WKBD-TV (CW) · Channel 50

Full-power stations are the main licensed broadcasters in a market. They may run the highest power from the tallest towers and are protected from interference, so they set the core of what you can receive.

At 285 kW effective radiated power, WKBD-TV runs more power than 51% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 291 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 25% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 51 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 60 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 179 cities and towns in our guide with about 4,220,000 residents, as far as Okemos, MI (59 miles).

WKBD-TV shares its transmitter site with WPXD-TV (ION) and WDWO-CD. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other CW station in our data is WBSF in Bay City, MI, 55 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

The CW is a commercial broadcast network carrying entertainment series and a growing slate of sports. In smaller markets it often runs as a subchannel of another station rather than its own transmitter.