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WAVE (TV)
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WAVE (TV)
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WAVE (channel 3) is a television station in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Gray Media. The station's studios are located on South Floyd Street in downtown Louisville, and its transmitter is located in Floyds Knobs, Indiana.

Key Information

History

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The station first signed on the air on November 24, 1948, originally broadcasting on VHF channel 5 with an effective radiated power of 24,100 watts.[4] WAVE was the first television station to sign on in the state of Kentucky, and the 41st to debut in the United States.[1]: 242 [5]

The station has been a primary NBC affiliate since its debut, owing to its sister radio station's longtime affiliation with the NBC Red Network; however, it also initially carried secondary affiliations with ABC, CBS and the DuMont Television Network. The national coaxial cable did not reach Louisville until 1950; prior to that, NBC programs were shown on film, as was national and foreign news.

On May 7, 1949, WAVE-TV became the first television station in the United States to present a live telecast of the Kentucky Derby. The station shipped a canned newsreel of the event to NBC to broadcast nationally. The telecast was the first use of a Zoomar Lens in a television sports broadcast. The lens was loaned to WAVE by inventor Frank Back. Not long after the Derby, WAVE acquired a Zoomar lens of its own, which was frequently loaned to the other stations owned by WAVE-TV.[6]

WAVE-TV lost CBS programming when WHAS-TV (channel 11, now an ABC affiliate) signed on in March 1950; it later lost DuMont when the network folded in August 1956. Channel 3 continued to share ABC programming with WHAS-TV until WLKY (channel 32) signed on as a full-time affiliate in September 1961. It has remained with NBC since then, and as such, WAVE is the only commercial television station in the Louisville market that has never changed its primary network affiliation.[7]

In 1953, WAVE-TV moved to VHF channel 3, due to signal interference issues with fellow NBC affiliate WLWT in Cincinnati. The move included a new, 100,000 watt transmitter and 600-foot (183 m) tower atop a 925-foot (282 m) (above sea level) knob above New Albany, Indiana.[5] This increased WAVE-TV's coverage by 66%. WAVE-TV made history again in 1954 as it became the first station in Louisville to broadcast programming in color; viewers were treated to a vivid image of the new NBC Peacock logo when it made its 1956 debut.[1]: 255 

During 1958–59, WAVE-TV produced in its studios educational programs for Jefferson County Schools—the forerunner of WFPK-TV (channel 15, now WKPC-TV). From 1954 to 1962, WAVE-TV also produced in its studio Tomorrow's Champions, a police-sponsored program for young amateur boxers. Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) got his start there.

WAVE's studios since 1959 on South Floyd Street in downtown Louisville, banners on light poles in front of the building feature the station's current logo.

In July 1959, having long since outgrown its original studio facility on East Broadway (which now houses the Louisville offices for Metro United Way), WAVE-TV moved into its current downtown facility at 725 South Floyd Street.[1]: 283  The new, specially designed building was dedicated with a commissioned opera, Beatrice, by Lee Hoiby. George Norton's wife, Jane Morton Norton, an accomplished artist herself, also commissioned original paintings for the building and statues for the adjacent WAVE Garden. The Garden, facing on Broadway, is a small park with water and greenery, now dedicated to the late George Norton.[1]: 283  Three years later, in 1962, channel 3 became the first station in the region to transmit live, locally produced programming in color. By 1966, it was the only Kentucky station that processed its own news footage on color film and, in 1969, WAVE-TV became the first station in the market to employ a certified television meteorologist (Tom Wills) and operate its own weather-forecasting system.

The station notably refers to its coverage area as "WAVE Country", echoing a popular jingle and image campaign that the station introduced in the early 1970s. In fact, that very jingle served as the image campaign of the Al Ham-composed news music package "Home Country".

On January 18, 2022, WAVE-TV reintroduced a logo inspired by the station's 1960s logo (which has remained on the station's studio building since its opening and been restored in subsequent remodels), consisting of its call letters in a circle broken by a curved sine wave, which became the station's signature logo motif. It also dropped mention of channel 3 in most of its branding.

