Please wait while we load your article...

Home > WRC TV

Learn more about "WRC TV"

WRC-TV

WRC-TV, channel 4, is the NBC owned and operated station|owned and operated television station in Washington, D.C.. The station broadcasts its analog signal on channel 4 and its digital television signal on channel 48. Its studios and transmitter are located at 4001 Nebraska Avenue, N.W., in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. WRC-TV houses and originates NBC News' Washington bureau, out of which David Gregory (journalist)|David Gregory, Jim Miklaszewski, Andrea Mitchell, and Pete Williams are based. It also offers NBC Weather Plus on digital channel 4.2 and Universal Sports on 4.3.

History

The station signed on for the first time on June 27, 1947 as WNBW ('''NB'''C '''W'''ashington). It is the second of five stations NBC put on the air behind WNBC|New York City, ahead of WMAQ-TV|Chicago, WKYC-TV|Cleveland and KNBC|Los Angeles. It traces its roots to experimental W3XNB in 1939. On October 18, 1954, its callsign changed to WRC-TV, along with WTEM|WRC-AM-WKYS|FM, reflecting NBC's ownership at the time by the Radio Corporation of America. The 2nd presidential debate between candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon was broadcast from the station's studios on October 7, 1960. David Brinkley's Washington segment of the ''Huntley-Brinkley Report'' originated at WRC-TV between 1956 and 1970. The earliest color videotape in existence is a recording of the dedication of WRC's Washington studios on May 21, 1958. As Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at the event, it was also the first time a president had been videotaped in color. http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/rca-nbc_firsts.html WRC-TV is one of three network owned-and-operated stations in Washington, D. C., along with Fox Network's WTTG and MyNetworkTV's WDCA - both owned by Newscorp.

Digital television

Analog-to-digital transition

After the DTV transition in the United States|digital transition, scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf, WRC-DT will remain on channel 48 CDBS Print using Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP to display WRC-TV's virtual channel as 4.

Programs

WRC-TV's studios are home to several notable programs. These include ''Meet the Press,'' the longest-running show in U.S. broadcast television history, which debuted on November 6, 1947; ''Washington Redskins|Redskins Report;'' ''Full Court Press;'' and ''It's Academic,'' which premiered in 1961 and is the longest running game show in television history according to the Guinness Book of World Records. ''Sam and Friends'', Jim Henson's late-night precursor to ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', got its start on WRC-TV on May 9, 1955.

Notable personalities

Current

News 4 anchors

- '''James Adams'''- Weekend evening anchor/reporter
- '''Keith Garvin''' - Weekend morning anchor/reporter; weekday fill-in anchor
- '''Doreen Gentzler''' - Evening anchor; health reporter
- '''Jim Handly''' - Afternoon anchor/reporter
- '''Barbara Harrison''' - Morning and midday anchor/reporter; ''Wednesday's Child'' host
- '''Joe Krebs''' - Morning and midday anchor/reporter; ''Viewpoint'' host
- '''Craig Melvin''' - Weekend Evening Anchor/Weekday Reporter
- '''Pat Lawson Muse''' - Afternoon anchor/reporter; ''Reporter's Notebook'' & ''This Week'' host
- '''Wendy Rieger''' - Afternoon anchor; ''Going Green'' reporter
- '''Jim Vance''' - Evening anchor/reporter
- '''Eun Yang''' - Weekend anchor/reporter; weekday fill-in anchor

News 4 reporters

- '''Miguel Almaguer''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Jackie Bensen''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Julie Carey''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Pat Collins''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Elizabeth Crenshaw''' - Consumer reporter
- '''Michael Flynn''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Chris Gordon''' - Legal analyst/reporter; ''LawScope'' host
- '''Steve Handelsman''' - General assignment reporter; national correspondent
- '''Megan McGrath''' - General assignment reporter (daughter of WTTG's Patrick McGrath)
- '''Tom Sherwood''' - Political reporter
- '''Darcy Spencer''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Kimberly Suiters''' - General assignment reporter; fill-in anchor
- '''Derrick Ward''' - General assignment reporter
- '''Jane Watrel''' - General assignment reporter; national correspondent
- '''Tracee Wilkins''' - General assignment reporter

