WBRP

WBRP is the ABN affiliate serving the Baltimore, MD market broadcasting on channel 5. It was the site of the most violent insurrection in Baltimore's history after rioters began looting, pelting city policemen in SWAT and riot gear, setting businesses ablaze, of which WBRP was the unfortunate target after people in the building tried to disperse the rioters away, but it was too late as the rioters stormed into the building destroying equipment, destroying the digital archive files from WBRP's past news stories, and setting the Ultra HD studio on fire. Six of WBRP's staff were killed in the melee, 15 were injured. 2 were initially listed as fatal, but had since been upgraded to fair condition. They are recuperating in Baltimore area hospitals, seven had to be sent to Annapolis hospitals from the initial rioting.

The riots began April 25th following the April 19th death of Freddie Gray who was put under the custody of Baltimore City Police officers, two of them are African-Americans, four White Americans. All have been formally charged for the death of Freddie Gray. The three-day riot stems from years of anguish between white and black Baltimoreans. This is the latest and darkest moments of American history to date.

Recovering lost memories
A local Baltimorean recorded WBRP's past news coverage of various events since WBRP went on the air. The resident is said to be a former video camera operator and video technician at WBRP between 1967 to 1998. After leaving WBRP to be a minister in the Baltimore area, he continued to record WBRP's footage and stored it onto film reels, VHS tapes and DVD disks. in 2014 he began to digitize the videos to a 2 terrabyte hard drive, some undergoing remastering and remixing through his son who is a video technician at WNYC in New York. After the Freddie Gray riots ceased and the damage assessment regarding the WBRP building was completed, he donated the files to the Maryland Television Museum because of WBRP's importance in the Baltimore community.

The first telecast from the new WBRP Ultra HD studios in Northern Baltimore
June 4 was the first day of broadcast from the Lutherville studios in Northern Baltimore which included a special program on the city's dedication to keep ABN on the air in Baltimore and special recognition of the resident who helped keep WBRP's past history alive by the acting general manager of WBRP, Billy Fortner, CEO of ABN, and Taylor Winston of Sabana Digital Media Properties.