WLOV-TV
WLOV-TV is a television station licensed to West Point, Mississippi, serving the Columbus–Tupelo market as a CW+ affiliate.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WLOV-TV is a commercial television station licensed to West Point, Mississippi, and serving the Columbus–Tupelo television market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 27 and is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company. Since February 2024, it has operated as the market's CW+ affiliate after transferring its previous Fox affiliation to WCBI-DT2. WLOV and WCBI-TV operate under a shared-services agreement through which WCBI provides certain operational and news services to the station. The station began broadcasting on May 29, 1983, under the call sign WVSB-TV. Its launch was delayed from an intended May 1 start by equipment and weather problems. Originally owned by Venture Systems, the station became the Columbus–Tupelo market's third commercial television outlet and initially carried ABC programming on a full-time basis. Before WVSB-TV launched, NBC affiliate WTVA had carried selected ABC programs outside its primary network schedule. The station's arrival therefore helped complete the market's local access to the major commercial networks. As a UHF station competing with more established VHF outlets WTVA and WCBI-TV, WVSB faced an uphill commercial challenge. Love Communications acquired the station in 1991 and changed its call sign to WLOV-TV on September 9 of that year. In 1992, WLOV entered into a program-service arrangement with WTVA, an agreement that enabled WTVA to provide programming and operational support. The Federal Communications Commission later approved the relocation of WLOV's facilities from West Point to Tupelo. The station initially occupied space in the Tupelo Community Antenna building before becoming integrated into WTVA's facilities in Saltillo. Lingard Broadcasting Corporation purchased WLOV in 1994 and retained its relationship with WTVA. Around the same time, WLOV began carrying Fox programming on a secondary basis and eventually became a full-time Fox affiliate on October 10, 1995, dropping ABC. The station also carried UPN programming during part of the late 1990s. Its Fox affiliation gave viewers a local outlet for a network that had previously been received through imported signals from Memphis or Birmingham. WLOV entered the digital era with the launch of its digital signal on August 22, 2004. It upgraded to full-power high-definition transmission in April 2007 and introduced a second digital subchannel carrying This TV on April 1 of that year. In September 2012, MeTV was added to digital subchannel 27.2, while This TV moved to a third subchannel. The station also completed the federally mandated transition away from analog broadcasting, shutting down its analog channel 27 signal on February 17, 2009, while retaining digital channel 16 and virtual channel 27. Ownership changed again when Lingard Broadcasting agreed to sell WLOV to Tupelo Broadcasting in 2012; the transaction closed in 2013. Coastal Television Broadcasting Company announced its acquisition of WLOV in October 2014, and the deal closed on February 11, 2015. Although WLOV has remained separately owned from WTVA and WCBI, its programming and news operations have repeatedly been shaped by agreements with those stations. In 2024, the station's affiliation change from Fox to CW+ further altered its role in the market. WLOV continues to serve viewers through its broadcast signal, digital subchannels, network programming, and locally produced or supplied news content.
History
WLOV-TV began broadcasting on May 29, 1983, as WVSB-TV. Venture Systems established the station as the Columbus–Tupelo market's third commercial television station and initially operated it as a full ABC affiliate. The station's planned May 1 launch was postponed because of equipment and weather delays. Its debut expanded local full-time network service in a market where WTVA had previously carried selected ABC programs during periods when its NBC schedule permitted. The station's UHF status created an immediate competitive disadvantage against established VHF stations WTVA and WCBI-TV, whose ownership and financial resources were stronger. Love Communications acquired WVSB-TV in 1991 and changed its call sign to WLOV-TV on September 9. The station entered a program-service agreement with WTVA in May 1992. After FCC approval, WLOV moved its facilities from West Point to Tupelo, first using offices in the Tupelo Community Antenna building and later operating from WTVA's Saltillo studios. Lingard Broadcasting Corporation acquired WLOV in August 1994 and continued the WTVA relationship. During this period, WLOV added Fox programming as a secondary affiliation. On October 10, 1995, it ended ABC carriage and became a full Fox affiliate. The change gave the region a local Fox outlet after area cable systems had previously imported Fox stations from Memphis or Birmingham. WLOV also carried UPN programming on a secondary basis during the late 1990s; that arrangement ended when UPN moved to WCBI-DT2 in September 2002. WLOV launched its digital signal on UHF channel 16 on August 22, 2004. It reached full-power high-definition operation in April 2007 and launched a This TV digital subchannel on April 1 of that year. The station later added MeTV to channel 27.2 on September 1, 2012, following a market-wide realignment connected to the shutdown of WKDH and WTVA's reassignment of its second digital subchannel. This TV moved to a third digital subchannel. WLOV ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, retaining virtual channel 27 through its digital transmission. WLOV's news history has been closely tied to other market stations. In 1991, it carried Mississippi News Tonight, produced by Love Communications in conjunction with WDBD in Jackson. That operation ended after approximately eight months. For a short period, former staff produced a local newscast for WLOV before WTVA assumed news-production responsibilities in May 1992. WTVA launched a Sunday-through-Friday prime-time newscast for WLOV in March 2000, generally known as WLOV News at Nine. WTVA converted its local news operation to high definition in April 2009, and the WLOV newscast followed in June of that year. Lingard Broadcasting agreed to sell WLOV to Tupelo Broadcasting in December 2012, and the transaction closed in August 2013. Coastal Television Broadcasting Company announced its acquisition in October 2014, with completion on February 11, 2015. WTVA changed ownership separately in 2015, but the existing arrangements connected to WLOV continued. On February 1, 2024, WLOV announced that it would exchange affiliations with WCBI-DT2: Fox moved to WCBI-DT2 and WLOV became the CW+ affiliate. At the same time, WLOV entered a shared-services agreement with WCBI-TV for news provision. The station's studios are shared with WCBI in downtown Columbus, while its transmitter is located in Woodland, Mississippi.
