WVIR-CD
A low-power Class A television station in Charlottesville, Virginia, that rebroadcasts the programming of NBC/CW+ affiliate WVIR-TV.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WVIR-CD is a low-power, Class A television station serving Charlottesville, Virginia, and the surrounding market. The station operates as a translator of WVIR-TV, the market's full-power NBC and CW+ affiliate owned by Gray Media. Its transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of Charlottesville, while its parent station maintains studios on East Market Street, also known as U.S. Route 250 Business, in downtown Charlottesville. The station began broadcasting on August 31, 1998, as WADA-LP, a low-power analog affiliate of Pax TV. It initially transmitted on UHF channel 55 and later moved to UHF channel 27. In March 2005, Tiger Eye Broadcasting sold the station to Gray Television. Gray changed the call sign to WAHU-CA and converted the outlet into a Fox affiliate. At that time, the station was operated alongside Gray's Charlottesville properties WCAV, a CBS affiliate, and WVAW-LP, an ABC affiliate. The arrangement created a locally managed cluster of network stations serving the market. WAHU expanded its digital role in the late 2000s. It launched a digital signal on UHF channel 40 on December 28, 2006. The first digital subchannel carried a standard-definition Fox service, while a second subchannel initially carried MyNetworkTV programming. The station later moved selected programming between its digital services and introduced other multicast affiliations, including This TV and eventually MeTV. WAHU also began high-definition over-the-air broadcasting in February 2009. Its analog service on channel 27 was discontinued on February 16, 2009, in connection with the digital transition, and the station completed a flash cut to its digital channel. The call sign changed to WAHU-LD in March 2008, reflecting its low-power digital status, and to WAHU-CD in January 2011, reflecting its Class A digital designation. In late 2018, the second digital subchannel ended its MyNetworkTV affiliation and became a full-time MeTV service. A major ownership and affiliation reorganization occurred in 2019. Gray announced the sale of WCAV and WVAW-LD to Lockwood Broadcast Group while simultaneously arranging to acquire WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting. WAHU-CD was excluded from the Lockwood transaction and remained with Gray as a sister station to WVIR-TV. Gray temporarily took WAHU-CD off the air on April 1, 2019, while equipment was removed from the shared Newsplex facility. Fox, MeTV, and AccuWeather services associated with the previous station group were moved to Lockwood-owned facilities. WAHU-CD returned to the air on August 23, 2019, using an interim facility and continuing with Fox programming. Because another station had begun using virtual channel 27 for its Fox service, WAHU-CD used virtual channel 35 after its return. The station adopted the call sign WVIR-CD on October 8, 2019, after the legal and regulatory issues surrounding Gray's purchase of WVIR-TV had been resolved. Later that month, it became a translator of WVIR-TV. This role became particularly significant when WVIR-TV moved from UHF channel 29 to VHF channel 2 in 2020, because VHF signals can be more difficult to receive indoors in some locations. WVIR-CD preserved a UHF transmission option for viewers in the core Charlottesville market while rebroadcasting WVIR-TV's subchannels. Grit was added to the station's channel lineup on September 15, 2022. The station's current identity is therefore primarily technical and distributional: it extends WVIR-TV's over-the-air reach rather than operating as an independent local news brand.
History
WVIR-CD originated as WADA-LP, a low-power Pax TV affiliate that began broadcasting in Charlottesville on August 31, 1998. The station initially used analog UHF channel 55 before moving to channel 27. Its early low-power status meant that it served as a supplementary outlet rather than as the market's principal full-power station. In late March 2005, Tiger Eye Broadcasting sold the station to Gray Television. Gray changed the call sign to WAHU-CA and repositioned the outlet as a Fox affiliate. The station was managed in conjunction with WCAV and WVAW-LP, Gray's CBS and ABC affiliates in the Charlottesville market. Before the Fox affiliation change, Charlottesville viewers had generally received Fox from Washington, D.C., station WTTG through cable distribution. WAHU entered digital broadcasting on December 28, 2006, using UHF channel 40. Its primary digital service carried Fox programming, while a second digital subchannel initially carried MyNetworkTV. This expanded the station beyond its original single analog service and established its role in the developing multicast television environment. The station also participated in Virginia High School League championship basketball coverage in 2008 and 2009, and it began high-definition over-the-air broadcasting in February 2009. The station shut down its analog signal on February 16, 2009, and flash-cut its digital transmission onto channel 40. Its call sign changed from WAHU-CA to WAHU-LD in March 2008 and then to WAHU-CD in January 2011. The latter designation reflected its Class A low-power digital authorization. Multicast programming continued to evolve: This TV replaced the earlier secondary arrangement on the second subchannel in September 2009, and in late 2018 the service became a full-time MeTV outlet after ending its MyNetworkTV affiliation. The station's ownership context changed substantially in 2019. Gray announced that WCAV and WVAW-LD would be sold to Lockwood Broadcast Group at the same time that Gray pursued the acquisition of WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting. WAHU-CD was not part of the sale and was retained by Gray. The station went silent on April 1, 2019, while Gray relocated equipment from the shared Newsplex facility. Affiliated services associated with the prior station group moved to Lockwood facilities. WAHU-CD returned on August 23 with Fox programming from an interim facility. Because the Fox service on WCAV had adopted virtual channel 27 during the interruption, the returning station used virtual channel 35. On October 8, 2019, WAHU-CD became WVIR-CD. After Gray's WVIR-TV transaction cleared its legal challenges, the low-power station was converted into a translator of WVIR-TV. This configuration allowed it to rebroadcast WVIR-TV's programming and subchannels. The translator function became especially useful when WVIR-TV moved to VHF channel 2 in 2020, since the UHF translator could preserve reception for viewers who experienced difficulty receiving the VHF signal indoors. Grit joined the lineup on September 15, 2022. WVIR-CD now operates principally as a UHF extension of WVIR-TV's Charlottesville service rather than as a separately programmed local network affiliate.
