Media in Washington, D.C.

This article gives an overview of the media in Washington, D.C., United States.

Newspapers

''The Washington Post'' is the oldest-surviving and currently the most-read daily newspaper in Washington, with a strong reputation across the U.S. It is notable for exposing the Watergate scandal, among other achievements. The Washington Post Company has multiple media holdings, the Washington Post News Service with Bloomberg News, ''Fashion Washington,'' ''El Tiempo Latino'' (a Spanish-language publication), The Slate Group, ''The Daily Herald'' (in Washington state), as well as the education company Kaplan, Inc. ''The Washington Post'' emphasizes national and political news coverage but also covers regional and local stories. Headquartered in downtown Washington, the newspaper employs journalists at 11 regional bureaus in Maryland and Virginia and 14 international bureaus. Content is shared across titles within the Washington Post Company.

The daily ''Washington Times'' and the free weekly ''Washington City Paper'' also have readership in the District. On February 1, 2005, the free daily tabloid ''Washington Examiner'' debuted, having been formed from a chain of suburban newspapers known as the ''Journal Newspapers''. ''The Washington Examiner'' converted to a political journalism website and weekly magazine in June 2013.

The weekly ''Washington Blade'' and '' Metro Weekly'' focus on gay issues, and the '' Washington Sun'', the ''Washington Informer'', and '' Washington Afro'' on African American issues. Bi-weekly '' Street Sense'' focuses on issues of homelessness poverty, and life on the streets. Other special-interest papers include ''Roll Call,'' a daily paper focused on politics.

Many neighborhoods in the District have their own community newspapers. Some of these include ''The Current Newspapers'', which has editions serving Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Chevy Chase and Upper Northwest, and a Capitol Hill paper called ''The Capitol Hill Current/Voice of the Hill''. Additional papers include ''In-Towner'' (Dupont Circle, Logan Circle and Adams Morgan), ''Hill Rag'' (Capitol Hill), ''East of the River'' (Anacostia) and ''D.C. North'' (Northeast D.C.). In addition, several specialty newspapers serve the U.S. Congress; most notable are ''Roll Call'' from the ''Congressional Quarterly'', '' The Hill'', and ''Politico''.

''USA Today'', the nation's most widely circulating newspaper, is headquartered in nearby Tysons, Virginia. ''USA Today'' is operated by Gannett, which is the largest newspaper publisher by circulation. Gannett is also headquartered in Tysons.

Television

As of 2022, the Washington metropolitan area is defined by Nielsen Media Research as the ninth-largest designated market area in the United States.

Terrestrial television

The first terrestrial television system in Washington D.C. was used in 1925, with a transmission from Wheaton, Maryland Charles Jenkins Laboratories
by Charles Francis Jenkins, three years later Charles Jenkins Laboratories started operations of W3XK, the first TV station in the United States, since then new television networks aired and operated in Washington D.C. This was the main TV medium until 1950's when first cable television systems started to operate. Terrestrial television in Washington D.C. aired in analog format using VHF (channels 2 to 13), UHF (channels 2 to 69).

Analog terrestrial television is starting to be shutting down in order to be replaced by digital format, both analog and digital television can be tuned or accessed with the use of traditional television antennas. Most Baltimore-area television stations can also be seen in the Washington region; besides being viewed clearly in the District, they can especially be seen in the suburbs of the Interstate 95 corridor between both cities.

Digital terrestrial television

From 2009 to 2022 US transitioned from analogical terrestrial television to digital terrestrial television, this television stations continue to be open to de public with traditional antennas without having to pay for cable television packages.

TV stations in Washington D.C.

* DCTV (TV station) Washington D.C. Public Television with local content.
* NBC, WRC
* ABC, WJLA
* CBS, WUSA
* FOX,WTTG

The following networks maintain a significant presence in Washington:

* CNN
* BBC
...