WCHS-TV

WCHS-TV is a broadcast television station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, and serving the broader Charleston–Huntington television market. The station operates as an ABC affiliate on its primary service and provides Fox programming through WCHS-DT2. Its principal broadcast identity is associated with local news, network entertainment, syndicated programming, sports, weather, and emergency information for viewers in parts of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio. The station began broadcasting on August 15, 1954, as the second television station in Charleston. It was established by the Tierney Company, which also owned WCHS radio. During its early years, the station’s network affiliations reflected the changing competitive structure of the market. It initially carried CBS while sharing ABC programming with WSAZ-TV, and it briefly carried programming from the NTA Film Network in the late 1950s. WCHS-TV became an ABC affiliate in 1958, returned to CBS in 1962, and ultimately resumed ABC programming in 1986 after another affiliation exchange involving channel 13, now WOWK-TV. Ownership also changed over time. Rollins Telecasting acquired the WCHS stations in 1960, and Rollins later combined with Heritage Broadcasting to form Heritage Media in 1987. Heritage moved WCHS-TV from its long-standing Virginia Street East facility to studios on Piedmont Road in Charleston in December 1987. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Heritage’s remaining broadcasting properties in 1997, bringing WCHS-TV into the Sinclair station group without changing its network affiliation. WCHS-TV has also been closely connected with WVAH-TV, the market’s Fox station. After Sinclair acquired Sullivan Broadcasting in 1998, WVAH’s license was placed with Glencairn Broadcasting because federal ownership rules then restricted direct duopoly ownership. WCHS-TV became the senior station under a local marketing agreement, while most operations of the two stations were consolidated. Glencairn later became Cunningham Broadcasting, and the operating relationship continued. Although the two stations remained separately licensed, the arrangement was widely viewed as giving Sinclair effective control over both services. On February 1, 2021, Fox programming moved from WVAH-TV to WCHS-DT2. The subchannel was initially promoted using the Fox 11 identity and continued to carry a dedicated Fox-oriented news schedule. This change made WCHS-TV the direct home of both ABC and Fox programming within the market, with the Fox service delivered through a digital subchannel rather than the station’s primary channel. Local news remains central to the brand. WCHS uses the Eyewitness News name and produces newscasts for both its ABC service and WCHS-DT2. In 2013, it expanded its regional presence by opening a small news studio and bureau in Huntington. The station has historically competed with WSAZ-TV and WOWK-TV, with its audience strength varying by part of the market. Its news programming has generally been more influential in Charleston than in the Huntington area and surrounding portions of Kentucky and Ohio. WCHS-TV completed a major transition to local high-definition broadcasting in 2012. The process began with a new HD master-control room, followed by construction of a new studio set and upgrades to production facilities shared with WVAH-TV. HD newscasts launched on September 29, 2012. The station also completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009, retaining virtual channel 8 while transmitting digitally on UHF channel 41. Today, WCHS-TV functions as a locally branded broadcast outlet within Sinclair’s national television portfolio, combining network programming with regional news and weather coverage.

WCHS-TV signed on August 15, 1954, as the second television station in Charleston, West Virginia. It was founded by the Tierney Company alongside WCHS radio. In its first years, the station’s affiliation reflected the limited number of stations serving the region. It initially carried CBS while sharing ABC programming with WSAZ-TV, and it briefly carried the NTA Film Network during the late 1950s. WCHS became a full ABC affiliate in 1958 after exchanging affiliations with WHTN-TV in Huntington. The station returned to CBS in 1962, although it did not carry the CBS Evening News for a number of years after the change. In 1960, the WCHS properties were sold to Rollins Telecasting. Rollins later merged with Heritage Broadcasting in 1987, creating Heritage Media. WCHS-TV moved from its former Virginia Street East studios to its current Piedmont Road facility in December 1987. WCHS radio was sold separately in 1991. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Heritage’s remaining broadcasting assets in 1997. WCHS-TV retained its affiliation at the time and continued operating as an ABC station. The station’s ownership history subsequently became linked to WVAH-TV. Sinclair acquired Sullivan Broadcasting, the owner of WVAH, in 1998, but FCC rules then prevented Sinclair from directly owning both stations. WVAH’s license assets were transferred to Glencairn Broadcasting, whose ownership was closely associated with Sinclair’s controlling Smith family. WCHS-TV operated WVAH under a local marketing agreement, with WCHS serving as the senior station. Glencairn later changed its name to Cunningham Broadcasting. The arrangement continued even after regulatory changes permitted some television duopolies, because the market’s station-ranking rules still restricted direct common ownership of the two outlets. WCHS-TV’s network role changed again in 1986, when it exchanged affiliations with channel 13, now known as WOWK-TV, and resumed ABC programming. It remained the ABC outlet while WVAH-TV carried Fox. On February 1, 2021, Sinclair moved Fox programming from WVAH-TV to WCHS-DT2. The second digital channel was initially marketed as Fox 11 or Fox 11, WCHS 8.2, while the primary station continued its ABC identity. Local news has been a major part of the station’s positioning. WCHS uses the Eyewitness News brand and competes primarily with WSAZ-TV and WOWK-TV. Ratings performance has varied by geography: WCHS has generally been more competitive in Charleston than in Huntington and in the Kentucky and Ohio counties included in the market. In 2013, the station established a small Huntington bureau and studio to broaden its regional reporting. The station modernized its technical operations during the 2000s and 2010s. It completed the federally mandated analog-to-digital transition on June 12, 2009, ending analog operation on VHF channel 8 while retaining virtual channel 8 through its digital UHF transmission. In 2012, WCHS and WVAH installed a new HD master-control facility, replaced the older studio set, and introduced high-definition local newscasts on September 29. WCHS has also carried digital multicast services, including TheCoolTV for a period before that service was removed in 2012. The station has experienced several carriage disputes related to retransmission fees. Sinclair and Dish Network reached a short-lived resolution in May 2005. A more extensive dispute with Suddenlink in 2006 temporarily affected carriage of WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV in parts of the market, while negotiations with Time Warner Cable later that year also threatened removal. In each case, carriage was ultimately extended or restored. WCHS-TV remains an active local television station within Sinclair’s portfolio, providing ABC programming, Fox programming through WCHS-DT2, and locally produced news and weather coverage.

