WTHR-TV

What WTHR-TV does

WTHR-TV (branded as 13 WTHR or Channel 13) is the NBC-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Indianapolis and central Indiana, founded in 1957 and operated from Indianapolis, Indiana. The station is owned by TEGNA Inc., which was acquired by Nexstar Media Group in 2025; WTHR itself is not independently publicly traded. WTHR produces local news, weather, sports, investigative journalism, and community-focused programming distributed across over-the-air broadcast, cable and satellite carriage, the WTHR+ OTT streaming application, the wthr.com website, and mobile applications for iOS and Android. Its content portfolio spans core news broadcasts (13News), weather services anchored by the Live Doppler 13 Radar system and 10-Day Forecasts, the 13 Investigates investigative unit, sports coverage of the Colts, Pacers, Fever, IndyCar, and high school football (Operation Football), and branded community segments including 'What's The Deal?' (consumer affairs), '13INside Track' (local business features), 'Check Up 13' (health), 'Inspiring Indiana' (positive community storytelling), 'Crossroads Politics', and the 'Send the Love' micro-giving campaign. Underlying technology is standard broadcast infrastructure enhanced with digital streaming and mobile delivery rather than proprietary platform IP.

WTHR monetizes primarily through television advertising — quote-based spot sales priced by time slot, program, and audience reach — supplemented by recurring subscription and carriage fees paid by cable and satellite providers for channel distribution, and an emerging sponsored-content stream exemplified by the Hensley Legal Group sponsorship of 'What's The Deal?' GTM is direct sales-led for advertising and carriage, with self-serve digital distribution via WTHR+ and the website. Leadership is led by President and General Manager Brent Denny. The station has 101–250 employees and serves a horizontal consumer audience of central Indiana households, with local advertisers and agencies as a secondary business customer segment.

Name

WTHR-TV

Legal name

WTHR-TV

Website

https://wthr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WTHR-TV is the NBC-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Indianapolis and central Indiana, delivering local news, weather, sports, and investigative journalism across broadcast, streaming (WTHR+), web, and mobile platforms, and monetizing through TV advertising and cable/satellite carriage fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local TV Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAA), News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• News and weather coverage
• NBC affiliate station
• OTT streaming service
• Investigative journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Television Advertising: Broadcast television station generating revenue through advertising slots, commercials, and sponsored content aired during news programs and between programming
2. Subscription/ carriage fees: Fees paid by cable and satellite providers for carriage of the WTHR channel

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WTHR-TV is an Indianapolis-based NBC-affiliated television station that delivers local news, weather, sports, and investigative journalism programming to central Indiana viewers. It operates across broadcast television, the WTHR+ over-the-top streaming platform, the 13 WTHR mobile app, and the wthr.com website, featuring signature offerings such as Live Doppler 13 Radar, 13 Investigates, and What's The Deal? consumer reporting.

Product overview

WTHR-TV is an Indianapolis-based NBC-affiliated television station providing local broadcast and digital news coverage to central Indiana. The station operates as a multi-platform news organization offering traditional broadcast television news (13News), the WTHR+ over-the-top streaming service, and a mobile application. Weather services include Live Doppler 13 Radar, 10-Day Forecasts, and the 13 Weather Academy educational program. Specialized content includes the 13 Investigates investigative journalism unit, the 'What's The Deal?' consumer affairs segment, '13INside Track' local business features, the 'Send the Love' community giving campaign, 'Check Up 13' health coverage, 'Inspiring Indiana' positive community stories, and comprehensive sports coverage including 'Operation Football' for high school sports. The station also airs local programming such as 'Celebrating Diversity' and political coverage through 'Crossroads Politics'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WTHR+: Streaming service and OTT app for watching WTHR content on smart TVs and mobile devices
• 13 Investigates
• 13 Weather
• What's The Deal
• Live Doppler 13

Products and services

• WTHR+ Streaming Service Over-the-top (OTT) streaming application and service allowing viewers to watch live broadcasts and on-demand content, including local news, weather, sports, and documentaries on smart TVs and mobile devices.
• 13 WTHR Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android smartphones enabling users to access local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, sports coverage, and submit photos and videos to the station.
• Live Doppler 13 Radar Interactive real-time weather radar system providing detailed precipitation mapping, storm tracking, and severe weather alerts for the Indianapolis metropolitan area and central Indiana.
• 13 Investigates Award-winning investigative reporting unit producing in-depth investigative stories on public safety, government accountability, healthcare, and social issues affecting Indiana communities.
• 13News Broadcast Core local television news broadcast delivering local, state, national, and international news coverage, including 13News at 6pm, 13News at 5pm, and breaking news updates to central Indiana viewers.
• What's The Deal? Consumer-focused segment and section providing money-saving tips, financial advice, and consumer protection information for central Indiana residents.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TEGNA Inc. WTHR's prior publicly traded parent (NYSE: GGI), now part of Nexstar. Comparable as a multi-station local TV broadcaster with shared newsroom practices, advertising inventory, and corporate services that historically supported WTHR's operations.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: One of the largest U.S. local TV station operators (including Tennis Channel and regional sports networks). Comparable as a peer broadcaster with the same over-the-air + digital + advertising revenue model and similar exposure to cord-cutting and ad-market shifts.
• Nexstar Media Group: WTHR's ultimate parent company and the largest U.S. owner of local TV stations. Comparable as the corporate operator of nearly 200 stations with shared national ad sales, programming, and digital infrastructure that benefit WTHR.
• Hearst Television: Owner of ~30 local TV stations across mid- and top-tier U.S. markets. Comparable to WTHR as a network-affiliate local broadcaster with shared emphasis on investigative journalism, weather, and digital extensions of broadcast content.
• Graham Media Group: Owner of local TV stations in markets including Detroit, Houston, and Jacksonville. Comparable as a smaller-scale multi-station operator with a similar broadcast + digital news model and NBC/ABC/CBS affiliate mix.

Direct peers

• WISH-TV: Indianapolis CBS affiliate (Channel 8) and direct competitor to WTHR for local news ratings, ad dollars, and sports rights in central Indiana. Operates a comparable multi-platform news operation with broadcast, digital, and mobile distribution.
• WRTV: Indianapolis ABC affiliate (Channel 6) and direct in-market competitor to WTHR. Operates the same broadcast + digital + streaming model, competes for the same local advertisers and viewers in central Indiana, and was also part of the TEGNA portfolio before the Nexstar acquisition.
• WTTV / CBS4 Indianapolis: Indianapolis CBS-affiliated station (Channel 4) also owned by Nexstar following the TEGNA acquisition. A direct peer serving the same Indianapolis DMA with overlapping news, weather, and sports coverage and shared corporate parent.
• FOX59 / WXIN: Indianapolis FOX affiliate (Channel 59), now under Nexstar ownership alongside WTHR. Direct in-market peer competing for the same evening news audience and local advertisers; both operate broadcast + streaming (e.g., WXIN's similar OTT product) models.

Emerging players

• Locke Peters (Local News Digital): Independent digital local-news publisher operating in select markets; comparable to WTHR as a local-news operator competing for the same audiences and advertisers, though on a digital-only model without over-the-air broadcast.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wthrcom
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WTHR
• Facebookfacebook.com/wthr13
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wthr-tv
• Instagraminstagram.com/wthr
• TikToktiktok.com/@wthr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WTHR-TV