WVNS-TV
Encyclopedia
WVNS-TV is the CBS
affiliate for Southern West Virginia
that is licensed to Lewisburg
. It broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Keeney's Knob between Alderson
and I-64
. Owned by West Virginia Media Holdings
, the station has studios on Old Cline Road in Ghent
along I-77
. Syndicated
programming on WVNS includes: Wheel of Fortune
, Jeopardy!
, The Oprah Winfrey Show
, and Rachael Ray.
and secondary MyNetworkTV
affiliate on a second
digital subchannel. Known on-air as Fox 59, this is also offered on Suddenlink
cable systems. In Beckley
it is on channel 10, in Hinton
and Princeton
on channel 3, and on Comcast
channel 2 (channel 434 in high definition) in Bluefield. It is found on Directv
channel 60. Programming from MyNetworkTV airs weeknights from midnight until 2AM. Syndicated programming on WVNS-DT2 includes: Two and a Half Men
, How I Met Your Mother
, Judge Joe Brown, and Judge Judy
.
not affiliated with one of the big three
networks. The station was originally set to sign-on as a Fox affiliate but the network canceled the affiliation when the launch was delayed past the start of the fall season in 1994. WVGV was not successful due to difficulty in selling advertising time in the primarily urban-oriented programming that dominated The WB's schedule at the time as well as the difficulty competing with a UHF signal in a market used to receiving VHF stations. Furthermore, the late sign-on made it difficult to get carriage on the area's cable systems. This was a serious problem since cable is a must for acceptable television in this market, most of which is very mountainous.
By May, when cable systems in the area were ready to carry the station, WVGV had agreed to be sold to High Mountain Broadcasting. The new owners took the station dark
in order to relocate the studios from Lewisburg to Ghent (between Beckley and Bluefield) and move the transmitter site from Cross Mountain to a more central location to better serve Beckley and Bluefield as well as Lewisburg. The station returned to the air on December 24, 1996 as Fox affiliate WVSX. However, due to problems with the transmitter's unique power supply design, it did not transmit regularly until after January 1, 1997. The station continued to struggle financially. WVSX changed its affiliation to CBS on September 29, 2001.
Prior to 2001, WOWK-TV in Huntington served as the default CBS affiliate for the West Virginia side of the market while WDBJ
in Roanoke
served the Virginia
portion. Both stations are still available on most of the area's cable systems. On February 28, 2003, the station was again sold this time to West Virginia Media Holdings. As a result, the company owns three of the four CBS affiliates serving the state. The call sign was changed on June 7 to the current WVNS-TV. Bluefield
/Beckley
/Oak Hill
is a relatively small television market. WVNS has continued to slowly but steadily grow in audience. However, it not only has to contend with local competitors WVVA
and WOAY-TV
but also WDBJ (which is still available on cable). Further, the local economy makes advertising sales hard to come by as in all of the adjacent television markets.
The Fox affiliation on a new second digital subchannel was acquired September 13, 2006 following a summer 2006 retransmission dispute between Charleston's WVAH-TV
and Suddenlink Communications (the cable system serving Beckley). The demise of the Foxnet
cable network on September 12 also played a role. Although it is carried on a digital subchannel, this is practically a return of Fox to WVNS after a five year absence. WVNS turned off its analog signal on UHF channel 59 at 12:30 P.M. on February 17, 2009. Although WVNS transmits its digital signal on channel 8, it remaps to channel 59 using PSIP.
sports) and WBOY-TV
(for West Virginia University
sports). During all WVNS newscasts, weather forecasts are provided by WOWK's meteorologists based at that channel's facilities on 5th Avenue in Downtown Huntington
. Weeknights at 5:30, WVNS airs West Virginia Tonight Live which is a statewide half-hour newscast (except for WOWK) produced by West Virginia Media Holdings out of WOWK's newsroom with stories from all four stations. In addition, there is a public affairs program called Decision Makers hosted by company president and CEO Bray Cary. This is simulcast on Saturday mornings at 9 and Sunday mornings at 8 on all West Virginia Media Holdings stations. Every night at 10, WVNS-DT2 offers a live 10 o'clock newscast known as Fox 59 News. Weekday mornings at 7, there is a rebroadcast of the second hour of the main channel's weekday morning show. In another arrangement between all of the company channels, weekend newscasts originate from WOWK.
