WDSU

WDSU is a television station in New Orleans, Louisiana, affiliated with NBC and owned by Hearst Television. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 6 and operates from studios on Howard Avenue in New Orleans's Central Business District, while its primary transmission facilities are located in Chalmette, Louisiana. Its service area centers on the New Orleans market and includes communities across southeastern Louisiana and the nearby Gulf Coast. WDSU began broadcasting on December 18, 1948, becoming the first television station in Louisiana, the first in New Orleans, the first on the Gulf Coast, and one of the earliest stations in the United States. It was established by New Orleans businessman Edgar B. Stern Jr., who had acquired the WDSU radio stations and inherited the television construction permit associated with that purchase. The television station adopted the radio operation's long-standing relationship with NBC and has remained a primary NBC affiliate throughout its history. During its early years, WDSU carried selected programming from CBS, ABC, and the DuMont Television Network in addition to NBC material. As competing stations entered the New Orleans market and network affiliations became more structured, WDSU gradually became an exclusive NBC outlet. The station developed an unusually strong local identity through news, public-affairs programming, live coverage of Mardi Gras and the Sugar Bowl, statewide election reporting, and early hurricane coverage. Its technical initiatives included color broadcasting in 1955, a mobile news unit, an early Doppler weather radar system, and an international relay of NBC's Today program from Bimini. WDSU was a major New Orleans ratings leader for more than two decades. Its studios moved from the Hibernia Bank Building to the Brulatour Mansion in the French Quarter in 1950, and later to the Howard Avenue facility opened in 1996. The station's local programming also helped launch the broadcasting career of Dick Van Dyke, who worked on-air in several roles during the 1950s. Ownership changed several times: Royal Street Corporation merged with Cosmos Broadcasting in 1972; Cosmos sold the station to Pulitzer in 1989; and Pulitzer's television division was acquired by Hearst-Argyle Television in 1999. Hearst-Argyle later became Hearst Television. WDSU's news operation remains central to its brand. The station produces local morning, daytime, evening, and weekend newscasts and maintains severe-weather and hurricane coverage capabilities. It also has a content relationship with Cumulus Media radio stations in the New Orleans area, allowing broadcast audio to be shared during major storms. WDSU's news audience historically ranked first in the market, although WWL-TV became the dominant New Orleans station in the 1980s and WVUE later became a significant competitor. WDSU has nevertheless continued to compete through local reporting, weather information, breaking-news coverage, and NBC network programming. Hurricane response has been a defining part of the station's modern history. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, WDSU moved its operations to sister station WAPT in Jackson, Mississippi, while some programming and weather resources also came from WESH in Orlando. The New Orleans facility largely survived, but the station's analog and digital transmitters were destroyed. WDSU used temporary arrangements involving WPXL-TV and other partner facilities, restored reduced-power analog service in October 2005, restored digital service in 2007, and completed replacement of its transmitter building with a more elevated, hurricane-resistant structure in 2008. During Hurricane Gustav in 2008, WDSU provided five consecutive days of continuous coverage, with assistance from Hearst stations and distribution through DirecTV, C-SPAN2, radio partners, and online streaming. The station generally clears the full NBC schedule, with exceptions when extended local coverage displaces regular programming.…

