TV History Profile: WAFF

History:

This information has been skimmed from the WAAY-TV history page.

WAFF-TV 48's history actually begins in Decatur, and on channel 23! July 4, 1954 is when this station came on (originally). Prior to 1967, this station was an NBC affiliate, when WAAY-TV took that from them in January of 1968. That year the station (then with the calls WMSL) switches to ABC affiliation. Also in 1968, the station moved to channel 48 and re-located to the Huntsville area, erecting a 900 foot tower. The calls are changed to WYUR ("YoUR" tv station). Many years later the station is bought by American Family Life Insurance, when the calls are changed to WAFF (American Family's Finest).

On March 24, 1982, the WAFF-TV studios and transmitter building burn to the ground in an early evening fire. The station returns the air, amazingly, in less than a month from a new location on the Parkway.  In an odd anti-competition move, WAAY-TV puts a letter in the newspaper welcoming back to the air.