WSKY-TV
Encyclopedia
WSKY-TV, which was launched in October 2001, is a full-power/full market television independent station serving the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA television market (DMA
) and the Outer Banks
of North Carolina
. The station, which is part of the Hampton Roads
market, broadcasts on digital channel 9 and is licensed to Manteo, North Carolina
. Its analog transmitter was located in Powells Point, North Carolina on the WCXL tower. WSKY-TV was the last station in the US to be licensed as an analog, VHF low-band channel.
WSKY-TV is carried on Cox Communications Hampton Roads
, Hampton Roads' on channel 4, as well as 2 Charter
systems in the DMA, Adelphia and Time Warner Cable
services and Dish Network
. On January 1, 2009, DirecTV
removed the channel from its lineup following a failure to reapply for "must-carry" status. Before its fall 2001 launch, channel 4 on Cox Cable housed LNC or Local News on Cable
, WVEC-TV
's 24-hour
cable news
television station. When WSKY launched, LNC moved up to channel 5 on Cox Cable lineups.
While the morning programming consists of mainly infomercials, the day, afternoon, and evening programming consists of local first run entertainment/news, sitcom/drama reruns (both syndicated and non-syndicated), and movies. WSKY also offers a fair amount of first-run syndicated programming, as well as major league and NCAA sporting events, including coverage of the Charlotte Bobcats (NBA) and the Norfolk Tides (Minor league baseball).
Despite the callsign and branding of "SKY 4", it is not affiliated in any way with British Sky Broadcasting
of the United Kingdom
, nor its parent company, News Corporation
(who also owns the Fox
network).
During the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
, WSKY-TV aired two weeknight 11 o'clock newscasts from CBS
affiliate WTKR
during that station's coverage of the basketball tournament. WTKR did broadcast late newscasts at Midnight when the coverage concluded.
. WSKY had some challenges covering the Northern most area of the metro (Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton) on its analog signal; which was to be remedied with its new digital tower.
Between 6 and 7 a.m. on the morning of March 2, 2007, in high winds during storms moving through the area, WSKY-DT's tower collapsed, also destroying the transmitter building. The tower was three weeks away from completion.
The tower was rebuilt and finished in November 2007. WSKY-DT started broadcasting a test pattern
on November 24, 2007.. WSKY-DT started regular broadcasts on November 27, 2007.
In mid-May 2010, WSKY-TV moved from channel 4 to channel 9 to improve signal strength.
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
) and the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The station, which is part of the Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
market, broadcasts on digital channel 9 and is licensed to Manteo, North Carolina
Manteo, North Carolina
Manteo is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States, located on Roanoke Island. The population was 1,052 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Dare County.-Geography:...
. Its analog transmitter was located in Powells Point, North Carolina on the WCXL tower. WSKY-TV was the last station in the US to be licensed as an analog, VHF low-band channel.
WSKY-TV is carried on Cox Communications Hampton Roads
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
, Hampton Roads' on channel 4, as well as 2 Charter
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
systems in the DMA, Adelphia and Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
services and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
. On January 1, 2009, DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
removed the channel from its lineup following a failure to reapply for "must-carry" status. Before its fall 2001 launch, channel 4 on Cox Cable housed LNC or Local News on Cable
Local News on Cable
Local News on Cable, or LNC5, was a joint venture between WVEC-TV , Cox Communications Hampton Roads, and The Virginian-Pilot. LNC5 was owned by the Belo Corporation. Launched on February 24, 1997 as LNC4 on Cox Cable channel 4. It later moved to channel 5 after the launch of independent station...
, WVEC-TV
WVEC-TV
WVEC is the ABC affiliate television station for the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which includes Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, and the surrounding area. It is licensed to Hampton, with its main studio in downtown Norfolk. Its transmitter is located in Suffolk, Virginia...
's 24-hour
24-hour news cycle
The 24-hour news cycle arrived with the advent of television channels dedicated to news, and brought about a much faster pace of news production with increased demand for stories that can be presented as news, as opposed to the day-by-day pace of the news cycle of printed daily newspapers...
cable news
United States cable news
Cable news refers to television channels devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television. In the United States, early networks included CNN in 1980, Financial News Network in 1981, and CNN2 ...
television station. When WSKY launched, LNC moved up to channel 5 on Cox Cable lineups.
While the morning programming consists of mainly infomercials, the day, afternoon, and evening programming consists of local first run entertainment/news, sitcom/drama reruns (both syndicated and non-syndicated), and movies. WSKY also offers a fair amount of first-run syndicated programming, as well as major league and NCAA sporting events, including coverage of the Charlotte Bobcats (NBA) and the Norfolk Tides (Minor league baseball).
Despite the callsign and branding of "SKY 4", it is not affiliated in any way with British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, nor its parent company, News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
(who also owns the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network).
During the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, WSKY-TV aired two weeknight 11 o'clock newscasts from CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate WTKR
WTKR
WTKR is the CBS affiliate television station serving the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, officially known as the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News DMA. The station is licensed to Norfolk and broadcasts on channel 40 . Its transmitter is located in Suffolk, Virginia...
during that station's coverage of the basketball tournament. WTKR did broadcast late newscasts at Midnight when the coverage concluded.
Digital signal and tower collapse
The station's analog signal signed-off in late November 2006, as its digital signal was to sign-on from a new tower in Camden County, NCCamden County, North Carolina
-Schools:There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and CamTech High School. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a...
. WSKY had some challenges covering the Northern most area of the metro (Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton) on its analog signal; which was to be remedied with its new digital tower.
Between 6 and 7 a.m. on the morning of March 2, 2007, in high winds during storms moving through the area, WSKY-DT's tower collapsed, also destroying the transmitter building. The tower was three weeks away from completion.
The tower was rebuilt and finished in November 2007. WSKY-DT started broadcasting a test pattern
Test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern in North America and Australia, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast...
on November 24, 2007.. WSKY-DT started regular broadcasts on November 27, 2007.
In mid-May 2010, WSKY-TV moved from channel 4 to channel 9 to improve signal strength.