WXIA-TV
WXIA-TV, branded as 11Alive, is an NBC-affiliated television station serving the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
WXIA-TV is a commercial television station serving Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding metropolitan area. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and is affiliated with NBC. Its consumer-facing identity is 11Alive, a brand introduced in 1976 that has become more recognizable locally than the station's formal call letters. WXIA operates alongside WATL, channel 36, from shared facilities at One Monroe Place in Atlanta's Midtown area. WXIA's transmitter is located in the eastern part of Atlanta near Kirkwood. The station's origins date to September 30, 1951, when it began broadcasting as WLTV on VHF channel 8. It was established as Atlanta's first full-time ABC affiliate, replacing the secondary ABC arrangements previously maintained by WSB-TV and WAGA-TV. The station's early history was shaped by a complicated realignment of Atlanta's television allocations. Following the merger of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, Cox Enterprises moved the WSB-TV intellectual operation from channel 8 to a newly completed channel 2 facility. The channel 8 license was sold to Broadcasting, Inc., which launched WLTV after the Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction. Regulatory changes subsequently moved the station from channel 8 to channel 11. After its sale to Crosley Broadcasting, the station adopted the call sign WLWA in 1953. It later became WAII-TV under the ownership of Richard Fairbanks, and then WQXI-TV after Pacific & Southern Broadcasting acquired it in 1968. The station assumed the WXIA-TV call letters on December 24, 1973, after regulatory restrictions required the separation of the television station from the related WQXI radio properties. WXIA introduced the 11 Alive identity on September 20, 1976, during the period when its owner, Combined Communications, used variations of the Alive branding at several stations. When Combined merged with Gannett in 1979, many stations abandoned the branding, but WXIA retained it because of its strong local recognition. A brief attempt to remove the name in 1993 prompted viewer resistance, and the station restored the identity. The 11Alive brand remains central to its television, digital, weather, and local-news presentation. On September 1, 1980, WXIA exchanged network affiliations with WSB-TV, becoming an NBC affiliate while WSB-TV joined ABC. The change reflected the networks' differing ratings positions and affiliation strategies at the time. WXIA has since carried NBC entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming, including coverage connected with the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, NBC's national sports packages, selected Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons games, and other network events. Local news and weather are the station's principal original-content businesses. WXIA has maintained a substantial schedule of locally produced newscasts and also produces programming for WATL. It was the first Atlanta station to broadcast local newscasts in high definition, beginning in 2006. The station has repeatedly revised its news titles, schedules, graphics, studio design, and presentation strategy in response to audience trends and competition from WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, and other Atlanta stations. Programming has included long-running local features such as Noonday and Atlanta & Company, as well as various morning, midday, evening, and late-night news formats. Gannett acquired WATL in 2006, creating Atlanta's first television duopoly and pairing WXIA with an independent station that has also carried MyNetworkTV programming. The two operations moved into shared facilities at One Monroe Place in 2008. In 2015, Gannett separated its publishing and broadcast businesses; WXIA became part of the broadcast company Tegna. According to the supplied reference material, Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of Tegna was announced in 2025 and completed on March 19, 2026, making WXIA part of Nexstar's station portfolio. The station remains an active NBC affilia…
History
WXIA-TV began broadcasting on September 30, 1951, as WLTV on VHF channel 8. Broadcasting, Inc., a group of Atlanta businessmen, acquired the license after Cox Enterprises moved the WSB-TV operation from channel 8 to channel 2 following the consolidation of Atlanta's two major newspapers. WLTV became Atlanta's first full-time ABC affiliate, replacing earlier secondary ABC arrangements on WSB-TV and WAGA-TV. The station's channel assignment changed during the FCC's post-freeze reorganization of television allocations. Channel 11 replaced channel 8 for Atlanta, partly to address interference and to reallocate channel 8 for noncommercial educational use in Athens. Crosley Broadcasting purchased the station for $1.5 million and changed its call letters to WLWA in 1953. In 1962, Indianapolis businessman Richard Fairbanks acquired WLWA through WIBC, Inc., following a settlement involving Crosley's Indianapolis television interests. The station then became WAII-TV, a call sign associated with the promotional phrase The Eyes of Atlanta. Pacific & Southern Broadcasting bought the station in 1968 and changed its identity to WQXI-TV. Pacific & Southern later merged with Combined Communications