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Line 53: Channel 36 found a buyer in February 1970: Atlanta broadcasting mogul [[Ted Turner]], who purchased WCTU through Turner Broadcasting of North Carolina for $1.25 million. Turner had scouted out buying equipment from the bankrupt station but decided instead to buy the whole operation.{{r\|cinderella}} At the time, he owned just one other television property, [[WPCH-TV\|WJRJ-TV]] in his hometown Atlanta, as well as three radio stations in other southeastern cities.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Doar \|first=Harriet \|date=February 12, 1970 \|title=WCTU: Atlanta Firm Buys Charlotte TV Station \|page=23A \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45711885/atlanta-firm-buys-charlotte-tv-station/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012544/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45711885/atlanta-firm-buys-charlotte-tv-station/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Turner renamed the station WRET-TV—using the initials of his full name, Robert Edward Turner III—in July<ref>{{Cite news \|date=July 13, 1970 \|title=WRET On Channel 36 Now \|page=3B \|work=The Charlotte News \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65519882/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012530/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65519882/wret-on-channel-36-now/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> and instituted a new and expanded program lineup in August.<ref name="slate">{{Cite news \|date=August 16, 1970 \|title=Channel 36 Begins New Slate Monday \|page=6G \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45712230/channel-36-begins-new-slate-monday/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012548/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45712230/channel-36-begins-new-slate-monday/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Just two programs, wrestling and the music video program ''[[The Now Explosion]]'', were retained.{{r\|slate}} Turner's new Charlotte station was not an immediate success. Programming costs were high relative to ratings. The station had just one on-air personality: announcer Bob Chesson, who as "Dead Ernest" hosted the station's block of horror films.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Eichel \|first=Henry \|date=February 13, 1972 \|title=Will Channel 36 Survive? \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520114/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 28, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328182034/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520114/will-channel-36-survive/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> One Saturday morning in February 1972, Turner appeared on the station to appeal for contributions from viewers, saying that channel 36 had not broken even since he had purchased it.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=February 6, 1972 \|title=WRET Asks Viewers' Loans To Stay On Air \|page=3B \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65519992/ \|access-date=December 18, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012727/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65519992/wret-asks-viewers-loans-to-stay-on-air/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> The station drew $53,000 in donations, enough to help pay its bills, and also received interest from several new advertisers.<ref>{{Cite news \|title=Nets $53,000: WRET-TV Prospects 'Good' After Appeal \|page=1C \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520208/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012727/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520208/nets-53000-wret-tv-prospects-good/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> WRET-TV became a typical UHF independent, airing a lineup of [[animated cartoon\|cartoons]], [[sitcom]]s, older movies, and a heavy slate of sporting events.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Hanna \|first=Charlie \|date=April 19, 1974 \|title=Channel 36 Adding WFL To Sports-Crowded Lineup \|page=7B \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520448/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012727/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520448/channel-36-adding-wfl-to-sports-crowded/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> It was among the early carriers of ''[[The 700 Club]]'', produced by the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] (CBN);<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Barnard \|first=Warren \|date=June 17, 1972 \|title=Churches Question The Union Of 9 Christian Denominations \|page=4A \|work=The Charlotte News \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520317/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012736/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520317/churches-question-the-union-of-9/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> atCBN founder [[Pat Robertson]], who like Turner had gone to [[Brown University]], read about the appeal for donations in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' and placed his programs on the station.{{r\|Char730516}} At one point, the Charlotte area accounted for 15 percent of CBN's pledge contributions.{{r\|cinderella}} CBN programming was dropped by WRET in 1973 and replaced with programs of the [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]],<ref name="Char730516">{{Cite news\|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-thanks-to-begatho/143905716/\|date=May 16, 1973\|page=16A\|first=Charlie\|last=Hanna\|title=Thanks To Begathon, Religious Tone, WRET Dialing Off Red\|newspaper=The Charlotte Observer\|location=Charlotte, North Carolina\|via=Newspapers.com\|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref><!-- Wed --> headed locally by [[Jim Bakker]]; the shows included ''[[The PTL Club]]''.<ref name="Char750323">{{Cite news\|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-religion-dominate/143905990/\|date=March 23, 1975\|pages=2F, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-religious-themes/143906086/ 4F]\|title=Religion Dominates On Sunday Mornings: Radio And TV Provide Christian Programs\|newspaper=The Charlotte Observer\|location=Charlotte, North Carolina\|via=Newspapers.com\|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref><!-- Sun --> Bakker split from TBN in 1974 and moved his staff to Charlotte.<ref name="Char750513">{{Cite news\|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-news-pioneer-bakkers-mak/143906243/\|date=May 13, 1975\|pages=2B, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-news-the-ptl-cluba-tv-t/143906198/ 3B]\|first=Bob\|last=Wisehart\|title=Pioneer: Bakkers' Make Christian TV A Booming Business\|newspaper=The Charlotte News\|location=Charlotte, North Carolina\|via=Newspapers.com\|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref><!-- Tue --> ~~[[File:WRET-TV Logo 1970s.png\|150px\|thumb\|right\|WRET-TV logo from the 1970s.]]