WTRF-TV

WTRF-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Wheeling, West Virginia, and serving viewers in the Wheeling–Steubenville, Ohio market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 7 and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. Its principal network affiliation is CBS, while additional digital services carry MyNetworkTV and ABC programming. The station brands its local news operation as 7News and operates studios on 16th Street in downtown Wheeling. Its transmission facilities are located across the Ohio River in Bridgeport, Ohio. WTRF-TV was the first television station specifically established to serve the Wheeling and Steubenville area. Its origins date to a 1948 construction-permit application by Tri-City Broadcasting Corporation, the owner of WTRF radio stations in the Ohio Valley. The original proposal called for channel 12, but a federal freeze on new television construction permits delayed the process. After the freeze was lifted, the application was amended to channel 7 and ultimately combined with a competing application associated with WKWK radio and the News Publishing Company. The construction permit was granted in April 1953, and the station began broadcasting on October 24 of that year. At launch, WTRF-TV was primarily affiliated with NBC. It also carried selected CBS programming before the launch of the market's channel 9 station and maintained a secondary ABC relationship. Ownership changed several times during the station's history. Tri-City sold its radio properties in 1954 while retaining the television station, and majority control later passed to the Dix family. In 1969, WTRF-TV was sold to Forward Communications. Forward subsequently became part of a succession of media ownership structures involving Wesray Capital, Adams Communications, Brissette Broadcasting, and Benedek Broadcasting. The station's most consequential programming change occurred in 1980. WTRF-TV moved from NBC to CBS after management concluded that NBC's ratings position had weakened and that market conditions favored CBS. The change was coordinated with WTOV-TV's move from CBS to NBC. WTRF-TV had considered ABC but determined that extensive cable carriage of Pittsburgh's WTAE-TV limited the commercial value of taking that affiliation locally. A substantial addition to the Wheeling studio facility was built around the same period. In the early 2000s, Benedek Broadcasting's financial difficulties and the weak advertising environment led to the sale of WTRF-TV to West Virginia Media Holdings. Under that ownership, the station expanded its digital portfolio. In 2007, it launched Fox Ohio Valley, a digital service carrying Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV programming. ABC Ohio Valley followed in 2008, giving the region an additional full-time ABC outlet. Fox programming moved to WTOV-TV in 2014, after which WTRF's former Fox service became primarily a MyNetworkTV outlet under the My Ohio Valley name. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of West Virginia Media Holdings' stations in 2015. Nexstar assumed operational control through a time brokerage arrangement in December of that year, and the transfer of the license assets was completed in January 2017. Today, WTRF-TV combines network programming, locally produced newscasts, weather and sports coverage, and digital-subchannel services. Its news schedule includes morning, midday, early-evening and late-evening broadcasts, while My Ohio Valley carries a dedicated 10 p.m. newscast. The station also simulcasts selected 7News broadcasts on its ABC service.

WTRF-TV's history began with a 1948 application by Tri-City Broadcasting Corporation for a television construction permit in the Wheeling area. Tri-City owned the WTRF radio stations in Bellaire, Ohio, and initially sought channel 12. The Federal Communications Commission then imposed a freeze on new television construction permits, delaying the application for several years. During the delay, the radio operations moved to Wheeling and the application was revised to specify channel 7 after the freeze ended. A competing application came from interests associated with WKWK radio and the News Publishing Company. To accelerate the process, Tri-City and the WKWK group combined their applications. The FCC granted the construction permit on April 22, 1953, and WTRF-TV began broadcasting on October 24. It launched primarily as an NBC affiliate, although it carried some CBS programming before the market's channel 9 station began operation. ABC programming was also available on a secondary basis. Tri-City sold its radio stations in 1954 but retained WTRF-TV and its call sign. In 1959, the Dix family acquired majority control of the company. The television station and a related FM property were sold in 1969 to Forward Communications of Wausau, Wisconsin. During the 1970s, WTRF-TV was carried by a cable system in Canton, Ohio, partly because its programming included Cleveland Browns games that were subject to contemporary NFL blackout rules. The station also launched the careers of journalists Faith Daniels and Bob Orr, both of whom later worked in national network news. In 1979, WTRF-TV announced that it would leave NBC for CBS. The move reflected management's view that NBC had lost strength and that ABC's local commercial position was constrained by the widespread cable placement of Pittsburgh station WTAE-TV. The switch took place earlier than first announced, on January 7, 1980. At the same time, WTOV-TV moved from CBS to NBC. WTRF-TV expanded its studio facility with a three-story addition in 1980. Forward Communications was sold to Wesray Capital Corporation in the mid-1980s. Wesray later sold the stations to Adams Communications in 1988. Adams encountered heavy leverage and defaulted on substantial debt in 1991. Paul Brissette subsequently acquired the broadcasting business through Brissette Broadcasting. In 1996, Brissette was merged into Benedek Broadcasting. Benedek later entered bankruptcy proceedings after a difficult advertising environment, and WTRF-TV was sold to West Virginia Media Holdings in 2002. West Virginia Media Holdings expanded WTRF-TV's digital presence. Fox Ohio Valley launched in 2007 as a Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV service, followed by ABC Ohio Valley in 2008. The station lost Fox to WTOV-TV in September 2014, after which its second service became My Ohio Valley and centered on MyNetworkTV. The ABC service continued as a digital multicast outlet. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the acquisition of West Virginia Media Holdings in November 2015. Nexstar took operational control through a time brokerage agreement in December 2015, and the license assets transferred on January 31, 2017. Under Nexstar ownership, WTRF-TV has continued operating as a CBS affiliate with MyNetworkTV and ABC digital services. Its local news operation produces multiple daily broadcasts from Wheeling, including a dedicated late-evening program on My Ohio Valley. The station's transmitter remains in Bridgeport, Ohio, while its studios are located in downtown Wheeling.