- 2022
Grit added
[1]Grit became part of the station's digital channel lineup.
- 2020
UHF reception role strengthened
[1]WVIR-CD helped preserve over-the-air reception after WVIR-TV moved to VHF channel 2.
- 2019
Retention by Gray and transition to translator
[1]Gray retained the station during its Charlottesville transaction, restored it after a temporary silence, and changed its call sign to WVIR-CD.
- 2011
Class A call sign adopted
[1]The station changed its call sign to WAHU-CD.
- 2009
Analog shutdown and digital flash cut
[1]The analog channel 27 signal ended and the station moved its transmission to its digital channel.
- 2006
Digital service begins
[1]WAHU launched digital broadcasting on UHF channel 40 and added a second digital subchannel.
- 2005
Acquisition by Gray Television
[1]Tiger Eye Broadcasting sold the station to Gray, which changed its call sign to WAHU-CA and made it a Fox affiliate.
- 1998
Launch as WADA-LP
[1]The station began broadcasting on August 31 as a low-power Pax TV affiliate in Charlottesville.
Products and positioning
A local-market digital translator designed to improve over-the-air reception and extend the reach of Gray Media's WVIR-TV services across Charlottesville and nearby communities.
Television distribution · 2019
WVIR-TV rebroadcast service
WVIR-CD primarily functions as a translator for full-power WVIR-TV. It rebroadcasts the parent station's available programming and digital subchannels, extending reception in Charlottesville and nearby areas through a low-power UHF transmission.
Network television affiliation · 2005
Fox service
During its WAHU identity, the station carried Fox programming and returned to the air with that affiliation in August 2019. The Fox service was later associated with the broader Charlottesville station reorganization rather than remaining the defining role of WVIR-CD.
Multicast television · 2006
Digital multicast services
The station has carried multiple digital multicast services over time, including MyNetworkTV, This TV, MeTV, AccuWeather, and Grit. Its current multicast offering is tied to the subchannels rebroadcast from WVIR-TV.
Brand decisions
2019
Retention during Gray's Charlottesville transactionM&ABackground
Gray arranged to sell WCAV and WVAW-LD to Lockwood Broadcast Group while acquiring WVIR-TV from Waterman Broadcasting.
Action taken
WAHU-CD was excluded from the Lockwood sale and retained by Gray as a sister station to WVIR-TV.
Aftermath
The station was later renamed WVIR-CD and converted into a translator for WVIR-TV.
2019
Conversion to WVIR-TV translatorStrategyBackground
Gray needed to align the retained low-power station with its newly acquired Charlottesville full-power outlet.
Action taken
The station changed its call sign from WAHU-CD to WVIR-CD and began rebroadcasting WVIR-TV.
Aftermath
WVIR-CD became a UHF reception supplement for WVIR-TV, particularly after the full-power station moved to VHF channel 2 in 2020.
2005
Conversion to Fox affiliationStrategyBackground
After acquiring the former WADA-LP, Gray reorganized the station within its Charlottesville cluster and changed its network role.
Action taken
Gray changed the call sign to WAHU-CA and made the station a Fox affiliate.
Aftermath
The station became part of a locally managed group with WCAV and WVAW-LP and later expanded into digital multicast services.
Sources1 sources
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