WSST-TV

WSST-TV is a television station licensed to Cordele, Georgia, and serving viewers across Southwest Georgia. It broadcasts on channel 55 as a primarily independent station while maintaining a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV. The station is owned by Marquee Broadcasting, which also owns WSWG, a CBS affiliate licensed to Valdosta, Georgia. Marquee operates Fox affiliate WFXL in the Albany market through joint sales and shared services arrangements with Sinclair Broadcast Group. WSST-TV’s roots extend to a cable-only service established in 1981 for Cordele and Vienna. That local service developed into a full-power broadcast operation when WSST-TV signed on May 22, 1989, under the ownership of Sunbelt-South Telecommunications Ltd. The station’s early programming model was primarily independent, allowing it to assemble a schedule from syndicated programming and various smaller network affiliations. Over time, its programming included services such as Channel America, America One, and Youtoo America, although the station remained principally independent rather than being defined by a single major network. Ownership changed significantly during the 2000s and 2010s. WSST was originally jointly owned by William B. Goodson and Phillip A. Streetman. Following Goodson’s death in 2006, Streetman assumed full control in 2007. Sunbelt-South Telecommunications later became involved in bankruptcy proceedings, a circumstance that affected the operation of WSST’s digital transmission facilities, which initially operated at low power for several years. Marquee Broadcasting agreed to acquire WSST from Sunbelt-South Telecommunications on June 18, 2018, and completed the transaction on September 3, 2018. Marquee subsequently acquired WSWG from Gray Television, making WSWG a sister station. In May 2019, WSST-TV gained a MyNetworkTV affiliation that had previously been carried by a WSWG subchannel. This arrangement supplemented WSST’s independent schedule rather than replacing its broader programming identity. The station has also been used to extend regional news coverage. WSST previously produced its own evening newscast. Beginning May 6, 2019, it carried a rebroadcast of WSWG’s early-evening newscast and a WSWG-produced prime-time newscast. WSST additionally aired the local morning news and talk program South Georgia Sunrise and the talk and lifestyle program Midday; both programs continued until 2022. These arrangements illustrate the station’s integration into Marquee’s broader South Georgia television operations. WSST-TV’s terrestrial reach is comparatively limited, with its digital signal covering roughly a 50-mile radius from its transmitter in rural southwestern Crisp County. Its practical audience is broader because cable providers distribute the station in communities including Albany and Perry. Since April 22, 2019, WSST’s primary programming has also been simulcast on WSWG’s third digital subchannel, increasing over-the-air availability beyond the station’s direct transmitter footprint. The station began digital broadcasting in 2003. It ended regular analog broadcasting on UHF channel 55 on April 15, 2009, and continued digitally on UHF channel 51 before later channel changes. Its digital operation moved to channel 22 in early 2017 and then to channel 34 in December 2018. Today, WSST-TV functions as a locally licensed, Marquee-owned television outlet combining independent programming, MyNetworkTV content, regional news distribution, and carriage through partner platforms.

WSST-TV originated as a cable-only station serving Cordele and Vienna in 1981. That local operation provided the foundation for a full-power broadcast station, which signed on May 22, 1989, as an independent station owned by Sunbelt-South Telecommunications Ltd. The station was initially jointly owned by William B. Goodson and Phillip A. Streetman. Its programming was not tied permanently to one major network; instead, WSST assembled an independent schedule that at different times included programming from Channel America, America One, and Youtoo America. After Goodson died in 2006, Streetman assumed full ownership in 2007. During the Sunbelt-South ownership period, WSST also developed its digital transmission facilities. The station began digital broadcasting in 2003, but its digital signal operated at low power for several years while Sunbelt-South Telecommunications was involved in bankruptcy proceedings. WSST ended regular analog broadcasting on April 15, 2009, retaining digital operations. Its post-transition digital signal initially used UHF channel 51, later moving to channel 22 in early 2017 and channel 34 in December 2018. A major ownership transition occurred in 2018. Marquee Broadcasting agreed to purchase WSST-TV on June 18, 2018, and completed the acquisition on September 3 of that year. Marquee later acquired WSWG, a CBS affiliate licensed to Valdosta, from Gray Television, making WSWG a sister station. Marquee also operated WFXL, an Albany Fox affiliate, through joint sales and shared services agreements with Sinclair Broadcast Group. The related stations share offices on Slappey Boulevard in Albany, while WSST-TV’s transmitter remains in rural southwestern Crisp County. Following the change in ownership, WSST’s programming and news operations became more closely connected with WSWG. WSST had previously produced its own evening newscast. On May 6, 2019, the station began carrying a rebroadcast of WSWG’s early-evening newscast and a WSWG-produced prime-time newscast. WSST also aired South Georgia Sunrise, a two-hour morning news and talk program, and Midday, a half-hour talk and lifestyle program. Both locally oriented programs were discontinued by 2022. In May 2019, WSST became a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliate. The affiliation had previously been carried by a WSWG subchannel and was transferred to WSST as part of the stations’ revised programming structure. WSST remained primarily independent, with MyNetworkTV serving as an additional programming component rather than its sole identity. The station’s direct digital signal reaches approximately 50 miles, or about 80 kilometers, from the Crisp County transmitter. This footprint is supplemented by cable carriage in communities such as Albany and Perry. Since April 22, 2019, WSST’s primary channel has also been simulcast on WSWG’s third digital subchannel, providing a larger over-the-air audience. The resulting operation combines local licensing in Cordele with regional distribution, shared news resources, independent entertainment programming, and a secondary network affiliation.

