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WDVM-TV (channel 25) is an independent television station licensed to Hagerstown, Maryland, United States, serving the Washington, D.C., television market. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside CW owned-and-operated station WDCW (channel 50). The two stations share studios on Wisconsin Avenue in the Glover Park section of Washington; WDVM-TV's transmitter is located on Blue Mountain, east of Front Royal, Virginia.

Key Information

History

[edit]

The station signed on the air as WHAG-TV on January 3, 1970. It was originally owned by Warren Adler along with WHAG radio in Halfway (AM 1410 and FM 96.7, now WDLD). WHAG-TV's original analog transmitter was to be on top of the Hagerstown Motor Inn (now the Alexander House) but was rejected due to structural incompatibility. A site on Fairview Mountain would become the location of the analog signal on UHF channel 25 on October 23, 1970. The station was an NBC affiliate; network anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley welcomed the station to the network during their newscast that night.[5]

Adler Communications sold WHAG-TV to Sheldon and Samuel Magazine of Washington, D.C., in 1973. The Magazine brothers then sold it to local aviation pioneer Richard Henson in 1977. Henson then sold the station to Great Trails Broadcasting in 1981. Great Trails then exited broadcasting and sold WHAG along with 2 of its stations—WFFT-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and KSVI in Billings, Montana, to Quorum Broadcasting in 1998, for $65 million.[5][6]

On September 8, 2003, Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced that it would acquire Quorum Broadcasting and its stations (including WHAG-TV) for $230 million.[7][8] The sale was completed on December 31, 2003.[9]

Loss of NBC affiliation

[edit]
Former logo as WHAG-TV

Prior to 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) used Arbitron's Area of Dominant Influence (ADI) system to assign television stations to a media market, principally to determine cable carriage rights and applicable regulations and fees. Arbitron placed WHAG-TV in its own 192nd-ranked ADI consisting solely of Washington County. After the passage of the 1992 Cable Act, which regulated cable carriage of broadcast stations, only cable systems in that county were required to carry WHAG-TV.[10][11] That year, Arbitron ceased publishing television ratings and the commission switched to Nielsen's designated market area (DMA) system for market assignments, which combined Hagerstown with the far larger Washington, D.C., area to create a top-ten market. The terms of the Act thus required all in-market cable systems which could receive WHAG-TV over-the-air at their headends to add it; since the Act allows them to decline to carry multiple affiliates of the same network, they also had the option of dropping Washington's WRC-TV. Despite this change, WHAG-TV never saw itself as a Washington-market station; it applied for and received exemptions from FCC rules applying to large-market stations, such as expanded public file requirements.[10] In practice it was only seen on cable west of the Blue Ridge, though Dish Network added it to its package of Washington-market local stations.[12]

However, the fact remained that WHAG-TV was now technically competing with network-owned WRC-TV. The Herald-Mail first reported that NBC was declining to renew its affiliation with WHAG on February 19, 2016, and a network spokesperson confirmed this with a terse, one-sentence email to the paper. The station ceased broadcasting network programming on July 1. Beginning in 2014, NBC revoked affiliations from several affiliates, including WHAG-TV, WMGM-TV (whose broadcast area was served by network-owned WCAU), and KENV-DT (whose broadcast area was served by KSL-TV), that functioned as secondary NBC stations serving outlying areas of their larger markets.[13] In addition to expanding local news, WHAG-TV also added programs from Heroes & Icons at the time.[14] The last NBC program to air on WHAG was Last Call with Carson Daly.

As WDVM-TV

[edit]
Former logo as WDVM-TV

On July 1, 2017, the station rebranded itself and adopted the call sign WDVM-TV. The change came after the station undertook the expansion of its cable carriage throughout most of the Washington, D.C., market, with news director Mark Kraham stating that "we wanted to make it clear that we're not just a Hagerstown station".[15] The callsign had previously been used in the market by what is now WUSA from 1978 to 1986.

