# WDBJ7 News — user reviews > 83 indexed App Store user reviews of WDBJ7 News by Gray Television Group, Inc., rated 2.80/5 from 238 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdbj7-news/id1102844876/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdbj7-news/id1102844876.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 77 · 4★ 15 · 3★ 26 · 2★ 23 · 1★ 97 ## What do users think of WDBJ7 News? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Good for local news alerts **Cons** - 😠 Excessive ads and video ads - 😠 Autoplay ads with sound - 😠 Annoying ads upon opening - 😠 Tracking and data sale prompts - 😠 Outdated or incomplete stories - 😠 Poor app organization - 😠 Difficult navigation - 😠 App crashes frequently - 😠 App freezes or lags - 😠 Unwanted notifications - 😠 No option to turn off tracking - 😠 Removed sharing feature - 😠 Biased content - 😠 Inconsistent on-demand service - 😠 App icon shows unread count - 😠 Tapping pictures shows ads, not video - 😠 Ads block content - 😠 Auto-play ads are loud - 😠 Too many screens to navigate - 😠 Ads show up first - 😠 Notification number remains on home screen - 😠 Too many ads and commercials - 😠 Poor on-demand service - 😠 Laggy news reports - 😠 Plays same news repeatedly - 😠 App doesn't work - 😠 Crashes upon opening - 😠 Unacceptable video ads for breaking news - 😠 Location required to open app - 😠 Misleading headlines (e.g., 'WATCH' but only ads) - 😠 Pop-up ads with audio - 😠 App constantly shuts down - 😠 Forced pop-up ads - 😠 Rarely updated with actual news - 😠 Political ads - 😠 Update went wrong, app unusable - 😠 Glitches and too many ads - 😠 Spam ads - 😠 Too many pop-ups - 😠 Politically motivated content - 😠 No listing for school closings - 😠 Hate commercials for each story - 😠 Spam ads for gift cards - 😠 Old stories with grammar issues - 😠 No upcoming week weather - 😠 No weather warnings/advisories - 😠 Ads kill data - 😠 Can't edit locations - 😠 New app doesn't open - 😠 Ads interrupt stories - 😠 Have to log into Facebook for more stories - 😠 No search for stories - 😠 No U.S. and world news - 😠 Search feature not working - 😠 Amateurish design - 😠 Obnoxious alert sound **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes upon opening - App freezes or lags - App icon shows unread count - Notification number remains on home screen - App constantly shuts down - App doesn't load or work - App doesn't open - Search feature not working - Cannot edit locations - App cuts off without notice - Advertisement won't load - App not updated with current news - No weather warnings or advisories shown - Live stream not available after commercial - Location required to open app - On-demand service issues - App shows same story for days **Most requested features** - Option to turn off tracking - Option to turn off sound for ads - Revert to old app version - Add back article sharing feature - Improve app organization - Make app more user-friendly - Fix notification badge issue - Provide more local stories on homepage - Allow users to turn off auto-play ads - Make ads less intrusive - Allow users to control ad volume - Improve search functionality - Include U.S. and world news - Allow filtering of news by type or locality - Provide email address for story feedback ## Newest reviews (14 of 83) ### 1/5 — Horrible useless new app *2026-03-08, version 3.0.1* App changed a few days ago. New one completely useless. Old app had like 10-12 local stories when I opened news homepage. Those are gone. I deleted the app entirely. Will reinstall when WDBJ comes to their senses and reverts to old one which was great. ### 1/5 — Okay to horrible *2026-03-07, version 3.0.1* I have relied on this app for news alerts and their mostly organized news highlights for years. The recent app update leaves me frustrated with deeper disorganizations. Requires much more navigation input to view news headlines. I’m done with it…will be deleting the app as soon as I submit this review. And, far too many ads… ### 1/5 — Recent changes for the worse☹️ *2026-03-06, version 3.0.1* It is really annoying that you have made my favorite news app my most hated app within one update. Why did you make the ads auto-play with absolutely no way to stop the LOUD annoyance when your in a pinch? I’m just glad I wasn’t in a very quiet place, or that the babies weren’t sleeping when I opened the app. I understand the need for ads, that’s not the complaint. At least make a way to turn off the volume like before. I’ll be deleting it if this isn’t remedied quickly! ### 1/5 — New Format *2026-03-06, version 3.0.1* Worst format I have ever encountered ### 1/5 — Changes to app are terrible! *2026-03-06, version 3.0.1* Hate the changes to this app effective 3/6/26. Simplicity has changed to layers of time consuming content to sift through with no organization. ### 1/5 — Terrible app *2026-03-03, version 2.0.15* This app has turned into trash. Every time I open it up, I have to sit through a dumb video. That has nothing to do with a news alert. If you can’t afford the app shut it down. Your customers shouldn’t have to go through click bait just to hear your side of the story. ### 1/5 — Worst News App Ever *2026-02-13, version 2.0.15* Definitely the worst news app I have ever used. Auto-playing video ads?! With sound!!Really??? Maybe you should have a look at your budget so WDBJ doesn’t appear to be stricken by poverty and forcing ads on every single article. ### 2/5 — Autoplay video *2025-11-24, version 2.0.15* I will no longer be checking the updates from this app during meetings, as now it Blairs, the video immediately brings attention to me! This needs to be fixed! ### 1/5 — Very poor work *2025-03-14, version 2.0.15* Ask Lindsey about calls and emails that question the poof piece on Ckaytor Lake. And