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WDCW (channel 50), branded DCW 50, is a television station in Washington, D.C., serving as the local outlet for The CW. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group alongside Hagerstown, Maryland–licensed independent station WDVM-TV (channel 25); the two stations share studios on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington's Glover Park neighborhood. Through a channel sharing agreement with Univision station WFDC-DT (channel 14), WDCW transmits using WFDC's spectrum from a tower in the Tenleytown area of Washington's Northwest quadrant.

Key Information

The station began broadcasting in November 1981 as WCQR, culminating a 17-year struggle to get the station on air that included the death of the original permittee, bankruptcy, and years in the FCC's comparative hearing process. The station launched primarily as a vehicle for subscription television (STV) programming from Super TV, which served the Washington and Baltimore areas. After the station was sold in 1985, it became WFTY and dropped the subscription content, operating as the Washington area's third independent station. After a foreclosure sale in 1993, it affiliated with The WB in 1995, improving its programming and market standing, and was sold to Tribune Broadcasting. WDCW was one of the charter affiliates of The CW in 2006. Over the years, the station has had several partial attempts at airing or producing local newscasts; the most recent, DC News Now, debuted in 2022.

History

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Pre-broadcasting history

[edit]

The history of channel 50 in Washington, D.C., began in 1964 when the first application was received for the channel from All American Television Features, owned by record executive and conductor Mitch Miller. That application was joined by three others. Theodore (Ted) Granik had once hosted The American Forum of the Air, a debate program on NBC Radio;[4] his Washington application was one of seven he planned nationwide, primarily in the northeastern U.S.[5] O. Roy Chalk, then-owner of DC Transit, applied through his company, Transportation Communications of America.[6] The Greater Washington Educational Television Association, owner of WETA-TV (channel 26), sought to establish channel 50 as a second educational channel.[7] WETA dropped out of the channel 50 race when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) moved channel 32 from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, to Washington for non-commercial educational use, but a fourth applicant, Washington lawyer Vincent B. Welch, entered the proceeding under the banner of the Colonial Television Corporation.[8]

Comparative hearings were held in January 1966. Though Miller did not exactly impress with his failure to recall the names of important D.C. public officials,[9] he did enough to get the initial nod from examiner Basil P. Cooper, who lauded Miller's proposal to move to Washington, host a Saturday night program, and take an active hand in management.[10] Miller, however, was bumped from the lead when the FCC review board opted to strike a different note. In a July 1967 decision, the board chose the application of Granik, a 29-year Washington resident, over that of Miller, a New York resident who would only have been at the station full-time during its start-up period.[11] Miller and Chalk appealed the decision,[12] but the full commission declined the appeals in March 1968.[13]

Granik moved forward with his plans to house the station in the Sheraton Park Hotel, where WRC-TV had once been based until it built new facilities in 1958. Proposed programs had such titles including Women Want to Know, Report From Congress, and Washington People Speak.[14] The call sign WGSP-TV was selected, for the owner and location—Granik and Sheraton Park.[15]

While a September 1968 debut was announced,[15] WGSP-TV never launched. On September 21, 1970, Granik died in New York; his obituary in The Washington Post stated that the station was to go on the air in late October.[16] It was never to be. A failure to get financial backing led WGSP-TV to declare bankruptcy in May 1971; Theodore's son William declared of the station, "As of now, it's dead."[17] Granik's estate did not include sufficient funding for the television station to start.[18]

A trustee, Lee Cowan, was named in the bankruptcy case, and he found a buyer. Richard S. Leghorn of Sarasota, Florida, initially offered $15,000 for the permit;[19] Leghorn then teamed up with Black telecommunications consultant Theodore S. Ledbetter Jr. to form Trans Community Broadcasting, which paid $45,500 at bankruptcy auction and awaited FCC approval of the transfer of license. Trans Community, which was 58 percent Black-owned, also sought approval from the FCC to broadcast subscription television (STV) programming.[20]

The applications necessary to get WGSP-TV going would take years to materialize. In December 1974, Channel 50 Inc., a group owned by Ledbetter and the Model Cities Economic Development Corporation, filed with the FCC to acquire the construction permit from Cowan for $75,000 (equivalent to $478,188 in 2024).[21] However, the STV portion of the Ledbetter consortium's plans caused another delay. At the time, the FCC had a policy of one STV service in a market, and WDCA-TV (channel 20) had also filed for authority for subscription broadcasts. In 1976, the two STV proposals and WGSP-TV's assignment of construction permit were consolidated in one hearing, with Channel 50 Inc.'s financial qualifications an issue in the proceeding.[22] Channel 50 argued that Washington had enough broadcast television service and was large enough to provide sufficient free service with two STV stations, but WDCA-TV had established better financial backing.[23]

