WTRF-TV

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WTRF
Wheeling, West Virginia
Branding 7 NEWS
Slogan Your Town *Your State* Your Future
Channels 7 (VHF) analog,
32 (UHF) digital
Affiliations CBS (since 1980)
Owner West Virginia Media Holdings
Founded October 24, 1953
Call letters meaning W
Two
Radio
Frequencies
referring to AM and FM stations with same calls
Former callsigns None
Former affiliations NBC (1953-1980)
ABC (secondary, 1953-1980)
Transmitter Power 316 kW Analog
4.5 kW Digital STA
730.9 kW Digital CP
Website www.wtrf.com

WTRF-TV channel 7 is the CBS affiliate serving Northern West Virginia, North Central West Virginia, Eastern Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania. It started broadcasting on October 24, 1953. This station is based in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is owned and operated by West Virginia Media Holdings. Its transmitter is located in adjacent Bridgeport, Ohio.

They were the first local station to use videotape and also the first to hook up via satellite in 1981. WTRF's first formal network affiliation was with NBC-TV, but carried programs from all networks, at that time. By 1979, however, its only secondary affiliation was with ABC-TV, which it shared with, then WSTV-TV, Steubenville, Ohio (the only other television station in its television market). By this time, neither station carried much ABC programming.

On January 7, 1980, each station "swapped" their primary network affiliations; WTRF dropped NBC, and picked up CBS, while WTOV-TV, conversely, went from CBS to NBC,. At the same time, both stations dropped their secondary affiliation with ABC, with WTAE-TV from nearby Pittsburgh (one of ABC's strongest affiliates) becoming the market's default ABC affiliate.


WTRF has also started a digital sub-channel, FOX Ohio Valley, available on digital channel 7.2. This service is available on the Comcast cable lineup as well as over-the-air. In addition to FOX's programming feed and syndicated content, FOX Ohio Valley is home to the Valley's only 10:00 newscast, which mirrors WTRF's news format.

[edit] News Team

  • Mike Anthony - Sports Reporter
  • Jerry Echemann - Reporter
  • Dave Elias - Reporter
  • Nate Fluharty - Reporter/Weekend Anchor
  • Jim Forbes - Managing Editor/Anchor at 5, 6 and 11
  • Michael Haynes - Chief Meteorologist
  • Steve Mazure - Morning/Noon Anchor
  • Scott Nolte - Sports Director
  • Stacy Rich - Morning Anchor/Reporter
  • Dave Stingo - General Sales Manager, WBOY-TV/NASCAR Commentator
  • Chris Stirewalt - Political Editor, The State Journal
  • Leigh Ann Towne - Anchor at 5, 6 and 11
  • Dr. Dave Walker - Morning Meteorologist
  • D.K. Wright - Reporter

[edit] Mailing Address

96 16th Street
Wheeling, WV 26003

[edit] External link