now the man from Roanoke who was a bowler for 40 decades..?..There was a time 7 was the best. Not anymore. ### 1/5 — Do better. *2025-01-23* Sick of the liberal pandering in the editorial articles. Your views are biased and do not reflect the majority of Virginians. The only reason I have this app is for local news as I am a born and raised Virginian and currently live in the new river valley. If not for the news concerning local events and news I would delete this app. ### 1/5 — This is the worse app, ever, for news! *2024-11-12, version 2.0.14* Seriously, Channel 7, the organization and size of how each story is built on the home pages is ridiculous. Who designed this thing? I get disgusted each time, and move on to other local stations’ websites. ### 1/5 — Notifications *2023-03-22, version 2.0.5* Does not provide notifications ### 2/5 — On Demand Issues *2023-03-17, version 2.0.5* Poor on demand service. May or may not work on any day. ### 1/5 — Notifications *2023-02-28, version 2.0.4* You send me notifications to check this out and then I have to watch a commercial before I can see the notification. No thanks I turned off notifications. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App has too many ads. *2026-07-05, version 3.0.6* The ads are ridiculous. ### 1/5 — Changes to app annoying *2026-06-26, version 3.0.6* Do not like recent changes to the app. I want to read the news not listen to ads and then a broadcast. If I wanted to watch the news I would turn on the tv. Poor decision making in these changes. ### 1/5 — No option to turn off tracking? *2026-05-19, version 3.0.4* had it on my phone for years until tonight when I login and it forces me to choose to allow tracking and sale of my information. There’s no other option to proceed forward so, goodbye WDBJ7. You can go the way of CBS for all I care. *deleted* ### 1/5 — No more Sharing articles *2026-04-02, version 3.0.2* I’m not sure why they took the share this article away but my husband and I do not like it. He always read all the new articles and sent me what knew I’d be interested in. That’s not an option anymore. So now he only sends me articles from #NewsMax and #wftv.com. I thought the share option would help promote the app and wdbj. I often sent articles to different family members and even posted some on FB. I feel it was a bad PR move. ### 1/5 — Bad add *2026-04-01, version 3.0.2* I don’t like the add that comes up and you have to bypass when first accessing. It’s enough to make me switch to channel 10 ### 1/5 — Can no longer forward articles. *2026-03-18, version 3.0.2* Used to be able to forward articles ### 1/5 — If this is an update, it isn’t good. *2026-03-12, version 3.0.2* The old app was just fine. This one is too busy looking. Too many screens to jump around for the news. ### 1/5 — Terrible app *2026-03-10, version 3.0.1* Ads show up first, then I get a prompt to continue to the app, when I am already on the app. I did not have any trouble with the app before. ### 1/5 — Can’t remove notifications *2026-03-09, version 3.0.1* After reviewing the app the notification number remains on my iPhone home screen. Before it disappeared after I opened the app. Why is it frozen, and I can’t get it to go away. ### 1/5 — horrible *2026-03-09, version 3.0.1* was really great, this is absolutely horrible ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Trash *2021-03-04, version 1.1.4* Useless! This asp was once out used to the model ### 5/5 — Jeff *2016-04-19, version 1.0.1* Very good app I love it so far cool looking very nice app awesome get it. ### 4/5 — Story feedback *2018-07-14* I was looking for an email address to respond to story content, since I am not on social media. This app is very helpful, giving good news and weather coverage generally. I am concerned about two stories today re: kitten and puppy abuse. The point of such stories about animal and human abuse should be the punishment. Otherwise, the story just gives criminals bad ideas. ### 3/5 — New ad page is annoying *2026-03-07, version 3.0.1* They have updated their ad page that shows up upon opening the app. It makes you wait several seconds before you can skip to the news page. I know ads are necessary, but this is very annoying. ### 3/5 — Could be better *2025-12-17, version 2.0.15* I really enjoy being able to get alerts of local news and the WDBJ news app does that well. I am only giving three stars because recently every time I open an article from the alert a video starts playing at full blast. It is always either an advertisement or something unrelated to the article. I don’t even open to read anymore because if I’m in a public place it is too loud and annoying. ### 3/5 — 12-26-2024 Title: Whooping Cough Story *2024-12-26, version 2.0.15* You failed to offer any information as to why the increased number of cases were being seen and diagnosed. I’m fairly certain you know why but fail to include any causal information in your story as you do with many stories you post on this site. Let’s work on a little more transparency as it seems everyone complains about that but it never seems to fit their narrative for some reason. ### 3/5 — WDBJ7 App *2024-10-03, version 2.0.13* Too Too Too many ads and commercials. ### 3/5 — Too many pop ups *2017-05-05* There are too many pop ups and you can't X out at times. I want news not adds. ### 2/5 — What did you do?! *2026-03-14, version 3.0.2* 1-app icon always shows I have something unread no matter what I do. 2-dislike tapping picture in a story and only get ads instead of actual video on that story. Newest app not user friendly in my opinion ### 2/5 — Update? *2026-03-09, version 3.0.1* I do NOT like the latest version - it was perfect before…☹️ --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*