WCBD-TV

WCBD-TV, branded locally as News 2 and Count on 2, is a television station serving Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry. The station is affiliated with NBC on its primary channel and operates a second digital subchannel associated with The CW through the CW Plus service. Its studios are located on West Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant, while its transmitter operates from Awendaw, South Carolina. The station began broadcasting on September 25, 1954, as WUSN-TV. Founded by Drayton Hastie, it initially carried NBC programming along with a secondary ABC affiliation. Its network relationships changed as the Charleston television market developed. After Reeves Telecom acquired the station in 1960, WUSN-TV eventually became a full-time ABC affiliate in 1962, when WCIV launched and assumed the NBC affiliation. The station also briefly carried programming from the NTA Film Network during the late 1950s. Reeves sold the station to State Telecasting Company in 1971. On November 8 of that year, it adopted the WCBD-TV call sign. The letters represented Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties, the principal counties associated with the Charleston metropolitan area, and also coordinated with sister station KCBD in Lubbock, Texas. Media General purchased WCBD-TV from State Telecasting in 1983. Under Media General, the station improved its competitive position and became a consistent second-place news operation behind longtime market leader WCSC-TV. WCBD returned to NBC programming on August 19, 1996. The change followed a broader realignment of television affiliations involving ABC and other station groups. The station has remained an NBC affiliate since that transition. In 2016, Media General agreed to be acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group in a transaction valued at $4.6 billion. The transaction closed on January 17, 2017, placing WCBD-TV within Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest local television station operators in the United States. Local news is central to WCBD-TV's identity. The station produces more than 30 hours of news programming per week and promotes recurring franchises including Storm Team 2, CrimeTracker, 2 Your Health, Cool School/Cool Teacher of the Week, Count on 2 Sports, Count on 2 Traffic, and Count on 2 Investigators. It also produces local broadcasts for its CW-associated second subchannel, including a weekday morning program and a weeknight 10 p.m. newscast. The station operates a Columbia bureau covering South Carolina's state government, shared with other Nexstar stations in and around the state. WCBD-TV completed its transition to high-definition local broadcasting on July 29, 2012. Its analog signal ended on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated United States digital television transition. The station's digital transmission uses UHF channel 50 while retaining virtual channel 2. WCBD-TV remains an active local broadcaster focused on network entertainment, regional news, weather, traffic, sports, public-affairs coverage, and community-oriented programming.

WCBD-TV began operations on September 25, 1954, under the call sign WUSN-TV. Drayton Hastie was the original owner. Broadcasting on VHF channel 2, the station initially combined NBC programming with a secondary ABC affiliation and briefly carried programs from the NTA Film Network during the late 1950s. In 1960, Hastie sold WUSN-TV to Reeves Telecom. The station's affiliation structure changed as Charleston's television market expanded. When WCIV signed on in 1962, it took the NBC affiliation, and WUSN-TV became a full-time ABC station. Reeves later sold Channel 2 to State Telecasting Company in 1971. On November 8, 1971, the station adopted the WCBD-TV call letters. The letters referred to Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties and were also selected to coordinate with sister station KCBD in Lubbock, Texas. Media General acquired WCBD-TV from State Telecasting in 1983. The station had spent much of the 1970s and early 1980s near the bottom of the local ratings, but its competitive performance improved following the acquisition. It subsequently became a durable second-place news station behind WCSC-TV. During the 1990s, changes in network affiliations across the United States again affected WCBD. On August 19, 1996, the station returned to NBC, an affiliation it has retained. WCBD expanded its local-news identity through weather, public-service, investigative, health, traffic, sports, and education features. Its branded franchises include Storm Team 2, CrimeTracker, 2 Your Health, Count on 2 Sports, Count on 2 Traffic, and Count on 2 Investigators. The station produces more than 30 hours of news each week and also operates a Columbia bureau focused on state government coverage. That bureau is shared with related Nexstar stations in the state. The station ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, during the United States digital television transition. Its digital signal continued on UHF channel 50 while using virtual channel 2. WCBD completed its move to high-definition local broadcasts on July 29, 2012. In addition to its main NBC service, the station's second digital subchannel became associated with The CW through CW Plus. WCBD produces local programs for that service, including a weekday morning newscast and a weeknight 10 p.m. newscast. Media General announced in January 2016 that it would be acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group. The $4.6 billion transaction closed on January 17, 2017, creating Nexstar Media Group and transferring WCBD-TV into the Nexstar station portfolio. The station continues to operate from Mount Pleasant, with its transmitter in Awendaw, and serves the Charleston-area market through broadcast, digital, streaming, and local-news operations.

