WTVF
A CBS-affiliated television station serving Nashville and Middle Tennessee, operated by The E. W. Scripps Company.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WTVF is a television station serving Nashville, Tennessee, and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities. It broadcasts on virtual channel 5 and is affiliated with CBS, while its digital services extend the station's local-news and entertainment presence beyond the main network feed. The station is widely identified on air as NewsChannel 5 and operates the NewsChannel 5+ service on a secondary digital channel. It is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company and shares Nashville facilities with sister station WNPX-TV. The station began broadcasting on August 6, 1954, under the call sign WLAC-TV. Its original owners included the Life and Casualty Insurance Company and Nashville businessmen Guilford Dudley, Al Beaman, and Thomas Baker. The station inherited the CBS affiliation associated with WLAC radio, which had been a CBS Radio affiliate since 1928. The WLAC-TV identity connected the new television outlet with the established Nashville radio operation and with Life and Casualty's initials. American General Corporation acquired Life and Casualty and its associated broadcast interests during the 1960s. In 1975, the station was sold to Houston's Hobby family. The new ownership changed the call letters to WTVF on December 1 of that year. The Hobby family's broadcasting assets were later organized as H&C Communications, which sold WTVF to Landmark Communications in 1994. WTVF remained a Landmark property through an unsuccessful 2008 sale attempt to Bonten Media Group. The transaction collapsed during the financial crisis after Lehman Brothers, a key financing source, entered bankruptcy. Journal Communications acquired WTVF in 2012 for $215 million, subject to regulatory approval, and transferred ownership to Scripps when Scripps completed its acquisition of Journal's broadcasting assets in 2015. Local journalism is central to the station's identity. WTVF produces extensive daily newscasts, weather coverage, public-affairs programming, and the long-running local magazine program Talk of the Town. Its NewsChannel 5+ service provides additional news, repeats, public-affairs content, severe-weather coverage, and selected network programming. The station has also carried major sports programming available through CBS, including Tennessee Titans games and selected Vanderbilt athletics, and has participated in local coverage of Nashville events such as New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash. A major operational disruption occurred during the May 2010 Nashville flood, when approximately three feet of water inundated the newsroom. The newsroom was out of service for about three months while it was rebuilt, although staff moved equipment and operations within the building to limit interruption. Today WTVF continues as an active local broadcast brand under Scripps ownership, combining a CBS network service with locally produced news, digital distribution, weather, community information, and supplementary programming.
History
WTVF signed on August 6, 1954, as WLAC-TV. The station was established by the Life and Casualty Insurance Company together with Nashville businessmen Guilford Dudley, Al Beaman, and Thomas Baker. Its launch gave Nashville a third independently operated commercial network television station and brought the CBS television affiliation to the outlet associated with WLAC radio. The call sign reflected the Life and Casualty connection, while the radio station's longstanding relationship with CBS helped establish the television station's network role. During the 1960s, American General Corporation acquired Life and Casualty and the WLAC broadcast properties. In 1975, American General sold the television station to the Hobby family of Houston, owners of KPRC broadcasting properties and the Houston Post. Because of Federal Communications Commission call-sign rules then in effect, the station adopted the WTVF call letters on December 1, 1975. The Hobby family's broadcast holdings were reorganized as H&C Communications in 1983. Landmark Communications acquired WTVF in 1994. Landmark later sought to sell the station, announcing a planned transaction with Bonten Media Group in 2008. That deal was not completed after Bonten could not secure closing financing during the financial crisis, particularly following Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy. WTVF therefore remained with Landmark, which subsequently operated as Landmark Media Enterprises. In May 2010, severe flooding in Nashville damaged WTVF's newsroom with roughly three feet of water. The newsroom could not function normally for approximately three months while reconstruction took place. Staff moved equipment and shifted operations within the facility to preserve continuity of broadcasting. In 2012, Journal Communications announced its purchase of WTVF for $215 million. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction in October, and the sale closed in December. Scripps announced its all-stock acquisition of Journal Communications in 2014. After regulatory and shareholder approvals, the transaction closed on April 1, 2015. Scripps retained Journal's broadcast stations, including WTVF, while separating the print assets into Journal Media Group. WTVF subsequently became part of Scripps' national group of local television stations. The station's service has expanded through digital distribution. NewsChannel 5+ began in September 1996 as a Nashville cable channel devoted to local news, information, original programs, and repeated newscasts. It became an over-the-air digital multicast service on June 21, 2009, using WTVF-DT2. The station has used the service for additional local news, public affairs, severe-weather coverage, trial coverage, and programming displaced from the CBS schedule. A third digital stream has carried successive multicast network affiliations, including This TV, Laff, and Bounce TV. WTVF's programming history also includes the locally produced Talk of the Town, which premiered in 1984 and remains a principal part of the station's identity. The program combines interviews, community information, events, lifestyle features, and recipes. The station has also hosted or originated nationally distributed programs, including portions of Hee Haw and the 1970s syndicated Bobby Goldsboro Show, and served as the flagship outlet for Pickler & Ben from 2017 to 2019. Its CBS affiliation has supported coverage of Tennessee Titans football, selected Vanderbilt sports, and other network sports. WTVF remains an active CBS affiliate and regional news operation serving Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
- 2015
WTVF joins Scripps
[1]Scripps completes its acquisition of Journal Communications' broadcasting assets.