- 2024
WLOV becomes a CW+ affiliate
[1]The station relinquishes Fox to WCBI-DT2 and assumes the CW+ affiliation, while beginning shared news services with WCBI-TV.
- 2015
Coastal Television ownership begins
[1]Coastal Television Broadcasting Company completes its acquisition of WLOV on February 11.
- 2013
Tupelo Broadcasting purchase closes
[1]The sale of WLOV from Lingard Broadcasting to Tupelo Broadcasting is completed.
- 2012
MeTV added to digital lineup
[1]MeTV launches on digital subchannel 27.2, with This TV moved to a third digital subchannel.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]WLOV shuts down its analog channel 27 signal and continues through its digital transmission on channel 16.
- 2007
High-definition transmission and This TV subchannel
[1]The station upgrades to full-power high-definition operation and launches a This TV digital subchannel.
- 2004
Digital signal launches
[1]WLOV's digital signal begins operation on UHF channel 16 on August 22.
- 1995
Full Fox affiliation begins
[1]WLOV drops ABC on October 10 and becomes a full-time Fox affiliate.
- 1992
WTVA program-service relationship begins
[1]WLOV enters a program-service agreement with WTVA and receives FCC approval to move its facilities to Tupelo.
- 1991
WLOV-TV call sign adopted
[1]Love Communications acquires the station and changes its call sign from WVSB-TV to WLOV-TV on September 9.
Products and positioning
A local over-the-air television station serving northeastern Mississippi and parts of western Alabama, positioned around network entertainment, local information, weather, advertising, and digital multicast distribution.
Network television affiliation · 2024
CW+ programming
WLOV-TV's current primary network offering is CW+, adopted in February 2024 after the Fox affiliation moved to WCBI-DT2. CW+ supplies network and syndicated programming for smaller television markets, giving WLOV a structured entertainment schedule alongside its local broadcast identity.
Local news · 2000
WLOV local news
WLOV has carried locally oriented news programming under arrangements with neighboring stations. WTVA produced the long-running WLOV News at Nine prime-time broadcast beginning in 2000. Since the 2024 affiliation change, WCBI-TV provides newscasts to WLOV through a shared-services agreement.
Digital television · 2007
Digital multicast services
WLOV has used its digital capacity for multicast networks, including This TV and MeTV. This TV was introduced in 2007, and MeTV was added in 2012 when the station reorganized its subchannel lineup.
Brand decisions
2024
Exchange of Fox and CW+ affiliationsStrategyBackground
WLOV and WCBI-DT2 reorganized their network affiliations in the Columbus–Tupelo market.
Action taken
Fox moved to WCBI-DT2, while WLOV assumed the CW+ affiliation and entered a shared-services agreement with WCBI-TV for newscasts.
Aftermath
WLOV's current identity shifted from a Fox outlet to a CW+ station supported by WCBI news services.
2012
Launch of MeTV digital subchannelProduct launchBackground
A market-wide network realignment followed the shutdown of WKDH and changes to WTVA's second digital subchannel.
Action taken
WLOV added MeTV to digital subchannel 27.2 and moved This TV to a third digital subchannel.
Aftermath
The station expanded its digital multicast offering while continuing its primary network service.
1995
Move from ABC to FoxStrategyBackground
WLOV had operated as a full ABC affiliate but faced competition from established local stations and imported Fox signals from outside the market.
Action taken
On October 10, WLOV ended ABC carriage and became a full-time Fox affiliate.
Aftermath
The station became the local Fox outlet for the Columbus–Tupelo area and retained that affiliation until February 2024.
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