WSAZ-TV

WSAZ-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Huntington, West Virginia, and serving the Charleston–Huntington media market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 3 and is affiliated with NBC, an affiliation it has retained since beginning service. Its coverage footprint extends across a geographically large and topographically difficult region encompassing 31 counties in central West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio. WSAZ operates from its principal studios on Fifth Avenue in Huntington and maintains an additional studio and newsroom on Columbia Avenue in Charleston. Its transmitter is located on Barker Ridge near Milton, West Virginia. WSAZ-TV began broadcasting on November 15, 1949, as West Virginia's first television station. It was established by the Huntington Publishing Company, which also owned the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and WSAZ radio. In its early years, the station carried programming from NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont, although NBC was its primary network because of the radio station's longstanding NBC relationship. The station's early technical development was unusually ambitious for a market of Huntington's size. In 1950, it received Federal Communications Commission authorization to construct a private microwave connection to Cincinnati so that it could receive live NBC programming. The initial link experienced a failure during its first planned live broadcast, but it was later replaced by a connection to Columbus, Ohio. A major technical and regulatory turning point came in 1952, when the FCC's post-freeze channel realignment moved WSAZ-TV from VHF channel 5 to channel 3. The change reduced interference with WLWT in Cincinnati and was accompanied by a substantial increase in authorized transmitting power, helping the station reach viewers across the region's rugged dissected plateau. WSAZ later established a Charleston branch operation in 1956, reflecting the importance of the state capital and the Kanawha Valley to its audience. A low-power translator serving the valley was introduced in 1995 and later moved from channel 23 to channel 16 before being replaced by a digital facility. Ownership changed several times. Huntington Publishing sold the WSAZ radio and television properties to Goodwill Stations in 1961. Goodwill became part of Capital Cities Communications in 1964, while WSAZ-TV was subsequently separated from the radio operation and acquired by Lee Enterprises in 1971. Emmis Communications purchased the station in 2000, and Gray Television acquired it in 2005. Gray's ownership placed WSAZ alongside other West Virginia stations, including WTAP-TV in Parkersburg, and later brought the station into the same ownership group as Portsmouth, Ohio-licensed CW affiliate WQCW. Local news is the station's central business and brand differentiator. WSAZ has historically been one of the dominant stations in the Charleston–Huntington market and has frequently produced highly rated newscasts relative to the size of the market. Its distinctive two-city presentation places one anchor in Huntington and another in Charleston, a structure introduced in 1956 and later cited as an influence on the split-location approach used by NBC's Huntley–Brinkley Report. From 1995 through 2017, the station also produced a split newscast for its Kanawha Valley translator and cable viewers, with separate regional coverage after the opening portion of selected evening broadcasts. WSAZ introduced its First at Five newscast in 1993 and launched high-definition local news on June 26, 2011, becoming the first station in the Charleston–Huntington market to do so. Its digital operations have included a MyNetworkTV service branded MyZTV, later combined with MeTV programming and syndicated content. A separate 10 p.m. newscast that initially aired on WSAZ-DT2 was moved to WQCW after Gray acquired that full-power station. WSAZ completed its transition from analog broadcasting in 2009 and later launched a digital…

