WRLH-TV
WRLH-TV is a Richmond, Virginia television station branded Fox Richmond and affiliated with the Fox network.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
WRLH-TV is a full-power television station serving Richmond, Virginia, and surrounding communities. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 35 and is affiliated with the Fox network, using the consumer-facing brand Fox Richmond. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates from studios on Westmoreland Street in Richmond's North Side. Its transmitter is located near Bon Air, close to the facilities used by PBS member stations WCVE-TV and WCVW. The station originated in a long-running effort to add a commercial independent station to Richmond. Two groups sought authorization to build on UHF channel 35 in the late 1970s: Neighborhood Communications Corporation, associated with Richmond theater operator Neighborhood Theaters, and the Christian Broadcasting Network. After CBN moved its application to another channel, the Federal Communications Commission awarded the channel 35 construction permit to Neighborhood Communications in 1980. Neighborhood later chose to concentrate on its theater operations and assigned the permit to Television Corporation of Richmond, a TVX Broadcast Group company. The call sign was changed from WRHP-TV to WRLH-TV, reflecting Richmond and the surnames or identities associated with early investors, and construction began in 1981. WRLH-TV began broadcasting on February 20, 1982, as Richmond's first independent television station. Its initial programming consisted of the typical independent-station mix of cartoons, syndicated situation comedies, movies, sports, and selected religious programming. The station quickly established a meaningful position in the market and became one of TVX's strongest early outlets. Its competitive situation changed when a second UHF station, WVRN-TV, launched in 1986. That same year, WRLH-TV became one of Fox's original affiliates when it joined the new network in October. Ownership changed repeatedly during the station's first several years. TVX sold WRLH-TV to the A. S. Abell Company in 1985. Abell subsequently became part of the Times Mirror transaction involving The Baltimore Sun, WMAR-TV, and WRLH-TV, but regulatory restrictions led to WRLH-TV being sold to the Gillett Group. After Gillett's acquisition of Storer Communications created a station-count problem, WRLH-TV was transferred to Busse Broadcasting. Act III Broadcasting acquired the station in 1988, its fifth ownership change in four years. Act III used the station's position as a Fox affiliate to consolidate Richmond's independent-programming market. In September 1988, it acquired much of the programming inventory and certain equipment of competing WVRN-TV. WVRN-TV then ceased broadcasting and surrendered its license, while selected programs were incorporated into WRLH-TV's schedule. WRLH-TV also served as Richmond's secondary UPN affiliate from 1995 until 1997, when WAWB became the market's UPN station. In 1995, Act III's stations were placed under Sullivan Broadcasting, a company formed by ABRY Partners and former Clear Channel Television executive Dan Sullivan. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Sullivan Broadcasting in 1998, bringing WRLH-TV into the Sinclair portfolio. The station later expanded its digital offerings, launching the MyTV Richmond subchannel in 2006 as the Richmond affiliate of MyNetworkTV. WRLH-TV does not operate a fully independent local news department. Instead, Richmond NBC affiliate WWBT produces news programming for the station. This arrangement began in 1994 with Fox 35 News at 10, the market's first locally produced 10 p.m. newscast. The program was expanded to a full hour on weeknights in 2001. In 2012, WWBT also began producing Fox Richmond Morning News, an hour-long weekday extension of its morning newscast. The station completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting in February 2009 and later moved its digital transmission from channel 26 to channel 24 in September 2019 as part of the United States wireless spectrum repacking process. In April 2022, WRLH-TV began hosting a subchannel of WUPV after WUPV converted its primary transmission to ATSC 3.0, while WUPV began simulcasting WRLH-TV in the NextGen TV standard. WRLH-TV therefore combines a Fox network identity, locally distributed news, multicast programming, and Sinclair-supported broadcast infrastructure for the Richmond market.
