WVNS-TV

WVNS-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Lewisburg, West Virginia, and serving the Bluefield–Beckley–Oak Hill television market. The station operates from studios on Old Cline Road in Ghent, between Beckley and Bluefield, while its transmitter is located near Alderson. Its main channel is affiliated with CBS, and its digital services also carry Fox and MyNetworkTV programming. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest local television broadcasters in the United States. The station began broadcasting on August 12, 1995, under the call sign WVGV-TV as a WB affiliate. It was the first television station in the market to operate without an affiliation with one of the traditional major networks. The station had originally been expected to launch as a Fox affiliate in 1994, but delays pushed its debut beyond the beginning of the 1994–95 television season and Fox withdrew the planned affiliation. WVGV-TV faced several structural disadvantages in its early years. Its schedule depended on a relatively untested WB lineup, its UHF signal was less advantageous than the VHF signals used by established stations in the mountainous market, and its late launch made it difficult to secure broad cable carriage. Cable distribution was especially important in the region because the surrounding terrain limited over-the-air reception. By 1996, the station had been sold to High Mountain Broadcasting. The new owner temporarily took the station off the air while moving its studios from Lewisburg to Ghent and relocating the transmitter from Cross Mountain to a more central site intended to improve coverage of Beckley and Bluefield as well as Lewisburg. The station returned on December 24, 1996, as WVSX, this time affiliated with Fox. Technical problems involving the transmitter’s power-supply design limited regular transmission until after the beginning of 1997, and the station continued to experience financial difficulties. A major change came on September 29, 2001, when WVSX became a CBS affiliate. Before that change, the Bluefield–Beckley–Oak Hill market had lacked a full over-the-air CBS affiliate for many years. CBS programming had instead been available through cable systems carrying stations from neighboring markets, including WOWK-TV in the West Virginia portion and WDBJ in the Virginia portion. The affiliation gave the market a local CBS outlet and provided the station with a more established network schedule. On February 28, 2003, the station was sold to West Virginia Media Holdings. The call sign changed to WVNS-TV on June 7, 2003. Fox later returned to the station through a second digital subchannel on September 13, 2006. The move followed a retransmission dispute affecting another Fox outlet and the end of the Foxnet cable service that had previously helped supply Fox programming in the region. MyNetworkTV programming was subsequently carried on a digital subchannel alongside the station’s other services. WVNS-TV completed the transition from analog to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. Its digital signal operates on channel 8 while retaining virtual channel 59. The station expanded and modernized its local news operation under West Virginia Media Holdings, producing local newscasts from Ghent and sharing selected statewide and sports coverage with sister stations. Its local news facilities were upgraded to high definition on March 28, 2013, with new graphics and a redesigned set. After Nexstar’s acquisition of West Virginia Media Holdings, WVNS moved its weather operation from sister station WOWK-TV in Charleston to Ghent in September 2016, adding a new studio and weather system. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the purchase of West Virginia Media Holdings’ stations, including WVNS-TV, in November 2015. Nexstar assumed operational control under a time brokerage agreement in December 2015, and the station’s license transfer was completed on January 31, 2017. WVNS-TV remains an active local broadcast outlet, combining network programming with local news, weather, sports, and public-service coverage for southern West Virginia.

WVNS-TV began broadcasting on August 12, 1995, as WVGV-TV, a WB affiliate licensed to Lewisburg, West Virginia. Its launch was significant because it was the first station in the Bluefield–Beckley–Oak Hill market to operate outside the traditional major-network structure. The station had initially been planned as a Fox affiliate, but delays postponed its launch beyond the start of the 1994–95 season and Fox canceled the agreement. The early station faced difficult market conditions. Its UHF signal was at a disadvantage in a mountainous region where established VHF stations generally had better propagation. The delayed launch also made it difficult to obtain cable carriage, even though cable was particularly important in the region because rugged terrain restricted reliable over-the-air reception. The station’s WB schedule and limited distribution made advertising sales difficult. In 1996, WVGV-TV was sold to High Mountain Broadcasting. The new owner took the station dark while relocating the studios from Lewisburg to Ghent and moving the transmitter from Cross Mountain to a more central location. The changes were intended to improve service to the broader market, especially Beckley and Bluefield. The station returned on December 24, 1996, under the call sign WVSX as a Fox affiliate. A distinctive transmitter power-supply problem prevented fully regular operation until after January 1, 1997, and the station continued to struggle financially. WVSX’s major turning point came on September 29, 2001, when it became a CBS affiliate. The market had previously lacked a local full-service CBS outlet for many years. CBS content had been received through cable systems carrying stations from neighboring markets, including WOWK-TV for much of the West Virginia side and WDBJ for the Virginia side. The CBS affiliation gave WVSX a stronger network relationship and filled a longstanding local broadcast gap. West Virginia Media Holdings purchased the station on February 28, 2003. The call sign changed to WVNS-TV on June 7 of that year. The new ownership later developed a local news operation and integrated WVNS into a statewide group that also shared coverage with sister stations. WVNS added Fox programming to a second digital subchannel on September 13, 2006. This restored a local Fox service after a five-year absence, while the station’s primary channel remained affiliated with CBS. MyNetworkTV programming was also carried through digital multicast service. The station ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009. Its digital transmission used channel 8, with virtual channel 59 preserved for viewer recognition. Local news production expanded over time, with broadcasts scheduled across the morning, midday, evening, and late-night periods. WVNS also carried a statewide half-hour program, Tonight Live, produced from Nexstar’s Charleston facilities and distributed among the company’s West Virginia stations. Its Fox digital service carried an hour-long 10 p.m. newscast branded Fox 59 News, as well as a weekday morning rebroadcast. On March 28, 2013, WVNS became the last station in its market, and the third West Virginia Media Holdings station, to upgrade local newscasts to high definition. The upgrade included new graphics and a redesigned set. In September 2016, following Nexstar’s acquisition process, the station moved its weather operation from sister station WOWK-TV in Charleston to its Ghent facility. The weather department received a new studio and a weather system supplied by Baron Services. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the acquisition of West Virginia Media Holdings on November 17, 2015. Nexstar took operational control of WVNS-TV and the other stations under a time brokerage agreement in December 2015. The license transfer was completed on January 31, 2017. WVNS-TV continues to operate as a Nexstar-owned local television station serving southern West Virginia, with CBS on its main service and Fox and MyNetworkTV available through digital multicast programming.

