WIS News 10

WIS News 10 is the on-air news and station brand of WIS, a television station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina. The station broadcasts on channel 10 and is primarily affiliated with NBC; it also carries The CW on a digital subchannel. WIS is owned by Gray Media and operates alongside low-power Telemundo affiliate WTES-LD. The stations share facilities on Bull and Gervais Streets in downtown Columbia, while WIS’s principal transmitter is located near Lugoff in rural southwestern Kershaw County. WIS began broadcasting on November 7, 1953, with a college football game between the University of South Carolina and the University of North Carolina as its first telecast. Its license emerged from the consolidation of competing applications associated with Liberty Life Insurance Company’s Broadcasting Company of the South and the Maresco Corporation. The new station was linked historically to WIS radio, whose call letters had originated with the phrase “Wonderful Iodine State,” a reference to South Carolina’s soil. WIS-TV inherited the radio station’s NBC relationship and has remained an NBC affiliate since signing on, although it carried selected ABC programming during its early years. The station benefited substantially from Columbia’s unusual VHF allocation. After channel 7 was moved from Columbia to Spartanburg, WIS became the market’s principal commercial VHF outlet and enjoyed a strong signal across much of central South Carolina. A major transmitter upgrade at Lugoff in 1959 substantially expanded its reach, giving the station coverage across most of the state and making it an especially important source of television programming before cable penetration became widespread. WIS also appeared on cable systems in portions of the Florence–Myrtle Beach and Augusta markets, and for many years its signal reached viewers on the South Carolina side of the Charlotte market. Local news and community programming have been central to the brand. WIS developed a long-running reputation as a dominant Midlands news station and has produced regular local newscasts, weather coverage, sports programming, public-service features, and special reports. Its children’s program Mr. Knozit, hosted by weather personality Joe Pinner, ran for 37 years and received a Peabody Award in 1967. Pinner remained associated with the station for 55 years before retiring in 2018. The station’s branding evolved from TV 10 to WIS and then to WIS News 10 in 2003. WIS launched a digital signal in 2003 and completed the United States digital television transition in 2009, later moving its digital transmission back to RF channel 10. In 2019, the station added The CW to its second digital subchannel, while Bounce TV moved to the third subchannel. WIS remains an active local broadcaster combining NBC network programming, local journalism, digital and streaming content, syndicated programming, weather and emergency information, sports-related programming, and community-oriented features.

WIS was established in the postwar expansion of American television. Liberty Life Insurance Company, through its Broadcasting Company of the South subsidiary, controlled WIS radio in Columbia, while the Maresco Corporation controlled WMSC radio. Their competing applications for a Columbia television license were combined to avoid prolonged regulatory proceedings. The resulting station adopted the WIS identity and began broadcasting on November 7, 1953, from facilities shared with WIS radio on Bull Street. Charles Batson signed the station on and served as its president and general manager until retiring in 1983. The station’s NBC affiliation reflected WIS radio’s previous relationship with the NBC Red Network. WIS also carried some ABC programming during its first years, but NBC remained its principal network affiliation. Columbia’s television geography gave WIS an unusual competitive advantage. The city initially had access to two proposed VHF allocations, but channel 7 was moved to Spartanburg after lobbying by interests associated with WSPA. This left WIS as the only commercial VHF station serving the central Columbia area, while competing stations largely operated on UHF frequencies. Because VHF signals generally traveled farther and early UHF reception required special equipment, WIS became one of the strongest stations in its region. In 1959, WIS activated a transmitter tower near Lugoff. The new facility more than doubled the station’s service area and provided usable or secondary coverage over a broad section of South Carolina and parts of neighboring states. Before cable television became common, WIS was one of the few stations able to provide a clear signal across large portions of the surrounding region. Its reach also helped it appear on cable systems outside the Columbia market, including parts of the Florence–Myrtle Beach, Augusta, and Charlotte areas. WIS developed a substantial local-programming operation. The station’s news, weather, sports, and public-service output became central to its identity, while the children’s series Mr. Knozit gave it a particularly visible community role. Weather anchor Joe Pinner hosted the program for decades; it earned a Peabody Award in 1967 and concluded in 2000. Pinner continued appearing in weather and feature segments before retiring permanently in September 2018. The station’s out-of-market distribution evolved over time. It served as an important NBC source in the Florence–Myrtle Beach region before WMBF-TV launched in 2008. In the late 1980s, following the FCC’s syndicated exclusivity rules, WIS created a cable-oriented virtual service for parts of that market with separate syndicated programming and targeted advertising. Its presence on cable systems in portions of the Charlotte and Augusta regions also persisted for many years because of its relatively strong over-the-air signal. Corporate ownership changed several times. Liberty’s broadcasting activities were reorganized as Cosmos Broadcasting in 1965, and later became part of the Liberty Corporation. Liberty sold WIS radio in 1986 but retained the WIS television call sign. In 2000, after Liberty disposed of its insurance operations, the station came directly under the Liberty Corporation. Liberty agreed to merge with Raycom Media in 2005. Because Raycom already owned Columbia Fox affiliate WACH and could not retain both stations under applicable ownership restrictions, WACH was sold while WIS remained with Raycom. WIS introduced digital broadcasting in February 2003. Its analog signal ended on June 12, 2009, as part of the national digital transition. The station temporarily used a backup transmitter while upgrading its main facility and activated its full-power digital signal from Lugoff on June 19. In 2019, Gray Television completed its acquisition of Raycom Media, making WIS part of Gray’s national station group. Later that year, WIS-DT2 became the local CW affiliate, and Bounce TV moved to WIS-DT3. The station continues to operate as an active NBC affiliate and local news provider in Columbia.