Ownership

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WAVE-TV was founded and owned by George W. Norton Jr., a lawyer and financier who had also put WAVE radio (970 AM, now WGTK) on the air in 1933. Over the years, the Nortons acquired three other television stations and two other radio stations. They purchased WFIE-TV (Evansville, Indiana) in 1956; WFRV-TV (Green Bay, Wisconsin) and semi-satellite WJMN-TV (Marquette, Michigan) in 1961; and WMT-AM-FM-TV (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) in 1968, all of which shared a common logotype style. Following the last acquisition, the Norton holdings became known as Orion Broadcasting, "after a prominent and brilliant constellation". With WAVE-TV-AM serving as the flagship station, Orion greatly expanded its news, weather, editorials, agricultural programs, and documentaries. News bureaus were set up in Frankfort, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C. As a result, WAVE-TV-AM won a number of national awards, including a Peabody in 1978.[8]

Orion merged with Liberty Corporation in 1981. WAVE-TV then became part of Liberty's broadcast arm, Cosmos Broadcasting. WAVE radio was then sold off; the WAVE cluster had been grandfathered when the FCC banned common ownership of radio and television stations in the same market in the 1960s, but lost its grandfathered protection with the Liberty merger. As the radio station promptly changed its call sign to WAVG, Cosmos dropped the "-TV" suffix from the WAVE callsign in 1987. In 1991, the station began transmitting its signal from a new broadcast tower in Oldham County; the 1,739 feet (530 m) transmitter tower (which is 70% taller than most television broadcast towers), which is the tallest structure in the state, cost $5 million to build and helped to improve WAVE's signal coverage. When the Liberty Corporation exited the insurance industry in 2000, WAVE came directly under the Liberty banner; in August 2005, Liberty announced that it would merge with Montgomery, Alabama–based Raycom Media; the sale was finalized on January 31, 2006. This brought it a new sister station nearby in the Cincinnati market to the north, Fox affiliate WXIX-TV.

Sale to Gray Television

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On June 25, 2018, Atlanta-based Gray Television announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets (consisting of Raycom's 63 existing owned-and/or-operated television stations, including WAVE, and Gray's 93 television stations) under Gray's corporate umbrella. The cash-and-stock merger transaction valued at $3.6 billion – in which Gray shareholders would acquire preferred stock currently held by Raycom – resulted in WAVE gaining new sister stations in nearby markets, including CBS affiliate WKYT-TV in Lexington (and its semi-satellite WYMT-TV in Hazard) and ABC/Fox affiliate WBKO in Bowling Green, in addition to its current Raycom sister stations.[9][10][11][12] The sale was approved on December 20,[13] and was completed on January 2, 2019.[14][15]

With the acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media division (including WSMV-TV in Nashville) on December 1, 2021, Gray now owns stations in every market in or surrounding Kentucky.

Programming

[edit]

News operation

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WAVE presently broadcasts 53+1⁄2 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with nine hours each weekday, four hours on Saturdays and 4+1⁄2 hours on Sundays); in addition, the station produces two live call-in discussion programs each weekday, Listens Live at 12:30 p.m. (following WAVE News at Noon) and WAVE Country with Dawne Gee at 2 p.m. (before InvestigateTV+ at 2:30 p.m.).

In the early days, both WAVE television and radio news was done live with Livingston Gilbert; he anchored for 39 years until his 1980 retirement.[1]: 285 

Channel 3 was the ratings leader in the Louisville market for over 20 years, before WHAS-TV overtook it at #1 in the 1970s. The station has spent most of the last four decades as runner-up to WHAS-TV, though in recent years it has had to fend off a spirited challenge from WLKY. Louisville is also one of the few markets in the country where all four of the major network-affiliated stations have roughly equal ratings in recent years, although WLKY pulled ahead of WAVE, WHAS-TV and Fox affiliate WDRB (channel 41) during the May 2011 Nielsen ratings period.

On July 9, 1990, WAVE debuted the first 5 p.m. newscast in the Louisville market; titled FirstNews, it was anchored by veteran broadcaster Jackie Hays, who went on to become the longest-serving female anchor in the station's history (before WAVE, Hays anchored at then-NBC affiliate KYW-TV in Philadelphia; that station is currently a CBS O&O). Hays and co-anchor Don Schroeder were voted "Best TV News Anchor Team" and the station itself was chosen as "Best Source for Local News" by readers of Louisville Magazine. Jackie Hays retired from WAVE in 2009 and was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2011. Former chief meteorologist Tom Wills holds the record as the station's longest-tenured on-air personality, having been with WAVE from 1969 until his retirement in July 2009; Wills stated that he would serve as a fill-in whenever one of the station's meteorologists was on vacation, and announced that he was considering a return to the University of Louisville to teach meteorology as he did for several years. The station celebrated his 40-year tenure with the station during a special two-hour edition of WAVE 3 Listens Live, in which Wills's family and co-workers appeared as guests.