Meteorologists

- '''Chuck Bell''' (AMS) - Fill-in meteorologist
- '''Veronica Johnson''' (AMS) - Afternoon meteorologist; ''America This Week'' host
- '''Tom Kierein''' (AMS) - Morning meteorologist
- '''Bob Ryan (meteorologist)|Bob Ryan''' (AMS Certified) - Chief late-afternoon & evening meteorologist
- '''Steve Villanueva''' (AMS) - Weekend meteorologist

Sports reporters

- '''Lindsay Czarniak''' - Sports director/anchor/reporter; former ''The George Michael Sports Machine|Sports Machine'' co-host
- '''Hakem Dermish''' - Weekend sports anchor/reporter; weekday fill-in anchor
- '''Dan Hellie''' - Sports anchor/reporter; ''Hellie Pad'' host

Former personalities

- Clay Anderson - Meteorologist (1999-2006; now with Potomac Electric Power Company|PEPCO)
- Paul Anthony - Weekend weather anchor (1972-1979; now on WETA-TV)
- Mil Arcega - Weekend morning anchor/reporter (1998-2004)
- Jess Atkinson - Sports anchor/reporter (1990-1996; last seen on WUSA-TV)
- Morgan Beatty - Newscaster (1950s)
- Neil Boggs - Anchor (1967-1972)
- Shannon Bream - Weekend evening anchor/reporter (2004-2007; now a Washington, D.C.-based reporter at Fox News Channel)
- Andrea Brody - Sports reporter; ''The George Michael Sports Machine|Sports Machine'' correspondent (2002-2007)
- Campbell Brown - Reporter (1993-1996; formerly with NBC News; now with CNN)
- Wally Bruckner - Sports anchor/reporter (1990-2006) Washingtonpost.com Article of Wally Bruckner exit from WRC-TV
- John Buren - Sports anchor/reporter (1977-1978)
- Kelly Burke - Reporter; ''Wednesday's Child'' host (1976-1987)
- Cheryl Butler - Reporter (2005-2008)
- Arch Campbell - Entertainment reporter (1974-2006; now at WJLA in same position)
- Darrian Chapman - Sports reporter (1995-2000; deceased)
- Nick Charles - Sports anchor/reporter (1976-1979; also at WJZ-TV Baltimore; 1st CNN sports anchor; now at Showtime)
- Scott Clark - Sports anchor (1980s; now with WABC-TV New York)
- John Cochran - Reporter (early 1970s; now Capitol Hill correspondent at ABC News)
- Richard L. Coe - Entertainment critic prior to Arch Campbell (1960s-1974; deceased)
- Katie Couric - General assignment reporter (1987-1989; former NBC Today (NBC program)|Today show co-host; now anchoring the CBS Evening News)
- Dan Daniels - Sports commentator (late 60s/early 70s)
- Steve Doocy - Features reporter (1983-1989; now ''Fox & Friends'' co-host at FOX News Channel)
- Tony Dorsey - General assignment reporter (1998-2006; now a spokesman for the Washington, D.C. Department of Fire and EMS services)
- Peter Ford - News anchor (1977-1990)
- Frank Forrester - Weatherman (1960s)
- Andy Fox - reporter (1981-1986; now at WAVY-TV in Portsmouth, Virginia)
- Robert Hager - Reporter (1960-1965; formerly an NBC News correspondent)
- Mike Hambrick - Anchor (1981-1985; now with the National Association of Manufacturers)
- Richard C. Harkness - News reporter/anchor (1940s-1960s)
- Jim Hartz - Anchor (1976-1979)
- I.J. Hudson - Technology reporter (1985-2007)
- Andrew Humphrey - Meteorologist (1995-1998; now at WDIV-TV in Detroit)
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault - Reporter (1967-1968; now with National Public Radio|NPR)
- Debbi Jarvis - Anchor/reporter (1994-2003; now at Potomac Electric Power Company|PEPCO)
- Dave Jones - Meteorologist (1991-2001)
- Susan Kidd - Anchor (1983-2006)
- Bob Kur - Reporter (1973-1976; was with WTWP|Washington Post Radio until its September 2007 demise; now at WTOP radio)
- Marty Levin - Anchor/reporter (1980-1982; now at KNSD-TV|KNSD in San Diego)
- Shari Macias - Reporter (1994-2001)
- Cassie Mackin|Catherine "Cassie" Mackin - Anchor/reporter (1969-1972; deceased)
- Suzanne Malveaux - Reporter (1996-1999; now White House correspondent at CNN)
- Dave Marash - Anchor/reporter (1985-1989; now at Al Jazeera's English language service)
- Bob McBride - Anchor/reporter (1982-1986)
- Robert McCormick - Reporter/commentator (1960s; deceased)
- Doug McKelway - Anchor/reporter (1992-2002; now at WJLA-TV/News Channel 8; second stint at that station)
- George Michael (sportscaster)|George Michael - Sports anchor/reporter; former host of ''The George Michael Sports Machine ''(1980-March 25, 2007)
- Jeff Napshin - General assignment reporter (2004-2006; now at WUSA-TV)
- Angela Owens - Reporter (1981-1984; now in public relations for WRC)
- Bryson Rash - Original anchor (June 27, 1947-1960s; President of National Press Club (USA)|National Press Club in 1963; news director when WRC won a Peabody Award for its Home Rule coverage in 1973)
- Glenn Rinker - Anchor (1969-1976; deceased)
- Max Robinson - reporter (1967-1968; deceased)
- Charlie Rose - Talk show host (1981-1984)
- Tim Russert - Frequent correspondent from ''Meet the Press; deceased''
- Mary Alice Salinas - Anchor/reporter (1995-2005)
- Willard Scott - NBC page (1950; Bozo the Clown from 1959-1962; meteorologist (1968-1980); now at NBC's Today (NBC program)|Today Show)
- Dave "The Mouth" Sheehan - Sports anchor prior to George Michael (1975-1980)
- Maurice Siegel - Sports commentator (late 60s/early 70s; deceased)
- Sue Simmons - Anchor/reporter (1976-1980; now at WNBC-TV in New York)
- Carole Simpson - Reporter/public affairs host (1977-1982)
- Jim Simpson (sportscaster)|Jim Simpson - Sports reporter (1960s)
- Jill Sorenson - Sports reporter (2000-2004; moved to WTTG; now a ''SportsNite'' anchor/reporter at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic)
- Joel A. Spivak - Anchor (1987-1988)
- Greg Starddard - General assignment reporter (2003-2005)
- Tippy Stringer - "Weather girl" (mid 1950s; later married NBC news anchor Chet Huntley of Huntley-Brinkley fame)
- Henry Tenenbaum - Anchor (1981-1987; formerly of WUSA-TV; later moved to WJLA; now at KRON-TV|KRON in San Francisco)
- Fred Thomas - Anchor/reporter (1975-1987)
- Lea Thompson - Anchor/reporter (1985-1992; now a correspondent on Dateline NBC)
- Kathy Vara - Reporter (1992-1994; now at KABC-TV in Los Angeles)
- Linda Vester - Reporter (1992-1993; formerly with Fox News Channel)
- Don Williams - Reporter (1989-1990)
- Chikage Windler - Meteorologist (1998-2003; now at KSTP-TV (ABC) in Minneapolis, MN)
- Vernon Womble - (1968-1970)

