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WDCA (channel 20), branded Fox 5 Plus, is a television station in Washington, D.C., serving as the local outlet for the MyNetworkTV programming service. It is owned and operated by Fox Television Stations alongside Fox outlet WTTG (channel 5). WDCA and WTTG share studios on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, and are broadcast on the same multiplex from a tower on River Road nearby.

Key Information

WDCA began broadcasting as an independent station in April 1966. It was founded by the Capital Broadcasting Company, whose president was Washington broadcaster Milton Grant; Grant sold the station in 1969 to the Superior Tube Company of Pennsylvania but remained general manager until January 1980, leaving to start a career in broadcast station ownership. Channel 20 served as Washington's second-rated independent behind WTTG for decades and as a longtime home for local sports coverage and children's programming.

After being owned by Taft Broadcasting from 1979 to 1987, WDCA and four other Taft-owned independent stations were sold to TVX Broadcast Group, which soon fell into financial difficulties because of the debt associated with the purchase. The Paramount Stations Group acquired WDCA and other stations in two parts between 1989 and 1991, bringing much-needed stability.

WDCA was one of several Paramount-owned stations to be charter outlets for the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 1995; in 2001, after UPN was acquired by CBS, Fox took possession of the station in a trade and merged its operations with WTTG. When UPN merged into The CW in 2006, bypassing all of Fox's UPN and independent stations in the process, the station became part of Fox's MyNetworkTV service. The station was rebranded as Fox 5 Plus, an expansion of WTTG, in 2017, and it airs several WTTG-produced prime time newscasts.

History

[edit]

The first interest around channel 20 came in the early 1950s, shortly after the assignment of ultra high frequency (UHF) channels nationwide. Three Washington radio stations—WWDC, WGMS, and WEAM—had applied for the channel by May 1953.[2] WGMS won the permit in 1954,[3] but it returned it in 1956, with company president N. Robert Rogers having "regretfully concluded" that the station would not be viable.[4]

Construction

[edit]

On November 19, 1962, Capital Broadcasting Company applied to build a new television station on channel 20 in Washington, D.C.[5] By May, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had received a second application, from Automated Electronics, Inc. of Dallas, which proposed to install the station in nearby Arlington, Virginia.[a] Capital Broadcasting comprised six stockholders including Milton Grant,[7] a high-profile personality on WTTG (channel 5) from 1956 to 1961 as host of The Milt Grant Show, a teen dance hour.[8] As part of his transition from an on-air personality to a media executive, Grant began going by Milton instead of Milt.[9] Capital Broadcasting was granted the construction permit on August 13, 1963.[5]

WDCA-TV began broadcasting on April 20, 1966, with a schedule emphasizing sports programming.[10] It was the third independent station in Washington—after WTTG and WOOK-TV (channel 14)—and the area's third UHF outlet following WOOK-TV and WETA-TV (channel 26). After a decade, Vince McMahon's Capitol Wrestling Corporation promotion moved from channel 5 to channel 20.[11] The station's sports programming ranged from the Virginia Sailors of the Atlantic Coast Football League to local high school football.[12] Some games, particularly hockey, were tape delayed for the sole purpose of adding commercial breaks.[13] Grant boasted that the station was turning a profit within 18 months, having projected not to do so in at least three years.[14]

Superior Tube ownership

[edit]
WDCA's logo under Superior Tube ownership used throughout the 1970s

In 1968, Grant reached an agreement to sell channel 20 to the Superior Tube Company, a metal tube manufacturer based in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania; Grant would remain as general manager.[15] Prior to finalizing the agreement with Superior Tube, it was reported that the station was in negotiations to be purchased by Bishop Industries, the parent company of Hazel Bishop cosmetics.[16] Despite its claims that WDCA-TV had become profitable sooner than projected, Capital Broadcasting had lost "substantial sums" on channel 20. Grant and his partners no longer had the money to continue running the station. That finding was key in the FCC approving the $2.2 million sale in May 1969.[17]

Channel 20 continued to promote itself as a sports station, airing 10 games of the Washington Caps of the American Basketball Association in the 1969–70 season[18] and serving as the originating station for Baltimore Bullets basketball even though the team had not yet moved to Washington.[19] In 1977, the station signed a five-year deal for full live coverage of mostly away games for the nascent Washington Capitals, replacing WTOP-TV (channel 9); that station's sporadic and often tape-delayed and edited coverage was called "revolting" by The Washington Post.[20] WDCA entered into a similar deal with the relocated Washington Bullets the same year, also replacing WTOP-TV.[21] The station began splitting coverage of both teams with cable channel Home Team Sports (now Monumental Sports Network) in 1984, an arrangement that continued until both teams moved their over-the-air games to WBDC-TV (channel 50) in 1995.[22][23][24] It was also the Washington-area affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles television network.[25]

