologist and television weather forecaster. He is the chief meteorologist at WTVT in Tampa, Florida. Before coming to WTVT, he became a Meteorologist for WGME-TV in Portland, Maine in 1984. He then went on to become the Chief Meteorologist at WXII-TV in...
, former chief meteorologist (1986–1990). Currently chief meteorologist at WTVTWTVTWTVT, channel 13, is a television station in Tampa, Florida. It is an owned and operated station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the News Corporation...
in Tampa. - Aixa Diaz, former weekend morning anchor. Now at WESHWESHWESH is the NBC affiliate in Orlando, Florida. It is licensed to Daytona Beach, with studio facilities in Winter Park. It transmits its digital signal on VHF channel 11, which redirects to virtual channel 2.1, reflecting its former analog channel assignment, through PSIP. It is currently owned by...
in Orlando. - Harvey Dinkins, farm reporter from 1954-1962. Dinkins was billed as "North Carolina's Favorite Farmer."
- Dave Goren, former sports anchor. Last day on air was Thanksgiving 2008.
- Bonnie SchneiderBonnie SchneiderBonnie Schneider is meteorologist appearing on the various platforms of CNN and HLN. She debuted on the network on June 11, 2005, just in time to cover the 2005 hurricane season. She is also the author of EXTREME WEATHER, publisher:Palgrave Macmillan, January 31, 2012...
, meteorologist. Joined CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
in 2005. - Jennie StencelJennie StencelJennie Stencel was a traffic reporter on WXII-TV, an NBC affiliate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. She debuted in January 2006. She left the station in May 2010....
, Former traffic reporter. Resigned on May 14, 2010. - Anthony Wilson, reporter and substitute anchor (1990–1993). Currently a weekend anchor and reporter at WTVDWTVDWTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
in Durham.