WCSC-TV
WCSC-TV is a Charleston, South Carolina CBS affiliate known on air as Live 5 and owned by Gray Media.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WCSC-TV, branded as Live 5, is a television station serving Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 5 and has maintained its CBS affiliation since beginning operations on June 19, 1953. It is regarded as the oldest continuously operating television station in South Carolina and was the second television station to begin broadcasting in the state. Its principal facilities are in the West Ashley section of Charleston, while its transmitter is located in Awendaw, South Carolina. The station originated alongside WCSC radio under ownership associated with the Rivers family. Its early programming reflected the experimental character of local television in the 1950s and 1960s: radio personalities adapted to television, and WCSC carried locally produced music, children's, news, and talk programs. Among the early and long-serving personalities was Charlie Hall, the station's first on-air personality and a prominent weather presenter. Hall remained associated with WCSC for decades, including during its coverage of Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The station later named its West Ashley address Charlie Hall Boulevard in his honor. WCSC has historically positioned itself as a news-intensive local broadcaster. Its news department has generally been one of the strongest-rated operations in the Charleston market, with substantial investment in anchors, meteorology, field reporting, weather technology, and extended local-news hours. Bill Sharpe, who joined the station in 1973 and became one of its best-known anchors, was a central figure in the station's identity until his retirement in 2021. The primary studio was renamed the Bill Sharpe Studio in 2013, and a new Bill Sharpe Studio was built in 2023. The station has repeatedly expanded its local programming. It launched an afternoon newscast, added an early-evening broadcast, developed a 7 p.m. newscast, and produced local news for Fox affiliate WTAT-TV for many years. It also introduced weekend morning news and extended broadcasts on digital multicast channels. WCSC's weather operation has been a major part of its brand, including the Live Super Doppler 5000 system, later known as Super Doppler HD, and the Live 5 Storm TRACKER Mobile Storm Center. Ownership changed several times. The Rivers family sold the television station to Crump Communications in 1987; Crump transferred it to GE Capital in 1991, and GE Capital sold it to Jefferson-Pilot in 1994. Jefferson-Pilot's broadcast holdings became part of Lincoln Financial Media after its 2006 merger with Lincoln Financial Group. Lincoln Financial Media sold WCSC and other television assets to Raycom Media in 2008. Gray Television acquired Raycom in 2019, bringing WCSC into the Gray Media station portfolio. Today, WCSC combines the CBS network schedule with locally produced news, weather, sports, digital content, and programming on its multicast channels.
History
WCSC-TV began broadcasting in Charleston on June 19, 1953. It was the second television station to operate in South Carolina and became the state's oldest continuously operating station after the earlier WCOS-TV in Columbia ceased broadcasting. WCSC launched on VHF channel 5 and has retained its CBS affiliation throughout its history, making it the only Charleston station to preserve its original network relationship from sign-on. The station was initially connected with WCSC radio and was owned by the Rivers family. Its earliest years relied heavily on local production and personnel drawn from radio. Al Stone, Carroll Godwin, Loraine Evans, and Ken Klyce were among the figures associated with early programming. Local shows included the music program Waxworks, a teen dance program modeled on the era's music television formats, daytime talk programming, and the children's program The Happy Raine Show. Charlie Hall, who was the first person visible on the station at sign-on, became a prominent weather personality and remained associated with WCSC for much of his career. WCSC's ownership changed in 1987 when the Rivers family sold the television station to Crump Communications. Crump sold the property to GE Capital in 1991, and GE Capital transferred it to Jefferson-Pilot in 1994. The station moved from its original downtown East Bay Street facilities to a new West Ashley complex in 1997. The new address was named Charlie Hall Boulevard in recognition of Hall, who had covered major Charleston events, including the effects of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, before his death in March 1997. Sports and local events formed another part of WCSC's programming identity. The station carried Charleston Cougars games during the early 1980s, televised the Cooper River Bridge Run from 1986 through 1990 and again from 2004, and served as a local outlet for Atlantic Coast Conference basketball and Southeastern Conference football productions associated with its corporate ownership. In 2004, the station's decision not to offer Warren Peper a long-term renewal became a notable personnel development. Peper, who had worked at WCSC since 1974 as an anchor and sports broadcaster, subsequently joined competing station WCBD-TV after a non-compete period. Jefferson-Pilot merged with Lincoln Financial Group in 2006, and the broadcast properties adopted the Lincoln Financial Media name. In November 2007, Lincoln Financial Media agreed to sell WCSC, WBTV, WWBT, and Lincoln Financial Sports to Raycom Media. The transaction closed on April 1, 2008, placing WCSC alongside stations including WIS, WTOC-TV, and WMBF-TV. Gray Television announced a proposed acquisition of Raycom in 2018, and the transaction was completed on January 2, 2019. WCSC expanded its news operation particularly aggressively from the 1990s onward. It added extended evening coverage, a 4 p.m. newscast in 2004, a 7 p.m. newscast in 2006, weekend morning news in 2014, and additional programming on digital subchannels. It also produced The Fox 24 News at 10 and The Fox 24 News at 7 for WTAT-TV under a news-sharing arrangement that began in the early 1990s. WCSC's production of WTAT news ended on December 31, 2015, when production moved to WCIV. Technology has been central to the station's local-news positioning. In January 2000 it introduced Live Super Doppler 5000, a regional weather radar presentation that later became Super Doppler HD. The operation combined National Weather Service radar feeds with a station-operated radar, making WCSC distinctive in the Charleston market. The station later added the Live 5 Storm TRACKER Mobile Storm Center, a vehicle designed to transmit weather information from the field. WCSC began high-definition newscasts on September 29, 2008, with WTAT's related broadcasts following in 2011. The station completed the federal analog-to-digital transition in 2009 and moved its digital transmission from UHF channel 47 to channel 19 in 2018 as part of spectrum repacking. WCSC remains an active CBS affiliate under Gray Media. Its present identity combines the Live 5 brand, a large local-news schedule, weather and emergency coverage, CBS programming, digital multicast services, and selected local sports content, including Charleston Battery matches on its third subchannel beginning in 2024.
