WSPA-TV

WSPA-TV is a television station licensed to Spartanburg, South Carolina, serving viewers across the Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina region. The station launched in April 1956 on very-high-frequency channel 7 and became the second VHF television service in Upstate South Carolina. For most of its history it was affiliated with CBS, while its local identity centered on news, weather, sports, public affairs, and community coverage relevant to Spartanburg and neighboring communities. Beginning August 1, 2026, the station is scheduled to end its CBS affiliation, take programming from The CW, and expand its locally produced news output. The station emerged from a prolonged licensing and transmitter-site dispute. Channel 7 had initially been assigned to Spartanburg after the Federal Communications Commission lifted its television-station freeze in 1952. Walter J. Brown, owner of Spartan Radiocasting and the WORD radio stations, played an important role in advocating for the allocation. After negotiations with the Broadcasting Company of the South, Spartan Radiocasting acquired WSPA radio and its FM counterpart, sold WORD, and changed the television construction permit’s call sign from WORD-TV to WSPA-TV. The proposed transmitter location became the subject of litigation and regulatory proceedings lasting roughly a decade. WSPA first obtained authority to operate temporarily from Paris Mountain near Greenville while its planned Hogback Mountain facility was prepared. Existing and proposed UHF stations in Greenville, Anderson, and Spartanburg argued that the stronger VHF signal from Paris Mountain would effectively turn WSPA into a Greenville station and damage their businesses. Although WSPA began broadcasting from Paris Mountain in 1956, the FCC and federal appeals court continued to review the matter. The station ultimately moved its combined transmission operation to Hogback Mountain in October 1963, improving its intended regional service and later adding translators for communities blocked by terrain. WSPA initially operated from downtown Spartanburg and carried CBS programming alongside locally produced programs. A major fire in May 1960 destroyed the original radio and television building, but the station remained on the air with assistance from neighboring broadcasters and temporary facilities. A converted former grocery store became the replacement studio, which was later expanded and equipped for live local color broadcasting. In 1979, WSPA moved into a purpose-built facility near the Interstate 85 and Interstate 26 interchange, a site that remains central to its operations. The station remained under Spartan ownership for more than four decades. Spartan Radiocasting was renamed Spartan Communications in 1995, shortly before Brown’s death. During the 1990s, the company expanded its regional relationships through a local marketing agreement involving WNEG-TV in Toccoa, Georgia, and through an arrangement connected with the relaunch of Asheville-area station WASV-TV, now WYCW. Media General agreed to acquire Spartan Communications for $605 million in 1999, completing the transaction in 2000 and ending the station’s period of local family ownership. Under Media General, WSPA developed a strong local-news operation and at times overtook long-standing market leader WYFF in selected ratings periods, including an evening-news sweep in 2007. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired Media General in 2017, placing WSPA within Nexstar’s national station portfolio. WSPA is operated alongside WYCW, whose license is based in Asheville, with the stations sharing Spartanburg-area facilities and a transmitter site on Hogback Mountain. The station’s identity has consequently combined a Spartanburg base with a broad, multi-city service area and a continued emphasis on regional news.

WSPA-TV’s history began with the postwar expansion of American television. When the FCC ended its station freeze in 1952, channel 7 was assigned to Spartanburg rather than Columbia. Walter J. Brown of Spartan Radiocasting had advocated for the allocation and subsequently negotiated to acquire WSPA radio and its FM sister station from the Broadcasting Company of the South. The television permit, initially identified as WORD-TV, adopted the WSPA-TV call sign in 1954. The station’s authorization was challenged because its planned Hogback Mountain transmitter was not yet ready. The FCC allowed temporary operation from Paris Mountain near Greenville, a decision opposed by UHF stations WGVL, WAIM-TV, and the proposed WSCV. Those stations argued that the stronger VHF service would undermine their audience, advertising, and network relationships. WSPA went on the air in April 1956 after receiving CBS affiliation approval, but the Paris Mountain question remained in litigation and FCC review. In 1962, the regulatory proceedings required WSPA to leave Paris Mountain. The station completed its move to Hogback Mountain in October 1963 and later built translators to reach areas affected by mountainous terrain. WSPA began with a mixture of CBS programs and locally produced entertainment and community shows. Its original downtown facility was destroyed by fire on May 16, 1960. The station continued operating with borrowed equipment and temporary arrangements, then moved into a converted former grocery store that was expanded in 1966. That facility enabled the station to become the first in its market to provide live local color broadcasts. In 1979, WSPA moved to a new 43,000-square-foot building near the I-85/I-26 interchange. Spartan Radiocasting retained ownership for more than forty years and became Spartan Communications in 1995. The company expanded its regional presence through agreements involving WNEG-TV in Toccoa and WASV-TV in Asheville. Media General’s $605 million acquisition of Spartan Communications was announced in 1999 and completed in 2000. Under Media General, WSPA’s local-news operation became especially competitive, at times surpassing WYFF in important ratings periods. A major technical disruption occurred in March 2009, when a windstorm collapsed the digital tower on Hogback Mountain and brought down the older analog tower as it fell. WSPA restored service through WYCW and temporary antenna arrangements while a replacement tower was developed. Media General later considered a merger with Meredith, but that transaction was abandoned in favor of Nexstar’s acquisition of Media General, completed in 2017. The station continues to operate from Spartanburg and shares facilities and transmission infrastructure with WYCW. Its long-standing CBS affiliation is scheduled to end on August 1, 2026, when WYFF is to become the CBS affiliate for the market. WSPA is then scheduled to carry The CW and increase its local-news programming, marking the most significant change to its programming identity since its 1956 launch.

