WHDH (TV)

WHDH (TV) is a television station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, broadcasting on virtual and VHF digital channel 7. It is owned by Sunbeam Television, which also operates WLVI and WSVN in Miami. The station's studios are located in the Downtown section of Boston, and its transmitter is based in Needham, Massachusetts. WHDH has a long and complex history involving several ownership changes and call sign transitions, establishing itself as a major commercial broadcaster in the New England region.

History

The station first signed on the air on June 21, 1948, as **WNAC-TV**, originally owned by the General Tire subsidiary RKO General. It was the second television station in Boston after WBZ-TV. In 1961, the station's original broadcast license was challenged by the Boston Herald-Traveler Corporation, which proposed a new station under the calls **WHDH**. Following a protracted legal battle with the Federal Communications Commission, RKO General surrendered the WNAC-TV license in 1972. The WHDH calls and channel 7 facility were then awarded to a new entity, Boston Broadcasters Inc., which began operations in 1972. This station was later purchased by Metromedia in 1982 and changed its call letters to **WNEV-TV**. Sunbeam Television, owned by Edmund Ansin, acquired the station in 1991 and restored the historic WHDH call sign, which has been used ever since.

Programming

As an independent station for much of its history, WHDH has aired a variety of syndicated programming. It was the longtime home for The Oprah Winfrey Show in the Boston market. The station has also carried popular series such as Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and Inside Edition. From 1995 to 2016, WHDH was an affiliate of the NBC television network, carrying its lineup of prime time series, The Tonight Show, and NBC Nightly News. In a highly publicized move, NBC decided not to renew its affiliation agreement in 2016, leading WHDH to return to an independent status. The station now schedules a mix of syndicated talk shows, court programs, and local newscasts.

News operation

WHDH operates one of the most prominent local news departments in New England, known historically as **7News**. It has long engaged in intense competition with rivals WBZ-TV, WCVB-TV, and WFXT. The station pioneered several technical innovations in the region, including the introduction of helicopter traffic reports and extensive use of live satellite trucks. Its news team has received numerous awards, including several Emmy Awards and recognition from the Associated Press. Notable alumni of WHDH's newsroom include Matt Lauer, who later anchored The Today Show, and Jenna Bush Hager. The station produces over 40 hours of local news each week, with a strong focus on breaking news and investigative reporting.

Technical information

The station broadcasts a digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter located in Needham, Massachusetts, sharing a tower with other Boston stations like WCVB-TV and WBZ-TV. WHDH's signal covers much of eastern Massachusetts, including parts of New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It operates a network of Doppler radar systems for its weather coverage, branded as **StormTeam 7**. The station also streams its newscasts and select programming live on its website and mobile apps. WHDH transitioned to digital-only broadcasting in 2009, following the Digital television transition in the United States.

Related stations

WHDH is the flagship property of Sunbeam Television, a privately held broadcast group controlled by the Ansin family. Sunbeam's other major station is WSVN, a Fox affiliate in Miami known for its aggressive news style, which has influenced WHDH's own news presentation. In the Boston market, Sunbeam also owns CW affiliate WLVI, which shares some news resources and facilities with WHDH. Historically, the station was a sister to radio stations **WHDH** (850 AM) and **WHDH-FM** (94.5, now WJMN), though those properties were sold separately in the 1990s. Category:Television stations in Boston Category:Sunbeam Television