WREG-TV

WREG-TV, branded as News Channel 3, is a television station serving Memphis, Tennessee, and nearby communities in the Mid-South. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 3 and is affiliated with CBS. Its operations include local news, weather, sports, public-affairs programming, syndicated and network content, digital video, and an Antenna TV digital subchannel. The station began broadcasting on January 1, 1956, as WREC-TV, with regular programming beginning the next day. It was established by Hoyt Wooten, a Memphis electrical engineer and radio dealer who had founded WREC radio in 1922. The original call letters reflected the Wooten Radio-Electric Company. WREC-TV inherited the CBS affiliation held by WHBQ-TV, while WREC radio had already been associated with CBS for many years. The station initially operated from studios inside Memphis's Peabody Hotel, a prominent downtown landmark. WREC-TV was locally owned during its early years. In 1963, Wooten sold the WREC radio and television properties to Cowles Communications. Cowles later sold the television station to The New York Times Company in 1971. Under Times ownership, the station expanded its facilities and moved away from the Peabody Hotel. On March 2, 1975, it moved into a purpose-built facility on Channel 3 Drive, on a high point overlooking the Mississippi River, and adopted the slightly modified WREG-TV call sign. The station changed corporate ownership several times in the twenty-first century. The New York Times Company announced the sale of its television stations in 2006, and WREG became part of Local TV in 2007. Tribune Broadcasting acquired Local TV's stations in 2013. Tribune was subsequently acquired by Nexstar Media Group in 2019. WREG remains part of Nexstar's national portfolio of local television stations. Nexstar's ownership structure in Memphis has also involved regulatory and divestiture issues because of its interests in other local stations. Local news is central to WREG's identity. The station produces extensive weekday and weekend newscasts and has developed programs including Live at 9, Informed Sources, News Channel 3 Knowledge Bowl, and Mid-South Outdoors, later known as News Channel 3 Outdoors. WREG converted its local news production to high definition in June 2011 and introduced a large integrated newsroom-and-studio set known as the newsplex later that year. WREG has historically been notable for its extensive film programming. From the 1960s through the late 1980s, it promoted a large feature-film library and used themed programming blocks such as Godzilla Week and John Wayne Week. The station gradually reduced its movie inventory as cable television, videocassette recorders, and additional local competitors changed the television market. In 2011, WREG became a charter affiliate of Antenna TV on a digital subchannel. Its main digital signal uses virtual channel 3 after the 2009 transition from analog broadcasting. Today, WREG's positioning combines CBS network programming with locally produced news and information for Memphis and the surrounding area. Its studios are located on Channel 3 Drive near the Mississippi River, while its transmitter is near Bartlett, Tennessee.

WREG-TV traces its history to the Memphis radio operation founded by Hoyt Wooten. Wooten, an electrical engineer and radio dealer, established WREC radio in 1922 and later pursued television broadcasting. His television station, WREC-TV, signed on January 1, 1956, with regular broadcasts beginning January 2. The station's call letters referred to the Wooten Radio-Electric Company. It began as a CBS affiliate, following the longstanding CBS relationship of WREC radio, and initially operated from facilities inside the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. For its first several years, WREC-TV was the only locally owned television station in Memphis. In 1963, Wooten sold the WREC radio and television properties to Cowles Communications. Cowles later transferred WREC-TV to The New York Times Company in 1971. The acquisition represented the Times Company's expansion into television beyond its principal New York newspaper market. The station's physical identity changed substantially in the 1970s. As operations outgrew the Peabody Hotel facilities, the Times Company constructed a new studio complex on a high point beside the Mississippi River. WREC-TV left the hotel on March 2, 1975, and resumed broadcasting 45 minutes later from the new Channel 3 Drive facility. The move coincided with a modification of the call sign to WREG-TV. The station later maintained additional space at Peabody Place, near its former downtown home, but that location closed in 2011 after the shopping center ceased operations. During the 1960s, 1970s, and much of the 1980s, WREC and WREG were known for carrying a particularly large selection of feature films. The station promoted themed film blocks, including Godzilla and John Wayne programming, which became recognizable parts of its schedule. The growth of cable television, home video, and new independent competitors reduced the value of a large local film library. Like many network affiliates, WREG consequently reduced its movie programming and gave more schedule space to network, syndicated, and locally produced content. Ownership changed again in the modern era. The New York Times Company announced in 2006 that it would sell its television stations. WREG was sold in 2007 to Local TV, a holding company operated by Oak Hill Capital Partners. Tribune Broadcasting acquired Local TV in 2013, expanding the station's relationship with the Tribune station group. In 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group proposed acquiring Tribune Media. The transaction received regulatory scrutiny and was ultimately terminated after the Federal Communications Commission designated the matter for hearing; Tribune also pursued litigation over the failed transaction. Nexstar then agreed to acquire Tribune Media in 2018, completing the deal in 2019. Because Nexstar already held other Memphis television interests, the transaction required divestitures, including the sale of WATN-TV and WLMT to Tegna. WREG's present identity is built around local news. The station produces a substantial weekly schedule of local newscasts, along with weather, community affairs, and special reports. Its locally produced programs have included Live at 9, a weekday morning program with a talk-show format; Informed Sources, which examines local issues; News Channel 3 Knowledge Bowl; and Mid-South Outdoors, later called News Channel 3 Outdoors. In June 2011, WREG moved its local news output to high definition and introduced refreshed graphics and a redesigned studio. A large integrated set, referred to as the newsplex, connected the main presentation areas with newsroom space and additional live locations. WREG ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the United States digital television transition. Its digital signal uses virtual channel 3. The station added Antenna TV as a digital multicast service at that network's launch in January 2011. WREG has also historically reached viewers outside Memphis, including portions of northeastern Arkansas and western Tennessee, although the availability of CBS service in those areas changed when locally based affiliates launched. Its studios remain on Channel 3 Drive near the Mississippi River, and its transmitter is located near Bartlett, Tennessee.

