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Information About

Wwmt





| Information

  Call Letters WWMT
  Station Logo
  Station Slogan Where News Comes First
  Station Branding ''News3''
  Analog 3 ( VHF )
  Digital 2 (VHF)
  Affiliations CBS , '' The CW (WWMT-DT2, beginning fall 2006)''
  Founded June 1 , 1950
  Location Kalamazoo, Michigan / Grand Rapids, Michigan
  Callsign Meaning '''W'''e're '''W'''est '''M'''ichigan '''T'''elevision
  Owner Freedom Communications
  Former Affiliations NBC (1950-60)<br> ABC (1950-62)
  Homepage wwwwwmtcom


WWMT (Channel 3; digital channel 2) is the CBS television affiliate for West Michigan . Licensed to Kalamazoo , where its studios are located, it is owned by Freedom Communications . WWMT also is the main operations center for its sister station, ABC affiliate WLAJ in Lansing


HISTORY

WWMT debuted on June 1 , 1950 , as WKZO-TV. It is West Michigan 's second-oldest television station, and was owned by broadcasting pioneer John Fetzer along with WKZO-AM 590, which he had launched in 1931.

WKZO initially had reception problems due to the presence of WTMJ-TV across Lake Michigan in Milwaukee . In 1953, WTMJ moved to channel 4. In 1956, WKZO-AM-FM-TV moved to an old car dealership on West Maple Avenue in Kalamazoo, which has been the station's home ever since.

Channel 3 has been a CBS station from the very beginning, but initially had secondary affiliations with NBC and ABC . However, in 1960 Fetzer built a new 1100-foot Transmitter near Gun Lake. The new tower added Grand Rapids to its city-grade coverage and turned West Michigan into a single television market. WKZO then shared ABC with Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV until WZZM-TV signed on in 1962.

Until it was dethroned by WZZM in the late 1970s , WKZO was West Michigan's top television station. In 1985, Fetzer retired and sold off his vast broadcasting empire. WKZO-TV went to Busse Broadcasting, who changed the call letters to WWMT (standing for "We're West '''M'''ichigan '''T'''elevision"). For a time in the mid- 1990s , even though most of its fellow CBS affiliates were, and still are, in third place or worse, WWMT was number one. Freedom Communications purchased WWMT in 1998 from Granite Broadcasting along with sister station WLAJ .

In the Fall of 2006 its DT2 subcarrier will start airing programming from The CW Television Network .


NEWS


Newscasts

  • Monday-Friday: 6:00–8:00am, during The Early Show , noon, 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 11:00pm.

  • Saturday: 6:00pm, 11:00pm.

  • Sunday: 6:30pm, 11:00pm.



Partners



Slogans

  • "Where News Comes First" (current)

  • "Channel 3 & You" (1987-1994)

  • "We're West Michigan Television," "Hello West Michigan" (1985)

  • "We're the ones to see." (1970s)



Sports

''Hi-Lite Nite'' is the weekly Friday night high school football program.


MAJOR PERSONALITIES

  • Ed Kengerski is the sports director.

  • Judy Markee anchors the news at 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 11:00pm.

  • Jeff McAtee anchors the news at 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 11:00pm. He joined the station in July 2005.

  • Keith Thompson is the chief meteorologist.



OWNERSHIP

Founded by John Fetzer in 1950.


REFERENCES



EXTERNAL LINKS