The beginning of WLBT News

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - This year marks 70 years of WLBT.

We will celebrate through December. Between now and then, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest and most interesting stories we’ve brought to you over the past seven decades.

We’re calling it “From the Vault,” and we will start at the beginning.

WLBT signed-on in December of 1953 as the second TV station in Jackson, and the third in Mississippi. It was a service of Lamar Life Insurance Company, which was no stranger to broadcasting.

Lamar Life also owned WJDX radio, which had been on the air since 1929.

The company built a new facility for both stations to call home, the same building where we are now - here on South Jefferson Street in downtown Jackson.

Television was brand new back then, but soon, Channel 3 became a part of people’s lives all over central Mississippi.

Dick Sanders was the first anchor and news director and Woodie Assaf was the weather anchor.

We will pull more stories “From the Vault” each Tuesday morning, noon and again at 10 p.m.

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