WVAW-LP

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WVAW-LP
station_
station_slogan = Where Charlottesville
News Comes First
station_branding = ABC 16
ABC 16 News
analog = 16 (UHF)
digital = 16.1 (UHF)
affiliations = ABC| founded = 1979
location = Charlottesville, Virginia
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = W64AO (1979-2004)
former_channel_numbers = 64 (1979-2004)
owner = Gray Television
licensee = Gray Television Licensee, Inc.
sister_stations = WCAV
WAHU-CA
WHSV-TV
effective_radiated_power = 150 kW (analog)
9.5 kW (digital)
HAAT = 484.6 m (analog)
484.6 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 4687
coordinates = coord|37|59|3|N|78|28|52|W|type:landmark
homepage = [http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/ charlottesvillenewsplex.tv]

WVAW-LP, channel 16, is the low-powered ABC-affiliated television station for Charlottesville, Virginia. The station's transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of the city. It is one third of a cluster of Gray Television-owned television stations based in Charlottesville. This includes CBS affiliate WCAV 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). WVAW can be seen on Comcast cable channel 3 and is known on-air as "ABC 16".

Digital television

As a result of its low-powered status, WVAW did not originally receive a companion channel for a digital television station. However, WVAW does offer a standard digital format on channel 16.1 broadcasting from WAHU's nearby digital transmitter. This signal is also offered on Comcast digital cable channel 210. According to FCC records, WVAW does have a construction permit to broadcast a low-powered digital signal on the same channel as the analog. This most likely means that on or before February 17, 2009, which is the end of the digital television conversion period for full-service stations, WVAW will be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its official digital signal (called a "flash-cut").

History

What is now WVAW-LP originally began in 1979 on channel 64 known as W64AO. The station was a low-powered repeater of WHSV, which was the area's default ABC affiliate (even though Richmond's WRIC-TV puts a strong signal into Charlottesville). In 2004, W64AO moved to channel 16, gained the current WVAW-LP call letters, and became the market's first ABC affiliate not long after WCAV signed on. However, it is still officially licensed as a translator station, according to the FCC file.

In early-2005, after the launch of WCAV and WVAW, Gray Television launched a third station in the market, Fox affiliate WAHU-CA on channel 27. Since 2006, the three stations have been the official flagships of University of Virginia sports. WVAW was temporarily taken off the air by a fire on its transmitter tower at the top of Carters Mountain on November 9, 2006. The signal was restored on November 13. On December 28, WVAW moved to Comcast cable channel 3.

News operation

WVAW and its sister stations employ the largest television news team dedicated exclusively to the Charlottesville market. While NBC affiliate WVIR-TV dedicates a large portion of its staff to adjacent markets, WVAW focuses its coverage solely on the counties that comprise the Charlottesville viewing area. 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. Weeknights at 11, WVAW simulcasts WCAV's newscast. There are no weekend local newscasts on the station. WVAW airs "Cavalier Sports Weekly" on Sunday mornings at 10:30. It is repeated on WAHU-DT2 "My C'Ville TV" at 6 and on WCAV at 11:30 P.M.

News team

"Good Morning Charlottesville"
"(Weekday Mornings 6 to 7 A.M.)
*Anchors:
**Autria Godfrey
**Bo Sykes
*Weather:
**Travis Koshko
*Sports (taped):

"ABC 16 News at 7"
"(Weeknights 7 to 7:30 P.M.)"
*Anchors:
**Jeremy Settle
*Weather:
**Stacy Berman
*Sports:

"WVAW shares additional news personnel with WCAV. See that article for a complete listing."

External links

* [http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv WVAW-LP "ABC 16"]
* [http://www.abc.com ABC]
*TVQ|WVAW-LP