WVAH-TV

WVAH-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, and serving the Charleston–Huntington designated market area, which extends across much of central West Virginia and reaches portions of eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and is associated with Cunningham Broadcasting, while its operations are managed alongside Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned WCHS-TV. The two stations share facilities on Piedmont Road in Charleston, and WVAH’s transmitter is located on Coal Mountain south of Scott Depot. The station began broadcasting on September 19, 1982, as an independent station on analog UHF channel 23. Its launch included an Elvis Presley film marathon. WVAH was the first independent commercial station in West Virginia and the first new commercial station in the Charleston–Huntington market since 1955. It was established by Meridian Communications, a Pittsburgh-based company that obtained the license after West Virginia Public Broadcasting withdrew its competing application. The original studios were in Teays Valley, between Charleston and Huntington. WVAH became a charter Fox affiliate in October 1986. Act III Broadcasting acquired the station in 1987 and soon pursued a channel change because the rugged terrain of the market made UHF reception difficult, particularly in areas where cable service was limited. On April 11, 1988, WVAH moved from channel 23 to VHF channel 11. The change was historically notable because the station became the first U.S. television station to cease analog transmission on a UHF channel and resume service on a VHF channel. Signal-protection requirements affecting nearby stations limited coverage in parts of the market, but the move improved reception in many other areas. Ownership and operating arrangements changed repeatedly during the 1990s and early 2000s. Act III merged with Abry Broadcast Partners in 1995, and the resulting stations were placed under Sullivan Broadcasting. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Sullivan in 1998. Because federal ownership rules then restricted common ownership of certain stations in the same market, WVAH was transferred to Glencairn, Ltd., a company closely connected to Sinclair’s ownership interests. Glencairn later became Cunningham Broadcasting after a proposed Sinclair acquisition was not approved by the Federal Communications Commission. Sinclair continued to operate WVAH through a local marketing arrangement, and the station’s programming and production functions were progressively integrated with WCHS-TV. WVAH carried Fox programming for more than three decades. During that period, WCHS produced local news for the station, including morning, early-evening, and late-evening broadcasts branded for Fox 11. The station also carried a limited UPN schedule overnight beginning in 1995, but discontinued that affiliation around 2000. In 2006, WVAH and WCHS became involved in a retransmission-consent dispute with Suddenlink Communications involving proposed carriage fees. The disagreement temporarily resulted in removal of the stations from part of Suddenlink’s cable lineup before the companies reached an undisclosed agreement. WVAH and WCHS completed a transition to local high-definition newscasts in September 2012 after installing new master-control and studio systems. WVAH’s analog transmission ended in 2009 as part of the nationwide digital television transition, while its digital signal continued using virtual channel 11. On February 1, 2021, Sinclair moved the Fox affiliation from WVAH’s main signal to WCHS-TV’s digital subchannel 8.2, although the Fox service continued to be marketed as Fox 11. WVAH subsequently carried programming from Weigel Broadcasting’s Decades network, later known as Catchy Comedy, on its primary service. The station remains an active local broadcast outlet operated in conjunction with WCHS-TV.

WVAH-TV signed on September 19, 1982, on analog UHF channel 23. Meridian Communications founded the station after securing a commercial license for the Charleston–Huntington market. Its opening programming was an Elvis Presley movie marathon. The station was the first independent commercial television outlet in West Virginia and the first new commercial station in the market since the mid-1950s. Its initial studios were located in Teays Valley, between Charleston and Huntington. WVAH joined Fox on October 9, 1986, becoming one of the network’s original affiliates. Act III Broadcasting bought the station in 1987 and sought a move to the VHF band because the market’s mountainous geography made UHF reception unreliable. The FCC approved the change, and WVAH began operating on VHF channel 11 on April 11, 1988. It was the first American station to sign off on a UHF channel and return on a VHF channel. Frequency-protection obligations involving stations in Pittsburgh and Johnson City restricted portions of WVAH’s over-the-air coverage. The station briefly carried UPN programming during overnight hours beginning in 1995. That arrangement ended in the early 2000s. Corporate ownership also evolved during this period. Act III became part of Abry Broadcast Partners, with the stations operating under Sullivan Broadcasting. Sinclair acquired Sullivan in 1998, but federal ownership rules prevented Sinclair from directly retaining both WVAH and WCHS in the same market. WVAH was therefore placed with Glencairn, Ltd., which was closely associated with Sinclair’s owners. Glencairn later changed its name to Cunningham Broadcasting after regulatory barriers prevented Sinclair from acquiring it outright. Sinclair continued to provide operational management through a local marketing agreement. A tower collapse in February 2003 caused WVAH to relocate its transmitter and most operating functions to WCHS’s Charleston facilities. The Teays Valley studios remained in use for several more years before most station operations were consolidated. WCHS produced WVAH’s local news, including morning programming, a 6:30 p.m. broadcast, and a 10 p.m. newscast during the station’s Fox years. In 2006, Sinclair and Suddenlink Communications disputed the terms for cable carriage of WVAH and WCHS. Sinclair sought a substantial one-time payment and recurring per-subscriber compensation. The stations were temporarily removed from part of Suddenlink’s system before the companies negotiated a settlement with undisclosed terms. WVAH and WCHS upgraded their technical facilities and launched high-definition local newscasts in September 2012. WVAH ended regular analog programming in February 2009 and retained its digital service using virtual channel 11. In 2021, Sinclair moved Fox programming to WCHS’s digital subchannel 8.2 as part of a broader effort to place network affiliations on stations directly owned by Sinclair rather than affiliated sidecar companies. WVAH’s main service then carried programming from Weigel Broadcasting’s Decades network, subsequently renamed Catchy Comedy. WVAH remains a broadcast station licensed to Charleston and operated in close conjunction with WCHS-TV.

