WTBS is an American TV station, broadcast on channel 17 (DTV channel 20) in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. While officially an independent station, it simulcasts most of the programming carried by the national TBS cable network. Image File history File links Tbs-logo. ... Hotlanta redirects here. ... A brand is a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. ... Look up slogan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In broadcasting, a channel is a range of frequencies (or, equivalently, wavelengths) assigned by a government for the operation of a particular broadcast station. ... This article is about the radio frequency. ... Analog television (or analogue television) encodes television and transports the picture and sound information as an analog signal, that is, by varying the amplitude and/or frequencies of the broadcast signal. ... This article is about the radio frequency. ... Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV or DTT) is an implementation of digital technology to provide a greater number of channels and/or better quality of picture and sound using aerial broadcasts to a conventional antenna (or aerial) instead of a satellite dish or cable connection. ... An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity. ... TBS also stands for Tokyo Broadcasting System, a Japanese television network. ... Turner Broadcasting System logo The Turner Broadcasting System (often abbreviated to Turner or TBS) is the company managing the collection of cable networks and properties started by Ted Turner from the mid-1970s to the late-1990s. ... Time Warner Inc. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... See also: 1966 in television, other events of 1967, 1968 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1967-68 American network television schedule. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1976. ... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational... An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity. ... The American Broadcasting Company ( oftenly known as ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... NBC (a former acronym for National Broadcasting Company) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or ERP is determined by subtracting system losses from system gains. ... The kilowatt (symbol: kW) is a unit for measuring power, equal to one thousand watts. ... The or meter (see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... This is the list of broadcast station classes. ... Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. ... A website (alternatively, Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that is hosted on a Web server, usually accessible via the Internet or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML, that is almost always accessible via HTTP, a... The term television channel generally refers to either a television station or its cable/satellite counterpart (both outlined below). ... Digital television (DTV) is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound by means of digital signals, in contrast to analog signals used by analog (traditional) TV. DTV uses digital modulation data, which is digitally compressed and requires decoding by a specially designed television set, or a... Hotlanta redirects here. ... An independent station is a television station that is not affiliated with any network. ... Simulcast is a contraction of simultaneous broadcast, and refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium at the same time. ... TBS also stands for Tokyo Broadcasting System, a Japanese television network. ... A television network is a distribution network for television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many television stations. ...

Early history

The station commenced broadcasting on September 1, 1967, originally signing on with the callsign WJRJ. Atlanta entrepreneur John Rice, Jr. (Rice Broadcasting) launched the station on a shoestring budget, with a schedule filled with old movies and one off-network rerun: a crime drama called "Target: The Corrupters." During Rice's ownership, WJRJ ran exactly one print advertisement: a half page ad in a September 1967 TV Guide with the headline, "Yes, Atlanta, there is a channel 17." Technical snafus were the norm in the station's early months: film broke, slides appeared backwards and there were often long pauses when nothing was on screen. The station did carry a #1 show for a few weeks: Atlanta's CBS affiliate WAGA-TV ran a local movie on Wednesday night, and WJRJ stepped in to run Medical Center for a time...until it hit Nielsen's Top 10. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... See also: 1966 in television, other events of 1967, 1968 in television and the list of years in television. For the American network television schedule, please see 1967-68 American network television schedule. ... TV Guide is the name of two North American weekly magazines about television programming, one in the United States and one in Canada. ... WAGA-TV (Channel 5) is a television station in the city of Atlanta. ... Medical Center was a dramatic television series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976. ...

In January 1970, entrepreneur Ted Turner, who ran his father's billboard business and also owned radio stations, bought the low-rated UHF outlet, which was Atlanta's first independent, non-network station. During an interview in 2004, Turner revealed that some of the problems that had dogged WJRJ were present in the early days at WTCG. First, when Turner bought the station, it was the only one in the Atlanta market still broadcasting exclusively in black-and-white. Second, money was still very tight for the first couple of years that Turner owned the station. The station had gone ahead and purchased the color broadcasting equipment it needed on credit after the sale. However, some months had passed and Turner was not able to make the payments on the equipment. As a last resort (after not being able to secure any more financing), Turner held an on-air telethon to raise the money needed to pay the station's bills. Most people do not know that if this telethon had not been successful, it would have been the end of WTCG and likely no TBS, CNN, or TNT. Third, there was new competition in the form of new UHF station WATL (later WMBO) 36 signing on. Once the financial problems were settled, Turner eventually drove them off the air. After using the callsign WTCG for most of its first decade under Turner's ownership, the station became WTBS in 1979. The WTBS call letters had been held by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology radio station, but they agreed to cede the letters to Turner's station after Turner donated the money for a new transmitter for MIT's radio station. (The MIT station now uses call letters WMBR.)[1] WTCG's first move: steal a popular show from crosstown UHF station WATL-TV. The Now Explosion was a precursor to MTV, running music videos (some homebrewed) all weekend long. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... For the computer game previously called Entrepreneur, see The Corporate Machine. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that Billboard toppling be merged into this article or section. ... See also: 1978 in television, other events of 1979, 1980 in television, and the list of years in television. For the United States network television schedule, please see 1979-80 United States network television schedule. ... The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private, coeducational research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ... WMBR is the MIT-run student broadcasting station. ... WATL, channel 36, is a television station in Atlanta, Georgia affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by the Gannett Company and is a sister station to WXIA-TV (channel 11), Atlantas NBC affiliate. ... The Now Explosion was an early experiment in music video produced in Atlanta, Georgia in 1970. ... MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... A music video (also video clip, promo) is a short film or video meant to present a visual representation of a popular music song. ...