In the 1970s and 1980s, WDCA-TV also featured a variety of other local programs. For children, the station featured "Captain 20", a children's show host created in 1969 but played by Dick Dyszel from 1972 to 1987; Dyszel also doubled as "Gore De Vol", host of the station's late night horror movies.[26] The Captain 20 Club, wrapped around afternoon cartoons ranging from Bugs Bunny to Ultraman, also included regular monkey races.[27] From 1972 until his death in 1984, channel 20 also broadcast Petey Greene's Washington, a public affairs program hosted by Ralph "Petey" Greene, civil-rights activist and native Washingtonian.[28][29][30]

Taft ownership

[edit]

Superior Tube originally agreed to sell WDCA-TV to the Tribune Company for $12 million in January 1978.[31] However, when ratings results for January and early February turned up major increases in viewership for channel 20, Superior Tube raised its asking price, and Tribune backed out of the sale in early March.[32] Another broadcast station owner, Taft Broadcasting, then struck an agreement to purchase WDCA-TV for $13.5 million.[33][34] The deal took more than a year to close, in part because of objections raised over children's programming by a group known as WATCH (Washington Association for Television and Children). Due to inflation, a strong market for TV stations, and the length of time the deal took to approve, Taft raised its price to $15.5 million.[35]

Even though the FCC approved a contingent license renewal and the transfer of the license in mid-August 1979,[36] a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the purchase and ordered Taft not to operate the station, though the FCC rejected WATCH's motion.[37] At issue was an infrequently enforced and commonly waived FCC policy restricting the number of TV stations that one group could own in the top 50 markets.[38] The FCC officially dropped the policy in November 1979 after the WDCA-TV sale, its only attempt to enforce it in 13 years.[39] The appeals court upheld the sale in 1981, primarily because of the mootness of the case in light of the repeal, though it criticized the FCC's handling of the case.[40]

In January 1980, Grant left channel 20 after nearly 14 years as general manager in order to file an application to build a new station on the unused channel 14.[41][42] By this time, channel 20 had firmly established itself as the second independent in the market. It had also become a regional superstation, with a cable footprint stretching as far north as southern Pennsylvania and as far south as Charlotte, North Carolina.[43] However, channel 20 continued to lag far behind WTTG, which was the nation's highest-rated independent station during 1984. Per Paul Harris in Variety, the station attracted "some undistinguished ratings" outside of its children's and sports programming.[44] To that end, in September 1986, the station conducted a schedule overhaul with increased sports programming and more movies. The change touched every part of the station except the call letters, and management had even contemplated changing those.[45] Tony Vinciquerra, who later became the president of Fox Networks Group, served as WDCA-TV's general sales manager from 1985 to 1986.[46]

Taft put its broadcast group up for sale in August 1986 due to agitation by investor Robert Bass; while it asked $500 million for five independent stations, the winning bidder—TVX Broadcast Group of Norfolk, Virginia—only paid $240 million, and Taft estimated its after-tax loss for the sale at $45 to $50 million.[47][48] TVX implemented budget cuts, laying off about 15 percent of the staff at the acquisitions; in Washington, 11 employees were immediately laid off—of a planned reduction of 18 personnel—and the production of local children's and public affairs programming was canceled.[49][50] Among the employees TVX laid off was Dyszel.[26]

The Taft stations purchase left TVX highly leveraged and highly vulnerable. TVX's bankers, Salomon Brothers, provided the financing for the acquisition and in return held more than 60 percent of the company.[49] The company was to pay Salomon Brothers $200 million on January 1, 1988, but missed the first payment deadline, having been unable to lure investors to its junk bonds even before Black Monday.[51] While TVX recapitalized by the end of 1988,[52] Salomon Brothers reached an agreement in principle in January 1989 for Paramount Pictures to acquire options to purchase the investment firm's majority stake.[53] This deal was replaced in September with an outright purchase of 79 percent of TVX for $110 million.[54]

Paramount ownership and affiliation with UPN

[edit]

In 1991, Paramount acquired the remainder of TVX, forming the Paramount Stations Group.[55] The deal gave Paramount a strategic entrance into the television stations market. The original Viacom purchased the group as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1993.[56]

WDCA became an affiliate of the United Paramount Network (UPN) upon its launch in January 1995.[57] From 1995 to 1997, annual revenues rose from $17 million to $45 million.[58]

Fox ownership

[edit]

In 2000, Viacom purchased CBS. On August 12 of that year, United Television—the United in UPN—sold its UPN stations to the Fox Television Stations subsidiary of News Corporation for $5.5 billion;[59] the deal was finalized on July 31, 2001. As part of its acquisition of United Television, Fox had purchased KBHK-TV in San Francisco, a city in which Fox did not own its affiliate—but there was a CBS owned-and-operated station. Similarly, Viacom now owned UPN stations in Houston (KTXH) and Washington, D.C. (WDCA), markets where it did not own the CBS affiliate but where there was a Fox owned-and-operated station. It also needed to reduce its national coverage to come under FCC ownership limits.[60] As a result, Fox traded KBHK-TV to Viacom in exchange for KTXH and WDCA, resulting in three new duopolies, including new Fox duopolies in Houston and Washington.[61] The FCC approved the deal in August 2001 on the condition that Viacom sell one of its San Francisco radio stations.[62][63]

