WHAS-TV
ABC-affiliated television station serving Louisville, Kentucky, and surrounding areas.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
WHAS-TV, branded on air as WHAS 11, is a commercial television station serving Louisville, Kentucky, and nearby communities in southern Indiana. The station is affiliated with the ABC television network and operates from studios on West Chestnut Street in downtown Louisville. Its transmitter is located in northeastern Floyd County, Indiana, providing coverage across the broader Kentuckiana region. WHAS-TV is part of Tegna's portfolio of local broadcast stations and is one of Louisville's most established media institutions. The station began broadcasting on March 27, 1950, as the second television station in Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was created by the Bingham family, whose Louisville media holdings included The Courier-Journal, The Louisville Times, and radio station WHAS. The station initially broadcast on VHF channel 9 from facilities in the Courier-Journal/Times Building at Sixth Street and Broadway. Its original network arrangement was primarily with CBS, supported by a secondary ABC affiliation that reflected the long-standing CBS relationship of its sister radio station. A nationwide frequency reallocation following the Federal Communications Commission's 1952 Sixth Report and Order moved the station to VHF channel 11 on February 7, 1953. The change substantially expanded its technical reach, and WHAS-TV became an early high-power VHF broadcaster. It continued as a CBS affiliate for several decades, while ABC programming in Louisville moved to WLKY-TV after that station launched in 1961. On September 8, 1990, WHAS-TV and WLKY exchanged network affiliations: WHAS-TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate, while WLKY assumed the CBS affiliation. WHAS-TV has retained the ABC affiliation since then. The station's history is closely connected to local journalism and public service. Its newspaper origins helped shape an ambitious news operation, and WHAS-TV was an early Kentucky television user of newsreel film for field reporting. From the late 1970s into the early 1990s, its newscasts were known as Action 11 News; subsequent brands included Kentuckiana's News Channel, WHAS 11, and the current WHAS 11 News. The station became Louisville's leading local news outlet in the late 1970s and remained highly competitive in later decades, although ratings leadership has varied by time period and rival station. WHAS-TV is also known for community-oriented programming. Its annual WHAS Crusade for Children telethon raises money for children's charities in Kentucky and southern Indiana and has become one of the region's most recognizable civic institutions. The station also originated Moral Side of the News, a long-running program in which an interfaith clergy panel discusses current events from religious and ethical perspectives. Its weekday lifestyle and talk program Great Day Live! combines interviews with sponsored demonstrations and other local features. Sports have been another important part of the station's identity. WHAS-TV carried locally produced Kentucky Derby coverage in its first years on the air and originated a national CBS telecast of the Derby in 1952 after network lines reached Louisville. It continued to carry the race through 1974. Later sports arrangements included regional Atlantic Coast Conference football and basketball coverage from 2014 through the 2019 men's basketball tournament, following the University of Louisville's move into the ACC. In 2024, WHAS-TV was selected to carry selected regional Indiana Fever telecasts distributed by sister station WTHR. The station has changed ownership several times. The Bingham family's broadcasting and newspaper holdings were dismantled in 1986, with WHAS-TV sold to the Providence Journal Company. The Journal Company merged with Belo Corporation in 1997. Belo was acquired by Gannett in 2013, but ownership of WHAS-TV was initially placed with Sander Media because Gannett also owned The Courier-Journal; Gannett operated the station under a shared-services agreement. After Gannett separated its publishing and broadcasting businesses in 2015, the broadcasting company became Tegna, which subsequently acquired the station license through Belo Kentucky, Inc. WHAS-TV remains an active local ABC station with a substantial news operation, digital publishing presence, community role, and multichannel distribution.
History
WHAS-TV signed on March 27, 1950, after the Bingham family completed new television facilities in downtown Louisville. The Binghams already controlled major local media properties, including The Courier-Journal, The Louisville Times, and WHAS radio. Although WHAS-TV's construction permit predated that of WAVE-TV, construction and facility decisions delayed its launch, making it the second television station in both Louisville and Kentucky. The station initially broadcast on channel 9 and operated primarily as a CBS affiliate, with ABC programming carried secondarily. This arrangement reflected WHAS radio's established relationship with the CBS Radio Network. In February 1953, an FCC-mandated channel realignment moved WHAS-TV to VHF channel 11. The station also increased its effective radiated power to the maximum permitted for a high-band VHF station, improving coverage across the Louisville region and adjacent parts of Kentucky and Indiana. WHAS-TV's network identity changed in 1961 when WLKY-TV began broadcasting and took Louisville's ABC affiliation. WHAS-TV then became an exclusive CBS affiliate. For nearly three decades, the station built its reputation under CBS while developing a strong local news operation. In the late 1970s it overtook WAVE-TV in local news ratings and became Louisville's leading news station. Its newspaper ownership contributed to an emphasis on reporting, field coverage, and public affairs. WHAS-TV was an early Kentucky television station to use newsreel film in gathering and presenting news. In 1986, after years of conflict within the Bingham family, the family's media empire was divided and sold. WHAS-TV went to the Providence Journal Company, while other family properties went to different buyers. The Journal Company later merged with Belo Corporation in 1997. The station's most consequential programming change came in 1990, when WHAS-TV and WLKY exchanged affiliations. WHAS-TV joined ABC on September 8, 1990, and has remained with that network. WLKY became the CBS affiliate. The switch reflected changes in the relative strength of the two networks and expectations about their Louisville ratings prospects. The station has continued to expand and adjust its local programming. Its weekday lifestyle program Great Day Live! debuted in 2011, replacing a long-running syndicated morning talk slot. WHAS-TV also produced a 10 p.m. newscast for WBKI-TV from 2006 until 2012 under a news-sharing arrangement. In 2009, it began presenting local newscasts in a 16:9 widescreen standard-definition format. In 2014, the station adopted Gannett's standardized graphics and music package following the company's operating involvement. WHAS-TV's public-service history includes the WHAS Crusade for Children, an annual telethon and associated fundraising effort benefiting children's charities throughout Kentucky and southern Indiana. Moral Side of the News, featuring an interfaith clergy panel, is another long-running local institution. The station has also played an important role in regional sports broadcasting. It carried Kentucky Derby coverage from 1950 through 1974, including a nationally distributed CBS presentation in 1952. It later carried selected horse-racing and college-sports programming, including ACC Network content between 2014 and 2019. In 2013, Gannett acquired Belo. Because Gannett owned The Courier-Journal, WHAS-TV was placed with Sander Media while Gannett operated it through a shared-services agreement. When Gannett separated its publishing operations from its broadcasting and digital-media assets in 2015, the broadcasting company became Tegna. The WHAS-TV license was subsequently transferred to Tegna's Belo Kentucky subsidiary. The station continues to operate as a full-service ABC affiliate with local news, weather, community programming, digital publishing, and regional sports content.
