SLS 23RS-2787 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 177
BY SENATORS BARROW, FIELDS, FOIL, KLEINPETER, LAMBERT, MCMATH,
MIZELL, POPE, PRICE, WHITE AND WOMACK
COMMENDATIONS. Commends WAFB television station upon the celebration of its
seventieth anniversary of broadcasting.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend and congratulate WAFB television station upon the celebration of its
3 seventieth anniversary of broadcasting.
4 WHEREAS, WAFB, the first television station in Baton Rouge, signed on April 19,
5 1953, by broadcasting a parade and quickly became a strong information source when there
6 was no live network services available; and
7 WHEREAS, WAFB-TV's tradition of excellence now broadcasts into nine parishes:
8 Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena,
9 Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana; and
10 WHEREAS, many children entered into the WAFB-TV family through the Buckskin
11 Bill Black segments where he taught them, "You're never completely dressed until you put
12 on a smile," on his "Monday Morning March" programs; and
13 WHEREAS, the anchor team of George Sells and Donna Britt propelled WAFB-TV
14 newscasts to some of the highest ratings in the entire nation; and
15 WHEREAS, Mike Graham, Chief Meteorologist Jay Grymes, alongside Diane
16 Deaton and Dr. Steve Caparotta, helped pave the way for WAFB-TV weather dominance in
17 south Louisiana; and
18 WHEREAS, like many regions around the United States, the audience relies on the
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SLS 23RS-2787 ORIGINAL
1 gold standard of weather radar networks provided by the National Weather Service
2 (NEXRAD), WAFB-TV's "First Alert Radar Network" provides additional and exclusive
3 radar technology in the WAFB-TV parishes; and
4 WHEREAS, Chief Meteorologist Jay Grymes describes the importance of the new
5 system as: "The addition of this Doppler radar system to our technology tool chest will
6 provide the Storm Team with never-before-available radar details for those areas that will
7 enhance our ability to warn residents of threatening weather, especially the parishes of East
8 and West Feliciana" ; and
9 WHEREAS, Sports Director Steve Schneider launched "Sportsline Friday Night" in
10 1990 to bring viewers scores and highlights of high school football from across Louisiana;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, Paul Gates and Chef John Folse's popular cooking segment "Stirrin' It
13 Up" still airs today after starting many years ago; and
14 WHEREAS, WAFB-TV's "I-Team Investigates" has done an excellent job of
15 exposing, informing, and revealing corruptions, health issues, and other problems faced by
16 the residents of their viewing parishes; and
17 WHEREAS, "Sky 9 WAFB Camera Network" provides live coverage of events from
18 the sky in various areas; and
19 WHEREAS, managing editor, Greg Meriwether, best known for his nightly "Street
20 Beat" segments and for keeping it real with the viewers, remains popular today; and
21 WHEREAS, many WAFB-TV alumni have gone on to share their talents on larger
22 and national stages; and
23 WHEREAS, WAFB-TV's continued goal is to serve the community with truth and
24 facts, sponsoring countless community events, highlighting our heroes, and helping to raise
25 millions to build Baton Rouge's first freestanding children's hospital; and
26 WHEREAS, WAFB-TV is proud to be called Louisiana's News Channel; and
27 WHEREAS, WAFB-TV continues to be a leader in news, sports, special
28 programming, and weather, and has certainly merited its' viewers praise for seventy years
29 of exceptional broadcasting.
30 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
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SLS 23RS-2787 ORIGINAL
1 does hereby commend and congratulate WAFB television station upon the celebration of its
2 seventieth anniversary of broadcasting and does hereby extend best wishes for continued
3 success for many years.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
5 Joe Sciortino, General Manager of WAFB-TV.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michael Bell.
DIGEST
SR 177 Original 2023 Regular Session Barrow
Commends and congratulates WAFB-TV upon the celebration of its 70th anniversary of
broadcasting.
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