Fox consolidated the two stations' operations at WTTG's studios in Washington's Friendship Heights neighborhood, and it also dismissed WDCA's general manager, placing both stations under WTTG's management.[64][65]

As a MyNetworkTV station

[edit]
WDCA logos during 2006
A red box with the white letters D C A next to a white box with the black letters 20 and beneath, "W D C A TV Washington, DC"
January–May 2006, after the CW merger announcement, as "DCA 20" with all UPN branding removed
A red box with the white letters "my" next to a white box with the black letters 20 and beneath, "W D C A TV DT Washington, DC"
May–June 2006
A rounded rectangle divided into blue and gray parts with the word "my" in white and a black "20" in the lower right. Underneath is the text "W D C A TV Washington, DC".
June 2006–July 2017, with the MyNetworkTV branding in place

On January 24, 2006, the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner and CBS Corporation (which had been created as a result of the split of Viacom at the start of the year) announced that the two companies would shut down The WB and UPN and combine the networks' respective programming to create a new "fifth" network called The CW.[66][67] In unveiling the merged network, while WB and UPN affiliates owned by WB minority stakeholder Tribune Broadcasting (including WBDC-TV in Washington) and by CBS Television Stations were announced as charter outlets, none of the Fox-owned UPN stations—many of which were competitors to these stations—were chosen. Fox immediately moved to strip the stations of UPN branding.[68] The next month, News Corporation announced the creation of its own secondary network, MyNetworkTV, to serve its own outgoing UPN stations as well as those that had not been selected for The CW.[69][70]

WDCA shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 20, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 35, using virtual channel 20.[71]

On April 4, 2017, the FCC announced that WDCA was a winner in the 2016–17 spectrum reallocation auction and in return received $119 million for the frequency. WDCA ceased broadcasting its own signal over channel 35 on July 18, 2018, continuing to broadcast on WTTG's multiplex.[72][73]

On April 17, 2017, Fox announced that WDCA would be re-branded as "Fox 5 Plus" on July 17, to provide better name recognition with and aligning it as an extension of WTTG, including a new 8 p.m. prime time newscast.[72][74] WTTG and WDCA relocated from Friendship Heights along Wisconsin Avenue to new studios in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2021.[65]

Newscasts

[edit]

In July 1995, WDCA experimented with a half-hour nightly 10 p.m. newscast, UPN 20 News at 10, to compete with WTTG's long-running prime time newscast. The newscast was produced by regional cable news channel NewsChannel 8.[75][76] The newscast was discontinued in the summer of 1996.[77]

WDCA began airing an 8 p.m. prime time newscast, Fox 5 News on the Plus, on July 17, 2017, as a half-hour broadcast on weekdays and a full hour on weekends.[74] News updates would also air throughout the day.[72] A 9 p.m. half-hour was added in 2018 as part of a series of news expansions across the Fox Television Stations group.[78] The station also has an hour-long 7 p.m. newscast on Saturdays and a 30-minute 7 p.m. newscast on Sundays.[79] In February 2022, WDCA began simulcasting an hour of programming on weekdays from Fox Weather.[80]

Subchannels

[edit]

WTTG and WDCA are broadcast from a transmitter facility on River Road in Bethesda, Maryland.[1]

Subchannels of WTTG and WDCA[81]
License Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
WTTG 5.1 720p 16:9 WTTG-DT Fox
5.2 480i BUZZR Buzzr
5.3 START Start TV
WDCA 20.1 720p WDCA MyNetworkTV
20.2 480i MOVIES Movies!
20.3 HEROES Heroes & Icons
20.4 FOXWX Fox Weather

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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WDCA

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WDCA, branded as Fox 5 Plus, is a MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated television station licensed to Washington, D.C., United States, serving the Washington–Baltimore media market.[1][2] It broadcasts a high-definition digital signal on UHF channel 36 from a transmitter in the Tenleytown neighborhood, with its studios located on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, shared with Fox affiliate and sister station WTTG (channel 5).[3][4][5] The station is owned by Fox Television Stations, a subsidiary of Fox Corporation.[2] WDCA signed on the air on April 20, 1966, as Washington's third commercial independent station, founded and initially led by broadcaster Milt Grant as part of the Capitol Broadcasting Corporation.[6][7] It originally emphasized sports programming and local content, including children's shows like WOW! hosted by Captain 20.[8] Over the years, ownership changed hands multiple times; the station was acquired by Paramount in 1991, came under Viacom's control in 1994 via its purchase of Paramount, followed by a 2001 trade that brought it under Fox's control.[9][10] In January 1995, WDCA affiliated with the United Paramount Network (UPN), a partnership between Paramount and Chris-Craft, airing syndicated programming, dramas, and sports like Baltimore Orioles games.[11] Following UPN's 2006 dissolution, the station joined MyNetworkTV, another Fox-backed network, adopting the "My 20" branding before rebranding to Fox 5 Plus in 2017 to align with its sister station.[12][1] Today, WDCA's primary channel (20.1) airs MyNetworkTV's schedule of syndicated sitcoms, reality shows, and movies, while subchannels (20.2–20.4) feature Movies!, Heroes & Icons, and FOX Weather; it ended analog broadcasts in 2009 as part of the digital transition.[3][4][3]

