How to watch a digital substation
Mary EvansMississippi Clarion Ledger
July 29, 2026, 4:45 a.m. CT
- CBS programming in Jackson, Mississippi, will move from WJTV Channel 12 to WAPT’s digital subchannel 16.4 starting August 1.
- The change is part of a larger agreement between CBS and Nexstar Media Group, which owns WJTV.
Beginning Aug. 1, CBS programming in the Jackson market will move from WJTV Channel 12 to a digital subchannel of WAPT Channel 16.
The switch follows a multi-year agreement between CBS and Nexstar Media Group, which owns WJTV.
WAPT, owned by Hearst Communications, will now carry CBS on subchannel 16.4, while its primary ABC affiliate will remain on 16.1.
The Desk reported that WJTV, along with WIAT in Birmingham, Ala., and WSPA in Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., will become affiliated with CW.
In a statement confirmed by Nexstar Communications Officer Gary Weitman, the company said it plans to move CW affiliations from digital subchannels to primary channel positions in several markets.
“We will be elevating the CW affiliations from the digital subchannels they currently occupy to a premiere slot widely available over-the-air and across all major paid platforms,” a Nextstar spokesperson said.
What is a digital subchannel?
A digital subchannel, or substation, is an additional channel carried by a TV station’s main broadcast signal. WAPT’s main ABC station programming is on 16.1, its main channel, but will carry CBS programming on its digital subchannel, 16.4.
How do I watch a digital subchannel?
If you have an antenna, simply rescan your TV channels and tune in to 16.4. If you watch through cable, satellite or a streaming TV provider, your provider will add the new CBS channel automatically and assign it a channel number.
Nexstar says it extended its CBS agreement in 36 markets but will lose CBS affiliates in several others. Stations making the transition are expected to replace CBS programming with expanded local news and community-focused content.
According to reporting by The Deadline, network-affiliate changes are not uncommon in the television industry. In a statement, a Paramount spokesperson said, “We are pleased to have entered into several new CBS Television Network affiliation agreements, including extending our long-standing partnership with Nexstar, expanding our relationship with Hearst Television and welcoming Forum Communications Company into the CBS family.”
As part of the transition, CBS is shifting affiliations in several Midwestern markets, including Bismarck, N.D., and Rapid City, S.D., from Nexstar-owned stations to Forum Communications, a family-owned media company based in Fargo, North Dakota.
“CBS has an unwavering commitment to our audience, and we are excited to continue to deliver our leading sports, news and entertainment programming to viewers across the country,” a Paramount spokesperson said.
Mary Evans is a reporter for the Clarion-Ledger. Email her at mcevans@gannett.com.
