TV stations in West Virginia
West Virginia has 53 licensed over-the-air TV transmitters, including 15 network affiliates carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. Pick a city below for its local channel lineup, tower distances and the direction to point your antenna.
Over-the-air TV in West Virginia at a glance
West Virginia has 53 licensed TV transmitters: 18 full-power, 1 Class A, 24 low-power and 10 translator stations. Translators make up 19% 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 Charleston (3), Huntington (3), Clarksburg (2) and Parkersburg (2). 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 West Virginia is WDTV (CBS) in Weston, at 935 kW effective radiated power. The tallest is WVNS-TV near Lewisburg, 566 m (1,857 ft) above the surrounding terrain.
We ran a reception estimate for all 163 cities and towns in West Virginia. A typical place gets 11 stations at fair strength or better (national median: 17), and its nearest major network tower is about 16 miles away. 11% of places can use an indoor antenna, 55% need an amplified or attic antenna, 34% 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 95%, CBS 90%, NBC 82% and Fox 45%.
Chester has the most stations in reach (23). Williamson is the hardest place to get network TV over the air: its nearest major network tower is 55 miles away.
Largest cities in West Virginia
- Charleston
- Huntington
- Parkersburg
- Morgantown
- Wheeling
- Weirton Heights
- Weirton
- Fairmont
- Martinsburg
- Beckley
- Clarksburg
- Teays Valley
- South Charleston
- Saint Albans
- Vienna
- Bluefield
- Cross Lanes
- Moundsville
- Bridgeport
- Oak Hill
- Cheat Lake
- Dunbar
- Elkins
- Nitro
- Pea Ridge
- Hurricane
- Princeton
- Charles Town
- Buckhannon
- Keyser
- New Martinsville
- Brookhaven
- Grafton
- Ranson
- Point Pleasant
- Westover
- Weston
- Barboursville
- Sissonville
- Lewisburg
Network affiliates in West Virginia
| Station | Channel | City of license | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC WBOY-TV ABC | 12.2 | Clarksburg | Full power |
| ABC WCHS-TV ABC | 8 | Charleston | Full power |
| ABC WOAY-TV ABC | 4 | Oak Hill | Full power |
| ABC WTRF-TV ABC | 7.3 | Wheeling | Full power |
| CBS WDTV CBS | 5 | Weston | Full power |
| CBS WOWK-TV CBS | 13 | Huntington | Full power |
| NBC WSAZ-TV NBC | 3 | Huntington | Full power |
| NBC WTAP-TV NBC | 15 | Parkersburg | Full power |
| FOX WVNS-TV Fox | 59.2 | Lewisburg | Full power |
| CW WVFX CW | 10.2 | Clarksburg | Full power |
| CW WVVA CW | 6.2 | Bluefield | Full power |
| ION WLPX-TV ION | 29 | Charleston | Full power |
| ION WWPX-TV ION | 60 | Martinsburg | Full power |
| CW WOVA-CD CW | 22.2 | Parkersburg | Class A |
| CBS WIYE-LD CBS | 26 | Parkersburg | Low power |
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 West Virginia (163)
- Alderson
- Alum Creek
- Ansted
- Barboursville
- Barrackville
- Beaver
- Beckley
- Belington
- Belle
- Benwood
- Berkeley Springs
- Bethany
- Bethlehem
- Bethlehem
- Blennerhassett
- Bluefield
- Bluewell
- Boaz
- Bolivar
- Bradley
- Bridgeport
- Brookhaven
- Brush Fork
- Buckhannon
- Buffalo
- Ceredo
- Chapmanville
- Charles Town
- Charleston
- Cheat Lake
- Chesapeake
- Chester
- Clarksburg
- Clay
- Clendenin
- Coal City
- Coal Fork
- Crab Orchard
- Craigsville
- Cross Lanes
- Culloden
- Daniels
- Despard
- Dunbar
- Eleanor
- Elizabeth
- Elkins
- Elkview
- Fairlea
- Fairmont
- Fayetteville
- Follansbee
- Fort Ashby
- Franklin
- Gilbert Creek
- Glendale
- Glenville
- Grafton
- Grantsville
- Granville
- Hamlin
- Harrisville
- Hinton
- Hooverson Heights
- Huntington
- Hurricane
- Inwood
- Kenova
- Keyser
- Kingwood
- Lavalette
- Lesage
- Lewisburg
- Logan
- Lubeck
- Mabscott
- MacArthur
- Madison
- Mallory
- Mannington
- Marlinton
- Marmet
- Martinsburg
- McMechen
- Middlebourne
- Milton
- Mineral Wells
- Monongah
- Montgomery
- Moorefield
- Morgantown
- Moundsville
- Mount Gay-Shamrock
- Mount Hope
- Mullens
- New Cumberland
- New Haven
- New Martinsville
- Newell
- Nitro
- Nutter Fort
- Oak Hill
- Oceana
- Paden City
- Parkersburg
- Parsons
- Pea Ridge
- Pennsboro
- Petersburg
- Philippi
- Pinch
- Pineville
- Pleasant Valley
- Point Pleasant
- Princeton
- Prosperity
- Rainelle
- Rand
- Ranson
- Ravenswood
- Richwood
- Ripley
- Romney
- Ronceverte
- Saint Albans
- Saint Marys
- Salem
- Shady Spring
- Shannondale
- Shepherdstown
- Shinnston
- Sissonville
- Sistersville
- Sophia
- South Charleston
- Spencer
- Stanaford
- Star City
- Stonewood
- Summersville
- Sutton
- Teays Valley
- Terra Alta
- Tornado
- Union
- Vienna
- Washington
- Wayne
- Webster Springs
- Weirton
- Weirton Heights
- Welch
- Wellsburg
- West Liberty
- West Union
- Weston
- Westover
- Wheeling
- White Sulphur Springs
- Wiley Ford
- Williamson
- Williamstown
- Winfield
Frequently asked questions
How many TV stations are in West Virginia?
West Virginia has 53 licensed TV transmitters: 18 full-power, 1 Class A, 24 low-power and 10 translator stations.
Which TV networks broadcast over the air in West Virginia?
ABC (4 stations), CBS (3 stations), NBC (2 stations), Fox (1 station), CW (3 stations) and ION (2 stations). Some public, religious and independent stations are not tagged with a network in our data.
What channels can I get with an antenna in Charleston?
See the Charleston channel guide for every tower within 70 miles, with channel numbers, distances and antenna directions.
Do I need an outdoor antenna in West Virginia?
In 34% of West Virginia's cities and towns, yes. 66% 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.