StormTracker 59 Meteorologists (from WOWK-TV
)
Sports
Reporters
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate for Southern West Virginia
Southern West Virginia
Southern West Virginia is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Generally considered the heart of Appalachia, Southern West Virginia is known for its coal mining heritage and southern affinity...
that is licensed to Lewisburg
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,830 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.-Geography:Lewisburg is located at ....
. It broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Keeney's Knob between Alderson
Alderson, West Virginia
Alderson, a town in the US State of West Virginia, is split geographically by the Greenbrier River, with portions in both Greenbrier and Monroe Counties. Although split physically by the river, the town functions as one entity, including that of town government...
and I-64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
. Owned by West Virginia Media Holdings
West Virginia Media Holdings
West Virginia Media Holdings is a media chain in West Virginia. It owns television stations in each of the four main media markets in the state, as well as a weekly newspaper....
, the station has studios on Old Cline Road in Ghent
Ghent, West Virginia
Ghent is an unincorporated census-designated place in Raleigh County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, its population was 457....
along I-77
Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on WVNS includes: Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
, Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
, The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, and Rachael Ray.
Digital programming
It operates the area's primary FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and secondary MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate on a second
WVNS-DT2
WVNS-DT2 is the primary Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Southern West Virginia. It is a second digital subchannel of CBS affiliate WVNS-TV which is owned by West Virginia Media Holdings. Over-the-air, the station broadcasts a digital signal on VHF channel 8.2 from a...
digital subchannel. Known on-air as Fox 59, this is also offered on Suddenlink
Suddenlink Communications
Suddenlink Communications, formerly Cebridge Connections, is a top-10 cable broadband services provider in the United States with approximately 1.4 million subscribers. Suddenlink operates in 18 states in primarily medium-sized communities. With its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, MO,...
cable systems. In Beckley
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, which was founded on April 4, 1838. The 2008 population was estimated to be 16,832 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House...
it is on channel 10, in Hinton
Hinton, West Virginia
Hinton is a city in Summers County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,880 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summers County. Hinton was established in 1873 and chartered in 1897. Hinton was named for John "Jack" Hinton, a prominent lawyer of Summers County and husband of...
and Princeton
Princeton, West Virginia
Princeton is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 111,586. It is the county seat of Mercer County...
on channel 3, and on Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
channel 2 (channel 434 in high definition) in Bluefield. It is found on Directv
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
channel 60. Programming from MyNetworkTV airs weeknights from midnight until 2AM. Syndicated programming on WVNS-DT2 includes: Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, Judge Joe Brown, and Judge Judy
Judge Judy
Judge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
.
| Subchannel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 59.1 | main WVNS-TV programing / CBS HD |
| 59.2 | WVNS-DT2 "Fox 59" |
History
The station began broadcasting on August 12, 1995 as The WB affiliate WVGV-TV. It was the first station in the marketMedia market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
not affiliated with one of the big three
Big Three Television Networks
The Big Three Television Networks are the three traditional commercial broadcast television networks in the United States: ABC, CBS and NBC...
networks. The station was originally set to sign-on as a Fox affiliate but the network canceled the affiliation when the launch was delayed past the start of the fall season in 1994. WVGV was not successful due to difficulty in selling advertising time in the primarily urban-oriented programming that dominated The WB's schedule at the time as well as the difficulty competing with a UHF signal in a market used to receiving VHF stations. Furthermore, the late sign-on made it difficult to get carriage on the area's cable systems. This was a serious problem since cable is a must for acceptable television in this market, most of which is very mountainous.
By May, when cable systems in the area were ready to carry the station, WVGV had agreed to be sold to High Mountain Broadcasting. The new owners took the station dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
in order to relocate the studios from Lewisburg to Ghent (between Beckley and Bluefield) and move the transmitter site from Cross Mountain to a more central location to better serve Beckley and Bluefield as well as Lewisburg. The station returned to the air on December 24, 1996 as Fox affiliate WVSX. However, due to problems with the transmitter's unique power supply design, it did not transmit regularly until after January 1, 1997. The station continued to struggle financially. WVSX changed its affiliation to CBS on September 29, 2001.