• 2017

  Nexstar completes license acquisition

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The license transfer to Nexstar is completed after a period of operational control under a time brokerage agreement.

• 2015

  Nexstar announces purchase of West Virginia Media Holdings

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar announces its agreement to acquire WVNS-TV and the other West Virginia Media Holdings stations.

• 2013

  Local news upgrades to high definition

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVNS-TV introduces high-definition local newscasts, new graphics, and a redesigned studio set.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVNS-TV completes the national digital television transition, moving its transmission to digital channel 8.

• 2006

  Fox launches on a digital subchannel

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming returns locally through WVNS-DT2.

• 2003

  West Virginia Media Holdings acquires the station

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes ownership and adopts the WVNS-TV call sign later in the year.

• 2001

  CBS affiliation begins

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVSX changes its primary network affiliation from Fox to CBS.

• 1996

  Station relaunches as WVSX

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  After a studio and transmitter relocation, the station returns to the air as a Fox affiliate.

• 1995

  WVGV-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on as a WB affiliate and becomes the first station in the market outside the traditional major-network group.

A locally focused commercial television station combining CBS network service with Fox and MyNetworkTV digital multicast programming for the Bluefield–Beckley–Oak Hill market.

• Broadcast television · 2001

  WVNS-TV CBS service

  The station’s primary broadcast service carries CBS network programming for the Bluefield–Beckley–Oak Hill market, together with WVNS-produced local news, weather, and other local programming. The service operates under virtual channel 59, although its digital transmission uses channel 8.

• Digital multicast television · 2006

  Fox 59 News

  WVNS-DT2 carries Fox programming and a locally branded evening newscast known as Fox 59 News. The digital subchannel restored a local Fox service to the station after the primary channel moved to CBS in 2001.

• Digital multicast television

  MyNetworkTV programming

  MyNetworkTV programming is distributed through WVNS-TV’s digital multicast services as part of the station’s multi-network broadcast offering.

• Local news

  WVNS local news

  WVNS produces local news and weather coverage from Ghent, with broadcasts scheduled across morning, midday, evening, and late-night periods. The operation also draws on statewide reporting and selected sports coverage shared across Nexstar’s West Virginia station group.

• 2015

  Nexstar agreement to acquire West Virginia Media HoldingsM&A

  Background

  WVNS-TV was part of West Virginia Media Holdings’ group of West Virginia television stations.

  Action taken

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced an agreement to purchase the stations, including WVNS-TV, for $130 million. Nexstar assumed operational control under a time brokerage agreement in December 2015.

  Aftermath

  The license acquisition was completed on January 31, 2017, making WVNS-TV part of Nexstar Media Group’s station portfolio.

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

  Source

• 2006

  Launch of Fox digital subchannelProduct launch

  Background

  Fox service had been absent from the station’s primary channel since the 2001 CBS affiliation change. A retransmission dispute involving another Fox outlet and the end of Foxnet affected local Fox availability.

  Action taken

  WVNS launched Fox programming on a second digital subchannel on September 13, 2006.

  Aftermath

  The station offered CBS and Fox services within the same broadcast operation, with Fox available through digital multicast transmission.

  Source

• 2001

  Switch from Fox to CBSStrategy

  Background

  The market had lacked a local over-the-air CBS affiliate for many years and had depended on neighboring-market stations carried by cable systems.

  Action taken

  WVSX changed its primary affiliation from Fox to CBS on September 29, 2001.

  Aftermath

  The change established a local CBS service while Fox later returned through a digital subchannel.

  Source

1. 1WVNS-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WVNS-TV official websitewvnstv.com