WHAG-TV Elevates Commitment to Four-State Area Viewers with Expanded Distribution in Support of Tailored Local News Expansion
WHAG-TV Call Letters Changed to WDVM-TV to Reflect Expanded Geographic Coverage
Nexstar’s Million Dollar Investment Increases Local News Coverage in Maryland and Northern Virginia and Adds News Bureau in Chantilly, VA
Expanded Team of Leading Local Journalists to Deliver More Compelling Local News and Community Content On-air and Through New Local Community Web Portal, LocalDVM.com
HAGERSTOWN, Maryland and IRVING, Texas – Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) announced today that WHAG-TV, serving Central and Western Maryland, South Central Pennsylvania, the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia and Northern Virginia (DMA #7) for over 47 years, has significantly increased its broadcast distribution of local news content and service. Effective July 1, 2017, cable and satellite providers added the station (now known under its new call letters, WDVM-TV) to their systems resulting new reach to 960,000 additional viewers in Montgomery County, MD and the counties of Loudoun, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and Fauquier, VA.
Additionally, the station expanded its local news team in Chantilly, VA and added new sales executives to address its expanded regional reach which together complements its existing operations in in Germantown, MD; Winchester, VA and Hagerstown, MD. The additional news content has been tailored to local viewers in the newly added markets and is included as part of the station’s currently airing specialty local news programs NOVA (Northern Virginia) News (Mon. – Sat. at 7:00 a.m., Mon-Fri 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.) and I-270 News (Mon. – Sat. at 7:30 a.m. and Mon-Fri 7:30 p.m.).
The station now identifies itself as WDVM-TV, call letters designated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and reflective of the expanded service to West Virginia, Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. Nexstar and WDVM are also producing additional digital content for its new community web portal www.localDVM.com. The station will continue its tradition of bringing Four State viewers locally-produced news, lifestyle, sports, weather and community programming. Importantly, WDVM-TV’s local news expansion directly addresses the needs of the local communities outside the Beltway – particularly in Montgomery County, MD and in Northern Virginia – by bringing viewers the only full-coverage local television news programming targeted to their local communities. WDVM-TV’s increased distribution and expanded local programming reflects the station’s significant local news viewership with the majority of advertiser and audience interest as well as the Nexstar organization-wide commitment to broadcasting excellence and enhanced service to local communities across the Four States region.
“At Nexstar and our Four State station operations, the local communities we serve remain at the center of every decision we make,” stated Hugh Breslin, Vice President and General Manager. “Our WDVM News ‘Your Local News Leader’ (formerly WHAG News), NOVA News and I-270 News programs are crucial, relied upon sources of essential information, breaking developments and accurate weather coverage that are important to local viewers and their families. With our geographically-focused local news content, staffing expansion and new distribution to an additional 960,000 households in Montgomery County, Maryland and in several counties across Northern Virginia, we cover more local news stories than any other station in this region. This is a very exciting time for WDVM-TV as we bring our viewers and advertisers more locally-produced news, lifestyle, sports, weather and community programming than ever before, with 24/7 access to additional compelling local content online with the new www.localDVM.com local community portal (formerly Your4State.com).”
Mr. Breslin added, “Our viewers value the local news content from our team, particularly in regions west of the Washington beltway where a local voice has been absent. Nexstar is committed to addressing viewers’ growing demand for our brand of local news and we have a strong history of responding to the needs of our viewers. Our expanded local news programming, enhanced local coverage and new station brand extend that legacy.”
The station has hired additional marketing and sales personnel to ensure local businesses and advertisers in the expanded coverage area have access to WDVM-TV’s suite of unparalleled multi-platform marketing solutions. Nexstar’s investment to expand WDVM-TV’s local news programming and staff highlights the Company’s organization-wide commitment to broadcasting excellence and addressing the under-served viewers demands with enhanced service to local communities in the Four State region as well as in the greater Washington D.C. DMA, west of the District.
“We are grateful for the tremendous support and positive feedback we are already receiving from the local community for our enhanced and expanded local news programming and look forward to increasing our service to local viewers through WDVM-TV and localDVM.com,” concluded Mr. Breslin.
WDVM-TV will continue to be available on the same cable, satellite and over the air channels (25.1) as today. Montgomery County, MD and Northern Virginia residents can watch WDVM-TV on Dish Network channel 25, Comcast Cable Channel 811 (HD) and 24 (SD) and on Verizon FIOS Channel 31.
About WDVM-TV
Broadcast in full HD, WDVM-TV studios in historic downtown Hagerstown, MD are currently outfitted with advanced production resources and technologies, including state-of-the-art HD cameras, weather forecasting equipment and locally-themed news sets. Highly educated, multimedia journalists deliver and report news from additional news bureaus in, Winchester and Chantilly, VA and Germantown, MD.
LocalDVM.com (Your4State.com) community portal gives viewers 24/7 access to WHAG’s local news, weather and sports content; community events; lifestyle tips and general information on any platform. A suite of apps, LocalDVM, WDVM Weather, 4State Pros, and the new I-270 App are available for free download on Android or IOS platforms.
About Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Nexstar Media Group is a leading diversified media company that leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms. Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 170 television stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 100 markets or nearly 39% of all U.S. television households. Nexstar’s portfolio includes primary affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW. Nexstar’s community portal websites offer additional hyper-local content and verticals for consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when and how they access content while creating new revenue opportunities. For more information please visit www.nexstar.tv.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements include information preceded by, followed by, or that includes the words “guidance,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “could,” or similar expressions. For these statements, Nexstar claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication, concerning, among other things, future financial performance, including changes in net revenue, cash flow and operating expenses, involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important factors, including the impact of changes in national and regional economies, the ability to service and refinance our outstanding debt, successful integration of acquired television stations and digital businesses (including achievement of synergies and cost reductions), pricing fluctuations in local and national advertising, future regulatory actions and conditions in the television stations’ operating areas, competition from others in the broadcast television markets, volatility in programming costs, the effects of governmental regulation of broadcasting, industry consolidation, technological developments and major world news events. Nexstar undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this communication might not occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could affect these expectations, please see Nexstar’s other filings with the SEC.
Contact:
Hugh J Breslin, III
VP and General Manager
301/797-4400
or
Joseph Jaffoni, Jennifer Neuman
JCIR
212/835-8500 or nxst@jcir.com