NewsChannel 5

What NewsChannel 5 does

NewsChannel 5 (legal entity: Scripps Media, Inc.; call sign: WTVF) is a local broadcast television station headquartered at 474 James Robertson Parkway in Nashville, Tennessee, owned and operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). Founded in 1954, the station is the designated CBS affiliate for the Nashville DMA, serving Middle Tennessee and adjacent Southern Kentucky counties including Davidson, Sumner, Montgomery, and Williamson. The station operates a multi-platform content operation spanning over-the-air VHF/UHF broadcast, cable and satellite carriage (Comcast, Charter Spectrum, DirecTV — though DirecTV carriage was lost in 2025), live streaming via newschannel5.com, and iOS/Android mobile applications.

The product portfolio is organized around core news (breaking news, traffic via 5 Live Traffic, and the NewsChannel 5 Investigates unit covering topics such as Broken, Capitol Hill, City Hall Scandal, Consumer Alert, and Tennessee's Secret Deals) and the Storm 5 Weather franchise, a proprietary severe-weather tracking and forecasting system tied to the Safe Places community initiative. A second digital sub-channel, NewsChannel 5+ (NC5+), carries extended programming including MorningLine, OpenLine, Inside Politics, Issues of Faith, and State of the Workforce. Lifestyle and sponsored content franchises include Talk of the Town, Music City Must (in partnership with Gray Line Tennessee), Common Cents (with TN Department of Commerce & Insurance), Underdogs (with Nashville Humane Association and Williamson County Animal Center), Experts on 5, Don't Waste Your Money, and Tuned In.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: (1) television advertising sales, including local and national spot, sponsored content segments, and branded integrations; (2) carriage and retransmission fees paid by cable, satellite, and streaming distributors for the right to carry the station and CBS programming; and (3) digital advertising across owned web and app properties. Distribution is largely event-driven, anchored by over-the-air reach, multi-daypart local newscasts, and digital consumption channels. The audience is a horizontal general-public segment across the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. Strategic positioning combines regulatory protection (FCC broadcast license), long-standing brand recognition (70+ years), and ecosystem partnerships that diversify ad revenue beyond traditional political/news cycles.

Name

NewsChannel 5

Legal name

Scripps Media, Inc.

Website

https://newschannel5.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NewsChannel 5 (WTVF) is a Nashville, Tennessee-based local CBS-affiliated broadcast television station owned by E.W. Scripps Company, delivering news, weather, sports, traffic, and investigative content to the Middle Tennessee market across broadcast, cable, satellite, and digital streaming platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television News

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• Local news coverage
• Weather forecasting
• Investigative journalism
• Digital news streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Television advertising sales including local and national spot commercials, sponsored content segments such as Common Cents (financial education sponsored by TN Department of Commerce & Insurance), Music City Must lifestyle segments (paid sponsorship), and branded content partnerships
2. Carriage Fees: Fees paid by cable, satellite, and streaming providers for carriage of NewsChannel 5 and CBS programming
3. Digital Content: Website content, streaming video on demand, and digital advertising across newschannel5.com properties

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NewsChannel 5 (WTVF) is a local CBS-affiliated television station providing breaking news, weather, traffic, sports, and investigative journalism to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee market. Programming is distributed via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, digital streaming through newschannel5.com, and mobile applications, supplemented by lifestyle and community-focused shows including Talk of the Town and NewsChannel 5+ programming.

Product overview

NewsChannel 5 (WTVF) is a local television station serving the Nashville, Tennessee market with a multi-platform news and entertainment operation. The core offering is the NewsChannel 5 broadcast channel providing breaking news, weather (Storm 5 Weather), sports, and traffic coverage. The station extends its content through NewsChannel 5+ (NC5+) with additional programming including MorningLine, OpenLine, Inside Politics, and lifestyle shows. Talk of the Town serves as the primary lifestyle entertainment platform featuring Music City Must (local attractions), Underdogs (pet adoption), Tuned In (music coverage), and Common Cents (financial literacy). The NewsChannel 5 Investigates unit delivers investigative journalism, while Safe Places provides community storm shelter information. The station also offers a mobile app for on-the-go access and integrates sponsored content through Experts on 5 and Don't Waste Your Money.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Storm 5 Weather: Weather forecasting brand for NewsChannel 5 providing severe weather alerts and forecasts for Middle Tennessee.
• NewsChannel 5 Investigates
• NewsChannel 5+ (NC5+)
• Talk of the Town

