WCAV

WCAV is a full-power television station serving Charlottesville, Virginia, and the surrounding Central Virginia market. The station operates on channel 19 and is affiliated with CBS and Fox. It is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group and shares facilities on Rio East Court in Charlottesville with low-power ABC affiliate WVAW-LD. Its transmitter is located on Carter Mountain south of the city. WCAV is the principal station in the Charlottesville Newsplex operation, a coordinated local-media group that also distributes programming through related broadcast outlets and digital subchannels. The station’s origins lie in a long-running Federal Communications Commission proceeding over a second full-service television allocation for Charlottesville. In the 1980s, competing applicants proposed using channel 64, but the case was complicated by the United States National Radio Quiet Zone surrounding the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Concerns about possible interference with radio astronomy facilities led to repeated administrative reviews, appeals, and reconsideration. The dispute ultimately continued through changes in federal telecommunications policy during the 1990s. In 2000, the competing applicants combined their proposals under Charlottesville Broadcasting Corporation, negotiated an acceptable technical arrangement with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and received authorization for a facility using channel 19. Gray Television acquired the construction permit in 2004 and secured a long-term CBS affiliation commitment. WCAV began broadcasting on August 13, 2004, becoming Charlottesville’s second full-power television station and its first local CBS affiliate. Before the station launched, viewers generally received CBS programming through cable carriage of stations from Richmond or Washington, D.C. WCAV’s arrival therefore gave the market a locally based CBS service. The station later became part of a broader Newsplex structure that included WVAW and Fox outlet WAHU. Local news is central to WCAV’s identity. The station produces extensive weekday and weekend newscasts, with coverage focused specifically on the counties and communities in the Charlottesville market. Its programming includes morning, midday, evening, late-night, sports, and weather coverage. WCAV and its related Newsplex outlets have also used digital subchannels and online streaming to extend local news and weather availability. In 2007, it introduced a weather-focused digital service that later evolved into Newsplex Now, carrying weather information, rebroadcasts, and simulcasts of Newsplex programming. The station has received recognition from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, including honors or finalist positions for news operation, sports coverage, and its website. Since 2006, WCAV and its Newsplex partners have served as official broadcast outlets for University of Virginia sports. Its Fox distribution expanded over time: Fox programming that had been associated with WAHU was carried full-time on WCAV after a 2019 ownership and facility transition, while later over-the-air distribution also involved WAHU-LD in Crozet. In 2019, Gray Television sold WCAV and WVAW-LD to Lockwood Broadcast Group in a transaction connected with Gray’s acquisition of competing Charlottesville station WVIR-TV. The sale closed on October 1, 2019. WCAV remains an active CBS/Fox broadcaster and the main local-news station within the Charlottesville Newsplex, combining network programming with regionally focused news, weather, sports, and digital services.

