WVTM-TV

WVTM-TV, virtual channel 13, is a commercial television station serving Birmingham and the surrounding Central Alabama market. The station is affiliated with NBC and is owned by Hearst Television. Its studios and transmission facilities are located on Red Mountain in southeastern Birmingham, near the Vulcan statue and adjacent to the facilities of WBRC, the market's Fox affiliate. The station's brand identity is closely associated with channel 13 and with local news, weather, traffic, sports, community coverage, and NBC network programming. WVTM traces its history to WAFM-TV, which began test transmissions in June 1949 and regular programming on July 1 of that year. It was the first television station to broadcast in Alabama and began service on the same day as Birmingham's WBRC-TV. Its early programming included network programs, local sports such as Birmingham Black Barons baseball, football and basketball, concerts, children's programs, and locally produced entertainment. Network television reached Birmingham through coaxial cable in 1950; before that development, network content was supplied mainly through lower-quality filmed kinescope recordings. The station changed ownership and call signs several times. In 1953, The Birmingham News acquired the station and renamed it WABT. The following year, WABT became primarily affiliated with NBC while retaining ABC programming. In 1958, after Samuel Newhouse acquired The Birmingham News and its broadcasting interests, the station adopted the WAPI-TV call sign. From 1961 until 1970, WAPI-TV carried both NBC and CBS programming. This dual-network arrangement ended when a new UHF station, WBMG, took the CBS affiliation and WAPI-TV became Birmingham's sole NBC affiliate. Times Mirror acquired the station in 1980 amid broader newspaper and television cross-ownership pressures. The call sign WVTM-TV was selected to evoke Birmingham's Vulcan landmark and the Times Mirror ownership. During the 1980s, the station strengthened its local-news operation and competed more directly with WBRC. Times Mirror sold WVTM to Argyle Television in 1993, and Argyle was subsequently acquired by New World Communications. Although New World's transactions with Fox created uncertainty about WVTM's future affiliation, an NBC agreement signed in 1995 protected the station's NBC relationship. NBC then acquired WVTM in 1996, making it an owned-and-operated station. NBC sold WVTM in 2006 to Media General as part of a package of smaller-market stations. Media General initially retained WVTM while divesting WIAT to comply with ownership limits. After Media General's merger with LIN Media in 2014, it reversed that choice and sold WVTM to Hearst Television, which has operated the station since the transaction closed in December 2014. Under Hearst, WVTM has continued as an NBC affiliate and local news provider, with its digital services and multicast channels expanding the station's reach. The station remains an active Birmingham broadcaster rather than a national consumer brand.

WVTM-TV received its construction authorization in 1948 after Voice of Alabama, the owner of Birmingham radio stations WAPI and WAFM, applied to operate a channel 13 television service. Test patterns appeared in June 1949, followed by regular broadcasts on July 1. The original WAFM-TV service carried CBS and ABC programming and produced local material ranging from sports and concerts to children's and daytime programs. When live network signals reached Birmingham by coaxial cable in 1950, the station's network schedule became more timely and reliable. The Birmingham News acquired the station and its associated radio properties in 1953. The television service became WABT and increased its transmission power, then shifted its primary affiliation to NBC in 1954 while continuing to carry some ABC programs. In 1958, ownership under the Newhouse interests brought the WAPI-TV call sign. Beginning in 1961, WAPI-TV carried both NBC and CBS schedules. Because Birmingham had only two operating television stations for much of this period, channel 13 selected which programs from the two networks to broadcast, while the newer UHF station WBMG carried much of the remainder. The arrangement ended in 1970 when WAPI-TV chose to become a full-time NBC affiliate and WBMG became the CBS station. A 1973 license-renewal challenge by the Magic City Communications Coalition raised concerns about cross-ownership, employment of Black people, and alleged racial discrimination. The FCC dismissed the petition and renewed the license in 1976. In 1980, Times Mirror purchased the station from Newhouse and changed its call sign to WVTM-TV. The new name referenced Birmingham's Vulcan landmark and Times Mirror. Times Mirror invested in the news operation, including hiring recognized local anchors, helping WVTM compete more closely with WBRC during the 1980s. Times Mirror sold WVTM to Argyle Television in 1993. Argyle was acquired by New World Communications in a transaction linked to New World's agreement to move several stations to Fox. WVTM was expected to be vulnerable to an affiliation change, particularly because nearby WBRC was designated for Fox, but NBC and New World reached a ten-year affiliation agreement in 1995. NBC acquired WVTM and made it an owned-and-operated station in 1996. The change gave NBC direct control over the station while preserving channel 13's long-standing network relationship. NBC sold WVTM to Media General in 2006. Media General temporarily owned both WVTM and WIAT in Birmingham while arranging a divestiture, ultimately selling WIAT to New Vision Television. In 2014, Media General's merger with LIN Media again created an ownership conflict involving the two Birmingham stations. This time Media General retained WIAT and sold WVTM to Hearst Television. Hearst has continued operating WVTM as an NBC affiliate with local news, weather, digital publishing, and multicast services. The station's historical identity therefore combines early Alabama television, multiple-network service, long-term NBC affiliation, and successive ownership by newspaper, station-group, network, and Hearst broadcasting organizations.