On December 3, 2018, Nexstar announced it would acquire the assets of Chicago-based Tribune Media—which has owned Washington-based CW affiliate WDCW (channel 50) since 1999—for $6.4 billion in cash and debt.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] The sale was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on September 16, and was completed on September 19, 2019, forming a nominal duopoly with WDCW.[26]

On July 1, 2019, all Heroes & Icons programming was dropped in favor of additional syndicated programming.[27] Nexstar began repositioning WDVM-TV as a news-intensive independent station focused on the Washington market, first combining the operations of their two stations by bringing WDCW and WDVM-TV under the same management in February 2020.[28] Later in the year, WDVM-TV added rebroadcasts of syndicated programming seen on WDCW, while that station added a standard-definition simulcast to allow over-the-air coverage of WDVM-TV to the entire market along with expanded cable and satellite carriage. In December 2023, Nexstar applied to the FCC to move WDVM-TV's transmitter site to a tower at Blue Mountain near Front Royal, Virginia, along with a power increase to 1,000 kW; the move was to substantially increase over-the-air coverage of Washington and suburban northern Virginia while still covering the Hagerstown area.[3][4]

After the FCC requested several rounds of reports and technical changes to minimize the population in rural Maryland and Pennsylvania that would lose what the commission considers adequate local broadcast television coverage (within the Longley-Rice noise-limited contour of five full-power or Class A stations), the relocation was approved on February 12, 2024. The station relocated to its new tower on September 2, 2025.[4]

News operation

[edit]

Right from the start (January 3, 1970), WHAG began offering local newscasts with The Valley News which aired weeknights at 6, 7, and 11 p.m. The original anchors were Bob Witt with news, Glenn Presgraves with sports, and Bill Wolfinger forecasting the weather. Wolfinger also did a Saturday night horror movie show where he would be in costume similar to Lon Chaney. The news department expanded in 1972 to include weekend evening broadcasts at 11 that totaled six hours of local news per week. By the year 2000, news content increased to over 22 hours of broadcasts per week. In 1997, WHAG added a microwave truck allowing the transmitting of live breaking news from the viewing area.[5] On February 12, 2010, the station switched its on-air and news brandings from "NBC 25" and NBC 25 News to "WHAG" and WHAG News, respectively.

Outside of a few senior staffers, the station's news department mainly acted as a "farm team" operation that features new journalists and behind the scenes staff who have graduated from their schools looking for experience at a small-market television station and serve as "one man band" personnel that shoot, write, and edit their own stories, and eventually move on to further opportunities in larger markets. The station operates a bureau on East Patrick Street (MD 144) in Frederick.

On August 30, 2010, WHAG added a half hour to its weekday noon and 5 p.m. newscasts. Until this point unlike most NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone, the station had not aired a broadcast weeknights at 5:30. It still does not offer a full two-hour weekday morning newscast. There is now a half hour broadcast on Monday-Saturday nights at 7. On weekends, an hour-long morning show at 6 a.m. as well as a half hour Sunday morning broadcast at 9 p.m. were added. In addition, a Northern Virginia Bureau covering Chantilly, Leesburg, Berryville, and Winchester was opened. Although not a full news department, this is now the second local news operation established in those areas after TV3 Winchester launched on March 5, 2007. All of the preceding changes required the expansion of WHAG's personnel.[29][30] On October 21, 2013, WHAG began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.

Nexstar undertook a major expansion of WDVM-TV's news operation that launched on July 1, 2016, the same day the station lost its NBC affiliation. While it broadcasts standard newscasts at 5:30 a.m., 6 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m., the 7 a.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. hours are also set aside for Maryland- (I-270 News) and Northern Virginia-specific (Nova News) coverage. WDVM-TV also simulcasts Nexstar-owned WOWK-TV's Tonight Live at 5:30 p.m.[31][32][33]

On July 11, 2022, Nexstar moved WDVM-TV's primary studios from Hagerstown to Washington and rebranded newscasts as DC News Now, along with changing many of the on-air personality and anchor lineups. The former studios in Hagerstown are now used as a bureau, alongside the existing Frederick and Chantilly bureaus. On July 25, another newscast expansion occurred, with the morning newscast expanding to four hours, the 5 p.m. newscast expanding to an hour (which also resulted in the move of the WOWK-produced Tonight Live to 11:30 p.m.), and the addition of a new 9 p.m. newscast. WDVM-TV's 10 p.m. newscast moved to WDCW and the 11 p.m. newscast was replaced by a half-hour sports program.[34]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WDVM-TV[35]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
25.1 1080i 16:9 WDVM-DT Main WDVM-TV programming
25.2 480i ION Mys Ion Mystery
25.3 Rewind Rewind TV
25.4 HSN HSN

WHAG's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009.[36][37]

