WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV is a CBS-affiliated television station serving Columbus and other communities in central Ohio under the 10TV brand.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WBNS-TV, branded on air as 10TV, is a CBS-affiliated television station based in Columbus, Ohio. It broadcasts on channel 10 and serves the Columbus metropolitan area as well as parts of central and eastern Ohio, including the nearby Zanesville market. The station shares a broadcast facility on Twin Rivers Drive west of downtown Columbus with WBNS radio stations and maintains a long-standing relationship with Ohio audiences through local news, weather, sports, public-affairs programming and community initiatives. The station began broadcasting on October 15, 1949, and has retained both its WBNS call letters and CBS affiliation throughout its history. Its network relationship was inherited from WBNS radio, which had been associated with the CBS Radio Network for nearly two decades before the television station launched. The call letters have historically been associated with businesses connected to the Wolfe family, including the Columbus Dispatch newspaper and other Wolfe-owned enterprises. For much of its early history, WBNS-TV operated alongside The Columbus Dispatch under common ownership, an arrangement that continued under a regulatory exemption despite federal restrictions on combined ownership of newspapers and broadcast outlets in the same market. WBNS-TV developed a distinctive local identity through programs such as Flippo the Clown, Luci's Toyshop, Franz the Toymaker, The Judge, Hanna's Ark and the late-night movie program hosted by Fritz the Nite Owl. The station also produced the youth-oriented 10TV Kids News Network and the statewide public-affairs program Capital Square. Its links with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Ohio State University and other Ohio institutions helped make the station more than a network relay: it became a prominent local media institution. News has been the station's central business and brand pillar. WBNS-TV introduced an early local news helicopter, satellite news-gathering truck and statewide news-service operation. It launched Ohio News Network in 1997, although that service later closed in 2012. The station was also an early adopter of digital production. In 1998 it transmitted a live high-definition Ohio State football game, an event widely regarded as an important early American live sports broadcast in HD, although the station's claim to being the first locally produced HD broadcast cannot be independently established. In 2001, WBNS entities helped stream an Ohio State spring football game online, placing the station among early U.S. broadcasters experimenting with internet video distribution. The 10TV identity was introduced in 1977 and remains the principal consumer-facing brand. WBNS-TV has historically maintained a strong ratings position in Columbus, supported by CBS programming, local sports coverage and a large news operation. It produces approximately 37 hours of locally originated newscasts each week, although its competitive position changed after the station left long-term Ohio ownership. The station began producing its newscasts in high definition in April 2007 and later adopted Tegna's standardized graphics and presentation package in 2020. In June 2015, the Wolfe family sold The Columbus Dispatch and related newspaper assets to New Media Investment Group, ending the newspaper's common ownership with WBNS-TV. In June 2019, Dispatch Broadcasting announced the sale of its broadcast assets to Tegna for $535 million in cash. The transaction was approved by the Federal Communications Commission and completed on August 8, 2019, ending more than a century of Wolfe-family involvement in local media. Nexstar Media Group subsequently acquired Tegna in March 2026 according to the supplied reference material. Because Nexstar already owned Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH-TV, regulatory and legal proceedings affected the timing and manner in which the WBNS and WCMH operations could be integrated. WBNS-TV remains an active 10TV-branded CBS station.
