Hampton Roads' first television station and the second television station in Virginia; WTAR-TV began operations on channel 4 on April 2, 1950. It was originally owned by Norfolk Newspapers, along with WTAR radio (AM 790, now on AM 850) and WTAR-FM. It moved to channel 3 to alleviate interference with NBCowned-and-operatedWRC-TV in Washington, D.C.
1952–1957[]
1957–1962[]
LOGO MISSING
1962–1964[]
LOGO MISSING
1964–1968[]
1968–1971[]
1971–1974[]
"Flibbertigibbet with Ann Dawson" newspaper ad (1971)
Station ID slide
1974–1977[]
SVG NEEDED
1977–1981[]
The logo resembles that of independent station XETV in Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, California from 1973 to 1984. This logo survived a callsign change.
WTKR (-TV)[]
Although Landmark Communications; the new name of Norfolk Newspapers after it was reorganized in 1967; was able to get grandfathered protection for its flagship Hampton Roads cluster, it opted to sell channel 3 to Knight Ridder in 1981, who changed the station's calls to WTKR on March 4.
1981–1986[]
Logo without shadow
1985 newspaper ad
News logo
"Chips Patrol" promo
On-screen ID (1984)
1985–1986[]
1985 promo (Sal Urbano)
1985 WTKR News 3 Topical (Sal Urbano)
1985 WTKR text ID as part of CBS' "We've Got the Touch" campaign for the 1985-86 season.
Used concurrently with the 1977 '3' logo in this period.
1986–1992[]
In 1986, coinciding with the launch of the "Discover the Land of the 3" image campaign (developed by Klein & and used until 1990), WTKR adopted a new logo containing an italicized numerical "3" overlaid on white, red, and blue stripes.
Knight-Ridder sold WTKR and sister station WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island to Narragansett Television in 1989.
April 28, 1988 WTKR News 3 bumper
1986-88 WTKR onscreen bug (Michele Harvey)
1986-88 WTKR News 3 copyright tag (from end of April 28, 1988 newscast)
1986-90 WTKR "Discover the Land of the 3" station ID
November 22, 1989 WTKR ID. This was used on CBS' "In Service to the Community" bumpers preceding the network's "Stop the Madness" public service announcements. Note that the middle stripe in this variant of the logo is green instead of silver.
November 26, 1989 WTKR News 3 Topical (Brian Hill)
December 24, 1991 WTKR Promo (Lou Rawls Parade of Stars)
December 1991 WTKR "Project A+" promotion
December 1991 WTKR News 3 "First Team" promo
December 24, 1991 WTKR on-screen bug (longtime WTKR weatherman and announcer Andy Roberts)
December 24, 1991 WTKR News 3 Promo. The "3" here is a transitional logo as WTKR transitioned from the 1986 logo in preparation for its February 1992 "Channel 3 Eyewitness News" rebrand and the logo used until 1994
December 1991 WTKR ID (1992 Winter Olympics Coverage)
Station ID (1991-1992)
1992–1994[]
On February 6, 1992, WTKR dropped the News 3 branding used since 1974 in favor of Eyewitness News. At the same time, WTKR began using this logo in place of the version used since late 1986. The Eyewitness News branding had previously been used in the Hampton Roads market by NBC affiliate WAVY-TV from 1969 to 1981.
1992-94 WTKR top of the hour station ID (during an episode of "Dark Justice")
August 1992 WTKR promo for the special "Growing Up Great" alongside co-sponsors Farmco (pharmacy division of Farm Fresh), the Junior League and Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters)
August 18, 1992 WTKR Eyewitness News promo
August 18, 1992 WTKR ID (Eleven at Eleven)
October 31, 1992 WTKR Eyewitness News Promo (The Relations Race)
In 1995, after Narragansett sold WTKR to The New York Times Company, the station rebranded itself as News Channel 3 and adopted its News Channel branding, which was also used by other of its sister stations at the time.
1995-1998
1998–2002
WTKR NewsChannel 3 open (1995-1997)
1995-97 WTKR NewsChannel 3 on-screen graphics teaser (from October 31, 1995 edition of NewsChannel 3 News at 10 on UPN 27)
1995-97 WTKR NewsChannel 3 close (from October 31, 1995 edition of NewsChannel 3 News at 10 on UPN 27)
Tribune Creative Group (2016-2020) Scripps Graphics Hub, Sandra Scagliotti (2020-present)
Typography:
Helvetica Neue Condensed (logo), Gotham (graphics, 2016-2020) Proxima Nova (graphics, 2020-present)
Launched:
June 17, 2016
With the adoption of this logo, WTKR also revived the "News 3" branding last used in early 1992. The E. W. Scripps Company acquired WTKR in 2019 as part of Tribune Broadcasting's acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, owners of WAVY and WVBT.
Alternate logo
Profile picture on Facebook
The "3" numeral seen in its news opening sequence (2016-2020)
1KZTV is owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting, but it is programmed and operated by Scripps under a Shared Services Agreement. 2WFLX is owned by Gray Television, but is programmed and operated by Scripps under a Shared Services Agreement.