Products and services

• NewsChannel 5 (WTVF) Broadcast Channel The primary local TV news channel for Nashville, Tennessee, providing breaking news, weather, traffic, sports, and local news coverage to the Middle Tennessee region via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, and digital streaming.
• NewsChannel 5+ (NC5+) An additional programming platform featuring shows such as MorningLine, OpenLine, Inside Politics, Issues of Faith, Millions of Conversations, Out & About Today, Que Pasa Nashville, Retirement Report, Score Connect, State of the Workforce, Southern Woods and Waters, Urban League Live, and Urban Outlook.
• Storm 5 Weather Proprietary severe weather tracking and forecasting service providing storm alerts, radar imagery, and weather coverage for the Nashville and Middle Tennessee viewing area, including the Safe Places community storm shelter initiative.
• NewsChannel 5 Investigates In-depth investigative journalism unit covering topics including Broken/Mental Health Crisis, Capitol Hill, City Hall Scandal, Consumer Alert, DCS Investigations, Confronting Hate, Gideon's Army, Making The Grade, Metro Schools, Policing For Profit, Revealed, and Tennessee's Secret Deals.
• Talk of the Town Lifestyle entertainment show featuring segments including Recipes, Extras, Be Your Best, and coverage of local Nashville attractions, restaurants, and activities. Includes sub-segments such as Underdogs (pet adoption), Tuned In (music coverage), and Music City Must.
• Safe Places Community initiative providing an accessible list of emergency storm shelters and safe locations during severe weather events across Middle Tennessee.
• 5 Live Traffic Real-time traffic monitoring and updates for the Nashville metropolitan area.
• NewsChannel 5 Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android devices providing news alerts, live streaming, and on-demand content access for NewsChannel 5 content.
• Don't Waste Your Money Consumer advocacy and deals content providing money-saving tips and product reviews.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E.W. Scripps CompanycoreOthersNewsChannel 5 WTVF is owned and operated by E.W. Scripps Company, a publicly traded media company (NASDAQ: SSP) headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Scripps operates local television stations and digital platforms across multiple markets in the United States.
• CBS NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationNewsChannel 5 operates as the CBS affiliate for the Nashville market, carrying CBS network programming including primetime shows, sports broadcasts, and national news content alongside local programming.
• Scripps News GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for national and international news content aggregation, sharing stories from Scripps News Group's national reporting team including health, politics, world news, and investigative content.
• Salvation ArmyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership for Salvation Army Angel Tree program during holiday season, with NewsChannel 5 promoting the program and encouraging community donations.
• TN Department of Commerce & InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership for Common Cents financial education segments, promoting securities investing awareness and BrokerCheck resources for Tennessee residents.
• Gray Line TennesseeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership for Music City Must lifestyle segments featuring Gray Line Tennessee tours and Nashville attractions.
• Williamson County Animal CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership featuring adoptable pets through the Underdogs segment of Talk of the Town show, promoting animal adoption.
• Nashville Humane AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership featuring adoptable pets through the Underdogs segment, promoting animal adoption from Nashville Humane Association.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KHOU (Scripps Houston): Scripps-owned CBS affiliate in a top-10 market, offering a same-network, same-parent comparable for NewsChannel 5's operations, weather branding (11 Weather), and digital strategy.
• WSMV (Channel 4): NBC affiliate serving Nashville, competing head-to-head with NewsChannel 5 for local news viewership, advertising dollars, and digital audience share.
• WKRN (News 2): ABC affiliate in Nashville, directly competing for the same Middle Tennessee local news, weather, and sports audience with overlapping broadcast and digital distribution.
• WZTV (Fox 17): Fox affiliate in Nashville, competing for the same local news and weather audience with similar broadcast and multi-platform distribution model.
• WEWS (Scripps Cleveland): Another Scripps-owned local TV station (CBS affiliate in Cleveland), providing a sibling-station comparable for NewsChannel 5's programming, ad sales, and digital product mix.
• WCPO (Scripps Cincinnati): Sister station under E.W. Scripps, an ABC affiliate in the Cincinnati market operating an analogous local news, weather, and investigative journalism model—useful direct operating comparable within the same corporate structure.

Emerging players

• The Weather Channel: National weather-focused media brand with strong digital and TV presence; competes with NewsChannel 5's Storm 5 Weather franchise for severe-weather audience attention and advertiser spend.

Broad incumbents

• Nexstar Media Group Stations: Nexstar is the largest U.S. owner of local TV stations and a key counterparty in affiliate/carriage negotiations, making it a relevant comparable for NewsChannel 5's network-affiliate economics and M&A valuation benchmarks.
• Tegna Stations: Tegna operates a portfolio of local TV stations including NBC/ABC affiliates in mid-size markets, making it a relevant peer for affiliate economics, digital transformation, and station-level monetization.
• WZTV / Sinclair Broadcast Group Stations: Sinclair is a large publicly traded local TV broadcast group operating WZTV and dozens of other stations nationally, providing a broader incumbent benchmark for affiliate-fee economics and station-level operating models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nc5
• YouTubeyoutube.com/newschannel5
• Facebookfacebook.com/newschannel5
• Instagraminstagram.com/newschannel5
• TikToktiktok.com/@nc5nashville

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 NewsChannel 5