WVIT
NBC-owned television station serving the Hartford–New Haven market from New Britain and West Hartford, Connecticut.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WVIT is a television station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut, and serving the Hartford–New Haven designated market area. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 30 and is affiliated with NBC, which owns and operates it through the NBC Owned Television Stations division. WVIT shares its West Hartford facilities with WRDM-CD, an NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo station, while its transmission facilities are located on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington. The station began broadcasting on February 13, 1953, as WKNB-TV. It was established by the New Britain Broadcasting Company alongside WKNB radio and became Connecticut’s second-oldest television station and its first UHF outlet. At launch, it carried NBC programming while also maintaining a secondary CBS affiliation, reflecting the separate television markets then recognized by the Federal Communications Commission. NBC announced an acquisition of the WKNB stations in 1955, and the transaction received regulatory approval in 1956. The television station was renamed WNBC in January 1957. The first NBC ownership period was difficult. UHF receivers were not yet required in television sets, so viewers generally needed a separate converter, and the station’s signal coverage was comparatively weak. After WTIC-TV signed on in 1957 and became the region’s CBS affiliate, NBC concluded that its UHF investment was not achieving the expected results. In 1959, it sold the station and radio outlet to Plains Television. The television station became WHNB-TV in 1960, a callsign reflecting Hartford and New Britain, although it retained NBC programming. WHNB-TV later benefited from changes in UHF technology and regulation. Television manufacturers were eventually required to include all-channel tuning, and the station used translators to improve service in parts of Connecticut. In 1977, Plains Television agreed to sell the station to Viacom, then entering the broadcast-station business. Following the transaction’s completion, the callsign changed to WVIT on June 12, 1978, reflecting Viacom International Television. Viacom invested in the station’s technical facilities and news operation. A new transmitter entered service in 1980 and substantially expanded coverage toward New Haven. WVIT became Connecticut’s sole NBC affiliate in 1982 after WATR-TV ended its NBC affiliation. Viacom later consolidated WVIT with its Paramount station operations after acquiring Paramount Pictures. As Viacom focused increasingly on stations affiliated with the emerging UPN network, it arranged to return WVIT to NBC. The transaction closed on December 8, 1997, making WVIT an NBC owned-and-operated station for the second time. The change also ended WVIT’s part-time local marketing agreement with WTXX. WVIT’s current service combines the national NBC schedule with local news, weather, sports, traffic, public-affairs programming, digital streaming, and additional multicast services. The station introduced a 4 p.m. newscast in 2016 and a 7 p.m. newscast in 2021, the latter described as Connecticut’s first prime-time local newscast. It also operates the NBC Connecticut News 24/7 FAST channel, which carries a live evening newscast. Over time, its digital subchannels have carried NBC Weather Plus, NBC Plus, Universal Sports, TeleXitos, Cozi TV, and LX. WVIT ended analog broadcasting in 2009 and later moved its digital transmission from channel 35 to channel 31 as part of the nationwide spectrum repack.
