WTHI-TV
WTHI-TV is a Terre Haute, Indiana television station serving the Wabash Valley with CBS programming, local news, and several digital multicast networks.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WTHI-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, and serving the Terre Haute television market in western Indiana and nearby eastern Illinois. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 10 and is affiliated with CBS on its primary service. Its digital operation also carries Fox and MyNetworkTV on WTHI-DT2, MeTV on WTHI-DT3, Ion Television on WTHI-DT4, and, according to the station’s recent multicast configuration, MeTV Toons on a fifth subchannel. The station’s local broadcast identity has historically centered on the News 10 brand and on weather and community coverage for the Wabash Valley. WTHI-TV began broadcasting on July 22, 1954, becoming the first television station in the Terre Haute market. It was established by Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman, who also owned the WTHI radio stations and was associated with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. CBS has been the station’s principal affiliation since launch, although WTHI initially carried selected programming from NBC, ABC, and the DuMont Television Network as secondary affiliations. As competing stations entered the market, those additional network relationships ended and WTHI became a CBS-focused outlet. The station’s programming history includes locally produced personalities and shows, including programs associated with Jerry Van Dyke and “Captain Jack” Hanes. WTHI also maintained a secondary UPN affiliation beginning in 1995, carrying UPN programming after CBS late-night content. That arrangement continued until the network’s 2006 closure and the creation of The CW. Ownership changed several times after the Hulman family period. Emmis Communications acquired the station in 1998 and sold it to LIN TV Corporation in 2005 as Emmis concentrated on radio. LIN later became part of Media General through a 2014 merger. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired Media General in 2017, but regulatory limits in the relatively small Terre Haute market required Nexstar to divest WTHI while retaining WTWO and continuing operation of WAWV-TV. Heartland Media acquired WTHI in 2017 through a joint venture involving USA Television MidAmerica Holdings and MSouth Equity Partners. Allen Media Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Entertainment Studios and Allen Media Group, purchased the station in 2020. Gray Media completed its acquisition of WTHI in March 2026, bringing the station into Gray’s national local-television portfolio. WTHI moved from its longtime facility at 918 Ohio Street to a newer downtown Terre Haute facility at 800 Ohio Street in 2012. Its transmitter is located along U.S. Routes 41 and 150 in unincorporated Sullivan County, south of Farmersburg. The station converted from analog VHF broadcasting to digital transmission on June 12, 2009. Local news has remained central to the station’s operation since its launch. WTHI produces weekday, weekend, and digital-subchannel newscasts, including a prime-time newscast for its Fox service. It introduced a weekday 5 p.m. newscast in 2011, became the first commercial Terre Haute station to broadcast local news in high definition in 2012, and added weekend morning news in 2017. In 2025, Allen Media Group reorganized weather and news operations across its stations, leading to staff reductions and partial centralization of weather and news production. Following Gray Media’s acquisition, chief meteorologist Kevin Orpurt returned to the station in 2026.
History
WTHI-TV signed on July 22, 1954, as Terre Haute’s first television station. Its founder, Tony Hulman, was a prominent local businessman and owner of the WTHI radio stations. The station operated from a former garment-factory building at 918 Ohio Street in downtown Terre Haute, a facility that it shared with WTHI-FM for much of its early history. CBS has been WTHI-TV’s primary network affiliation since its launch. In its first years, the station also carried selected NBC, ABC, and DuMont programs. DuMont programming ended when that network ceased operations in 1956. NBC programming moved to WTWO when that station launched in 1965, and WTHI’s secondary ABC relationship ended after WIIL-TV, now WAWV-TV, began broadcasting in 1973. The station subsequently operated as the market’s established CBS outlet. Local programming was an important part of WTHI’s early identity. Historical programs included shows involving entertainer Jerry Van Dyke and children’s personality “Captain Jack” Hanes. WTHI later carried UPN programming as a secondary affiliate beginning in 1995. The arrangement survived until UPN ended in 2006 and its programming was folded into the newly created CW network. The station remained under Hulman family ownership until 1998, when Emmis Communications purchased it. Emmis announced in 2005 that it was selling its television properties to focus on radio, and LIN TV Corporation acquired WTHI later that year. LIN’s television assets became part of Media General following a merger completed in December 2014. Media General was then acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group in 2017. Because Nexstar already controlled WTWO and operated WAWV-TV in the same market, ownership rules required a divestiture. Nexstar selected WTHI for sale, and Heartland Media acquired the station through its USA Television MidAmerica Holdings venture. In 2019, Allen Media Broadcasting agreed to acquire WTHI and other Heartland stations. Regulatory approval was granted later that year, and the deal closed on February 11, 2020. In 2025, Allen Media Group announced that it was evaluating strategic alternatives amid financial pressure and subsequently agreed to sell WTHI and other stations to Gray Media. Gray completed the acquisition on March 27, 2026. WTHI moved its operations one block west to 800 Ohio Street in October 2012. The relocation separated the television station from WTHI-FM, whose operations had also moved to a newer office building. WTHI became the first commercial Terre Haute station to air local newscasts in high definition. Its news schedule later expanded with a weekday 5 p.m. broadcast in 2011 and weekend morning broadcasts beginning in 2017. The station’s digital expansion began with a radar and NOAA Weather Radio feed on WTHI-DT2. A brief experiment with TheCoolTV in 2010 generated negative viewer response, leading WTHI to restore the radar service on a new third subchannel. Fox and MyNetworkTV replaced those arrangements on WTHI-DT2 in September 2011, while the weather feed was discontinued. Ion Television was added to a digital subchannel in 2015 and moved to WTHI-DT4 when the CW+ service launched on WTHI-DT3 in 2017. MeTV replaced CW+ in 2024, and additional multicast services were subsequently introduced. WTHI’s recent news operation has been affected by broader corporate centralization. In 2025, Allen Media announced cuts to local meteorological positions and the use of a weather hub associated with The Weather Channel. WTHI also experienced changes to its news staffing and partial hubbing through another Allen-owned station. After Gray assumed ownership, longtime meteorologist Kevin Orpurt returned as chief meteorologist in May 2026.