The cases awaited hearing for more than three years, but the matter became moot when the FCC amended its STV policy in 1979 to permit multiple STV stations if the market had four or more conventionally operating TV stations. In July 1980, the FCC finally greenlit the assignment of the permit to Channel 50 Inc., and it also approved WGSP-TV's STV programming, which was initially to be provided by Teleprompter Inc., a cable television programmer and part-owner of Showtime.[24] However, Teleprompter lost interest in over-the-air STV and helped Ledbetter, a former manager of WBNB-TV in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to find a replacement. A joint venture of Clint Murchison Jr. and Field Enterprises, Subscription Television of Greater Washington (STVGW), was formed to provide the STV service for WGSP-TV as well as $3 million in financing (equivalent to $11.4 million in 2024) to construct channel 50, which would go on the air in 1981.[25]

WCQR

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I'm not in it for the money. I'm in it because I'm a communicator who has had a difficult time getting stations to show my programs. We will see what people in the area come up with.

Theodore Ledbetter, on WCQR's non-subscription programming[26]

After a call sign change and the construction of facilities, channel 50 debuted on Washington screens on November 1, 1981, as WCQR.[27] During the day, the programming was "freeform" in nature, with variety shows and eclectic fare from independent producers; there was little need to generate advertising revenue because of the STV lease.[26] At night, WCQR offered Super TV, the subscription service from Subscription Television of Greater Washington. Super TV presented first-run movies, college basketball games, and an optional late-night adult service to paying subscribers; the base service cost $19.95 a month and came with a $49.95 installation charge.[26]

Super TV got off to an uneven start; a computer problem caused some 20 percent of its 5,000 customers in the first month to not receive full service, while customer service phone lines were jammed.[28] However, Super TV hit its stride quickly, with 45,000 subscribers in greater Washington by the summer of 1982 plus 10,000 more in Baltimore, where separately owned WNUV-TV signed on simulcasting Super TV's subscription programming.[29] In 1983, Super TV peaked at 85,000 total subscribers, 55,000 in Washington and 30,000 in Baltimore.[30] The freeform programming gave way in late 1983 to the Financial News Network, which signed channel 50 as its 14th affiliate.[31] Prior to that, the station was airing a live camera feed of the skyline as seen from Alexandria, Virginia, largely because Super TV installers needed the station to broadcast a picture to aid in their work.[32]

In late 1984, Independent American Broadcasters (IAB), a group headed by Nolanda Hill, filed to buy WCQR and a 50 percent stake in Super TV for $12 million (equivalent to $36.3 million in 2024) plus the assumption of $3 million in debt.[33] The STV service was showing a profit, but the new ownership began to plan the station's transition to ad-supported commercial broadcasting.[34] Hill noted that Ledbetter had gotten the station going but lacked the capital to move forward.[35]

WFTY

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On July 1, 1985, WCQR changed its call sign to WFTY. In late October, the station announced that Super TV would come to an end over channel 50 on January 1, 1986.[35] Former Metromedia executive Allen Ginsberg was hired to supervise the purchasing of new programming and promotion for the new commercial independent station.[35] Super TV continued on channel 54 in Baltimore until March 31, 1986, when it left the air as one of the last over-the-air STV services still in business.[36]

The newly retooled WFTY stepped out into an independent television world in turmoil. Independent stations were becoming squeezed by high programming prices and a softening advertising market. The Post described its first full television season as "grueling". The station signed with Viacom for programs, but the station's plans to air I Love Lucy were dashed by competing independent WTTG, which decided to renew the show. By October, the station was owing $1.14 million on its $12 million, seven-year contract (equivalent to $34.4 million in 2024) with the company; Viacom took shows including Perry Mason, then the highest-rated program on WFTY, off the station's air. Further, two executives were replaced amid mismanagement charges that led to breach of contract lawsuits, and Hill moved her corporate headquarters from Dallas to the station's facilities in Rockville, Maryland, renaming the group from Hill Broadcasting to Corridor Broadcasting.[37]

