WAGT
WAGT was a former full-power NBC-affiliated television station serving Augusta, Georgia, whose programming and branding continued through low-power successor WAGT-CD after its spectrum was surrendered in 2017.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WAGT was a television station on channel 26 in Augusta, Georgia. It began broadcasting on December 24, 1968, as WATU-TV, making it the Augusta market's third television station. The station was created to serve as an NBC affiliate, but it entered a difficult competitive environment. Established VHF stations WJBF and WRDW-TV continued to carry selected NBC programs, while WIS-TV in nearby Columbia, South Carolina, provided a strong off-market NBC signal to much of the region. At the time, many households lacked UHF-capable television sets, and the station's relatively weak UHF signal made audience development difficult. WATU-TV suspended operations on November 9, 1970. Changes in Federal Communications Commission network-affiliation rules subsequently improved the station's prospects. The channel returned to the air on January 11, 1974, with a full NBC affiliation after competing stations were required to end their partial NBC clearances. The station nevertheless remained a long-term ratings underperformer because of signal limitations, competition from established Augusta outlets, and the continued availability of WIS-TV on cable systems. The original ownership group sold the station to local businessmen J. Thomas Jones and Francis Robertson in 1978. Schurz Communications acquired it in 1980, and the call letters changed to WAGT on July 7, 1981. During the 1980s the station used the on-air identity 26 Power. It later developed local journalism under identities including 26 News, 26 Action News, WAGT News, and NBC 26 News. WAGT did not establish a full local news department until 1995, although it had previously aired brief news and weather updates. Its news schedule eventually included morning, midday, evening, and late-night programming. In 2010, Schurz and Media General, then owner of competing station WJBF, entered joint sales and shared-services agreements. WJBF became the senior operational partner, providing or coordinating news, advertising, and other services while Schurz retained responsibility for programming and regulatory compliance. The arrangement significantly changed WAGT's staffing and operations and eventually placed the two stations in a jointly used facility at Augusta West. Schurz announced the sale of its broadcasting assets to Gray Television in 2015. Gray already owned WRDW-TV, another major Augusta station, creating ownership and duopoly concerns under FCC rules. Gray planned to participate in the FCC spectrum incentive auction and ultimately discontinue WAGT's full-power transmission. A legal dispute with Media General temporarily returned operational control of WAGT to Media General in early 2016. The Georgia Supreme Court later dissolved the injunction, allowing Gray to resume control. The FCC subsequently fined Media General $700,000 in connection with its conduct during the dispute. WAGT's spectrum was sold in the incentive auction for $40,763,036. The full-power station ceased broadcasting on May 31, 2017, and its license was canceled the following day. Its NBC affiliation, programming, call-sign identity, and channel branding moved to the low-power station WAGT-CD, which Gray had acquired and previously operated under another call sign. The successor preserved NBC service for viewers but was a separate low-power operation rather than a continuation of the original full-power license.
History
WAGT began as WATU-TV on December 24, 1968, after Augusta Telecasters Inc. received authorization to construct a UHF station for Augusta, Georgia. Harold W. Twisdale, a Charlotte dentist, and Washington, D.C. engineer David L. Steel were prominent members of the original ownership group. The station was designated as an NBC affiliate, but partial NBC clearances remained on WJBF and WRDW-TV. Those stations selected popular network programs, and WIS-TV from Columbia supplied a strong competing NBC signal across parts of the market. Because UHF reception was limited in many homes, WATU-TV could not build a sufficient audience and went dark in November 1970. The regulatory environment changed when the FCC acted against the practice of established stations carrying selected programs from multiple networks in markets with at least three commercial outlets. WATU-TV returned on January 11, 1974, as Augusta's full NBC affiliate. The station continued to face a weaker technical position than its VHF competitors, although cable television gradually improved its availability. Ownership changed hands in 1978, when J. Thomas Jones and Francis Robertson acquired the station, followed by Schurz Communications in 1980. Schurz changed the call letters to WAGT in July 1981, and the station used the 26 Power brand for much of the following decade. For roughly its first quarter-century, WAGT carried little original local news beyond short inserts. A dedicated news department finally launched in September 1995. The station subsequently added evening, morning, midday, and late-night broadcasts and revised its branding several times. News identities included 26 News, 26 Action News, WAGT News, and NBC 26 News. WAGT also experimented with prime-time news arrangements involving independent or low-power stations, but these efforts did not displace the stronger news positions of competing outlets. A major operational change began with the 2010 shared-services and joint-sales arrangement between Schurz and Media General. WJBF served as the senior partner, and the stations combined or coordinated news production, advertising sales, and support functions. Many WAGT managers were dismissed or reassigned. The partners eventually operated from a renovated former Barnes & Noble facility at Augusta West after plans to expand WJBF's older downtown studio proved impractical. In 2015, Schurz agreed to sell its broadcasting assets to Gray Television, which already owned WRDW-TV. Because the Augusta market had too few full-power stations to support ordinary ownership of both top-rated outlets, Gray sought an FCC waiver and intended to surrender WAGT's spectrum through the incentive auction. The transaction produced a dispute with Media General over the continuing shared-services agreements. A state-court injunction briefly required Media General to resume control, while the FCC examined whether that intervention improperly affected control of a broadcast license. The Georgia Supreme Court dissolved the injunction in March 2016, after which Gray resumed control and produced separate WAGT news programming. The FCC later fined Media General $700,000. The incentive auction concluded with a reported spectrum sale of $40,763,036. WAGT's full-power signal ended on May 31, 2017, and the license was canceled the next day. Gray transferred the NBC affiliation, programming, and WAGT branding to WAGT-CD, a low-power station. Thus, the WAGT name continued in Augusta broadcasting, but the original full-power station became defunct.
