WJAR

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WJAR ("NBC10") is the NBC affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island and New Bedford, Massachusetts. While licensed to Providence, the station's studios are located in Cranston, Rhode Island, and its transmitter is in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

The station's main news anchors are Doug White and Patrice Wood. Frank Coletta has anchored the station's morning newscast (Sunrise) for 20 years. The stations's radar is called "Doppler 10000".

WJAR offers NBC Weather Plus on Digital 10.2 . Since the start of the network, WJAR was the closest station to the Boston area, untill May 2006 when WHDH began offering the all weather channel.

History

The station signed on air for the first time on July 10, 1949, as Rhode Island's first television station. It was sister station to WJAR radio (now WHJJ), which came on the air on September 6, 1922. Both the television and radio stations were originally owned by The Outlet Company, a department store once located in Providence, which also purchased other stations across the nation. WJAR received national attention early on for its coverage of Hurricane Carol.

While officially an NBC affiliate, WJAR often aired shows from other networks which did not have affiliates in Rhode Island, such as ABC, DuMont, and especially CBS. This multiple affiliation came to an end as additional television stations signed on in the state.

The Outlet Company was sold in 1980, by which time the company had left the department store business to concentrate on broadcasting. In 1996, NBC acquired the station in a group deal.

WJAR was one of four NBC O&Os in smaller markets that were put up for sale on January 9, 2006, along with stations in Columbus, Ohio; Birmingham, Alabama; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Except for the Birmingham station, these stations were also once owned by Outlet. On April 6 2006, NBC Universal and Media General announced that Media General would purchase WJAR as part of a $600 million four station deal between the two companies[link]. The deal was completed on June 26 2006; as a result, WJAR became Media General's first TV station in New England. [link] Even after the owner switch, WJAR's website is still in the format used by websites of NBC O&O stations.

Newscasts

Anchors

• Frank Coletta - weekday anchor, Sunrise and Noon
• Mario Hilario - reporter/ co-anchor Weekend Sunrise
• Kelley McGee - education reporter/ weekend anchor, 6 & 11 PM
• Margie O'Brian - reporter/ co-anchor Weekend Sunrise
• Gene Valicenti - weeknight anchor, 5:30 & 11 PM
• Doug White - weeknight anchor, 5 & 6 PM
• Patrice Wood - weeknight anchor, 5, 6 & 11 PM

Weather

• Kelly Bates - Sunrise
• Dylan Dreyer - Weekend Sunrise
• John Ghiorse - 5:30 PM & 11 PM (Weekdays)
• R.J. Heim - 6 & 11 PM (Weekends)/ Feature & Science Reporter
• Jeff Latham
• Gary Lay - Chief Meteorologist, Noon, 5 & 6 PM

Sports

• Kathryn Tappen, weekend sports anchor/ reporter
• Frank Carpano, sports director/ weekdays sports anchor

Reporters

• Alison Bologna
• Michelle Brown
• Brian Crandall
• Larry Estepa (Massachusetts Bureau Reporter)
• Steve Handelsman (National And International Correspondent)
• Audrey Laganas (Consumer Reporter)
• Barbara Morse Silva - (Health Reporter)
• Bill Rappleye (Political Reporter)
• Jim Taricani (Investigative Reporter)
• Frank Terranova (Host of "Cooking With Class")

Administration

• Lisa Churchville - President and General Manager
• Betty-Jo Cugini - Vice President of News
• Craig Sasges - Director of Finace and Administration
• Joanne Schenck - Director of Human Resources
• Clark Smith - Director of Technology
• Jeff Walkes - Vice President of Sales
• Steve DelPico - Local Sales Manager
• Scott Allen - News Editor
• Mia DiBenedetto - Managing Editor of WJAR Website

Logo

WJAR's "NBC10" logo is borrowed from former sister station WCAU in Philadelphia.

References

• [History of NBC 10 (2006). turnto10.com].

External links

• [turnto10.com]
• [WJAR Wireless]
• [Providence Jounal article regarding sale of WJAR to Media General (registration required)]
• [Query the FCC's TV station database for WJAR]

 

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