Complete guide to TV stations, networks, and local broadcasts across the Heart of Dixie
Full-Power Stations
TV Markets (DMAs)
Alabama Public TV Stations
Household Coverage
Alabama operates 43 full-power commercial and non-commercial television stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), serving viewers across six Designated Market Areas (DMAs) as defined by Nielsen Media Research. The state's television landscape spans from major metropolitan markets like Birmingham (ranked 45th nationally with 771,860 TV households) to smaller regional markets serving local communities.
The Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa market dominates as Alabama's largest DMA, followed by Mobile-Pensacola-Fort Walton Beach (rank 57, 605,340 households), Huntsville-Decatur-Florence (rank 75, 452,230 households), Montgomery-Selma (rank 121, 249,100 households), Columbus-Opelika (rank 127, shared with Georgia), and Dothan (rank 170).
Alabama Public Television (APT), established in 1953, holds the distinction of being the first educational television network in the United States. Operating nine digital broadcast stations, APT reaches 97% of Alabama households (1,981,150 homes) and provides PBS programming to nearly every corner of the state.
Market Size: 771,860 TV households | Coverage: Central and west-central Alabama
Location: Birmingham, AL
Website: wvtm13.com
History: Operating continuously since June 12, 1949 (originally WAFM-TV), WVTM is Alabama's longest continuously operating television station.
Studios: Located atop Red Mountain in southeastern Birmingham, adjacent to Vulcan Statue
Contact: (205) 933-1313 | 1732 Valley View Dr., Birmingham, AL 35209
News Tipline: (205) 558-7311
Digital Subchannels: 13.1 NBC, 13.2 MeTV, 13.3 Story Television, 13.4 TheGrio, 13.5 GetTV, 13.6 Comet
WVTM serves Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston with comprehensive local news coverage including weather from Chief Meteorologist Jason Simpson. Live streaming available at wvtm13.com.
Location: Birmingham, AL
Website: wbrc.com
Affiliation History: Originally ABC affiliate, switched to Fox on January 1, 1996
Studios: Atop Red Mountain, adjacent to WVTM studios
Live Streaming: Available at wbrc.com/livestream/
WBRC features First Alert Weather coverage and breaking news for Birmingham and central Alabama. The station has been part of Gray Television since completing the Raycom Media merger on January 2, 2019.
Location: Serves Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Anniston
Website: abc3340.com
Broadcast Structure: WBMA-LD (channel 58) Birmingham, plus subchannels of WABM (68.2), WDBB (17.2 Tuscaloosa), and WGWW (40.2 Anniston)
Studios: Riverchase office park on Concourse Parkway, Hoover, AL
History: Name derives from original channels - WCFT channel 33 (Tuscaloosa, 1965) and WHMA-TV/WJSU-TV channel 40 (Anniston, 1969). Began current format September 1, 1996.
Coverage: Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Cullman, Gadsden, Talladega, Sylacauga, Carbon Hill, Jasper, Hoover, Bessemer, Vestavia Hills, Alabaster, Trussville, Homewood
ABC 33/40 has offered comprehensive news coverage since day one, including 90-minute morning newscasts and news at noon, 5, 6, and 10 p.m. Watch live at abc3340.com/watch.
Location: Birmingham, AL
Coverage: Birmingham, Anniston, Tuscaloosa
Digital Channel: 42 CBS
| Call Sign | Channel | Network/Type | Owner | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTTO | 21 | CW | Sinclair Broadcast Group | wtto21.com |
| WABM | 68 | MyNetworkTV | Sinclair Broadcast Group | wabm68.com |
| WDBB | 17 | CW (Bessemer) | Sinclair Broadcast Group | wtto21.com |
| WGWW | 40 | Heroes & Icons (Anniston) | - | - |
| WUOA | 23 | Independent (Tuscaloosa) | University of Alabama | - |
| WVUA-CD | 7 | Cozi TV (Tuscaloosa/Northport) | University of Alabama | wvua23.com |
| WCIQ | 7 | PBS (Mount Cheaha) | Alabama Public Television | aptv.org |
| WBIQ | 10 | PBS (Birmingham) | Alabama Public Television | aptv.org |
Market Size: 605,340 TV households | Coverage: Southwest Alabama, Northwest Florida
Location: Mobile, AL
Website: fox10tv.com
History: Mobile's oldest television station, signed on January 14, 1953. Originally carried NBC, ABC, CBS, and DuMont programming. Switched to Fox on January 1, 1996.
News Leadership: Has led news ratings in Mobile-Pensacola market for most of recorded history, dating back to NBC affiliation days.
