Cable Company Says FOX Forced Them to Drop Affiliate From South Mississippi Lineup

After Tuesday, April 3, Cable One subscribers in Mobile, Ala., will no longer receive WALA-TV on their lineup, but it’s not the cable company’s fault.

That’s what a representative said in a release sent to the Sun Herald newspaper Friday.

South Mississippi Affiliate to Give Residents CBS Programming Through Subchannel

ABC affiliate WLOX will soon gain CBS programming rights for one of its digital subchannels. (Courtesy: WLOX)

The ABC affiliate for Biloxi, Miss., WLOX, will soon be adding another affiliate’s programming to one of its digital subchannels: CBS.

The new subchannel kicks off next month.

WLOX’s website indicates the CBS programming will replace the current 24-hour weather programming on one of the subchannels.

WLOX: Statewide Jackson Reporter Leaves for Vegas

Ashley Conroy (Courtesy: WLBT)

A tipster from  WLOX, ABC affiliate from the Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss. market, tells us that statewide reporter Ashley Conroy will be leaving to pursue a job in Las Vegas.

The person, who asked to be kept anonymous, says Conroy’s last day was today.

She was hired by WLBT-TV, the NBC affiliate in Jackson, in December 2009, according to her station bio.  Her reports were used statewide by WLOX and five other stations.

According to the email forwarded to South TV News, WLBT is already looking for a replacement.

A job posting for statewide reporter on WLBT’s website confirms the forwarded news tip.

As for where Conroy goes from here, the email says she’s headed back to her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, but doesn’t indicate what she’s going to be doing there.

Conroy covered stories of statewide interest for the NBC affiliate and several other stations.

Got more details? Let us know!

Everything You Wanted To Know About Mississippi’s Broadcast Television Markets

Our third state on the list doesn’t have any Top 50 markets (as defined by Nielsen) but still has several smaller ones statewide.

• The biggest is the state capital, Jackson, at #94. Stations include: WLBT (NBC), WJTV (CBS), WAPT (ABC), WRBJ (CW), WUFX (MyTV) and WDBD (FOX). WLBT leads the ratings war in Jackson, though in recent years that lead has not been as dominant, with WAPT running a close second. WLBT, WDBD, WJTV and WUFX broadcast newscasts in HD.
• Next in line is the Columbus-Tupelo-West Point-Houston market (as defined by Nielsen), #133. Stations include: WCBI (CBS), WTVA (NBC/ABC) and WLOV (FOX). All stations broadcast their newscasts in high definition.
• Biloxi-Gulfport, market #160, is located in the southern part of the state. Stations include: WLOX (ABC/CBS) and WXXV (NBC/FOX). Both stations air local newscasts in high definition.
• Next is the Hattiesburg-Laurel market, No. 167. Stations include: WDAM (NBC), WHLT (CBS) and WRBJ (CW). Only WDAM has newscasts in high definition.
• Meridian follows, in market #189. Stations include WTOK (ABC), WMDN (CBS) and WGBC (NBC). Only WTOK has HD newscasts.
• Last in the state, the Greenwood-Greenville market, #190. Stations include WABG (ABC/FOX), WXVT (CBS) and WNBD-LP (NBC). WABG remains the market leader in ratings. None of the stations has high-def newscasts.

(Above was updated February 1, 2015)

That covers another one of several states we’ll be covering. If you work for one of these affiliates and have news about new hires, on-air graphic updates, HD overhauls, or anything that would be of interest to this local news blog, please let us know.. I’m not necessarily talking about station gossip, but that works, too. If someone uttered a profane word on-air, for example, that’d be something. Station sales, downsizing, things like that are also newsworthy. You can do so anonymously, of course, but have to prove you work for the station in question for credibility purposes by sending us an email to southtvnewser@gmail.com.