History
WRLH-TV was created to fill a gap in the Richmond, Virginia, television market. In 1978, Neighborhood Communications Corporation and the Christian Broadcasting Network applied to build stations on UHF channel 35. Both applicants proposed independent formats, which were relatively uncommon in Richmond at the time. CBN later amended its application to seek channel 63, allowing the FCC to award the channel 35 permit to Neighborhood Communications in May 1980. Neighborhood Communications was connected to Richmond's Neighborhood Theaters but decided to focus on its cinema business. The permit was therefore assigned to Television Corporation of Richmond, the parent organization of TVX Broadcast Group. Early participants included Richmond native Gene Loving, radio executive Harvey Hudson, and Tim McDonald, who managed TVX's WTVZ in Norfolk. The proposed call letters were changed from WRHP-TV to WRLH-TV, and construction began in 1981 on a facility associated with the channel 35 allocation. After construction delays, WRLH-TV signed on February 20, 1982. It became the third television station operated by TVX, following WTVZ and WJTM-TV. The schedule followed the standard independent-station model: animated programs, syndicated comedies, movies, sports, and some religious content. WRLH-TV performed strongly for a new UHF station and was already reported to account for approximately eight percent of Richmond's total television audience after its first year. The station's early history was marked by rapid changes in ownership. TVX agreed in 1985 to sell WRLH-TV to the A. S. Abell Company of Baltimore for $14.4 million. The sale was TVX's first divestiture and helped the group retire its bank debt. Abell attempted to improve the station's presentation and transferred equipment from WMAR-TV, its Baltimore station. Abell soon decided to leave broadcasting and publishing, and Times Mirror agreed in 1986 to acquire Abell's newspaper and television properties. Because newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership restrictions prevented Times Mirror from retaining all of the properties, WRLH-TV was sold to the Gillett Group. Two important market changes occurred in 1986. WRLH-TV joined Fox in October, becoming the network's Richmond affiliate, while channel 63 was relaunched by Sudbrink Broadcasting as the secular independent WVRN-TV. When Gillett acquired Storer Communications in 1987, it exceeded the applicable station ownership limit. WRLH-TV was among the smaller stations placed into Busse Broadcasting. Act III Broadcasting acquired WRLH-TV from Busse in 1988, representing the station's fifth ownership change in four years. Act III pursued a consolidation strategy. Soon after the sale, it acquired WVRN-TV's programming inventory, cameras, and other equipment. WVRN-TV ceased broadcasting on September 15, 1988, and surrendered its license. WRLH-TV incorporated selected WVRN programs into its own schedule. The station continued to grow as Fox expanded its programming and audience. From 1995 to 1997, WRLH-TV also served as Richmond's secondary UPN affiliate, after which WUPV assumed that role. In 1995, ABRY Partners and Dan Sullivan formed Sullivan Broadcasting to operate the former Act III stations. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Sullivan in 1998, and WRLH-TV has remained under Sinclair ownership since then. Sinclair's later digital strategy added MyTV Richmond in 2006 as a MyNetworkTV subchannel. Local news has primarily been supplied through a partnership with WWBT, Richmond's NBC affiliate. On September 19, 1994, WWBT began producing the Fox 35 News at 10 for WRLH-TV. The program was initially a half-hour weeknight newscast and was expanded to one hour on weeknights in January 2001. A short-lived rival 10 p.m. newscast appeared on WUPV between 2007 and 2008, produced by WTVR-TV. In January 2012, WWBT added Fox Richmond Morning News, a weekday 7 a.m. hour. WRLH-TV ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, before the federally revised June deadline. Its digital operation initially used UHF channel 26 while retaining virtual channel 35. As part of the national spectrum-repacking process following the wireless spectrum auction, the station moved its physical digital signal to channel 24 on September 6, 2019. On April 11, 2022, it began hosting WUPV's 65.3 subchannel after WUPV adopted ATSC 3.0, with WUPV reciprocally simulcasting WRLH-TV in the NextGen TV format.
