WRDW-TV

WRDW-TV is a commercial television station serving Augusta, Georgia, and the surrounding Central Savannah River Area. Broadcasting on channel 12, the station is affiliated with CBS and has maintained that affiliation throughout its history. Its digital operation also carries MyNetworkTV programming, while the wider station group operates additional services in the market, including low-power Telemundo affiliate WGAT-LD and Class A NBC affiliate WAGT-CD. WRDW-TV is owned by Gray Media, a large United States television broadcasting company. The station began broadcasting in February 1954 and is the second-oldest television station in Augusta. It was initially established by Radio Augusta, the company behind the original WRDW radio station. The radio station's long relationship with the CBS Radio Network helped determine the television station's original and continuing CBS affiliation. In its early years, WRDW-TV also carried ABC programming in a market then served primarily by NBC affiliate WJBF. The station later shared NBC programming with WJBF during an unusual period when Augusta had only two principal commercial television outlets. That arrangement changed as the market developed. WJBF moved its primary affiliation to ABC in 1967, while WRDW-TV and WJBF temporarily continued to provide selected NBC programming. The arrival of channel 26, originally WATU and later associated with WAGT, eventually gave NBC a dedicated outlet. Following an FCC policy requiring VHF stations in markets with three or more commercial stations to maintain a single primary network affiliation, WRDW-TV ended its NBC service and remained a CBS station. Ownership changed several times. The station was sold by the Morris family in 1960 to interests that later became part of Rust Craft Broadcasting. Ziff-Davis acquired Rust Craft in 1979, and WRDW-TV was subsequently transferred in 1983 to Television Station Partners, a group formed by former Ziff-Davis broadcasting executives. Television Station Partners sold the station in January 1996 to Gray Communications Systems, now known as Gray Media. WRDW-TV has remained part of Gray's Augusta operations since then. Local news is central to the station's identity. Historically a runner-up to WJBF, WRDW-TV improved its ratings position during the 1990s and developed into one of the Augusta market's principal news competitors. Its journalism has received regional and national recognition, including Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, National Murrow Awards, a National Sigma Delta Chi Award, and honors from Georgia journalism and broadcasting organizations. The station introduced local high-definition newscasts in January 2011, becoming the first Augusta-area station to do so. WRDW-TV also has a distinctive relationship with the Masters Tournament, the major golf event held at Augusta National Golf Club. Since CBS began televising the tournament in 1956, WRDW-TV has served as the event's de facto local flagship station. The station broke ground in July 2018 on a new facility designed to replace its long-standing Georgia Avenue operation in North Augusta, South Carolina. The approximately 30,000-square-foot building opened in February 2021 and houses operations for WRDW-TV and WAGT. Its putting green reflects the station's connection to Augusta National and the Masters. Today, WRDW-TV combines CBS network programming, locally produced news, digital and over-the-air services, and coverage of regional events. Its programming is not a complete clearance of the CBS schedule: the station carries CBS News Roundup but does not air the CBS Morning News. The brand competes primarily with WJBF, while Gray's shared facilities allow WRDW-TV and WAGT to coordinate selected production and news operations.

WRDW-TV began broadcasting in February 1954, making it the second-oldest television station in Augusta, Georgia. Its original owner was Radio Augusta, the parent company of the city's WRDW radio station. Because the radio station had a long-standing relationship with the CBS Radio Network, WRDW-TV became Augusta's CBS affiliate and retained that affiliation throughout its history. In its first years, however, the station also carried ABC programming in a market where WJBF was the primary NBC outlet. In 1956, Radio Augusta was sold to the Morris family and its publishing company, Southeastern Newspapers, which also published The Augusta Chronicle. The Morrises exited Augusta broadcasting in 1960, when channel 12 was sold to interests that eventually became associated with Rust Craft Broadcasting. The station retained the WRDW call letters even as ownership changed. Ziff-Davis acquired Rust Craft in 1979, and in 1983 WRDW-TV was transferred with several other stations to Television Station Partners, a group composed of former Ziff-Davis broadcasting executives. Augusta's network structure changed significantly in the late 1960s. On September 1, 1967, WJBF made ABC its primary affiliation and began sharing NBC programming with WRDW-TV. The arrangement was unusual because the market had only two major commercial stations. A third station, WATU on channel 26, appeared in late 1968, but its signal was initially too weak to provide NBC with a dependable market-wide outlet. WATU eventually went off the air in 1970 and resumed broadcasting in 1974 with a primary NBC affiliation. During the interim, WRDW-TV and WJBF continued to carry portions of NBC's schedule. An FCC requirement concerning VHF stations in markets with three or more commercial outlets ultimately ended WRDW-TV's secondary NBC service. Once WATU returned as the market's NBC affiliate, WRDW-TV became a dedicated CBS station. Television Station Partners sold its stations in January 1996, and WRDW-TV was acquired by Gray Communications Systems, the company now known as Gray Media. The station's local news operation developed from a position behind WJBF. During the 1990s, WRDW-TV experienced sustained ratings growth and overtook WJBF in several newscasts. The two stations became Augusta's principal local-news rivals, with other market stations generally trailing them. WRDW-TV has received recognition for investigative reporting, documentary work, and breaking-news coverage, including Regional and National Edward R. Murrow Awards, a National Sigma Delta Chi Award, and awards from Georgia Associated Press and Georgia Association of Broadcasters organizations. WRDW-TV introduced high-definition local news on January 24, 2011, beginning with the midday newscast. The transition included a new logo and animated graphics. In the 2010s, the station also shared selected news production with WAGT. From March 2016 through September 2017, most WRDW-TV newscasts were simulcast on WAGT, while WAGT also received separately branded early-evening programs. The arrangement was later revised, with WAGT retaining selected separate newscasts and WRDW-TV continuing to use the News 12 identity for its own programming. WRDW-TV has an important local role in coverage of the Masters Tournament. Since CBS began televising the tournament in 1956, the station has functioned as the event's de facto Augusta-area flagship. In July 2018, Gray broke ground on a replacement facility for WRDW-TV's long-standing North Augusta site. The new approximately 30,000-square-foot building opened in February 2021 at The Village at Riverwatch in Augusta and houses WRDW-TV and WAGT operations. The station's transmitter remains in Beech Island, South Carolina. The station currently broadcasts CBS programming on its main service and MyNetworkTV through a digital subchannel. Its CBS schedule is not completely cleared: WRDW-TV airs CBS News Roundup but does not carry the CBS Morning News. Alongside network programming, its principal output consists of local news, weather, public-service information, investigations, documentaries, and digital content for viewers across the Augusta market.

