BATON ROUGE – WBRZ will launch an early-evening newscast, giving viewers an hour heads up to the next day’s changing weather pattern, investigative reports, breaking news and sports features about area athletes.

WBRZ News 2 at Nine launched Friday, September 3, on WBRZ Plus.  WBRZ Plus is the region’s only free, over-the-air and streaming news channel featuring scheduled newscasts, VSiN sports betting shows, breaking news as it happens and original programming produced by WBRZ or local partners.

Stream WBRZ Plus on WBRZ.com here.  Find WBRZ Plus on connected TV apps.  WBRZ Plus is also available on the free WBRZ news app for smartphones.

Originally scheduled to launch later in September, WBRZ News 2 at Nine began with a special, 30-minute breaking news report on Saturday, ahead of Hurricane Ida’s landfall and it will start its regular, weeknight schedule Friday to help viewers navigate a weekend of storm recovery.

“Habits have been forever changed in the last 18 months, first with the coronavirus and now by weather disasters in Louisiana.  WBRZ News 2 at Nine allows us to connect with our viewers earlier, at a time that’s more convenient,” Trey Schmaltz, WBRZ’s Director of News, said.

“WBRZ has a long history of innovating the local television landscape and our commitment to local broadcasting is only getting stronger.  Developing this new newscast is part of WBRZ and my family’s legacy in Baton Rouge,” Jake Manship, Chief Operating Officer for the TV station said.

“An earlier evening newscast powered by our dynamic news team just makes sense,” WBRZ General Manger Rocky Daboval said.  “We listened to our audience, saw what they needed and we’re delivering,” he added.

WBRZ is one of only two locally-owned television news stations in Louisiana, the only one in Baton Rouge and among a few in the United States.  The Manship family signed-on WBRZ and also owns KRGV TV in Texas.

WBRZ produces the most amount of local news in Baton Rouge across two TV stations: WBRZ Channel 2 and WBRZ Plus, seen on streaming apps, over-the-air and on Cox 11 and Eatel 2.

WBRZ News 2 at Nine will be seen Monday-Friday nights on WBRZ Plus.  The newscast will be anchored by Baton Rouge television icon Sylvia Weatherspoon, career investigative journalist Michael Shingleton, weather reports by Chief Meteorologist Dr. Josh Eachus and sports stories presented by sports director Michael Cauble.  WBRZ Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto will contribute reports along with the station’s team of journalists.  Ashely Fruge will report on issues that could complicate the morning drive.

Nighttime reports from Falon Brown and breaking news reporter Johnston von Springer will compliment WBRZ’s award-winning coverage during WBRZ News 2 at Nine.

WBRZ expanded its news team and created new positions to produce the added newscast.

WBRZ News 2 at Nine will launch with key sponsors: Go Auto Insurance; Cannon Hospice and Lane Regional Medical Center.

Stream WBRZ Plus on WBRZ.com here.  Find WBRZ Plus on connected TV apps.  WBRZ Plus is also available on the free WBRZ news app for smartphones.