Developer docs
API playgroundTry for free, no card

Search company profiles

WDBJ Television

Full company profile

uuid000u16r

Namestring
WDBJ Television
Legal namestring
Gray Local Media, Inc.
Websiteurl
wdbj7.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
1953
Descriptiontext

WDBJ Television, branded as WDBJ7, is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving the Roanoke, Lynchburg/Southside, and New River Valley regions of western Virginia. Founded in 1953 as the first television station in Roanoke, it operates from its headquarters at 2807 Hershberger Road in Roanoke and is owned and operated by Gray Local Media, Inc., a subsidiary of publicly traded Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE: GTN). The station produces daily local news, weather, sports, and community programming, anchored by editorial brands such as Target 7 (investigative reporting), First Alert Weather (severe weather alerting), and Hometown Sports coverage including Friday Football Extra. Its content distribution spans over-the-air broadcast (including NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0), cable and satellite carriage (DIRECTV, DISH), the free 24/7 WDBJ7+ streaming service, the WDBJ7 website, mobile applications, Facebook Live, and a portfolio of eight podcasts covering local stories, politics, health, early childhood, and Spanish-language content.

The underlying technology stack combines traditional broadcast infrastructure with digital streaming, interactive weather radar, and mobile app platforms. The First Alert Weather system provides severe weather alerting through on-air graphics, app notifications, website alerts, and live streaming, with a 'First Alert Weather Day' designation protocol for major weather events. The WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App extends interactive radar, hourly and 10-day forecasts, and lightning alerts to iOS and Android with Spanish language support. Accessibility services include closed captioning and audio description for deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and low-vision audiences.

WDBJ's business model is a multi-revenue-stream local media operation. The station generates revenue from television advertising (local commercials and sponsored segments across news, sports, weather, and entertainment programming), digital advertising (display, video, and sponsored content on wdbj7.com, mobile apps, and WDBJ7+), and cable/satellite carriage fees received as retransmission consent payments from pay-TV distributors. Advertising rates are negotiated based on audience reach, time slots, and demographic targeting. Over-the-air distribution remains free to viewers. The station does not disclose station-level financials, operating as a non-separately-reporting subsidiary within Gray Television's portfolio of approximately 114 stations across 57 US markets.

Short descriptiontext

WDBJ Television (WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley in Virginia. Owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), it delivers local news, weather, sports, and streaming content via broadcast, cable/satellite, digital platforms, and mobile apps.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
1,001–5,000
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersRoanoke, United States
HQ citystring
Roanoke
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
local broadcast television, local news coverage, weather forecasting, digital streaming, community journalism
Industry1 code
1MPABACAJ
CodeMPABACAJPrimaryYes
NAICS code3 codes
  • 51612
  • 5161
  • 5162
SIC code1 code
  • 4833
Product category
Broadcast Television
Social media profiles3 records
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model3 records
1Television Advertising
TypeAdvertising
Description

Revenue generated from selling advertising time during broadcast programming, including local commercials, sponsored segments, and targeted advertising across news, sports, weather, and entertainment content.

wdbj7.com:443
2Digital Advertising
TypeAdvertising
Description

Revenue from digital advertising on wdbj7.com website, mobile applications, and streaming platform including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content.

wdbj7.com:443
3Cable/Satellite Carriage Fees
TypeLicensing Royalties
Description

Retransmission consent fees received from cable operators and satellite providers for carrying WDBJ broadcast signal.

wdbj7.com
Marketing channels7 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 of 3 records shown
1WDBJ7+
Description

Digital streaming service offering 24/7 local news, weather, and community content.

wdbj7.com:443
+2 more records
Core offering1 text field

WDBJ Television (branded as WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley regions of Virginia. The station produces and distributes local news, weather forecasting, sports coverage, investigative journalism, and community programming via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, a free 24/7 streaming service (WDBJ7+), and a mobile weather application.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

WDBJ Television is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley in Virginia. The station operates as a single-market broadcast station under Gray Local Media, offering traditional over-the-air television programming alongside digital products. The product portfolio centers on WDBJ7+ for streaming video content, the WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App for weather information, multiple podcast series covering topics including local stories, sports, politics, health, and early childhood development, and NextGen TV broadcasting technology. The station also provides closed captioning and audio description accessibility services.

Product and service4 records
1WDBJ7+ Streaming Service
CategoryDigital Streaming
Description

Free 24/7 digital streaming service providing live broadcasts and on-demand video content, including local news, weather, and original programming for the Roanoke, Lynchburg, and New River Valley audiences.

2WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App
CategoryMobile Application
Description

Mobile weather application for iOS and Android providing interactive radar maps, hourly and 10-day forecasts, severe weather alerts, video forecasts, lightning alerts, live severe weather coverage, streaming cameras, and Spanish-language support.

3NextGen TV
CategoryBroadcast Technology
Description

Advanced television broadcasting technology offering enhanced digital television signals with improved picture and sound quality for viewers in the broadcast range.

4Closed Captioning and Audio Description
CategoryAccessibility Services
Description

Accessibility services providing closed captioning and audio descriptions for viewers who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision.

Scale indicator2 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Partnership1 partner
1Gray Television (Parent Company)
Strategic tierCoreTypeOthers
Description

WDBJ is owned and operated by Gray Television, Inc. (operating as Gray Local Media). Gray Television is one of the largest television broadcasting companies in the United States, providing shared services, technology infrastructure, advertising networks, and operational support across its station portfolio.

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Market position
Competitive moat4 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature3 records

Each record includes

Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles1 record

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

WDBJ Television

Broadcast Televisionwdbj7.com

WDBJ Television (WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley in Virginia. Owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), it delivers local news, weather, sports, and streaming content via broadcast, cable/satellite, digital platforms, and mobile apps.

What WDBJ Television does

WDBJ Television, branded as WDBJ7, is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving the Roanoke, Lynchburg/Southside, and New River Valley regions of western Virginia. Founded in 1953 as the first television station in Roanoke, it operates from its headquarters at 2807 Hershberger Road in Roanoke and is owned and operated by Gray Local Media, Inc., a subsidiary of publicly traded Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE: GTN). The station produces daily local news, weather, sports, and community programming, anchored by editorial brands such as Target 7 (investigative reporting), First Alert Weather (severe weather alerting), and Hometown Sports coverage including Friday Football Extra. Its content distribution spans over-the-air broadcast (including NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0), cable and satellite carriage (DIRECTV, DISH), the free 24/7 WDBJ7+ streaming service, the WDBJ7 website, mobile applications, Facebook Live, and a portfolio of eight podcasts covering local stories, politics, health, early childhood, and Spanish-language content.

The underlying technology stack combines traditional broadcast infrastructure with digital streaming, interactive weather radar, and mobile app platforms. The First Alert Weather system provides severe weather alerting through on-air graphics, app notifications, website alerts, and live streaming, with a 'First Alert Weather Day' designation protocol for major weather events. The WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App extends interactive radar, hourly and 10-day forecasts, and lightning alerts to iOS and Android with Spanish language support. Accessibility services include closed captioning and audio description for deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and low-vision audiences.

WDBJ's business model is a multi-revenue-stream local media operation. The station generates revenue from television advertising (local commercials and sponsored segments across news, sports, weather, and entertainment programming), digital advertising (display, video, and sponsored content on wdbj7.com, mobile apps, and WDBJ7+), and cable/satellite carriage fees received as retransmission consent payments from pay-TV distributors. Advertising rates are negotiated based on audience reach, time slots, and demographic targeting. Over-the-air distribution remains free to viewers. The station does not disclose station-level financials, operating as a non-separately-reporting subsidiary within Gray Television's portfolio of approximately 114 stations across 57 US markets.

WDBJ Television firmographics

Firmographics
Name
WDBJ Television
Legal name
Gray Local Media, Inc.
Website
https://wdbj7.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
1953
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
1,001–5,000 employees
Short description
WDBJ Television (WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley in Virginia. Owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), it delivers local news, weather, sports, and streaming content via broadcast, cable/satellite, digital platforms, and mobile apps.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where WDBJ Television is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Roanoke
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

WDBJ Television business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

  1. Television Advertising: Revenue generated from selling advertising time during broadcast programming, including local commercials, sponsored segments, and targeted advertising across news, sports, weather, and entertainment content.
  2. Digital Advertising: Revenue from digital advertising on wdbj7.com website, mobile applications, and streaming platform including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content.
  3. Cable/Satellite Carriage Fees: Retransmission consent fees received from cable operators and satellite providers for carrying WDBJ broadcast signal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

WDBJ Television product offering

Product offering

Core offering

WDBJ Television (branded as WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley regions of Virginia. The station produces and distributes local news, weather forecasting, sports coverage, investigative journalism, and community programming via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, a free 24/7 streaming service (WDBJ7+), and a mobile weather application.

