WFSB Channel 3 in Hartford
WFSB Advertising, from $150 a Spot.
Channel 3 has anchored Hartford television since 1957, and its newscasts still gather the market's biggest local audiences. Daytime spots start around $150, the news blocks around $300. Here is the math.
Streaming is now 48.6% of all TV time. Your ad can live there from $500.
The Straight Answer
Hartford's news habit, sold in 30-second pieces.
WFSB, the CBS affiliate now owned by Gray Media, has broadcast from Hartford since 1957 and built its franchise on local news: morning, evening and late blocks that the whole 1.06-million-home market grew up on.
Broadcast is the blanket: one spot reaches the entire Hartford and New Haven DMA at once. The FCC's public files show what that blanket really costs, before any rep quotes you a package.
#33 is where the Hartford and New Haven DMA ranks nationally, with 1,060,910 TV households in one buy.
Source: Nielsen DMA estimates, 2024-25
The Rate Card
What WFSB Actually Costs.
Independently researched starting costs, checked against published materials and market data.
| Buy | Starting Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime Spot | from $150/spot | 30 seconds across the whole DMA |
| Evening News Spot | from $300/spot | The 5, 6 and 11 o'clock blocks everyone trusts |
| Streaming Extension | from $500/mo | WFSB's OTT and digital inventory alongside air |
Last verified August 2026. Floors reflect published mid-market broadcast rate guides; prime and sports cost multiples more. WFSB's political file at publicfiles.fcc.gov shows real recent rates by daypart.
The Process
How Buying Works
Three steps from budget to live, in plain English.
Check WFSB's FCC File
Every TV station publishes its political rates at publicfiles.fcc.gov. Read WFSB's actual recent invoices by daypart before any call.
Buy the News You Can Afford
Morning news costs less than evening for the same loyal habit. A steady morning schedule often beats scattered evening prestige.
Bring One Good Spot
A $500 to $2,000 produced 30 works on WFSB, cable and streaming alike. Stations can also produce affordably with a schedule.
Priced by Town
Where This Reaches.
Our town guides price WFSB against every other option in the same market, so you can see what it beats and what beats it before you call anyone.
The Alternatives
Before You Buy, Compare.
We don’t sell for WFSB and we don’t take a side: we tell you which option fits your towns and your budget.
WTNH ABC 8
Connecticut's first station, the New Haven-angle newscast. Compare Prices
Xfinity cable zones
Town-targeted spots from $10 instead of the whole DMA. Compare Prices
Hulu self-serve
Streaming TV from $500 a campaign, targeted by town. Compare Prices
Questions
WFSB Questions, Answered Straight.
How much does advertising on WFSB cost?
Daytime spots start around $150 and the evening news blocks around $300, with prime and sports costing multiples more. Every spot covers the full #33 DMA of 1,060,910 TV households, and WFSB's political file at publicfiles.fcc.gov shows real recent rates.
Who watches WFSB?
The Hartford market's news loyalists: Channel 3's morning, evening and late newscasts have anchored the market since 1957. The audience skews 35 and up, home-owning and appointment-viewing, which is why news adjacency carries the premium.
Is broadcast TV still worth it against streaming?
For blanketing the whole market with credibility, nothing matches it: one news spot reaches more Connecticut households at once than any other buy. For town-level targeting, cable zones from $10 and Hulu from $500 spend tighter.
How do I see what WFSB really charges?
The FCC requires every broadcast station to publish political rates, which track lowest unit costs, in its public inspection file at publicfiles.fcc.gov. Search WFSB, read the recent orders, and negotiate from facts.
Also Asked
Should I advertise on streaming TV or regular TV?
Streaming and cable zones for almost every local business, because you buy only the towns you serve from about $10 a spot. Broadcast makes sense once budgets reach several thousand a month and you genuinely want the whole market. TV and streaming rates
How much does TV advertising cost in Connecticut?
Cable zone spots start around $10, which lets you buy only the towns you serve. Streaming platforms take campaigns from about $500. Broadcast television on a Hartford or New Haven station costs considerably more and is priced by daypart and demand. TV and streaming rates
How much does a billboard cost in Connecticut?
A highway bulletin starts around $1,200 a month, a poster on a state route from about $329 for four weeks, and digital boards can be bought by the day from roughly $20. Production is separate for static boards, which is why short campaigns usually favour digital. Billboard prices
Stop Guessing. Price Your Screen Time.
Tell us your budget and your towns, and we'll come back with WFSB numbers against cable, streaming and the other stations, free, in one business day.
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Tell us the basics. We'll match your budget to the stations and platforms that actually reach your customers. Here's what you get:
- The exact stations and spot counts for your budget
- Real TV rates for your towns, in writing
- The right screens, not the whole state
Takes 2 minutes. Free. Real rates in writing.
Rate sources: FCC public inspection files, political rates (publicfiles.fcc.gov); Nielsen DMA estimates, 2024-25; Published mid-market broadcast rate guides. Last verified August 2026.
AdvertisingCT.com is an independent guide for Connecticut advertisers. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of WFSB, and all names and trademarks belong to their owners. Rates shown are independently researched estimates of typical starting costs as of August 2026, drawn from published rate materials, public filings, market data and advertiser reports. They are not offers or quotes. Actual pricing is set solely by the vendor and varies by availability, season, placement and negotiation. Spot an outdated number? Tell us and we’ll verify it.