WCHT

WCHT is an ABC affiliate serving Chattanooga, TN and the Chattanooga area. Broadcasting on channel 7, WCHT is owned and operated by Journal Media Group. WCHT was launched in 1958 and quickly became an ABC affiliate. In addition to running the ABC schedule, WCHT also airs syndicated programming, including Live with Kelly & Michael, Times to Remember, and The Golden Ticket. In addition, WCHT also operates three subchannels: 7.2 (for Vault Disney), 7.3 (for Zoog Disney) and 7.4 (for Soapnet).

History
WCHT came to the airways on February 11, 1958. Until then, Chattanooga never had a station of their own as the majority of their programs were coming in from Nashville. WCHT quickly became an ABC affiliate. WCHT developed a strong reputation for local programming in its early years. Among the shows that WCHT pioneered was the children's educational show Funtime with Marcia Kling. Shock Theater which aired on Saturday nights developed a cult following with WCHT Programming Director Tommy Reynolds dressed up as Dracula with the moniker "Doctor Shock" alongside his irreverent sidekick "Dingbat". The Bob Brandy Show which aired in the afternoons featured cartoons and kids activities hosted by WCHT advertising executive Bob Brandy, his wife Ingrid, and their horse Rebel.

Change of Ownership
In 1969, Martin Theaters was sold to Augusta, Georgia businessman J.B. Fuqua. In 1984,Freedom Communications bought the station Fuqua had to put WCHT on the market after it announced plans to purchase Corinthian Broadcasting from Dun & Bradstreet in order to comply with the FCC-mandated ownership limit of five VHF television stations which was in effect at the time.

The first studios for WCHT were located at its transmitter site on Signal Mountain. In 1960, it moved to new facilities in the Golden Gateway Shopping Center in downtown Chattanooga next to a Zayre department store. Over the years, however, the station outgrew the building. In 2000, WCHT moved into new digitally-equipped 26,000-square-foot (2,400 m2) studios located adjacent to the Highway 58 / Highway 153 interchange.

Freedom announced on November 2, 2011 that it would bow out of television and sell its stations, including WCHT, to Journal Media Group. The group deal closed on April 2, 2012.

Newscast
At the time, WCHT was the only newscast to be in Chattanooga. Battling with stations in Nashville, Chattanooga saw their ratings improved, and in 1978, largely because ABC rose to the top of the ratings, WCHT's newscast was the top station in the market. However after 1985, their ratings took a tumble, and it would be another 16 years before WCHT was no. 1 once again in the market. However since 2010, they have finished no higher than 4rd.

Newscast Titles
Good Morning, Chattanooga (5-7 AM)

ABC 7 News Midday (11 AM-12 PM)

ABC 7 News @ 6 (6-6:30 PM)

ABC 7 News @ 7 (7-7:30 PM)

ABC 7 News @ 11 (11-11:30 PM)