WCMH-TV

WCMH-TV is a television station licensed to Columbus, Ohio, and affiliated with the NBC network. It broadcasts on virtual channel 4 and is branded primarily as NBC 4 or NBC 4 Columbus. The station's studios are on Olentangy River Road near The Ohio State University, while its transmitter is located on Twin Rivers Drive west of downtown Columbus. Its core business is the production and distribution of local television news, weather, sports and community programming, together with NBC network programming and syndicated or digitally distributed content. The station began broadcasting on April 3, 1949, as WLWC on channel 3. It was established by Crosley Broadcasting Corporation, a Cincinnati-based broadcaster associated with the Avco Company. Crosley operated WLWC as part of a regional group of connected Ohio stations that included WLW radio and WLWT in Cincinnati and WLWD in Dayton. The Columbus station was commonly identified on air as WLW-C, reflecting its relationship with the broader WLW television operation. Its first downtown studios were in the Seneca Hotel, but the station moved to the Olentangy River Road facility only a few months after launch. WLWC was principally an NBC affiliate from its beginning, although it briefly carried selected DuMont programming before the launch of WTVN-TV, now WSYX. A nationwide VHF realignment following the Federal Communications Commission's 1952 allocation changes moved the station from channel 3 to channel 4 in June 1953. During the Crosley and Avco years, the station carried shared regional programs and special events, including entertainment and variety shows, Cincinnati Reds baseball and coverage of the Ohio State Fair. The common programming helped connect the Columbus operation with sister stations elsewhere in Ohio and the Midwest. Avco began selling its broadcasting assets during the 1970s. The Outlet Company acquired the Columbus station in February 1976, and the station adopted the WCMH-TV call sign on March 3 of that year. The call letters were selected in connection with the airport code CMH for what is now John Glenn Columbus International Airport. The change marked the end of the station's formal WLW-C identity, although its long local history and NBC affiliation continued. Outlet merged with NBC in 1996, making WCMH-TV an NBC owned-and-operated station. It remained in that corporate structure for roughly a decade. NBCUniversal placed the station on the market in January 2006, and Media General announced an agreement to acquire it and three other NBC stations in April. The transaction closed in June 2006. WCMH subsequently became an important operating center for Media General's NBC affiliates, including shared master-control and digital operations. Media General's later acquisition of LIN Media in 2014 reunited WCMH with WDTN in Dayton, the former WLWD, and added relationships with other Ohio stations. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its purchase of Media General in January 2016 in a transaction valued at approximately $4.6 billion; the transaction closed on January 17, 2017, placing WCMH within Nexstar Media Group. The station's local news operation has been a major part of its identity. It has historically competed closely with WBNS-TV and WSYX, at times leading the Columbus market overall or in specific time periods such as late evening. Its news output has included early-morning, midday, afternoon, evening and late-night broadcasts, and the station has emphasized locally produced reporting, weather coverage, community involvement and familiar Columbus-based personalities. WCMH introduced high-definition local newscasts in January 2008 and completed the transition of remote field reports to high-definition production in the mid-2010s. WCMH has also adapted its distribution technology. It ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, while retaining virtual channel 4 through a digital UHF facility. Its digital multicast offerings have changed over time, includ…