• 2021

  Fox moves to WCHS-DT2

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming shifts from WVAH-TV to WCHS’s second digital subchannel.

• 2013

  Huntington bureau opens

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV adds a small Huntington studio and news office.

• 2012

  Local HD news launch

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV begin high-definition newscasts on September 29 after facility upgrades.

• 2009

  Digital television transition

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV ends regular analog broadcasting on June 12 and continues digital service using virtual channel 8.

• 1998

  WVAH operating relationship established

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Following Sinclair’s acquisition of Sullivan Broadcasting, WCHS-TV becomes the senior station under a local marketing agreement involving WVAH-TV.

• 1997

  Sinclair ownership begins

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair acquires WCHS-TV as part of its purchase of Heritage Media’s broadcasting assets.

• 1987

  Move to Piedmont Road

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station relocates to its current Charleston studio complex in December.

• 1986

  Return to ABC

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV again becomes an ABC affiliate after an exchange involving channel 13.

• 1962

  Return to CBS

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV reverses its affiliation exchange and resumes CBS programming.

• 1960

  Rollins Telecasting acquisition

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Rollins Telecasting acquires the WCHS stations.

• 1958

  First major affiliation exchange

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCHS-TV becomes an ABC affiliate after exchanging affiliations with WHTN-TV.

• 1954

  WCHS-TV signs on

  [1]WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting on August 15 as Charleston’s second television station.

A locally focused Charleston–Huntington broadcast station combining ABC network programming, Fox programming on a digital subchannel, and regional news and weather coverage under Sinclair ownership.

• Broadcast television channel · 1954

  WCHS-TV ABC service

  The primary WCHS-TV service carries ABC network programming alongside locally produced news, weather, public-affairs material, syndicated shows, advertising, and other programming intended for viewers across the Charleston–Huntington market. It broadcasts using virtual channel 8.

• Digital multicast television service · 2021

  WCHS-DT2 Fox service

  WCHS-DT2 is the station’s Fox-affiliated digital subchannel. It assumed the market’s Fox programming role from WVAH-TV on February 1, 2021, and carries Fox network content along with locally produced news programming branded around Fox 11.

• Local news operation

  Eyewitness News

  Eyewitness News is WCHS-TV’s local news brand. Its output includes general news, weather, traffic, emergency information, and regional reporting, with coverage centered on Charleston and an additional Huntington presence established in 2013.

• 2021

  Move Fox programming to WCHS-DT2Strategy

  Background

  Sinclair had operational ties to both WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV, while similar Fox affiliation moves were being made at other Sinclair-managed stations involving separately licensed outlets.

  Action taken

  Fox programming was transferred from WVAH-TV to WCHS-TV’s second digital subchannel, initially promoted with the Fox 11 identity.

  Aftermath

  WCHS became the market’s direct ABC and Fox programming platform, with ABC on its primary service and Fox on WCHS-DT2.

  Source

• 2012

  Upgrade to local high-definition productionGeneration change

  Background

  The station and its associated WVAH operation were modernizing their production infrastructure as local television moved toward HD broadcasting.

  Action taken

  WCHS installed an HD master-control room, replaced its older studio set, and introduced high-definition local newscasts on September 29.

  Aftermath

  The station became one of the Charleston–Huntington market’s early local HD-news providers.

  Source

• 2006

  Retransmission agreement with SuddenlinkOther

  Background

  After Suddenlink acquired cable systems serving the Charleston–Huntington area, Sinclair sought new compensation for carriage of WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV.

  Action taken

  Sinclair temporarily removed the stations from some Suddenlink systems during a public dispute and negotiated a new carriage arrangement.

  Aftermath

  The parties reached an agreement that restored transmission, although its terms were not publicly disclosed.

  Source

1. 1WCHS-TVen.wikipedia.org