WAGT-CD

WAGT-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to serve Augusta, Georgia, and identified on air as NBC 26. The station is affiliated with NBC and is owned by Gray Media, which operates it alongside WRDW-TV, a dual CBS and MyNetworkTV affiliate, and WGAT-LD, a Telemundo affiliate. The three stations share studios at The Village at Riverwatch development in Augusta, while WAGT-CD's transmitter is located in Beech Island, South Carolina. The station's current identity is the result of a long transition involving two separate broadcast properties: the former full-power WAGT television station and the low-power facility that ultimately adopted the WAGT-CD call sign. The WAGT intellectual unit originated with WATU, which began broadcasting in 1968 as Augusta's third commercial television station. Although it nominally held the NBC affiliation, the station struggled against established VHF competitors, whose technical reach and audience familiarity were stronger in an era when many households lacked UHF-capable television sets. WATU went off the air in 1970, returned in 1974, and was acquired by Schurz Communications in 1981. Schurz changed the call letters to WAGT, but the station remained a comparatively weak major-network affiliate and did not begin regular local newscasts until 1995. A separate facility began as W67BE after receiving its original license in 1985. It operated initially as an independent station, carrying older western films, infomercials, and syndicated programming. It later became Augusta's first Fox affiliate before losing that role to WFXG. The facility became WBEK-LP in January 1995 and joined The WB at the network's launch. Subsequent affiliation changes took it to UPN and later to America One. In 2001, it moved to channel 16 and obtained Class A status as WBEK-CA. It converted to digital operation in 2015 as WBEK-CD. Gray Television purchased the low-power facility from AVN in 2015 and changed its call sign first to WRDW-CD. In the same period, Gray agreed to acquire Schurz's television properties, including the full-power WAGT. Regulatory limits prevented Gray from retaining the two stations in their previous form. Gray therefore pursued a plan to end the full-power WAGT transmission and transfer the WAGT programming operation, NBC affiliation, personnel, and syndicated content to the low-power facility. The FCC approved the relevant transaction and waiver in February 2016, while requiring WAGT to continue operating through the federal spectrum auction. The full-power spectrum was subsequently sold, and Gray returned the full-power license to the FCC in 2017. On May 31, 2017, WAGT-CD assumed the former WAGT intellectual property and NBC programming operation. It also moved to the former WAGT operating facilities and discontinued its prior Youtoo America schedule. Because the station broadcasts at low power, its over-the-air coverage is smaller than that of the market's full-power stations; cable and satellite carriage are therefore important to its audience reach. Gray later consolidated the stations at the Riverwatch facility in 2021. WAGT-CD's current positioning is that of a local NBC outlet supported by Gray's shared news, production, and operational infrastructure rather than an independently operated full-scale network station.