As part of the spectrum repacking process following the FCC's incentive auction, WDVM changed from channel 26 to 23 on August 2, 2019. However, its virtual channel number remains 25.[38]

WDVM-TV's main channel only is simulcast in 480i widescreen standard definition (virtual channel 25.1) on the Washington-based signal of WDCW in order to cover the central and eastern part of the market.[39]

Cable and satellite carriage

[edit]

Recently,[when?][40] it has been added to the Dish Network lineup of local offerings and is available to subscribers that currently receive the Washington, D.C. market locals. WDVM-TV had also been seen on Dish as the default NBC affiliate for the Salisbury television market, as that market did not have an NBC affiliate of its own until June 2014, when WRDE-LD in nearby Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, switched its affiliation to NBC. It is also viewed in widescreen standard definition on Verizon FiOS in Montgomery County, Maryland.

On February 26, 2020, WDVM-TV was added to DirecTV's lineup of local offerings and, like with rival Dish, is also available to subscribers that currently receive the Washington, D.C. market locals. It is seen on channel 25 and only in high definition.[41]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WDVM-TV

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WDVM-TV is an independent licensed to , , serving the Washington, D.C. designated market area (DMA) as the only broadcast station licensed within Hagerstown. The station, owned and operated by , Inc., reaches over 1.6 million homes across a four-state region including , , , and , with a focus on hyper-local news, weather, traffic, and sports under the DC News Now branding shared with sister station (channel 50), a affiliate in Washington, D.C.. In 2022, WDVM-TV consolidated news operations with under the DC News Now brand. Originally signing on as WHAG-TV on January 3, 1970, the station initially operated as an affiliate, providing network coverage to areas where Washington-based owned-and-operated station was unavailable. Nexstar acquired WHAG-TV in late 2003 as part of its purchase of Quorum Broadcasting, and the station lost its affiliation in 2016 amid network decisions to consolidate coverage. On July 1, 2017, the call letters changed to WDVM-TV to better reflect its expanded service to the broader market, accompanied by increased distribution on cable and satellite providers. Technically, WDVM-TV broadcasts on virtual channel 25 (UHF digital channel 23) from a transmitter site on Blue Mountain near , with an upgrade to a new tower completed in October 2025, expanding signal coverage to an additional 1.8 million residents and nearly 700,000 TV households in the DMA. The station's studios are located on Wisconsin Avenue in the section of Washington, D.C., shared with sister station , emphasizing community-oriented programming for the four-state area.

History

Establishment as WHAG-TV

WHAG-TV signed on the air on January 3, 1970, as the NBC affiliate serving , on UHF channel 25. The station was established to bring network programming to the designated market area, particularly underserved and adjacent regions in and . Initially owned by Adler Communications Corp., which also held the WHAG AM and FM radio stations in the area, WHAG-TV filled a key gap by providing dedicated NBC content to local viewers who previously relied on distant signals from Washington or . The station's transmitter was located on Fairview Mountain, west of Clear Spring and approximately 12 miles west of Hagerstown, at an elevation of about 1,500 feet above , enabling coverage across a broad four-state region. Early facilities included studios and offices at 13 East Washington Street in Hagerstown, equipped primarily for black-and-white production with two studio cameras, a low-band , and a chain, reflecting the modest scale of operations at launch. These setup supported an initial programming schedule dominated by network feeds, supplemented by limited local content such as news inserts and community announcements, as color broadcasting capabilities were not yet available. The inaugural broadcast commenced in the evening, marking the end of test patterns and the start of regular service with a focus on reliable network delivery to build viewership in the region. This launch positioned WHAG-TV as the sole full-power commercial in Hagerstown, emphasizing its role in local media development during the early .