In 1990, WRC-TV made a proposal to WFTY to spend $1,000 a weeknight to program the 7:30 p.m. half-hour with a newscast, which it would produce and sell advertising for.[38] The program, 7:30 News Headlines, debuted on January 14, 1991, anchored by Wendy Rieger and seeking to cater to an upscale audience.[39] It was the first such news-share program ever announced and the second to air.[a][40] However, the newscast attracted worse ratings than the show it replaced, The Avengers.[41] It was doomed by low ratings, a poor economy, and the Gulf War, with the start of that conflict scrambling local news viewing habits merely three days later; as a result, WRC-TV ended the arrangement effective October 25, 1991.[42] The station also tried its hand at producing a local show on issues from a youth perspective, Kids Point of View Television.[43]

Hill's broadcast stations would be mired in a series of financial issues in the early 1990s that ultimately led to a foreclosure on her two television properties. A November 1993 report in the Post revealed that Corridor Broadcasting had contributed thousands of dollars to Democratic political campaigns but owed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) $26 million (equivalent to $56.6 million in 2024). It also detailed ties between Hill and Ron Brown, then the United States Secretary of Commerce (and revealed to be her romantic partner after his death[44]); a company named Harmon International, named after Brown's middle name, owned a small portion of channel 50's equipment and leased it to Hill.[45] An executive with broadcasting industry analyst Paul Kagan Associates labeled WFTY as "in distress", claiming it had "never had a dime of cash flow"; it was attracting too small of an audience to show in ratings books, and it had reportedly lost money for multiple years running.[45] The $26 million loan had belonged to Sunbelt Savings & Loan, a Dallas financial institution that failed; the FDIC refused to foreclose on the loan because it did not want to run a TV station.[45]

The FDIC received a $3.1 million (equivalent to $6.75 million in 2024) offer for the failed loan from John and Barbara Foster of Fort Worth, Texas, through their Jasas Corporation. The Fosters specialized in acquiring businesses at foreclosure. They proceeded to foreclose on the note in August 1993 and have WFTY and WHLL in Worcester, Massachusetts, transferred to them; they paid Hill to continue managing the stations, an arrangement that later led to investigations by the FDIC inspector general and a House committee as to whether she illegally retained a financial interest after foreclosure.[46] John Foster told the Post, "We've found a lot more problems than I ever anticipated and a lot more costs. I'm in the thing for substantially more money than I thought it was going to be."[45] The Massachusetts station was sold in early 1995, but Jasas opted to hold on to WFTY after initially putting it on the market.[46] Hill was later indicted in 1998 for siphoning more than $200,000 from Corridor and additional money from related companies, spending the money on shopping expenses;[47] she received a four-month jail sentence in 1999.[48]

WB and CW affiliations

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WFTY joined The WB on February 20, 1995, six weeks after the network started broadcasting. The closest network affiliate to Washington was WJAL (channel 68) in Hagerstown, Maryland, which did not reach the District on cable or over-the-air. Since WB programming consisted of a single block on Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. at the time, WFTY ran WB programs on six consecutive weeknights in order to catch up and begin airing new episodes in line with the network on March 1.[49] The call sign was changed on September 6 to WBDC-TV to reflect the network affiliation; by this time, the station had also added substantial local sports programming with Washington Bullets basketball and Washington Capitals hockey telecasts produced by Home Team Sports.[50][51]

In December 1995, Jasas contracted with Tribune Broadcasting, which owned a minority stake in The WB, to manage WBDC-TV in a seven-year deal.[52] In 1999, Tribune bought the station outright from Jasas.[53]

WDCW's CW logo, used from 2006 to 2008.

On January 24, 2006, the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner and CBS Corporation announced that the two companies would shut down The WB and UPN and combine the networks' respective programming to create The CW;[54][55] the day of the announcement, it was revealed that 16 of Tribune's 19 WB stations would be affiliated with the new network, including WBDC-TV.[56] The call sign was changed to the present WDCW in advance of the network's September 2006 launch.[57]

In 2010, WDCW debuted the hip-hop music program Direct Access with Big Tigger. This program was later syndicated to two other Tribune stations and WCIU-TV in Chicago.[58] From 2007 to 2018, WDCW aired NewsPlus with Mark Segraves, a local news and culture magazine.[59]

Tribune launched WDCW's first full-length newscast in 25 years in 2016, when a nightly half-hour 10 p.m. newscast debuted. The program was produced from WTVR-TV in Richmond, Virginia, which Tribune then owned, and featured local reporters and WTVR news presenters. With WTVR bound for purchase by the E. W. Scripps Company to address regulatory issues in the Richmond market from the company's sale to Nexstar, the newscast was canceled effective September 28, 2018.[60][61]