Corporation. Because FCC rules restricted common ownership of radio and television stations in the largest markets, the related WQXI radio stations were separated from the television operation. The television station adopted WXIA-TV as its call sign on December 24, 1973. Combined introduced the 11 Alive brand in 1976. The identity survived Combined's 1979 merger with Gannett, even though other former Combined stations generally dropped the Alive naming convention. Gannett briefly removed the brand from WXIA's presentation in 1993, but audience reaction led to its return. The station subsequently restored 11 Alive News as the title of its local newscasts. A major programming change occurred on September 1, 1980, when WXIA and WSB-TV exchanged affiliations. WXIA became an NBC station, while WSB-TV joined ABC. The move gave WXIA access to NBC's national schedule and sports rights. The station later carried local coverage associated with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, selected Atlanta Braves postseason and regular-season broadcasts, Atlanta Falcons games included in NBC's football coverage, Super Bowl XXVIII coverage from the Georgia Dome, and Atlanta Hawks games during periods when NBC held NBA rights. WXIA's local-news operation expanded and modernized over time. The station began using the News Watch name in 1963 and introduced color news broadcasts in 1967. It became Atlanta's first station to present local newscasts in high definition in 2006. Its programming history includes the long-running Noonday format, Atlanta & Company, multiple morning and late-night news iterations, and local weather and breaking-news services. The station has competed primarily with WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, and other Atlanta news operations, with its ratings position varying across dayparts and periods. Gannett's 2006 acquisition of WATL created a duopoly and led to the consolidation of the two stations' operations. The pair began broadcasting from One Monroe Place in July 2008. In 2015, WXIA moved from Gannett into Tegna when Gannett divided its publishing and broadcasting businesses. The supplied reference further records Tegna's acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, announced in 2025 and completed in 2026. WXIA therefore continues as an active NBC affiliate under Nexstar ownership, retaining the 11Alive brand and its Atlanta-focused news and weather role.
- 2026
Nexstar ownership
[1]The supplied reference states that Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tegna on March 19, bringing WXIA into the Nexstar group.
- 2019
New station logo
[1]WXIA debuted a new logo, replacing the previous design used for 26 years.
- 2015
WXIA joins Tegna
[1]The station moved into Gannett's broadcast and digital successor, Tegna.
- 2008
Shared Midtown facilities open
[1]WXIA and WATL began broadcasting from One Monroe Place on July 27.
- 2006
Local news moves to high definition
[1]WXIA became the first Atlanta station to broadcast its local newscasts in high definition.
- 2006
WATL acquisition
[1]Gannett acquired WATL, creating Atlanta's first television duopoly with WXIA.
- 1996
Atlanta Olympics coverage
[1]As Atlanta's NBC affiliate, WXIA provided local coverage associated with the 1996 Summer Olympics.
- 1980
WXIA becomes an NBC affiliate
[1]WXIA and WSB-TV exchanged network affiliations on September 1.
- 1979
Combined Communications merges with Gannett
[1]WXIA became part of Gannett, while retaining the locally established 11 Alive identity.
- 1976
11 Alive branding launches
[1]WXIA introduced the 11 Alive identity, which became its enduring local brand.
Products and positioning
A locally recognized Atlanta news, weather, and NBC entertainment brand built around the long-running 11Alive identity.
Local television news
11Alive News
WXIA's principal local-news franchise, covering Atlanta-area politics, public affairs, crime, transportation, business, community issues, and breaking news. The franchise includes multiple daily broadcasts and has used several schedule-specific titles over time, while the 11Alive identity remains the consistent consumer-facing label.
Weather and emergency information
11Alive Weather
Local forecasting, severe-weather alerts, radar, and storm coverage for the Atlanta metropolitan area. Weather is a central part of the station's broadcast and digital proposition, supported by a radar installation in southern Cobb County and extended coverage during major weather events.
Network television · 1980
NBC programming
As Atlanta's NBC affiliate since 1980, WXIA carries NBC news, entertainment, daytime, late-night, and sports programming. The station may also provide local carriage of NBC programs on its partner station WATL when WXIA is occupied with extended local coverage or special programming.
Local lifestyle programming
Atlanta & Company
A local features and lifestyle program that followed the station's long-running Noonday tradition. The format combined interviews, local-interest material, and featured businesses, with portions of the presentation supported by paid promotional arrangements. It later expanded into daytime scheduling after changes to the noon-news lineup.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019WXIA logo redesign
Atlanta metropolitan area
WXIA introduced a new station logo, including a redesigned numeral treatment influenced by the identity of sister station WHAS-TV.