Ownership changes and NBC era

In 1972, Adler Communications Corporation sold its 51 percent stake in WHAG-TV to brothers Sheldon and Samuel Magazine of , who already owned 49 percent, for notes valued at $101,350 and the assumption of station debts, giving the Magazines full ownership. In 1977, the station was sold to local aviation pioneer Richard A. Henson through his company, Henson Inc. Henson owned WHAG-TV for four years before selling it in 1981 to Great Trails Broadcasting Corp. for $1.6 million. Great Trails, led by Charles Sawyer III, operated the station as part of its portfolio that included other affiliates. The company maintained WHAG-TV's focus on serving the four-state area of , , , and with network programming supplemented by local content. In 1998, Great Trails Broadcasting sold WHAG-TV, along with WFFT-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana, KSVI-TV and KHMT-TV in Billings, Montana, to Quorum Broadcasting Co. for $65 million. Under Quorum's ownership, the station continued its role as the primary NBC outlet for the Hagerstown area within the Washington, D.C. DMA, ranked 8th largest by Nielsen Media Research during the early 2000s, with WHAG-TV capturing significant local viewership shares in news and primetime programming. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired and its stations, including WHAG-TV, in 2003 for $230 million, integrating the station into its growing portfolio of affiliates. Throughout the era under these successive owners, WHAG-TV expanded local programming to include dedicated weather forecasts and community affairs segments tailored to the region's rural and four-state demographics, while undergoing facility upgrades in the 1980s and 1990s to enhance broadcast capabilities. The station remained a key provider of content until 2016, navigating network shifts and competing with larger-market affiliates in Washington, D.C., and .

Loss of NBC affiliation

On February 19, 2016, NBCUniversal announced that it would not renew its affiliation agreement with WHAG-TV, the NBC affiliate serving Hagerstown, Maryland, effective at the end of June 2016. The decision was driven by NBC's strategic shift to consolidate its presence in the Washington, D.C., market, where its owned-and-operated station WRC-TV (channel 4) would extend coverage to the Hagerstown area and surrounding communities, addressing perceived competition and lower ratings for WHAG-TV in the growing southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland suburbs. This move allowed WRC-TV to better serve viewers in the region previously reliant on WHAG-TV for NBC programming, including popular shows like The Voice and Chicago Fire. WHAG-TV aired its final NBC program, an episode of Last Call with Carson Daly, on June 30, 2016, marking the end of a 46-year partnership that had provided stable network content to the Four-State region since the station's sign-on in 1970. Beginning July 1, 2016, the station operated as an independent outlet, filling its schedule primarily with syndicated programming, blockbuster movies, and expanded blocks to maintain viewer engagement during the interim period. Gaps in prime-time and daytime slots were addressed through entertainment shows and occasional infomercials, while the station invested $1 million in bolstering its news operations, adding over 20 hours of weekly local content and hiring approximately 20 new staff members in news, production, marketing, and sales roles. The loss significantly impacted local viewership, as Hagerstown-area households accustomed to WHAG-TV's signal now turned to for NBC content, including the from August 5 to 21, leading to fragmented audience shares and reduced ad revenue potential for the station in the short term. Although no major layoffs were reported at WHAG-TV, the transition prompted Nexstar Broadcasting Group to refocus resources on hyper-local programming to mitigate viewer churn. In response, the station filed updates with the regarding its modified programming lineup and signal operations to ensure compliance during the independent phase, while local media outlets like The Herald-Mail covered the change extensively, reflecting community concerns over disrupted access to national events and long-standing network staples. Public discourse in Hagerstown and nearby areas highlighted frustration with the shift, particularly among older viewers who valued the station's role as the primary outlet for over four decades.

Transition to WDVM-TV

Following the loss of its NBC affiliation on July 1, 2016, WHAG-TV transitioned to independent status and focused on expanding its local news and syndicated programming to serve a broader audience across the Washington, D.C., market. On July 1, 2017, the station changed its call sign to WDVM-TV to represent its service to Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, marking a strategic reorientation toward the four-state region. This rebranding coincided with expanded carriage on cable and satellite providers throughout the Washington market, increasing accessibility for viewers in the expanded footprint. As an independent station, WDVM-TV shifted its programming to a mix of syndicated shows, including talk and lifestyle series, alongside extended local news blocks to fill the primetime schedule previously occupied by network content. In September 2019, Nexstar Media Group's $6.4 billion acquisition of integrated WDVM-TV into a duopoly with CW affiliate (channel 50) in , allowing for shared resources and enhanced operational synergies in the market. This merger bolstered WDVM-TV's position by leveraging Tribune's established presence in the capital, while maintaining its independent format with syndicated fare such as court shows and reality series on the primary channel and subchannels carrying networks like and . By 2021, WDVM-TV had regained carriage on key local cable systems like Antietam Broadband, further solidifying its distribution amid ongoing programming adjustments to emphasize regional content. In May 2022, the station rebranded its news operations as DC News Now in collaboration with WDCW, launching from a new centralized studio in Washington, D.C., and expanding newscasts to over 67 hours weekly with bureaus in Maryland and Virginia. As of 2025, WDVM-TV remains an independent station, prioritizing syndicated programming like true crime series and lifestyle shows on its main channel, while DC News Now serves as the unified news brand delivering local coverage across the duopoly. In October 2025, Nexstar completed a new transmitter upgrade, extending over-the-air reach to an additional 1.8 million households in the four-state area to support this content strategy.