Meteorologist John Belski, who left channel 3 in September 2010 (he now works as a severe weather specialist for WLKY), received numerous awards during his 20+ years at WAVE, including being named "Best Of Louisville" by the readers of Louisville Magazine for a number of years and was named "Best of Kentucky" by the readers of Kentucky Monthly magazine, as well as receiving the LEO's Readers' Choice Award and a "Best of the Best" award from Louisville Magazine (which is given to people and organizations that have won the "Best of Louisville" award more than 10 times). Belski anchored severe weather coverage that earned him and the station several Emmy Awards; he was also presented the prestigious Mark Trail Award for bringing public awareness to weather radios as a lifeline during severe weather, which was presented to Belski on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Sports director Kent Taylor was voted "Kentucky TV Sportscaster of the Year" by the Associated Press in 2008, 2009 and 2012.

WAVE introduced an updated version of its classic 1962–1970 sine wave-inspired logo on the front of its studios in the run-up to the television station's 75th anniversary in 2023.

On June 30, 2008, WAVE became the first television station in the Louisville market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition. WAVE is the only one of two stations that broadcast at least some portion of their newscasts in HD; footage shot in-studio is broadcast in high definition, while all news video from on-remote locations is broadcast in standard definition.

In March 2011, WAVE and WHAS-TV began sharing a news helicopter supplied by St. Louis-based Helicopters Inc., through a Local News Service agreement, allowing the two stations to share news video, especially during breaking news events, while also partitioning time for individual use of the chopper. The starboard side of the copter displays a "Sky 11" decal (referencing WHAS-TV), while the port side carries the "Air 3" logo (referencing WAVE).[16]

Following a disappointing November 2011 sweeps period,[citation needed] WAVE moved its midday newscast from noon to 11 a.m. in January 2012. With the change, WAVE is the only station in the market whose midday newscast airs in the 11 a.m. timeslot (however, WDRB has carried a newscast at 11:30 a.m. since 1999). The midday newscast was rebroadcast at 1 p.m. on independent station WBNA (channel 21). In 2013, WAVE began airing rebroadcasts of its 7 and 7:30 p.m. newscasts on its Bounce TV-affiliated third digital subchannel at 8 p.m. In 2016, the 7 and 7:30 p.m. newscasts began simulcasting live on Bounce 3.2.

The station added a half-hour 3 p.m. newscast on January 28, 2019; it expanded to a full hour on September 9. On April 24, 2020, WAVE added an additional hour of news each weekday at 4 p.m.

Notable former on-air staff

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Sports programming

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During the 1990s and 2000s, WAVE carried Southeastern Conference football and basketball through Jefferson-Pilot Sports (later Lincoln Financial Sports) which merged into Raycom Sports in 2007–08, although some football games were aired on WBKI-TV or WFTE (now WBKI). This ended in 2009 when Raycom Sports, coincidentally a subsidiary of WAVE's current owner, lost the rights to ESPN Regional Television at the end of the 2008–09 basketball season. The SEC syndication package by ESPN Plus ended up with WBNA throughout the 2009–2014 existence of the syndicated SEC Network (later SEC TV).

In 2014, after the University of Louisville joined the Atlantic Coast Conference, WAVE and WHAS-TV began sharing Raycom Sports' ACC Network package until its discontinuation in 2019.[17]

As the network's affiliate for the region, WAVE serves as the de facto flagship station for NBC Sports' coverage of the Kentucky Derby; in 1949, WAVE was the first broadcaster to ever produce television coverage of the race.[6] Presently, WAVE carries locally produced coverage of Kentucky Oaks day; most races (aside from early races that are shared with FanDuel TV) are carried on a tape delay, as NBC holds exclusive rights to televise them live on USA Network and streaming on Peacock.[18][19][20][21] In 2026, the Kentucky Oaks proper will be broadcast in prime time by NBC nationally.[22]