WCMH-TV traces its history to April 3, 1949, when Crosley Broadcasting launched WLWC, Columbus's first television station. The station initially operated on channel 3 and formed part of Crosley's interconnected WLW television group, which also included stations in Cincinnati and Dayton. Its programming combined NBC network content with regional entertainment, sports and public-event coverage. The station's early facilities were in the Seneca Hotel before it moved to its long-term Olentangy River Road studios. The FCC's post-freeze channel realignment required WLWC to move to channel 4 in June 1953. During its Crosley years, the station was often branded WLW-C and shared selected productions with sister stations. Programming associated with the regional group included variety and talk shows, musical programs, Cincinnati Reds baseball and Ohio State Fair coverage. Crosley's broadcasting division became Avco Broadcasting Corporation in 1968. Avco sold its broadcasting properties during the 1970s. The Outlet Company acquired the Columbus station in February 1976 and changed its call sign to WCMH-TV on March 3. The new call letters were based on CMH, the airport code associated with Columbus. Outlet's merger with NBC in 1996 turned WCMH into an NBC owned-and-operated station. The station remained connected to NBC until NBCUniversal sold it to Media General in 2006. Media General completed the acquisition on June 26, 2006. WCMH became the company's first station in the Great Lakes region and later served as a technical and operational center for Media General's NBC affiliates. The station's website was redesigned after the sale, and its digital operations later moved through successive hosting and content-management arrangements. Media General's 2014 acquisition of LIN Media reunited WCMH with WDTN in Dayton, the former WLWD in the original Crosley group. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced an agreement to purchase Media General in January 2016. The transaction closed on January 17, 2017, and WCMH became part of Nexstar Media Group. Under Nexstar, the station has continued as an NBC affiliate and local news provider serving Columbus and Central Ohio. Local news has remained central to the station's public identity. Hugh DeMoss anchored evening broadcasts from 1957 through 1980, after which the station used the NewsWatch 4 name. The station's performance improved after Doug Adair and Mona Scott joined in 1983, alongside meteorologist Jym Ganahl and sportscaster Jimmy Crum. Their presentation style and long tenure helped WCMH challenge WBNS-TV for market leadership. Later anchor teams included Colleen Marshall and Cabot Rea, whose partnership lasted more than two decades. WCMH expanded its local schedule with a 5:30 p.m. newscast in the 1980s and later operated the NBC 4 on the Square downtown facility for selected morning broadcasts. That project ended in 2011 after weak ratings, with morning production returning to the main studio. The station introduced local high-definition newscasts in 2008 and completed the conversion of field operations to high-definition production in the mid-2010s. Technologically, WCMH ended analog transmission on June 12, 2009, retaining virtual channel 4 on its digital service. Its multicast lineup evolved from RTV to MeTV in 2011, Court TV in 2019 and Grit in 2023. In 2021, the station participated in Columbus's ATSC 3.0 rollout through a sharing arrangement involving WWHO, WSYX and WTTE. The current WCMH operation combines the NBC affiliation, a substantial local-news schedule, digital publishing through NBC4i.com and continuing over-the-air distribution.

1. 2023Grit replaces Court TV on multicast service

   The station changes one of its digital multicast offerings from Court TV to Grit.

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2. 2021Participates in NextGen TV deployment

   WCMH begins participating in Columbus's ATSC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0 simulcast arrangement.

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3. 2017Joins Nexstar Media Group

   Nexstar completes its acquisition of Media General, making WCMH-TV a Nexstar station.

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4. 2011NBC 4 on the Square ends

   The downtown morning-news facility is closed after poor ratings, and production returns to the main studio.

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5. 2009Analog transmission ends

   The station shuts down its analog channel 4 signal as part of the United States digital television transition.

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6. 2008Local news converts to high definition

   WCMH begins producing its local newscasts in high definition.

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7. 2006Media General acquisition

   Media General completes its purchase of WCMH-TV from NBCUniversal.

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8. 1996Becomes an NBC owned-and-operated station

   Outlet merges with NBC, bringing WCMH-TV into NBC's owned-station portfolio.

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9. 1976Outlet ownership and WCMH-TV identity

   Outlet acquires the station and adopts the WCMH-TV call sign.

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10. 1968Crosley broadcasting division becomes Avco Broadcasting

    The parent broadcasting operation adopts the Avco Broadcasting Corporation name.

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11. 1953Move to channel 4

    A VHF frequency realignment moves WLWC from channel 3 to channel 4.

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12. 1949WLWC launches

    Crosley Broadcasting begins operations on April 3 as Columbus's first television station, initially using channel 3.

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A full-service local NBC television station emphasizing Columbus-area news, weather, community reporting and network programming.

• NBC 4 local newsLocal television news

  WCMH-TV's locally produced news franchise covers Columbus and Central Ohio through morning, midday, afternoon, evening and late-night broadcasts. Its editorial mix includes breaking news, weather, traffic, public safety, politics, consumer reporting, sports and community features. The operation has historically competed for leadership with WBNS-TV and WSYX and has used prominent local anchors and meteorologists to build continuity with viewers.

• NBC network programmingNetwork television1949

  As an NBC affiliate, WCMH distributes the network's scheduled entertainment, news, sports and special-event programming to viewers in the Columbus market. NBC has been the station's principal network affiliation since its 1949 launch, apart from limited early carriage of DuMont programming.