History
WBNS-TV signed on in Columbus on October 15, 1949. Its CBS affiliation reflected the established relationship between WBNS radio and the CBS Radio Network, and the television station has retained that affiliation ever since. The WBNS call letters were connected with the Wolfe family's business interests, including the Columbus Dispatch newspaper. The Wolfe family had acquired the newspaper in 1905, and the newspaper and broadcast properties remained linked for decades. Because federal rules generally restricted common ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations in one market, the arrangement continued under an FCC exemption. During its first several decades, WBNS-TV built a strong local-programming portfolio. Programs featuring personalities such as Flippo the Clown, Jack Hanna and Fritz the Nite Owl gave the station a recognizable Columbus character. Other productions included Luci's Toyshop, Franz the Toymaker, The Judge, Hanna's Ark, Capital Square and the 10TV Kids News Network. The station's youth-news program was notable for involving children in reporting and production, and some participants later pursued media or public-relations careers. The station expanded its regional relevance in the 1990s. In 1995, it became the default CBS outlet for Mansfield after Cleveland's WJW changed from CBS to Fox and the replacement Cleveland CBS station, WOIO, did not provide comparable over-the-air coverage in Mansfield. WBNS-TV was also carried in portions of the Lima market. In 1997, WBNS helped launch Ohio News Network, a statewide news service that operated from facilities shared with the station until it closed in 2012. WBNS-TV became an early participant in the transition to digital broadcasting. In September 1998, it produced and transmitted a live high-definition Ohio State football game using production and transmission resources supplied by Japan's NHK. The station described the broadcast as the first locally produced HD broadcast in the United States, but that distinction is contested because other broadcasters made similar claims. It remains widely recognized as one of the earliest live U.S. sporting events produced in HD. In 2001, WBNS-TV and related WBNS operations streamed an Ohio State spring football game over the internet using RealVideo and also distributed the event to compatible mobile devices, illustrating the station's early experimentation with digital distribution. Local news and sports became the core of the modern 10TV operation. WBNS introduced a news helicopter in 1979 and a satellite news truck in 1986. It has maintained extensive coverage of Ohio State athletics through coaches' programs and other locally produced sports content, while also carrying selected CBS sports events and coverage connected with the Memorial Tournament. The station's CBS affiliation has historically provided access to NFL games involving teams with substantial followings in its viewing area, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. The station began its high-definition news transition in 2007, launching a high-definition 5 p.m. newscast on April 2. Its local news output later stabilized at roughly 37 hours per week. In 2013, the station created Maria's Message after the death of Maria Tiberi, daughter of sports director Dom Tiberi, in a traffic accident. The initiative promotes safe driving, and an Ohio law subsequently designated September as Safe Driving Awareness Month in her honor. Ownership changed substantially in the 2010s. In June 2015, the Wolfe family sold the Columbus Dispatch and related assets to New Media Investment Group, ending the newspaper's direct common ownership with WBNS. In June 2019, Dispatch Broadcasting announced that it would sell its television and radio stations to Tegna for $535 million in cash. The FCC approved the transaction on July 29, and the sale closed on August 8, 2019. WBNS-TV consequently became part of Tegna and lost its status as the last major Columbus station owned by Ohio-based interests. In March 2020, it adopted Tegna's standardized graphics and C Clarity music package. According to the supplied reference material, Nexstar Media Group completed its acquisition of Tegna in March 2026. Nexstar's existing ownership of WCMH-TV in Columbus created regulatory and operational issues concerning the two station groups. A court order reportedly prevented immediate integration of the WBNS and WCMH operations, while a later agreement with Ohio officials addressed potential future safeguards for local programming and editorial independence. WBNS-TV continues to operate as a CBS affiliate under the 10TV identity.
- 2020
Tegna graphics package adopted
[1]WBNS-TV adopts Tegna's standardized graphics and C Clarity presentation.
- 2019
Tegna acquisition closes
[1]Tegna completes its $535 million cash acquisition of Dispatch Broadcasting's stations on August 8.
- 2015
Dispatch newspaper ownership changes
[1]New Media Investment Group acquires The Columbus Dispatch and related newspaper assets, ending its direct common ownership with WBNS.
- 2013
Maria's Message begins
[1]WBNS launches a safe-driving initiative following the death of Maria Tiberi.
- 2012
Ohio News Network closes
[1]The statewide news service ends operations on August 31.
- 2007
Local newscasts move to HD
[1]WBNS-TV launches its first high-definition newscast on April 2.
- 2001
Early online sports stream
[1]WBNS operations distribute an Ohio State spring football game through internet streaming and compatible mobile devices.
