WBRE-TV
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WBRE-TV is a NBC affiliate station broadcasting on channel 28 to most of northeastern and central Pennsylvania. It is the second-rated station in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton DMA. The station is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, based in Irving, Texas. The station is located in downtown Wilkes-Barre.
On January 1, 1953, WBRE went on-air, becoming the first television station in the market. It led the ratings throughout the 1950s, until ABC affiliate WNEP-TV jumped ahead in 1959. Since then, WBRE has continually trailed WNEP in ratings.
WBRE has a shared services agreement CBS affiliate WYOU-TV, which is owned by Mission Broadcasting. Though WBRE does not own WYOU, both stations share common resources, including a newsroom, video footage and even reporters and anchors. The two stations also simulcast the same morning and noon newscast anchored by Mark Hiller and Kerry Shahen. However, due to an FCC provision, the stations do not share advertising sales staff.
This shared services agreement has caused WBRE to lose money, and in 2000, the station cut many of its reporters, and converted to a one-man-band operation in their Williamsport Bureau.
Most of the reporters at WBRE have been with the station for an average of four years, although a few have been with WBRE since the mid 1980s. Most of them are general assignment reporters who are not assigned to any specific beat, with a notable exception to the consumer reporting arena. Most reporters who leave the station have gone on to markets in Phoenix, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw major changes to the WBRE staff. Longtime reporter and anchor Dawn Timmeny left and later landed a job at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. Longtime anchor Keith Martin left to become Pennsylvania's director of Homeland Security and Timmeny's replacement, Charlotte Deleste, left after a short stint at the station. The current main anchor team is Andy Mehalshick, a former investigative reporter for the station, and Lyndall Stout. Their weekend evening newscasts are anchored by Candice Grossklaus.
For years WBRE was known as "Eyewitness News." WBRE then rebranded itself as "28 News: On Your Side" with an emphasis on consumer reporting. This overhaul included a new set and new graphics. Recently, WBRE again rebranded as "WBRE News," switching away from using the "28" number. The station's justification is because many viewers get the channel on cable, which doesn't use the over-the-air channel numbers. In addition, the upcoming switch to HDTV will necessitate WBRE switching to channel 11.
In 1972, disaster struck WBRE when its offices were flooded by Hurricane Agnes. Most of the station's equipment was moved above ground, and survived, but a film archive located in the basement was destroyed.
External links
- Official WBRE Web site (http://www.wbre.com/)
- Official WYOU Web site (http://www.wyou.com/)
- Photos of WBRE's set (http://www.setstudio.com/pages/wbre/)