• NBC4i.comDigital news

  The station's website extends its broadcast operation with written stories, live and on-demand video, weather information, traffic updates, programming information and other digital content for Central Ohio audiences.

• Digital multicast servicesMulticast television2009

  WCMH has used its digital capacity for additional networks and services. The lineup has included RTV, MeTV, Court TV and Grit at different times, reflecting changes in Media General and Nexstar multicast affiliations.

• 2011Community-focused station rebrand

  Columbus · Central Ohio

  WCMH introduced a rounded logo and promotional materials that highlighted established station personalities and community involvement.

  Outcome. The campaign reinforced the station's local-news identity and personality-led positioning.

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• 2021Participate in Columbus NextGen TV rolloutGeneration change

  Broadcasters in Columbus established a shared arrangement to introduce ATSC 3.0 while preserving ATSC 1.0 service.

  What changed. WCMH began hosting an ATSC 1.0 service for WWHO and transmitted its main service in ATSC 3.0 through the market arrangement.

  Aftermath. The station became one of the Columbus market's participants in over-the-air NextGen TV distribution.

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• 2017Move into Nexstar ownershipM&A

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of Media General in 2016.

  What changed. The transaction closed on January 17, making WCMH-TV part of Nexstar Media Group.

  Aftermath. WCMH continued as an NBC affiliate under Nexstar ownership.

  Transaction value. (Announced January 2016; completed January 17, 2017)

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• 2011End NBC 4 on the SquareStrategy

  The downtown weekday-morning facility had remained a distant second in ratings.

  What changed. WCMH ended production from the NBC 4 on the Square facility and returned morning broadcasts to its main studio.

  Aftermath. The downtown space was subsequently leased to WBNS-TV.

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• 2008Convert local newscasts to high definitionGeneration change

  Local television stations were upgrading production systems as widescreen and high-definition broadcasting became standard.

  What changed. WCMH began broadcasting local newscasts in high definition and later upgraded field operations.

  Aftermath. Remote news reports were progressively moved to 16:9 1080i HD production, with the field conversion completed in the mid-2010s.

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• 2006Sell WCMH-TV to Media GeneralM&A

  NBCUniversal placed WCMH-TV and three sister stations on the market.

  What changed. Media General agreed to acquire the four stations, completing the transaction on June 26.

  Aftermath. WCMH became Media General's first station in the Great Lakes region and later supported shared master-control operations.

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• 1996Join NBC's owned-station groupM&A

  Outlet merged with NBC.

  What changed. WCMH-TV became an NBC owned-and-operated station.

  Aftermath. The station remained in NBC's portfolio until its sale to Media General in 2006.

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• 1976Sell the station to OutletM&A

  Avco announced the sale of its broadcasting properties during the 1970s.

  What changed. The Outlet Company acquired the Columbus station and changed its call sign from WLWC to WCMH-TV.

  Aftermath. The station continued its NBC affiliation while ending its formal WLW-C branding.

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• 2021WCMH-TV joins Columbus ATSC 3.0 deployment

  The station began participating in the market's NextGen TV arrangement, carrying an ATSC 1.0 service for WWHO while transmitting its main service in ATSC 3.0 through the shared deployment.

  Product launch
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• 2008WCMH-TV begins local high-definition newscasts

  The station became the second major Columbus television outlet to produce local newscasts in high definition.

  Product generation
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• 2006Media General completes acquisition of WCMH-TV

  Media General completed its purchase of WCMH-TV and three other stations previously placed on the market by NBCUniversal.

  M&A
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• 1996Outlet merges with NBC

  The merger made WCMH-TV an NBC owned-and-operated station.

  M&A
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• 1976Outlet acquires the Columbus station and introduces WCMH-TV call sign

  The Outlet Company purchased the station from Avco and changed its call letters to WCMH-TV, referencing the CMH airport code.

  M&AOther
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• 1953Station moves to channel 4

  A federal VHF frequency realignment moved WLWC from channel 3 to channel 4.

  Other
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• 1949WCMH-TV begins broadcasting as WLWC

  Columbus's first television station began operations under the WLWC call sign as part of Crosley Broadcasting's regional WLW television group.

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1. WCMH-TV
2. WCMH-TV official website