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WVTM

WVTM-TV
Alabama's 13 logo.png
MeTV WVTM.png
Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston, Alabama
United States
City Birmingham, Alabama
Branding WVTM 13 (general)
(Today's) WVTM 13 News (newscasts)
Slogan We Are Alabama (general)
Covering the South (newscasts)
Channels Digital: 13 (VHF)
Virtual: 13 ()
Affiliations
Owner Hearst Television
(WVTM Hearst Television, Inc.)
First air date May 29, 1949; 67 years ago (1949-05-29)
Call letters' meaning Vulcan
(in reference to statue)

Times
Mirror
(former owners)
Former callsigns
  • WAFM-TV (1949–1953)
  • WABT (1953–1958)
  • WAPI-TV (1958–1980)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 13 (VHF, 1949–2009)
  • Digital:
  • 52 (UHF, until 2009)
Former affiliations
  • Primary:
  • CBS (sole primary, 1949–1954, joint primary with NBC, 1961–1965)
  • Secondary:
  • CBS (1965–1970)
  • ABC (1949–1961)
Transmitter power 20 kW
Height 403 m
Facility ID 74173
Transmitter coordinates 33°29′25.9″N 86°47′47.7″W / 33.490528°N 86.796583°W / 33.490528; -86.796583Coordinates: 33°29′25.9″N 86°47′47.7″W / 33.490528°N 86.796583°W / 33.490528; -86.796583
Licensing authority FCC
Public license information: Profile
CDBS
Website www.wvtm13.com

WVTM-TV, VHF channel 13, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by the Hearst Television subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation. WVTM maintains studio and transmitter facilities located atop Red Mountain, between Vulcan Trail and Valley View Drive in southeastern Birmingham, adjacent to the Vulcan Statue and next to the studios of Fox affiliate WBRC (channel 6).

On cable, WVTM is available on Charter Spectrum channel 8 in the immediate Birmingham area (channel 5 in outlying areas), and Comcast Xfinity and AT&T U-verse channel 13 in standard definition; and in high definition on Spectrum channel 1008 (channels 705 or 1005 in outlying areas), and Xfinity and AT&T U-verse channel 1013.

The station first signed on the air on May 29, 1949, as WAFM-TV, originally carrying a limited schedule of local programming. The station began carrying select network programming on July 1, operating as a primary CBS and secondary ABC affiliate; channel 13 began carrying an expanded schedule of programming from ABC and CBS on October 1. It was originally owned by The Voice of Alabama, Inc., along with radio stations WAPI (1070 AM), and WAFM (then at 93.3, now WJOX-FM at 94.5 FM). It is the longest continuously operating television station in Alabama. During the summer of 1949, most programs aired by WAFM-TV aired during the daytime hours, allowing radio electronics and department stores to demonstrate television set receivers to potential customers. In January 1953, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an application to increase the station's transmitter power from 26,000 to 316,000 watts.


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