• 2021

  Fox programming moves to WCHS subchannel

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming shifts to WCHS-TV’s digital channel 8.2, while WVAH begins carrying Decades programming.

• 2012

  Local news becomes high definition

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVAH and WCHS launch high-definition newscasts following technical and studio upgrades.

• 2009

  Digital television transition

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVAH ends regular analog broadcasting and continues digitally using virtual channel 11.

• 2003

  Facilities relocated after tower collapse

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A tower collapse leads WVAH to move its transmitter and most facilities to WCHS’s Charleston studios.

• 1998

  Sinclair acquires Sullivan Broadcasting

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair’s acquisition brings WVAH into a group operating relationship with WCHS-TV.

• 1995

  Adds limited UPN programming

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVAH begins carrying UPN programming overnight, later dropping the arrangement around 2000.

• 1988

  Moves to VHF channel 11

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes its analog channel assignment from UHF 23 to VHF 11 to address reception challenges caused by local terrain.

• 1986

  Joins Fox

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVAH becomes a charter Fox affiliate.

• 1982

  Launch on channel 23

  [1]WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WVAH-TV begins broadcasting as an independent station on analog UHF channel 23.

A locally focused broadcast television station serving the Charleston–Huntington market, with programming and operations closely coordinated with sister station WCHS-TV and Sinclair Broadcast Group.

• Broadcast television station · 1982

  WVAH-TV channel 11

  The station’s primary broadcast service, licensed to Charleston and serving viewers throughout the Charleston–Huntington market. Its virtual channel remains 11 despite the digital transmitter operating on a different physical channel.

• Local news programming

  Fox 11 local news

  A former WVAH programming package produced by sister station WCHS-TV. It included weekday morning coverage, a 6:30 p.m. newscast, and a nightly 10 p.m. broadcast during WVAH’s Fox affiliation.

• Multicast television · 2021

  Digital multicast programming

  After the Fox affiliation moved to WCHS-TV’s digital subchannel, WVAH’s programming identity shifted toward digital multicast network content, including programming from Decades, later known as Catchy Comedy.

• 2021

  Transfer of Fox affiliation to WCHS-TVStrategy

  Background

  Sinclair sought to consolidate network affiliations on stations it directly owned rather than on stations associated with sidecar companies.

  Action taken

  Fox programming moved from WVAH’s main signal to WCHS-TV’s digital subchannel 8.2, while the service continued to use Fox 11 marketing.

  Aftermath

  WVAH’s primary programming changed to digital multicast content, including Decades programming, while WCHS’s subchannel became the market’s Fox outlet.

  Source

• 1988

  Change from UHF channel 23 to VHF channel 11Other

  Background

  The station’s UHF signal had difficulty reaching viewers across a large, rugged market where cable penetration was incomplete.

  Action taken

  WVAH ceased analog transmission on channel 23 and resumed service on VHF channel 11, subject to interference-protection restrictions.

  Aftermath

  The move improved service in parts of the market and became a notable technical precedent in U.S. television broadcasting.

  Source

1. 1WVAH-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WVAH-TV official websitewvah.com