WDSU's history began with New Orleans radio entrepreneur Edgar B. Stern Jr., who acquired the WDSU radio stations and inherited a permit to establish a television service. WDSU-TV signed on December 18, 1948, making it Louisiana's first television station and one of the earliest stations in the country. Its NBC relationship grew out of WDSU radio's affiliation with the NBC Radio Network. In its first years, the station also carried selected programs from CBS, ABC, and DuMont, reflecting the less rigid network structure of early American television. DuMont programming ended after that network ceased operations in 1956, while the arrival and development of competing New Orleans stations eventually left WDSU as an exclusively NBC-affiliated outlet. The station's original facilities were in the Hibernia Bank Building, then New Orleans's tallest building. In April 1950, the WDSU operations moved to the Brulatour Mansion on Royal Street in the French Quarter, with nearby buildings adapted for production. The transmitter remained at the Hibernia site until 1955, when it moved to a tower in Chalmette. WDSU introduced color programming in 1955 and built a reputation for technical experimentation and live production. It originated early broadcasts of the Sugar Bowl and Mardi Gras, developed extensive hurricane coverage, pioneered statewide election broadcasts in its market, and operated an early mobile newsgathering unit. It also relayed a Today broadcast from Bimini to the United States using a high-powered transmitter constructed by station engineers under special authorization. Local programming was an important part of WDSU's identity. Dick Van Dyke worked at the station in the 1950s as a comedian, announcer, host, and contributor to its noon programming. Other notable local programs included Midday, the movie showcase 3:00 Money Movie, and the character-based science and comedy program Morgus the Magnificent. WDSU remained New Orleans's ratings leader for more than twenty-five years, with its local news operation receiving recognition as an early innovator. In January 1972, the Royal Street Corporation merged with Cosmos Broadcasting in a transaction valued at $17 million. Cosmos sold the associated radio stations to comply with ownership restrictions and placed greater emphasis on WDSU's established news operation. By the early 1980s, WWL-TV had overtaken WDSU as the market's overall ratings leader, while WVUE later became another strong competitor. WDSU continued to invest in technology and production, including construction of the first functioning television studio at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and conversion to stereo NBC programming in 1986. Cosmos sold WDSU to Pulitzer in 1989. The station dropped the television suffix from its call sign in 1993 and moved into its current Howard Avenue facility in March 1996. During the 1990s it became the first New Orleans station to operate its own Doppler weather radar system, branded Super Doppler 6000. Pulitzer sold its television division to Hearst-Argyle Television in 1999 for $1.8 billion; Hearst-Argyle subsequently became Hearst Television. Hurricane Katrina severely disrupted WDSU's technical infrastructure in 2005. Although the Howard Avenue building sustained relatively limited damage, both analog and digital transmitters were destroyed. Staff relocated to WAPT in Jackson, Mississippi, with additional support from WESH in Orlando. WDSU temporarily used other stations' facilities, restored reduced-power analog broadcasting in October 2005, restored its digital service in 2007, and completed a strengthened transmitter building in 2008. Later that year, the station mounted a five-day multiplatform response to Hurricane Gustav, supported by Hearst sister stations, radio partners, satellite distribution, and online streaming. Since 2009, WDSU has generally used its call sign as its primary verbal brand while retaining the channel 6 visual identity. The NBC peacock was incorporated into the station logo in 2015. Today, WDSU remains an active NBC affiliate whose principal differentiators are local journalism, weather coverage, emergency communications, community reporting, and access to NBC network entertainment and sports.

1. 2015NBC peacock added to station branding

   The NBC peacock is added to WDSU's channel 6 logo.

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2. 2008Hurricane-resistant transmitter facilities completed

   WDSU completes a replacement transmitter building designed to better withstand hurricanes and restores full-power service.

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3. 2005Katrina transmission disruption

   Hurricane Katrina destroys WDSU's analog and digital transmission systems, prompting temporary production and signal-sharing arrangements.

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4. 1999Hearst acquires Pulitzer television properties

   Hearst-Argyle Television acquires Pulitzer's television division, including WDSU.

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5. 1996Howard Avenue facility opens

   WDSU relocates to its current studio complex on Howard Avenue in downtown New Orleans.

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6. 1989Pulitzer acquisition

   Cosmos sells WDSU to Pulitzer.

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7. 1986Stereo NBC broadcasting

   WDSU becomes the first NBC affiliate in Louisiana to transmit network programming in stereo.

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8. 1984World's Fair studio

   WDSU builds the first working television studio at the New Orleans World's Fair for live broadcasts from the event.

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9. 1972Royal Street merges with Cosmos Broadcasting

   The station's owner joins Cosmos Broadcasting in a transaction reported at $17 million, after which the associated radio properties are divested.

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10. 1955Color broadcasting and Chalmette transmission site

    WDSU becomes the first New Orleans-market station to broadcast in color, while its transmitter moves from the Hibernia Bank Building to a tower in Chalmette.

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11. 1950Operations move to the Brulatour Mansion

    The station moves its radio and television operations to the historic Brulatour Mansion and nearby production buildings in the French Quarter.

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12. 1948WDSU-TV signs on

    WDSU begins broadcasting from New Orleans on December 18 as Louisiana's first television station and a primary NBC affiliate.

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A legacy local-news and emergency-information broadcaster serving New Orleans, combining NBC network content with strong regional reporting, weather expertise, and major-event coverage.