WAGT-CD combines the present-day low-power broadcast facility with the programming identity and NBC affiliation historically associated with full-power WAGT. The original WAGT operation began as WATU in 1968, when it became Augusta's third commercial television station. It nominally carried NBC, but its UHF signal faced disadvantages against established VHF stations, and local competitors frequently aired selected NBC programs. The station left the air in 1970 and returned in 1974 after regulatory and market conditions changed. Schurz Communications acquired the operation in 1981 and renamed it WAGT. Despite NBC's strong national performance during the 1980s and 1990s, WAGT generally remained the weakest of Augusta's major-network affiliates. It did not produce regular newscasts until 1995. In 2009, Schurz placed WAGT under a joint-sales and shared-services arrangement with Media General, whose WJBF was the senior partner. The facility that became WAGT-CD followed a separate path. Its original license, issued in 1985 under the call sign W67BE, made it an independent station carrying public-domain western films, infomercials, and other syndicated material. It later became Augusta's first Fox affiliate, a role it lost after WFXG launched. The station adopted WBEK-LP in January 1995 and joined The WB at that network's launch. When another Augusta service acquired the market's WB affiliation, WBEK shifted to UPN. It later carried America One programming and, in 2001, moved from channel 67 to channel 16 while receiving Class A status as WBEK-CA. The station lost UPN programming in 2004 when the affiliation moved to a digital subchannel of WRDW-TV. It converted to digital operation in 2015 as WBEK-CD. AVN agreed to sell WBEK-CD to Gray Television in August 2015. Gray, already the owner of WRDW-TV, completed the transaction in October and changed the call sign to WRDW-CD. The transaction did not include the station's existing Comcast carriage or the WBEK call letters. Soon afterward, Gray announced its planned acquisition of Schurz's television assets, including WAGT. Because FCC ownership rules limited Gray's ability to retain both WRDW and WAGT as full-power operations in the Augusta market, Gray proposed to surrender the full-power WAGT facility after the federal spectrum auction and transfer the station's programming operation to the low-power signal. In January 2016, Gray sought temporary authority to move WRDW-CD into WAGT's operating arrangement and reduce its operating power. The call sign changed to WAGT-CD on February 1, 2016. The FCC approved the Schurz transaction and Gray's regulatory waiver on February 12, 2016, while directing Gray to keep WAGT operating until the auction process was complete. The transition was also contested by Media General, which challenged Gray's attempt to end the existing joint-sales and shared-services structure. Although an injunction was initially issued, the Supreme Court of Georgia later overturned it. Gray sold WAGT's broadcast spectrum at auction for $40,763,036, according to the station's Wikipedia history, and the FCC determined that the spectrum would not be shared with another channel. Gray returned the full-power license to the FCC on May 31, 2017. Following the license surrender, WAGT-CD moved into the former WAGT operating facilities and adopted the former station's NBC affiliation, programming, staff, syndicated schedule, and broader intellectual identity. The transition was designed to preserve continuity for viewers, although the low-power signal reached fewer over-the-air households. Gray reported that approximately five percent of WAGT's former over-the-air audience lost access to NBC through an antenna. The station initially operated with WRDW from facilities on Georgia Avenue in North Augusta, South Carolina. In 2021, the stations moved to a shared complex at The Village at Riverwatch in Augusta. WAGT-CD now functions as Gray Media's low-power NBC outlet in the Augusta market, with its smaller terrestrial signal supplemented by cable, satellite, and online distribution.

1. 2021Shared stations relocate to Riverwatch

   WAGT-CD and its Gray-owned sister stations move into a new shared facility at The Village at Riverwatch in Augusta.

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2. 2017WAGT-CD assumes the former WAGT operation

   Gray returns the full-power license and transfers WAGT's NBC affiliation, programming, personnel, and intellectual identity to WAGT-CD.

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3. 2016Call sign changes to WAGT-CD

   The low-power station adopts the WAGT-CD call sign as Gray prepares to transfer the WAGT programming identity to it.

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4. 2016FCC approves Gray's acquisition and waiver

   The FCC approves Gray's purchase of Schurz's television properties and grants a waiver connected with the planned WAGT and WRDW structure.

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5. 2016WAGT spectrum is sold at auction

   Gray sells the full-power WAGT broadcast spectrum through the FCC spectrum auction.

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6. 2015WBEK converts to digital operation

   The low-power facility becomes WBEK-CD and begins digital broadcasting.

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7. 2015Gray acquires the low-power facility

   Gray Television agrees to acquire WBEK-CD from AVN and completes the purchase later that year, changing the call sign to WRDW-CD.

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8. 2009WAGT enters a shared-services arrangement

   Schurz places WAGT under a joint-sales and shared-services agreement with Media General and WJBF.

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9. 2004UPN affiliation moves to WRDW digital service

   WBEK loses its UPN affiliation and continues with America One programming.

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10. 2001WBEK moves to channel 16 and gains Class A status

    The facility changes channel locations and adopts the WBEK-CA call sign after obtaining Class A status.

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11. 1995WBEK joins The WB

    The low-power station becomes WBEK-LP and affiliates with The WB at the network's launch.

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12. 1985W67BE license is granted

    The separate low-power facility that later becomes WAGT-CD receives its original license under the W67BE call sign.

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13. 1981Schurz Communications acquires WATU

    Schurz Communications purchases the full-power station and changes its call letters to WAGT.

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14. 1974WATU returns as an NBC affiliate

    WATU resumes operations and returns as a full NBC affiliate after changes in FCC affiliation rules.

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15. 1970WATU leaves the air

    The original full-power UHF station goes dark after struggling to compete in a market where many households lacked UHF-capable sets.