Aborted sale to Sinclair; sale to Nexstar

[edit]
Main article: Attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which in the Washington market owns WJLA-TV, entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media on May 8, 2017, for $3.9 billion (equivalent to $5 billion in 2024), plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in Tribune debt.[62][63] Though it otherwise faced no regulatory issues involving the stations in the Washington television market itself, the deal received significant government scrutiny over Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties,[64][65] prompting the FCC to designate it for hearing[66] and leading Tribune to terminate the deal and sue Sinclair for breach of contract.[67]

Following the Sinclair deal's collapse, Nexstar Media Group of Irving, Texas, announced its purchase of Tribune Media on December 3, 2018, for $6.4 billion (equivalent to $8.01 billion in 2024) in cash and debt.[68] The sale was completed on September 19, 2019.[69]

In the Washington, D.C., market, the Nexstar purchase united WDCW with WDVM-TV (channel 25) in Hagerstown, Maryland, a former NBC affiliate for Hagerstown which had been converted into an independent station that specialized in hyperlocal news programs for specific areas of the Washington media market. In February 2020, the two stations' staffs were merged under common management by Nexstar.[70]

DC News Now

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On May 25, 2022, Nexstar announced that it would combine the operations of WDVM-TV and WDCW at the latter's Washington facility, where it had signed for an additional 29,000 square feet (2,700 m2) of office space the year before,[71] and move the production of WDVM-TV's newscasts there. Under the banner of DC News Now, the stations' combined and expanded news service would retain the existing WDVM-TV regional newscasts, with bureaus in Hagerstown; Frederick, Maryland; and Chantilly, Virginia. As part of the expansion, a 10 p.m. newscast would be started for air on WDCW.[72]

DC News Now launched on July 11, 2022, over both stations with minimal publicity, debuting its first marketing campaign in early October. While an expansion for WDVM's existing news operation (with the bulk of newscasts using said brand on that station), it was treated as a de facto startup, with news director Ben Dobson hiring all of the operation's 80 additional staffers, many of whom were newcomers to the market.[73]

In February 2024, WDCW became the television home for Loudoun United FC of the USL Championship. Matches air on both WDCW and WDVM.[74]

Technical information

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A television tower with an ichthus design in its lattice supports
The Hughes Memorial Tower was used to transmit WDCW until the station sold its spectrum in 2017[75]

Subchannels

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WFDC-DT and WDCW broadcast from a tower in northwest Washington.[3]

Subchannels of WFDC-DT and WDCW[76]
License Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
WFDC-DT 14.1 720p 16:9 WFDC-DT Univision
14.2 480i 4:3 getTV Get
14.3 16:9 GRIT Grit
14.4 720p UniMas UniMás MPEG-4 video
WDCW 25.1 480i WDVM-SD WDVM-TV in SD (Independent)
50.1 720p WDCW-DT The CW
50.2 480i 4:3 Antenna Antenna TV
  Subchannel broadcast with MPEG-4 video
  Simulcast of subchannels of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion and broadcast spectrum repack

[edit]

WDCW stopped transmitting on its analog signal, over UHF channel 50, 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 relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 51 to channel 50.[77]

In April 2017, Tribune sold WDCW's broadcast spectrum to the FCC for $122 million as part of the commission's 2016–17 spectrum reallocation reverse auction.[78] On August 31, 2017, it was announced that WDCW had entered into a channel sharing agreement with Univision affiliate WFDC-DT. WDCW ended broadcasts over its own channel 50 and began sharing WFDC's channel 15 on January 23, 2018.[1]

Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WDCW

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WDCW, 50, is a licensed to , , serving as an of network through majority owner . The station signed on in 1980 as an independent outlet branded "Nifty-Fifty" and achieved greater prominence upon becoming the market's affiliate in 1995, before adopting affiliation in 2006 following the networks' merger. WDCW broadcasts a schedule featuring CW prime-time series, syndicated sitcoms and talk shows, regional professional sports telecasts including games of the , Wizards, Nationals, and Baltimore Orioles, alongside local news programming under the DC News Now banner covering the , , and . The station maintains community involvement through initiatives such as the "This Just In" program and award-winning "Living Black History" specials, operating in the eighth-largest designated market area with over 2.6 million television households.