Prior to 2001, WOWK-TV in Huntington served as the default CBS affiliate for the West Virginia side of the market while WDBJ
WDBJ
WDBJ is the CBS television network affiliate station serving the Roanoke/Lynchburg television market. It transmits its digital signal on UHF channel 18. It is owned by Schurz Communications of South Bend, Indiana...
in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
served the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
portion. Both stations are still available on most of the area's cable systems. On February 28, 2003, the station was again sold this time to West Virginia Media Holdings. As a result, the company owns three of the four CBS affiliates serving the state. The call sign was changed on June 7 to the current WVNS-TV. Bluefield
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is also the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342.-Geography & Climate:...
/Beckley
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, which was founded on April 4, 1838. The 2008 population was estimated to be 16,832 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House...
/Oak Hill
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,589 at the 2000 census...
is a relatively small television market. WVNS has continued to slowly but steadily grow in audience. However, it not only has to contend with local competitors WVVA
WVVA
WVVA, virtual channel 6, is an NBC-affiliated television station in Bluefield, West Virginia, USA, owned by the Quincy Newspapers media chain. The station's studios are located in Bluefield, and its transmitter is based at East River Mountain, near the West Virginia-Virginia border.-History:The...
and WOAY-TV
WOAY-TV
WOAY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southern West Virginia and Southwestern Virginia locally-owned by the Thomas Broadcasting Company. Licensed to Oak Hill, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter at its studios on Legends Highway/WV...
but also WDBJ (which is still available on cable). Further, the local economy makes advertising sales hard to come by as in all of the adjacent television markets.
The Fox affiliation on a new second digital subchannel was acquired September 13, 2006 following a summer 2006 retransmission dispute between Charleston's WVAH-TV
WVAH-TV
WVAH-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia which is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter south of Scott Depot along the Putnam...
and Suddenlink Communications (the cable system serving Beckley). The demise of the Foxnet
Foxnet
Foxnet was a cable network that was available to markets in the United States without an affiliate of the Fox Network. It was usually available in very small television markets....
cable network on September 12 also played a role. Although it is carried on a digital subchannel, this is practically a return of Fox to WVNS after a five year absence. WVNS turned off its analog signal on UHF channel 59 at 12:30 P.M. on February 17, 2009. Although WVNS transmits its digital signal on channel 8, it remaps to channel 59 using PSIP.
News operation
The station operates its own news department while taking advantage of the statewide network to share news content from sister station WOWK (for state government coverage and Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
sports) and WBOY-TV
WBOY-TV
WBOY-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for North-Central West Virginia that is licensed to Clarksburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter east of downtown and U.S. 50. Owned by West Virginia Media Holdings, the station has studios on West...
(for West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
sports). During all WVNS newscasts, weather forecasts are provided by WOWK's meteorologists based at that channel's facilities on 5th Avenue in Downtown Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
. Weeknights at 5:30, WVNS airs West Virginia Tonight Live which is a statewide half-hour newscast (except for WOWK) produced by West Virginia Media Holdings out of WOWK's newsroom with stories from all four stations. In addition, there is a public affairs program called Decision Makers hosted by company president and CEO Bray Cary. This is simulcast on Saturday mornings at 9 and Sunday mornings at 8 on all West Virginia Media Holdings stations. Every night at 10, WVNS-DT2 offers a live 10 o'clock newscast known as Fox 59 News. Weekday mornings at 7, there is a rebroadcast of the second hour of the main channel's weekday morning show. In another arrangement between all of the company channels, weekend newscasts originate from WOWK.
News team
Anchors- Hilary Crowder - weekday mornings and noon
- reporter
- Martin Staunton - weeknights at 5, 6, 10, and 11
- reporter
- April Kaull - West Virginia Media Holdings News Director and State Correspondent seen weeknights at 5:30
- Matthew Smith - weekends
- reporter
StormTracker 59 Meteorologists (from WOWK-TV
WOWK-TV
WOWK-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Tri-States and Kanawha Valley area of West Virginia that is licensed to Huntington which is the second largest market east of the Mississippi River. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter...
)
- Spencer Adkins (Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
and NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seal of Approval) - Chief seen weeknights - Ari Sarsalari - weekday mornings and noon
- Bryan Shaw - weekends
- Jared Hoffman (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - fill-in
Sports
- John Sabol - Sports Director
Reporters
- Bray Cary - West Virginia Media Holdings President and Chief Executive Officer
- Decision Makers host
- Courtney Clark
- Matthew Smith
- Timmy Carrico - photojournalist