WCAV emerged from one of the longest and most technically complicated broadcast-allocation disputes associated with Charlottesville. In October 1986, the Federal Communications Commission designated five applications for a proposed second full-service television station in the city. The original allocation was channel 64. The proceeding became unusually difficult because the National Radio Quiet Zone, created to protect radio astronomy at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, extended into the Charlottesville area. Two principal applicants dominated the case. Lindsay Television, associated with G. Walton Lindsay, proposed a transmitter site outside the Quiet Zone. Achernar Broadcasting, owned by attorney Margot Polivy, proposed a site within it. An FCC administrative law judge initially favored Lindsay's proposal in 1988, but subsequent appeals required further consideration of possible interference. The commission considered restrictions on nighttime operation after notification from the observatory, but the judge concluded that the proposed protection was insufficient and rejected both applications. Further review produced additional reversals, and the FCC eventually determined that neither proposal should be granted. The applicants challenged that result in federal court. In 1995, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found the FCC's decision arbitrary and capricious and sent the matter back for reconsideration. Meanwhile, federal telecommunications legislation changed the framework for unresolved comparative broadcast applications. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 ended the traditional comparative-hearing process for new applications, while the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 encouraged settlement or auction mechanisms for grandfathered cases and began reallocating television channels 60 through 69 for other uses. Those changes encouraged the competing applicants to combine their proposals. Lindsay and Achernar formed Charlottesville Broadcasting Corporation and negotiated with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory on an acceptable technical plan. The proposal was subsequently modified to use channel 19, which had been occupied by a translator associated with WVPT in Harrisonburg. In 2000, the FCC accepted the settlement and issued a construction permit to Charlottesville Broadcasting. Gray Television acquired the permit in 2004 for a reported $1 million and obtained a ten-year CBS affiliation commitment. Gray had also operated a low-power translator on the channel 64 allocation, and that facility was moved to channel 16 to become WVAW-LP, a separate ABC affiliate for Charlottesville. WCAV commenced full-power broadcasting on August 13, 2004. Its launch gave Charlottesville a local CBS station at a time when CBS programming had generally reached the area through cable carriage of WTVR-TV from Richmond or WUSA from Washington, D.C. WCAV subsequently became the primary station in the Charlottesville Newsplex. The operation developed a shared-news model involving WCAV, WVAW, and Fox affiliate WAHU. The stations coordinated local newscasts while assigning particular programs and time periods to individual outlets. WCAV carried the largest share of the operation's news schedule, including the first hour of its weekday morning program and a midday newscast. WVAW and WAHU carried selected simulcasts, extensions, and separate evening programs. The station expanded its digital services during the late 2000s. In September 2007, it launched a weather-oriented digital subchannel known on air as CBS19 Weather Now, along with streaming video through its website and mobile service. The subchannel was later redesigned and renamed Newsplex Now, combining weather information with rebroadcasts and simulcasts of Newsplex newscasts. WCAV also received recognition from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters for news, sports coverage, and web-related work. Since 2006, WCAV and its Newsplex partners have been official broadcast outlets for University of Virginia sports. WCAV completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting on February 16, 2009, using a flash cut to place its digital signal on UHF channel 19. In 2013, the Fox 27 simulcast carried on WCAV's 19.3 subchannel was upgraded to high definition. Ion Television was added to digital channel 19.4 in 2018. Ownership changed in 2019. Gray Television announced the sale of WCAV and WVAW-LD to Lockwood Broadcast Group on March 4, in connection with Gray's purchase of rival WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting. The transaction closed on October 1. WAHU's affiliations were part of the broader arrangement, although the physical WAHU-CD facility remained with Gray. Fox programming moved full-time to WCAV in April 2019 after Gray made WAHU-CD silent while relocating facilities. In 2021, Fox 27 programming also began simulcasting on WAHU-LD in Crozet. WCAV continues to operate as a CBS and Fox affiliate and as the central local-news outlet of the Charlottesville Newsplex.

1. 2021Fox distribution expands to WAHU-LD

   Fox 27 programming began a digital over-the-air simulcast on WAHU-LD in Crozet.

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2. 2019Lockwood acquisition closes

   Lockwood Broadcast Group completed its acquisition of WCAV and WVAW-LD from Gray Television.

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3. 2018Ion Television added to a digital subchannel

   Ion Television began occupying WCAV's 19.4 digital subchannel.

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4. 2013Fox simulcast upgraded to high definition

   The Fox 27 simulcast carried on WCAV's 19.3 digital subchannel was upgraded to HD.

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5. 2009Analog transmission ends

   The station shut down its analog signal and flash-cut its digital operation to UHF channel 19.

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6. 2007Weather-focused digital service launches

   WCAV introduced a weather digital subchannel and related online streaming service.

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7. 2004WCAV signs on

   WCAV began broadcasting on August 13 as Charlottesville's second full-power station and first local CBS affiliate.

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8. 2000Charlottesville Broadcasting receives construction authorization

   After the competing applicants combined their bids and reached a technical arrangement with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the FCC approved the settlement and authorized a channel 19 facility.

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9. 1995Federal appeals court remands the application dispute

   The D.C. Circuit held that the FCC's handling of the competing applications was arbitrary and capricious and returned the matter for reconsideration.