In 2025, as part of a groupwide deal with Gray, WAVE began simulcasting select Cincinnati Reds baseball games from FanDuel Sports Network Ohio; the opening game aired on the station's main NBC channel, with the remaining contests being shown primarily on its Bounce subchannel.[23][24]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

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The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WAVE[25]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
3.1 1080i 16:9 WAVE HD NBC
3.2 480i Bounce Bounce TV
3.3 The365 The365
3.4 Grit Grit
58.1 720p 16:9 WBKI-CW The CW (WBKI)
58.2 480i COZI Cozi TV (WBKI)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

WAVE-DT2 carried This TV programming from 2008 until 2014, when it was replaced by Bounce TV, with This moving to WKYI-CD. Bounce TV was carried on WAVE-DT3 (channel 3.3) until it was moved up to channel 3.2 to make way for the Grit TV network in late 2014.

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WAVE ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 3, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 47, using virtual channel 3.[26]

Out-of-market coverage

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WAVE is available on cable providers in the eastern portion of the Evansville market (in Dubois and Perry counties), the southern portion of the Indianapolis (in Lawrence County) and Cincinnati (in Ripley and Switzerland counties in Indiana, and Owen County in Kentucky) markets, the northern portion of the small Bowling Green market (in Hart County), and on cable providers in the westernmost portion of the Lexington market (in Anderson County). WAVE had been carried on Frankfort Plant Board's cable system in Frankfort, which is part of the Lexington market; cable providers in Frankfort have carried stations from both Lexington and Louisville for decades. On December 20, 2017, the Frankfort Plant Board announced that it would drop WAVE and competitor WHAS on January 1, 2018, in order to curb rising retransmission consent costs that were being passed on to its customers.[27] While they announced the continued carriage of WHAS[28] on December 29, 2017; WAVE was still dropped on January 1. On December 28, 2020, the FPB Board of Directors voted to approve a retransmission consent agreement with Gray Television negotiated by the National Cable Television Cooperative for WAVE and in-market CBS affiliate WKYT, bringing the NBC affiliate back starting in January 2021.[29] After the three-year hiatus, WAVE officially returned to its former channel slots on 3 and 503 on January 12, 2021. FPB also began carrying Grit from WAVE-DT4 on channel 98 following the discontinuation of the network on in-market ABC affiliate WTVQ-DT's seventh subchannel. The latter practice ended when in-market NBC affiliate WLEX-TV replaced their MeTV affiliation with Grit in September 2022.

WAVE was also available to all customers of the cable system of Glasgow, Kentucky-based South Central Rural Telephone Cooperative (SCRTC), which serve Barren, Hart, and Metcalfe counties in the Bowling Green media market, Green and Larue counties (within the Louisville market), as well as Monroe County, which is in the Nashville media market.[30] WAVE and WHAS were dropped in January 2018 from the SCRTC's systems in Barren, Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe Counties due to local NBC affiliate WNKY (and in Monroe County's case, WSMV-TV) claiming market exclusivity.[31] WAVE's Bounce TV subchannel was replaced with that of WCZU-LD.

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WAVE (TV)

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from Grokipedia
WAVE (channel 3) is a licensed to , , serving as the affiliate for the Louisville media market, which includes . The station is owned by Gray Media, and maintains studios on South Floyd Street in , with its transmitter located in . Founded by lawyer and financier George W. Norton Jr.—who earlier established WAVE radio in 1933—WAVE signed on the air on November 24, 1948, as Kentucky's first and the 41st in , initially broadcasting on VHF channel 5 with 24,100 watts of power. An affiliate from its inception due to the radio station's prior ties to the NBC Red Network, WAVE switched to channel 3 in 1953, increasing its power to 100,000 watts and coverage area by 66 percent via a new 600-foot tower. Key early milestones include broadcasting the first live University of Kentucky football game in 1953 and transmitting the first signal in and on July 8, 1954. Ownership transitioned after Norton's death in 1964, when the station became part of Orion Broadcasting in 1968, followed by sales to Cosmos Broadcasting (a subsidiary of the Liberty Corporation) in for $110 million, Raycom Media in 2006, and finally Gray Media in 2019 through a merger. WAVE has long emphasized , , and programming under the WAVE 3 News banner, earning distinctions such as the 1978 Peabody Award for investigative reporting and recognition for its first certified television in Louisville in 1969. Today, it operates additional subchannels featuring networks like , The365, and Grit, while maintaining a strong digital presence through its website and for coverage across the region.