1. 2019Gray completes Raycom transaction

   The merger closes on January 2, placing WIS under Gray’s ownership.

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2. 2019CW affiliation moves to WIS-DT2

   WIS-DT2 becomes Columbia’s CW outlet on September 30, while Bounce TV moves to WIS-DT3.

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3. 2018Gray announces Raycom acquisition

   Gray Television announces an agreement to combine Raycom’s stations, including WIS, with Gray’s television group.

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4. 2009Analog broadcasting ends

   WIS becomes digital-only on June 12 and activates its upgraded full-power Lugoff signal on June 19.

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5. 2005Liberty agrees to merge with Raycom

   WIS remains with Liberty’s broadcasting assets as they are combined with Raycom Media; WACH is subsequently divested because of ownership rules.

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6. 2003Digital signal launches

   WIS begins digital television transmission and adopts the WIS News 10 branding during this period.

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7. 2000Mr. Knozit ends

   The 37-year run of the station’s children’s program concludes.

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8. 1983Charles Batson retires

   The founding president and general manager retires after leading the station since its launch.

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9. 1967Mr. Knozit receives Peabody recognition

   The children’s program receives a Peabody Award for public-service excellence.

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10. 1963Mr. Knozit debuts

    WIS launches its long-running children’s program hosted by Joe Pinner.

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11. 1959Lugoff transmitter activated

    A new transmitter tower near Lugoff expands WIS’s coverage across much of South Carolina and neighboring areas.

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12. 1953WIS signs on

    WIS begins broadcasting on November 7 with a University of South Carolina–University of North Carolina football game.

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A long-established, locally focused broadcast news brand positioned as a leading source of news, weather, sports, and public-service information for Columbia and the Midlands of South Carolina.

• WIS News 10 local newscastsLocal television news1953

  The station’s core offering consists of locally produced television newscasts covering Columbia, the Midlands, and wider South Carolina developments. The operation includes breaking news, public affairs, weather, traffic, investigative reporting, and sports coverage distributed through broadcast, the station website, and digital video channels.

• NBC programmingNetwork television affiliation1953

  WIS has carried NBC programming since its launch, supported by the station’s historical relationship with WIS radio and the NBC Red Network. The station also carries NBC news, entertainment, sports, and daytime programming subject to local scheduling decisions.

• The CW on WIS-DT2Digital multicast network2019

  WIS-DT2 became Columbia’s CW affiliate in September 2019, replacing WKTC. The subchannel extends WIS’s distribution beyond its principal NBC service and carries CW network programming for the local market.

• Mr. KnozitChildren’s television1963

  Mr. Knozit was a locally produced children’s program hosted by Joe Pinner. It debuted in 1963, received a Peabody Award in 1967, and remained on the air for 37 years before ending in 2000.

• South Carolina State Bulldogs highlightsSports programming

  WIS carries a highlight program associated with South Carolina State athletics, airing during the college football season. The program reflects the station’s broader role in locally relevant sports coverage.

• 2019Join Gray Media through the Raycom mergerM&A

  Gray Television agreed to combine its stations with Raycom Media’s broadcasting assets.

  What changed. The transaction closed on January 2, 2019, transferring WIS into Gray’s station portfolio.

  Aftermath. WIS gained Gray as its corporate owner and became part of a larger national television group.

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• 2019Add The CW to WIS-DT2Strategy

  Gray sought to reposition WIS’s digital multicast capacity after the Columbia CW affiliation was scheduled to leave WKTC.

  What changed. WIS-DT2 launched as Columbia’s CW affiliate on September 30, while Bounce TV shifted to WIS-DT3.

  Aftermath. WIS expanded its network portfolio and digital-subchannel presence in the Columbia market.

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• 2009Convert WIS to digital-only broadcastingGeneration change

  The United States television industry was completing the federally mandated transition from analog to digital transmission.

  What changed. WIS ended analog broadcasting on June 12 and completed transmitter upgrades before activating its full-power digital signal from Lugoff on June 19.

  Aftermath. Viewers using over-the-air reception had to rescan their televisions, and the station continued on digital RF channel 10.

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• 2005Retain WIS and divest WACH after Liberty–Raycom combinationM&A

  Raycom’s acquisition of Liberty’s broadcasting assets created an ownership conflict because Raycom already owned WACH in the Columbia market.

  What changed. Raycom retained WIS and sold WACH to Barrington Broadcasting to comply with applicable television ownership restrictions.

  Aftermath. WIS remained the principal Raycom station in Columbia until Raycom was acquired by Gray Television in 2019.

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• 2019Gray Television completes Raycom Media merger

  WIS became part of Gray’s enlarged television group after Gray completed its acquisition of Raycom Media.

  M&A
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• 2019WIS adds The CW to its digital lineup

  WIS-DT2 became the Columbia market’s CW affiliate, replacing WKTC, while Bounce TV moved to WIS-DT3.

  Product launch
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• 2009WIS completes digital transition

  The station ended analog broadcasting on June 12 and later activated its full-power digital signal from the Lugoff transmitter.

  Product generationRegulation
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• 2003WIS launches digital television service

  WIS began digital broadcasting in February, becoming the final major-network station in the Columbia market to launch a digital signal.

  Product launch
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• 1953WIS begins broadcasting in Columbia

  The station signed on November 7 with a South Carolina–North Carolina college football game as its first telecast.

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1. WIS (TV)
2. WIS official website