WSVF-CD2
WSVF-CD2 is the CBS-affiliated digital subchannel of low-power Class A television station WSVF-CD, serving Virginia's Shenandoah Valley through a local broadcast signal and a simulcast on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WSVF-CD2 is a CBS network television service associated with WSVF-CD, a low-power Class A station licensed to Harrisonburg, Virginia. The service operates within the WHSV television group, which also includes ABC affiliate WHSV-TV and low-powered dual NBC/CW+ affiliate WSVW-LD. The stations share studios on North Main Street and U.S. Route 11 in downtown Harrisonburg, with additional newsroom operations in Fishersville serving Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County. The WSVF service was created from a station with a long and complicated technical and licensing history. The underlying facility began in 1996 as W25CC, a translator for the religious independent WAZT-LP. It later used the call signs W25AZ and WAZM-LP, and achieved Class A status in 2002 as WAZM-CA. Because its original analog signal did not reach important population centers effectively and cable carriage was unavailable, the station had limited visibility in the market. In 2012, Gray Television acquired the facility from Jones Broadcasting and changed its call sign to WSVF-CA. Gray subsequently obtained permission to suspend the old analog operation, rebuild the service as a digital-only station, and relocate the license to Harrisonburg. Gray signed a CBS affiliation agreement in July 2012 for WSVF and two other low-power stations. CBS programming began on the second digital stream in October 2012, marking the return of a locally based CBS service to the Shenandoah Valley after the area's former full-power station, then known as WSVA-TV, dropped CBS programming in 1963. For decades afterward, viewers in the region generally relied on WUSA in Washington, D.C., as the default CBS outlet. The new WSVF CBS service therefore filled a significant network-availability gap, even though its low-power over-the-air footprint was limited. WSVF-CD2 carries CBS programming in a 16:9 standard-definition format. To extend its reach beyond the immediate coverage area of WSVF-CD's own digital transmitter on Massanutten Mountain, the feed is simulcast on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel, identified as WHSV-DT5 or channel 3.5 in the market. That arrangement allows CBS programming to reach the broader Shenandoah Valley from WHSV-TV's full-power transmitter atop Elliott Knob west of Staunton. The subchannel's role is distinct from WSVF-CD1, which carries Fox programming and was developed from the Fox service launched by WHSV in 2006. The service also carries selected WHSV-produced local news programming. Its schedule has included simulcasts of WHSV's noon, 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. newscasts. Rather than carrying WHSV's local morning newscast, the CBS service has used CBS News programming during the early morning period, including CBS News Roundup and repeated editions of CBS News Mornings before CBS Mornings. WSVF-CD2 is therefore both a CBS network outlet and a distribution platform for local WHSV news in a market where terrain, low-power licensing, cable carriage, and the National Radio Quiet Zone affect television reception and service availability.
History
WSVF-CD2 is the CBS service carried by the second digital stream of WSVF-CD and simulcast through WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel. Its origins lie in a separate low-power facility established in 1996 as W25CC, a translator for the Woodstock-based religious independent WAZT-LP. The station changed call signs to W25AZ in 1997 and WAZM-LP in 2000. It received Class A status in 2002 under the call sign WAZM-CA. The original analog service struggled to establish a meaningful audience. Its signal did not effectively reach several of the market's principal communities, including the city of license, and local cable systems did not carry it. This was particularly consequential in the Shenandoah Valley, where cable and satellite distribution have historically been important because mountainous terrain and the area's location within the United States National Radio Quiet Zone can limit broadcast reception. The facility consequently remained a minor presence despite its regulatory protection. In April 2012, Jones Broadcasting announced the sale of WAZM-CA to Gray Television. Gray changed the call sign to WSVF-CA on June 4, 2012. The company then pursued a digital relaunch rather than continuing the old analog configuration. In June 2012, Gray received Federal Communications Commission authorization to suspend operations while the station lacked digital facilities and preparations were made for the new service. Gray also obtained authorization to move the license to Harrisonburg in early 2013. The rebuilt digital operation used a transmitter on Massanutten Mountain, giving it a substantially more useful local coverage pattern than the former analog facility. The key programming change came on July 17, 2012, when Gray announced a CBS affiliation agreement for WSVF and two other low-power stations. CBS programming began on WSVF's second digital subchannel in October 2012. This restored a locally based CBS outlet to the Shenandoah Valley after WSVA-TV, the predecessor of WHSV-TV, ended its CBS affiliation in 1963. In the intervening period, WUSA in Washington, D.C., functioned as the area's default CBS station. WSVF's launch therefore added a second full-time terrestrial network affiliate to a market that had been largely dominated by WHSV-TV since its 1953 sign-on. The CBS feed was placed on the second digital stream because WSVF's primary stream was used for Fox. The Fox service had begun on October 26, 2006, as WHSV-DT2, giving the Shenandoah Valley its first full-time Fox affiliate. When the WSVF digital operation was developed, Fox remained on the primary WSVF service while CBS occupied the second stream. Technical limitations meant that the CBS stream was distributed in widescreen standard definition rather than high definition. Because WSVF-CD's own low-power signal reaches mainly the immediate Harrisonburg area, the CBS service is also carried on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel. This simulcast, identified as WHSV-DT5 and commonly viewed as channel 3.5, uses WHSV-TV's full-power transmission facility atop Elliott Knob west of Staunton to extend coverage throughout the broader market. The arrangement combines a local low-power license with the coverage of a full-power sister station. The service is integrated into WHSV's operations rather than maintaining a separate corporate website. The stations share studios on North Main Street/U.S. 11 in downtown Harrisonburg and operate a newsroom in Fishersville. WSVF-CD2 has carried simulcasts of WHSV's noon, 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. newscasts. Its early-morning schedule has used CBS national news programming, including CBS News Roundup, repeated CBS News Mornings, and CBS Mornings. These arrangements make WSVF-CD2 a hybrid network and local-news service whose principal function is distributing CBS content to the Shenandoah Valley.