Live Streaming: Available at fox10tv.com/livestream/
Contact: 1501 Satchel Paige Dr, Mobile, AL
FOX 10 News provides local breaking news, weather, and sports coverage for Mobile, Alabama and the Gulf Coast. First to broadcast local newscasts in high definition on April 21, 2012.
Location: Mobile, AL
Website: wkrg.com
Coverage: Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL
Live Streaming: Available at wkrg.com
WKRG provides local Mobile news and weather coverage, serving Mobile, Pensacola, Baldwin County, and the Gulf Coast.
Location: Mobile, AL
Affiliation History: Became NBC affiliate on January 1, 1996 when WALA switched to Fox
Coverage: Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL area
HD Broadcasting: Began HD newscasts on April 22, 2012
| Call Sign | Channel | Network/Type | Coverage Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| WFNA | 55 | CW | Mobile, AL / Gulf Shores area |
| WBPG | 55 | CW (Gulf Shores) | Mobile-Pensacola market |
| WFGX | 35 | Independent | Mobile, AL / Pensacola, FL |
| WEIQ | 42 | PBS | Mobile (Alabama Public Television) |
Florida-Based Stations Serving Alabama: WEAR-TV 3 (ABC, Pensacola) and WJTC 44 (Independent, Pensacola) also serve parts of southwest Alabama with news focused primarily on Northwest Florida.
Market Size: 452,230 TV households | Coverage: Northern Alabama (Tennessee Valley region)
Location: Huntsville, AL
Website: waff.com
History: Northern Alabama's oldest television station. First broadcast July 4, 1954 as WMSL-TV channel 23 from Decatur (30 miles west of Huntsville). Originally carried all four networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, DuMont) but was primary NBC affiliate.
Coverage: Huntsville, Florence, Decatur, Guntersville, AL
Live Streaming: Available at waff.com/livestream/
WAFF 48 provides live news, weather, and sports updates for northern Alabama's Tennessee Valley region.
Location: Huntsville, AL
Website: whnt.com
History: Began operations Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1963. Has been CBS affiliate for entire existence - only Huntsville station to never change affiliation.
Studios: Holmes Avenue Northwest, downtown Huntsville (shared with WHDF CW 15)
News Bureaus: Operates bureaus in Decatur, Sand Mountain (Albertville), and Shoals (Florence)
Ratings: Only Huntsville station among the three major network affiliates to have never finished in last place in Nielsen ratings
WHNT News 19 is the news leader in North Alabama, covering news, sports, weather and community events across the Tennessee Valley.
Location: Huntsville, AL
Website: waaytv.com
History: First broadcast August 1, 1959 as WAFG-TV. Second television outlet in Huntsville region, signing on five years after WAFF.
Studios and Transmitter: Located on Monte Sano Boulevard atop Monte Sano Mountain
News Bureaus: Maintains bureaus in Decatur (Lee Street Northeast) and Florence (North Pine Street, UNA campus)
Awards: Named Alabama's Television Station of the Year for overall excellence in journalism, programming and community service (2023 ABBY Awards) - first station to receive this award in back-to-back years
Live Streaming: Available at waaytv.com/livestream/
WAAY 31 News provides comprehensive coverage of Huntsville, Alabama news, weather, and community events.
Location: Huntsville, AL
Brand: Rocket City Now
Website: rocketcitynow.com
Streaming: FOX54+ available on Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, web, and mobile app
Watch: rocketcitynow.com/watch
| Call Sign | Channel | Network/Type | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHDF | 15 | CW "The Valley's CW" (Florence) | Nexstar Media Group |
| WHIQ | 25 | PBS (Huntsville) | Alabama Public Television |
| WFIQ | 36 | PBS (Florence) | Alabama Public Television |
Market Size: 249,100 TV households | Coverage: Central Alabama, state capital region
Location: Montgomery, AL
Website: wsfa.com
History: Traces back to 1930 when Gordon Persons (future Alabama Governor) opened WSFA radio at Montgomery Regional Airport - the state's fourth radio station and city's first. Famous for launching Hank Williams' country music career.
Studios: Dexter Avenue, downtown Montgomery (shared with low-power Telemundo affiliate WBXM-CD channel 15)
Transmitter: Located in Grady along Montgomery-Pike county line
Coverage Area: One of Alabama's largest - provides at least secondary coverage from the geographical center of the state to the Florida state line and from the Black Belt region to the Chattahoochee River (Georgia border)
Live Streaming: Available at wsfa.com/livestream/
WSFA 12 News offers 24/7 Alabama weather information and comprehensive local news coverage for Montgomery and central Alabama.
