WDBJ Sets Launch Of 5:30 P.M. Newscast

Gray Television’s CBS affiliate WDBJ Roanoke-Lynchburg, Va. (DMA 68), is adding an additional half-hour newscast each weekday at 5:30 p.m. beginning April 1.

“The additional half-hour creates a market-exclusive seamless afternoon/early evening block of local news weekdays beginning at 4 p.m. with 7@four and running up until 6:30 p.m.,” the station said, adding that with the new broadcast, WDBJ will offer 53 hours of locally produced news a week.

The new 5:30pm newscast will be anchored by Jane Caffrey and Logan Sherrill. Chief Meteorologist Brent Watts will cover weather.

“We are excited to be adding more award-winning, in-depth news coverage and weather programming in the evening,” said News Director David Hughes, “this means more original reporting from here at home as well as from our sister stations in Richmond, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. No other local station has resources like we do. And we will be using every one!”

The Andy Griffith Show will move to co-owned WZBJ and expand to four episodes back to back, weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m.

“This is a logical progression for Your Hometown Station,” said Matt Pumo, VP-GM. “We are the only station in this market to have a full-power duopoly, carried on all cable and satellite providers as well as over the air, allowing us the option of giving viewers real choices.”