- 2012
Journal Communications acquisition closes
[1]Journal Communications completes its purchase of WTVF from Landmark.
- 2010
Flood damages newsroom
[1]Nashville flooding forces reconstruction of the station's newsroom and temporary operational changes.
- 2009
NewsChannel 5+ moves to digital multicast
[1]The service begins broadcasting over the air on WTVF-DT2.
- 1996
NewsChannel 5+ launches
[1]WTVF introduces an all-news and information cable service for the Nashville area.
- 1994
Landmark acquires WTVF
[1]Landmark Communications purchases the station from H&C Communications.
- 1984
Talk of the Town premieres
[1]WTVF launches its locally produced magazine and interview program.
- 1975
Station adopts WTVF call letters
[1]After its sale to the Hobby family, the station changes its call sign from WLAC-TV to WTVF.
- 1954
WLAC-TV begins broadcasting
[1]The station signs on August 6 as WLAC-TV and begins its CBS affiliation in Nashville.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Nashville news and information brand built around CBS network affiliation, regional reporting, severe-weather service, and community programming.
CBS-affiliated television station · 1954
WTVF main channel
The primary broadcast service on virtual channel 5, carrying CBS network programming together with locally produced news, weather, public affairs, syndicated programming, sports, and special events for Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Digital multicast television service · 1996
NewsChannel 5+
WTVF's supplementary news and information service. It originated as a local cable channel in 1996 and became an over-the-air digital subchannel in 2009. Its programming has included local-news extensions, newscast repeats, public affairs, severe-weather coverage, trial coverage, and selected CBS programming.
Local television program · 1984
Talk of the Town
A weekday local magazine and interview program launched in 1984. It focuses on Middle Tennessee events, community personalities, lifestyle features, recipes, and entertainment, and is one of WTVF's defining locally produced programs.
Syndicated talk show · 2017
Pickler & Ben
A nationally syndicated daytime talk program hosted by Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron. WTVF served as the flagship station, with production taking place in Nashville, during the show's 2017–2019 run.
Brand decisions
2015
Join The E. W. Scripps CompanyM&ABackground
Scripps agreed to acquire Journal Communications in an all-stock transaction covering Journal's broadcasting operations.
Action taken
Following regulatory and shareholder approvals, Scripps completed the transaction on April 1, 2015, retaining WTVF as a broadcast property.
Aftermath
WTVF became part of Scripps' portfolio of local television stations.
2012
Sell WTVF to Journal CommunicationsM&ABackground
Landmark Media Enterprises placed WTVF among its broadcast assets for sale after an earlier proposed transaction with Bonten Media Group failed.
Action taken
Journal Communications agreed to acquire WTVF for $215 million; the transaction closed after FCC approval in December 2012.
Aftermath
WTVF became Journal's largest station by market size at the time and later entered the Scripps group through Journal's sale.
Purchase price. 215000000 (2012 announced transaction)
2009
Move NewsChannel 5+ to digital multicast broadcastingProduct launchBackground
The local NewsChannel 5+ service had operated as a cable-oriented channel since 1996, while digital television created an opportunity to broaden its availability.
Action taken
WTVF relaunched NewsChannel 5+ as its second digital subchannel, WTVF-DT2, on June 21, 2009.
Aftermath
The service became an over-the-air extension of WTVF's local-news and public-affairs operation.
Recent events
- 2015
Scripps completes acquisition of Journal broadcast assets[1]
M&A
The E. W. Scripps Company completed its acquisition of Journal Communications' broadcast holdings, bringing WTVF into the Scripps portfolio.
- 2012
Journal Communications agrees to acquire WTVF[1]
M&A
Journal Communications announced an agreement to purchase WTVF from Landmark Media Enterprises for $215 million.
- 2010
Flood severely disrupts WTVF newsroom operations[1]
Other
Flooding in Nashville inundated WTVF's newsroom, forcing a prolonged reconstruction and temporary relocation of operational equipment.
- 2009
NewsChannel 5+ becomes an over-the-air digital service[1]
Product launch
The NewsChannel 5+ service expanded from a cable-oriented local channel into WTVF's second digital subchannel.
- 2008
Landmark announces planned sale of WTVF to Bonten Media Group[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
A proposed sale of WTVF to Bonten Media Group was announced but later abandoned after financing difficulties associated with the financial crisis and Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy.
Sources2 sources
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