1. 2021New Augusta facility opens

   WRDW-TV and WAGT move operations to The Village at Riverwatch in Augusta.

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2. 2018Construction begins on a shared facility

   Gray breaks ground on a new building for WRDW-TV and WAGT.

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3. 2011Local news moves to high definition

   WRDW-TV launches high-definition local newscasts, beginning with its midday program.

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4. 1996Gray acquires WRDW-TV

   Television Station Partners sells WRDW-TV to Gray Communications Systems, now Gray Media.

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5. 1983Television Station Partners acquisition

   The station is transferred to Television Station Partners with several other former Ziff-Davis stations.

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6. 1979Ziff-Davis acquires Rust Craft

   WRDW-TV becomes part of the Ziff-Davis broadcast portfolio through its acquisition of Rust Craft.

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7. 1974Dedicated NBC competition returns to channel 26

   WATU resumes operations with a primary NBC affiliation, eventually ending WRDW-TV's secondary NBC carriage.

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8. 1967Augusta enters an unusual shared-NBC period

   After WJBF makes ABC its primary affiliation, WRDW-TV and WJBF share selected NBC programming.

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9. 1956Ownership passes to the Morris family

   Radio Augusta is sold to the Morris family and Southeastern Newspapers.

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10. 1954WRDW-TV begins broadcasting

    The station launches in February as Augusta's second-oldest television outlet and begins its continuing CBS affiliation.

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A locally focused broadcast station positioned around CBS network programming, regional news, severe-weather and breaking-news coverage, investigative journalism, and Augusta's distinctive identity as the home of the Masters Tournament.

• WRDW-TV CBS serviceBroadcast television network affiliate1954

  The station's primary broadcast service on channel 12 carries CBS network programming together with locally produced news, weather, public-affairs, and special-event coverage. WRDW-TV has been affiliated with CBS since its launch in 1954, although it does not clear every CBS program, including the CBS Morning News.

• News 12Local news service

  News 12 is WRDW-TV's local-news identity, covering Augusta and the surrounding CSRA through scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather information, investigations, documentaries, and digital video. The operation competes primarily with WJBF and has received regional and national journalism awards.

• WRDW-TV MyNetworkTV serviceDigital subchannel

  WRDW-TV carries MyNetworkTV programming on a digital subchannel. By spring 2017, that subchannel had been upgraded to 1080i high definition, providing the first over-the-air high-definition MyNetworkTV feed in the Augusta market.

• 2018Investment in a consolidated Augusta facilityStrategy

  WRDW-TV's long-standing facility in North Augusta was to be replaced by a larger shared operation serving the Gray-owned Augusta stations.

  What changed. Gray broke ground on a new facility at The Village at Riverwatch for WRDW-TV and WAGT.

  Aftermath. The building opened in February 2021 and consolidated operational space for the two stations.

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• 2016Expanded news coordination with WAGTStrategy

  After Gray's ownership of both operations, the company sought to use shared resources across WRDW-TV and WAGT in the Augusta market.

  What changed. From March 2016, most WRDW-TV newscasts were simulcast on WAGT, while WAGT also received separately branded early-evening newscasts.

  Aftermath. The arrangement was revised in September 2017, leaving WAGT with selected separate newscasts and reducing the broader simulcast structure.

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• 2011Transition to high-definition local newsOther

  WRDW-TV sought to modernize its local-news presentation and improve the technical quality of its Augusta-area broadcasts.

  What changed. The station introduced high-definition newscasts, beginning with the midday program, along with updated branding and animated graphics.

  Aftermath. WRDW-TV became the first station in the Augusta area to provide local newscasts in high definition.

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• 2021New WRDW-TV and WAGT facility opens

  The stations began operating from a new facility at The Village at Riverwatch in Augusta. The building includes a putting green reflecting WRDW-TV's Masters Tournament connection.

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• 2018WRDW-TV breaks ground on new Augusta-area facility

  Gray began construction of a new shared facility for WRDW-TV and WAGT, replacing WRDW-TV's long-standing Georgia Avenue operation in North Augusta.

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• 2011WRDW-TV launches local high-definition newscasts

  The station introduced local high-definition newscasts with its midday program, becoming the first station in the Augusta area to make the transition.

  Product generationProduct launch
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• 1967WJBF changes its primary affiliation to ABC

  WJBF moved its primary network affiliation from NBC to ABC, leaving WRDW-TV and WJBF to share selected NBC programming until a dedicated NBC outlet became viable.

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• 1954WRDW-TV begins broadcasting in Augusta

  WRDW-TV commenced operations in February 1954 as Augusta's second-oldest television station and began its long-term CBS affiliation.

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1. WRDW-TV