History

Construction and launch

The Capital Broadcasting Company, organized by Washington, D.C., broadcaster Milton Grant in the early 1960s, applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for authority to build a new ultra-high frequency (UHF) television station on channel 20 in the nation's capital. The FCC awarded the construction permit to Capital Broadcasting on August 13, 1963.[13] This process navigated the regulatory landscape of the post-1952 Sixth Report and Order, which had allocated UHF channels to encourage expanded television service amid VHF saturation, though UHF faced inherent propagation limitations requiring robust infrastructure.[14] Construction progressed over the subsequent years, with the company erecting an 809-foot tower in Bethesda, Maryland, near River Road, completed in 1965 to support adequate signal reach across the metropolitan area.[15] This structure, shared initially with public station WETA (channel 26), addressed key engineering challenges for UHF broadcasting, including weaker signal penetration compared to VHF and the need for elevated antennas to cover the hilly terrain and urban density of the Washington region. Studios were established in a building adjacent to the tower site, facilitating efficient operations during the station's buildout phase. The project, while not without the typical delays in securing equipment and financing for a startup UHF venture, positioned WDCA to serve as the market's pioneering independent UHF station.[15] WDCA signed on the air as an independent station on April 20, 1966, broadcasting on UHF channel 20 with a power of 1,120 kW visual and 112 kW aural from its Bethesda tower.[16] The inaugural broadcast featured a schedule emphasizing sports programming alongside general entertainment, classic movies, and limited local content, targeting the Washington metropolitan area including parts of Maryland and Virginia. The call letters WDCA reflected its focus on the Washington, D.C., area, and early operations highlighted the station's role in filling gaps in local viewing options dominated by established VHF networks.

Superior Tube and Taft ownership

In 1969, the Superior Tube Company, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of specialty metal tubing, acquired WDCA-TV from the Capital Broadcasting Company for approximately $4.9 million, including $1.5 million in stock and debentures, $700,000 for a non-compete agreement, and the assumption of $2.66 million in liabilities.[17] The company, led by Chairman C.A. Warden Jr., entered broadcasting to diversify beyond its core industrial operations, viewing the purchase as an opportunity to invest in a growing media sector despite WDCA's prior financial losses under its founders.[17] The Federal Communications Commission approved the sale on May 12, 1969, waiving the standard three-year holding period due to the station's unprofitability and the buyer's commitment to upgrades.[17] Milton Grant, WDCA's founding president and general manager, retained his leadership role to ensure continuity in operations.[17] During the 1970s under Superior Tube ownership, WDCA expanded its programming lineup as a UHF independent station, emphasizing syndicated content, local productions, and sports to build audience share in the competitive Washington market. The station increased its offerings of popular syndicated series, including classic sitcoms like I Love Lucy and science fiction reruns such as Star Trek, alongside afternoon cartoons featuring characters like Bugs Bunny to attract younger viewers.[18] Local productions flourished, with the introduction of children's programming like Captain 20's World, a weekday sci-fi themed show hosted by Dick Dyszel starting in 1972, which included educational segments and puppetry to engage school-aged audiences.[18] In sports, WDCA became the primary local broadcaster for the Washington Capitals NHL team beginning in the 1976-77 season, airing road games and select home matches to capitalize on the franchise's growing popularity.[19] These expansions helped stabilize finances, with the station investing in facility improvements, including a new 220,000-watt UHF transmitter installed in 1970 to enhance signal coverage across the D.C. metro area. In 1979, Superior Tube transferred ownership of WDCA to Taft Broadcasting Company, a Cincinnati-based media conglomerate, for $15.5 million.[20] The sale, initially proposed at $13.5 million, faced regulatory scrutiny when a consumer group challenged the FCC's approval, citing concerns over Taft's diversification and potential impacts on local programming; a federal appeals court ordered a hearing, but the transaction closed in September 1979 after FCC clearance.[20] Taft integrated WDCA into its portfolio of UHF independent stations, which included outlets like WTAF-TV in Philadelphia and WCIX-TV in Miami, leveraging group synergies for shared syndicated acquisitions and promotional strategies to boost profitability across its holdings.[21] Under Taft's tenure from 1979 to 1987, WDCA experienced steady ratings growth, particularly in the early 1980s, driven by high-profile syndicated hits like The Muppet Show and expanded movie packages that positioned it as a leading independent in the market.[22] Technical upgrades included enhancements to studio facilities and transmission equipment, such as adoption of advanced video tape systems for smoother local production workflows. Regulatory challenges persisted, including a 1980 objection by WDCA management to a rival pay-TV proposal on another channel, arguing it would fragment audiences and ad revenue.[23] No major labor disputes were reported, though Taft's broader operations navigated FCC rules on ownership limits amid industry consolidation. In February 1987, Taft sold WDCA as part of a $240 million package of five independent stations to the TVX Broadcast Group, completing the transfer in April to refocus on its network-affiliated properties.[24]