1. 2026Scheduled CBS-to-CW transition

   WSPA is scheduled to replace CBS programming with The CW and expand local news on August 1, 2026.

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2. 2017Nexstar ownership begins

   Nexstar completed its acquisition of Media General and assumed ownership of WSPA-TV.

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3. 2009Transmission tower collapse

   A windstorm destroyed the digital tower and damaged the analog transmission arrangement on Hogback Mountain.

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4. 2000Media General ownership begins

   Media General completed its acquisition of Spartan Communications.

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5. 1995Owner renamed Spartan Communications

   Spartan Radiocasting adopted the Spartan Communications name during a period of regional expansion.

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6. 1979New Spartanburg facility opens

   The station relocated from downtown Spartanburg to a purpose-built facility near the I-85/I-26 interchange.

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7. 1966Local color broadcasting begins

   An expanded replacement studio enabled WSPA to become the first station in its market to broadcast live local color programming.

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8. 1963Transmission moves to Hogback Mountain

   WSPA completed the move from Paris Mountain to its intended Hogback Mountain transmitter site.

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9. 1960Downtown studio destroyed by fire

   A fire gutted the building shared by WSPA’s radio and television operations; broadcasting continued through emergency arrangements.

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10. 1956Station launches

    WSPA-TV began broadcasting in April as a CBS affiliate from temporary facilities on Paris Mountain.

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11. 1954Construction permit adopts WSPA-TV call sign

    The permit originally designated WORD-TV was renamed WSPA-TV after Spartan Radiocasting arranged to acquire WSPA radio.

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12. 1952Channel 7 assigned to Spartanburg

    The FCC assigned VHF channel 7 to Spartanburg after ending its multi-year freeze on new television stations.

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A regional broadcast television station with a Spartanburg-centered local-news identity and coverage extending across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina.

• WSPA local newsLocal television programming1956

  Locally produced newscasts focused on Spartanburg, the Upstate South Carolina region, and surrounding communities in Western North Carolina. The operation has historically competed with WYFF for market news leadership and has at times performed particularly strongly in Upstate-focused viewing.

• CBS network programmingNetwork television programming1956

  WSPA carried CBS programming from its launch until the affiliation is scheduled to transfer to WYFF on August 1, 2026.

• The CW programmingNetwork television programming2026

  The station is scheduled to begin broadcasting The CW after its CBS affiliation ends on August 1, 2026.

• Weather and emergency coverageNews and information1956

  Regional weather reporting, severe-weather information, and breaking-news coverage form an important part of the station’s service to a geographically dispersed, mountainous viewing area.

• 2026Transition from CBS to The CWStrategy

  A revised affiliation arrangement moves CBS programming to WYFF in the Greenville–Spartanburg–Asheville market.

  What changed. WSPA is scheduled to begin carrying The CW and expand locally produced news coverage on August 1, 2026.

  Aftermath. The change will end WSPA’s approximately seven-decade CBS affiliation and reposition the station around local news and CW programming.

  • WYFF — Scheduled to assume the CBS affiliation in the market.
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• 2017Join the Nexstar station groupM&A

  Media General abandoned its proposed combination with Meredith and instead agreed to be acquired by Nexstar.

  What changed. Nexstar completed its acquisition of Media General, including WSPA-TV.

  Aftermath. WSPA became part of Nexstar’s national broadcast portfolio and continued operating alongside WYCW.

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• 1999Accept Media General acquisitionM&A

  After more than four decades of local ownership, Spartan Communications pursued a sale to a larger regional broadcaster.

  What changed. Spartan Communications agreed to be acquired by Media General for $605 million.

  Aftermath. The transaction closed in 2000 and ended Spartan family ownership of WSPA-TV.

  Acquisition value. 605 million US dollars (announced December 8, 1999)

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• 1954Seek temporary Paris Mountain transmission authorizationStrategy

  Hogback Mountain was the intended transmitter site, but the station sought an interim path to begin service sooner and strengthen its launch position in the regional market.

  What changed. WSPA obtained FCC authority to operate from the former WFBC-FM site on Paris Mountain near Greenville.

  Aftermath. The decision triggered years of objections, hearings, and court proceedings before WSPA ultimately moved to Hogback Mountain in 1963.

  • WGVL — Opposed the authorization, arguing that the VHF signal would cause serious economic and affiliation harm.
  • WAIM-TV — Challenged the site authorization and presented claims of lost network and advertising revenue.
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• 2026WSPA-TV scheduled to change network affiliation

  Under a modified affiliation arrangement, WSPA is scheduled to lose CBS programming to WYFF on August 1, 2026, begin carrying The CW, and expand local news coverage.

  Leadership changeProduct launch
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• 2017Nexstar completes Media General acquisition

  Nexstar acquired Media General, bringing WSPA-TV into the Nexstar station group.

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• 2009WSPA digital transmission tower collapses

  A windstorm brought down the station’s digital tower on Hogback Mountain, also affecting the adjacent analog transmission structure and requiring temporary transmission arrangements.

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• 1999Spartan Communications agrees to Media General acquisition

  Media General agreed to purchase Spartan Communications for $605 million, ending the station’s long period of local ownership after the transaction closed in 2000.

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• 1963WSPA-TV transmitter moves to Hogback Mountain

  After years of FCC and court proceedings, the station transferred its video transmission operation from Paris Mountain to Hogback Mountain in October 1963.

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• 1960Fire destroys WSPA downtown studios

  A fire originating in the air-conditioning system gutted the building shared by WSPA radio and television, requiring temporary operating arrangements and replacement studios.

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• 1956WSPA-TV begins broadcasting on channel 7

  The station launched in April 1956 after a lengthy dispute over its authorization and transmitter location.

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1. WSPA-TV