Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York is one of just two four-city DMAs in Nielsen’s top 50, and the so-called HLLY market (pronounced “hilly”) offers small-town charm with major metros, including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, a relatively short drive away.
The four cities make something of a square in South Central Pennsylvania. “It’s a true compilation of very diverse small communities and small metro areas,” said Cindy DeLuca, WGAL president and general manager, “that are influenced by our closeness to major markets.”
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Hearst Television owns NBC affiliate WGAL. Nexstar Media Group has ABC outlet WHTM. Sinclair holds CBS station WHP, along with The CW and MyNetworkTV affiliates on digital subchannels, and Tegna owns Fox affiliate WPMT.
The primary pay TV operator is Comcast.
WGAL, known as News 8, has been ruling ratings for eons. “We’ve been the market leader for a very, very, very long time,” DeLuca said.
The station recently turned 75 and is well-positioned across the market. WGAL’s base is Lancaster, with a newsroom in Harrisburg and a bureau in York. Other stations are strong in their home city and less so in the other ends of the market.
Bob Bee, WHTM VP and general manager, said the battle is getting closer: “The race is on, as they say.”
In April, WGAL had decisive wins in 6 a.m. households and the 25-54 demo, per Nielsen ratings provided from a source in the region. WGAL also won closer contests at 5 and 6 p.m., with WHTM the runner-up. WGAL had a 5.2 household score at 11 p.m., ahead of WHP’s 3.0 and WHTM’s 1.7. WGAL notched a 1.4 in the 11 p.m. demo, WHP a 0.8 and WHTM a 0.2.
WGAL has 10 p.m. news on its MeTV subchannel and wins that race, too, ahead of WHP and WPMT.
WGAL introduced a new set in September. “It’s a pretty dynamic, state-of-the-art set that improves upon our storytelling capabilities,” said DeLuca, “and makes a better connection with viewers.”
The station’s newsroom in Harrisburg, the state capital, gives WGAL unique reach in DMA No. 44. “It enables us to do more feature stories, news segments, and interviews and conversations with key people,” said DeLuca.
WGAL chief meteorologist Joe Calhoun retired in January, and sports director Pat Principe followd suit in April. Christine Ferreira, who interned at WGAL while studying meteorology at Millersville University, was named chief meteorologist, and Bethany Miller moved in from KOAT Albuquerque to be sports director.
WGAL introduced Spanish-language closed captioning to its newscasts at the end of last year.
Nexstar has extensive reach across Pennsylvania, and WHTM political show This Week in Pennsylvania, hosted by Dennis Owens, airs on stations across the state.
Owens has been at the station since 1993. The anchor team of Owens, Valerie Pritchett and Alicia Richards features strong chemistry. “They’re rooted in the community and they get along with each other pretty darn well,” said Bee.
He applauded the ABC27 morning team, including James Crummel and Ali Lanyon, for the work they put in outside the station, at community events. “They do it with a high level of enthusiasm,” he said.
ATSC 3.0-equipped WHTM is making a big bet on politics. It hosted the John Fetterman-Mehmet Oz senate debate in 2022, which aired in 62 counties and live-streamed across Pennsylvania.
“The state watched, the nation watched, the world watched,” said Bee.
WHP’s and WPMT’s general managers did not return calls requesting comment.
Eagles? Steelers? Ravens? Giants?
Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York does not have a major pro sports team, but residents root for the teams in nearby cities. DeLuca noted how having the home team on Sunday Night Football causes a ratings spike, for a night. In HLLY, there might be a half-dozen “home” teams playing in prime each season.
“We don’t have our singular team, yet it’s one of the best sports markets,” she said.
Minor league baseball teams include the Lancaster Stormers and York Revolution.
State government is a major employer in the Susquehanna Valley, and HLLY has substantial agricultural and manufacturing businesses too. Tourism is a revenue driver, people eager to sample the Amish lifestyle and Hershey Park. The market has “colleges every 10 feet,” said Bee, including Franklin & Marshall, Elizabethtown and Shippensburg.
Residents rave about the quality of life, the increasingly diverse community, and outdoor recreation, including activity on the Susquehanna River. Bee mentioned “four perfect seasons — 90 days of each.”
Election spending is anticipated to be robust at the stations as we hurtle toward November. Said Bee, “Pennsylvania’s a perfectly purple state.”