1. 2017Nexstar ownership completed

   The license assets transferred to Nexstar after the company assumed operational control in late 2015.

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2. 2014My Ohio Valley rebranding

   After Fox moved to WTOV-TV, WTRF-TV's second service became primarily a MyNetworkTV outlet under the My Ohio Valley name.

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3. 2008ABC Ohio Valley launches

   WTRF-TV added an ABC digital subchannel, creating a broader multi-network local television offering.

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4. 2007Fox Ohio Valley launches

   A second digital subchannel began carrying Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV programming.

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5. 2002West Virginia Media Holdings acquisition

   WTRF-TV was sold to West Virginia Media Holdings during Benedek Broadcasting's financial difficulties.

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6. 1980CBS affiliation begins

   WTRF-TV changed from NBC to CBS, while WTOV-TV moved from CBS to NBC.

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7. 1969Forward Communications acquisition

   Forward Communications purchased WTRF-TV and the associated second WTRF-FM property.

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8. 1953WTRF-TV begins broadcasting

   The FCC granted the construction permit in April, and WTRF-TV signed on October 24 as an NBC affiliate.

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9. 1948Initial construction-permit application

   Tri-City Broadcasting Corporation applied to build a television station serving Wheeling, initially proposing channel 12.

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A local broadcast and news brand serving the Ohio Valley, combining CBS network programming with locally produced news and complementary digital multicast services.

• WTRF-TV main channelBroadcast television1953

  The station's primary broadcast service on virtual channel 7. It carries CBS network programming together with locally produced news, weather, public-affairs and other syndicated content for the Wheeling–Steubenville market.

• My Ohio ValleyDigital multicast television2007

  WTRF-TV's MyNetworkTV-oriented digital service. It developed from the former Fox Ohio Valley subchannel and carries a dedicated 10 p.m. local newscast in addition to network and syndicated programming.

• ABC Ohio ValleyDigital multicast television2008

  An ABC digital subchannel launched to provide a full-time ABC service in the Ohio Valley. It also carries selected simulcasts of WTRF's 7News broadcasts, including weekday morning, midday, evening and late-news editions.

• 7NewsLocal news

  WTRF-TV's local news operation produces morning, noon, early-evening and late-evening broadcasts from the Wheeling studio. Coverage focuses on local and regional news, weather, public affairs and events across the Ohio Valley.

• 2015Acquisition by NexstarM&A

  West Virginia Media Holdings placed its television stations into a transaction with Nexstar Broadcasting Group.

  What changed. Nexstar announced the acquisition, assumed operational control through a time brokerage agreement in December 2015, and completed the license-asset transfer in January 2017.

  Aftermath. WTRF-TV became part of Nexstar's national local-television station group.

  Announced transaction value for West Virginia Media Holdings stations. $130 million (2015 announcement)

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• 2014Transition from Fox Ohio Valley to My Ohio ValleyStrategy

  WTRF-TV's Fox affiliation moved to competing station WTOV-TV.

  What changed. The former Fox subchannel was rebranded My Ohio Valley and made MyNetworkTV its primary affiliation.

  Aftermath. WTRF-TV retained a second network-oriented digital service despite losing Fox programming.

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• 2008Launch of ABC Ohio ValleyProduct launch

  The station sought to broaden its digital network portfolio and provide an additional full-time network service to regional viewers.

  What changed. WTRF-TV introduced ABC Ohio Valley as another digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. The subchannel continued to carry ABC programming and selected simulcasts of 7News broadcasts.

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• 2007Launch of Fox Ohio ValleyProduct launch

  West Virginia Media Holdings expanded its stations' digital multicast offerings and sought to add Fox programming in the Ohio Valley.

  What changed. WTRF-TV launched a second digital subchannel carrying Fox programming with MyNetworkTV as a secondary affiliation.

  Aftermath. The service later lost Fox programming to WTOV-TV and was rebranded My Ohio Valley in 2014.

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• 1980Switch from NBC to CBSStrategy

  Station management cited NBC's weakened ratings and considered ABC commercially difficult because many households already received Pittsburgh's WTAE-TV through cable.

  What changed. WTRF-TV changed its primary network affiliation to CBS on January 7, 1980, while WTOV-TV moved from CBS to NBC.

  Aftermath. The change established WTRF-TV's long-running CBS identity in the Wheeling–Steubenville market.

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• 2015Nexstar announces acquisition of West Virginia Media Holdings stations

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced a transaction for West Virginia Media Holdings' stations, including WTRF-TV. Operational control began later that year and the license transfer was completed in 2017.

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• 2014Fox affiliation moves from WTRF-TV to WTOV-TV

  WTRF-TV lost Fox programming on its second digital subchannel; the service was subsequently rebranded My Ohio Valley with MyNetworkTV as its primary affiliation.

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• 2008ABC Ohio Valley launches as a digital subchannel

  WTRF-TV introduced an additional digital service carrying ABC programming, expanding the station's network portfolio.

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• 2007WTRF-TV launches Fox Ohio Valley digital service

  The station added a second digital subchannel carrying Fox programming alongside a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

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• 1980WTRF-TV changes its primary affiliation from NBC to CBS

  The station moved to CBS on January 7 after management cited NBC's declining ratings and the competitive effects of cable carriage of Pittsburgh's ABC affiliate.

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• 1953WTRF-TV begins broadcasting in Wheeling

  WTRF-TV commenced operations on October 24, becoming the first television station specifically serving the Wheeling and Steubenville area.

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1. WTRF-TV
2. WTRF-TV official website