What Birmingham’s ‘very confusing’ TV news shuffle means for local viewers

If you have found yourself scrolling through your television guide this week feeling a bit lost, you are not alone. Birmingham's local television landscape underwent a major reshuffle over the weekend, leaving many viewers scrambling to find their favorite stations and programs.

Mapping the New Channel Lineup

The shifts began on August 1. Birmingham's NBC affiliate, WVTM-TV (Channel 13), has expanded its reach by adding CBS network programming through a new digital subchannel, 13.4. This means viewers will now find both NBC and CBS content under the Channel 13 umbrella.

Meanwhile, the former CBS affiliate, WIAT-TV, has rebranded as Alabama’s 42. While it no longer carries CBS programming, the station is preparing to become Birmingham's new CW affiliate by September 1.

Navigating Provider Changes

Jimmy Cromwell, vice president and general manager of Alabama’s 42, acknowledged the confusion caused by these rapid transitions. "All of this occurred during a very short period of time," Cromwell said. "We are working diligently to try to get clarity on where the providers are all supplying our programming to the viewer."

The situation remains fluid for satellite and streaming subscribers:

• DirecTV: Currently, Alabama’s 42 is not available, though the station expects to be added once they officially take over the CW affiliation on September 1.
• Dish Network: The station remains available, but viewers may need to switch to Channel 43 (standard definition) or 6496 (high-definition).
• YouTube TV: Access is still in progress, with the station working with YouTube to get the signal live.

What to Expect on Local News

Despite organizational changes—including a round of layoffs earlier this year and a shift to a more podcast-style news format—Alabama’s 42 remains committed to local coverage. The station will continue to air weekday news from noon to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., along with its morning broadcasts.

Viewers can expect to see familiar faces including Sherri Jackson, Carly Laing, and David Lamb, alongside meteorologists David Nussbaum, Michael Haynes, Alex Puckett, and Charlie Goldstein. Andrea Lindenberg will continue to anchor the morning block.

Changes Elsewhere on the Dial

Channel 21 (WTTO), owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, is transitioning to an independent station focused on syndicated programming and will no longer carry the CW. Meanwhile, major staples like Fox 6 and ABC 33/40 are seeing no changes to their current affiliations or channel positions.

Once the CW transition is finalized in September, Alabama’s 42 will add live sports to its lineup, including NASCAR, college basketball, and football. In the meantime, viewers using antennas can still rely on a pristine over-the-air signal at 42.1 to catch their local news and programming.