Technical information

Analog-to-digital conversion

In compliance with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, the (FCC) required all full-power U.S. television stations to terminate analog and operate exclusively in digital format by June 12, 2009, freeing up spectrum for public safety communications and other uses. WHAG-TV, then an NBC affiliate licensed to , completed its analog-to-digital conversion on June 12, 2009, ceasing operations on its analog UHF channel 25 while retaining virtual channel 25 for its via PSIP (). Prior to the deadline, the station had been transmitting a on UHF channel 55 at reduced power since 2001 to test and build out facilities, in line with FCC guidelines for the phased DTV rollout. During the lead-up to the transition, WHAG-TV its programming and local content on both analog channel 25 and digital channel 55 to minimize disruption, allowing viewers with digital-capable to verify reception while those relying on analog sets could continue watching uninterrupted until the cutoff. On June 12, 2009, the station ceased analog operations on channel 25 and commenced full-power on UHF channel 26, its post-transition allotment, operating from a transmitter site near Hagerstown with an initial (ERP) of 575 kW. This shift enabled enhanced high-definition (HD) broadcasts of network programming, providing sharper video quality and multichannel capabilities that were not feasible in analog. The conversion had notable implications for local viewers, particularly those using over-the-air antennas without built-in digital tuners, as analog sets required boxes subsidized by the federal government through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's coupon program. WHAG-TV aired public service announcements advising on converter box usage and antenna adjustments, while the FCC published 2009 signal coverage maps indicating WHAG-TV's serving Hagerstown and surrounding areas in , eastern , and southern , with potential reception challenges in fringe zones due to . Overall, the transition improved broadcast efficiency but prompted an estimated 10-15% of U.S. households to upgrade equipment, with WHAG-TV reporting smooth implementation and minimal viewer complaints post-deadline.

Channel allocation and transmitter relocation

Following the analog-to-digital conversion in , which established WDVM-TV's initial digital operations on physical channel 55 before a subsequent move to channel 26, the station participated in the FCC's post-2016 broadcast incentive auction spectrum repack. This process reassigned the station's physical channel from 26 to 23 while preserving its 25, with the transition completed on August 2, 2019, at the conclusion of phase 4. Initially, operations occurred at a reduced to accommodate the channel shift and adjustments. In December 2023, licensee filed an application with the FCC to relocate WDVM-TV's transmitter facility to Blue Mountain near (FCC facility ID 25045), seeking to enhance signal reach and power output. The FCC granted approval and issued a construction permit on February 12, 2024. The relocation was fully implemented on September 2, 2025, boosting the to 1,000 kW from prior levels. The upgraded transmitter site has expanded over-the-air coverage to include Washington, D.C. suburbs, , and eastern , adding nearly 700,000 television households and reaching an additional 1.8 million people across parts of four states. Technical parameters include ATSC 1.0 modulation for digital transmission and a 16:9 on the primary channel, with signal supporting a 66-mile contour over approximately 13,665 square miles.

Programming

Main programming on primary channel

WDVM-TV's primary channel (25.1) operates as an following its loss of the affiliation in 2016, filling its schedule with a mix of syndicated programming, local insertions, and acquired content. The station airs a mix of syndicated game shows, religious programs, series, and content during mornings and afternoons. under the DC News Now brand includes brief weather updates, community event announcements, and promotional segments inserted throughout the day to serve the , and Hagerstown markets. In primetime, the lineup emphasizes acquired true crime docuseries and news magazines, with no ties to major broadcast networks, allowing flexibility for off-network content from recent years. Evenings typically feature programs like 48 Hours or Live PD Presents, interspersed with occasional sports highlights from regional events. Late-night slots often include infomercials or encore presentations of earlier programming. Weekends highlight a diverse block of movies, often classic films or recent releases acquired for broadcast, alongside paid programming for shopping and religious content. Sports recaps, particularly focusing on local college and high school athletics, air on Saturdays and Sundays, complementing the station's community-oriented mission. This independent format, established after the 2016 transition from its prior affiliations, prioritizes broad appeal through familiar syndicated staples and targeted local relevance.

