New branding for Channel 42 in Birmingham

[Charles35080]

Goodbye, CBS-42. Hello, WIAT-42. The station debuted the new branding earlier this week, along with new graphics and logo, a new set for their newscasts and new music. In all honesty, I don't know why they changed. IMHO, the new set is awful, and it's been rather funny listening to anchors and reporters trying to say "WIAT". Let's face it, it doesn't exactly roll off the tip of your tongue.

 

[Mike Stroud]

Maybe something to do with their 50th anniversary coming up next year? WBMG first hit the air in October '65, remember.

 

[Charles35080]

I wonder if it has something to do with Media General buying out Channel 42's current owner, LIN. Remember, MG already owns WVTM-13 (NBC), and in fact, owned WIAT until MG purchased Channel 13 and three other NBC O & O's. Could it be that MG would rather keep WVTM, but also wants to keep the CBS affiliation in Birmingham? Is it a pipe dream, or could CBS be returning to Channel 13? Channel 13 was the primary CBS station in Birmingham from '49 until '54, and was a split CBS/NBC affiliate from '61 until '70.

 

[Richdogg]

I like the new branding, they all sound so cookie cutter with their network affiliation followed by their channel; Fox 6, NBC 13, CW 21. I like the throwback branding.

 

[passtheword]

I still refer to the local TV stations with the word "Channel" in front of the frequency (ie. Channel 6, Channel 13, etc etc). My kids all refer to the stations' newfangled "network-frequency" name combinations. I guess referencing the stations with "Channel" makes me old. I'm now trying to determine if what I just said (my being old) is funny...or not...

 

[Charles35080]

I must be old, too, because to me, it's still Channel 6, 13, 21, etc. I even did that when I had cable, knowing that WBRC was on 7, WVTM was on 5, etc. My real conundrum was how to refer to the Channel That James Spann Built.