History

Origins and pre-broadcasting developments

The granted a construction permit for UHF channel 50 in , to interests planning WGSP-TV, but the station never commenced regular operations despite announced debut plans and limited test patterns in the early 1970s. In December , a predominantly group of investors, led by John D. Johnson, acquired the rights to seek FCC transfer of the Channel 50 construction permit from the prior holder, Channel 50 Inc., in a transaction valued at facilitating the station's development. Subsequent permit transfers and competing applications resulted in an eight-year regulatory delay, hindering progress until July 1, 1980, when an FCC approved a subscription for the channel, in partnership with Corp., mandating at least 28 hours of free conventional programming weekly to comply with broadcast rules.

Launch as WCQR and early independent operations

WCQR-TV signed on UHF channel 50 in , on November 1, 1981, under the ownership of local entrepreneur Theodore Ledbetter. Ledbetter, an engineer, filmmaker, and prior operator of a station in the , had secured the construction permit amid a competitive allocation process for the channel dating back to the . The station's debut represented an effort to establish a foothold for UHF in a market dominated by VHF affiliates, leveraging available spectrum for expanded local television options. From inception, WCQR operated a hybrid schedule to maximize revenue streams: daytime hours delivered commercial programming, functioning as an with syndicated fare aimed at building broad audiences, while evenings transitioned to the encrypted Super TV subscription service managed by Subscription Television of Greater Washington. Super TV, requiring decoder hardware and monthly fees from viewers, aired premium content including recent movies and special events, positioning itself against emerging cable alternatives in the pay-TV landscape. This dual model addressed the financial constraints of startup UHF operations, where advertising alone often proved insufficient, though STV penetration remained limited by technical barriers and consumer adoption rates. Early independent operations emphasized cost-effective syndicated acquisitions for daytime slots, including off-network reruns and public affairs segments tailored to the Washington metropolitan audience, while relying on Super TV for evening profitability. The station broadcast from regional facilities, competing with established independents like for non-network viewers. By mid-1985, amid STV's broader decline due to cable's rise—which offered more channels without decoding hassles—WCQR discontinued the subscription service effective December 31, following its sale earlier that year to Independent American Broadcasters for approximately $15 million. This shift enabled preparations for full-time independent status, though operational challenges persisted in securing viable ratings and revenue in a maturing market.

Transition to WFTY and programming shifts

On July 1, 1985, the station changed its from WCQR to WFTY, signaling preparations for a shift away from its subscription television model. This followed the acquisition by new ownership, which planned to convert the UHF outlet into a conventional commercial broadcaster amid declining viability for pay-TV services in the region. Super TV operations, which had aired uncut recent films, sports events, and specials on a subscription basis from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily since November 1, 1981—supplemented by limited free daytime content—ceased entirely on December 31, 1985. The station went dark briefly before relaunching as a full-time independent on March 31, 1986, positioning itself as Washington's third such outlet behind established competitors (channel 20) and (channel 5). Programming pivoted to a 24-hour general-entertainment format emphasizing syndicated off-network sitcoms, classic movies, cartoons, and talk shows to attract advertisers and build audience share in a market dominated by network affiliates. Early efforts included showcasing recent theatrical films to leverage the station's prior pay-TV inventory, alongside local promotions aimed at differentiating from rivals. However, the transition proved challenging, with WFTY facing management instability, limited advertising revenue, and low viewership in its debut year, as UHF signals contended with VHF dominance and signal propagation issues in the metro area. By late 1986, the station had stabilized its schedule but continued to lag in Nielsen ratings, prompting further adjustments to include more family-oriented and sports-related content.

Affiliation with The WB and growth under Tribune

In 1995, WFTY-TV (channel 50) affiliated with Television Network, becoming the Washington, D.C. market's primary outlet for the upstart network launched on January 11 of that year by Television and as a . The affiliation, effective February 20, provided the station with a lineup of youth-oriented original series and syndicated fare, marking a shift from its prior independent status and contributing to improved viewership amid competition from established networks. This move elevated channel 50's profile in a market dominated by ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and UPN affiliates, as The WB targeted the 18-34 demographic with programming that resonated in urban centers like D.C. Tribune Broadcasting acquired WDCW—relaunched under the WBDC call sign—in 1998 for an undisclosed sum, integrating it into its portfolio of WB affiliates that included flagship stations like in . Under Tribune's stewardship, the station expanded its appeal through strategic investments in syndicated sitcoms and off-network reruns, such as and , which bolstered prime-time ratings and advertiser interest. These efforts capitalized on The WB's growing national footprint, with Tribune leveraging synergies from its partial ownership in the network to prioritize promotional tie-ins and local marketing, resulting in sustained audience growth through the early . By the mid-2000s, WDCW had solidified as a viable player in the D.C. market, benefiting from Tribune's operational expertise in distribution and via , though it remained secondary to the Big Four networks in overall household share. The affiliation and subsequent ownership changes positioned the station for the 2006 network merger, but Tribune's focus during this period emphasized over , aligning with The WB's entertainment-first model.

