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WRTV |
| WRTV | |
|---|---|
  |
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| Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| Branding | RTV6 (general) 6 News (newscasts) |
| Slogan | On Your Side |
| Channels | Analog: 6 (VHF) |
| Affiliations | ABC |
| Owner | McGraw-Hill (McGraw-Hill Broadcasting Company, Inc.) |
| First air date | May 30, 1949 |
| Former callsigns | WFBM-TV (1949-1972) |
| Former affiliations | Primary: CBS (1949-1956) NBC (1956-1979) Secondary: DuMont (1949-1955)[1] ABC (1954-1956) |
| Transmitter Power | 100 kW (analog) 898 kW (digital) |
| Height | 279 m (analog) 294 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 40877 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | www.theindychannel.com |
WRTV, channel 6, is the ABC television affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its transmitter is located in Indianapolis.
The station's audio signal can be heard on 87.7 MHz on the FM dial in much of central Indiana. This is because the audio signal of channel 6 is located at 87.75 MHz. This frequency assignment applies to all channel 6 television stations in countries using the NTSC-M standard. However, this service will no longer be available after the full switch to digital in February 2009.
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The station signed on the air on May 30, 1949 under the call sign WFBM-TV with a documentary entitled Crucible of Speed covering the history of the Indianapolis 500, followed by the inaugural live television broadcast of the event. It is Indiana's oldest television station. It was owned by Consolidated Television and Radio Broadcasters along with WFBM-AM 1260 (now WNDE).
It was originally a CBS affiliate with secondary ABC and DuMont affiliations. When WTTV signed on a few months later, WFBM shared ABC programming until 1954, when WISH-TV signed on and took over the ABC affiliation. In 1956, WFBM took the NBC affiliation from WTTV.
Consolidated merged with Time-Life in 1957. As part of an FCC-mandated sale, WFBM-TV was sold to McGraw-Hill in 1972 along with sister station KLZ-TV (now KMGH-TV) in Denver, Colorado, KOGO-TV (now KGTV) in San Diego and KERO-TV in Bakersfield, California. At that time, the station assumed its current calls, WRTV. In 1979, WRTV traded affiliations with WTHR and became an ABC affiliate. NBC was the lowest rated network in the late 1970s while ABC rose to the ranks of the highest rated network that same time and was seeking out stronger local stations in many markets, thus motivating this affiliation switch in Indianapolis. WRTV is one of the few stations in the country to have been a primary affiliate of all three original networks.
The station's digital channel is multiplexed. After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009, WRTV will continue digital broadcasts on its current pre-transition channel number, 25. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WRTV's virtual channel as 6.
| Virtual Channel |
Physical RF Channel |
Video | Aspect | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | 25.1 | 720p | 16:9 | Main WRTV-TV programming / ABC HD |
| 6.2 | 25.2 | 480i | 4:3 | 6News 24/7 / 24-hour news, weather, and sports updates |
WRTV has been a leader in adding innovation to Indiana broadcasting. Some of WRTV's innovations over the years, have included the first station in the state to broadcast in color, the first use of videotape, the first to use news mini-cams, the first use of microwave (a [pre-runner to satellite) (Insta-Cam), the first satellite truck (NewStar 6), the first cable news on NewsChannel 64 (now 6 News 24/7), the first use of non-linear digital editing, the first use of digital news cameras, the first entry into web publishing (TheIndyChannel.com), and the first into cellphone delivery of news (6NewsOnTheGo) and VODcasting.
RTV6 has lagged in the ratings behind WTHR and WISH in the market. This has gone on since the mid 90's.
On September 10, 2007, the same day the new anchor team of Todd Wallace and Trisha Shepherd debuted, WRTV launched a 7 PM newscast, a first for the Indianapolis market (and the second in Indiana). Station Vice President and General Manager Don Lundy attributes the decision to "longer commutes and longer work days" that prevent viewers from being home by 5 or 6. 6 NEWS First @ 5, the first five o'clock newscast launched in 1988 remains @ 5 PM. The syndicated EXTRA airs @ 5:30 PM followed by 6 NEWS @ 6 PM, then followed up by World News with Charles Gibson @ 6:30 PM and the new 6 NEWS @ 7 PM.
WRTV continues to air the entire ABC network schedule, although the station has no weekend morning local newscasts.
On October 12, 2008, WRTV-TV became the third station in Indiana (and Indianapolis) to broadcast their newscasts in high definition. In the 6pm weekend newscast, the station unveiled a number of new aspects to their newscasts. Featuring all new graphics, an updated news set, all new opens and rejoins. As well as updated music from the ABC O&O news music package, and an updated logo for all newscasts. The new graphics are brighter and much more vibrant. Featuring shades of bright yellow and blue.citation needed
When WBAK in Terre Haute (now WFXW) left ABC for Fox, WRTV became the default ABC station for the Indiana side of the market. It is viewable in Terre Haute with a rooftop antenna and is carried by all cable systems on the Indiana side of the Terre Haute market. For the Illinois counties in the Terre Haute television market, many systems offer WICD from Champaign, Illinois or WEHT from Evansville, Indiana.
Weather:
Sports:
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (June 2008) |
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