WKBN-TV
WKBN-TV is a CBS-affiliated television station serving Youngstown, Ohio, and surrounding areas.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WKBN-TV is a full-power television station serving Youngstown, Ohio, and the surrounding Mahoning Valley. It broadcasts on virtual channel 27 and is affiliated with CBS. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates alongside low-power Fox affiliate WYFX-LD. Nexstar also provides operational services to ABC affiliate WYTV through agreements involving Vaughan Media, LLC. WKBN, WYFX, and WYTV share studio facilities on Sunset Boulevard in Youngstown's Pleasant Grove neighborhood, and WKBN's transmitter is located at the same general facility. The station began broadcasting on January 11, 1953, as Ohio's first UHF television station and the sixth UHF station in the United States. It was established by the Williamson family through WKBN Broadcasting Corporation, which also owned WKBN radio. Because the radio operation was affiliated with CBS, WKBN-TV launched with a primary CBS relationship that has continued for most of its history. In its early years, the station also carried programming from ABC and DuMont. After nearby WKST-TV, now WYTV, began broadcasting and assumed the local ABC affiliation, and after the DuMont network ceased operations, WKBN became primarily a CBS station by the end of 1956. Ownership changed repeatedly after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 relaxed restrictions on television-station ownership. The Williamsons sold the station to Gocom in 1997; that company later became Piedmont Television. Piedmont sold WKBN and WYFX to New Vision Television, with the transaction closing in 2007. New Vision subsequently operated WYTV under a shared-services arrangement. LIN TV Corporation acquired New Vision's station group in 2012, and Media General acquired LIN Media in 2014. Nexstar acquired Media General in 2017, bringing WKBN into the Nexstar portfolio. WKBN has developed a substantial local-news operation. It produces news for its own CBS service and has historically produced programming for WYFX and, under shared-services arrangements, WYTV. Its programming has included weekday morning, daytime, evening, and weekend newscasts, weather coverage, sports reporting, and syndicated features such as Mr. Food. The station's news operation has used shared reporters, production resources, graphics, and weather capabilities while maintaining distinct on-air identities for the CBS and ABC outlets. Technically, WKBN has been notable for its use of digital broadcasting. It began transmitting a digital signal in 2006 and experimented with simultaneous high-definition programming on its primary service and WYFX simulcast. In 2017, the station sold spectrum through the Federal Communications Commission's incentive-auction and spectrum-reallocation process. It subsequently moved its transmission to the frequency formerly associated with WYTV, completing the move in April 2018. WKBN also introduced a virtual- and augmented-reality-inspired news set in 2015, emphasizing a modern, flexible visual presentation. Today, WKBN functions as a local broadcast and digital-news brand within Nexstar's Youngstown cluster. Its core role is the delivery of CBS network programming, locally produced news, weather, sports, community information, and related digital content to viewers in northeastern Ohio and adjacent parts of western Pennsylvania.
History
WKBN-TV signed on January 11, 1953, as the first UHF television station in Ohio and the sixth in the United States. The station was founded by the Williamson family through WKBN Broadcasting Corporation, which also owned WKBN radio. Its radio affiliation with CBS helped establish the television station's initial network relationship, and WKBN-TV has remained primarily affiliated with CBS throughout its history. At launch, it also carried selected ABC and DuMont programs. The ABC affiliation later moved to nearby WKST-TV in New Castle, Pennsylvania, now known as WYTV. When DuMont ceased operations in 1956, WKBN became effectively a sole CBS affiliate. The station remained under Williamson family ownership until 1997, when it was sold to Gocom, a company later known as Piedmont Television. The transaction began a period of unusually frequent ownership changes. In 2006, WKBN activated its digital service on UHF channel 41. Its digital operation included CBS programming and a simulcast of low-power Fox affiliate WYFX. The station also tested and then implemented simultaneous high-definition transmission of its main service and the WYFX simulcast, an arrangement that was unusual for local television at the time. Piedmont announced the sale of WKBN and WYFX to New Vision Television in 2006, with the transaction closing in early 2007. New Vision soon began operating WYTV through a shared-services agreement. In December 2007, the WKBN and WYTV news departments were physically consolidated at WKBN's Sunset Boulevard facility. The consolidation resulted in significant staff reductions at both stations, while enabling shared reporting, production, sports, and weather resources. The stations retained separate brands and some separate on-air personnel, even as their operational and visual systems became increasingly integrated. The news operation continued to expand and modernize. WKBN produced newscasts for WYFX, including a prime-time program and a weekday morning extension of its local-news operation. In 2008 and 2009, the stations introduced revised logos, websites, graphics, and music packages. In 2010, the shared news operation moved to high-definition production. WKBN also maintained partnerships involving several radio stations for news and weather information. The station's local programming has included long-running Mr. Food segments, later presented under the Mr. Food's Test Kitchen name. LIN TV Corporation announced its acquisition of New Vision Television in 2012. The deal included direct ownership of WKBN-TV and WYFX-LD and the agreements under which WYTV was operated. LIN's purchase was approved by the FCC and closed in October 2012. Media General then announced its purchase of LIN Media in 2014. Regulatory conditions required changes to the joint-sales arrangement involving WKBN and WYTV, but WKBN continued to provide operational services to WYTV. Nexstar acquired Media General in 2017, placing WKBN within the Nexstar Media Group station portfolio. In February 2015, WKBN introduced a new news set using virtual and augmented-reality techniques. The design layered computer-generated visual elements onto physical studio scenery, allowing the station to change the presentation for different programs and subjects. In 2017, WKBN sold its broadcast spectrum for $34 million in the FCC's spectrum-reallocation program. The station later moved its transmission to WYTV's former frequency, completing the transition on April 23, 2018. Related changes were made to the placement of Ion Television and Bounce TV on the cluster's digital subchannels. WKBN remains an active CBS affiliate with studios and transmission facilities in Youngstown. Its programming model combines network entertainment and news with local reporting, weather, sports, community coverage, syndicated features, and web-based content. The station operates in a closely coordinated local cluster with WYFX-LD and WYTV while retaining WKBN's CBS identity.