• 2022

  Local morning and midday programs end

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  South Georgia Sunrise and Midday were no longer produced by the station after 2022.

• 2019

  MyNetworkTV affiliation and WSWG simulcast begin

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSST added a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation in May, while its primary programming began airing on WSWG’s third digital subchannel on April 22.

• 2018

  Marquee Broadcasting acquisition completed

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Marquee Broadcasting completed its purchase of WSST-TV on September 3.

• 2018

  Digital operation moves to channel 34

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSST-TV moved its digital transmission to channel 34 in December.

• 2017

  Digital operation moves to channel 22

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changed its digital channel assignment to channel 22 in early 2017.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSST-TV ended regular analog transmission on April 15 and continued as a digital station.

• 2003

  Digital broadcasting begins

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station launched digital television transmission.

• 1989

  WSST-TV signs on

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSST-TV began full-power broadcasting on May 22 as an independent station licensed to Cordele, Georgia.

• 1981

  Cable-only predecessor launches

  [1]WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A cable-only local station serving Cordele and Vienna began operating and later formed the basis for WSST-TV.

A locally licensed Southwest Georgia television station combining independent programming, MyNetworkTV content, regional news, and broad cable distribution.

• Broadcast television · 1989

  Independent television programming

  WSST-TV operates primarily as an independent station, assembling a schedule from entertainment, syndicated, local, and other acquired programming rather than relying exclusively on a single major broadcast network.

• Network affiliation · 2019

  MyNetworkTV affiliation

  Since May 2019, WSST-TV has carried MyNetworkTV programming as a secondary affiliation. The affiliation supplements the station’s independent schedule and was transferred from a WSWG digital subchannel.

• Local news · 2019

  WSWG news programming

  WSST-TV has carried a rebroadcast of WSWG’s early-evening newscast and a WSWG-produced prime-time newscast, linking its local news offering to Marquee Broadcasting’s regional station group.

• Morning news and talk

  South Georgia Sunrise

  South Georgia Sunrise was a two-hour morning news and talk program produced for the South Georgia audience. The program was part of WSST-TV’s local programming lineup until it ended by 2022.

• Talk and lifestyle

  Midday

  Midday was a half-hour talk and lifestyle program produced by WSST-TV. It formed part of the station’s locally oriented daytime schedule until it ended by 2022.

• 2022

  Discontinuation of locally produced daytime programsStrategy

  Background

  WSST-TV had carried the locally oriented programs South Georgia Sunrise and Midday as part of its news, talk, and lifestyle schedule.

  Action taken

  Both programs were discontinued by 2022.

  Aftermath

  The change reduced the station’s locally produced daytime programming, while its broader independent and shared regional programming model continued.

  Source

• 2019

  Transfer of MyNetworkTV affiliationStrategy

  Background

  Marquee’s station structure included WSWG, whose digital subchannel had previously carried the MyNetworkTV affiliation.

  Action taken

  The affiliation was moved to WSST-TV in May 2019, where it became a secondary component of the station’s schedule.

  Aftermath

  WSST retained its primarily independent identity while gaining a regular network programming source.

  Source

• 2019

  Expansion through WSWG simulcastStrategy

  Background

  WSST-TV’s direct digital signal reached a relatively limited area around its Crisp County transmitter.

  Action taken

  Beginning April 22, 2019, the station’s primary programming was simulcast on WSWG’s third digital subchannel.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement increased WSST’s over-the-air availability while cable carriage continued to extend its audience into communities such as Albany and Perry.

  Source

• 2018

  Acquisition by Marquee BroadcastingM&A

  Background

  WSST-TV had operated under Sunbelt-South Telecommunications, whose ownership period included years affected by bankruptcy proceedings and low-power digital transmission.

  Action taken

  Marquee Broadcasting agreed to acquire the station in June 2018 and completed the purchase on September 3, 2018.

  Aftermath

  WSST became part of Marquee’s South Georgia station group and was subsequently integrated with sister station WSWG for programming, news, and distribution.

  Source

1. 1WSST-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Southgate TV official websitesouthgatv.com