WJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia. WJLA-TV shares a tower with WUSA in the Tenleytown section of Washington.

History[link]

The District of Columbia's third television station began broadcasting on October 3, 1947 as WTVW, owned by the Washington Star along with WMAL radio (630 AM and 107.3 FM, now WRQX). It was the first Band III VHF station (channels 7-13) in the United States. A few months later, the station renamed itself WMAL-TV after its radio sisters.

WMAL radio had been an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network since 1933, and remained with the network after it was spun off by NBC and evolved into ABC. However, channel 7 started as a CBS station since ABC hadn't gotten into television yet. When ABC launched its television network in 1948, WMAL-TV became ABC's third primary affiliate. It continued to carry some CBS programming until WOIC-TV (later WTOP-TV and now WUSA) signed on in 1949. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network.^[1]

In 1975 Texas businessman Joseph L. Allbritton, the owner of Washington-based Riggs Bank, purchased the Star along with the WMAL stations. As a condition of the purchase, Allbritton had to break up the newspaper/broadcast combination, which the Federal Communications Commission was seeking to prohibit under its "one-to-a market" rule. WMAL-TV was separated first from its radio sisters when ABC purchased WMAL-AM-FM in March 1977. Upon the radio transfer, channel 7 changed its call letters to the current WJLA-TV, after Allbritton's initials. Allbritton then sold the Star to Time, Inc. in February 1978.

Rumors abounded from the mid-1990s onward that ABC might buy WJLA-TV, thus reuniting it with its former radio sisters. However, ABC sold most of its radio properties, including WMAL and WRQX, to Citadel Broadcasting Corporation in June 2007. Even so, WJLA is still an ABC affiliate to this day under Allbritton because the company has an exclusive affiliation deal with the network. After WJZ-TV in Baltimore switched to CBS in 1995, WJLA became ABC's longest-tenured affiliate.

In December 2007, WJLA began simulcasting WTOP-FM on its "Weather Now" digital sub-channel, though dropped this as of late July 2009.

Logos and idents[link]

Since 1970, WMAL-TV/WJLA has used a variation of the Circle 7 logo, which has long been associated with ABC affiliates. From 1970 to 2001, WMAL/WJLA used its own version of the logo, with the "7" modified to accommodate the circle. This version was probably the longest continuously used numeric logo in Washington's television history. The only real modification came in 1998, after it began calling itself ABC 7 on-air and added the ABC logo to the left. In 2001, WJLA adopted the standard version of the Circle 7 logo, re-fueling speculation that ABC would buy the station. WJLA-TV is the largest ABC affiliate to use the Circle 7 that is not an ABC owned-and-operated station. In addition, sister station KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas has used the standard Circle 7 since the 1960s, longer than all WJLA versions combined.

Digital television[link]

In 2009, WJLA-TV returned its digital broadcasts to its analog channel number, 7. While 90 percent of the station's viewers received their signal by cable or satellite, many of the over-the-air viewers had problems after the final transition. Some needed to rescan, and others needed a VHF antenna.^[3] Also, at the same time, the "WJLA-TV" callsign was legally transferred from the now-defunct analog channel 7 to the new digital channel 7 with the "WJLA-DT" callsign being retired.

WJLA applied on August 29, 2009 for special authorization by the FCC to increase its effective radiated power (ERP) to 52 kW. The power increase was put into effect on September 18, 2009. WJLA already ran 30 kW of ERP, which was higher than the other three VHF stations in the area: WUSA (12.6 kW), WBAL-TV (5 kW), and WJZ-TV (28.8 kW).^[4]

The station's digital signal is multiplexed. WJLA-TV operates two digital subchannels: ABC7's Weather Now, which shows weather radar and carries a simulcast of WTOP-FM, and the Retro Television Network, as "RTN on ABC7". RTN7 replaced "Local Point TV" at 10:00 a.m. on July 28, 2008.^[5] Both subchannels are carried locally by Comcast and Verizon FiOS.

Local Point TV was a local version of current.tv, featuring short five minute video segments created by area residents. Abby Fenton, the station's Director of Community Relations said in an interview with Broadcasting & Cable that "the station likes the Local Point programming and is pondering where else it might fit".^[6]

In late October 2008, WJLA began simulcasting on local low-powered station WWTD-LP; the station is expected to continue broadcasting an analog feed of WJLA after the digital transition. In late July 2009, WJLA dropped its locally produced "WeatherNow" channel for The Local AccuWeather Channel on its DT2 subchannel and carried the "Doug Hill's WeatherNow" name. On March 13, 2012, WJLA dropped The Local AccuWeather Channel in favor of forecasts from their own meteorologists. With that, the name of the channel was slightly changed to "ABC7's WeatherNow".

