WROV-TV was a television station on ultra high frequency (UHF) channel 27 in Roanoke, Virginia, United States.

[9] As a result, unlike WSLS-TV—on air December 11—WROV-TV missed the Christmas shopping season and a prime opportunity to promote sets that could receive it.

[12] The inaugural programs aired on the evening of March 2, which included a dedication featuring civic leaders and the film The Shanghai Gesture.

It cited primarily reception issues; its signal was at a severe advantage to WSLS-TV, which had gone on the air before WROV-TV in December 1952, and the firm noted that channel 10 was reaching four times as many households and thus attracting national advertising interest.

Beatty pointed out that while the Roanoke Valley was getting good pictures, they weren't reaching beyond mountains even 10 miles (16 km) from the transmitter; that households were hesitant to invest in UHF conversion when some network shows were already available on VHF stations.

The move brought to an end a process that had previously been frozen by the March 24, 1954, death of Junius P. Fishburn, president of the Times-World Corporation, while in Washington for the comparative hearing.

[19] WROV's failure was the first in a series that brought into stark relief the economic troubles of UHF television against existing VHF stations.