Paramount ownership and UPN affiliation

In February 1987, Taft Broadcasting agreed to sell WDCA and four other independent and Fox-affiliated stations to the TVX Broadcast Group for approximately $240 million.[25] The deal closed on April 9, 1987, marking TVX's expansion into larger markets despite the company's financial strains from leveraged buyouts. TVX's difficulties led to a recapitalization backed by a $300 million bridge loan from Salomon Brothers, which gained 79% ownership by late 1988.[26] In January 1989, Paramount Pictures secured a four-year option to acquire control of TVX's stations for an initial $10 million, with potential additional costs of $115 million to $175 million, targeting integration with Paramount's growing syndication operations to promote its programming directly to viewers.[26] By September 1989, Paramount exercised significant control by agreeing to purchase 79% of TVX for $145 million, retaining key stations including WDCA while divesting others; this process completed by 1991, fully incorporating WDCA into the Paramount Stations Group. In 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Communications, bringing WDCA under Viacom ownership.[27] Under Paramount ownership, WDCA shifted toward emphasizing the company's syndicated content in the early 1990s, featuring high-profile series from the Star Trek franchise such as Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999), alongside entertainment magazine shows like Entertainment Tonight.[28] Game shows and reality formats, including Paramount-distributed titles like Shop 'til You Drop (1991–1994), filled prime access slots to leverage the studio's production strengths and boost local viewership. On January 16, 1995, WDCA launched as a charter affiliate of the United Paramount Network (UPN), a joint venture between Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries/United Television, debuting with the two-hour premiere of Star Trek: Voyager on Mondays and initial dramatic programming on Wednesdays.[29] The affiliation introduced a mix of science fiction, urban dramas, and family-oriented shows, such as Star Trek: Voyager, Moesha, and Malibu Shores, while WDCA inserted local and syndicated content in off-network slots to differentiate from the competing Warner Bros. Television Network (The WB) affiliate WNUV in the shared Washington–Baltimore market.[30] During the UPN era, WDCA maintained a schedule blending network primetime with syndicated fare and limited local inserts, contributing to the network's growth amid competition; UPN's weekly audience reached its highest levels since 1997 by 2001, driven by wrestling and sci-fi staples.[31] In summer 2001, amid Viacom's 2000 merger with CBS—which consolidated control over Paramount and UPN—Viacom traded WDCA (along with Houston's KTXH) to Fox Television Stations in exchange for San Francisco's UPN affiliate KBHK-TV, enabling Fox duopolies in Washington (with WTTG) and Houston while bolstering Viacom's holdings in seven markets.[9]

Fox ownership and affiliation changes

In August 2001, Fox Television Stations acquired WDCA from Viacom Inc. through an asset exchange agreement, in which Fox traded its UPN affiliate KBHK-TV in San Francisco to Viacom in return for WDCA in Washington, D.C., and fellow UPN affiliate KTXH-TV in Houston.[9] The deal enabled Fox to establish duopolies in both markets, pairing WDCA with its existing Fox owned-and-operated station WTTG in Washington, while adhering to FCC ownership limits that permitted such pairings in markets with at least eight independent stations remaining.[32] The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction in August 2001, following its recent clearance of Fox's acquisition of Chris-Craft stations, though it required Fox to address national ownership caps through divestitures.[33] WDCA continued as a UPN affiliate under Fox ownership until the network's shutdown in September 2006, operating as an independent station for a brief interim period from September 1 to 4, 2006.[25] On September 5, 2006, WDCA launched as a charter affiliate of MyNetworkTV, Fox's new programming service, filling its primetime schedule with two hours of original scripted dramas from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, including the series Desire and Secrets, each featuring 65-episode arcs.[34] The affiliation positioned WDCA to air 12 hours of weekly primetime content through Saturday, emphasizing serialized entertainment to compete with emerging networks like The CW.[35] On July 17, 2017, WDCA rebranded from "My 20" to "Fox 5 Plus" to enhance synergy with sister station WTTG (Fox 5), adopting a new logo that incorporated elements of WTTG's branding alongside a "Plus" descriptor for its expanded entertainment focus.[25] The rebranding included a marketing campaign promoting greater name recognition and cross-promotion between the duopoly outlets, coinciding with the debut of an 8:00 p.m. newscast produced by WTTG.[36] This integration aimed to unify the stations' identities under the Fox umbrella in the Washington market.[37] In 2021, WDCA and WTTG relocated to shared studios at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, a 57,500-square-foot IP-based facility that consolidated operations for approximately 200 employees and enhanced production capabilities.[38] The move, completed in July 2021, supported streamlined content sharing and modernized broadcasting infrastructure.[39] Since then, the station has experienced operational stability, with incremental digital expansions integrated into Fox Television Stations' broader streaming initiatives, maintaining its MyNetworkTV affiliation and duopoly structure as of November 2025.[40]

