What WNDU-TV does

WNDU-TV is an NBC-affiliated local broadcast television station headquartered at 54516 State Road 933 in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1955 and operating under Gray Media (Gray Television, NASDAQ: GTN), it serves the Michiana region — Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan — through over-the-air ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) broadcast, cable and satellite carriage, and digital streaming via wndutv.com and the Peacock platform. The station produces local news, weather (First Alert Weather), investigative journalism (I-Team), Notre Dame sports coverage, and NBC network programming, supplemented by an original digital content offering called WNDU Digital+.

The station's core product set spans linear broadcast news and entertainment, the First Alert Weather service with dedicated radar and Skyview 16 camera network, a live streaming product (Watch Live), a digital content platform (WNDU Digital+) housing original series such as 'Behind the Lens' and 'Morning Stretch', and the NextGen TV advanced broadcasting technology stack. Distribution occurs through direct over-the-air transmission on channel 16, cable and satellite carriage (including DirecTV and Dish Network), self-serve digital streaming, and NBC-affiliated channels such as Peacock.

WNDU-TV generates revenue exclusively through advertising. Local and regional businesses in the Michiana market purchase broadcast commercial spots, sponsored segments, and programming partnerships; advertising pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Its customer base comprises local Michiana advertisers (B2B revenue side) while serving local viewers as end consumers of news, weather, and entertainment. The station operates within the diversified Gray Media portfolio and is led by incoming General Manager Nick Hasenecz effective December 1, 2025.

Name

WNDU-TV

Legal name

WNDU-TV

Website

https://wndu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

WNDU-TV is an NBC-affiliated broadcast television station in South Bend, Indiana, owned by Gray Media, that serves the Michiana region with local news, First Alert Weather, Notre Dame sports, and NBC programming across over-the-air, cable, satellite, and digital streaming channels funded by local advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Television Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), 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 industries

Local TV Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAA), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI), Local Sports Broadcast Stations (Regional Local Rights, High School/College) (MPABACAK)

Keywords

• Local news broadcasting
• Weather forecasting
• Television advertising
• Investigative journalism
• Sports broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

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: Traditional broadcast television advertising including local commercial spots, sponsored segments, and programming partnerships sold to local and regional advertisers in the Michiana market
2. Digital/Streaming Content Distribution: Distribution of premium sports content including NBC programming via streaming platform Peacock, with the station serving as an affiliate carrying select content before transitioning to Peacock for full game coverage

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WNDU-TV is an NBC affiliate broadcast television station serving the Michiana region (South Bend, Indiana and surrounding northern Indiana/southwestern Michigan). The station delivers local news, First Alert Weather, Notre Dame and regional sports coverage, community programming, and NBC network content over-the-air, through cable/satellite carriage, and via digital streaming platforms.

Product overview

WNDU-TV is an NBC affiliate broadcasting station serving the South Bend, Indiana (Michiana) region. The station offers a unified broadcast and digital media platform consisting of over-the-air television programming, live streaming services, and the WNDU Digital+ digital content platform featuring original video series and podcasts. Key products include First Alert Weather (local weather forecasting), I-Team (investigative journalism), and NextGen TV (advanced broadcast technology). The station operates under Gray Media and covers local news, Notre Dame sports, community content, and national programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WNDU Digital+ A digital content platform featuring original video series, behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and streaming newscasts including shows like 'Behind the Lens', 'Gamers on Launch', 'Take 16', 'Morning Stretch', and 'Pod of Gold'. Targeted at Michiana region viewers seeking on-demand local content.
• First Alert Weather Local weather forecasting service featuring First Alert Weather Radar, Skyview 16 live camera network, school/business closings, and storm tracking tailored for the Michiana region. Designed for residents needing severe weather alerts and hyper-local forecasts.
• Watch Live Live streaming service delivering WNDU-TV broadcasts including local news and programming via the station website and digital platforms. Available to viewers who cannot access over-the-air or cable signals.
• I-Team Investigative journalism unit producing in-depth investigative reports on local and regional issues for Michiana region viewers. Content is distributed across broadcast newscasts and the station website.
• NextGen TV Advanced ATSC 3.0 broadcast technology offering enhanced viewing experience with improved audio, video quality, and interactive features over-the-air. Provides viewers with next-generation television capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Community fundraising 'Donate to Cultivate' initiative raised $47,251 benefiting approximately 2,400 children

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NBC/PeacockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWNDU operates as an NBC affiliate carrying NBC network programming. In the case of exclusive sports content like Notre Dame-NC State games, NBC makes programming decisions to air bonus coverage on affiliates like WNDU before switching the remainder to Peacock streaming. Peacock Premium subscription is $10.99 per month.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WISH-TV: WISH-TV is the CBS affiliate in Indianapolis, sharing network-affiliate economics and local-news-driven ad sales dynamics with WNDU, with the same parent-company overlap potential via Gray Media.
• WANE-TV: WANE is the CBS affiliate in Fort Wayne, competing head-to-head with WPTA and WFFT in an adjacent Indiana market with a similar mid-size DMA local news and advertising business model.
• WFFT-TV: WFFT is the Fox-affiliated station in nearby Fort Wayne, Indiana, covering an adjacent Midwest DMA with a comparable broadcast, local news, and sports advertising model to WNDU.
• WPTA-TV: WPTA is the ABC-affiliated station in Fort Wayne, Indiana — a nearby Midwest market with the same small-to-mid-market broadcast model, NBC/ABC network affiliation strategy, and dependence on local ad revenue.
• WTHR: WTHR is the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, the dominant Indiana TV market. As a fellow NBC affiliate with comparable network programming, news product, and broadcast infrastructure, it is a relevant operating comparable even though Indianapolis is a much larger DMA.
• WSBT-TV: WSBT is the CBS-affiliated local TV station directly competing with WNDU in the South Bend/Elkhent DMA for local news audiences, advertising dollars, and Notre Dame sports coverage. It is the most direct in-market competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Sinclair is one of the largest US broadcast station operators, owning stations in many of the same DMAs as Gray. It competes with WNDU indirectly for national ad budgets, retransmission deals, and network affiliations, and provides a benchmark for mid-market station economics.
• Nexstar Media Group: Nexstar is the largest US TV station owner and a key industry benchmark. It competes with Gray/WNDU for affiliate agreements, syndicated programming, and local ad share, and its mid-market station economics are directly comparable.
• Gray Television: Gray Television is the publicly traded parent company that owns and operates WNDU-TV, plus a portfolio of 100+ local TV stations nationwide. It is the parent entity and provides the strategic, capital, and operating context for WNDU.

Emerging players

• Local News Live: Local News Live is a Gray Media-operated streaming news platform aggregating local news content nationally — explicitly listed as a programming partner on WNDU's site. It represents the emerging digital-native distribution model that competes with traditional affiliate linear viewing.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wndu
• Facebookfacebook.com/newscenter16
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wndu-tv

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 WNDU-TV