Honestly, if you live in the Ocean State, you know the drill. You wake up, maybe grab a coffee at Dunkin’, and flip on the TV to see if the Henderson Bridge is a mess or if the latest Nor'easter is actually going to dump a foot of snow on Warwick. But lately, things have felt... different. If you've noticed the faces on your screen changing or the logos looking a bit weird, you aren't imagining it. The world of Rhode Island news stations has been hit by a massive wave of consolidation that has essentially turned the entire market into a game of "who owns who."
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. For decades, we had three distinct, local powerhouses. Now? It’s basically two giant corporations in a trench coat running the show.
The Sinclair Takeover of ABC6
The biggest bombshell dropped recently was the fate of WLNE, better known as ABC6. For years, they were the scrappy underdog, often trailing in the ratings but keeping the other guys on their toes. But in late 2025, the news hit that Sinclair Broadcast Group—the same company that owns WJAR (NBC 10)—was moving in.
Technically, it was a "non-licensed assets" purchase from Standard Media. In plain English? It means Sinclair bought everything except the actual broadcast license to avoid a total monopoly. They now provide the "services." This led to some pretty heartbreaking moments for local viewers. Kelly Bates, the beloved meteorologist who had just returned to the airwaves after a massive public outcry in 2021, was let go again. She posted a video basically saying she was a "redundancy."
It’s tough. You’ve got these reporters who live in our neighborhoods, and suddenly they’re being told they’re just numbers on a spreadsheet in Maryland. Now, NBC 10 and ABC 6 are essentially sister stations, which has left a lot of people wondering if we’re actually getting two different perspectives or just the same script read by different people.
Why WJAR NBC 10 Still Dominates
Despite all the corporate shuffling, WJAR remains the "Old Reliable" of the state. They’ve been around since 1949. That’s a long time to build trust. They were the first ones on the scene for Hurricane Carol back in '54, and that legacy carries weight.
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You’ve probably seen their "10 News Conference" or caught Gene Valicenti on the radio before he hops on the TV. There’s a familiarity there that’s hard to break. They’ve consistently stayed at the top of the Nielsen ratings, and honestly, their "Storm Team" branding is practically a religion in Rhode Island during January.
But even with the top spot, the Sinclair ownership has brought its share of critics. People talk about the "must-run" segments and a perceived shift in tone. Whether you agree or not, the station is undeniably the loudest voice in the room.
The Nexstar Connection: WPRI 12 and Fox 64
On the other side of the Catamore Boulevard divide in East Providence, you have the Nexstar duo: WPRI 12 (CBS) and WNAC 64 (Fox). These two have been sharing a bed for a long time. It’s an LMA—a Local Marketing Agreement.
Basically, WPRI runs the show for Fox 64. If you watch the 10:00 PM news on Fox, you’re watching the WPRI team. It’s efficient, sure, but it’s another example of how the "variety" of Rhode Island news stations is a bit of an illusion.
- WPRI 12: Known for their investigative "Target 12" unit. They tend to dig a bit deeper into State House corruption and local spending.
- WNAC 64: The home for your 10:00 PM fix and often a more fast-paced, "younger" feel to the broadcast.
- The Rhode Show: This is their lifestyle play. It’s lighter, fun, and focuses on local food and events.
WPRI has managed to stay a very strong second in the market. They often lead with digital innovation, and their YouTube presence—where reporters like Sophia Szabo cover the legislative sessions—is actually pretty robust. They feel a bit more "New England" and a bit less "Corporate HQ" than the Sinclair stations, though Nexstar is still a massive national player.
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The Rise of Ocean State Media
Now, here is something cool that most people sort of missed. While the big commercial stations were busy merging, the public stations decided to join forces too.
In late 2025, Rhode Island PBS (WSBE) and The Public’s Radio (NPR) officially became Ocean State Media. They even have a new logo that looks like a mashup of an "O" and an "S." It’s a non-profit move designed to survive the fact that local journalism is, frankly, expensive and hard to maintain.
If you’re tired of the "if it bleeds, it leads" style of the commercial stations, this is where you go. They’ve been launching new programs like Horizons, which focuses on health and tech, and Compass Points for international stuff. It’s definitely a slower pace, but with the recent cuts at PBS News nationally, the local team is trying to fill the gap.
What Most People Get Wrong About Local TV
People think these stations are competing for your "view" on the TV set. They aren't. Not really.
They are competing for your phone.
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When you look at the apps for Rhode Island news stations, you’ll see they are packed with ads. Every push notification is a chance to serve you a banner. This is why you see so many "breaking news" alerts that turn out to be a fender bender in Pawtucket. They need the clicks.
Also, a lot of viewers think the news anchors write everything they say. While the top-tier anchors have a lot of input, a huge chunk of the international and national news is fed down from the parent companies (Sinclair or Nexstar). This is why you might hear the exact same phrasing on a station in Providence as you do on a station in Des Moines.
The Future of News in the 401
So, where does this leave us? We have fewer owners, fewer reporters, and more "shared" content. It sounds grim, but there are still ways to get the real story.
The best way to support local journalism is to actually watch the local segments. Pay attention to the "Target 12" investigations or the NBC 10 "I-Team" reports. These are the pieces where the reporters are actually doing the legwork in our cities.
Your Actionable News Checklist:
- Vary Your Sources: Don't just stick to Channel 10 because your parents did. Flip to 12 for investigative stuff or check out Ocean State Media for the deeper, long-form stories.
- Check the Byline: On their websites, look for the names of local reporters. If it says "Staff" or "Wire Service," it’s not local.
- Follow the Individuals: Many of the best RI journalists are more active on X (Twitter) or Facebook than they are allowed to be on the broadcast. Following them directly often gets you the "raw" news before the corporate filter hits it.
- Support Non-Profit Media: If you can, donate to Ocean State Media. They don’t answer to shareholders in Texas or Maryland; they answer to the donors in RI.
The landscape is changing fast, and while we've lost some legendary voices like Kelly Bates, the core mission of keeping the State House honest hasn't changed. You just have to be a bit more intentional about where you’re getting your info.
Stay skeptical, stay informed, and maybe keep an extra shovel in the trunk—just in case the "Storm Team" is right this time.