TV stations in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has 16 licensed over-the-air TV transmitters, including 9 network affiliates carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and CW. Pick a city below for its local channel lineup, tower distances and the direction to point your antenna.
Over-the-air TV in District of Columbia at a glance
District of Columbia has 16 licensed TV transmitters: 8 full-power, 4 Class A, 4 low-power and 0 translator stations. Translators make up 0% of the total, below the national share of 41%, a sign that most people live within reach of the main towers.
Most full-power and Class A stations are licensed to Washington (12). Those cities are where the main broadcast hubs sit, and most viewers aim their antennas toward one of them.
The most powerful full-power transmitter in District of Columbia is WRC-TV (NBC) in Washington, at 1,000 kW effective radiated power. The tallest is WDCW near Washington, 547 m (1,794 ft) above the surrounding terrain.
We ran a reception estimate for all 5 cities and towns in District of Columbia. A typical place gets 32 stations at fair strength or better (national median: 17), and its nearest major network tower is about 3.8 miles away. 100% of places can use an indoor antenna, 0% need an amplified or attic antenna, 0% an outdoor directional antenna and 0% a long-range setup.
Weighted by population, the share of residents with a listed affiliate at fair strength or better is: ABC 100%, CBS 100%, NBC 100% and Fox 100%.
Chevy Chase has the most stations in reach (33). Bloomingdale is the hardest place to get network TV over the air: its nearest major network tower is 4.1 miles away.
Largest cities in District of Columbia
Network affiliates in District of Columbia
| Station | Channel | City of license | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC WJLA-TV ABC | 7 | Washington | Full power |
| CBS WUSA CBS | 9 | Washington | Full power |
| NBC WRC-TV NBC | 4 | Washington | Full power |
| FOX WTTG Fox | 5 | Washington | Full power |
| PBS WETA-TV PBS | 26 | Washington | Full power |
| PBS WHUT-TV PBS | 32 | Washington | Full power |
| CW WDCW CW | 50 | Washington | Full power |
| TLM WZDC-CD Telemundo | 44 | Washington | Class A |
| MeTV WDME-CD MeTV | 48.1 | Washington | Class A |
Other full-power and Class A stations
Stations without a network tag in our data: often public television, religious, shopping, foreign-language or independent stations.
All cities and towns in District of Columbia (5)
Frequently asked questions
How many TV stations are in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia has 16 licensed TV transmitters: 8 full-power, 4 Class A, 4 low-power and 0 translator stations.
Which TV networks broadcast over the air in District of Columbia?
ABC (1 station), CBS (1 station), NBC (1 station), Fox (1 station), PBS (2 stations), CW (1 station), Telemundo (1 station) and MeTV (1 station). Some public, religious and independent stations are not tagged with a network in our data.
What channels can I get with an antenna in Washington, D.C.?
See the Washington, D.C. channel guide for every tower within 70 miles, with channel numbers, distances and antenna directions.
Do I need an outdoor antenna in District of Columbia?
In 0% of District of Columbia's cities and towns, yes. 100% can manage with an indoor or attic antenna. It depends on how far you are from the towers: each city page below gives a recommendation for that location.