Location: Licensed to Selma, serving Montgomery
Website: waka.com
Digital Channel: Virtual 8 (UHF digital 25)
History: Debuted March 17, 1960 as WSLA (representing Selma). Originally owned by Brennan family's Deep South Broadcasting. Changed to WAKA in 1985 and added Montgomery to coverage area.
Studios: Harrison Road, North Montgomery (shared with Tuskegee-licensed CW+ affiliate WBMM channel 22)
Transmitter: Gordonville, Alabama
Location: Montgomery, AL
Website: wcov.com
History: First television station built in Montgomery, began broadcasting April 17, 1953. Originally CBS affiliate on UHF channel 20. Ended 32-year CBS affiliation on January 1, 1986 due to UHF channel position disadvantage competing with VHF stations.
Ownership Change: Allen Media Group announced sale of WCOV to Gray Media for $171 million (10 stations total) on August 8, 2025. Will create duopoly with WSFA in Montgomery market.
Coverage: Primary coverage over Montgomery metropolitan area and central Alabama
Location: Montgomery, AL
Website: wncftv.com
Note: Compared with other Montgomery stations (WSFA, WCOV, WAKA), WNCF has never had much success operating its own news department.
| Call Sign | Channel | Network/Type | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBMM | 22 | CW+ "Montgomery's CW" (Tuskegee) | Bahakel Communications |
| WBXM-CD | 15 | Telemundo (low-power, Class A) | Gray Media |
| WAIQ | 26 | PBS | Alabama Public Television |
Simulcast Programming: WDFX Fox 34 from Dothan simulcasts weekday morning show from Birmingham's WBRC, plus hour-long weekday program at 4 p.m. and nightly prime time newscast at 9 p.m. from Montgomery's WSFA.
Market Size: ~108,000 TV households | Coverage: Southeast Alabama
Location: Dothan, AL
History: First broadcast February 12, 1955, originally on channel 9 as CBS affiliate
Digital Subchannels:
Location: Licensed to Ozark, AL
Website: wdfxfox34.com
Digital Subchannels:
Location: Dothan, AL
Network: ABC affiliate
| Call Sign | Channel | Network/Type | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| WRGX-LD | 23 | NBC / CW+ / Telemundo (low-power) | Gray Television |
| WDIQ | 2 | PBS (Dozier) | Alabama Public Television |
| WGIQ | 43 | PBS (Louisville) | Alabama Public Television |
Established: 1953 | Coverage: 97% of Alabama households (1,981,150 homes)
Alabama Public Television operates nine digital broadcast stations providing PBS programming across the state. The network's signals reach almost all of Alabama, plus parts of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. APT is operated by the Alabama Educational Television Commission (AETC), a state government agency holding licenses for all PBS member stations in Alabama.
Headquarters: Birmingham, AL
Additional Studios: Montgomery (adjacent to Patterson Field) and Alabama State House basement
Website: aptv.org
APT pioneered early digital adoption by launching its first digital stream in 2002, becoming Alabama's initial provider of high-definition (HD) programming. The network has served Alabama for more than five decades, establishing the model that 25 other states have used to create their own public television networks.
| Call Sign | Channel | Transmitter Location | Primary Market Served |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAIQ | 26 | Montgomery | Montgomery-Selma DMA |
| WBIQ | 10 | Birmingham | Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa DMA |
| WCIQ | 7 | Mount Cheaha (highest point in Alabama) | Birmingham DMA |
| WDIQ | 2 | Dozier | Dothan DMA |
| WEIQ | 42 | Mobile | Mobile-Pensacola DMA |
| WFIQ | 36 | Florence | Huntsville-Decatur-Florence DMA |
| WGIQ | 43 | Louisville/Texasville | Dothan DMA |
| WHIQ | 25 | Huntsville | Huntsville-Decatur DMA |
| WIIQ | 41 | Demopolis | Meridian, MS DMA (serving western Alabama) |
All APT stations broadcast multiple digital subchannels:
Watch APT Programming: View all shows, schedules, and on-demand video at video.aptv.org/shows/
Alabama is home to two Southeastern Conference (SEC) powerhouse programs - the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn University Tigers - creating intense television viewership across the state.
The annual Alabama-Auburn rivalry game, known as the Iron Bowl, draws massive television audiences:
Primary Networks Broadcasting Alabama SEC Football:
Statewide radio coverage is the hallmark of the Auburn Sports Network's exclusive coverage of Auburn football. All home and away games are broadcast across the entire state of Alabama plus portions of Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Kentucky.
