Jackson, Tennessee Getting NBC Affiliate

Jackson, Tennessee gets its first ever NBC affiliate when WNBJ launches on an as yet unannounced date. Jackson TV LLC is the owner. Michael Steele, WNBJ general sales manager, told the Jackson Sun he does not know if the station will eventually produce news.

Viewers in DMA No. 176 access NBC on WMBC Memphis. It's about 88 miles between the cities, along I-40.

NBC did not respond to a request for comment at presstime.

Bahakel-owned ABC outlet WBBJ is the monster in Jackson. Nexstar owns the Fox affiliate while CBS airs on WBBJ's dot-three channel.

Jackson TV LLC had planned a September launch, according to a station promo, but is not yet on air.

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.