WWL-TV, Channel Four is The Spirit of Louisiana

One of the nation's highest-rated local television stations, CBS affiliate WWL-TV Channel Four broadcasts from New Orleans' world-famous French Quarter on historic North Rampart Street – preserving a broadcasting legacy with a unique spirit that reflects what is perhaps America's most unique city. 

WWL-TV's Eyewitness News continued its tradition of excellence with its coverage of Hurricane Katrina. For its efforts the news team received its sixth Peabody Award.

The station has dominated southeast Louisiana television viewing for nearly four consecutive decades, and that legendary leadership continues to keep WWL-TV at the very top of the media industry's "most-watched" list.

Year after year, this New Orleans powerhouse reigns as the CBS network's number one local affiliate - for the audience share it commands in time periods ranging from daytime soaps to "Late Show with David Letterman."

Backed by extraordinary viewer trust in its "Eyewitness News," WWL-TV also ranks as one of the country's strongest television stations - out of hundreds of affiliates across all networks - in A.C. Nielsen's 56 largest metered markets.

Channel Four's "Eyewitness Morning News," hosted by the long-running team of Eric Paulsen and Sally-Ann Roberts, shines as Nielsen's most popular local morning broadcast, while veteran co-anchors Angela Hill and Dennis Woltering's 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. editions have consistently been among Nielsen's highest-rated local evening newscasts.

As "Louisiana's News Leader," WWL-TV produces over 35 hours of local programming every week.  The station's unwavering commitment to local journalism is rooted in a standard of excellence that includes six prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards, three National Edward R. Murrow Awards and a host of regional and local journalism and broadcasting awards. 

The Internet played a vital role in getting the word out before, during and after Katrina and WWLTV.com's coverage received a National EPPY Award for its efforts, which were seen by over 1 million unique users in September alone.

The station’s most recent awards, including the Peabody, recognized WWL’s continuous coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.  The awards recognized pre-planning that enabled WWL-TV to remain on the air throughout the devastating storm.  Channel Four was the only local station to do so, providing comprehensive coverage before, during and after the disaster.  That included coverage streamed on wwltv.com, which maintained blogs and online forums, allowing thousands of displaced Louisiana residents to communicate with friends and relatives across the country.

In addition to strengthening its dominant internet presence, with the launch of "NewsWatch on Channel 15" over a decade ago, WWL-TV became the country's first television station to meet a growing viewer need for local news on demand. This visionary round-the-clock cable service, which features rebroadcasts and simulcasts of the latest Eyewitness News edition, is now available in five metropolitan parishes.

While WWL-TV, enhanced by wwltv.com and NewsWatch on Channel 15, continues to strive for innovation and excellence, the station also remains deeply tied to the community it serves. The power of those three call letters go all the way back to 1922, when the Gulf South's first AM radio broadcast was transmitted from a physics lab at Loyola University.

Phil Johnson (left) wrote and delivered memorable editorials for years while Bill Elder's investigations produced significant changes. The two men received four of the station's six Peabody Awards, Mr. Johnson for his documentaries, Mr. Elder for a memorable investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement at a local medical facility.

The university-owned WWL-AM radio joined the Columbia Broadcasting System in 1935, and its sister broadcast outlet became New Orleans' first CBS television affiliate when it signed on the air on September 7, 1957.

In 1989, Loyola sold both its radio and television properties to separate companies. In yet another first, WWL-TV became the first - and only - local television station in the country to be acquired by an employee-investor group, led by former General Manager J. Michael Early's Rampart Broadcasting. After several successful years under Rampart, the station was acquired in 1994 by Belo Corp., one of the nation's largest media companies with a diversified group of market-leading television, newspaper, cable and interactive media assets.

Now, this extraordinary station looks ahead to a crystal clear future - with Belo's commitment to HDTV: high-definition television. In May 2002, WWL-TV successfully launched WWLDT, Channel 36, a digital signal that broadcasts high definition programming ranging from CBS prime time to national sporting events.

And that legendary WWL-TV spirit will continue to remain an indispensable part of everyday life for thousands of folks across southeast Louisiana.

WWL-TV, Inc.
A Belo Subsidiary
1024 N. Rampart Street
New Orleans, LA 70116-2487
(504) 529-4444 Phone
(504) 529-6470 Fax
Employment and Internships