Programming

Network affiliations

WDCA operated as an independent station from its sign-on on April 20, 1966, until 1995, allowing the station significant flexibility in its programming schedule without the constraints of a network affiliation.[6] This independence enabled WDCA to focus heavily on syndicated content, including movies, off-network sitcoms, and local programming, which helped it establish a strong presence in the Washington, D.C. market as one of the area's pioneering UHF stations.[41] The lack of network commitments meant the station could optimize its lineup for local viewer preferences, contributing to revenue growth through targeted syndication deals during this era. In January 1995, WDCA became a charter affiliate of the United Paramount Network (UPN), joining as one of the network's initial owned-and-operated stations under Paramount's ownership structure at the time.[29] UPN's launch provided WDCA with a structured primetime lineup, initially limited to two nights per week (Mondays and Tuesdays), which expanded over time to include additional evenings of scripted series and specials aimed at younger urban audiences.[42] This affiliation shifted WDCA's scheduling toward network-supplied content in key hours, reducing reliance on syndication for primetime while boosting its visibility through UPN's national marketing; however, the network's modest ratings and eventual struggles impacted affiliate performance. The affiliation ended in 2006 following UPN's dissolution and merger with The WB to form The CW, which excluded Fox-owned stations like WDCA from its lineup.[12] WDCA transitioned to MyNetworkTV in September 2006 as one of the service's founding owned-and-operated stations, a move orchestrated by Fox Television Stations to fill the void left by UPN's collapse.[34] MyNetworkTV's model centered on a consistent two-hour primetime block of English-language telenovelas and scripted dramas airing nightly from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, designed to attract advertisers with a focus on the 18-49 demographic through high-drama, serialized programming.[42] This format allowed WDCA to maintain a predictable national schedule while integrating local content outside primetime, though early viewership averaged under 1 million nationally, prompting a pivot to syndicated reruns by 2009 that stabilized the service's reach. As of November 2025, MyNetworkTV airs syndicated programming including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chicago P.D., Dateline, and Chicago Fire in primetime.[43] The affiliation remains in effect for Fox's O&Os.[44] As of 2025, WDCA remains a MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated station under Fox Corporation, branded as Fox 5 Plus to emphasize its supplementary role alongside sister Fox affiliate WTTG.[45] This status integrates MyNetworkTV's core programming with Fox ecosystem enhancements, such as access to Fox Weather content via the station's app and streaming platforms, enhancing weather coverage without altering the primary affiliation framework.[46]

Local and syndicated programming

Throughout its history as an independent station and later as a UPN and MyNetworkTV affiliate, WDCA has featured a mix of local original programming and syndicated content to fill its schedule outside network commitments. In the station's early years following its 1966 launch, local productions emphasized variety and children's entertainment. One prominent example was the "Wing Ding" dance show, hosted by Bill Miller, which aired weekdays at 4:30 p.m. in 1967, showcasing teen dancers and popular music clips.[47] By the late 1960s and into the 1970s, children's programming became a staple, with "Captain 20"—an astronaut-themed show hosted by Dick Dyszel—debuting in 1969 and running through 1987, featuring cartoons, contests, and gerbil races to engage young viewers.[18] This was complemented by "WOW!", another Dyszel-hosted children's block from 1972 to 1987, which included puppetry, skits, and educational segments, and "Kids' Break" (1980–1987), a puppet-led anthology of short educational mini-programs.[48][49] These shows positioned WDCA as a key outlet for homegrown content in the Washington market before the rise of national cable options. Post-2006 UPN era and especially after the 2017 rebrand to Fox 5 Plus, local originals shifted toward lifestyle segments integrated with sister station WTTG, such as short-form features on local events and consumer tips aired during syndicated blocks.[1] Syndicated programming has long formed the backbone of WDCA's non-network lineup, evolving with viewer tastes and market trends. In the 1970s and 1980s as an independent, the station aired classic sitcom reruns to attract families, including off-network series like "Alice," which filled daytime slots in the mid-1980s alongside variety and sports highlights.[50] By the 2000s during its UPN affiliation, court shows gained prominence, with "Judge Judy" becoming a ratings driver in access and fringe time periods, often airing multiple episodes daily to capitalize on its arbitration format.[51] As of 2025 under the Fox 5 Plus branding and MyNetworkTV umbrella, the syndicated slate emphasizes game shows, talk, and off-network drama. Weekday mornings feature infomercials from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., transitioning to talk like "Tamron Hall" and court shows such as "Divorce Court" in early afternoon. Evenings include game show staples like multiple "Family Feud" episodes from 6:00 p.m. onward, followed by entertainment news via "TMZ Live" and reruns of procedural dramas like "Chicago P.D." in late night. Movies and off-network sitcoms, such as "The Simpsons," round out mornings and weekends, providing broad-appeal filler.[52] To meet Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements for public interest programming, WDCA has incorporated educational/informational (E/I) blocks, particularly for children aged 13–16, airing at least three hours weekly as mandated since the 1990 Children's Television Act.[53] These include syndicated E/I series like "Xploration: Awesome Planet," a science-focused show exploring environmental topics, typically scheduled on weekend mornings around 11:30 a.m. to comply with core programming guidelines, which require the E/I symbol on-screen and limited commercial interruptions.[52][54] Public affairs elements appear sporadically, such as religious or community discussion programs like "James Robison" in midday slots, fulfilling broader FCC obligations for local issue coverage without dedicated weekly forums.[52] WDCA's scheduling patterns reflect its role as a secondary entertainment outlet, prioritizing cost-effective syndication to complement MyNetworkTV's limited primetime. Weekends often feature movie marathons, a tradition dating to the 1970s when program director Bob McDonald established successful Sunday film blocks with classic features to build audience loyalty.[55] Late nights and overnights lean heavily on infomercials and paid programming from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., while access periods (4:00–7:00 p.m.) rotate high-repeat syndication like game shows to maximize ad revenue in non-network gaps.[52] This approach ensures FCC compliance while maintaining a diverse, viewer-friendly mix.