- 1998
Early live high-definition sports production
[1]The station produces an Ohio State football game in live HD, an important early digital-television milestone.
- 1997
Ohio News Network launches
[1]WBNS helps establish a statewide news service that shares facilities with the station.
- 1979
Local news helicopter launched
[1]WBNS-TV introduces an early local television news helicopter, later known as Chopper 10.
Products and positioning
A locally rooted, CBS-affiliated news and information station positioned around dependable central Ohio coverage, weather, sports and community service, with the 10TV brand serving as its primary public identity.
Local television news
10TV News
WBNS-TV's principal local news service, covering central Ohio breaking news, politics, public safety, consumer topics, weather, traffic and regional events. The operation produces multiple weekday and weekend newscasts and has historically been one of the station's most important audience and advertising assets.
Weather broadcasting
10TV Weather
Weather forecasts, severe-weather coverage, radar and related digital information for central Ohio. The station has used dedicated weather branding and previously operated a weather-oriented digital subchannel before its multicast lineup changed.
Sports broadcasting
Ohio State athletics programming
Locally produced coaches' shows and other programming focused on Ohio State football and men's basketball. WBNS-TV also carries selected CBS sports coverage, including games made available through the Big Ten on CBS arrangement introduced in 2023.
Sports broadcasting
Memorial Tournament coverage
Local reporting and coverage connected with the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, one of the region's prominent annual sporting events.
Multicast television · 2009
WBNS digital multicast services
The station's digital signal has carried several additional networks over time, including Doppler 10 Now, Antenna TV, Decades, Heroes & Icons, MeTV, Dabl, Circle and Shop LC. The lineup has changed as network affiliations and distribution agreements evolved.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Maria's Message
Ohio
WBNS created a safe-driving awareness campaign after Maria Tiberi died in a traffic accident. The initiative sought to discourage distracted driving and promote safer behavior on Ohio roads.
Outcome. The campaign contributed to broader public awareness, and Ohio Senate Bill 294 designated September as Safe Driving Awareness Month in Maria's honor; the law was signed in 2014.
- 200710TV News in HD
Central Ohio
A major marketing campaign promoted WBNS-TV's transition to high-definition local news. It used the song "Carousels (Dreaming of Tomorrow)" by Columbus band Alamoth Lane and incorporated imagery of the musicians performing with the Columbus skyline.
Outcome. The campaign accompanied the station's launch of high-definition newscasts and reinforced the 10TV brand as a technology leader in the local market.
Brand decisions
2026
Nexstar acquisition of TegnaM&ABackground
Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna placed WBNS-TV under the same corporate owner as Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH-TV.
Action taken
According to the supplied reference material, the transaction closed on March 19, 2026. Court proceedings subsequently limited immediate integration of the WBNS and WCMH operations.
Aftermath
The supplied material reports an agreement under which Nexstar would preserve existing local programming output and editorially independent news departments through 2030 if the injunction were lifted.
2020
Station adopts Tegna's standardized news packageStrategyBackground
Following the change in ownership, WBNS-TV aligned aspects of its news presentation with Tegna's wider station-group standards.
Action taken
The station introduced Tegna's standardized graphics and C Clarity theme on March 13.
Aftermath
The change created greater consistency with Tegna-owned stations while preserving the 10TV consumer brand.
2019
Dispatch sells broadcast assets to TegnaM&ABackground
Dispatch Broadcasting announced the sale of WBNS-TV and related broadcast assets as the Wolfe family's long-running involvement in local media was ending.
Action taken
Tegna agreed to acquire the stations for $535 million in cash. The FCC approved the transaction on July 29, and it closed on August 8.
Aftermath
WBNS-TV became part of Tegna and joined Tegna's Ohio station portfolio. The transaction ended more than a century of Wolfe-family ownership connections.
Acquisition price. $535 million (Announced June 2019; completed August 8, 2019)
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