Outcome. The redesign refreshed the visual system while retaining the station's established channel-based identity.
- 1993Temporary removal and restoration of 11 Alive branding
Atlanta metropolitan area
Gannett removed the 11 Alive name while introducing new graphics for news and promotional material.
Outcome. Viewer opposition led to the brand's return after approximately one month; the station fully restored the 11 Alive News naming by 1996.
- 197611 Alive launch
Atlanta metropolitan area
WXIA adopted 11 Alive as its primary on-air identity as part of Combined Communications' broader use of Alive branding. The name differentiated the station while preserving a direct connection to its channel 11 position.
Outcome. The identity achieved strong local recognition and survived later ownership changes and a brief attempted withdrawal.
Brand decisions
2017
Relaunch morning and late-night news formatsStrategyBackground
WXIA undertook a substantial news-department relaunch intended to refresh its presentation and schedule.
Action taken
The station introduced Morning Rush ATL for mornings and The Late Feed for late-night news, with Shiba Russell and Vinnie Politan associated with the new formats.
Aftermath
The late-night program was later renamed Up Late and eventually returned to the 11 Alive News at 11 title in 2021.
2015
Reconfigure local-news scheduleStrategyBackground
WXIA adjusted its daytime and early-evening schedule amid audience and programming considerations.
Action taken
The station restored a 5 p.m. newscast, moved Dr. Phil to 3 p.m., and discontinued its noon and 7 p.m. newscasts, replacing those periods with Atlanta & Company and Wheel of Fortune.
Aftermath
The changes took effect March 2, 2015, and the station later relaunched a noon newscast temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
2008
Consolidate WXIA and WATL operationsStrategyBackground
Following Gannett's acquisition of WATL, management chose to combine the stations' operations in a common facility.
Action taken
The stations moved from WXIA's longtime West Peachtree Street studios and began broadcasting from One Monroe Place on July 27, 2008.
Aftermath
The shared site became the operating base for the Atlanta duopoly.
2006
Acquire WATLM&ABackground
Gannett sought to pair WXIA with another Atlanta television operation and entered an agreement to purchase WATL from Tribune.
Action taken
Gannett agreed to acquire WATL for $180 million; the transaction closed on August 7, 2006.
Aftermath
The transaction created Atlanta's first television duopoly and led to shared facilities and operational coordination between WXIA and WATL.
Acquisition price. $180 million (Agreement announced June 5, 2006; transaction closed August 7, 2006)
1980
Exchange ABC affiliation for NBC affiliationStrategyBackground
NBC had fallen to third place nationally during the late 1970s, while ABC was seeking stronger affiliates in markets including Atlanta. The affiliation change also reflected the relative ratings positions of the Atlanta stations.
Action taken
WXIA and WSB-TV exchanged affiliations on September 1, with WXIA joining NBC and WSB-TV joining ABC.
Aftermath
WXIA has remained Atlanta's NBC affiliate and gained access to NBC's long-term sports and special-event programming.
Recent events
- 2026
Nexstar completes Tegna acquisition[1]
M&A
The supplied reference states that Nexstar Media Group completed its acquisition of Tegna on March 19, 2026, bringing WXIA into Nexstar's station group.
- 2019
WXIA-TV introduces a new station logo[1]
Campaign · Product generation
WXIA unveiled a new logo, its first major station-logo change in 26 years.
- 2015
WXIA-TV becomes part of Tegna[1]
M&A
The station was retained by the broadcast and digital company created when Gannett separated its publishing operations from its broadcasting business.
- 2008
WXIA-TV moves operations to One Monroe Place[1]
Other
WXIA and WATL began broadcasting from shared facilities at One Monroe Place in Midtown Atlanta.
- 2006
Gannett acquires WATL and forms Atlanta television duopoly[1]
M&A
Gannett purchased WATL from Tribune, pairing it with WXIA and creating Atlanta's first television duopoly.
- 1980
WXIA-TV switches from ABC to NBC[1]
Other
WXIA exchanged affiliations with WSB-TV and became Atlanta's NBC affiliate, while WSB-TV moved to ABC.
- 1976
WXIA-TV adopts the 11 Alive brand[1]
Campaign
The station began using 11 Alive as its on-air identity, creating the brand that would become its best-known local consumer name.
Sources2 sources
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