Network transition to The CW

The formation of The CW was announced on January 24, 2006, as a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment, merging the operations of The WB and UPN to create a fifth major broadcast network targeting younger demographics. Tribune Broadcasting, owner of WBDC-TV (channel 50), which had served as The WB's affiliate in the Washington market since 1995, secured a charter affiliation with the new network. The CW launched nationally on September 18, 2006, with WDCW-TV—whose call sign was changed from WBDC-TV earlier that month to reflect the impending shift—carrying the full primetime schedule from day one. The station rebranded on-air as DCW 50 to align with the network's identity, maintaining its existing syndicated and local programming outside of CW hours while integrating the merged network's lineup of retained series, holdovers, and inaugural originals. This transition preserved continuity for viewers in the competitive Washington market, where The CW displaced 's former affiliate (channel 20), which reverted to independent status. The switch bolstered WDCW's position under Tribune, with the network's expanded programming slate—airing five nights of primetime content weekly—contributing to modest audience retention amid industry shifts toward cable and digital alternatives, though overall viewership for The CW lagged behind the Big Four networks in subsequent Nielsen ratings.

Ownership changes: Aborted Sinclair deal and Nexstar acquisition

In May 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced an agreement to acquire Tribune Media Company, the owner of WDCW, for $3.9 billion in a deal valued at approximately $6.6 billion including debt, which would have significantly expanded Sinclair's station portfolio to 223 outlets nationwide. The transaction included Tribune's CW-affiliated station WDCW in Washington, D.C., where Sinclair already operated ABC affiliate WJLA-TV, raising concerns under FCC rules limiting local market ownership to permit only one of the top-four rated stations per market unless the second is a significantly lower-rated outlet like WDCW. The proposed merger encountered substantial regulatory opposition from the FCC, which scrutinized Sinclair's planned divestitures of stations in overlapping markets to comply with ownership caps, including allegations that some divestiture proposals were illusory or structured to retain effective control through related parties. On July 18, 2018, FCC Chairman designated the application for hearing, citing evidence of misrepresentations by Sinclair regarding its divestiture intentions, which violated agency character qualifications standards. terminated the agreement on August 9, 2018, citing Sinclair's actions as a material breach that jeopardized approval, and subsequently filed a $1 billion breach-of-contract against Sinclair, which was settled in February 2020 for an undisclosed amount. Following the collapse of the Sinclair transaction, Nexstar Media Group emerged as a bidder for Tribune Media and announced on December 3, 2018, a definitive agreement to purchase the company for $4.1 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, positioning Nexstar as the largest U.S. local TV station owner with access to Tribune's 42 owned or operated stations, including WDCW. The acquisition required FCC approval amid reviews for compliance with national reach limits, which Nexstar addressed through planned divestitures of overlapping stations in nine markets, though WDCW was retained as it complemented Nexstar's existing holdings like WDVM-TV in nearby . The FCC approved the Nexstar-Tribune merger on September 16, 2019, with conditions including the divestitures and a prohibition on Nexstar circumventing ownership rules via joint sales agreements. Nexstar completed the acquisition on , 2019, integrating WDCW into its portfolio and enabling operational synergies such as shared resources with affiliated stations in the region. This shift marked WDCW's transition from Tribune's stewardship, which had emphasized syndication and network programming since acquiring the station in 1998, to Nexstar's model focused on content expansion and digital integration.