Subchannels

WDVM-TV's digital signal is multiplexed into four subchannels, providing viewers in the market with a variety of programming options beyond the primary independent channel. Following the FCC's 2017 incentive auction and spectrum repack, the station relocated its transmitter to physical channel 23 on August 2, 2019, while retaining its 25; this transition optimized bandwidth allocation within the standard 6 MHz channel, supporting one high-definition primary stream and three standard-definition subchannels without disrupting service. Subchannel 25.2 carries , a 24/7 network dedicated to crime dramas, docuseries, and thriller series, featuring shows that emphasize investigations and suspenseful narratives. The network, formerly known as Mystery, was rebranded in February 2022 and became available on WDVM-TV around 2021 as part of Nexstar Media Group's expansion of multicast offerings. Subchannel 25.3 airs , which focuses on classic television from the and 1990s, including sitcoms, family comedies, and occasional dramas like Growing Pains and Murphy Brown, targeting nostalgic audiences with reruns of era-defining programs. Launched nationally by Nexstar on September 1, 2021, it was added to WDVM-TV's lineup at that time to enhance local variety. Subchannel 25.4 broadcasts the , offering continuous home shopping programming that includes product demonstrations, lifestyle advice, and live sales events across categories like , beauty, and home goods. HSN has been a staple subchannel on WDVM-TV since the early digital era, predating the , and occupies the allocated SD bandwidth to provide round-the-clock retail content.

News operations

Expansion and studio moves

Following the rebranding from WHAG-TV to WDVM-TV on July 1, 2017, Nexstar Media Group revived and expanded the station's local news operations, establishing primary studios in historic downtown Hagerstown, Maryland, equipped with advanced high-definition production facilities. This revival included investments in tailored local programming and staffing increases, such as hiring additional anchors, meteorologists, and reporters to cover the four-state region of West Virginia, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. The rebranding and news focus positioned WDVM-TV as a dedicated local service provider, supported by satellite bureaus in Winchester and Chantilly, Virginia, and Germantown, Maryland. In May 2022, Nexstar announced a major expansion of WDVM-TV's news department to enhance coverage across the market, including the addition of new newscasts and over 67 hours of weekly focused on news, weather, and sports. On July 11, 2022, the station relocated its primary studios from Hagerstown to a new state-of-the-art facility on Wisconsin Avenue in , improving access to the larger market and enabling more comprehensive reporting. This move was part of a broader strategy to integrate operations more deeply with WDCW-TV, creating duopoly synergies through shared newsrooms, resources, and production capabilities under the unified "DC News Now" brand. The expansion incorporated additional satellite bureaus, including one in Chantilly for Northern Virginia coverage, allowing for hyperlocal reporting while leveraging combined staffing from both stations to increase journalistic output without redundant infrastructure. By 2023, these enhancements had bolstered the news team's capacity for in-depth reporting, including investigative elements integrated into ongoing coverage.

Current newscast schedule

As of November 2025, WDVM-TV, operating under the DC News Now brand, airs an extensive lineup of local newscasts focused on the , , and region. Weekday programming includes the morning show Sunrise on The Hill from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., followed by a noon newscast (DC News Now at Noon) from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., early evening editions at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., and late-night broadcasts at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (the latter on DCW50). On weekends, DC News Now offers morning editions of DC News Now Mornings Weekend from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on both and , with evening newscasts at 6:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. (again, the 10:00 p.m. slot on DCW50). These weekend programs incorporate specialized regional coverage, including dedicated reporting on and issues through integrated segments that highlight state-specific politics, community events, and local impacts. The newscasts are produced in a live studio format from the main newsroom in , with remote reports contributed from bureaus in , and other panhandle areas to ensure comprehensive DMV coverage. Each broadcast integrates real-time weather updates via interactive displays and live traffic camera feeds from key locations across the region, enhancing viewer utility during commute and periods. Recent studio expansions have enabled these extended hours and multi-platform delivery, allowing for seamless integration across broadcast and digital channels. DC News Now provides 24/7 streaming of select newscasts and on-demand content via dcnewsnow.com, with app integrations for and Android devices offering push notifications for breaking news, weather alerts, and live video access.
DayMorning NewscastDaytime/Evening NewscastsLate Night Newscasts
Weekdays6–9 a.m. (Sunrise on The Hill)12 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m.9 p.m., 10 p.m. (on DCW50)
6–9 a.m. (DC News Now Mornings Weekend)6 p.m.9 p.m., 10 p.m. (on DCW50)
6–9 a.m. (DC News Now Mornings Weekend)6 p.m.9 p.m., 10 p.m. (on DCW50)