1. 2014Hearst Television acquisition

   Hearst Television acquired WVTM-TV after Media General's merger with LIN Media.

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2. 2006Media General acquisition

   Media General completed its acquisition of WVTM-TV from NBC.

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3. 1996NBC ownership begins

   NBC acquired WVTM-TV from New World Communications, making it an NBC-owned-and-operated station.

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4. 1980WVTM-TV name introduced

   Times Mirror acquired the station and changed its call sign to WVTM-TV.

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5. 1970Becomes a full-time NBC affiliate

   WAPI-TV ended its dual affiliation with CBS and NBC and became Birmingham's sole NBC affiliate.

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6. 1958WAPI-TV call sign adopted

   The station adopted WAPI-TV, aligning its identity with co-owned Birmingham radio properties.

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7. 1953Station becomes WABT

   The Birmingham News acquired the station and changed its call sign from WAFM-TV to WABT.

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8. 1949First Alabama television broadcast

   WAFM-TV began test transmissions in June and regular programming on July 1, becoming Alabama's first television station.

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9. 1948Construction permit granted

   The FCC authorized Voice of Alabama to build a television station on channel 13 in Birmingham.

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Local broadcast television station focused on NBC programming, regional news, weather, and public-service coverage.

• WVTM 13 Local NewsLocal television news

  The station's local-news service covering Birmingham and Central Alabama. Its output includes scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reporting, weather, traffic, public-affairs coverage, and regionally relevant stories distributed through broadcast and digital channels.

• NBC network programmingNetwork television1970

  WVTM-TV's principal network offering since 1970, comprising NBC entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming. The station also carries local commercial inserts and scheduling decisions appropriate to the Birmingham market.

• Digital and multicast servicesDigital television

  WVTM distributes additional programming through digital subchannels and provides news and video through its website and other digital outlets. These services extend the station beyond its main NBC channel and support continuous local information delivery.

• 1996NBC acquires WVTM-TVM&A

  New World's broader affiliation arrangements with Fox generated uncertainty about WVTM's network future, but an NBC agreement protected the affiliation.

  What changed. NBC purchased WVTM-TV from New World Communications and converted it into an owned-and-operated station.

  Aftermath. The station remained with NBC while becoming directly managed within NBC's television-station group.

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• 1970End dual CBS-NBC serviceStrategy

  For years, WAPI-TV selected programs from both CBS and NBC because Birmingham had limited station capacity. The arrival and maturation of a third station made a full-network arrangement more practical.

  What changed. WAPI-TV chose to become a sole NBC affiliate, while WBMG assumed the CBS affiliation.

  Aftermath. The change established the station's long-running NBC identity and ended its first-generation dual-network period.

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• 1973License-renewal challenge by the Magic City Communications CoalitionControversy

  A coalition of Black community interests challenged renewal of the station's broadcast license, citing alleged anticompetitive cross-ownership, inadequate Black employment, and racial discrimination. The FCC dismissed the petition and granted renewal in 1976.

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• 2014Media General sells WVTM-TV to Hearst Television

  Following its merger with LIN Media, Media General sold WVTM-TV and WJCL to Hearst Television while retaining Birmingham station WIAT. The WVTM transaction closed in December 2014.

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• 2006NBC sells WVTM-TV and three other owned stations to Media General

  NBC placed WVTM-TV and three other smaller-market owned-and-operated stations into a sale package. Media General acquired the group and completed the WVTM transaction in June 2006.

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• 1949WVTM-TV becomes Birmingham's first television station

  The station began test programming as WAFM-TV in June and regular programming on July 1, becoming the first station to transmit a television signal in Alabama.

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1. WVTM-TV
2. WVTM 13 official website