WOWK

Station Profile

Nexstar Broadcasting Group purchased WOWK-TV, a CBS affiliate, from West Virginia Media Holdings in 2016.  WOWK is a split market serving the Charleston-Huntington area with the station’s main studio located in Charleston the state capital. The station operates a news and sales bureau in Huntington. In keeping with Nexstar’s commitment to broadcasting excellence for local viewers and advertisers WOWK launched two new digital channels featuring the “Laff and Escape” networks in late August 2016. In October 2017, WOWK launched a new digital channel airing the “Grit” network.  The station produces 30 hours of news and information programming per week including a statewide newscast and a statewide political affairs program which is broadcast on WOWK’s affiliated stations throughout the state. WOWK’s syndicated programming includes the popular Ellen DeGeneres show, Dr. Oz and Rachael Ray.

In addition to CBS’s award-winning sports programming the station is also the home of exclusive West Virginia University (WVU) sports coverage thanks to a unique partnership with IMG College and WVU Athletics that features a live pre-game two-hour broadcast during football season and produces the official coaches shows and daily WVU sports updates for Nexstar’s WV stations.

Market Profile

Charleston / Huntington, WV is in the 82nd largest DMA in the United States, with a population of approximately 1,025,470 and 422,160 television households, as reported by Nielsen Media.

The station is located in Charleston, the state’s capital and largest city. WOWK has a news and sales bureau in Huntington. Because of its geography the station has an unusually high Cable and Satellite penetration at 48% and 47% respectively. There are multiple cable services in Charleston. Suddenlink is the major provider in the city. Other major players include DirecTV, Comcast, and Dish Network. Trade, utilities, government, medicine and education play central roles in the city’s economy.