Availability

Cable and satellite carriage

WDVM-TV is available on major cable and satellite providers throughout the designated market area (DMA), with channel positions varying by region to reflect local market priorities. On , the station airs on channel 12 (standard definition) and 814 (high definition) in the Hagerstown area () and ; channel 24 (SD) and 811 (HD) in eastern markets such as , and counties like Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William; and channel 797 (SD) and 1025 (HD) in proper. On satellite services, and carry WDVM-TV on channel 25 across the entire DMA, ensuring consistent access for subscribers regardless of location. As an independent station owned by , WDVM-TV's carriage is governed by retransmission consent agreements with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), rather than mandatory rules, allowing for negotiated terms that have facilitated broader distribution since the station's 2017 and expansion efforts. These agreements were renewed in 2023 with major providers, including a settlement between Nexstar and that resolved a multi-month blackout affecting over 150 Nexstar stations, restoring WDVM-TV to lineups in September of that year. Historically, carriage disputes have disrupted access; for instance, a 2019 negotiation breakdown between Nexstar and led to an eight-week blackout of Nexstar-owned stations, including WDVM-TV, for and U-verse subscribers in 97 markets, highlighting the station's vulnerability in the D.C. area during such impasses. Following the 2009 digital television transition, (FCC) rules mandated that cable operators carry high-definition signals of local stations electing retransmission consent upon request, promoting HD availability without requiring dual carriage of both analog and digital formats. For WDVM-TV, this has meant HD carriage on Xfinity's digital tiers since the transition, with subchannels—such as those featuring and TBD programming—often placed on expanded basic or digital tiers to accommodate feeds without displacing primary content. This structure has supported the station's independent status by enabling flexible packaging in pay-TV lineups, distinct from network-affiliated stations subject to stricter affiliation-based carriage.
ProviderWestern Maryland (e.g., Hagerstown/Washington County)Eastern Markets (e.g., Montgomery County, MD; Northern VA)Washington, D.C. Proper
Comcast Xfinity (SD)Channel 12Channel 24Channel 797
Comcast Xfinity (HD)Channel 814Channel 811Channel 1025
DirecTVChannel 25Channel 25Channel 25
Dish NetworkChannel 25Channel 25Channel 25
This table summarizes primary channel slots, with HD subchannels available on compatible equipment across all listed providers. Channel positions may vary slightly within regions; viewers should check their provider for exact lineup.

Over-the-air coverage

WDVM-TV primarily serves the designated market area (DMA), ranked #9 by Nielsen, encompassing key communities such as Hagerstown and Frederick in , Martinsburg in , and Chambersburg in . This over-the-air (OTA) footprint provides free access to the station's programming for viewers within its broadcast contours, relying on digital terrestrial transmission via 25 on RF channel 23. Following the completion of its transmitter relocation on September 2, 2025, to Blue Mountain near —with FCC license to cover granted on September 9, 2025, and full announcement in October 2025—WDVM-TV's signal now extends across a grade B contour radius exceeding 50 miles (specifically 66 miles), with an (ERP) of 1,000 kW and a (HAAT) of 447.3 meters. This upgrade, which enhances reach compared to the prior site on Fairview Mountain west of Hagerstown, now covers approximately 13,665 square miles and reaches an estimated 6.8 million potential viewers, including the full metro area and portions of , , , and . The move adds coverage to nearly 700,000 additional households, or about 1.8 million more people, strengthening OTA accessibility across the DMA. Viewers can assess signal reception at their location using tools like the FCC's DTV Reception Maps, which predict coverage based on address and provide antenna recommendations tailored to urban (e.g., indoor models for obstructed signals) versus rural environments. In the Appalachian region's mountainous terrain, signal propagation faces challenges from elevation variations and foliage, potentially requiring directional antennas pointed toward the Blue Mountain site (coordinates: 38°57'21.2"N, 78°01'29"W) for optimal reception. The increased ERP post-relocation mitigates these issues by boosting signal strength, improving reliability in hilly areas like the northern Shenandoah Valley and western Maryland.