- 2017
Full-power operation ends
[1]WAGT leaves the air on May 31 after its spectrum is sold, with the brand and NBC service moving to WAGT-CD.
- 2016
Gray resumes control after court dispute
[1]The Georgia Supreme Court dissolves the injunction that had temporarily returned station control to Media General.
- 2010
Shared-services agreement begins with WJBF
[1]WAGT and WJBF combine selected operational functions under agreements involving Schurz and Media General.
- 1995
Dedicated local news department launches
[1]WAGT begins regular local news production under the 26 News name.
- 1981
Call sign changes to WAGT
[1]The station adopts the WAGT call letters on July 7 and later uses the 26 Power identity.
- 1980
Schurz Communications acquires the station
[1]South Bend-based Schurz Communications purchases the Augusta station from local owners.
- 1974
WATU-TV returns with full NBC affiliation
[1]The station resumes broadcasting after FCC affiliation-policy changes force competing stations to end partial NBC clearances.
- 1970
WATU-TV goes off the air
[1]The station suspends operations after struggling against established VHF stations and a competing NBC signal from Columbia.
- 1968
WATU-TV begins broadcasting
[1]The station signs on December 24 as WATU-TV, Augusta's third television station and an NBC affiliate.
Products and positioning
A local NBC network affiliate serving the Augusta, Georgia market, competing through network programming, local news, weather, and community advertising despite persistent signal and ratings disadvantages.
Network television service · 1968
NBC network affiliation
WAGT's principal programming proposition was NBC network service for the Augusta market. The station carried NBC entertainment, news, and other network programming, first inconsistently during its original era and then on a full-time basis after returning to the air in 1974. Following the 2017 shutdown, the affiliation moved to low-power successor WAGT-CD.
Local television news · 1995
NBC 26 News
WAGT's local news operation developed from limited news and weather inserts into scheduled morning, midday, evening, and late-night broadcasts. Branding changed over time, with NBC 26 News becoming one of the station's later identities. The operation was intended to provide Augusta-area reporting, weather, and local information while competing with WJBF and WRDW-TV.
Broadcast information service · 1968
Local weather service
Weather coverage was a recurring component of WAGT's programming, including early brief inserts and later dedicated segments associated with the station's local news broadcasts. The station also promoted branded weather features during earlier periods of its operation.
Controversies
2016
WAGT control and shared-services dispute
Gray Television's acquisition of WAGT led to a legal conflict with Media General over shared-services and joint-sales agreements. A state-court injunction temporarily restricted Gray's control and auction plans. The FCC investigated Media General's conduct, and Media General was fined $700,000.
Brand decisions
2017
NBC service transferred to WAGT-CDStrategyBackground
The original full-power WAGT license was being surrendered after the spectrum auction.
Action taken
Gray moved WAGT's call-sign identity, NBC affiliation, programming, and channel branding to a low-power station.
Aftermath
The original WAGT full-power station became defunct while NBC programming remained available through the successor operation.
2016
WAGT spectrum submitted to FCC incentive auctionStrategyBackground
Gray determined that the full-power station's spectrum could be monetized and that the NBC service could be continued through a low-power operation.
Action taken
The station's spectrum was sold for $40,763,036, with the full-power license scheduled for cancellation.
Aftermath
The full-power station ended operation in May 2017 and the WAGT identity and NBC affiliation moved to WAGT-CD.
Spectrum auction proceeds. $40,763,036 (2017 FCC incentive auction)
2015
Gray acquires WAGT from SchurzM&ABackground
Gray Television already owned WRDW-TV in the Augusta market, creating ownership and regulatory complications.
Action taken
Gray pursued the acquisition while seeking an FCC waiver and planning to place WAGT's spectrum in the incentive auction.
Aftermath
The transaction was completed, but a dispute with Media General temporarily interrupted Gray's control before the courts allowed Gray to resume operations.
Recent events
- 2017
WAGT full-power spectrum sold in FCC incentive auction[1]
Regulation · Other
The station's broadcast spectrum was sold in the FCC incentive auction for $40,763,036, leading to the shutdown of the full-power operation.
- 2017
NBC programming moves to WAGT-CD[1]
Product generation
After the full-power license ended, the WAGT identity, NBC affiliation, programming, and channel placement moved to the low-power station WAGT-CD.
- 2015
Gray Television announces acquisition of Schurz broadcasting assets[1]
M&A
Gray announced plans to acquire WAGT and combine its operations with WRDW-TV while seeking regulatory approval to participate in the forthcoming spectrum auction.
- 2009
Schurz and Media General announce shared-services arrangement[1]
Other
Schurz and Media General announced joint sales and shared-services agreements involving WAGT and WJBF, with the operational arrangement beginning in 2010.
- 2003
WAGT expands its morning news programming[1]
Product generation
The station expanded its weekday morning newscast to a two-hour program and continued developing its local news schedule.
- 1995
WAGT launches its first full local news department[1]
Product launch
After years of relying mainly on brief news and weather inserts, WAGT established a dedicated local news operation under the 26 News identity, initially including a late-evening broadcast.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wagt · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled