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WDEF–TV channel 12 is the CBS affiliate for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned by Morris Multimedia. Its transmitter is located in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

The station signed on the air on April 25, 1954, carrying programming from all four networks, though it has always been a primary CBS affiliate. It was owned by Joe Engel, who owned the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team as well as WDEF radio (AM 1370 and FM 92.3). It took the CBS affiliation from WROM-TV (channel 9). It lost NBC to WRGP-TV (now WRCB-TV) in 1956, and lost ABC to WTVC (the former WROM) in 1958.

Channel 12 was very locally oriented in its early years, as it offered a mix of children's shows, talk, and variety programs. One of those programs, "Point Of View", is currently one of the longest–running local public–affairs programs in the country.

Luther Masingill is the station's best–known personality. He was discovered by Engel in 1940 and has been a fixture in Chattanooga broadcasting ever since. While hosting the morning show on WDEF-FM (as he has since 1941), he hosts the "Community Calendar" segment on WDEF–TV's morning newscast. He also advertises lost pets on channel 12's Noon newscast, a feature unique to the station.

Mort Lloyd was the station's top anchor from the station's inception in 1954 until 1958, when he moved to channel 3. He returned to the anchor chair at channel 12 from 1970 until he stepped down to run for Congress in 1974. He won the Democratic nomination, but died in a plane crash while en route to a victory celebration. His widow, Marilyn, replaced him on the ballot and won in November, serving twenty years until 1995.

Its current slogan, or branding, is "WDEF News 12, Your Safe Families Station" — the station uses the theme to provide important information, safety tips, and sponsorship of related seminars and exhibitions that promote the safety and well–being of families and children.

In 2004, WDEF–TV began carrying UPN programming in late–night time slots, after CBS programming ended for the day. UPN programming had previously been carried in the Tennessee Valley on a low–powered outlet, WOOT-LP, channel 6. However, that deal came to an end on September 15, 2006, when UPN was folded into The CW, which made current WB affiliate WFLI-TV the new network's affiliate.

For many years, WDEF was owned by Park Communications, which became Park Acquisitions, Inc. following the death of the company's founder Roy H. Park in 1993. Park Acquisitions, Inc., in turn, was bought out by Media General in 1997.

On April 6, 2006, Media General announced that, in addition to acquiring four stations owned and operated by NBC, it will sell four of its TV stations; WDEF is one of those. [1] On August 1, 2006, it was announced that WDEF will be sold to Morris Multimedia, pending consummation. [2] The sale was completed October 13, 2006.[3] As of August 24, 2007, WDEF is still using the Media General-style logo and presentation.

CURRENT PERSONALITIES

• John Mercer, 6:00 and 11:00 Anchor
• Nordia Epps, 6:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
• Reneé LaSalle, 11:00 PM Anchor/Reporter
• Joe Legge, Noon Anchor/Reporter
• Rachel Oesch, Morning Anchor
• Bill Mitchell, Weekend Anchor/Reporter
• Luther Masingill, Community Calendar
• Patrick Core, Chief Meteorologist
• Brian Smith, Morning and Noon Meteorologist
• Amy Katcher, Weekend Weather
• Rick Nyman, Sports Director
• Jason Law, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
• Rebecca Cruz, General Assignment Reporter
• Abena Williams, General Assignment Reporter
• Bethany Mowry, General Assignment Reporter
• Kristin Johnson, General Assignment Reporter
• Gary Ainsworth, General Assignment Reporter

PAST PERSONALITIES

• Debbie Baer, Weather and Human Interest, c.1979-1985?
• Jay Berman, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter (2003-2006, Now at News 12 Brooklyn)
• Allison Braxton, General Assignment Reporter (2003–06, now at WVUE)
• Jerry Brown, Anchor/Reporter (1986–87, 1999–2002, now at WMBB)
• Chip Chapman, Morning and Noon Meteorologist
• Brooke Cornell, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
• Ebony Hall, Reporter (1998-2004, now at WBMA)
• Matt King, Sports Director (?)
• Candice Lee, 6:00 and 11:00 Anchor (now at WCMH)
• Kristy Lindstrom, Weekend Meteorologist (?)
• David Neal, Chief Meteorologist (1987–97, now at WBRC)
• Melissa Riopka, Anchor/Reporter (now at WBMA)
• Alison Starling, Anchor/Reporter (?, now at WJLA/News Channel 8)
• Kurt Williams, Anchor/Reporter (?, now at WTKR)
• Ben Tackett, Weathercaster (1983-86)
• Russ Geller, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (1980-1983 now News Director at WCBI)

• WDEF.com
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WDEF
• Location of WDEF studios on Wikimapia