# WVTM 13 - Birmingham — user reviews > 75 indexed App Store user reviews of WVTM 13 by Hearst Television, rated 4.60/5 from 2,429 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wvtm-13-birmingham/id938432911/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wvtm-13-birmingham/id938432911.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 1,847 · 4★ 375 · 3★ 93 · 2★ 51 · 1★ 63 ## What do users think of WVTM 13? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 👍 Helpful for weather and news updates - 🚀 Provides fast information delivery - ⭐ Trustworthy and professional news source **Cons** - 🔔 Too many notifications and alerts - 📺 Excessive ads and commercials - 🔍 Difficulty finding specific news articles - 🔁 Disappearing news stories when opening one - 🧭 Radar and weather features not user-friendly **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes or freezes - Blank screens and loading issues - Notification issues (disappearing, not working) **Most requested features** - Allow customization of notification preferences - Separate weather app or better weather integration - Improve navigation and search functionality - Reduce ads or provide ad-free option ## Newest reviews (16 of 75) ### 3/5 — Great app! Too many notifications. *2025-03-20* Downloaded for potential tornados, but the number of alerts for other news is overwhelming. It would be great if one could self-select the type of notifications desired (news, sports, weather, alerts, or all) ### 3/5 — News *2024-09-29, version 5.15.1498* News is always happening! Need to post more NEWS updates ### 2/5 — App doesn’t stay on story. *2024-08-07, version 5.15.1476* When I get news alert, I click on the alert. It takes me to the app where I can read the story for 4-5 seconds before it disappears and another story appears. Very frustrating. I’m deleting the app. ### 3/5 — Blank screen *2024-04-02, version 5.15.1359* On some mornings it shows commercials and then go blank and back to commercials especially on weekends. ### 2/5 — Too many fluff stories pushed as breaking news *2023-03-03, version 5.15.1006* Good for weather updates, but I finally decided to delete the app because of its insistence on sending push notifications for the most mundane human interest stories despite me having my filters set to “breaking news” only. ### 4/5 — Great Journalism! *2022-11-12, version 5.15.950* I’m always in the know, because of the professionals at WVTM! Keep up the great work! ### 2/5 — Biassed news *2022-04-16, version 5.15.785* Nuff said ### 4/5 — PLEASE keep weather separate *2021-10-16, version 5.15.698* And keep it the first thing to show. I go to the app several times daily for weather info ### 2/5 — Interrupting *2021-04-28, version 5.15.474* You should just post real breaking news, not weather going to be toasty, mayor doesn’t like something, covid numbers (ad nauseum), cat rescued by firemen, etc. It should be REAL and a matter of great importance. Otherwise, I love WVTM 13. ### 3/5 — Radar *2021-04-09* When I put in my location I want the radar to show a close up of my location. Yours doesn’t!! It gives me a written description of current weather and temperatures but I want to see the radar for Me. I hate to say it but if there isn’t storms I will be watching Channel 6 for my weather. 6 shows my area every time I open the app ( close up). ### 3/5 — Feature article *2021-01-27, version 5.15.244* The feature article pops up and then one must wade thru multiple other articles before finding featured article. When it can be found 😟 ### 3/5 — Notification settings don’t work *2020-11-21, version 5.15.93* So. Many. Notifications. Even when you change in the settings what you get alerted about, you still get the notifications of the things you turn off!!! Going to to switch to another Birmingham news app. This is so sad. ### 3/5 — Quality? *2020-11-11, version 5.15.93* It seems far too often that the broadcast quality is lacking. Either it simply doesn’t come in or it is not HD. Yes, I know that might depend on my server, but I NEVER have an issue with the commercial you run as the program begins - funny, huh?!? ### 2/5 — BUGGY APP!! Good local weather reporting. Biased news. *2020-10-12* This is the only available local app with full coverage I can watch on the go otherwise I would watch another. Best weather coverage and good anchors and fairly good local news coverage until election time got here. However very obviously biased since Hearst took over. Consistently critical of Republicans and Trump. Shamelessly doesn’t make any attempt at balance or real news. Guess I’m old enough to remember when the news was actually about news. The app itself has always been buggy, but lately I can only get to the first animated commercial, then it hangs up. I just want to get through the full weather report and and the low down on COVID. I can’t stomach your political crap! Bought a new streaming service so I can get something better. I’m breaking up! Tired of brainwashing and fake news. ### 2/5 — Worst app of all Birmingham TV stations *2020-09-26, version 5.15.15* I don’t know which is more frustrating: superficial stories or ads in the middle of the stories that omit half of the information. Either way, the app is crappy. ### 5/5 — Great App!! *2020-09-20, version 5.15.15* I have enjoyed this app very much, I use it everyday. This app is very informative. Great app! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Would be a great app, but… *2024-06-02* I have always liked the content and diversity of this app, but must give it only one star because of an issue that is absolutely inexcusable. It has to do with notifications. Normal notification behavior in iOS is this: if a number of notifications from a particular app has gone into Notification Center, and one of them is activated, the remaining notifications from that app stay in Notification Center until opened. In this app, if one notification is opened, all other notifications from WVTM disappear! This has been the case for a long time, and is especially problematic if one of these notifications is opened by mistake. While it is true that a thread of articles frequently comes up when a notification is opened, not all of the articles in the thread will be the ones that appeared as notifications, especially if one has saved a notification for several days. I have sent numerous reviews over the past few years concerning this, and feel that they have been ignored. In addition, it is inconceivable that I am the only person having this problem. The only workaround I have found is to copy the notifications, without opening them, and paste them into the Notes app; then, when ready to read an article, I copy the title from the note, return to the WVTM app, and attempt a search for the article—which doesn’t always work. This desperately needs to be fixed! ### 1/5 — Shuts down *2023-09-21, version 5.15.1222* Bug fixes did not work! It still crashes! ### 1/5 — Ads in your face *2021-03-05, version 5.15.375* Hate the ads that start and that you cannot put on pause. This is obnoxious. ### 1/5 — Bring back Weather app!! *2020-10-17, version 5.15.55* Your weather app was truly the best. It’s a shame you had to combine it with a crap news app. Sayanora! ### 1/5 — Frustrating App *2020-09-20, version 5.15.15* It doesn’t matter how many times you open it a day, you have to watch a lengthy commercial. Even more frustrating when you get a notification regarding an important braking news and you have to watch a commercial that you already were forced to watch at least 10 times. The weather part of the app is a real step back from the previous one. To look up the weather somewhere else you need to enter the zip code. Am I supposed to know all zip codes? Sure not and I hate it when I want to see the current or future weather, say at Flushing Meadows, NY and have to google the zip code first, then enter my zip code again to keep seeing the weather in my area. Why not locality names as in the old app??? Also, why not allow to save multiple places as, again, on the old app??? The changes doesn’t make any sense. Expected improvements in the new app, not several steps back. Also, when using the radar, if you move away from the Birmingham area, say to Destin, FL, and zoom in, it will snap back to Birmingham. ### 1/5 — Sad *2020-08-20, version 5.13.996* That is sad what you did to your radar app, forcing people now to go to your news app first. People are driving perhaps and need quick radar information. You should have done like WBRC and just have an opening quick ad and banner. See ya later. ### 1/5 — Reopening Schools *2020-08-04, version 5.13.996* This special with Lisa Crane is awful, awful. You can’t understand what she’s saying through the mask. She is a great reporter but not with this special. Is there anyone in the room with her that requires her to wear that mask?We change the station. ### 1/5 — Please bring back separate apps or weather *2020-07-05, version 5.13.934* This app now includes the weather app and it is not good - doesn’t save or even recognize current location well - and way too many ads. ### 1/5 — Live Radar doesn’t work on this app *2020-06-09, version 5.13.934* Useless! ### 1/5 — To much *2020-04-19, version 5.13.868* Bring back the standalone weather app. Loved it. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — The Best News! *2026-05-20, version 5.15.2175* I always turn to WVTM for my news and weather! I feel confident with the source ### 5/5 — Helpful *2024-12-28* This app has saved so many lives and has helped to get information out very fast even if you don’t have access to good Wi-Fi the only issue it’s that if you don’t have Wi-Fi you will not be able to get alerts or anything so that’s the only down side to it but everything else it’s fantastic download it today it will save your life ! ### 5/5 — Morning Host *2024-10-02, version 5.15.1498* Carla Wade is one of the most talented person on NBC‼️ ### 5/5 — Review *2024-08-26, version 5.15.1486* Keeps a person up with the weather forecast and dangerous storms and tornadoes! ### 5/5 — Love WVTM 13 app *2024-06-14* This is the only App I have on my phone and iPad for any news and weather related updates during the day and week. I had it before ya’ll started advertising it. As a matter of fact Taylor was just on. I also like the way everyone interacts with each other in between the stories and News as well as all the fun y’all have. My husband especially loves Sheri Falk so a big shout out to Sheri and everyone at WVTM! Everyone should have this app! ### 5/5 — Grateful *2023-07-20* I am very grateful to all of you for being such a trustworthy team. You’re the only station I go to for news, weather, and such. God bless all of you for your hard dedicated work and thank you, Deb McGough. ### 5/5 — Brittany….. *2022-10-13, version 5.15.928* Brittany Decker is so fine. I could lick her from the tips of her toenails to longest hair on her head… that includes all the places in between that supposed to have hair that don’t. Damnit she is yummy! ### 5/5 — Disappearing news *2021-03-03* I love your app. I hate to choose which articles to read. When I open one story the rest of them go away. ### 5/5 — News & weather *2021-01-28, version 5.15.244* Thanks for the all the information you provide. It helps us plan where to be OR not to be. ### 5/5 — A Must Have *2020-09-29, version 5.15.15* This App is one of the top 3 apps, for breaking news notifications, weather & everything Alabama. --- *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 2026-08-22.*