News operations

History of newscasts

During its initial years as an independent station from 1966 through the 1980s, WDCA did not produce full local newscasts and instead relied on wire services or coverage from established outlets like WTTG for news content. Under Taft Broadcasting ownership beginning in 1979, the station introduced limited local programming elements, including short weather and sports segments anchored by early on-air talent, though these were not expanded into comprehensive newscasts due to the challenges of operating as a UHF independent in a competitive market dominated by network affiliates. By 1987, following Taft's sale to TVX Broadcast Group, severe budget cuts led to layoffs of 11 employees and the cancellation of virtually all local production at the station, further minimizing any news-related efforts.[22][50] The UPN affiliation in 1995 marked a period of growth for WDCA's news operations, with the station launching its first dedicated newscast, UPN 20 News at 10, a half-hour program airing nightly at 10 p.m. to challenge WTTG's long-running prime time newscast. Produced in partnership with cable news provider NewsChannel 8, the program drew on shared staff, including anchors, reporters, and meteorologists, and emphasized quick weather updates and sports highlights to attract viewers in the late-night slot. Despite initial promise amid the UPN network's expansion, the newscast faced ratings battles in the fragmented independent market and underwent staff changes, reflecting the era's competitive pressures on UPN affiliates for local content viability.[56] In the 2000s, following Viacom's acquisition and the shift to UPN, WDCA continued limited in-house or partnered news efforts, but budget constraints persisted as the station prioritized syndicated programming. After Fox Television Stations purchased WDCA in 2001 and rebranded it for MyNetworkTV in 2006, news production shifted to outsourced simulcasts from sister station WTTG, with the 10 p.m. newscast airing on WDCA as My 20 News at 10 following the September 2006 launch of MyNetworkTV. By 2007, this evolved into My 20 News at 10, a rebranded version of WTTG's program, allowing WDCA to offer local news with minimal in-house resources amid ongoing financial pressures on secondary affiliates. This arrangement continued through 2017, highlighting the station's reliance on duopoly synergies rather than standalone news operations.[41]

Current news programming

WDCA's current news programming, branded as Fox 5 News on the Plus, consists of two weekday evening newscasts produced by sister station WTTG in the Washington, D.C. market. The flagship program airs at 8:00 p.m. ET as a half-hour broadcast, featuring local headlines, breaking news, and analysis, while a follow-up half-hour newscast at 9:00 p.m. includes dedicated weather and sports segments.[57] These programs launched on July 17, 2017, with the 8:00 p.m. slot initially as a weekday half-hour, expanding to a full hour on weekends by the same date to provide extended primetime coverage.[58] The 9:00 p.m. newscast was added on July 23, 2018, as part of a broader expansion of local news across Fox Television Stations, enhancing the duopoly's evening lineup with segments on meteorology led by Chief Meteorologist Tucker Barnes and sports anchored by Chad Ricardo.[59] As of November 2025, Tisha Lewis anchors the 8 p.m. newscast, with the evening team including Angie Goff and Jim Lokay delivering a mix of investigative reporting and live updates, supported by meteorologists such as Caitlin Roth for detailed forecasts.[60] Weekend editions maintain the full-hour 8:00 p.m. format, often incorporating community-focused stories and election analysis, as seen in coverage of the 2024 presidential race and 2025 gubernatorial contests in Virginia and New Jersey.[61] Since relocating to shared production facilities in Bethesda, Maryland, in July 2021, WDCA's news operations have integrated advanced IP-based infrastructure with WTTG, enabling unified graphics packages, seamless multi-platform distribution, and real-time data sharing for enhanced production efficiency.[39] The programs stream live via the Fox Local app, extending reach to mobile and connected TV audiences with on-demand clips and 24/7 weather updates.[62] This digital extension has bolstered audience engagement, particularly during high-impact events like the 2024 election cycle, where live streams drew significant viewership alongside traditional broadcasts.[63] Investigative series such as the revived "City Under Siege" franchise have highlighted community issues like youth crime and trauma recovery in the D.C. metro area, driving public awareness and policy discussions through in-depth reporting on local epidemics.[64] Overall, the newscasts contribute to Fox 5 Plus's strong local performance, with the duopoly maintaining competitive ratings in primetime among D.C. viewers, emphasizing timely coverage of government shutdowns and regional crises in 2025.[65] No major format changes have occurred since 2018, preserving the half-hour structure focused on concise, viewer-driven content.[66]