- 2013
Class A status is transferred to the digital station
[1]The station's Class A status is transferred from the former analog channel 25 facility to its digital operation.
- 2012
Gray Television acquires the facility
[1]Gray Television acquires WAZM-CA from Jones Broadcasting and changes its call sign to WSVF-CA.
- 2012
CBS affiliation is announced
[1]Gray signs a CBS affiliation agreement for WSVF and launches CBS programming on the station's second digital stream in October.
- 2006
WHSV launches a Fox digital subchannel
[1]WHSV-DT2 launches on October 26 as the Shenandoah Valley's first full-time Fox affiliate; the service later becomes associated with WSVF-CD's primary stream.
- 2002
The station receives Class A status
[1]The facility is upgraded to Class A status under the WAZM-CA call sign.
- 1996
The underlying broadcast facility begins as W25CC
[1]The facility that later became associated with WSVF-CD begins operation as W25CC, a translator for WAZT-LP.
Products and positioning
A local CBS network service for the Shenandoah Valley, using WSVF-CD2's low-power signal together with a WHSV-TV digital-subchannel simulcast to provide broader market coverage.
Network television affiliation · 2012
CBS network service
The core offering of WSVF-CD2 is CBS network programming distributed through the second digital stream of WSVF-CD. The service is transmitted in 16:9 widescreen standard definition and is also simulcast on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel to provide a broader Shenandoah Valley footprint than the low-power WSVF signal alone can deliver.
Local television news
Local news simulcasts
WSVF-CD2 carries selected WHSV-produced newscasts, including the noon, 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. editions. The simulcasts connect the CBS service with the newsroom and production resources of the broader WHSV station group.
Brand decisions
2013
CBS coverage is extended through a WHSV-TV simulcastStrategyBackground
WSVF-CD's low-power signal primarily covers the immediate Harrisonburg area, limiting the reach of its CBS service.
Action taken
The CBS feed was simulcast on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel, transmitted from Elliott Knob west of Staunton.
Aftermath
Viewers across a larger portion of the Shenandoah Valley could receive the CBS service through WHSV-TV's broader full-power coverage.
2012
Gray acquires the former WAZM-CA facilityM&ABackground
The former WAZM-CA facility had limited visibility because its analog signal did not adequately serve the market and cable systems generally did not carry it.
Action taken
Gray Television acquired the facility from Jones Broadcasting, changed its call sign to WSVF-CA, and pursued a digital-only relaunch.
Aftermath
The transaction led to the digital WSVF operation and eventually enabled the CBS service associated with WSVF-CD2.
2012
CBS launches on WSVF's second digital streamProduct launchBackground
The Shenandoah Valley had lacked a locally based CBS affiliate since the former WSVA-TV dropped CBS programming in 1963.
Action taken
Gray signed a CBS affiliation agreement and placed CBS programming on WSVF's second digital subchannel while retaining Fox on the primary stream.
Aftermath
WSVF-CD2 became a local CBS outlet and its programming was also distributed on WHSV-TV's fifth digital subchannel for wider market coverage.
Recent events
- 2013
WSVF's Class A status transfers to its digital operation[1]
Other · Regulation
The station's Class A status was transferred from the former analog channel 25 facility to the digital station, formalizing the legal status of the rebuilt operation.
- 2012
Gray Television acquires the WAZM-CA facility and rebrands it as WSVF-CA[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Gray Television acquired the former WAZM-CA facility from Jones Broadcasting and changed its call sign to WSVF-CA, beginning the station's transition toward a digital network-affiliate operation.
- 2012
WSVF signs a CBS affiliation agreement[1]
Product launch · Other
Gray Television announced a CBS affiliation agreement for WSVF and two other low-power stations. CBS programming subsequently launched on WSVF's second digital stream in October 2012.
Sources2 sources
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