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10. 1986FCC comparative proceeding begins

    The FCC designated multiple applications for a proposed second full-power television station serving Charlottesville, initially involving channel 64.

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A locally focused CBS and Fox television outlet serving Charlottesville and surrounding Central Virginia communities, with an emphasis on comprehensive local news, weather, sports, and market-specific reporting.

• WCAV CBS programmingNetwork television affiliation2004

  WCAV's CBS affiliation supplies national entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming to the Charlottesville market. The affiliation was secured before the station's 2004 launch and replaced the market's previous reliance on cable carriage from out-of-market CBS stations.

• Fox 27Network television affiliation2019

  Fox programming is distributed through the Newsplex operation and has been carried full-time on WCAV since 2019, following changes to the WAHU facility. The service gives the station's over-the-air and cable distribution a second major commercial network offering alongside CBS.

• CBS19 NewsLocal news2004

  CBS19 News is WCAV's principal local-news service, covering Charlottesville and the counties that make up its television market. The operation includes morning, midday, evening, and late-night programming, with WCAV serving as the primary Newsplex outlet.

• Newsplex NowDigital television and weather2007

  Newsplex Now is the evolved form of WCAV's weather-focused digital service. It combines weather information from AccuWeather with simulcasts, recorded newscasts, and other Newsplex programming delivered through a digital subchannel and online platforms.

• 2019Sale to Lockwood Broadcast GroupM&A

  Gray Television arranged to sell WCAV and WVAW-LD while acquiring competing Charlottesville station WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting.

  What changed. Lockwood Broadcast Group acquired WCAV and WVAW-LD; the transaction closed on October 1, 2019.

  Aftermath. WCAV continued operating within the Charlottesville Newsplex, while Fox programming moved full-time to WCAV after the related WAHU facility transition.

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• 2019Full-time consolidation of Fox programming on WCAVStrategy

  The ownership and facility arrangement involving WAHU-CD changed after the Gray-Lockwood transaction.

  What changed. Fox programming moved full-time to WCAV on April 1, while WAHU-CD was taken silent to facilitate relocation of its facilities.

  Aftermath. WCAV became a combined CBS and Fox outlet, strengthening its role as the principal commercial station in the Newsplex operation.

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• 2004Launch of a local CBS affiliateProduct launch

  Before WCAV began broadcasting, Charlottesville generally received CBS programming through cable carriage of stations based in Richmond or Washington, D.C.

  What changed. Gray Television launched WCAV on August 13, 2004, under a CBS affiliation commitment.

  Aftermath. WCAV became the market's first locally based CBS station and replaced WUSA on local cable systems.

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• 2000Adoption of a negotiated channel 19 construction planStrategy

  Competing applications for a second Charlottesville station had been delayed by FCC litigation and concerns about interference with the National Radio Quiet Zone.

  What changed. The applicants combined their proposals under Charlottesville Broadcasting Corporation, negotiated a technical arrangement with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and shifted the proposed facility from channel 64 to channel 19.

  Aftermath. The FCC accepted the settlement and granted the construction permit that ultimately led to WCAV's launch.

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• 2021Fox 27 programming expands to WAHU-LD in Crozet

  Fox 27 began simulcasting on WAHU-LD's digital over-the-air channel serving Crozet.

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• 2019Fox programming moves to WCAV on a full-time basis

  Following changes involving WAHU-CD and the Newsplex facilities, Fox programming moved full-time to WCAV in April 2019.

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• 2019Lockwood Broadcast Group completes acquisition of WCAV and WVAW-LD

  Lockwood Broadcast Group completed its purchase of WCAV and WVAW-LD from Gray Television on October 1, 2019.

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• 2007WCAV launches a digital weather service

  The station introduced a weather-oriented digital subchannel and online streaming service, later rebranded as Newsplex Now.

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• 2004WCAV begins broadcasting as Charlottesville's first local CBS affiliate

  WCAV launched on August 13, 2004, becoming Charlottesville's second full-power television station and the market's first local CBS affiliate.

  Product launch
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1. WCAV