WECT
U.S. local news, mainstream/non-ideological
Background
WECT signed on the air April 9, 1954, as WMFD-TV, the first television station in Wilmington and the seventh in North Carolina; it adopted the WECT call letters in 1958 and has been an NBC affiliate since its founding. The station has changed corporate hands several times, most notably becoming part of Raycom Media, which Gray Television acquired in a 2018-2019 merger, bringing WECT under Gray's ownership. Gray Media is one of the largest owners of local TV stations in the U.S. and has drawn scrutiny from media watchdogs for requiring affiliates to air centrally produced segments and for political contributions by its leadership, though WECT's own day-to-day coverage remains primarily local news, weather, and community reporting. In July 2026, Gray announced it would acquire Wilmington's Fox affiliate WSFX-TV and five other stations from American Spirit Media for $50 million, expanding its local footprint. As a local affiliate, WECT's national political content is largely sourced from the NBC News network, and its own reporting is generally considered straightforward local journalism rather than partisan commentary.
Sources
- WECT - Wikipedia
- Gray's acquisition of Raycom puts WECT under new ownership
- WECT's parent company to acquire Fox Wilmington, five other TV stations in $50M deal
- WECT's 70th Anniversary: Signing on the air in 1954
Profile compiled 2026-10-02; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.