Expansion under Nexstar ownership

assumed ownership of WDCW in September 2019 as part of its $6.4 billion acquisition of , which had owned the station since 1996. This move created a duopoly with Nexstar-owned (channel 25) in , enabling operational synergies across the Washington . In February 2020, Nexstar appointed as vice president and general manager to oversee both stations' broadcast and digital operations from , focusing on enhanced local content production and distribution. To support expanded local programming, Nexstar invested in new facilities, including a 23,000-square-foot renovation and expansion of studios at WDCW's headquarters in Washington, D.C., completed around 2022. This state-of-the-art newsroom and studio on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda served both WDCW and WDVM-TV, facilitating centralized production while maintaining bureaus in Hagerstown and other areas. Further infrastructure upgrades occurred in October 2025, when Nexstar completed a new transmitter tower for , extending its over-the-air signal to cover the entire D.C. metro area and portions of , , , and —reaching nearly 700,000 additional households and 1.8 million people. This enhancement bolstered the duopoly's ability to distribute shared content, including emergency alerts and local programming or produced for WDCW.

Programming and affiliations

Syndicated programming and scheduling strategies

WDCW, as The CW's affiliate in the Washington, D.C. market, schedules syndicated programming primarily in daytime, early morning, late night, and select weekend slots to complement the network's limited offerings of primetime dramas, reality series, and weekend animations or sports. These acquisitions include off-network sitcom reruns, talk formats, and informational content, selected to generate advertising revenue in non-network periods. In 2012, the station aired syndicated reruns of Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother alongside its CW affiliation, targeting viewers seeking familiar comedy outside prime hours. Recent schedules reflect a reliance on cost-effective, revenue-oriented syndication, with early morning hours (e.g., 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.) featuring paid programming blocks and niche informational shows such as Who Has Access to Your Data and Living with Pain: Insights. Daytime and midday slots incorporate public affairs programming like The Hill Sunday with on weekends, alongside additional paid segments on topics such as Medicare plans, prioritizing advertiser-funded content over high-production traditional talk or court shows common on other network affiliates. Scheduling strategies under Nexstar ownership emphasize profitability by allocating low-viewership overnights and fringes to paid syndication, which minimizes acquisition costs while securing direct ad buys, as seen in the integration of complementary programming across Nexstar properties to support overall market operations. This approach contrasts with heavier investments in viewer-attracting reruns during accessible windows, aiming to balance demographic appeal for CW's younger prime audience with revenue streams from older or targeted viewers in a fragmented media landscape. Subchannels like further extend syndicated reruns, such as The Drew Carey Show and Bewitched, into multicasting for broader reach without disrupting the main channel's strategy.

Local productions prior to news expansion

During its tenure as a WB and later CW affiliate under Tribune Broadcasting ownership, WDCW produced limited local content beyond syndicated and network programming, emphasizing public affairs, sports discussion, and entertainment formats rather than extensive news operations. The station's flagship local production was NewsPlus with Mark Segraves, a half-hour Sunday morning magazine program hosted by investigative reporter Mark Segraves that debuted in 2007 and continued until 2018, featuring segments on , cultural events, and community issues such as political discussions and holiday celebrations. In sports programming, WDCW aired SportsWeek with LaVar Arrington, a weekly hosted by former NFL player from 2010 to 2013, which analyzed regional and national sports topics, often co-hosted with figures like Chad Dukes, and aired late-night Fridays with Sunday encores. The program complemented occasional broadcasts of , including affiliations starting in 2012, though these were primarily networked rather than fully in-house productions. Entertainment offerings included Direct Access with Big Tigger, a lifestyle and music program hosted by DJ Big Tigger (Luennon J. Bailey), which showcased urban culture, artist interviews, and local events, aligning with the station's efforts to engage younger demographics in the Washington market during the Tribune era. These productions were modest in scope, typically filling weekend slots, and reflected Tribune's strategy of supplementing affiliation-driven content with targeted local elements without committing to full-scale news departments until later ownership changes.

Role and impact of CW affiliation

WDCW serves as the primary affiliate for Television Network in the Washington, D.C. market, delivering the network's prime-time programming since its launch as a affiliate on September 18, 2006. The affiliation succeeded the station's prior role with , prompting a from WBDC to DCW 50 to align with the merged network's identity. This role involves broadcasting CW's schedule of scripted dramas, reality series, and unscripted content targeted at viewers aged 18-34, supplemented by sports events such as broadcasts, which began airing weekly on the network in October 2024. A distinctive aspect of WDCW's CW affiliation is its designation as the national satellite feed for the network on , extending programming to airline passengers and markets without a local affiliate, thus broadening the station's reach beyond the 8th-largest designated market area encompassing 6.3 million residents and 2.6 million television households. This national distribution enhances the station's visibility and supports 's overall carriage agreements, while locally, the affiliation provides a reliable prime-time block that frees non-network slots for syndicated programming, sports telecasts of teams like the and Nationals, and local productions. The CW affiliation has stabilized WDCW's programming strategy post the 2006 WB-UPN merger, enabling revenue from network compensation and targeted advertising in a competitive media landscape. Under ownership since 2019, it has integrated with expanded news operations via DC News Now, which delivers over 67 hours of local programming weekly across WDCW and WDVM-TV, leveraging the CW schedule to anchor evenings before late local newscasts. Affiliation renewals, including multi-year agreements in 2021 covering 37 markets, underscore its ongoing viability, though the network's shift toward sports and unscripted fare under Nexstar's majority control since 2022 aims to boost ratings amid historical challenges in sustaining broad appeal.