History

Launch and Early Operations

WAVE-TV signed on the air for the first time on , 1948, as Kentucky's inaugural and the 41st in the nation, founded by Louisville attorney and financier George W. Norton Jr., who had previously established WAVE radio in 1933. The station initially broadcast on VHF channel 5 from studios on the fifteenth floor of the Brown Hotel in , with an of 24,100 watts from a transmitter and 239-foot tower on the hotel's roof. From its debut, WAVE-TV operated as a primary affiliate of the NBC television network, a relationship it has maintained continuously since launch. Early programming consisted of a mix of network content, local productions, and limited live events, reflecting the nascent state of television broadcasting in the region. In 1949, the station achieved a notable milestone by providing the first live telecast of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, transmitting the event from Churchill Downs using mobile equipment and shipping a kinescope recording to NBC for national rebroadcast later that day. In response to the Federal Communications Commission's 1952 channel reallocation aimed at reducing interference and optimizing VHF assignments, WAVE-TV shifted its operations to VHF channel 3 in May 1953. This move addressed signal overlap issues with Cincinnati's affiliate on channel 5 and involved upgrading to a new 600-foot tower at Bald Knob in , increasing power to 100,000 watts to expand coverage across and . In 1953, shortly after the channel shift, WAVE-TV broadcast the first live football game. The transition marked the end of the station's initial setup phase, solidifying its role as a foundational broadcaster in the Louisville market during the early 1950s.

Key Milestones and Innovations

WAVE-TV pioneered color broadcasting in the Louisville area, beginning with network color transmissions from on July 8, 1954, marking the first such broadcasts seen in and . This initial adoption allowed viewers access to national programming in color, aligning with 's early color initiatives. By August 15, 1962, the station advanced further as the first in to transmit local live color programming, enhancing the visual quality of homegrown content and setting a standard for regional television production. In 1966, WAVE-TV became the first station to process its own news film in color, streamlining in-house production and reducing reliance on external labs. In July 1959, WAVE-TV relocated to a state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot facility at 725 South Floyd Street in , consolidating radio and television operations in a purpose-built structure designed for expanded broadcasting needs. This move supported growing technical demands, including the integration of advanced equipment for both audio and . The new studios facilitated innovations in gathering, such as the adoption of for coverage during the 1960s, which replaced slower film-based methods and enabled faster turnaround for timely reporting. The 1970s saw significant expansion of WAVE-TV's news team, building on 1968 enhancements that included bureaus in Frankfort, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C., to bolster investigative and political coverage. This growth allowed for more robust reporting resources amid increasing demand for local journalism. A notable demonstration of these capabilities occurred during the April 3, 1974, Super Outbreak tornadoes, when the station deployed its first traffic helicopter for aerial coverage of the devastation in metro Louisville, providing unprecedented real-time visuals of the widespread destruction that affected the region.

Ownership

Founders and Initial Ownership

George W. Norton Jr., a prominent Louisville attorney and financier, founded WAVE-TV as Kentucky's first , signing it on the air on November 24, 1948. As the station's initial owner and president, Norton oversaw its early development from studios on South Floyd Street, building on his prior establishment of WAVE radio (now WGTK) in 1933. He guided operations through the postwar expansion of broadcasting, emphasizing local programming and affiliation, until his death in 1964 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Initial ownership of WAVE-TV rested with WAVE, Incorporated, a family-controlled entity under the Norton family, which maintained tight oversight of both the television and radio properties. This structure reflected the Nortons' deep roots in Louisville media, with George W. Norton Jr. leveraging his financial expertise to fund the venture through local resources rather than external conglomerates. After Norton's death, his wife Jane M. Norton became president in May 1964, guiding the company through its reorganization. In the mid-20th century, WAVE-TV operated in close alignment with its sister WAVE radio station under unified Norton family ownership, sharing resources and facilities to support early television growth in the region. This integration persisted beyond the , with the radio and TV arms remaining linked until their separation in 1982 amid broader corporate changes. The Norton holdings, including WAVE, were reorganized as Orion Broadcasting Corporation in 1968, marking a formalization of the family's expanding media portfolio while preserving local control.