WSAZ-TV began service on November 15, 1949, from Huntington as West Virginia's first television station. Its original owner, Huntington Publishing Company, also operated the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and WSAZ radio. The television station initially carried programming from NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont, but its primary relationship was with NBC. When additional stations entered the market in the mid-1950s, WSAZ retained NBC while other affiliations were redistributed. The station was an early adopter of long-distance television distribution technology. In 1950, the FCC authorized a private microwave route connecting WSAZ with Cincinnati so that NBC programs could be broadcast live. After the first planned transmission encountered technical problems, the arrangement was replaced by a Columbus connection in 1952. That same year, a national channel realignment moved WSAZ from channel 5 to channel 3 to reduce interference with WLWT in Cincinnati. The accompanying power increase helped the station cover a large area marked by mountains, valleys, and difficult signal conditions. WSAZ expanded its news presence beyond Huntington by opening a Charleston branch in 1956. Its two-anchor, two-city format became a defining feature of the station and was later studied by NBC in connection with the network's national Huntley–Brinkley presentation. A low-power translator serving the Kanawha Valley was launched in 1995, eventually operating on channel 16 before its replacement by digital facility W27EF-D. The station's news operation also developed the 'two-city news' format, in which selected broadcasts divided into Huntington-oriented and Kanawha Valley-oriented segments. That arrangement continued until 2017. Corporate ownership changed repeatedly. Huntington Publishing sold WSAZ-AM-TV to Goodwill Stations in 1961. Goodwill joined Capital Cities Communications in 1964, and WSAZ-TV was separated from the radio station and sold to Lee Enterprises in 1971. Emmis Communications acquired the television station in 2000, followed by Gray Television in 2005. Gray's ownership connected WSAZ with other regional stations and eventually with WQCW, a CW affiliate licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio. WSAZ has generally been the leading news station in the Charleston–Huntington market, supported by substantial investment in local reporting despite the market's small-to-medium size. It introduced the First at Five broadcast in 1993 and added a digital second channel in 2006. The subchannel initially carried MyNetworkTV, later added This TV, and switched to MeTV in 2015 while continuing to carry MyNetworkTV in a reduced schedule. A subchannel-produced prime-time newscast was ultimately moved to WQCW after Gray acquired that full-power station. The station ended analog broadcasting in February 2009 and launched high-definition local news on June 26, 2011. Its principal facilities remain in Huntington, supported by the Charleston studio and digital transmission facilities. WSAZ's current identity is built around NBC programming, local news, weather, sports, emergency information, and regional coverage across central West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio.

1. 2020W27EF-D digital translator signs on

   A digital translator serving Charleston begins operation on November 25.

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2. 2015MeTV replaces This TV on the digital subchannel

   The station revises its secondary-channel programming strategy by dropping This TV and adding MeTV.

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3. 2011Local news converts to high definition

   WSAZ begins high-definition newscasts, the first such local-news operation in the Charleston–Huntington market.

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4. 2009Analog transmission ends

   WSAZ-TV ends regular analog broadcasts and continues through its digital facility using virtual channel 3.

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5. 2006MyZTV digital subchannel launches

   WSAZ introduces a second digital service carrying MyNetworkTV programming.

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6. 2005Gray Television becomes owner

   Gray Television acquires WSAZ-TV from Emmis Communications.

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7. 2000Emmis acquires the station

   Emmis Communications purchases WSAZ-TV from Lee Enterprises.

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8. 1995Kanawha Valley translator begins operation

   WSAZ introduces a low-power translator to improve service in portions of the Kanawha Valley affected by terrain and signal limitations.

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9. 1993First at Five launches

   The station adds an early-evening weekday newscast branded First at Five.

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10. 1956Charleston bureau opens

    WSAZ establishes a branch studio and newsroom in Charleston, creating the foundation for its two-city news operation.

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11. 1952Station moves to VHF channel 3

    An FCC channel realignment moves WSAZ-TV from channel 5 to channel 3 and increases its authorized transmission power.

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12. 1949First television station in West Virginia begins broadcasting

    WSAZ-TV starts operations in Huntington on November 15, initially carrying programming from several networks with NBC as its primary affiliation.

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A dominant, locally focused NBC affiliate combining two-city journalism, regional weather and sports coverage, and broad over-the-air service across West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.

• WSAZ NewsChannel 3Local television news

  WSAZ's core local-news brand covers Huntington, Charleston, central West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio. Its reporting operation includes general news, weather, sports, public-safety information, and regional stories. The station's distinctive format uses reporting and anchoring resources in both Huntington and Charleston.

• First at FiveEarly-evening newscast1993

  Introduced in July 1993, First at Five is WSAZ's weekday early-evening local-news broadcast. It forms part of the station's schedule of high-frequency regional news programming.

• NBC programmingNetwork television1949

  WSAZ-TV carries NBC network programming and has maintained NBC as its primary affiliation since the station's launch. The relationship reflects the historic NBC affiliation of its predecessor radio operation.

• MyZTV / WSAZ-DT2Digital subchannel2006

  The station's second digital service launched as MyZTV with MyNetworkTV programming. Its schedule later incorporated This TV, then MeTV, syndicated programs, and repeat local-news content. MyNetworkTV programming has progressively occupied a smaller overnight portion of the schedule.

• W27EF-D translatorDigital broadcast translator2020

  W27EF-D is WSAZ's digital translator serving Charleston. It signed on in November 2020 as the successor to the station's earlier low-power analog translator arrangement.

