WVAW-LD

WVAW-LD is a low-power digital television station serving Charlottesville and the surrounding central Virginia market. The station broadcasts on channel 16 and is affiliated with ABC. It operates alongside WCAV, a dual CBS and Fox affiliate, under the ownership of Lockwood Broadcast Group. Both stations share studios on Rio East Court in Charlottesville, while WVAW-LD's transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of the city. The station traces its origins to June 12, 1979, when it began operating as W64AO on analog UHF channel 64. At that time, it functioned as a low-powered translator of WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, which served as the area's default ABC affiliate. WHSV-TV was then owned by Worrell Newspapers, which also owned Charlottesville newspaper The Daily Progress. In April 2004, the station moved to UHF channel 16, adopted the call sign WVAW-LP, increased its power, and became an independent local station rather than a translator of WHSV-TV. This change made it the Charlottesville market's third local television station, following WVIR-TV and WCAV. The station's local role expanded during the development of Charlottesville's modern television lineup. In early 2005, Gray Television launched Fox affiliate WAHU-CA, creating a three-station local broadcast group alongside WCAV and WVAW. Local cable distribution was important because WVAW-LD's low-power signal has a limited over-the-air footprint focused on the immediate Charlottesville area. On December 28, 2006, WVAW was moved to Comcast channel 3, helping it reach viewers across the broader market. Local stations also displaced several out-of-market signals from Richmond and Washington, D.C., that had previously supplied major network programming to Charlottesville cable viewers. A transmitter-tower fire on November 9, 2006, temporarily interrupted WVAW's over-the-air signal. Service was restored four days later, on November 13. The station subsequently completed the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. It shut down its analog channel 16 signal on February 16, 2009, and began digital operation through a flash cut on the same channel. At that point, the call sign changed from WVAW-LP to WVAW-LD, with the suffix identifying the station as a low-power digital broadcaster. Gray Television announced the sale of WVAW-LD and WCAV to Lockwood Broadcast Group on March 4, 2019. The transaction occurred in connection with Gray's acquisition of competing Charlottesville station WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting. WAHU-CD was excluded from the sale and remained with Gray as a translator associated with WVIR-TV; programming previously connected with WAHU, including Fox, MeTV, and AccuWeather services, was redistributed among WCAV and WVAW-LD subchannels. The Lockwood transaction closed on October 1, 2019. WVAW-LD is part of the local CBS19 News operation and broadcasts locally produced news programming. It simulcasts the weekday morning program Good Morning Charlottesville from 4:30 to 7:00 a.m., as well as CBS19 News at 6 and CBS19 News at 11. The station carries more than 17.5 hours of locally produced newscasts per week, including weekday and weekend programming. Its news operation emphasizes Charlottesville and the counties comprising the station's designated television market rather than maintaining a broad regional focus. Because of its low-power classification, cable and satellite distribution remain important to the station's market reach.

WVAW-LD began service on June 12, 1979, as W64AO, a low-powered analog translator operating on UHF channel 64. The station retransmitted WHSV-TV from Harrisonburg, which at the time served as the Charlottesville area's default ABC outlet. WHSV-TV was owned by Worrell Newspapers, the same company associated with The Daily Progress in Charlottesville. A major change came on April 9, 2004. The station moved to UHF channel 16, changed its call sign to WVAW-LP, increased its authorized power, and separated from WHSV-TV. The move established a more independent local television presence and made WVAW the third local station in the Charlottesville market after WVIR-TV and WCAV. The station's development was part of a broader expansion of local network television service in the market. In early 2005, Gray Television introduced WAHU-CA as a Fox affiliate. The resulting group of local stations helped replace reliance on network signals imported from Richmond and Washington, D.C. on Charlottesville cable systems. WVAW was assigned Comcast channel 3 on December 28, 2006, improving its cable visibility and extending its reach beyond the station's limited low-power terrestrial footprint. WVAW experienced a temporary technical disruption when a fire damaged its transmitter tower on Carters Mountain on November 9, 2006. The station returned to the air on November 13. Its transmitter remains south of Charlottesville, while its studios are shared with WCAV on Rio East Court. The station ended analog broadcasting on February 16, 2009. It flash-cut its digital signal to UHF channel 16 and adopted the call sign WVAW-LD, where the LD suffix denotes low-power digital operation. Although the station's over-the-air service remains concentrated around Charlottesville, cable and satellite carriage are important because they extend distribution across the broader television market. On March 4, 2019, Gray Television announced the sale of WVAW-LD and WCAV to Lockwood Broadcast Group. The deal was related to Gray's acquisition of WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting. Gray retained WAHU-CD, which became associated with WVIR-TV, while WAHU's Fox, MeTV, and AccuWeather programming was redistributed through WCAV and WVAW-LD subchannels. The transaction closed on October 1, 2019. Today, WVAW-LD operates as Charlottesville's ABC affiliate within the Lockwood-owned CBS19 News group. Its local news schedule includes simulcasts of Good Morning Charlottesville on weekday mornings and CBS19 News at 6 and 11. The station produces or carries more than 17.5 hours of local newscasts weekly and concentrates its reporting on Charlottesville and the counties in its designated market.