Technical information

Subchannels

WDCA operates four digital subchannels as part of its multiplex on virtual channel 20, transmitted over physical UHF channel 36 shared with sister station WTTG. These subchannels utilize the station's ATSC 1.0 digital signal to provide diverse programming, enabling Fox Television Stations to optimize bandwidth and reach varied viewer demographics in the Washington, D.C. market.[3] The primary channel, 20.1, broadcasts the MyNetworkTV feed in 720p high definition, featuring primetime scripted series, local commercial insertions, and occasional Fox Sports events not aired on WTTG. This HD format ensures compatibility with modern televisions while allowing for promotional tie-ins with Fox 5 (WTTG) branding as "Fox 5 Plus."[3] Subchannel 20.2 airs Movies!, a movie-centric network launched on WDCA in May 2013 through an affiliation agreement with Weigel Broadcasting. It focuses on classic films from the 1940s to the 1980s, including titles like Casablanca (1942) and The Godfather (1972), programmed in themed blocks such as "War Movies" on Mondays and "Sci-Fi Classics" on Fridays, targeting viewers seeking nostalgic entertainment without subscription fees.[67][3] Added in late 2015, subchannel 20.3 carries Heroes & Icons, a Weigel-owned network emphasizing classic action, adventure, and science fiction series from the 1960s to 1990s, such as Star Trek: The Original Series and The A-Team. It appeals primarily to adults aged 35 and older with marathon formats, like weekend Star Trek episodes, filling a niche for rerun-based content amid declining linear viewership for originals. This addition expanded Fox's multicast offerings following a deal with Weigel to distribute the network across 11 Fox-owned markets.[68][3] Subchannel 20.4, launched in February 2022, simulcasts the national Fox Weather feed in 480i standard definition, providing 24/7 weather coverage with radar maps, forecasts, and severe weather alerts tailored to the D.C. region via local overrides during events like hurricanes or snowstorms. Allocated lower bandwidth to accommodate the other subchannels, it integrates with Fox 5's weather team for enhanced credibility and viewer retention during high-impact events.[69][3] Prior to the 2013 introduction of Movies!, WDCA's subchannel usage was minimal, with excess digital capacity often left unprogrammed or used for testing following the 2009 digital transition; the current lineup reflects Fox's strategy to monetize spectrum through targeted, low-cost affiliations that attract cord-cutters and complement the primary MyNetworkTV service.[3]

Digital transition and facilities

WDCA ceased its analog broadcasts on UHF channel 20 on June 12, 2009, in compliance with the Federal Communications Commission's nationwide mandate for full-power television stations to transition to digital-only operations.[70] The station retained its virtual channel mapping to 20.1, allowing viewers to continue accessing it on channel 20 via digital tuners.[3] Post-transition, WDCA operates on physical UHF channel 36 from a transmitter located at 38°57′49.9″N 77°6′17.2″W on River Road in Bethesda, Maryland, a site shared with sister station WTTG.[3] The facility uses a Dielectric TFU-32ETT/VP-R O6 rectangular panel antenna with a full-service filter and 0.5° electrical beam tilt, broadcasting at an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,000 kW horizontally and a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 235 meters (771 feet).[3] This setup provides robust coverage across the Washington, D.C. (Hagerstown) Designated Market Area (DMA), ranked 7th nationally by Nielsen with 2,647,390 television households as of the 2024-2025 season.[71] Any potential interference concerns during the digital transition were addressed through FCC coordination, ensuring minimal disruption to service.[70] The station's studio facilities have evolved significantly over time. During its early years and under Paramount ownership in the 1990s, WDCA maintained production operations in central Washington, D.C. Following Fox's acquisition in 2001, operations consolidated with sister station WTTG at 5151 Wisconsin Avenue in the Friendship Heights section of northwest D.C.[40] In July 2021, both stations relocated to a modern 58,000-square-foot IP-based facility at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, enabling unified news and production workflows with advanced technologies like virtual sets and automated playout systems.[39][40]

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