WCAV

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WCAV
Image:WCAV-19.jpg
Charlottesville, Virginia
Branding CBS 19
Slogan Where Charlottesville News Comes First
Channels Analog: 19 (UHF)
Affiliations CBS
Owner Gray Television, Inc.
(Gray Television Licensee, Inc.)
First air date August 15, 2004
Call letters’ meaning CAValier
(the UVA mascot)
Sister station(s) WVAW-LP
WAHU-CA
Transmitter Power 1000 kW
Height 325.6 m
Facility ID 363
Transmitter Coordinates 37°59′3″N, 78°28′51″W
Website WCAV

WCAV, channel 19, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Charlottesville, Virginia. The station's transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of the city. WCAV is the flagship station of a cluster of Gray Television-owned television stations based in Charlottesville. This includes low-powered ABC affiliate WVAW-LP and Class A FOX affiliate WAHU-CA.

All three stations broadcast out of shared studio facilities known as the "Charlottesville Newsplex" on 2nd Street Southeast in downtown Charlottesville. In addition, some behind-the-scenes duties are run alongside that of sister station WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg (which the "Newsplex" has a resource sharing alliance with). WCAV can be seen on Comcast cable channel 6. The station is known on-air as CBS 19.

Contents

[edit] Digital television

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Programming
19.1 main WCAV programming / CBS SD
19.2 CBS 19 Weather Now (The AccuWeather Channel)

The station was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997. As a result, WCAV did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. However, it does offer a digital signal in standard format identifying via PSIP as channel 19.1 broadcasting from WAHU's nearby digital transmitter. A high definition version of this signal is offered on Comcast digital cable channel 212. On or before February 17, 2009, which is the end of the digital television conversion period for full-service stations, WCAV will be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its official digital signal (called a "flash-cut").

[edit] History

WCAV signed on in 2004 becoming the market's first CBS affiliate and first station to mount a challenge against established NBC affiliate WVIR-TV. Previously, the channel 19 allocation had been considered to bring Richmond a primary WB affiliate. That area had lacked such an affiliation since the switch of WUPV to UPN in 1998. Charlottesville had previously received CBS programming on cable from Richmond's WTVR-TV and Washington D.C.'s WUSA. When it launched, WCAV immediately replaced WUSA on local cable systems. During 2007, WCAV first swapped analog cable channel allocations with WTVR. After that, the Richmond station moved to the digital tier.

Shortly after WCAV's sign-on, owner Gray Television signed on ABC affiliate WVAW-LP on channel 16. WVAW was formerly a low-powered repeater of Harrisonburg's WHSV (on channel 64) and WVAW replaced that station on Charlottesville-area cable systems. In early 2005, the two stations were joined by new FOX affiliate WAHU-CA on channel 27.

Since 2006, the three stations have been the official flagships of University of Virginia sports.

In June of 2006, the station received the runner-up award for "Outstanding News Operation" by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. WWBT in Richmond was the winner in that category. In June of 2007, the station received the "Outstanding Sports Coverage" award for a commercial television station from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. That same year, the station's web address finished runner up to WVEC in Norfolk for outstanding website.

Beth Duffy, formerly of WVIR, returned to the airwaves on WCAV on April 16, 2007. The station is not related to the former WCAV-FM (now WKAF-FM) in Brockton, Massachusetts.

[edit] News operation

WCAV's news open.
WCAV's news open.

As the primary station in the "Charlottesville Newsplex" operation, WCAV airs the most newscasts. WVAW simulcasts the 6 A.M. hour of Good Morning Charlottesville and only airs local news on the weeknights at 7 o'clock. During the week at 11, WVAW simulcasts WCAV's news. There are no weekend newscasts on WVAW. In addition, WAHU airs an hour long extension of Good Morning Charlottesville at 7 A.M. and a nightly 10 o'clock newscast. WAHU-DT2 "MYc'villeTV" rebroadcasts CBS 19 News at Noon at 1 o'clock.

During the week, WCAV delays the CBS Evening News until 7 P.M. in favor of an extra half-hour of local news. WVAW airs Cavalier Sports Weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:30. It is repeated on WAHU-DT2 "MYc'villeTV" at 6 and on WCAV at 11:30 P.M. On September 21, 2007, WCAV launched The AccuWeather Channel on its second digital subchannel. Known on-air as CBS 19 Weather Now, it was added to Comcast digital cable channel 209 in December.


[edit] News team

The station's weeknight 6 and 11 o'clock anchors.
The station's weeknight 6 and 11 o'clock anchors.
Chief meteorologist Travis Koshko is seen on weekday mornings and at Noon.
Chief meteorologist Travis Koshko is seen on weekday mornings and at Noon.

Anchors

  • Hailey Frances - weekday mornings
  • Bo Sykes - weekday mornings and Noon
  • Beth Duffy - weekdays at Noon, 5, 5:30, and 6:30
  • Stephanie Hockridge - weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, and 11
  • Dan Schutte - weeknights at 6 and 11
  • John Rodgers - weeknights at 6:30 and 10
  • Jeremy Settle - News Director seen on weeknights at 7
  • Christina Butler - weeknights at 7
  • TBD - weekends

Weather Authority Meteorologists

  • Travis Koshko (NWA Seal of Approval and AMS Member) - Chief seen on weekday mornings and at Noon
  • Brantley Ussery - weeknights
  • Stacy Berman - weeknights at 7 and 10
  • Myles Henderson - weekends

Sports

  • Marc Davis - weeknights at 6, 6:30, and 11
    • rotating weeknights at 10
  • J.W. Stehle - weeknights at 7
    • rotating weeknights at 10
    • weekday mornings (taped)
  • Matt Parsons - weekends
  • Dave Strumpf - (Unknown)

Reporters

  • Mark Tenia - webcasts
  • Lisa Ferrari
  • Audrey Pernik
  • Cheryn Stone
  • Lindsey Ward
  • Matt Holmes
  • Stephanie Satchell
  • Jennifer Black

[edit] Former personalities

  • Tom Abbott - (Now at The Golf Channel)
  • Jarrod Aldom - (Now out of the business.)
  • Sarah Batista - (Now at WBTV-TV in Charlotte, NC)
  • Ric Barrick - (Now spokesperson for the City of Charlottesville)
  • Venton Blandin - (Unknown)
  • Rod Cowan - (Now at WHP-TV in Harrisburg, PA)
  • Elizabeth Donatelli - (Now at WAVE-TV in Louisville, KY)
  • Autria Godfrey - (NBA Wizards Game Night team)
  • Katie Graham - (Now at WETM-TV in Elmira, NY)
  • Zach Heffner - (Playing for the Chicago Machine lacrosse team)
  • Whitney Holmes - (Now at WATE-TV in Knoxville, TN)
  • Bo Kane - (Now out of the business)
  • Lauren Knight - (Now at KSBY-TV in Santa Barbara, CA)
  • Summer Knowles - (Now at KTVI-TV in St. Louis, MO)
  • Vanessa Murdock - (Now at WTKR-TV in Norfolk, VA)
  • Althea Paul - (Now at WINK-TV in Fort Myers, FL)
  • Lindsay Puccio - (Now out of the business)
  • Kory Raftery - (Now at KSBY-TV in Santa Barbara, CA)
  • Philip Stewart - (Now at WJLA/Newschannel 8 in Washington, DC)
  • Marcus Washington - (Now at KOKI-TV in Tulsa, OK)
  • Kris Budden - (Now at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, TN)
  • Dave Strumpf - (Unknown)

[edit] External links