Product overview

WDBJ Television is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley in Virginia. The station operates as a single-market broadcast station under Gray Local Media, offering traditional over-the-air television programming alongside digital products. The product portfolio centers on WDBJ7+ for streaming video content, the WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App for weather information, multiple podcast series covering topics including local stories, sports, politics, health, and early childhood development, and NextGen TV broadcasting technology. The station also provides closed captioning and audio description accessibility services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • WDBJ7+: Digital streaming service offering 24/7 local news, weather, and community content.
  • First Alert Weather
  • Target 7

Products and services

  • WDBJ7+ Streaming Service Free 24/7 digital streaming service providing live broadcasts and on-demand video content, including local news, weather, and original programming for the Roanoke, Lynchburg, and New River Valley audiences.
  • WDBJ7 First Alert Weather App Mobile weather application for iOS and Android providing interactive radar maps, hourly and 10-day forecasts, severe weather alerts, video forecasts, lightning alerts, live severe weather coverage, streaming cameras, and Spanish-language support.
  • NextGen TV Advanced television broadcasting technology offering enhanced digital television signals with improved picture and sound quality for viewers in the broadcast range.
  • Closed Captioning and Audio Description Accessibility services providing closed captioning and audio descriptions for viewers who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision.

Companies that use WDBJ Television

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

WDBJ Television technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

WDBJ Television partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

  • Gray Television (Parent Company)coreOthersWDBJ is owned and operated by Gray Television, Inc. (operating as Gray Local Media). Gray Television is one of the largest television broadcasting companies in the United States, providing shared services, technology infrastructure, advertising networks, and operational support across its station portfolio.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

WDBJ Television competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

WDBJ Television social profiles

Digital presence

WDBJ Television financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

WDBJ Television leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

WDBJ Television funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

WDBJ Television M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about WDBJ Television

What does WDBJ Television do?

WDBJ Television (branded as WDBJ7) is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast television station serving Roanoke, Lynchburg, and the New River Valley regions of Virginia. The station produces and distributes local news, weather forecasting, sports coverage, investigative journalism, and community programming via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, a free 24/7 streaming service (WDBJ7+), and a mobile weather application.

Is WDBJ Television a public or private company?

WDBJ Television is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was WDBJ Television founded?

WDBJ Television was founded in 1953. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.

Where is WDBJ Television based?

WDBJ Television is headquartered in Roanoke, United States, in the North America region.

How does WDBJ Television make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Television Advertising is the primary driver. The others are digital Advertising and cable/Satellite Carriage Fees.

Does WDBJ Television have an API?

No public API is recorded for WDBJ Television.

Unlock the full company data

50 free credits on sign-up, no credit card required.

Contact sales
Live signals
citybizGray Media Names William Varnier General Manager of WDBJ in RoanokeGray Media appointed William Varnier general manager of WDBJ, its CBS affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia, effective October 5. Varnier moves from KCTV5 in Kansas City, where he served as creative services director for nearly three years. The appointment brings a veteran of Gray's Kansas City operation to a Virginia market.FinancialContent Business PageGray Media Names William Varnier as General Manager of WDBJ in Roanoke, VirginiaGray Media appointed William Varnier as General Manager of WDBJ, the CBS affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia, effective October 5, 2026. Varnier, a Virginia native, previously served as Creative Services Director for KCTV5 in Kansas City, where the station won three consecutive Station of the Year honors.Stock TitanGray Media Names William Varnier WDBJ General ManagerGray Media appointed William Varnier as General Manager of WDBJ, the CBS affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia, effective October 5, 2026. Varnier, a Virginia native, previously served as Creative Services Director for Gray's KCTV5 in Kansas City, where the station won three consecutive Station of the Year honors.https://www.wdbj7.comMingle at the Market returns for another summer of live music in VintonThe Vinton Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 'Mingle at the Market' summer concert series at the Vinton Farmer’s Market, featuring live music and community activities. Angie Chewning from the chamber discussed the upcoming lineup with local news station WDBJ7.https://www.wdbj7.comVA 250: Mobile Museum Experience headed to annual Pearisburg FestivalThe VA250 Mobile Museum Experience will be present at the annual Pearisburg Festival in Virginia on June 5 and 6 with free admission. The exhibit is part of a year-long celebration by Gray Media, parent company of WDBJ7, marking the United States' 250th birthday.