- 2026
Gray Media acquisition closes
[1]Gray Media completes the purchase of WTHI-TV, adding the station to its local broadcast portfolio.
- 2024
MeTV replaces CW+
[1]WTHI-DT3 switches to MeTV after CW+ programming moves to WTWO.
- 2020
Allen Media ownership begins
[1]The Heartland station transaction closes on February 11.
- 2019
Allen Media announces acquisition
[1]Allen Media Broadcasting agrees to purchase WTHI-TV from Heartland Media.
- 2017
Nexstar divestiture and Heartland ownership
[1]Nexstar completes its Media General acquisition and sells WTHI to Heartland Media to address market-ownership rules.
- 2017
CW+ launches on WTHI-DT3
[1]The third digital subchannel begins carrying the CW+ service, while Ion moves to a fourth subchannel.
- 2014
LIN joins Media General
[1]The Media General–LIN merger creates a larger television ownership group containing WTHI-TV.
- 2012
New facility and HD local news
[1]Operations move to 800 Ohio Street, and local newscasts transition to high definition.
- 2011
Fox and MyNetworkTV launch on WTHI-DT2
[1]WTHI adds both services to its second digital subchannel and begins a related prime-time newscast.
- 2009
Digital transition
[1]Regular analog broadcasting ends on June 12 under the nationwide digital television transition.
Products and positioning
A locally focused network-affiliated television station serving Terre Haute and the surrounding Wabash Valley, combining CBS programming with local news, weather, sports, community reporting, and a multi-channel digital broadcast lineup.
CBS-affiliated television service · 1954
WTHI-TV primary service
The station’s main over-the-air service on virtual channel 10 carries CBS network programming alongside WTHI’s principal local news, weather, sports, public-affairs, and syndicated programming. CBS has been the station’s primary affiliation since its 1954 launch.
Fox and MyNetworkTV digital multicast service · 2011
WTHI-DT2 / MyFox10
WTHI-DT2 carries Fox programming as its primary network service and MyNetworkTV programming in a later time slot. The subchannel also carries a locally produced evening newscast, extending WTHI’s news output beyond the main CBS channel.
MeTV digital multicast service · 2010
WTHI-DT3
The third digital subchannel has carried several services over time, including a weather radar feed, Ion Television, and CW+. Since September 2024, it has carried MeTV programming for the Terre Haute market.
Ion Television digital multicast service · 2017
WTHI-DT4
WTHI-DT4 provides Ion Television programming. Ion first appeared on WTHI’s digital lineup in 2015 and moved to the fourth subchannel in 2017 when CW+ was added to WTHI-DT3.
Local television news · 2006
News 10
News 10 is WTHI-TV’s principal local-news identity. The operation includes weekday and weekend newscasts, weather reporting, regional reporting, sports, and community coverage for viewers in western Indiana and eastern Illinois.
Brand decisions
2026
Sale to Gray MediaM&ABackground
Allen Media Group pursued strategic options for its television portfolio, including station sales.
Action taken
Gray Media acquired WTHI-TV as part of a transaction involving multiple Allen Media stations.
Aftermath
The completed acquisition marked Gray Media’s entry into the Terre Haute television market.
2025
Centralization of weather and news productionStrategyBackground
Allen Media Group announced reductions in local meteorology positions and broader use of centralized production during a period of corporate financial pressure.
Action taken
WTHI lost longtime weather and anchor personnel, and portions of its output were hubbed through WLFI-TV and a weather service associated with The Weather Channel.
Aftermath
The restructuring reduced local staffing until Gray Media assumed ownership and later reinstated Kevin Orpurt as chief meteorologist.
2024
MeTV replaces CW+ on WTHI-DT3Generation changeBackground
CW+ programming moved to WTWO, leaving WTHI-DT3 available for another multicast network.
Action taken
WTHI changed the third digital subchannel to MeTV and retained Ion Television separately on WTHI-DT4.
Aftermath
The change expanded the station’s classic-television offering while preserving its existing Ion service.
2012
Relocation to 800 Ohio StreetStrategyBackground
The station sought a newer downtown facility and separation from the radio operation that had shared its former building.
Action taken
WTHI moved its operations one block west and began airing local news in high definition from the new facility.
Aftermath
The move modernized the station’s production environment and ended its co-location with WTHI-FM.
2011
Fox and MyNetworkTV added to WTHI-DT2Product launchBackground
The Terre Haute market’s Fox affiliation became available when WFXW returned to ABC amid an affiliation dispute involving Nexstar and Fox.
Action taken
WTHI placed Fox and MyNetworkTV on its second digital subchannel and introduced a related 10 p.m. local newscast.
Aftermath
WTHI became the market’s outlet for both Fox and MyNetworkTV programming while retaining CBS on its primary service.
2010
Launch and withdrawal of TheCoolTVProduct launchBackground
WTHI replaced its radar and NOAA audio feed on a digital subchannel with TheCoolTV as part of a broader LIN station arrangement.
Action taken
After substantial viewer criticism, the station restored its radar service on a separate digital subchannel and later ended the music-video arrangement.
Aftermath
The episode demonstrated local demand for the station’s weather-information service and preceded the later Fox/MyNetworkTV use of WTHI-DT2.
Sources2 sources
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