• 2019

  Ownership transfers to Lockwood Broadcast Group

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Lockwood Broadcast Group acquires WVAW-LD and WCAV from Gray Television; the transaction closes on October 1.

• 2009

  Digital conversion

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WVAW ends analog broadcasting, begins digital transmission on channel 16, and adopts the WVAW-LD call sign.

• 2006

  Transmitter fire and Comcast channel assignment

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  A transmitter-tower fire temporarily interrupts service, and the station later moves to Comcast channel 3.

• 2005

  Expansion of Charlottesville local television

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Gray Television launches WAHU-CA, adding another local station to the market alongside WCAV and WVAW.

• 2004

  Move to channel 16 and local separation

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves to UHF channel 16, becomes WVAW-LP, increases power, and separates from WHSV-TV.

• 1979

  Station begins as W64AO

  [1]WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org

  W64AO begins analog low-power operation on UHF channel 64 as a translator of WHSV-TV.

A local ABC television service focused on Charlottesville and its surrounding counties, with over-the-air coverage supplemented by cable and satellite distribution.

• Broadcast television affiliation · 2004

  ABC programming service

  WVAW-LD operates as an ABC affiliate, carrying the network's schedule for viewers in the Charlottesville market. Its low-power over-the-air signal is supplemented by cable and satellite distribution, allowing the affiliation to reach households outside the immediate transmitter coverage area.

• Television news

  Local news programming

  The station participates in the CBS19 News local operation. Its schedule includes Good Morning Charlottesville on weekday mornings and simulcasts of CBS19 News at 6 and CBS19 News at 11. Coverage is oriented toward Charlottesville and the counties in the station's designated market.

• Digital television · 2009

  Digital multicast services

  WVAW-LD uses digital multiplexing to distribute additional television programming through subchannels. Following the 2019 ownership changes, programming formerly associated with WAHU, including Fox, MeTV, and AccuWeather services, was redistributed among WCAV and WVAW-LD subchannels.

• 2019

  Sale from Gray Television to Lockwood Broadcast GroupM&A

  Background

  Gray Television announced the sale of WVAW-LD and WCAV alongside its acquisition of rival WVIR-TV.

  Action taken

  Lockwood Broadcast Group acquired WVAW-LD and WCAV, while WAHU-CD was excluded and retained by Gray.

  Aftermath

  WVAW-LD became part of Lockwood's Charlottesville broadcast group and continued sharing facilities and news operations with WCAV.

  Source

• 2009

  Analog-to-digital conversionGeneration change

  Background

  The station was required to transition from analog low-power broadcasting to digital television.

  Action taken

  WVAW shut down its analog channel 16 signal and flash-cut to digital operation on channel 16, changing its call sign to WVAW-LD.

  Aftermath

  The station continued broadcasting as a low-power digital service with expanded opportunities for multiplexed programming.

  Source

• 2004

  Transition from translator to independent local stationStrategy

  Background

  The former W64AO translator provided WHSV-TV programming to Charlottesville but did not operate as a separate local station.

  Action taken

  The station moved to channel 16, adopted the WVAW-LP call sign, increased power, and separated from WHSV-TV.

  Aftermath

  The change created a third local television station in the Charlottesville market and strengthened local network coverage.

  Source

1. 1WVAW-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WVAW-LD official websitenewsplex.com