• WDSU NewsLocal television news1948

  WDSU's locally produced news service includes morning, daytime, evening, and weekend newscasts. Coverage focuses on New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, with recurring emphasis on public safety, politics, transportation, community affairs, and breaking news. The operation is particularly associated with severe-weather and hurricane reporting, supported by regional journalists, meteorologists, digital publishing, and radio and television distribution partners.

• NBC programmingNetwork television1948

  As an NBC affiliate, WDSU carries the network's regular programming schedule, including news, entertainment, sports, and special events. The station generally clears the full NBC lineup, though extended local breaking-news or severe-weather coverage can alter the schedule.

• Weather and emergency broadcastingWeather information

  Weather coverage is a core WDSU offering. The station pioneered extensive local hurricane reporting, operated an early market Doppler radar system branded Super Doppler 6000, and continues to provide forecasts, warnings, live storm coverage, evacuation information, and post-storm reporting across broadcast and digital platforms.

• Sports and special-event broadcastsSports broadcasting1948

  WDSU has carried major New Orleans sports and special events through NBC-related rights arrangements. Its history includes local coverage of Super Bowls hosted in New Orleans and selected New Orleans Saints games. The station also carries qualifying local sports programming when network or corporate distribution arrangements permit.

• 2008Hurricane Gustav continuous coverage

  New Orleans · Southeastern Louisiana · National satellite audience

  WDSU produced five consecutive days of live coverage of Gustav, supported by Hearst personnel in multiple locations and distribution through DirecTV, radio partners, online streaming, and other broadcasters.

  Outcome. The coverage extended WDSU's regional emergency-information role across television, radio, satellite, and digital platforms.

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• 2005Hurricane Katrina emergency coverage

  New Orleans · Jackson, Mississippi · Gulf Coast

  WDSU evacuated its New Orleans facility before Katrina and shifted active production to WAPT in Jackson. The station combined WDSU and sister-station personnel, used temporary transmission arrangements, and continued reporting on the storm and recovery despite the loss of its transmitters.

  Outcome. Broadcasting was restored in stages, followed by reconstruction and hardening of the transmitter infrastructure.

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• 2018End of Maury carriageOther

  WDSU had carried the syndicated Maury program from its 1991 premiere for approximately 27 years.

  What changed. The station removed Maury from its schedule in September 2018 when it introduced a noon newscast.

  Aftermath. The program moved to WNOL-TV in the New Orleans market.

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• 2005Emergency relocation after Hurricane KatrinaStrategy

  The approach of Katrina made continued operation from New Orleans unsafe, and the station's transmission infrastructure was subsequently destroyed.

  What changed. WDSU moved production to WAPT in Jackson, used support from WESH and other partners, and arranged temporary signal distribution through other stations.

  Aftermath. Analog service returned at reduced power in October 2005, digital service was restored in 2007, and a hardened transmitter facility was completed in 2008.

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• 1957Move to an exclusive NBC affiliationStrategy

  As competing New Orleans stations established full-time CBS and ABC affiliations, WDSU's earlier practice of selecting programs from multiple networks became less relevant.

  What changed. WDSU discontinued its remaining CBS and ABC programming and operated exclusively as an NBC affiliate.

  Aftermath. The station has maintained its primary NBC affiliation since launch.

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• 2011WDSU wins key local-news demographic ratings

  WDSU reported wins in important advertising demographics during the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. news periods, representing a notable improvement in its long-running competition with WWL-TV and WVUE.

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• 2008WDSU provides extended Hurricane Gustav coverage

  WDSU delivered continuous coverage of Hurricane Gustav's approach, landfall, and aftermath for five days, using resources from Hearst stations and distribution through television, radio, satellite, and online channels.

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• 2008WDSU marks six decades on air

  The station commemorated its sixtieth anniversary of broadcasting on December 18, 2008.

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• 2005WDSU moves operations during Hurricane Katrina

  The station relocated its active broadcasting operation to sister station WAPT in Jackson, Mississippi, after evacuating its New Orleans studios ahead of Katrina. Its transmission facilities were destroyed, leading to temporary signal and production arrangements.

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• 1948WDSU begins broadcasting as Louisiana's first television station

  WDSU signed on in New Orleans on December 18, becoming the first television station in Louisiana and an early pioneer of Gulf Coast broadcasting.

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1. WDSU
2. WDSU official website