Acquisitions and Sales

In 1981, WAVE-TV was acquired by Liberty Corporation through its subsidiary Cosmos Broadcasting as part of a merger with Orion Broadcasting, in a transaction valued at $110 million for Orion's group of stations. This ownership shift marked the beginning of a period of regional expansion for the station under Liberty's management, as Cosmos Broadcasting grew its portfolio by integrating WAVE-TV into a broader network of affiliates across the Southeast and Midwest, enhancing operational synergies and content distribution capabilities. Liberty Corporation retained ownership of WAVE-TV until 2005, when it agreed to merge with in a deal valued at $987 million, which closed in early and transferred control of Liberty's 15 television stations, including WAVE-TV, to Raycom. This acquisition occurred amid widespread industry consolidation in the mid-2000s, as broadcasters sought through mergers to compete with emerging platforms; under Raycom, WAVE-TV benefited from expanded resources for news production and syndication, contributing to Raycom's growth to over 60 stations nationwide. In June 2018, Gray Television announced its acquisition of Raycom Media in a $3.65 billion transaction, which included WAVE-TV among Raycom's assets; the deal received FCC approval on December 20, 2018, following required divestitures to address antitrust concerns, and closed on January 2, 2019. The integration under Gray emphasized operational efficiencies, including shared services agreements with other Gray-owned stations for back-office functions like accounting and technical support, which streamlined costs while maintaining local programming focus at WAVE-TV.

Programming

News Operation

WAVE's news operation delivers extensive local coverage, producing over 50 hours of news programming each week across multiple daily time slots on its main channel and digital platforms. This includes early morning broadcasts like WAVE News Sunrise, airing from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays, and midday editions such as WAVE News Midday at 11 a.m., alongside afternoon, evening, and late-night newscasts that provide updates on breaking stories, community issues, and regional events. The team emphasizes advanced reporting through the WAVE Storm Tracking Team, which utilizes high-resolution for precise forecasting and alerts, supporting live coverage during storms affecting the Louisville area. forms a core focus, with the dedicated Troubleshooters unit uncovering issues like government accountability, public concerns, and consumer protections through in-depth reporting and undercover investigations. Key on-air personalities include anchor Shannon Cogan, a multiple Emmy Award winner who co-anchors WAVE News Sunrise and WAVE News Midday since joining the station in 2013. The meteorology staff features experts such as Tawana Andrew, who handles morning forecasts and has pursued advanced weather studies; Ryan Hoke, a Louisville native delivering evening predictions; and Brian Goode, focusing on midday and afternoon weather segments. WAVE's news programming has earned recognition for excellence, including seven Ohio Valley Emmy Awards in 2024 for categories such as anchor-news, reporter-news, and overall news coverage, with additional wins in 2025 for investigative and spot news reporting. The operation has maintained strong performance in key demographics, contributing to its status as a leading provider in the market.

Sports Coverage

WAVE has provided extensive coverage of the since its inception as Kentucky's first , including the historic first of the race on May 7, 1949. This milestone broadcast marked the debut of the Derby on television in the United States, originating from and reaching local viewers via WAVE's signal. The station continues its long-standing tradition of comprehensive Derby programming, featuring pre-race analysis, live updates, and post-event recaps, often in partnership with as the local affiliate. In addition to the Derby, WAVE maintains a dedicated partnership with the Cardinals, offering in-depth coverage of their football and basketball programs through telecasts of select games, coaches' shows, and exclusive interviews. This collaboration, which includes airing multiple contests via regional sports packages, underscores WAVE's role in delivering local collegiate athletics to audiences. Recent examples include one-on-one sessions with head coaches like for the men's basketball team, highlighting key storylines and season previews. Expanding its regional sports portfolio in 2025, WAVE secured rights to broadcast games, starting with the season opener on March 27 and including nine additional contests primarily on its subchannel (3.3), with flexibility to shift select games to the main channel. This addition enhances access for and viewers within the Reds' regional territory. WAVE's sports desk, led by sports director Kendrick Haskins and weekend anchor , produces signature segments like "Sports Overtime," a weekly highlight show that recaps games, player performances, and playoff developments. These segments integrate local team coverage with broader sports news, maintaining WAVE's commitment to community athletics.