Programs of the early era

WTCG programs in the pre-satellite era included games of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, some newscasts, often of a jokey nature, reruns of Star Trek, and Georgia Championship Wrestling, one of the roots of the later World Championship Wrestling. Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series. ... Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on U.S. cable channel TBS (Turner Broadcasting System). ... World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. ...

Another show on the WTCG lineup was hosted by the legendary R&B singer James Brown and called James Brown's Future Shock. The show, which bore similarities to American Bandstand and Soul Train, aired on late night each Friday. As reported by Steve Beverly on his TVGameShows.net after Brown's death on Christmas Day, 2006, "Two highlights of the dance party hour: when a group of the teen dancers lined up before the evening's final solo by Brown and chanted, 'Future shock...can't be stopped, future shock...can't be stopped,' and commercials for a mail-order "party ring"----in which a teen referred to the $19.95 jewelry as 'superbad'." An alternate interpretation is that the teen was moved to exclaim "Sho' is bad." Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006),[3] commonly referred to as The Godfather of Soul and The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, was an American entertainer recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music. ... Dick Clark, host of American Bandstand American Bandstand was a long-running dance music television show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989. ... Soul Train is a long-running American music-related syndicated television program. ... Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus, at the first Christmas Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Jewelry (the American spelling; spelled jewellery in Commonwealth English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ...

Satellite broadcasting

WTCG, which reportedly stood for "Watch This Channel Grow" (though the "TCG" officially stood for Turner Communications Group, the forerunner to Turner Broadcasting System) was one of the first TV stations to broadcast via satellite. It, along with WOR-TV in New York City (now WWOR-TV) and WGN-TV in Chicago, were among America's first "superstations", independent channels distributed to cable systems throughout their respective regions--or the entire country. The previous name of Turner Broadcasting System. ... An Earth observation satellite, ERS 2 For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. ...

At 1 p.m. on December 17, 1976, WTCG's signal was beamed via the Satcom 1 satellite to its four cable systems in Grand Island, Nebraska; Newport News, Virginia; Troy, Alabama; and Newton, Kansas. All four cable systems started receiving the sleepy 1948 Dana Andrews - Cesar Romero film Deep Waters, which was already 30 minutes in progress. Instantly, WTCG added 24,000 more households to its viewing audience, which consisted of 675,000 households in metropolitan Atlanta. That number would grow exponentially in the next several years, with the first heaviest concentrations in the South (where WTCG's telecasts of Atlanta Braves baseball were, and still are, highly popular), but eventually encompassing the nation. The station, and Turner's innovation, signaled the start of the basic cable revolution. December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1976. ... Image:Thumb18115. ... Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent city Incorporated 1896 Government  - Mayor Joe Frank Area  - City  119. ... Troy is a city located in Pike County, Alabama. ... Main Street and E 4th looking north to downtown. ... See also: 1947 in film 1948 1949 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Red Shoes, (55th in year of release, lifetime box office would place it in first) The Road to Rio Easter Parade Red River The Three Musketeers, Johnny... Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 - December 17, 1992) was an American film actor. ... Cesar Romero, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. ... Deep Waters is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, which first appeared in the United States in the March 25, 1910 issue of Colliers Weekly, and in the United Kingdom in the June 1910 issue of the Strand. ... Historic Southern United States. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... Basic Cable is the sketch comedy show on Boston College Campus. ...

Production notes

• The channel 17 transmitter is located at 1018 West Peachtree Street Northwest (in midtown Atlanta), with the antenna located on a large self-supporting tower.
• The building at this site was once home to the studios of WAGA and later channel 17, during the WJRJ years. Soon after being purchased by Turner, the studios were moved to the former Progressive Club site a few blocks west at 1050 Techwood Drive. The Techwood Drive studios also served as the studio facilities for WTBS' Saturday evening wrestling programs Georgia Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling, as well as the original home of CNN.
• The cable TBS is mostly a simulcast of flagship WTBS, except for TV commercials, some locally produced public affairs programming on Saturday mornings, and certain special events. Unlike WTBS, the national TBS is not obligated to carry public affairs or educational "E/I" programming for children, because it is a cable channel, and thus exempted from FCC requirements.
• The DTV channel 20 is diplexed into a master TV antenna at the tower, located at 1800 Briarcliff Road Northeast, in Atlanta's Midtown neighborhood.
• Contrary to expectations, WTBS, not the TBS superstation, is the feed distributed across Canada on all satellite and cable providers.

WAGA-TV (Channel 5) is a television station in the city of Atlanta. ... Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on U.S. cable channel TBS (Turner Broadcasting System). ... WCW Saturday Night was the weekly Saturday night TV show on TBS, produced by World Championship Wrestling. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... TBS also stands for Tokyo Broadcasting System, a Japanese television network. ... Simulcast is a contraction of simultaneous broadcast, and refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium at the same time. ... A flagship is the ship used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Public affairs programming, a broadcasting industry term, refers to programming which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. ... Example of an E/I bug; this one used for PBS programs. ... The FCCs official seal. ... TBS also stands for Tokyo Broadcasting System, a Japanese television network. ...

External links

• TBS17 website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WTBS