- 2022
ATSC 3.0-related subchannel arrangement
[1]WRLH-TV began carrying WUPV's 65.3 subchannel after WUPV converted its main transmission to ATSC 3.0.
- 2019
Digital channel relocation
[1]The station moved its physical digital signal from channel 26 to channel 24 as part of spectrum repacking.
- 2012
Morning news expansion
[1]WWBT began producing Fox Richmond Morning News on weekday mornings.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]WRLH-TV shut down its analog signal on February 17 and continued as a digital station.
- 2006
MyTV Richmond launches
[1]The station added a MyNetworkTV digital multicast service.
- 1998
Sinclair ownership begins
[1]Sinclair acquired Sullivan Broadcasting and took ownership of WRLH-TV.
- 1994
WWBT begins producing the 10 p.m. newscast
[1]The Fox 35 News at 10 premiered as Richmond's first locally produced prime-time newscast.
- 1988
Act III acquires WRLH-TV and WVRN programming
[1]Act III purchased WRLH-TV and then acquired programming and equipment from WVRN-TV, which left the air.
- 1986
WRLH-TV becomes a Fox affiliate
[1]The station joined Fox in October and adopted the network's programming identity in Richmond.
- 1985
Sale to A. S. Abell Company
[1]TVX sold the station for $14.4 million in its first station divestiture.
Products and positioning
A local broadcast television outlet positioned as Richmond's Fox affiliate, combining national Fox programming with locally produced news supplied by WWBT and additional digital multicast services.
Broadcast television station · 1986
Fox Richmond
The station's principal consumer brand and Fox network service in the Richmond market. It combines Fox's national entertainment, sports, and news programming with syndicated content and locally distributed news produced by WWBT.
Local news · 1994
Fox 35 News at 10
A prime-time local newscast produced by WWBT for WRLH-TV. It began in 1994 as a half-hour weeknight program and was expanded to one hour on weeknights in 2001.
Local news · 2012
Fox Richmond Morning News
A weekday morning-news extension supplied by WWBT. The one-hour program airs in the 7 to 8 a.m. period and complements Fox's national morning programming.
Digital multicast television · 2006
MyTV Richmond
WRLH-TV's digital multicast service and Richmond outlet for MyNetworkTV programming, launched as part of the station's expansion beyond its main Fox service.
Brand decisions
2012
Launch of Fox Richmond Morning NewsProduct launchBackground
The station's news partnership with WWBT already included a prime-time newscast and offered an opportunity to expand local coverage into the morning.
Action taken
WWBT began producing an additional weekday morning hour for WRLH-TV from 7 to 8 a.m.
Aftermath
WRLH-TV expanded its locally branded news schedule without creating a separate newsroom operation.
2006
Launch of MyTV RichmondProduct launchBackground
Digital broadcasting enabled television stations to add multicast services without requiring a separate full-power channel.
Action taken
WRLH-TV launched MyTV Richmond as the Richmond affiliate of MyNetworkTV.
Aftermath
The station broadened its digital offering with a second branded service alongside its primary Fox channel.
1994
Launch of Fox 35 News at 10Product launchBackground
WRLH-TV needed a local news presence while operating as a Fox affiliate without a separate full-scale newsroom.
Action taken
WWBT began producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WRLH-TV from its Richmond studios.
Aftermath
The arrangement gave WRLH-TV a locally produced prime-time news product and continued through later schedule expansions.
1988
Consolidation of WVRN-TV programmingStrategyBackground
Richmond had two commercial independent-style UHF stations after WVRN-TV launched in 1986, creating direct competition for syndicated programming and viewers.
Action taken
After acquiring WRLH-TV, Act III Broadcasting purchased WVRN-TV's programming inventory and some equipment. WVRN-TV then ceased operations and surrendered its license, while selected programs were moved to WRLH-TV.
Aftermath
WRLH-TV became the market's principal independent-style outlet alongside its growing Fox affiliation and no longer faced WVRN-TV as an operating competitor.
Sources2 sources
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