1. 2019Nexstar completes Tribune acquisition

   WREG became a Nexstar Media Group station after Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tribune Media.

   Source
2. 2013Tribune Broadcasting acquires Local TV

   WREG joined Tribune Broadcasting's station portfolio.

   Source
3. 2011Antenna TV launches on a WREG subchannel

   WREG became a charter affiliate of Antenna TV.

   Source
4. 2011Local news moves to high definition

   WREG introduced high-definition local news production and a redesigned newsplex studio.

   Source
5. 2009Digital television transition

   WREG ended regular analog broadcasts and continued digitally using virtual channel 3.

   Source
6. 2007Local TV acquires the station

   WREG became part of the Local TV station group after the sale of The New York Times Company's television stations.

   Source
7. 1975Move to Channel 3 Drive

   WREC-TV left the Peabody Hotel and moved to a new Mississippi River-oriented studio complex, adopting the WREG-TV call sign.

   Source
8. 1971The New York Times Company acquires WREC-TV

   The station became part of The New York Times Company's television holdings.

   Source
9. 1963Wooten sells the station

   WREC-AM-FM-TV was sold to Cowles Communications.

   Source
10. 1956WREC-TV signs on

    The station began broadcasting in Memphis on January 1 as WREC-TV and became a CBS affiliate.

    Source
11. 1922WREC radio is founded

    Hoyt Wooten founded the WREC radio operation that later provided the television station with its call-letter heritage and CBS relationship.

    Source

A Memphis-focused broadcast news and entertainment station combining CBS affiliation, substantial local newscast output, weather coverage, public-affairs programming, and digital distribution.

• Local newsBroadcast news1956

  WREG's primary offering is locally produced television news for Memphis and the Mid-South. The schedule includes morning, daytime, early-evening, late-evening, and weekend newscasts, supported by weather reporting, breaking-news coverage, investigations, traffic information, and community features.

• Live at 9Local talk and information program

  Live at 9 is a weekday morning program presented in a talk-show style. It combines interviews, local-interest segments, lifestyle material, and news-related information within WREG's broader morning programming schedule.

• Informed SourcesPublic affairs

  Informed Sources is a public-affairs program focused on current issues affecting Memphis and the surrounding region. The format provides a forum for discussion and analysis of local matters and is scheduled primarily on weekends.

• Antenna TVDigital multicast television2011

  WREG became a charter affiliate of Antenna TV when the multicast network launched in 2011. The service uses a digital subchannel to provide additional television programming alongside WREG's main CBS service.

• CBS programmingNetwork television1956

  WREG carries CBS network programming as the network's Memphis affiliate. Its schedule is supplemented by local newscasts, public-affairs programs, syndicated content, and digital multicast services.

• 2019Integration into Nexstar Media GroupM&A

  Nexstar agreed to acquire Tribune Media after Sinclair Broadcast Group's proposed Tribune transaction collapsed amid regulatory scrutiny.

  What changed. Nexstar completed the Tribune acquisition and assumed ownership of WREG, while divesting other Memphis stations to address ownership limits.

  Aftermath. WREG became part of Nexstar's national local-broadcasting portfolio and continued operating as a Memphis CBS affiliate.

  Source
• 2011High-definition local news conversionGeneration change

  WREG sought to modernize its local-news presentation and production infrastructure as high-definition broadcasting became standard in the Memphis market.

  What changed. The station converted its local newscasts to high definition, refreshed its graphics, and introduced a redesigned newsplex studio.

  Aftermath. WREG joined the other Memphis stations offering high-definition local news, although technical difficulties affected the initial rollout.

  Source
• 2011Addition of Antenna TV digital serviceProduct launch

  Digital broadcasting enabled local stations to carry additional multicast networks alongside their primary channel.

  What changed. WREG became a charter affiliate of Antenna TV on a digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. The station expanded its programming inventory beyond its CBS-affiliated primary service.

  Source
• 2009Transition from analog to digital broadcastingStrategy

  United States television stations were required to complete the federally mandated digital television transition.

  What changed. WREG ended regular analog transmission on VHF channel 3 and continued digital service using virtual channel 3.

  Aftermath. The station continued its established channel branding while operating through a digital signal.

  Source
• 1975Move from the Peabody Hotel to Channel 3 DriveStrategy

  The station had outgrown its original downtown hotel facilities and sought a purpose-built home better suited to expanding television operations.

  What changed. WREG moved into new studios overlooking the Mississippi River and changed its call sign from WREC-TV to WREG-TV.

  Aftermath. The Channel 3 Drive facility became the station's long-term operational base and remains associated with its identity.

  Source

• 2019Nexstar completes acquisition of Tribune Media

  Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tribune Media, bringing WREG-TV into Nexstar's station group.

  M&A
  Source
• 2011WREG-TV converts local newscasts to high definition

  The station launched high-definition local news production and refreshed its studio presentation, although the transition initially involved technical problems.

  Product generationOther
  Source
• 2011WREG-TV becomes an Antenna TV charter affiliate

  WREG added Antenna TV programming on a digital subchannel when the multicast network launched.

  Product launch
  Source
• 1956WREG-TV begins broadcasting

  The Memphis station signed on as WREC-TV and began regular broadcasts the following day, taking over the local CBS affiliation.

  Other
  Source

1. WREG-TV
2. WREG-TV official website