On May 1, 2012, WJLA-TV announced it will add Live Well Network to 7.3 on July 1, 2012, replacing RTV.^[7]

Programming[link]

Syndicated programming on WJLA includes Jeopardy! (since 1984), Wheel of Fortune (since 1990), The Oprah Winfrey Show (1989-2011), and Live with Regis and Kelly. As one of the largest stations not owned-and-operated by the network, the station generally clears all ABC programming, with only two exceptions. Locally-produced sports and election specials preempt the first hour of primetime on a few days in late summer and early fall, while the poorly-watched Saturday night network lineup is occasionally thrown out during the summer in favor of an old movie. If needed, WJLA reschedules network programming at its earliest convenience, usually during the overnight hours. In most cases, any preempted network programming can be seen on Baltimore's WMAR, which is receivable in Washington and its close suburbs with a rooftop antenna.

WJLA airs Clean Skies Sunday, a program on energy issues produced by the American Clean Skies Foundation,^[8] a non-profit run by natural-gas billionaire Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy.^[9]

News operation[link]

WJLA has the largest news team in the Washington area. As the flagship station of the Allbritton chain, WJLA provides national news headlines for other Allbritton-owned stations. WJLA became the second television station in Washington (behind CBS affiliate WUSA) to broadcast newscasts in high definition, beginning on December 8, 2008. The newscast has new graphics and made minor changes to the news desk for better viewing quality with high definition. The field reports and news promotions are still in standard definition.

On January 23, 2009, WJLA laid off 26 staff members, including several on-air reporters due to financial constraints. The laid off reporters include Andrea McCarren, Sarah C. Lee, Alisa Parenti, Emily Schmidt, Jennefer Donelan, and weekend sports anchor Greg Toland. Most of the dismissals took effect immediately, but some were allowed to serve out their contracts. WJLA also announced a 4.9% salary cut for all remaining staff and a halt to company contributions to 401(k) retirement plans.^[10]

Ratings[link]

Prior to 2001, WJLA's newscasts had long rated third in the market, behind WUSA and NBC-owned WRC-TV. The station scored a major coup in 1999, when it hired Maureen Bunyan, former longtime anchorwoman at WUSA. In 2003, Leon Harris, formerly of CNN, joined the station as an anchor. In 2004, WJLA hired Bunyan's former anchor desk partner, Gordon Peterson; they have since been reunited for the 6:00 p.m. news. These personnel moves, combined with WUSA's recent troubles, have led to a resurgence in the ratings. In the May 2010 sweeps, it placed number one at 5:00 p.m. in total viewers, and in the 25–54 demo.

News team[link]

[edit] Current on-air staff^[11]

Anchors

• Maureen Bunyan - weeknights at 6 p.m.
• Steve Chenevey - weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.) and noon
• Leon Harris - weeknights at 5 and 11 p.m.
• Kendis Gibson - Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 11 p.m.
• Autria Godfrey (Thuman) - Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 11 p.m.
• Gordon Peterson - weeknights at 6 p.m.; also host of Inside Washington
• Cynné Simpson - weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-7 a.m.) and noon
• Alison Starling - weeknights at 5 and 11 p.m.

Weather team (all meteorologists are heard on WTOP-FM)

• Doug Hill (AMS Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (6:30-7 a.m.) and weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
• Bob Ryan (AMS Seal of Approval) - lead meteorologist; weeknights at 11 p.m.
• Adam Caskey (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Washington (4:30-6:30 a.m.) and noon
• Steve Rudin (NWA Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 11 p.m.
• Brian van de Graaff (AMS Seal of Approval) - fill-in, also weekday mornings on NewsChannel 8
• Devon Lucie (AMS Seal of Approval) - fill-in, also weekday evenings on NewsChannel 8
• Dave Zahren - weekend mornings, also weekends on NewsChannel 8

Sports team

• Tim Brant - sports director; weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.
• Horace Holmes - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 11 p.m., also weeknight fill-in and sports reporter
• Gregg Mace - sports anchor; weekend fill-in, also sports director at sister station WHTM-TV
• Britt McHenry - sports reporter and fill-in anchor

Traffic

• Lisa Baden - weekday mornings
• Eric Thomas - weeknights at 5 p.m.
• Jim Russ - weekday morning fill-in

Reporters

• Natasha Barrett - general assignment reporter
• Brad Bell - Prince George's County Bureau chief
• Pamela Brown - general assignment reporter
• Arch Campbell - entertainment reporter
• Brianne Carter - general assignment reporter
• Mike Conneen - general assignment reporter
• Rebecca Cooper - national correspondent
• Bruce Depuyt - general assignment reporter
• Jennifer Donelan - general assignment reporter
• Ben Eisler - general assignment reporter
• Sam Ford - DC Bureau chief
• John Gonzalez - general assignment reporter
• Glenn Harris - general assignment reporter
• Melanie Hastings - general assignment reporter
• Horace Holmes - general assignment and sports reporter
• Suzanne Kennedy - general assignment reporter
• Jay Korff - general assignment reporter
• Greta Kreuz - Maryland Bureau chief
• Dave Lucas - general assignment reporter; weekday anchor on NewsChannel 8
• Jummy Olabanji - general assignment reporter
• Kathy Park - general assignment reporter; weekend anchor on NewsChannel 8
• Julie Parker - general assignment reporter
• Gail Pennybacker - Fairfax County Bureau chief
• Philip Stewart - general assignment reporter; fill-in anchor on NewsChannel 8
• Scott Thuman - Senior Political Reporter
• Stephen Tschida - general assignment reporter
• Kris Van Cleave - general assignment reporter
• Tiffany Wilson - general assignment reporter