History
WVIT began broadcasting on February 13, 1953, as WKNB-TV, a New Britain UHF station owned by the New Britain Broadcasting Company. Its original radio partner was WKNB, and the callsign referred to Kensington and New Britain. The station was Connecticut’s second television station and the state’s first UHF television outlet. At the time, the FCC treated Hartford and New Haven as separate television markets, although the agency merged them into one market in 1954. From its launch, WKNB-TV carried NBC programs, but it also carried selected CBS programming during its first several years. NBC announced in January 1955 that it intended to buy the WKNB stations for slightly more than $600,000. The acquisition was significant because the FCC encouraged major networks to invest in UHF stations as a way of strengthening the emerging band. NBC planned to improve channel 30’s signal and use it as a full-market outlet. Regulatory approval arrived in December 1956, and the television station was renamed WNBC in January 1957. The station struggled during this first NBC ownership period. UHF tuning was not standard in television receivers, meaning that many households needed an additional converter. Reception quality and coverage were also limited, while the arrival of WTIC-TV on VHF channel 3 gave the market a stronger alternative. WTIC-TV soon became the CBS affiliate, and NBC eventually abandoned its initial UHF expansion strategy in Connecticut. In June 1959, NBC sold WNBC and WKNB radio to Plains Television, a venture involving Transcontinental Properties and H & E Balaban Corporation. The radio station was separated from the television operation, and the television station changed its callsign to WHNB-TV in May 1960. WHNB-TV continued as an NBC affiliate and regained a stronger position as UHF technology improved. It operated low-power translators serving areas including Waterbury, Torrington, and New Haven. In 1966, the station again became one of two NBC affiliates in Connecticut when Waterbury-licensed WATR-TV began carrying NBC programming for the New Haven area. The arrangement ended in 1982, when WATR-TV became independent and WHNB-TV became the state’s only NBC affiliate. Plains Television announced the sale of WHNB-TV to Viacom in 1977. Viacom completed the acquisition in 1978 and changed the callsign to WVIT on June 12 of that year. The new owner expanded the station’s news operation and pursued improvements to its transmission facilities. A replacement transmitter launched in 1980 and more than doubled the station’s effective coverage, giving it a clearer signal in much of New Haven. The station’s translators were subsequently reduced as full-power signals and market conditions changed. WVIT also entered a part-time local marketing agreement with WTXX in 1993 after unsuccessful discussions concerning an arrangement with WTIC-TV. Viacom’s 1994 acquisition of Paramount Pictures brought WVIT into a broader station group that was later consolidated with the Paramount Stations Group. The combined company increasingly emphasized stations connected with UPN and decided to divest its major-network affiliates. Viacom traded WVIT back to NBC in exchange for future purchase rights involving WWHO and WLWC, two stations then operated by NBC through local marketing arrangements. The sale closed on December 8, 1997, restoring WVIT to NBC ownership and ending its local marketing agreement with WTXX. In the digital era, WVIT used several multicast channels. Its second digital channel carried NBC Weather Plus and later NBC Plus before switching to Cozi TV in December 2012. A third digital channel carried Universal Sports until that service left broadcast television, and it later carried TeleXitos and LX at different times. NBCUniversal’s acquisition of Telemundo outlet WRDM-CD and its Springfield satellite in 2018 made WRDM a sister station to WVIT and created a local NBCUniversal television group in the Hartford–New Haven area. WVIT ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated digital transition. Its digital signal initially used UHF channel 35 while retaining virtual channel 30; the transmitter tower was also increased to approximately 1,100 feet including the antenna. Under the FCC spectrum-repacking process, WVIT moved its digital transmission to channel 31 in August 2019. The station expanded its local news schedule in the twenty-first century. It added a 4 p.m. newscast in June 2016 and a 7 p.m. newscast in June 2021. WVIT also provides a live 7:30 p.m. newscast through its NBC Connecticut News 24/7 FAST channel. Its present identity combines the NBC network brand with locally produced news, weather, traffic, sports, public-affairs coverage, and digital distribution across the Connecticut market.
- 2019
Digital channel repack completed
[1]WVIT moves its digital transmission from UHF channel 35 to channel 31.
- 2018
WRDM becomes an NBCUniversal sister station
[1]NBCUniversal completes its acquisition of WRDM-CD and its Springfield satellite, linking the Telemundo outlets with WVIT.
- 2012
Cozi TV replaces NBC Plus
[1]WVIT replaces NBC Plus on digital subchannel 30.2 with Cozi TV.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]WVIT shuts down its analog signal as part of the United States digital television transition.
- 1997
NBC reacquires WVIT
[1]NBC’s reacquisition closes on December 8, returning WVIT to owned-and-operated status.
- 1982
WVIT becomes Connecticut’s sole NBC affiliate
[1]WATR-TV ends its NBC affiliation, leaving WVIT as the state’s only NBC affiliate.
