WBTW

WBTW is a commercial television station licensed to Florence, South Carolina, and serving the Florence–Myrtle Beach market, including the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions. The station is affiliated with CBS and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. Its principal studios are in the Socastee area near Myrtle Beach, while its digital television signal is transmitted from a tower in Dillon County. WBTW began broadcasting on October 18, 1954, originally on VHF channel 8. It was established by Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company, which also owned WBTV in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station’s call sign was formed in relation to WBTV: the letter W follows V alphabetically. Although WBTW and WBTV were separately programmed, their owners developed a microwave link between the stations in 1959. WBTW moved to channel 13 on September 17, 1962, after channel 8 was reassigned for use in the High Point, North Carolina, market. The station changed ownership in 1968, when Jefferson Standard sold it to the Shott family of Bluefield, West Virginia. The Shotts operated WBTW through the Daily Telegraph Publishing Company and used a locally oriented format that included radio personalities presenting news, sports, and weather. In 1979, WBTW activated a larger tower in rural Dillon County. The improved facility substantially expanded the station’s reach across northeastern South Carolina and into portions of North Carolina, helping it serve a geographically broad market. WBTW has been a CBS affiliate throughout its history, although it carried selected ABC programming before WPDE-TV began broadcasting in 1980. For much of its early existence, WBTW was the only commercial television station located between Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina. That unusual position, combined with limited competing VHF coverage, gave it a particularly strong regional audience. It also temporarily functioned as a practical CBS outlet for portions of the Wilmington market between 1995 and 2000, after Wilmington’s former CBS station changed affiliations. Some outlying Wilmington-area viewers continued to receive WBTW until a second CBS service was introduced on a WWAY digital subchannel in 2017. The Shott family sold most of its television holdings in 1984, with WBTW becoming part of Spartan Radiocasting Corporation, later known as Spartan Communications. Spartan merged with Media General in 2000. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its agreement to acquire Media General in 2016, and the transaction closed on January 17, 2017, placing WBTW within the Nexstar Media Group portfolio. The station has developed a substantial local-news operation. It was known for many years as TV 13 before adopting the News 13 identity in 2002. WBTW moved most operations to new Myrtle Beach-area studios in 2007 and completed the transition from its former Florence facilities by 2008. Its newsroom converted to an all-digital workflow in 2008, and its local newscasts moved to high definition in 2013. The station also produces programming for Fox affiliate WFXB, including morning and evening news services. Expansion of its own schedule has included weekend morning news, an early-morning extension, a 9 a.m. program, and a 5:30 p.m. newscast. WBTW’s digital offering has included a MyNetworkTV-oriented second subchannel. Launched in 2006 as My TV, the service later replaced Retro TV with Antenna TV and adopted the WBTW 13.2 branding. The station remains an active local broadcaster whose programming combines CBS network content, locally produced news, weather, sports, public-affairs coverage, and digital services for the northeastern South Carolina market.

WBTW signed on October 18, 1954, as a VHF television station on channel 8 serving Florence, South Carolina. Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company established the station as its second television outlet after WBTV in Charlotte. The two stations were independently programmed but were connected by a microwave system completed in 1959. WBTW moved to channel 13 in September 1962 when channel 8 was reassigned to the High Point market. In 1968, Jefferson Standard sold WBTW to the Shott family, whose media interests included newspapers and broadcasting properties in Bluefield, West Virginia. During the Shott period, the station used local radio talent in its news, sports, and weather presentation. A major technical turning point came in 1979, when WBTW activated a new tower in Dillon County. The improved signal broadened coverage across the Pee Dee, Grand Strand, and adjacent areas of both Carolinas. WBTW retained CBS affiliation throughout its history, with limited ABC programming carried before the launch of WPDE-TV in 1980. For decades, its position as the market’s principal commercial VHF station and, initially, its lack of local commercial competition helped make it a dominant regional broadcaster. The station also supplied CBS programming to portions of the Wilmington market from 1995 to 2000, and retained some fringe coverage there afterward. The Shotts sold WBTW to Spartan Radiocasting in 1984. Spartan later became Spartan Communications and merged with Media General in 2000. Media General’s acquisition by Nexstar Broadcasting Group closed in January 2017, making WBTW part of Nexstar Media Group. The station’s branding evolved from TV 13 to News 13 in 2002. WBTW moved most of its operations from Florence to a larger Myrtle Beach-area facility during 2007–2008, while retaining reporting resources for inland communities. It converted its newsroom to digital production in 2008 and began broadcasting local newscasts in high definition in 2013. WBTW expanded its local-news output through partnerships and schedule additions. In 2004 it began producing a weeknight 10 p.m. newscast for Fox affiliate WFXB, later adding the Fox Morning News service in 2011. Weekend morning broadcasts began in 2012, followed by a 4:30 a.m. extension and News 13 NOW at 9 a.m. in 2015. A 5:30 p.m. WBTW newscast debuted in 2018. The station’s second digital channel, introduced in 2006 as My TV, later replaced Retro TV with Antenna TV and was branded WBTW 13.2.

1. 2017Nexstar ownership begins

   Nexstar completes its acquisition of Media General and assumes ownership of WBTW.

   Source
2. 2009Analog transmission ends

   WBTW becomes a digital-only television station.