- 2024
Adds Indiana Fever regional telecasts
[1]WHAS-TV is selected to carry a package of Indiana Fever games in the Louisville and southern Indiana region.
- 2015
Tegna becomes broadcast owner
[1]Gannett separates its broadcasting and publishing businesses; the broadcast company becomes Tegna and receives the WHAS-TV license.
- 2013
Belo acquired by Gannett
[1]Gannett acquires Belo and begins operating WHAS-TV through a shared-services structure.
- 2011
Launches Great Day Live!
[1]The station introduces its weekday one-hour local talk and lifestyle program.
- 2009
Introduces widescreen newscasts
[1]The station begins producing local newscasts in 16:9 standard definition.
- 2006
Begins producing WBKI's 10 p.m. newscast
[1]WHAS-TV enters a news-sharing arrangement to produce a late newscast for WBKI-TV.
- 1997
Journal Company merges with Belo
[1]The Providence Journal Company, then the station's owner, becomes part of Belo Corporation.
- 1990
Returns to ABC
[1]WHAS-TV switches from CBS to ABC and becomes an exclusive ABC affiliate.
- 1986
Sold by the Bingham family
[1]WHAS-TV is sold to the Providence Journal Company as the Bingham media holdings are broken up.
- 1970
Bingham ownership receives cross-ownership protection
[1]The FCC grants the Bingham family a grandfathered waiver allowing it to retain its Louisville newspaper and broadcast holdings.
Products and positioning
A locally rooted, news-led ABC affiliate emphasizing regional journalism, weather information, community service, lifestyle content, and civic engagement.
Local television news
WHAS 11 News
WHAS-TV's principal local news service covers Louisville, Kentucky, southern Indiana, weather, public safety, politics, transportation, and regional events. The operation grew from the station's newspaper-connected origins and has historically been one of the strongest local news organizations in the Louisville market. Its branding has evolved from Action 11 News to Kentuckiana's News Channel and ultimately WHAS 11 News.
Local talk and lifestyle program · 2011
Great Day Live!
A weekday hour-long program combining interviews, local features, lifestyle coverage, and paid demonstration segments. The show debuted in September 2011 and occupies a morning timeslot on the station's schedule.
Community fundraising telethon
WHAS Crusade for Children
An annual fundraising campaign and televised event supporting children's charities across Kentucky and southern Indiana. The campaign includes events leading up to a telethon traditionally held during the first weekend of June and is among WHAS-TV's most prominent public-service initiatives.
Public affairs program
Moral Side of the News
A long-running local public-service program featuring an interfaith clergy panel discussing current events through ethical and religious perspectives. The panel also administers grants associated with the WHAS Crusade for Children.
Sports broadcasting · 1950
Kentucky Derby coverage
WHAS-TV originated local Kentucky Derby television coverage in 1950 and 1951 and produced a national CBS telecast in 1952. Through its CBS affiliation, the station continued carrying the Derby through 1974. Later network-rights changes ended its regular local Derby role.
Marketing campaigns
- WHAS Crusade for Children
Kentucky · Southern Indiana
Annual fundraising and community outreach campaign benefiting children's charities, supported by a televised telethon and related events.
Outcome. Established as a major recurring public-service institution associated with WHAS-TV.
Brand decisions
2015
Transfer to Tegna ownershipM&ABackground
Gannett separated its publishing operations from its broadcasting and digital-media businesses.
Action taken
The WHAS-TV license was transferred to Tegna's Belo Kentucky, Inc.
Aftermath
WHAS-TV continued operating as a Tegna-owned ABC affiliate.
2013
Restructuring following Belo acquisitionM&ABackground
Gannett's acquisition of Belo created an ownership overlap because Gannett also owned Louisville newspaper The Courier-Journal.
Action taken
WHAS-TV's license was placed with Sander Media while Gannett operated the station through a shared-services agreement.
Aftermath
The arrangement ended with the later transfer of the license to Tegna's Belo Kentucky subsidiary.
1990
Switch from CBS to ABCStrategyBackground
ABC sought a stronger Louisville affiliate while CBS was experiencing weaker national performance during the period.
Action taken
WHAS-TV exchanged affiliations with WLKY-TV and became an exclusive ABC affiliate.
Aftermath
WHAS-TV has remained affiliated with ABC, while WLKY became the Louisville CBS affiliate.
- WLKY-TV — WLKY-TV assumed the CBS affiliation and later strengthened its local news and market position.
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