Network and Syndicated Content

WAVE has served as the primary affiliate for the , market since its launch on November 24, 1948, making it one of the network's longest-standing affiliates. In this capacity, the station carries the full complement of 's national programming, encompassing primetime scripted series and reality competitions, daytime talk and lifestyle shows, and late-night variety and comedy programs. Representative examples include "Today" for morning audiences, evening newscasts like "," primetime staples such as "" franchises and "The Voice," and late-night offerings like "The Tonight Show Starring " and "." This affiliation ensures comprehensive coverage of 's schedule, which emphasizes a mix of entertainment, news, and specials tailored to broad national appeal. Unlike many affiliates, WAVE does not air syndicated programming, instead prioritizing NBC network content and extended local productions to fill its schedule. This approach allows for a streamlined focus on network feeds during key dayparts, with minimal off-network reruns or independent talk and court shows common at other stations. On weekends, WAVE broadcasts NBC's dedicated blocks, including family-oriented animations on Saturday mornings (when applicable), sports events like NFL games through , and variety programs such as "." Special events tied to the network, including major awards shows, holiday specials, and live broadcasts like the Olympics or , are also carried in full, enhancing the station's role in delivering national programming to the region. To reinforce its NBC alignment, WAVE reintroduced an updated version of its iconic 1960s logo on January 18, 2022, featuring a stylized element that echoes the station's call letters while integrating modern branding cues. This redesign celebrates the station's heritage as an outlet and supports consistent visual identity across network promotions and on-air graphics.

Technical Information

Subchannels and Digital Services

WAVE's primary , 3.1, broadcasts network programming in high definition, serving as the station's main service since its affiliation began in 1948. The station's digital multicast offerings expanded following the nationwide analog-to-digital transition on June 12, 2009, when WAVE ceased analog broadcasts and fully transitioned to digital on physical channel 47 (later repacked to 36 in 2020). This shift enabled the of multiple subchannels within the standard 6 MHz ATSC 1.0 bandwidth of approximately 19.39 Mbps, with the primary channel allocated for HD content and secondary channels typically in standard definition to optimize signal quality and coverage. Subchannel 3.2 airs , a digital multicast network launched nationally in 2011 and added to WAVE in early 2015, featuring classic sitcoms, dramas, and movies targeted toward African American audiences. On 3.3, The365 (stylized as 365BLK) provides lifestyle and entertainment programming focused on , including films, series, and original content; it launched on this subchannel on January 1, 2024, replacing . Subchannel 3.4 carries Grit, a network specializing in action-oriented movies, Westerns, and series, which WAVE added in January 2015 to appeal to viewers interested in rugged, heroic storytelling. WAVE also multiplexes subchannels for WBKI: 3.5 (virtual 58.1) airs affiliate WBKI, and 3.6 (virtual 58.2) airs . These subchannels are accessible over-the-air via digital antennas within the station's coverage area, as well as through most cable, , and streaming providers in the Louisville market, with varying channel positions depending on the service. In 2022, WAVE also introduced (NextGen TV) compatibility on its primary channel, enhancing interactive features and video quality while maintaining for existing digital tuners.

Analog-to-Digital Transition

WAVE began its digital broadcasting efforts with initial testing on UHF channel 47 in January 2002, allowing the station to experiment with digital signal transmission ahead of the broader industry shift. This early testing aligned with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements for full-power television stations to construct and operate digital facilities by May 1, 2003, as part of the national plan to allocate spectrum for digital TV. The FCC mandated a nationwide full-power transition from analog to digital broadcasting, culminating on June 12, 2009, to free up spectrum for public safety communications and advanced wireless services. WAVE complied with this directive, maintaining its analog signal on VHF channel 3 while progressively building out its digital infrastructure on channel 47, which it had selected during the FCC's initial channel election process in 2000. On June 12, 2009, at 11:00 a.m., WAVE ceased regular programming on its over VHF channel 3, marking the end of over 60 years of analog broadcasting in the Louisville market. This shutdown required local viewers relying on over-the-air antennas with older analog televisions to obtain digital converter boxes or upgrade to digital-capable sets to continue receiving WAVE's signal, a change that affected thousands in the region and prompted reports of initial access issues. To prepare the community, WAVE conducted viewer education efforts, including on-air explanations and website resources detailing the benefits of digital TV and transition steps. Following the transition, the station expanded its offerings with additional subchannels on its digital signal.

