WBTV-TV in Charlotte presently broadcasts 38½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 6½ hours each weekday, four hours on Saturdays and two hours on Sundays). In September 1952, WBTV began its first regularly scheduled news programs as "The Esso Reporter" a ten-minute newscast airing at 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, with Doug Mayes as the station's first main news anchor. In the early 1960s, WBTV News in a partnership with First Union Bank, became the first television station in the United States to develop computerized election returns projections. In 1961, WBTV began the first use, on a regular basis, of helicopter-supported news coverage. On July 1, 1963, WBTV launched its noon newscasts at "The Noon Report" which was anchored by Don Robertson and Pat Lee. On September 2, 1963, WBTV expanded its weekday evening newscast "The Early Report" at 6:00 p.m. to a full 30 minute newscast. In 1966, WBTV News made the switch to color news film. In 1970, Bob Inman joined WBTV as the station's news anchor in which he would remain for the next 26 years. On September 7, 1970, WBTV News expanded its weekday evening newscast to an hour-long from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., became the first television station in the Carolinas to do that. Then a year later (in 1971), that newscast was moved to a new timeslot: from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Also on September 7, 1970, WBTV News premiered its newest news program "The Carolina Camera", which was anchored by C.J. Underwood. In late 1974, Doug Mayes stepped down from the anchor desk, and then he continued filing stories. In 1975, WBTV inaugurated its regular live field news coverage with a fully microwave and relay point on the NCNB tower in downtown Charlotte. On March 5, 1979, WBTV News introduced to Charlotte and the Carolinas its own most advanced weather radar system available. On September 19, 1979, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte to broadcast live news from a helicopter in flight under its name "Ranger 3". On New Year's Day 1980, the station opened the "Western Bureau" in Morganton with reporters Steve Ohnesorge and Cecile Bost. Also in 1980, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte with a fully computerized news operation, then C.J. Underwood introduced to a new news segment "Consumer Corner", and the station's news bureau in Raleigh was expanded. In October 1981, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte to open its own "Washington, D.C. Bureau". Also in 1981, Paul Cameron joined the sports team of WBTV News. On September 6, 1982, WBTV began broadcasting an "all-night" news and information programming. On September 19, 1983, WBTV launched its own weekday evening news magazine program "Mike McKay's Newscope" at 5:30 p.m. Then, on November 9, 1983, WBTV's news helicopter "Ranger 3" was renamed to "Sky 3". On May 1, 1984, WBTV News introduced "Radar Plus", the most weather radar system in the Charlotte television news industry. On Labor Day 1984, the updated "WBTV Morning Report" was premiered, with Lori Ogilvie and Jim Patterson as anchors. On November 2, 1984, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte and one of the first television stations in the United States to introduced its own satellite news gathering truck, and it was called "Newstar 3". In September 1986, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte to use mounted news cameras on towers throughout the city for live skyviews of highway traffic, skyline shots and weather scenes. On New Year's Eve 1987, one of WBTV studios was dedicated to one of the station's most beloved 3 personalities. TV-2 was now renamed as "The McLean Studio" in memory of Clyde McLean, where it was now home of the news set. On September 22, 1989, WBTV kepts its viewers with live news coverage of Hurricane Hugo which strucked the Carolina coastline. On October 19, 1989, WBTV was the first television station in Charlotte and the Carolinas to began Closed-Captioning for the hearing impaired for its newscasts. On September 13, 1990, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte and the Carolinas to begin hourly news updates, day and night as "The Carolinians 24-Hour News Source." On November 5, 1990, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte to expand its news coverage to 5:00 p.m. That newscast was anchored by John Kilgo and Lisa Cooley, and it was called "Live at Five". On March 2, 1992, after "Top O' The Day" ended its run, WBTV noon weekday newscast was introduced. In April 1993, Al Conklin joined WBTV as weathercaster. In Summer 1996, Robert Inman retired from the station as 26 years as lead news anchor, and he was replaced by Paul Cameron. In February 1997, WBTV became the first television station in Charlotte to feature traffic reports on weekday morning newscasts, which included live "Sky 3" helicopter traffic reports. In August 1997, Nate Wimberly joined WBTV, by starting interning at the station, and then became a full-time member of WBTV News' sports team as sports anchor/reporter. On April 20, 1998, WBTV News returned to its 6:30 p.m. weeknight timeslot with the first local 6:30 p.m. newscast in Charlotte for that time period in a "stand-alone" format, and which makes WBTV the first television station in Charlotte to have a two-hour news block in the evening. On June 23, 1999, C.J. Underwood retired from WBTV News. On July 6, 1999, WBTV expanded its weekday morning newscast to its new time: 5:00 a.m. In late September 1999, WBTV News provided its local live news coverage of Hurricane Floyd hitting the Carolinas. On December 31, 1999/January 1, 2000, WBTV's late-night newscast was expanded to cover the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000, when celebrations around Charlotte and the world covered with the news, by ending the 20th century, and the start of the 21st century & a new millennium. On March 6, 2000, WBTV's news helicopter "Sky 3" was crashed near Dallas, while covering a house fire. That helicopter was a total loss. On September 11, 2001, WBTV News had local updates on evacuations and changes in security to buildings in uptown Charlotte related to the terrorist attack on America. In 2002, WBTV News sent its reporters to Iraq and Afghanistan to cover the local National Guard troops on deployment in the War on Terror. In February 2003, WBTV's brand new "Sky 3" news helicopter did return to daily operation. Also, WBTV's Bell Jet Ranger did replace substitute news gathering helicopters. Also in 2003, Molly Grantham joined the station as reporter (in which she did, before she would go on to become leading news anchor). In Summer 2004, Maureen O'Boyle joined WBTV as co-anchor of the 5:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. weeknight newscasts. On June 9, 2009, WBTV began operation of a more energy efficient of its new "Sky 3" news helicopter. In September 2010, WBTV debuted an hour-long 4:00 p.m. weekday newscast. In December 2014, Lyndsay Tapases joined WBTV News as meteorologist for its weather team. On February 2, 2015, WBTV debuted its newest real/virtual news set. In Summer 2015, WBTV hired Alex Giles as its bureau reporter that covers Gaston, Lincoln, and Cleveland Counties. In early 2016, Giles became anchor of WBTV's Alert Center to provide breaking news updates during WBTV's early weekday evening newscasts. On New Year's Eve 2018, after 37 years with WBTV, Paul Cameron finally retired. In August 2019, Mary King joined WBTV News as Alert Center anchor. In 2022, Al Conklin became chief meteorologist of WBTV's First Alert Weather Team. On April 18, 2022, Shevaun Bryan joined the state to co-anchor the 4:00 p.m. weekday newscast with Alex Giles. In late January 2023, Alex Giles became Mary King's co-anchor for WBTV's weekday morning newscast, replacing John Carter (who became Shevaun Bryan's co-anchor for the 4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. weekday newscasts).