WHSV - TV 3

What WHSV - TV 3 does

WHSV-TV (Channel 3) is a local broadcast television station serving the Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and broader Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. The station, founded in 1953 and operated as a subsidiary of Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), is the designated NBC affiliate for the market, carrying NBC network programming alongside locally produced newscasts, weather, and sports coverage. Core editorial products include local news (https://www.whsv.com/news), weather forecasting with region-specific modeling for the Blue Ridge Mountains microclimate (https://www.whsv.com/weather), and sports content spanning James Madison University athletics and extensive high school coverage (https://www.whsv.com/sports). The station also operates a video and live-streaming platform and dedicated iOS/Android mobile applications.

Technically, WHSV operates standard over-the-air broadcast infrastructure on VHF/UHF frequencies and has deployed NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) capabilities to deliver enhanced digital reception. Programming is distributed via three channels: free over-the-air broadcast, cable and satellite carriage through providers including DirecTV and Dish Network, and digital streaming through the whsv.com website and mobile apps. Accessibility features including closed captioning and audio description are maintained in compliance with broadcast requirements.

WHSV generates revenue primarily through two streams: local and regional television advertising sold to small and medium-sized businesses in the Shenandoah Valley market, and recurring retransmission consent fees paid by cable and satellite providers for the right to carry its signal. The station reaches viewers through broadcast television, its owned website and apps, social media, community sponsorships, and audience-engagement contests. Direct advertising sales to local businesses represent its primary go-to-market motion, supplemented by content partnership arrangements with entities such as James Madison University, Augusta Health, and Lantz Construction.

Name

WHSV - TV 3

Legal name

WHSV-TV

Website

https://whsv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WHSV-TV is a local NBC-affiliated television station serving Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Founded in 1953 and owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), it broadcasts local news, weather, and sports content via over-the-air signal, cable/satellite carriage, and digital streaming platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Television Broadcasting

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)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ), Local/Regional News Channels (MPABAIAD)

Keywords

• Local television broadcasting
• Local news coverage
• Weather forecasting services
• Regional sports broadcasting
• Over-the-air broadcast

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisonburg

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: Primary revenue stream from local and regional businesses purchasing commercial airtime across news programming, weather segments, sports coverage, and general programming. Includes both traditional broadcast commercials and digital advertising components.
2. Retransmission Consent: Fees paid by cable and satellite providers for the right to retransmit WHSV programming to their subscribers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WHSV-TV (Channel 3) is a local NBC-affiliated television station serving the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia, including Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro. The station produces and broadcasts local news, weather forecasting, and sports coverage through over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, and digital streaming platforms (website and mobile apps). It also carries NBC network programming and generates revenue primarily through local advertising sales and retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers.

Product overview

WHSV-TV (Channel 3) is a local television station serving the Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. The station operates as part of Gray Media's local media network. Its product portfolio centers on core broadcast offerings including local news broadcasting, weather forecasting, and sports coverage, all delivered through traditional broadcast television, video streaming, and mobile applications (iOS and Android). Additional services include NextGen TV technology for enhanced broadcasting, and closed captioning/audio description accessibility features. The station also features community-focused content sections covering topics like Black History Month and American Heart Month.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WHSV Local News Broadcasting

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gray TelevisioncoreOthersWHSV is owned and operated by Gray Television, one of the largest television broadcast companies in the United States. Gray Television provides network infrastructure, syndicated programming, shared services, and operational support to its local station subsidiaries.
• Lantz ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLantz Construction sponsors the 'Building Our Communities' and 'Touring Our Towns' video series on WHSV, highlighting local construction projects and community development throughout the Shenandoah Valley.
• Augusta HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAugusta Health partners with WHSV for health-related programming, including American Heart Month coverage and other health awareness initiatives, with content featuring Augusta Health medical professionals.
• James Madison UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJMU is a major content partner with extensive coverage of university athletics, academic programs, campus news, and student activities. WHSV covers JMU sports including football, basketball, and baseball, and features stories about JMU students and faculty.
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)coreTechnology or IntegrationWHSV is the NBC affiliate for the Shenandoah Valley market, carrying NBC network programming including national news, primetime entertainment, and sports coverage, while providing local news insertion and regional coverage.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WDBJ7 (WDBJ-TV): CBS affiliate serving the adjacent Roanoke-Lynchburg market in western Virginia. Directly comparable as a small/medium-market network-affiliated local TV station in the same regional corridor with similar news/weather/sports coverage and Gray Television-adjacent operating model.
• WSLS 10: NBC-affiliated local TV station in Roanoke, overlapping the same Shenandoah Valley/Blue Ridge region. Like WHSV, it delivers local news, weather, sports, and is NBC-affiliated, making it the closest network-twin peer in the immediate broadcast geography.
• WTVR CBS 6: CBS affiliate serving Richmond, Virginia. A directly comparable network-affiliated local TV station within Virginia with overlapping advertiser pools and similar news/weather/sports formats, differing mainly in market size.
• WVIR NBC29: NBC affiliate serving Charlottesville, Virginia, immediately adjacent to the Shenandoah Valley. Closest peer in terms of NBC network programming mix, small-market positioning, and central Virginia audience profile, with overlapping coverage areas and shared regional advertisers.
• WSET ABC13: ABC affiliate serving Lynchburg, Virginia. Operates in an adjacent DMA with comparable broadcast model, local news/weather/sports focus, and SMB advertiser base, making it a direct competitive peer for both audience and advertising share.
• WAVY TV 10: NBC affiliate serving Norfolk/Hampton Roads, Virginia. Comparable as a Virginia-based NBC-affiliated local TV station with the same programming mix, retransmission consent revenue mechanics, and local advertiser focus.

Broad incumbents

• Gray Television, Inc. WHSV's publicly-traded parent company and the operator of ~100+ local TV stations nationally. Directly comparable as the owner-operator of dozens of network-affiliated local stations with similar advertising and retransmission revenue mechanics at scale.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Major US broadcast group operating hundreds of local TV stations. Comparable as a large multi-station operator monetizing through the same advertising/retransmission mix and competing for the same local/regional advertiser budgets.
• Nexstar Media Group: Largest US television broadcaster, with a station portfolio of similar network-affiliated local outlets. Comparable business model (local ad sales + retransmission consent) at scale across similar small/medium markets.
• TEGNA: Operates a portfolio of network-affiliated local TV stations across mid-sized US markets. Directly comparable operating model to WHSV's parent operations, with overlapping competitive dynamics in local news production and advertiser relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WHSVnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 WHSV - TV 3