Transmitter and Signal Details

WAVE-TV transmits its digital signal from a tower in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, at coordinates 38°22′8″N 85°49′48″W, utilizing UHF channel 36 with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 890 kW horizontally and 267 kW vertically. The station employs a directional antenna, the Dielectric TUM30-AP-S4-14/56H-R-2-T model, mounted at a height of 927 feet above ground level (AGL) and 1,910 feet above mean sea level (AMSL), resulting in a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 1,282 feet (391 meters). This configuration yields a primary coverage contour extending approximately 62 miles from the transmitter site, encompassing the Louisville metropolitan area and surrounding regions in Kentucky and Indiana. The station's studio facilities are situated at 725 South Floyd Street in , , serving as the hub for news production, programming, and operations. These facilities underwent significant upgrades in 2008 to support high-definition (HD) news production, including the installation of a Snell & Wilcox production switcher to facilitate HD workflows across broadcasts. More recently, in 2024, enhancements integrated NextGen TV () capabilities, enabling advanced features such as HDR with and immersive audio for all programming. Under (FCC) regulations, WAVE-TV holds facility identification number 13989 and is licensed to Gray Television Licensee, LLC. The call sign WAVE originated with the station's radio counterpart in 1933 and was adopted for television upon its sign-on in 1948; it was temporarily changed to WAVG from 1983 to 1988 during a period of ownership transition before reverting to WAVE. The station's digital facility was authorized following the FCC's DTV transition, which WAVE completed on June 12, 2009.

Broadcast Reach

Primary Service Area

WAVE-TV operates as the primary NBC affiliate for the Louisville Designated Market Area (DMA), which ranks 49th among U.S. television markets and encompasses approximately 724,710 television households (2025-2026 season) in the Louisville metropolitan region. This market serves as the core viewing area for the station, providing comprehensive local and network programming to residents across urban and suburban communities centered on Louisville, Kentucky. The primary service area includes —the most populous county in the state with approximately 794,000 residents (2024 estimate)—as well as 29 surrounding counties spanning and . Key areas covered encompass Bullitt, Hardin, Oldham, and Shelby counties in , and Clark, Floyd, Harrison, and Scott counties in , forming a cross-state footprint that reflects the Ohio River's role in regional connectivity. WAVE's over-the-air signal reaches these locations effectively, with its digital transmission on UHF channel 36 providing high-definition coverage within a 61.8-mile radius from its transmitter site. As the longstanding NBC affiliate since its sign-on in 1948, WAVE holds a dominant position in the market, delivering network content alongside and tailored to the area's needs. The station integrates seamlessly with local multichannel video programming distributors, including cable systems like Charter Spectrum and satellite providers such as and , where it is carried on its 3 in compliance with FCC regulations. This accessibility ensures broad reach within the DMA, supporting WAVE's role in serving diverse demographics from urban professionals in Jefferson County to rural households in outlying counties. The Louisville DMA's evolution as a is closely linked to the region's 20th-century , which surged during the post-World War II era due to industrial expansion in and , drawing migrants.

Out-of-Market Extensions

WAVE's over-the-air signal extends beyond the Louisville designated market area (DMA) due to its 890 kW and transmitter location in , enabling reception in portions of southeastern Illinois and northern Tennessee through signal propagation. These fringe areas benefit from the station's and of 391 meters, though reception quality can vary based on terrain and distance. In adjacent southern Indiana counties such as and Floyd, which fall within the primary Louisville DMA serving about 1.9 million viewers, WAVE is widely available via cable providers including , where it airs on channel 6 in areas like Jeffersonville. Satellite subscribers in these regions can access WAVE on (channel 9097) and as a local affiliate. Further extensions occur in outlying areas like Dubois and counties in the Evansville DMA, where over-the-air spillover provides access despite the stations not being standard locals. During major events such as the , national coverage—including the 2025 broadcast—complements local WAVE programming, broadening reach for out-of-market audiences via satellite and cable retransmissions. Post-2009 digital transition, some fringe viewers in extended areas experienced reception challenges, often requiring upgraded antennas or repositioning to mitigate signal loss compared to analog broadcasting.

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