Notable former staff[link]

• Roberta Baskin - reporter (1980s-1991, 2007–2009, now senior communications advisor for the Department of Health and Human Services)
• Paul Berry - anchor/reporter (1971–1999, now in public relations)^[12]
• James Brown - sports reporter (1984, now at CBS Sports)^[13]
• Jack Conaty - national correspondent (1980–1986)^[14]
• Carol Costello - morning anchor (1996–2001, now appears on CNN's Situation Room)^[15]
• Nancy Cordes - reporter (1999–2003, now CBS News Congressional Correspondent and Transportation and Consumer Safety Correspondent )^[16]
• Elliott Francis - weekend anchor/reporter (1997–2007)
• Charles Gibson - anchor/reporter (1970–1973, now retired)^[17]
• Frank Herzog - sports anchor (1979–1992, retired.^[18] Was also play-by-play voice for the Washington Redskins from 1979–2004)
• Christianne Klein - weekend anchor/reporter (2005–2006, now an anchor and correspondent for ABC News)
• Sarah Lee - morning reporter
• Dan Lewis - anchor (1984–1987, now at KOMO-TV in Seattle)^[19]
• Kathleen Matthews-anchor/reporter (1983-2008, now chief communications and public affairs officer for Marriott International)
• Josh Mankiewicz - reporter (1980–1982, now at NBC News)
• Doug McKelway - anchor (2001-2010, now at Fox News Channel)
• Chris McKendry - weekend sports anchor (1994–1996; now at ESPN)
• David Schoumacher - anchor (1976–1988; retired)
• Lori Stokes - anchor (1992–1996; now at WABC-TV)
• Greg Toland - weekend sports anchor/reporter (2000-2009; now a sports anchor/reporter at Comcast SportsNet Washington)

See also[link]

• Circle 7 logo

References[link]

External links[link]

• WJLA-TV website
• WJLA's Official Website on TBD.com
• WJLA-TV at the Internet Movie Database
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WJLA-TV
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WJLA-TV

Thomas Willis (born 4 November 1983 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player. He last played as a goalkeeper for the Queensland Roar in the A-League competition.

Biography[link]

In his position as goalkeeper, Willis started 15 games for Roar in the 05/06 season, making 51 saves and recording 6 cleansheets.^[1] Willis has been semi-retired since he left the Queensland Roar.

He represented Australia at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.

References[link]

1. ^ BrisbaneRoar Profile

This biographical article related to Australian football (soccer) is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Kenneth "Kenny" Burns (born 23 September 1953) is a former Scotland international footballer, most famous for his time with Nottingham Forest, where he played a vital role in their European Cup successes.

Burns was born in Glasgow, and started his career with Rangers as an apprentice but left for Birmingham City aged 17, in 1971. He arrived at the Blues as a defender, but was converted to striker after Bob Latchford left in 1974,^[1] and earned the first of his 20 international caps in that role soon afterwards.^[2] However, after joining Nottingham Forest for £150,000 in 1977, he was converted back into a central defender by Brian Clough and Peter Taylor.

Burns proved a great success in his new role and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year in 1977-78, as Forest won the First Division title. He was an influential figure in the side's European Cup campaigns over the next three seasons, his defensive partnership with Larry Lloyd instrumental to Forest's victory in the 1979 and 1980 tournaments. He also managed to score in the second leg of the 1979 UEFA Super Cup final victory against Barcelona. At one time he was renowned for his 'wild man' image and while maintaining an aggressive nature, he also possessed a shrewd football brain and was always likely to score vital goals.

Burns left the City Ground in 1981 when Forest accepted a £400,000 offer from Leeds United for him. He stayed with the Yorkshire side until 1984 and played with Derby County, Notts County (on loan), Barnsley and Elfsborg in the latter stages of his professional career.

He went on to represent a string of non-league clubs as player or player-coach, finishing up as assistant manager of Telford United in 1993.^[1][3]

Honours[link]

Nottingham Forest

• Football League First Division (1): 1977–78
• European Cup (2): 1979, 1980
• European Super Cup (1): 1979
• League Cup (2): 1978, 1979
• FA Charity Shield (1): 1978
• Anglo-Scottish Cup (1): 1977
• Nottingham Forest Player of the Year (2): 1977–78, 1980–81
• FWA Footballer of the Year (1): 1977–78

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kenny Burns at scottishfa.co.uk

v t e Scotland squad – 1978 FIFA World Cup 1 Rough 2 Jardine 3 Donachie 4 Buchan 5 McQueen 6 Rioch 7 Masson 8 Dalglish 9 Jordan 10 Hartford 11 Johnston 12 Blyth 13 Kennedy (c) 14 Forsyth 15 Gemmill 16 Macari 17 Johnstone 18 Souness 19 Robertson 20 Clark 21 Harper 22 Burns Coach: MacLeod