- 1980
Expanded transmitter enters service
[1]A new transmitter substantially increases coverage, particularly toward New Haven.
- 1978
Viacom renames the station WVIT
[1]Viacom completes its purchase and changes the callsign to WVIT on June 12.
- 1960
Calls change to WHNB-TV
[1]The station adopts WHNB-TV, referencing Hartford and New Britain.
- 1959
NBC sells the station to Plains Television
[1]NBC divests the station and its former radio partner amid weak UHF economics and limited receiver penetration.
Products and positioning
A local NBC network outlet positioned around Connecticut news, weather, traffic, sports, and community information, with the reach and resources of an NBCUniversal-owned station.
Local television news · 1953
NBC Connecticut local news
WVIT’s locally produced news service covers Connecticut politics, public safety, education, business, sports, weather, traffic, and regional events. Its schedule includes conventional morning, midday, evening, and late-night newscasts, supplemented by expanded early-evening and digital programming.
FAST channel and streaming news
NBC Connecticut News 24/7
A digital news service distributed through the station’s FAST-channel operations. It provides continuous or recurring local news, weather, and information programming, including a live 7:30 p.m. newscast.
Network television programming · 1953
NBC network programming
WVIT carries the NBC television schedule, including entertainment, news, sports, specials, and other network programming, subject to occasional local programming decisions.
Digital multicast television · 2012
Cozi TV
WVIT carried Cozi TV on digital subchannel 30.2 after replacing NBC Plus in December 2012. The service is a multicast entertainment offering built around library television programming.
Brand decisions
2021
WVIT launches a 7 p.m. newscastProduct launchBackground
The station was expanding its local news schedule and seeking additional early-evening reach.
Action taken
WVIT began a 7 p.m. newscast on June 7.
Aftermath
The newscast was described as Connecticut’s first and only prime-time local newscast at launch.
2018
NBCUniversal adds WRDM-CD as a sister stationM&ABackground
NBCUniversal sought to acquire Telemundo affiliate WRDM-CD and its Springfield satellite from ZGS Communications. WRDM’s spectrum had been sold in the FCC incentive auction and was to be shared with WVIT.
Action taken
NBCUniversal completed the acquisition on February 1, creating a local NBCUniversal television grouping with WVIT and WRDM.
Aftermath
Telemundo programming and Spanish-language digital services became more closely integrated with the NBC-owned station presence in the region.
2017
Station declines to air Alex Jones interview episodeOtherBackground
An episode of Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly was scheduled to feature radio host Alex Jones, who had publicly denied that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred.
Action taken
WVIT announced that it would not broadcast that week’s episode, citing sensitivities among viewers, advertisers, and management.
Aftermath
The decision applied to the station’s local broadcast and was reported as an exception to its normal clearance of the NBC schedule.
2012
Digital subchannel changes to Cozi TVProduct launchBackground
NBC’s digital multicast portfolio was being reorganized after the end of NBC Weather Plus and NBC Plus operations.
Action taken
WVIT replaced NBC Plus on digital subchannel 30.2 with Cozi TV on December 20.
Aftermath
The change expanded WVIT’s digital offering with a general-entertainment multicast service.
1997
NBC reacquires WVIT from ViacomM&ABackground
Viacom was reshaping its station portfolio around UPN and divesting major-network affiliates.
Action taken
Viacom traded WVIT to NBC in an arrangement involving future purchase rights to WWHO and WLWC.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on December 8, 1997, restoring WVIT to NBC-owned status and ending its part-time LMA with WTXX.
1978
Viacom adopts the WVIT identity and invests in the stationStrategyBackground
After acquiring WHNB-TV, Viacom sought to establish its first broadcast-station investment and improve the outlet’s competitive position.
Action taken
Viacom changed the callsign to WVIT, upgraded the news operation, and announced plans to improve signal coverage.
Aftermath
A higher-capacity transmitter entered service in 1980, materially expanding the station’s reach in the Hartford–New Haven region.
Sources2 sources
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