Rare photos taken in the WDBJ studios in
Roanoke VA, plus a photo of the WDBJ studio
just after
it was built. Also, wrestling host Hal Grant doing the weather at WDBJ.
A TV Guide clipping from January
1964, showing All-Star Wrestling in it's familiar time slot of 5
PM. Notice the designation of Roanoke VA, something rare in the TV guide
listings.
A clipping from the 8/26/60 Danville VA
newspaper that promotes an appearance by WDBJ's Hal Grant. it is the
earliest reference to wrestling on channel 7 we have found so far.
Special thanks to Thom Brewer, Mike Weddle, Sandra Scott, and Carroll
Hall at
WrestlingMemories.com for their
assistance with this feature.
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STATION HISTORY
Television on channel 7 began in 1950, when
Times World and the Polan Bros. of Huntington both applied for channel
7. Soon, the Polan Bros. instead filed a competing application for
channel 10. The first station in the Roanoke valley, WROV-TV, went dark
after only three months. Radio Roanoke (owner of WROV-AM 1240 and WROV-FM
103.7) filed a competing application for channel 7. Eventually, it was
resolved with an agreement that Times World (owner of WDBJ-AM 960 and
WDBJ-FM 94.9) would buy the UHF equipment of the now-dark WROV-TV, and
in exchange Radio Roanoke would withdraw their application.
October 3, 1955: WDBJ-7 signed on
from Mill Mountain with studios in the Mountain Trust Bank Building.
1956: WDBJ-7 moved to studios in the
Times World building.
1957: WDBJ-7 moved to a transmitter
on Poor Mountain.
1961: WDBJ-7 moved to studios on
Colonial Avenue.
1969: WDBJ-7 was purchased by Schurz
Communications of South Bend.
April 20, 2002: WDBJ-7 moved to
studios in its new "Digital Broadcast Center" on Hershburger Road.
April 30, 2002: WDBJ-DT signed on
with a full-powered signal, 12 hours per day. From day one, WDBJ has
been a leader in digital television.
2003: WDBJ-DT began running a
24-hour schedule.
2004: WDBJ became the first in the
market to invest in high-definition recording equipment. This allows
them to air a selection of movies from Paramount in high-definition.
CREDIT:
RABBIT EARS INFO
STUDIO
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