Each network football broadcast spans seven hours and includes Tiger Tailgate Show, interviews with the head coach, exclusive post-game locker room interviews, and an interactive post-game scoreboard show with fans and coaches.
Local Station Coverage: Alabama's local stations provide extensive pre-game, post-game, and weekly analysis shows throughout football season, with WVTM Birmingham, WSFA Montgomery, WAAY Huntsville, and WALA Mobile all featuring dedicated SEC football programming.
Alabama is home to the largest religious media network in the world - the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), headquartered in Irondale, just outside Birmingham.
Founded: 1981 by Mother Mary Angelica
Headquarters: Irondale, AL (Birmingham area)
Global Reach: Approximately 140 countries and territories
Broadcasting: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Focus: Catholic theology, devotion, news, and religious programming
History: Started in 1981 as a small enterprise transmitting just four hours daily and reaching only 60,000 homes. Through Mother Mary Angelica's determination, vision, and faith, EWTN has become the world's largest religious media network.
Availability: Broadcasts internationally, available online and through various streaming services.
Alabama features numerous Christian radio stations providing religious programming, music, and teaching:
| Station | Frequency | Location | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMFT Moody Radio | Various | Statewide | Christian Teaching/Music - Reaches 3.3M throughout AL and MS |
| Hallelujah-FM | 105.1 FM | Birmingham | Inspirational - "Birmingham's Inspiration Station" |
| WALN | 89.3 FM | Carrollton | Inspirational |
| WAYH | 88.1 FM | Huntsville | Christian Contemporary |
| WBHY | 88.5 FM | Mobile | Christian Contemporary |
| WBHY | 840 AM | Mobile | Christian Talk |
| WFIX | 94.3 FM | Florence | Christian Contemporary |
| WJIA | 88.5 FM | Guntersville | Christian Contemporary |
| WYAM | 890 AM | Hartselle | Inspirational |
Television Programming: Many Alabama television stations carry religious programming on Sunday mornings, including local church services, national ministries, and faith-based talk shows. Low-power stations often feature religious broadcasting, including Daystar and other Christian television networks.
Most Alabama television stations offer free live streaming of local news through their websites and mobile apps. Many are also available on streaming platforms like Roku, FireTV, and AppleTV.
| Station | Streaming URL | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| WVTM 13 (NBC) | wvtm13.com/nowcast | Live M-F 4-7am, 11am, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 10pm |
| WBRC 6 (FOX) | wbrc.com/livestream/ | Live local news, weather, breaking news |
| ABC 33/40 | abc3340.com/watch | Live broadcasts and on-demand video |
| Station | Streaming URL | Additional Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| WAFF 48 (NBC) | waff.com/livestream/ | Local News Live channel |
| WAAY 31 (ABC) | waaytv.com/livestream/ | Live during newscasts, weather, breaking news |
| WHNT 19 (CBS) | whnt.com | On-demand newscasts |
| WZDX FOX 54 | rocketcitynow.com/watch | Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, mobile app |
| Station | Streaming URL |
|---|---|
| FOX 10 (WALA) | fox10tv.com/livestream/ |
| WKRG 5 (CBS) | wkrg.com |
| Station | Streaming URL |
|---|---|
| WSFA 12 (NBC) | wsfa.com/livestream/ |
As of November 2025, the FCC licenses approximately 44 active low-power digital (LD) stations across Alabama, including Class A stations. Many survived the 2017-2020 broadcast spectrum repack by relocating to new channels.
Characteristics: LPTV stations typically operate at effective radiated powers below 15 kW for digital signals, allowing them to target specific local audiences without interfering with major market signals. Many feature multicultural affiliations like Telemundo or Daystar, filling gaps in diverse programming for Alabama's growing Hispanic and faith-based populations.
Recent Developments: In September 2025, the FCC lifted a long-standing freeze on applications for new LPTV and TV translator stations, potentially increasing future deployments.
Spanish-language programming is available in Alabama through Telemundo low-power affiliates and multichannel subchannels. WBXM-CD (channel 15) in Montgomery and WRGX-LD (channel 23) in Dothan carry Telemundo programming. Univision and Telemundo programming may also be available via cable and satellite providers throughout the state.
Some Alabama counties are assigned to out-of-state DMAs, creating challenges for residents seeking Alabama-specific news and weather:
These "orphan counties" rely on out-of-state stations for local news and weather coverage, though recent efforts have successfully reassigned Jackson County from Chattanooga, TN back to Huntsville, AL DMA.
Last updated on November 27, 2025