1. 2017Nexstar ownership begins

   Nexstar completes its acquisition of Media General, bringing WCBD-TV into Nexstar Media Group.

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2. 2012Local programming becomes high definition

   WCBD airs its first high-definition local newscast on July 29.

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3. 2009Analog transmission ends

   WCBD shuts down its analog VHF signal on June 12 as part of the federally mandated digital television transition.

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4. 1996WCBD returns to NBC

   The station resumes NBC affiliation on August 19 after a market-wide network realignment.

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5. 1983Media General acquires the station

   Media General purchases WCBD-TV from State Telecasting Company.

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6. 1971WCBD-TV call letters adopted

   After State Telecasting acquires Channel 2, the station adopts the WCBD-TV call sign on November 8.

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7. 1962Station becomes a full-time ABC affiliate

   Following WCIV's launch and assumption of the NBC affiliation, WUSN-TV shifts to full-time ABC programming.

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8. 1960Reeves Telecom acquisition

   Drayton Hastie sells the station to Reeves Telecom.

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9. 1954WUSN-TV signs on

   The station begins broadcasting in Charleston on September 25 as WUSN-TV, with NBC as its primary affiliation and ABC programming also carried.

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A locally focused NBC affiliate serving the Charleston-area television market, differentiated by weather, local news, investigative reporting, traffic, sports, and public-service coverage, with additional CW programming on its second digital channel.

• WCBD-TV primary channelBroadcast television service1954

  The main WCBD-TV service is an NBC-affiliated broadcast channel serving the Charleston, South Carolina market. It combines NBC network programming with locally produced news, weather, traffic, sports, investigative reports, health features, and community coverage. The service uses virtual channel 2 and transmits digitally from the station's facility in the Charleston area.

• WCBD-DT2 / The CW CharlestonDigital television subchannel

  WCBD's second digital subchannel carries The CW programming through the CW Plus service. In addition to network and syndicated content, WCBD produces local news for the subchannel, including a weekday morning program and a weeknight 10 p.m. newscast. The service extends the station's local-news presence beyond the primary NBC channel.

• News 2 local newsLocal news programming

  WCBD's local-news operation produces more than 30 hours of programming per week across its primary and secondary services. Coverage includes breaking news, public affairs, weather, traffic, sports, health, education, and investigative reporting, with recurring segments such as Storm Team 2 and Count on 2 Investigators.

• 2017Transfer to Nexstar Media GroupM&A

  Media General agreed to be acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group as part of a large-scale station portfolio transaction.

  What changed. The acquisition closed on January 17, 2017, and WCBD-TV became part of Nexstar Media Group.

  Aftermath. WCBD continued operating as a Charleston-area NBC affiliate within Nexstar's national local-broadcasting portfolio.

  Announced transaction value. $4.6 billion (Announced January 2016; completed January 17, 2017)

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• 2012High-definition local broadcastingGeneration change

  WCBD was the last Lowcountry television station identified in the reference material to move its local broadcasts to high definition.

  What changed. The station aired its first HD telecast on July 29, 2012.

  Aftermath. Local news and other station-produced programming became available in high definition.

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• 2009Digital television transitionGeneration change

  United States full-power television stations were required to end analog broadcasting as part of the national digital television transition.

  What changed. WCBD shut down its analog VHF channel 2 transmission on June 12 and continued digitally on UHF channel 50 using virtual channel 2.

  Aftermath. The station continued broadcasting as a digital television service under its established channel 2 identity.

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• 1996Return to NBC affiliationStrategy

  A broad affiliation realignment involving ABC and other station groups changed the network relationships of several stations.

  What changed. WCBD-TV resumed NBC affiliation on August 19, 1996, after previously carrying NBC at launch and later operating as an ABC affiliate.

  Aftermath. NBC became WCBD-TV's primary network affiliation and remains central to the station's broadcast identity.

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• 2017WCBD joins Nexstar Media Group

  The completed Media General transaction placed WCBD-TV under Nexstar Media Group ownership.

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• 2016Media General agrees to Nexstar acquisition

  Media General announced an agreement to be acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, a transaction completed in January 2017.

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• 2012WCBD completes high-definition local broadcasts

  The station began broadcasting its local programming in high definition on July 29.

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• 1996Station returns to NBC affiliation

  WCBD resumed NBC programming on August 19 following a wider network affiliation realignment in the United States.

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• 1954WUSN-TV begins broadcasting

  The Charleston station signed on September 25 as WUSN-TV, initially carrying NBC programming with a secondary ABC affiliation.

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1. WCBD-TV
2. WCBD-TV official website