- 2018
Transmission frequency changes
[1]WKBN completes its move to WYTV's former transmission frequency on April 23.
- 2017
Spectrum sale
[1]WKBN sells spectrum for $34 million under the FCC's spectrum-reallocation program.
- 2017
Nexstar ownership begins
[1]Nexstar acquires Media General and adds WKBN-TV to its station group.
- 2015
Virtual-reality news set debuts
[1]WKBN launches a flexible studio design incorporating virtual and augmented-reality elements.
- 2014
Media General acquires LIN Media
[1]Media General completes its acquisition of LIN Media, including WKBN-TV.
- 2012
LIN TV acquires WKBN
[1]LIN TV completes its acquisition of New Vision's station group and related Youngstown operating agreements.
- 2010
Local news moves to high definition
[1]The combined news operation, including programming produced for WYFX, adopts high-definition production.
- 2007
New Vision ownership begins
[1]New Vision Television completes its purchase of WKBN-TV and WYFX.
- 2007
WKBN and WYTV news departments consolidate
[1]The two stations combine physical news operations at WKBN's Youngstown studios under a shared-services structure.
- 2006
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]WKBN begins digital transmission and carries a WYFX simulcast as part of its digital service.
Products and positioning
A locally focused CBS broadcast and news brand serving Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, with an emphasis on regional breaking news, weather, sports, and multi-platform coverage.
Local television news
WKBN First News
WKBN's principal local-news franchise, covering breaking news, regional affairs, weather, sports, and community developments across Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. The franchise includes weekday and weekend broadcasts and is supported by the station's digital publishing and video operation.
Network television affiliation · 1953
CBS network service
WKBN's primary broadcast service carries CBS network programming, including network news, entertainment, sports, and special events. The station's CBS relationship dates to its 1953 launch and is central to its market identity.
Produced local news · 2006
First News on Fox
A local-news service produced by WKBN for low-power Fox affiliate WYFX-LD. It has included prime-time and morning programming, extending WKBN's reporting and production resources to another station in the Youngstown cluster.
Syndicated lifestyle feature
Mr. Food's Test Kitchen segments
A recurring food and lifestyle feature carried within WKBN newscasts. The station has long presented Mr. Food material, which later used the Mr. Food's Test Kitchen name.
Digital news platform
WKBN.com
WKBN's online news and video platform, extending the station's local reporting, weather, sports, alerts, and broadcast content to digital audiences in its coverage area.
Brand decisions
2017
Spectrum sale and broadcast-frequency transitionStrategyBackground
The FCC's television spectrum-reallocation program required participating broadcasters to adjust their transmission arrangements.
Action taken
WKBN sold its spectrum for $34 million and later moved its over-the-air transmission to WYTV's former frequency.
Aftermath
The frequency transition was completed in April 2018, with related digital-subchannel moves across the Youngstown station group.
Spectrum sale proceeds. $34 million (2017)
2015
Launch of virtual and augmented-reality news setOtherBackground
WKBN sought to modernize its local-news presentation and create a studio environment that could be adapted for different programs and subjects.
Action taken
The station introduced a set combining physical scenic components with computer-generated visual layers and virtual-production elements.
Aftermath
The new design gave the station a more flexible visual system for ongoing news presentation and promotional updates.
2007
Consolidation of WKBN and WYTV news operationsStrategyBackground
New Vision's ownership structure and shared-services arrangement created an opportunity to combine news production resources for WKBN and WYTV at WKBN's Sunset Boulevard facility.
Action taken
The two news departments were physically merged, with shared reporting and production resources while the stations retained distinct network identities.
Aftermath
The consolidation led to substantial layoffs and later supported common sports, weather, graphics, and production infrastructure.
Recent events
- 2018
WKBN moves transmission to reassigned frequency[1]
Regulation · Product generation
After selling spectrum through the FCC reallocation process, WKBN completed its move to the frequency previously used by WYTV on April 23.
- 2015
WKBN news operation launches virtual and augmented-reality set[1]
Product launch
WKBN introduced a high-tech news set combining physical scenic elements with computer-generated virtual and augmented-reality graphics.
- 2012
LIN TV acquires New Vision stations[1]
M&A
LIN TV Corporation agreed to acquire New Vision's stations and related agreements, including WKBN-TV and WYFX-LD. The transaction closed in October.
- 2007
New Vision Television acquires WKBN-TV[1]
M&A
New Vision Television acquired WKBN-TV and WYFX from Piedmont Television and subsequently entered into a shared-services relationship involving WYTV.
- 2006
WKBN-TV begins digital transmission[1]
Product generation
The station began transmitting a digital signal on UHF channel 41, carrying CBS programming in high definition when available and a WYFX simulcast.
- 1953
WKBN-TV begins broadcasting as Ohio's first UHF station[1]
Other
WKBN-TV launched on January 11 as a CBS-affiliated station and became the first UHF television station in Ohio.
Sources2 sources
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