Editing WDRB (section)

==News operation==
After more than a year of planning,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359058/|page=C2|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|work=The Courier-Journal|access-date=February 28, 2021|title=Channel 41 prepares to field an army in news wars|date=January 25, 1989|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023148/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359058/channel-41-prepares-to-field-an-army-in/|url-status=live}}</ref> WDRB launched its news department on March 12, 1990, with the debut of a half-hour 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast, originally titled ''The News at 10''.<ref name="Cour900312">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123419111/tv-11-embarks-on-next-40-years-with-cele/|date=March 12, 1990|page=C2|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=TV-11 embarks on next 40 years with celebration of old times|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 23, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023142/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123419111/tv-11-embarks-on-next-40-years-with/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Several longtime news personalities in the Louisville market joined the new WDRB news staff when the station formed its news operation. ''The News at 10'' was originally anchored by Lauretta Harris (who joined WDRB from [[WAVE (TV)|WAVE]]), Jim Mitchell (who started in the market at WHAS-TV, before moving to WAVE), meteorologist Tammy Garrison, and sports anchor David Sullivan.<ref name="newskid">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359232/|first=David|last=Inman|title=News kid on the block: WDRB sharpens competitive edge with local talent|date=March 6, 1990|access-date=February 28, 2021|pages=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359262/ C6]|work=The Courier-Journal|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023146/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359232/news-kid-on-the-block-wdrb-sharpens/|url-status=live}}</ref> A weekend edition of ''The News at 10'' debuted that October, pairing ex-WLKY staffer Bill Francis with Susan Sweeney, who prior to joining channel 41 had worked at [[WHAS (AM)|WHAS radio]].{{r|newskid}}<ref name="Cour901025">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-storer-penalizes-its/157018293/|date=October 25, 1990|page=C2|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=Storer penalizes itself for offside play in UK-LSU game|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|location=Louisville, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 12, 2024}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

In 1995, the program was retitled as ''Fox News at 10'' and expanded to one hour.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359791/|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|work=The Courier-Journal|date=September 13, 1995|page=C3|title=WDRB-41 growing popular 'News at 10' to a full 60 minutes|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023147/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72359791/wdrb-41-growing-popular-news-at-10-to/|url-status=live}}</ref> WDRB launched additional newscasts on its schedule as its ratings position in the market strengthened: the first news expansion outside its established 10 p.m. slot came on October 5, 1998, when WDRB premiered the three-hour-long ''Fox in the Morning'' and a half-hour midday newscast at 11:30&nbsp;a.m. (originally titled ''Fox First News'');<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72360920/|access-date=February 28, 2021|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=Ambitious morning show premieres on WDRB|page=F2|date=October 5, 1998|work=The Courier-Journal|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023134/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72360920/ambitious-morning-show-starts-on-wdrb/|url-status=live}}</ref> the latter program expanded to an hour on September 21, 2015, with the addition of a half-hour noon newscast.<ref>{{cite web|title=Area TV stations back news programs with promotion|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/1999/05/24/focus6.html|author=Susan Koch|newspaper=Louisville Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=May 24, 1999|access-date=October 4, 2015|archive-date=April 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421043914/https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/1999/05/24/focus6.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WDRB Expands Midday News To Full Hour|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/88277/wdrb-expands-midday-news-to-full-hour|author=Mark K. Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=September 9, 2015|access-date=October 4, 2015|archive-date=October 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012020840/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/88277/wdrb-expands-midday-news-to-full-hour|url-status=live}}</ref> This was later followed by the debut of an hour-long 4&nbsp;p.m. newscast in September 2001<ref name="Cour010924">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422509/wdrb-launches-news-show-at-4-pm/|date=September 24, 2001|page=F2|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=WDRB launches news show at 4 p.m.|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023154/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422509/wdrb-launches-news-show-at-4-pm/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> and weekly editorials by general manager Bill Lamb, the first on any Louisville station since the 1980s, in 2002.<ref name="Cour020612">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422564/wdrb-tv-to-launch-community-editorials/|date=June 12, 2002|page=32|title=WDRB-TV to launch community editorials|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023141/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422564/wdrb-tv-to-launch-community-editorials/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The morning newscast was retooled in 2003 as a news-oriented program after ratings took a nosedive during the start of the [[Iraq War]].<ref name="Cour030609">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422718/wdrb-to-change-morning-format/|date=June 9, 2003|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|page=C2|title=WDRB to change 'Morning' format|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023127/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422718/wdrb-to-change-morning-format/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->

