WANF

WANF
Callsign	WANF
City	Atlanta, Georgia
Branding	46 Action News / CBS46 (formerly)
Digital	19 (UHF)
Virtual	46
Affiliation	CBS (primary)
Founded	1971 (as WGCL-TV construction permit)
Owner	Gray Television
Licensee	Gray Television Licensee, LLC
Country	United States
Former callsigns	WHAE, WGCL, WANF (current)
Sister stations	WXIA-TV, WJCL-TV
Erp	1,000 kW
Haat	443 m
Facility id	73206

WANF is a television station serving the Atlanta metropolitan area in Georgia (U.S. state) as the market's CBS affiliate. The station operates on virtual channel 46 and is owned by Gray Television, part of a portfolio that includes major-market outlets such as WTVG, KYTV, and WGRZ. WANF has competed with legacy stations like WAGA-TV, WXIA-TV, and WSB-TV for audience share in a diverse media market that includes national outlets such as CNN and cable networks like TBS.

History

WANF traces its origins to construction permits and early television ventures that intersect with broadcasters like Taft Broadcasting and local entrepreneurs. The station's timeline includes multiple call sign changes and ownership transfers; predecessors involved corporate entities such as Granada Entertainment and investment groups tied to Berkshire Hathaway-era media transactions. Major shifts occurred when network affiliations consolidated in the 1990s and 2000s, influenced by affiliation deals involving Fox Broadcasting Company and CBS Corporation. Significant corporate milestones include acquisitions by regional broadcast groups and eventual purchase by Gray Television, aligning WANF with other Gray outlets following mergers that resembled deals negotiated by firms like Nexstar Media Group and Tribune Media.

Programming

WANF carries the standard CBS schedule including daytime, primetime, and late-night programming featuring series produced by studios such as Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Television, and Sony Pictures Television. Syndicated offerings have included talk and entertainment franchises distributed by Debmar-Mercury and CBS Media Ventures, and lifestyle programming similar to packages distributed to stations like WPIX and KTLA. The station has aired regional sports telecasts tied to professional and collegiate teams in the market, coordinating rights negotiations comparable to those handled by networks for Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldogs broadcasts. WANF also provides local public affairs programming and community-focused features akin to productions on stations like WJLA-TV and KTVU.

News Operation

WANF operates an extensive news department producing morning, midday, evening, and late newscasts branded as "Action News" and similar iterations. The newsroom employs anchors, reporters, meteorologists, and producers with professional backgrounds at outlets such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CNN, and regional papers like The Ledger-Enquirer. Coverage includes politics tied to entities such as the Georgia General Assembly and national campaigns involving figures from Democratic Party (United States) and Republican Party (United States), as well as investigative pieces addressing issues in jurisdictions like Fulton County, Georgia and events like Super Bowl LIII. WANF competes for Nielsen ratings with stations including WXIA-TV and WAGA-TV and has invested in investigative teams modeled after units at WNYW and KPIX.

Technical Information

WANF broadcasts digitally on UHF channel 19 with a virtual channel of 46, operating transmission facilities from towers in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area vicinity and co-locating with other broadcasters near Stone Mountain. Its technical infrastructure includes high-power transmitters and emergency alerting systems interoperable with agencies such as Federal Communications Commission-mandated networks and regional emergency services like Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. The station transitioned from analog to digital in line with the national DTV transition coordinated by the FCC and participates in spectrum repack exercises similar to those affecting stations like WTVJ and KPNX.

Notable On-Air Staff

Prominent personalities who have worked at the station include anchors and reporters recruited from markets such as WABC-TV, WHDH-TV, and KXAS-TV. Meteorologists have often held certifications from organizations like the American Meteorological Society and moved between stations including KPRC-TV and WTTG. Sports anchors and investigative reporters have had bylines in publications such as Sports Illustrated and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reflecting a roster comparable to peers at WSB-TV and WAGA-TV.

Ownership and Corporate Relations

WANF is owned by Gray Television, a publicly traded company that owns television stations across the United States, with corporate governance shaped by executive leadership similar to that at Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tegna Inc.. Gray's acquisition strategy has included purchases from groups like Raycom Media and integration of operations to achieve economies of scale comparable to consolidation seen with E. W. Scripps Company. WANF's corporate relationships extend to network contracts with CBS and content partnerships with syndicators like Telemundo Network, as well as advertising sales agreements with agencies servicing clients such as The Home Depot and Delta Air Lines.

Community Involvement and Controversies

WANF has engaged in philanthropic and civic initiatives, partnering with local organizations including United Way of Greater Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity, and educational institutions such as Georgia State University and Emory University. The station's investigative reporting and editorial choices have at times sparked public debate, drawing scrutiny from entities like the Peabody Awards panels and triggering review by regulators including the Federal Communications Commission in matters similar to disputes seen at other stations. Controversies have involved employment decisions, editorial independence, and coverage controversies reflective of tensions present in markets covered by outlets like WPIX and KOMO-TV.

Category:Television stations in Atlanta