WLBT

WLBT operates as the primary NBC affiliate for Jackson, Mississippi, broadcasting on channel 3 from a shared facility at 715 South Jefferson Street. The station serves a broad geographic footprint across central and southern Mississippi with its transmitter located southeast of Raymond. Owned by Gray Media, it functions alongside sister outlets WDBD and WLOO within the same building to deliver local news, weather forecasts, and emergency alerts to the region.

The organization maintains a significant presence in the community through both traditional broadcast and expanding digital platforms. Its coverage spans breaking weather events, criminal justice stories, high school sports, and local cultural festivals. Management oversight comes from Gray Media corporate headquarters while day-to-day operations are handled by station executives and news directors based in Jackson. [edit]

WLBT delivers essential local news, weather updates, and emergency information to residents of the Jackson metropolitan area and surrounding regions. The station aims to provide fair and balanced reporting while serving as a critical hub for public safety during severe weather and other emergencies. [edit]

WLBT began broadcasting on September 15, 1958, establishing itself as one of the oldest television stations in the Deep South. Originally owned directly by the National Broadcasting Company before transitioning to private ownership, the station became the center of a historic legal battle in 1964. That year, federal court officials shut down the station for two months because it refused to cover civil rights activities and maintained biased reporting against the movement.

This shutdown marked the first time a television station in the United States had been closed by a court order. Employees involved in the suppression of news were later dubbed the "Goon Squad" after being accused of colluding with white supremacist groups to hide racial violence and activism. Following the closure, the Federal Communications Commission imposed sanctions and fines that forced the station into a sale. New owners committed to fair coverage standards, and the station eventually resumed operations. Decades later, WLBT continued to report on the legal proceedings involving former employees related to this era of media history. [edit]