~~ By 1975, buoyed by a stronger film library, WRET-TV had emerged as the country's fifth-best independent station of 65 nationwide in audience share, per an analysis by ''[[Television/Radio Age (magazine)\|Television/Radio Age]]'', and was making a profit.<ref name="cinderella">{{Cite news \|last=Hanna \|first=Charlie \|date=February 9, 1975 \|title=Charlotte's Cinderella Station Is Fifth-Ranking Independent \|page=TV Week 1 \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520560/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012818/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520560/charlottes-cinderella-station-is/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> After five years of being independently operated from the rest of his Turner Communications Group, that company absorbed WRET-TV and its parent company later that year.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=July 28, 1975 \|title=Atlanta Corporation Absorbs WRET-TV \|page=2B \|work=The Charlotte News \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520701/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012819/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520701/atlanta-corporation-absorbs-wret-tv/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Late that year, Turner was making plans to uplink one of its two stations nationwide for distribution to cable providers. While Turner preferred to uplink his Atlanta flagship, by then renamed, WRET-TV was a backup in the event that the [[Federal Communications Commission]] did not relax rules that prevented the existence of [[superstation]]s in top-25 television markets.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=December 6, 1975 \|title=WRET May Go Nationwide \|page=2B \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520821/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012819/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520821/wret-may-go-nationwide/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Channel 36 ended the year by announcing plans to repay the viewers whose contributions had saved it four years prior,<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Barnard \|first=Warren \|date=December 29, 1975 \|title=Channel 36 To Repay Viewers' Donations Soon \|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520979/ 10B] \|work=The Charlotte News \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520936/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012821/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65520936/channel-36-to-repay-viewers-donations/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> doing so in February 1976.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Alridge \|first=Ron \|date=February 5, 1976 \|title=WRET Plans To Pay Back Viewer Loans \|page=1A \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65521009/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 13, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313012820/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65521009/wret-plans-to-pay-back-viewer-loans/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Each of the 3,600 contributors, who had sent in from 25 cents to $200, received checks returning their money—with interest—from Turner.<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Wister \|first=Emery \|date=February 6, 1976 \|title=Even 25-Cent Lenders Happy To Get It Back \|page=1B \|work=The Charlotte News \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65521039/ \|access-date=December 17, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 28, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328182039/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65521039/wret-repaying-3600-viewers/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> Line 157: ===Notable former on-air staff=== * [[Heather Childers]] – weekend anchor, (1992–1995~~; [[Fox News Channel]], now [[Newsmax TV]] as of late 2020)~~<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Heather Childers bio \|url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/heather-childers/bio/ \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928043749/http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/heather-childers/bio/ \|archive-date=September 28, 2013 \|access-date=September 26, 2013 \|publisher=[[Fox News]]}}</ref> * [[Amanda Davis (journalist)\|Amanda Davis]] – reporter, (1979–1982; later at [[Satellite News Channel\|SNC]] as a correspondent in Washington, D.C. (1982–1983), [[WAGA]] in Atlanta (1986–2013), and [[WANF\|WGCL]] in Atlanta (2015–2017); passed away on December 27, 2017){{r\|davis}} * [[Allen Denton]] – anchor, (1996–2000~~; later at [[KUSI-TV]] in [[San Diego]])~~<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Keveney \|first=Bill \|date=July 8, 2000 \|title=WCNC-TV anchor Denton leaves for San Jose station \|page=4B \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65569682/ \|access-date=December 18, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 28, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328182425/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65569682/wcnc-tv-anchor-denton-leaves-for-san/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> * [[Doug McKelway]] – reporter, (1980–1982~~; later at [[WRC-TV]] and [[WJLA-TV]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]; now at [[Fox News Channel]])~~<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Wolf \|first=Mark \|date=January 9, 1982 \|title=Coverage Of Race A Marathon Job \|page=16A \|work=The Charlotte Observer \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65569586/ \|access-date=December 18, 2020 \|via=Newspapers.com \|archive-date=March 28, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328182426/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65569586/coverage-of-race-a-marathon-job/ \|url-status=live }}</ref> * [[Robert D. Raiford\|Bob Raiford]] – anchor and talk show host, (1978–1986~~; later on ''[[The John Boy and Billy Big Show]]''), deceased 2017~~{{r\|action}} * [[Hannah Storm]] – sports anchor, (1988–1989~~; later at [[NBC Sports]] and on ''[[The Early Show]]'' on CBS, now with [[ESPN]])~~{{r\|changes}} * [[Beatrice Thompson]] – general assignment reporter, (1988–1989){{r\|doc}} * [[Beth Troutman]] – news anchor, (2015–2017)<ref>{{Cite news \|last=Kuperberg \|first=Jonathan \|date=October 19, 2015 \|title=Bright Horizon Ahead For Charlotte and Its Stations \|work=Broadcasting & Cable \|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/bright-horizon-ahead-charlotte-and-its-stations-145060 \|access-date=December 18, 2020 \|archive-date=March 28, 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328182425/https://www.nexttv.com/news/bright-horizon-ahead-charlotte-and-its-stations-145060 \|url-status=live }}</ref> ==Technical information== Line 191: \|- ! scope = "row" \| 36.5 \| ~~Crime~~NEST \|\| [[The Nest (TV network)\|The Nest]] ~~(soon)~~ \|- \|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399;"