WNBJ now airs local news of its own, thanks to I.N.N.

WNBJ-LD 39 / Jackson, Tenn. (“NBC 39”)

FIRST ON THE BLOG: Another station has started airing local news of its own. However, its not entirely local.

As of this past Monday, August 28th, WNBJ 39 has started airing its own local news. Known as NBC 39 News, it airs two half-hour weeknight-ONLY newscasts at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. It provides a second option for local news in the small West Tennessee market, but something to note about this: it’s not entirely local. The newscasts are partly produced by the Independent News Network out of Little Rock, Ark. while there are local reporters employed by WNBJ to cover local stories of interest in West Tennessee.

However, this does keep WBBJ 7 (ABC/CBS) as still the ONLY fully-functioning local news department in the market as WJKT 16 (FOX) continues to air local news from its sister station in Memphis, WLMT 30 (CW). WNBJ does compete against WBBJ 7 at both 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. and these are weeknights only so there’s no weekend news at all.

So another station has started to air local news. Too bad its partly local since the main components are based out of Arkansas. So is it local news all the way? Probably not.