Ten years ago today the TV station known as “ABC 33/40” signed on the air for the first time.
It was the merger of WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa and WJSU-TV in Anniston; the primary studio was built in Riverchase near the intersection of Valleydale Road and Riverchase Parkway. The year 1996 was quite a confusing time for local TV viewers; long time ABC affiliate WBRC, Channel 6, switched to the Fox Network, and ABC teamed up with Allbritton Communications, who formed the new ABC station.
Many figured it would never work; ABC 33/40 would not have a transmitter in the city of Birmingham. One tower, the Channel 33 signal, was built in northern Tuscaloosa County near Windham Springs. This was a quite a project; the tower was 2,000 feet tall, one of the tallest in the nation, and almost twice as tall as the towers on Red Mountain in Birmingham. The signal to the east, Channel 40, was transmitted from a new tower atop Bald Rock mountain, just east of Moody.
The first weeknight news team on ABC 33/40 consisted of news anchors Dyan Patterson and Josh Thomas, meteorologist Bob Baron, and sports anchor Mike Raita. Construction wasn’t actually complete when the station signed on the air September 1, 1996; it would almost two years before everything was complete. One month later, at the first of October, I joined the ABC 33/40 team as the chief meteorologist, and Brenda Ladun went on the air as the primary news anchor.
It has been a great 10 year ride; we have seen incredible success in terms of ratings and revenue thanks to the people of Alabama welcoming us into their homes daily. We have gone through many big weather events together, and ABC 33/40 has continued to lead the way in weather technology and coverage policies. We invite you to watch a one hour special on our tenth anniversary on Sunday, September 10; we will look back at the last ten years and all of the stories and weather events that we went through together. Bill Castle and Pam Huff are putting the show together; you know it will be good!
It was the merger of WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa and WJSU-TV in Anniston; the primary studio was built in Riverchase near the intersection of Valleydale Road and Riverchase Parkway. The year 1996 was quite a confusing time for local TV viewers; long time ABC affiliate WBRC, Channel 6, switched to the Fox Network, and ABC teamed up with Allbritton Communications, who formed the new ABC station.
Many figured it would never work; ABC 33/40 would not have a transmitter in the city of Birmingham. One tower, the Channel 33 signal, was built in northern Tuscaloosa County near Windham Springs. This was a quite a project; the tower was 2,000 feet tall, one of the tallest in the nation, and almost twice as tall as the towers on Red Mountain in Birmingham. The signal to the east, Channel 40, was transmitted from a new tower atop Bald Rock mountain, just east of Moody.
The first weeknight news team on ABC 33/40 consisted of news anchors Dyan Patterson and Josh Thomas, meteorologist Bob Baron, and sports anchor Mike Raita. Construction wasn’t actually complete when the station signed on the air September 1, 1996; it would almost two years before everything was complete. One month later, at the first of October, I joined the ABC 33/40 team as the chief meteorologist, and Brenda Ladun went on the air as the primary news anchor.
It has been a great 10 year ride; we have seen incredible success in terms of ratings and revenue thanks to the people of Alabama welcoming us into their homes daily. We have gone through many big weather events together, and ABC 33/40 has continued to lead the way in weather technology and coverage policies. We invite you to watch a one hour special on our tenth anniversary on Sunday, September 10; we will look back at the last ten years and all of the stories and weather events that we went through together. Bill Castle and Pam Huff are putting the show together; you know it will be good!
on September 1, 2006, 7:40 am
The special should be good to watch.... Bill Castle is a "behind the scenes" kinda guy being a cameraman, but his work is truly awesome. Im glad he jumped ship with James and Brenda from then "Channel 6".
I guess I know how Bill feels. In my position at work, I am stuck in a dungeon and no one really gives us credit for the work we do..... but without us, the entire place could not continue to function. Pretty much just like a cameraman....... oops, Im sorry Bill.... Photojournalist.
(I hate new titles... I am a dispatcher, always have been always will be; cannot get me to say I am a telecommunicator)
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on September 1, 2006, 10:38 am
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