• 2017End the formal split-newscast service on W16CEStrategy

  The station's low-power Kanawha Valley translator had carried a localized version of selected WSAZ evening newscasts since 1995.

  What changed. WSAZ discontinued W16CE and ended the formal split format, while preserving Huntington- and Charleston-based anchoring in its principal newscasts.

  Aftermath. Regional coverage continued through the main station, cable distribution, the Charleston operation, and later digital translator service.

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• 2015Replace This TV with MeTV on WSAZ-DT2Strategy

  WSAZ revised its secondary-channel programming mix as network and syndicated programming arrangements changed.

  What changed. The station dropped This TV and added MeTV, retaining MyNetworkTV in a scheduled block and using other periods for syndicated and repeat programming.

  Aftermath. As syndicated contracts expired, MeTV programming expanded into additional portions of the schedule.

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• 2011Convert local news to high definitionOther

  WSAZ remodeled its Huntington and Charleston news facilities to support a modern high-definition production workflow.

  What changed. The station launched high-definition newscasts on June 26, 2011.

  Aftermath. WSAZ became the first station in the Charleston–Huntington market to deliver local news in high definition.

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• 2006Launch a MyNetworkTV digital subchannelProduct launch

  Digital television created an opportunity for local stations to add secondary services without launching a separate full-power station.

  What changed. WSAZ introduced WSAZ-DT2 under the MyZTV brand as the Charleston–Huntington area's MyNetworkTV outlet.

  Aftermath. The subchannel later carried This TV, MeTV, syndicated programming, and repeat news content alongside a reduced MyNetworkTV schedule.

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• 1952Accept channel reassignment to channel 3Strategy

  The FCC's post-freeze channel realignment required changes to VHF assignments to reduce interference among stations.

  What changed. WSAZ-TV moved from channel 5 to channel 3 and received a major authorized power increase.

  Aftermath. The reassignment strengthened coverage across the station's large, rugged service area and established the channel identity used by the station today.

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• 2020Digital Charleston translator W27EF-D signs on

  A new digital translator serving Charleston began operation on November 25, replacing the station's earlier analog translator arrangement.

  Product launch
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• 2017WSAZ ends its long-running split newscast arrangement

  The shutdown of the W16CE translator ended the formal split-newscast service for Kanawha Valley viewers, although the station continued using Huntington- and Charleston-based anchors.

  Other
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• 2015WSAZ replaces This TV programming with MeTV on its second digital channel

  WSAZ announced that its digital subchannel would discontinue This TV and add MeTV programming while retaining MyNetworkTV in a scheduled evening or overnight slot.

  Product generation
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• 2011WSAZ launches high-definition newscasts

  On June 26, WSAZ began broadcasting local news in high definition, becoming the first station in the Charleston–Huntington market to make the transition.

  Product generation
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• 2006WSAZ launches MyZTV digital subchannel

  The station introduced a second digital channel carrying MyNetworkTV programming and later expanded its schedule with additional network and syndicated content.

  Product launch
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• 2005Gray Television acquires WSAZ-TV

  Gray Television bought WSAZ-TV from Emmis Communications, adding the station to its West Virginia broadcasting portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2000Emmis Communications agrees to acquire WSAZ-TV

  Emmis purchased the station from Lee Enterprises, which was exiting the television broadcasting business.

  M&A
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• 1956WSAZ establishes a Charleston branch operation

  The station opened a Charleston studio and newsroom, formalizing its two-city operating model and strengthening coverage of West Virginia's state capital and the Kanawha Valley.

  Other
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• 1952WSAZ-TV moves from channel 5 to channel 3

  Following the FCC's channel realignment, WSAZ-TV changed its VHF assignment to channel 3 and received a major power increase intended to improve regional coverage.

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• 1950WSAZ receives authorization for an early private microwave network

  The FCC authorized WSAZ-TV to build a microwave link to Cincinnati for live NBC programming, an important technical initiative for a station serving a relatively small but geographically challenging market.

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• 1949WSAZ-TV begins broadcasting as West Virginia's first television station

  The station launched on November 15 as a Huntington-based television operation affiliated primarily with NBC while also carrying programming from other major networks of the period.

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1. WSAZ-TV
2. WSAZ official website