   Source
3. 2008All-digital newsroom conversion

   The station modernizes its news operation with digital production, updated graphics, and robotic cameras.

   Source
4. 2007Operations move toward Myrtle Beach

   WBTW opens larger Myrtle Beach-area studios and begins transferring core operations from Florence.

   Source
5. 2002News 13 branding introduced

   The long-running TV 13 identity is replaced by the News 13 brand.

   Source
6. 2000Media General ownership begins

   Spartan Communications merges with Media General.

   Source
7. 1984Acquired by Spartan Radiocasting

   WBTW becomes part of Spartan Radiocasting after the Shotts sell most of their television holdings.

   Source
8. 1979New Dillon County tower activated

   A new transmission facility more than doubles the station’s practical coverage area.

   Source
9. 1968Shott family ownership begins

   Jefferson Standard sells the station to the Shott family’s Daily Telegraph Publishing Company.

   Source
10. 1962Move to channel 13

    WBTW moves from channel 8 to channel 13 after channel reallocation.

    Source
11. 1959Microwave connection with WBTV

    WBTW and WBTV establish a shared microwave system while remaining separately programmed.

    Source
12. 1954WBTW begins broadcasting

    The station launches on VHF channel 8 from its original Florence-area facilities.

    Source

A broad-reach local news and network-affiliate station emphasizing market-wide coverage of the Pee Dee and Grand Strand, with particular strength in weather, breaking news, regional reporting, and extended local-news scheduling.

• News 13Local television news2002

  WBTW’s principal local-news brand, covering the Florence–Myrtle Beach market with scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather, sports, and regional public-affairs content. The identity replaced the station’s long-standing TV 13 branding in 2002 and is used across broadcast and digital channels.

• WBTW 13.2Digital television subchannel2006

  WBTW’s secondary digital service began in 2006 under the My TV name with MyNetworkTV and Retro TV programming. Retro TV was later replaced by Antenna TV, and the service adopted the more neutral WBTW 13.2 branding.

• Fox News at 10News programming for partner station2004

  A weeknight late-evening newscast produced by WBTW for Fox affiliate WFXB under a news-sharing arrangement. The program began in 2004 as Fox 43 News at 10 and was subsequently renamed Fox News at 10.

• Fox Morning NewsMorning news programming for partner station2011

  A weekday morning local-news service produced by WBTW for WFXB. It launched in 2011 and provides an alternative to the network morning programs carried by the market’s major affiliates.

• 2015Expanded early-morning and daytime newsStrategy

  WBTW sought to increase its local-news presence during periods with limited competing local programming.

  What changed. The station added a 4:30 a.m. extension and launched the one-hour News 13 NOW program at 9 a.m.

  Aftermath. WBTW produced five and a half hours of weekday morning news, including programming made for WFXB.

  Source
• 2013Converted local newscasts to high definitionGeneration change

  WBTW had already modernized its production operation through an all-digital newsroom conversion in 2008.

  What changed. The station began presenting local newscasts in high definition.

  Aftermath. WBTW became the second local station in the market to broadcast news in HD.

  Source
• 2011Requested an alternative channel assignmentOther

  WBTW submitted a letter to the FCC concerning technical characteristics of its VHF channel 13 operation.

  What changed. The station requested authority to move to channel 41 and operate a higher-power nondirectional signal.

  Aftermath. The request was not acted upon, and WBTW remained on channel 13.

  Source
• 2006Launched a secondary digital channelProduct launch

  The expansion of digital television created capacity for additional multicast programming.

  What changed. WBTW introduced a second subchannel branded My TV, carrying MyNetworkTV and Retro TV content.

  Aftermath. Retro TV was later replaced by Antenna TV, and the service became known as WBTW 13.2.

  Source
• 2002Adopted the News 13 brandStrategy

  WBTW had used TV 13 as its principal identity for much of its history.

  What changed. The station repositioned its on-air identity around News 13, emphasizing local journalism.

  Aftermath. News 13 became the station’s continuing primary local-news brand.

  Source

• 2017Nexstar completes acquisition of Media General

  The completed Media General acquisition placed WBTW under Nexstar Media Group ownership.

  M&A
  Source
• 2017WBTW ends remaining Wilmington-area CBS reach

  WBTW’s residual role for viewers in parts of the Wilmington area ended after WWAY added CBS programming on a digital subchannel.

  Other
  Source
• 2009WBTW becomes digital-only

  The station ended analog broadcasting as part of the United States digital television transition.

  Product generation
  Source
• 2006WBTW launches a MyNetworkTV digital subchannel

  The station introduced a second digital service initially branded My TV, combining MyNetworkTV and Retro TV programming.

  Product launch
  Source
• 1979WBTW activates expanded Dillon County transmission facility

  A new tower substantially increased the station’s regional coverage across South Carolina and into neighboring North Carolina.

  Other
  Source
• 1962WBTW moves to VHF channel 13

  The station changed from channel 8 to channel 13 following a federal channel reallocation affecting the High Point, North Carolina, market.

  Other
  Source
• 1954WBTW begins broadcasting on channel 8

  WBTW launched as a commercial television station serving Florence and surrounding portions of northeastern South Carolina.

  Other
  Source

1. WBTW
2. WBTW official website