References

  1. https://www.nexstar.tv/stations/wdvm/
  2. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/wdvm-grows-coverage-area-joins-forces-with-dcw50/
  3. https://markets.financialcontent.com/wral/article/marketminute-2025-10-6-nexstar-unleashes-expansive-coverage-for-wdvm-tv-reshaping-washington-dc-media-landscape
  4. https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/WDVM-TV
  5. https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/2019/01/01/antietam-broadband-wdvm-do-not-reach-deal/44297421/
  6. https://www.nexstar.tv/whag-tv-elevates-commitment-four-state-area-viewers-expanded-distribution-support-tailored-local-news-expansion/
  7. https://rbr.com/a-new-transmitter-marks-a-new-chapter-for-dc-news-now/
  8. https://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProFacLookup.php?sCurrentService=TV&tabSearchType=Facility%2BID%2BSearch&sFacilityID=25045
  9. https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-media-erects-new-transmitter-tower-for-wdvm-tv-in-washington-dc/
  10. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970-71-TV-Factbook/Television-Factbook-1970-1971-Services.pdf
  11. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/localdvm-featured-in-hagerstown-magazine/
  12. https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2016/02/19/official-nbc-affiliation-ending-with-whag/45655713/
  13. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-BC/Broadcasting-Magazine/BC-1972/1972-09-25-BC.pdf
  14. https://www.onthisday.com/date/1970/january/3
  15. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-BC/Broadcasting-Magazine/BC-1979/BC-1979-02-26.pdf
  16. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-BC/Broadcasting-Magazine/BC-1982/BC-1982-01-11.pdf
  17. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-BC/Broadcasting-Magazine/BC-1998/BC-1998-11-16.pdf
  18. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1142417/000119312503049738/dex991.htm
  19. https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/nexstar-has-big-plans-for-whag-after-losing-nbc-affiliation/
  20. https://www.nexttv.com/news/nexstar-s-whag-hagerstown-maryland-lose-nbc-affiliation-153964
  21. https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20160704/
  22. https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2016/02/20/whag-unveils-programming-changes-after-losing-nbc/45629853/
  23. https://www.nexstar.tv/whag-tv-elevates-commitment-to-four-state-viewers-with-million-dollar-investment-in-support-of-unprecedented-local-news-expansion/
  24. https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/economy_and_business/whag-no-longer-nbc-affiliate-expands-news-coverage/article_7a22598f-2406-5610-a53a-3c8e5aab70a9.html
  25. https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/whag-changes-call-letters-to-wdvm/
  26. https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar_completes_tribune_transaction_2019/
  27. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/maryland/wdvm-tv-returns-to-antietam-broadband/
  28. https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-to-expand-local-news-operations-serving-dc-northern-va-and-md/
  29. https://www.fcc.gov/general/digital-television
  30. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=25045
  31. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2007-09-26/html/E7-18248.htm
  32. https://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/maps_report1/Washington_DC.pdf
  33. https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps
  34. https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2009/the-switch-from-analog-to-digital-tv/
  35. https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/incentive-auctions/post-auction-transition
  36. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/tv-schedule/
  37. https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/channel/69033320/wdvm.html
  38. https://www.tvpassport.com/tv-listings/stations/hi-wdvm-hagerstown-md/3587
  39. https://ionmystery.com/
  40. https://ir.scripps.com/news-releases/news-release-details/court-tv-mystery-be-rebranded-ion-mystery-feb-24
  41. https://rewindtv.com/
  42. https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-media-inc-to-launch-rewind-tv-on-september-1/
  43. https://www.hsn.com/
  44. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_market&mktid=12
  45. https://changingnewscasts.wordpress.com/2022/08/13/d-c-and-philly-are-my-next-stops-here-dont-worry-atlanta-wasnt-skipped/
  46. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/dc-news-now-live-stream/
  47. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/about-us/
  48. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/weather/radar/
  49. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/weather/washington-dc-weather-cameras/
  50. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/how-to-watch/
  51. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/18/media/nexstar-directv-blackout-deal
  52. https://deadline.com/2019/08/att-nexstar-settle-carriage-dispute-that-blacked-out-stations-in-97-markets-1202707707/
  53. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-12-18A1.pdf
  54. https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?facid=25045
  55. https://thedesk.net/2025/10/nexstar-new-wdvm-transmission-tower/
  56. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/washington-dc/trouble-getting-dc-news-now-on-your-tv-heres-what-to-do/
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