Memphis, Tenn. TV chronology

[Ccook55]

1948
WMCT/ch. 4 (NBC primary; CBS secondary) signs on.

1952
WMCT/ch. 4 relocates to channel 5.

1953
WMCT/ch. 5 drops CBS as secondary and picks up ABC as secondary.
WHBQ/ch. 13 (CBS primary; ABC secondary) signs on.

1955
WMCT/ch. 5 drops ABC as secondary and picks up Dumont as secondary.

1956
WREC/ch. 3 (CBS) signs on.
WMCT/ch. 5 drops Dumont as secondary.
WKNO/ch. 10 (NET) signs on.
WHBQ/ch. 13 drops CBS. ABC becomes its primary.

1967
WMCT/ch. 5 changes call to WMC.

1970
WKNO/ch. 10 becomes a PBS affiliate.

1972
WMAV/ch. 18 (PBS) signs on. It is licensed to and originates from Oxford, Miss.

1971
WREC/ch. 3 changes call to WREG.

1978
WPTY/ch. 24 (independent) signs on.

1983
WMKW/ch. 30 (independent) signs on.

1987
WMKW/ch. 30 becomes a Fox affiliate.

1989
WMKW/ch. 30 changes call to WUMT.

1990
WPTY/ch. 24 becomes a Fox affiliate.
WUMT/ch. 30 reverts to independent and changes call to WLMT.

1994
WFBI/ch. 50 (Home Shopping) signs on.

1995
WHBQ/ch. 13 switches to Fox.
WPTY/ch. 24 switches to ABC with the WB as secondary.
WLMT/ch. 30 becomes a UPN affiliate.

1998
WFBI/ch. 50 becomes a Pax affiliate and changes call to WPXX.

2003
WPTY/ch. 24 drops the WB as secondary.
WLMT/ch. 30 picks up the WB as secondary.

2005
WPXX/ch. 50 becomes an "I" affiliate.

2006
WLMT/ch. 30 becomes a CW affiliate.
WPXX/ch. 50 becomes a My Network TV affiliate with Ion as secondary.

2009
The analog shutdown.
WREG/ch. 3 (28) - 3.2 - News Channel 3 Anytime; 3.3 - Antenna TV
WMC/ch. 5 (5) - 5.2 - Bounce TV; 5.3 - This TV
WKNO/ch. 10 (29) - 10.2 - PBS Encore
WHBQ/ch. 13 (13) - 13.2 - Movies!
WMAV/ch. 18 (36)
WATN/ch. 24 (25--call changed from WPTY in 2013)
WLMT/ch. 30 (31) - 30.2 - My Network TV (briefly as secondary on main channel in 2009) / Me-TV
WPXX/ch. 50 (51--dropped My Network TV in 2009; Ion became primary) - 50.2 - qubo; 50.3 - Ion Life; 50.4 - Ion Shop; 50.5 - QVC; 50.6 - HSN

 

[anotherguyTN]

Thanks again for the info!

 

[Ccook55]

Pleasure's mine.

 

[Charles35080]

There's one station in the market you left out: WBUY-40. Originally it was a home shopping channel, but now it's a TBN affiliate.

 

[briancraig]

WREC-TV did not change call letters to WREG until early 1975.

 

[Ccook55]

According to the station's history on their site, the call change did happen in 1971. And I did miss WBUY/ch. 40 (Holly Springs, Miss. city of license).

 

[anotherguyTN]

The history mentions the sale of the station to the New York Times Co., which was when the call letters were changed to WREG, as being in 1971, so it may have been closer to then. I remember the call letter change being in the early 70's but I don't remember the exact time.

 

[skipeastport]

Briancraig is absolutely right. I grew up in Memphis, TN and have an article about the call letter change published in The Commercial Appeal. Although the station was sold in 1971, the call letters weren't changed until WREC/WREG moved from their facility at The Peabody to a new purpose built studio on Channel 3 Drive, on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.

The rebranding occurred on March 2, 1975, the day the station first transmitted from their new studio. I'll email the folks at WREG and let them know their website is incorrect, though I doubt it'll do any good.

 

[skipeastport]

I don't have access to the Commercial Appeal article right now, but I found this terrific article online from RCA Broadcast News (December 1975) regarding Channel 3's move to its current location. The article is loaded with info and accompanied by lots of pictures. If you dig the history of local affiliates, this is really a detailed article. The bottom right paragraph on page 19 verifies the rebranding from WREC to WREG in March 1975, not 1971.

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RCA-Broadcast-News/RCA-157.pdf