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16. 1968WATU begins broadcasting

    The predecessor to the WAGT intellectual unit signs on as WATU, Augusta's third commercial television station, with a nominal NBC affiliation.

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A local NBC-affiliated television service for the Augusta market, using a low-power Class A signal and Gray Media's shared regional broadcast infrastructure. Its terrestrial footprint is narrower than those of the market's full-power stations, making cable, satellite, and digital distribution significant parts of its audience strategy.

• NBC 26 local newsLocal television news

  Local news programming produced through the shared Gray Media operation in Augusta. The service covers regional events, public affairs, weather, traffic, and community developments for viewers in the Augusta market. Its production and newsroom resources are integrated with those of WRDW-TV and WGAT-LD rather than maintained as a wholly separate full-power news operation.

• NBC network programmingBroadcast television network affiliation2017

  WAGT-CD carries NBC's national schedule under the NBC 26 identity. The affiliation became associated with the low-power signal in 2017 when Gray transferred the former full-power WAGT intellectual unit, including its network relationship and syndicated programming, to WAGT-CD.

• Syndicated television programmingTelevision programming2017

  In addition to NBC programming and local news, the station carries syndicated content within its broadcast schedule. This programming was among the elements transferred from the former full-power WAGT operation when the station's broadcast identity moved to WAGT-CD.

• 2017Launch the WAGT identity on WAGT-CDStrategy

  The full-power WAGT license was being returned after the spectrum sale, requiring Gray to preserve the station's NBC service through another facility.

  What changed. WAGT-CD moved to the former WAGT operating facilities, dropped Youtoo America programming, and adopted WAGT's NBC affiliation, syndicated schedule, personnel, and intellectual property.

  Aftermath. The Augusta market retained an NBC 26 service, but its antenna coverage became smaller because WAGT-CD operates as a low-power Class A station.

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• 2016Transfer the WAGT operation to a low-power signalStrategy

  Gray's acquisition of WAGT created ownership and FCC compliance issues because the Augusta market did not permit Gray to retain the two full-power stations in their existing structure.

  What changed. Gray pursued regulatory approval to discontinue the full-power WAGT transmission after the spectrum auction and move its programming, NBC affiliation, staff, and station identity to WAGT-CD.

  Aftermath. The plan was implemented in 2017, making WAGT-CD the continuing NBC 26 service while reducing the station's over-the-air coverage.

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• 2016Sell the WAGT broadcast spectrumOther

  Gray participated in the FCC broadcast spectrum incentive auction after receiving approval to resolve the ownership and operating structure surrounding WAGT.

  What changed. Gray sold WAGT's full-power broadcast spectrum and later returned the full-power license to the FCC.

  Aftermath. WAGT-CD became the vehicle for the surviving NBC operation, with no shared spectrum arrangement created for the former full-power channel.

  Spectrum auction proceeds. $40,763,036 (2016 FCC spectrum auction)

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• 2015Gray agrees to acquire WBEK-CDM&A

  Gray Television, owner of WRDW-TV, sought to acquire the separate low-power facility then operating as WBEK-CD.

  What changed. Gray agreed to purchase the station from AVN and later changed its call sign to WRDW-CD after closing the transaction.

  Aftermath. The facility eventually became the platform used to preserve the WAGT programming identity and NBC affiliation after the full-power WAGT spectrum was surrendered.

  Reported purchase price. $550,000 (2015 transaction announcement)

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• 2021Gray stations move into Riverwatch facility

  WAGT-CD, WRDW-TV, and WGAT-LD relocated their shared studio operation to The Village at Riverwatch development in Augusta.

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• 2017WAGT intellectual unit moves to WAGT-CD

  After the full-power spectrum sale and license surrender, WAGT-CD took over the former WAGT operation, including the NBC affiliation, programming, talent, and related station identity.

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• 2016Gray Media completes acquisition of Schurz television properties

  The FCC approved Gray's acquisition of Schurz's television properties, including the full-power WAGT, and granted a waiver related to Gray's proposed operation of WAGT and WRDW in the Augusta market.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2016Media General injunction dispute over WAGT operating agreements

  Media General sought to restrict Gray's removal of the existing shared-services and joint-sales arrangements involving WAGT. An injunction was initially granted but was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Georgia.

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1. WAGT-CD
2. NBC 26 official website