Former producers

- Brenda Mallory - News4 at 5; now owns consulting firm
- Faith Murphy - Former Web producer of NBC4.com; launched local msnbc.com site (1996)

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

- ''Review of the News'' (1947-1952)
- ''Texaco Headlines'' (1952-1962)
- ''Big City News'' (1962-1966)
- ''News 4'' (1966-1975)
- ''The NewsCenter'' (1975-1977)
- ''NewsCenter 4'' (1977-1982)
- ''Channel 4 News'' (1982-1987)
- ''News 4'' (1987-present)

Newscast music

- ''Theme from Shaft'', Stanley Black (1975-1977)
- ''NBC TV-Radio Newspulse'', Fred Weinberg Productions (1977-1980)
- ''My Mood'', MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) (1980-present; used as a Friday Night 6 p.m. close)
- ''NewsCenter Theme'', Michael Randall Music (1980-1983)
- ''NewsCenter II Theme'', Michael Randall Music (1983-1986)
- ''WRC 1986 News Theme'', Unknown (1986-1987)
- ''WRC News Package'', Music Oasis (1987-1989)
- ''We Work Well Together'', Music Oasis (1989-1992)
- ''WRC - Working 4 You'', Unknown (1993-1997)
- ''Working For You'', 615 Music (1997-Present)
- ''The Tower (V.1, V.2, V.3) W/ Working For You Signature'', 615 Music (2002-2008)
- ''The NBC Collection'', Gari Communications (2008-Present)