Since 2011, WDRB has continued to fill out its newscast schedule, with evening newscasts at 6:30 p.m. in 2011,<ref name="Cour101008">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422885/the-buzz-more-fox-41-news/|date=October 8, 2010|page=D2|first=Joel|last=Welin|title=The Buzz: More Fox 41 news|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023142/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123422885/the-buzz-more-fox-41-news/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> 6 p.m. in 2014, and 5 p.m. news in 2019, the latter hosted by longtime WAVE anchor Scott Reynolds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/05/08/scott-reynolds-louisville-news-anchor-joins-wdrb/1139295001/|title=Veteran Louisville news anchor Scott Reynolds is joining WDRB|website=The Courier-Journal|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023157/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/05/08/scott-reynolds-louisville-news-anchor-joins-wdrb/1139295001/|url-status=live}}</ref> One expansion—a 7 p.m. newscast for WBKI-TV (channel 34), was broadcast from 2012 to 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=WBKI Louisville To Launch 7 P.M. News|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/61493/wbki-louisville-to-launch-7-pm-news|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=August 14, 2012|access-date=May 7, 2014|archive-date=May 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508025115/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/61493/wbki-louisville-to-launch-7-pm-news|url-status=live}}</ref> The station also has added morning newscasts, including weekend morning news in 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=WDRB to Add Weekend Morning Newscasts|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/63186/wdrb-to-add-weekend-morning-newscasts|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=October 30, 2012|access-date=October 30, 2012|archive-date=June 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609063823/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/63186/wdrb-to-add-weekend-morning-newscasts|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WDRB plans to add morning news on weekends|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2012/10/31/wdrb-plans-to-add-morning-news-on.html|author=Andrew Robinson|newspaper=Louisville Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=October 31, 2012|access-date=April 17, 2015|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423032348/https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2012/10/31/wdrb-plans-to-add-morning-news-on.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and a 9 a.m. weekday morning news extension in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/wdrb-louisville-adds-an-hour-to-its-morning-news/|work=TVNewsCheck|date=January 29, 2023|title=WDRB Louisville Adds An Hour To Its Morning News|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=February 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202205858/https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/wdrb-louisville-adds-an-hour-to-its-morning-news/|url-status=live}}</ref> 

In June 2013, WDRB gained notice in the television industry when it debuted a [[Promo (media)|promo]] criticizing the broad, constant and generalized use of the term "[[breaking news]]" by other news stations (both within the Louisville market and around the United States), stating that "breaking news" has been overused as a "marketing ploy" by other stations, who tend to apply the term to stories that are low in urgency and/or relevance.<ref name="TVSpy06042013" /> To coincide with the promo, WDRB posted on its website a "contract" outline of its journalism practices with its viewers and advertisers, with the former list promising to judiciously use "breaking news" (applying the term to stories that are "both 'breaking' and 'news'"), as well as a general promise to deliver news in a truthful, balanced and informative manner, and without overt hype and [[sensationalism]].<ref name=TVSpy06042013>{{cite news|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/louisville-station-stops-using-breaking-news_b92526|title=Louisville Station Stops Using 'Breaking News'|work=TVSpy|date=June 4, 2013|access-date=June 8, 2013|archive-date=June 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608093241/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/louisville-station-stops-using-breaking-news_b92526|url-status=live}}</ref>

The station gained national attention in November 2019 for a [[sweeps]] interview with the founder of [[Papa John's Pizza]], [[John Schnatter]] (who had been a controversial local figure since his July 2018 ouster over use of a racial slur on a conference call). Schnatter had made the claim to WDRB's Stephan Johnson that he had found the quality control of the chain had declined after saying he ordered forty pizzas to eat from it in a month-long period and warned of a 'day of reckoning' for company board member [[Mark Shapiro (media executive)|Mark Shapiro]] for participating in Schnatter's ouster from the company.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/as-papa-john-s-moves-on-without-its-founder-john/article_b249cd6a-0fd0-11ea-98be-57e90d623b95.html|title=As Papa John's moves on without its founder, John Schnatter vows for a 'day of reckoning'|last=Johnson|first=Stephan|date=November 29, 2019|publisher=WDRB|access-date=December 13, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210063640/https://www.wdrb.com/news/as-papa-john-s-moves-on-without-its-founder-john/article_b249cd6a-0fd0-11ea-98be-57e90d623b95.html|url-status=live}}</ref>