- 2024
Charleston Battery programming added
[1]The station's third subchannel begins carrying selected Charleston Battery matches from the USL Championship.
- 2023
New Bill Sharpe Studio constructed
[1]WCSC completes a new studio carrying Bill Sharpe's name, influenced by Gray's WANF facilities in Atlanta.
- 2021
Bill Sharpe retires
[1]Bill Sharpe retires on October 28 after approximately 48 years with the station.
- 2019
Gray acquires Raycom
[1]Gray Television completes its acquisition of Raycom Media, making WCSC part of the Gray station group.
- 2018
Digital channel repack
[1]The station moves its digital transmission to channel 19 during the national spectrum-repacking process.
- 2014
Weekend morning news launches
[1]WCSC adds Saturday and Sunday morning editions of Live 5 News This Morning.
- 2013
Studio named for Bill Sharpe
[1]The station dedicates its primary studio to longtime anchor Bill Sharpe in recognition of his 40 years at WCSC.
- 2008
Raycom ownership begins
[1]Raycom Media completes its purchase of WCSC on April 1.
- 2008
Newscasts transition to high definition
[1]WCSC becomes the first Charleston-area station to broadcast local newscasts in HD.
- 2004
Afternoon local news expands
[1]WCSC adds a weekday 4 p.m. newscast and resumes televised coverage of the Cooper River Bridge Run.
Products and positioning
A locally focused, news-led CBS affiliate emphasizing extensive Charleston-area coverage, severe-weather information, broadcast technology, and long-standing local personalities.
Local television news
Live 5 News
WCSC-TV's primary local-news franchise covers Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry through extended weekday and weekend broadcasts. The operation includes breaking-news reporting, local politics, community stories, sports, and weather. Its schedule has expanded well beyond the conventional network-affiliate format, including afternoon, early-evening, prime-time, and weekend programming.
Weather information service · 2000
Super Doppler HD
Super Doppler HD is WCSC's branded weather-radar presentation. It developed from Live Super Doppler 5000, introduced in 2000, and combines regional radar information with data from a station-operated radar. The service supports on-air forecasting, severe-weather coverage, and digital weather updates.
Mobile weather reporting
Live 5 Storm TRACKER Mobile Storm Center
The Storm TRACKER Mobile Storm Center is a field-reporting vehicle that allows WCSC meteorologists to gather and transmit weather information away from the station. It was promoted as a regional first and is designed to support live coverage during severe weather and other significant events.
Digital multicast channel · 2010
Live 5+
Live 5+ is WCSC's second digital subchannel. It initially carried additional syndicated programming and selected material from the main channel, later incorporating This TV programming before its schedule was revised. The channel forms part of WCSC's broader multicast and local-content strategy.
Digital multicast channel · 2011
WCSC-TV channel 5.3
The station's third digital subchannel has carried Bounce TV programming and, since 2024, selected Charleston Battery USL Championship matches. Its programming has expanded WCSC's reach beyond the principal CBS service.
Brand decisions
2018
Gray Television acquisition of Raycom MediaM&ABackground
Gray Television sought to acquire Raycom Media and its portfolio of local television stations, including WCSC.
Action taken
Gray announced the proposed acquisition and completed it on January 2, 2019, after regulatory review.
Aftermath
WCSC became a Gray-owned CBS affiliate and remained part of the company's regional broadcast network.
Announced transaction value. $3.65 billion announced acquisition (Announced June 25, 2018; completed January 2, 2019)
2008
High-definition local news conversionOtherBackground
WCSC sought to strengthen its technology-led local-news positioning.
Action taken
The station converted its newscasts to high-definition production on September 29.
Aftermath
WCSC became the first station in the Charleston market to offer local newscasts in HD; WTAT-produced broadcasts followed later.
2007
Sale to Raycom MediaM&ABackground
Lincoln Financial Media decided to exit ownership of several television properties, including WCSC-TV.
Action taken
The company agreed to sell WCSC, WBTV, WWBT, and Lincoln Financial Sports to Raycom Media.
Aftermath
Raycom completed the transaction in April 2008, expanding its group of stations serving the Carolinas and neighboring markets.
Transaction value. $583 million announced transaction (Agreement announced November 12, 2007)
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Live 5 News receives 12 RTDNAC/AP awards[3]
Reported:
Live 5 News received nine first-place awards and three second-place awards from the Radio, Television, and Digital News Association of the Carolinas.
Sources3 sources
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