The channel's latest videos
Load more

16 WAPT News - description, review, rating

With its first broadcast in October 1970, WAPT became Jackson's first ABC affiliate. Today, the station features four daily newscasts and boasts the backing of Hearst- Television. Syndicated programming on WAPT includes Wheel of Fortune, Judge Judy, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, among others. Jeopardy!, which is usually paired with Wheel of Fortune in most markets, airs instead on NBC affiliate WLBT; Jackson is one of the few markets where Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are carried on separate stations.
In 1971, WAPT started broadcasting local news, weather, and sports Monday through Friday evenings following the ABC Evening News. The broadcast, which aired at 5:30 p.m., was called The Case-Jefferies Report. A 10:00 p.m. news broadcast was later added. This was later moved to 10:30 when the station began broadcasting the syndicated comedies Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and Forever Fernwood at 10 instead, as an attempt to counter-program the newscasts on WLBT and WJTV, whose ratings were well ahead of WAPT at the time. Other syndicated programming, such as The Addams Family, Hee Haw Honeys, and The Andy Griffith Show filled that time slot following the cancellations of the comedies set in Fernwood.
In 1972, the station began a series of horror movies airing on Saturday evenings. These were hosted by "Scartisha", a female character whose true identity remains a mystery to this day. In 1973, the station's sports anchor, Dick Thames, was killed in a plane crash as he was preparing a news story.

16 WAPT News online - Television live