After more than 51 years at WTVC, Marcia Kling has announced her retirement from the Chattanooga ABC affiliate.

“Unlike the Energizer Bunny, I never intended going on and on …  So, when my work day ends on Thursday, May 30, I will leave the station for the last time,” Kling wrote in an email to WTVC staff. “The decision to do so has not been easy … and largely because of all of you.”

Kling, who is known as “Miss Marcia,” joined the station in 1962. During her tenure with the station, she has hosted and developed educational program and served as the station’s director of community affairs. Most recently, she has been a contributor to “This N That,” WTVC’s local talk show.

“Miss Marcia will tell you she hasn’t worked one day in those years because she has been doing what she loves,” WTVC general manager Mike Costa said in a statement. “We love Miss Marcia and will miss her gracious presence in the building and on our air.”

Chattanooga NBC affiliate WRCB is adding weekend morning newscasts beginning April 13.

“Viewers have been asking us for morning news on the weekend and we are happy to be able to deliver that service,” news director Derrall Stalvey said in a statement.

The newscasts will air from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on both days of the weekend. Jonquil Newland, who joined WRCB in 2011, will anchor. Meteorologist Nick Austin will provide weather reports.

Chattanooga ABC affiliate WTVC debuted a new high definition set last week (above). Devlin Design Group, the set’s designer, details the space’s new features:

The design of the set is very graphics driven with large back lit graphics along the perimeter of the entire set. LED color changing lights are incorporated to provide a variety of colors and moods for their different newscasts. To keep the set grounded there are elements of wood and stone mixed in with the acrylics and metals. The custom stone finish is reminiscent of the local Chattanooga Pier area. Read more

WDEF is celebrating a major milestone: the 90th birthday of Luther Masingill, who has been working at the Chattanooga CBS-affiliate for over half a century.

A native of Chattanooga, Masingill began his broadcasting career with WDEF radio in the 40s, before joining WDEF-TV in 1954. He currently does a weekday morning radio show and makes regular appearances on WDEF-TV’s daytime newscasts.

“I love everybody in this town,” Masingill said in an interview with WDEF, following a birthday celebration on Friday. “That’s the reason I stayed around all this time. 90 years in this town and I love it.” Read more

Local stations in Chattanooga were in various states of continuing coverage today as severe weather tore through the region, which was under a tornado warning for most of the day.

“We will remain on the air throughout the afternoon until the threat passes for everyone,” WTVC wrote on Facebook. The ABC-affiliate had continuing coverage beginning at 11 a.m. with meteorologists David Glenn, Bill Race and Jason Disharoon, as well as reporters Sarah Jennings and Kevin Sims.

CBS-affiliate WDEF had extended coverage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., anchored by meteorologists Patrick Core and Chip Chapman. Anchor Nordia Epps contributed headlines.  Read more

WDEF, the CBS-affiliate in Chattanooga, is honoring local legend Luther Masingill for his 70 years in broadcasting today.

Masingill began his journalism career as an announcer for WDEF radio. The station’s owner talked Masingill, then a gas station attendant, into a job as the station’s telephone receptionist. After hearing his voice, employees at the station convinced him to make a demo tape; he was hired as an announcer at the station in 1941.

In 1954, Masingill began his job as a television anchor at the brand-new WDEF; he still contributes to both the radio and television stations today. According to the station’s website, he is believed to be the only anchor who reported on-air on both the Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks.  Read more

After 10 years at WRCB, veteran evening anchor Amy Morrow announced she will leave the Chattanooga NBC affiliate on July 22.

Morrow, who anchors the 11 p.m. news with Greg Glover, has worked with the station as an anchor-reporter since 2001. Prior to joining WRCB, Murrow worked at WDNN, a cable station in Dalton, GA, and at WTVA, the NBC affiliate in Tupelo. The Tennessee native says she has no plans to leave the Chattanooga area.

Morrow will be replaced at 11 p.m. by weekend anchor Callie Starnes. The station has named Antwan Harris, who has been a reporter for WRCB for two years, to weekend anchor as Starnes’ replacement.

While Mother’s Day is just around the corner, Chattanooga’s WDEF is making a strong case for celebrating dads. Especially this dad.

In a video posted to WDEF’s YouTube channel, a man watching a minor league baseball game makes a spectacular one-handed catch in the stands while holding his daughter in his other arm (video above).