WPDE

What WPDE does

WPDE is an ABC-affiliated local broadcast television station (branded "ABC 15") serving the Myrtle Beach-Florence designated market area in South Carolina, covering the Grand Strand, Pee Dee, and Border Belt regions. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Conway with broadcast facilities in Myrtle Beach, the station delivers local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming through over-the-air digital broadcast, cable and satellite carriage (DirecTV, DISH), live streaming on wpde.com, and native iOS and Android mobile applications. Specialized offerings include a Hurricane Center, SkyCam network, radar and maps, and an ABC 15 Weather Authority Blog. The station also operates WWMB, a companion CW-affiliated channel sharing broadcast infrastructure under separate FCC licensing. Spanish-language content is delivered through "Trabajando Por Ti" and "Carolinas Informadas." Editorial coverage spans Coastal Carolina University, Clemson, University of South Carolina, and high school sports, plus investigative reporting via "ABC15 Investigates."

WPDE is wholly owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBGI), a publicly traded diversified media conglomerate headquartered in Maryland. The station functions as a single operating subsidiary within Sinclair's national portfolio of broadcast stations, inheriting corporate management, back-office systems, and Sinclair's centralized digital publishing platform (Sinclair Storyline). Strategic direction at the station level is therefore a mix of local editorial autonomy and corporate-led product/infrastructure decisions.

The business model is advertising-driven: revenue is generated almost exclusively through the sale of local and regional television advertising inventory (spot sales) to local businesses and national advertisers targeting the Myrtle Beach/Florence DMA. Advertising pricing is negotiated and not publicly disclosed; advertiser categories referenced include local businesses, healthcare providers, automotive dealers, and legal services. Distribution and audience development are pursued through organic social channels (YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, X/Twitter), email newsletters, and mobile applications.

Name

WPDE

Legal name

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.

Website

https://wpde.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WPDE is an ABC-affiliated local broadcast television station (ABC 15) serving the Myrtle Beach-Florence market in South Carolina, delivering local news, weather, sports, and entertainment via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, streaming, and mobile apps. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and sells local TV advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• Television advertising
• News broadcasting
• Weather forecasting
• ABC affiliate

Headquarters

HQ city

Conway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Television Advertising: Local broadcast television station generating revenue primarily through sale of advertising spots to local and regional businesses. Advertisers include local businesses, healthcare providers, automotive dealers, legal services, and national advertisers targeting the Myrtle Beach/Florence DMA.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WPDE is an ABC-affiliated local broadcast television station (branded ABC 15) serving the Myrtle Beach and Florence designated market area in South Carolina. The station delivers local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming via over-the-air digital broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, digital streaming, and native mobile applications, with revenue generated primarily through the sale of local television advertising to regional businesses.

Product overview

WPDE is a local broadcast television station operating as an ABC affiliate (ABC 15) serving the Myrtle Beach/Florence market in South Carolina. The station operates two broadcast channels: WPDE-TV (primary ABC affiliate) and WWMB (companion station). The station's core offering is broadcast television content including local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming delivered via traditional over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite distribution, and digital platforms including native iOS and Android mobile applications and live streaming services. The portfolio also includes specialized weather services with radar, maps, and hurricane tracking capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WPDE-TV / ABC 15 ABC-affiliated local television station serving the Myrtle Beach and Florence markets in South Carolina, providing local news, weather, sports, and entertainment content broadcast over-the-air and through cable/satellite providers.
• WWMB Secondary CW-affiliated television station operated by WPDE under Sinclair Broadcast Group, with separate FCC licensing and programming as a companion subchannel/brand.
• WPDE Mobile App (iOS/Android)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sinclair Broadcast GroupcoreOthersSinclair Broadcast Group owns and operates WPDE as part of its portfolio of local television stations across the United States. The station operates under Sinclair's corporate management while maintaining its local ABC affiliate identity and branding as ABC 15.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Gray Television: Multi-station local TV operator with comparable network-affiliate station economics, mid-size market focus, and ad-sales-led revenue model.
• TEGNA: Major U.S. local broadcast group with similar affiliate-station portfolio and reliance on local advertising and digital extensions of broadcast content.
• Nexstar Media Group: Largest U.S. owner of local TV stations; directly comparable business model (network-affiliated broadcast stations monetized via advertising) and a major industry competitor for ad share.
• E.W. Scripps Company: Diversified local broadcast operator with a station portfolio, local news orientation, and digital/CTV strategy closely paralleling WPDE's content distribution model.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group (parent portfolio): Publicly traded parent company (NASDAQ: SBGI) operating a national portfolio of local TV stations. WPDE operates within this broader footprint and inherits its operating model and capital allocation.
• WPDE sister Sinclair station WJZY (FOX 46): Sinclair-owned FOX affiliate sharing the same corporate parent. Comparable operating model and shared services portfolio with WPDE.

Regional players

• WCSC (CBS 5) / WCIV (ABC 4) Charleston: Network affiliates in the adjacent Charleston, SC market. Geographic neighbor with similar broadcast operations and overlapping regional advertiser pool.
• WIS (NBC) / WLTX (CBS) Columbia, SC: Network affiliates in the larger Columbia, SC market. Comparable mid-size regional broadcasters with similar advertiser mix and audience dynamics.

Direct peers

• WBTW News 13: CBS affiliate serving the Myrtle Beach/Florence market. Competes head-to-head with WPDE for local news, weather, and advertising dollars in the same DMA.
• WMBF News: NBC affiliate (WMBF-TV) covering the same Myrtle Beach/Florence DMA as WPDE. Directly competes for the same local viewers, advertisers, and digital audience in an identical market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wpdeabc15
• YouTubeyoutube.com/wpdenewschannel15
• Facebookfacebook.com/wpdeabc15
• TikToktiktok.com/@wpdeabc15

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 WPDE