News operations

Early and intermittent local news efforts

In its early years as WFTY-TV (channel 50), WDCW's predecessor aired limited programming through a short-lived with NBC affiliate . On January 14, 1991, launched 7:30 News Headlines, a brief evening newscast anchored by Wendy Rieger that aired weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on WFTY. The program, produced and ad-supported by under an unusual agreement targeting upscale viewers, emphasized headlines and reporting but struggled amid low ratings, a sluggish economy, and distractions from the . It concluded on October 25, 1991, after less than ten months, with Rieger returning to full-time duties at , marking the station's first and briefest foray into without an in-house operation. Following its affiliation with in 1995 and later in 2006, WDCW experimented with lighter local content rather than full newscasts. From 2007 to 2018, the station broadcast NewsPlus with Mark Segraves, a half-hour magazine-style program focusing on , culture, and issues, airing initially at 7:30 a.m. weekdays and later shifting slots including Sunday mornings. Hosted by investigative reporter Mark Segraves, it featured discussions on topics like and events but lacked the structure of traditional news broadcasts, serving more as supplementary programming amid the station's reliance on syndicated and network fare. The show earned Emmy nominations and filled a niche for non-breaking coverage but ended in 2018 as part of broader programming shifts under ownership. A more structured but still intermittent effort came in 2016, when launched DCW50 News at 10, a half-hour nightly newscast produced out-of-market by CBS affiliate in . The program included reporting from local Washington journalists and aimed to capitalize on the 10 p.m. slot vacated by competitors, but it operated without a dedicated WDCW , relying on WTVR's resources for production. It aired until September 28, 2018, when canceled it following WTVR's acquisition by E.W. Scripps, which disrupted the partnership and highlighted the challenges of outsourced news in a competitive market dominated by established outlets like WUSA-TV and . This period underscored WDCW's pattern of partial, partnership-dependent news ventures rather than sustained in-house development, reflecting resource constraints as a CW affiliate in the nation's seventh-largest market.

Launch and structure of DC News Now

Nexstar Media Group announced on May 25, 2022, an expansion of local news operations serving , , and through a combined effort between its stations WDCW-TV and , branded as DC News Now. The initiative aimed to deliver over 67 hours of local news programming weekly from a new state-of-the-art and studio located on Wisconsin Avenue in DC News Now launched on July 11, 2022, unifying the stations' news production with minimal initial publicity. The structure of DC News Now centers on a centralized operation covering the DMV region (, , and ), retaining WDVM-TV's existing regional newscasts while introducing new programming on WDCW-TV. Key additions included a nightly 10 p.m. ET newscast on WDCW-TV, alongside expansions such as a new 9 p.m. ET newscast and extended morning news on WDVM-TV. The operation features bureaus in five locations: the main office in , plus satellite bureaus in Frederick and ; ; and . This setup enables comprehensive coverage of local news, weather, traffic, and sports across broadcast, digital streaming, and social platforms, positioning DC News Now as an independent news provider affiliated with Network. The combined resources support in-depth reporting from multiple vantage points in the market, enhancing accessibility for viewers in the designated market area.

Expansion with WDVM-TV integration

In May 2022, Nexstar Media Group announced plans to integrate the operations of WDCW-TV and its sister station WDVM-TV (channel 25, Hagerstown, Maryland) to expand local news coverage across the Washington, D.C. market, northern Virginia, and portions of Maryland. This initiative unified the stations' news production under the "DC News Now" brand, leveraging WDVM-TV's facilities to supplement WDCW's programming with extended local reporting, weather, and sports content tailored to underserved areas in the expanded DMA #7 market. The integration allowed for shared studios on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington's Glover Park neighborhood, enabling cross-promotion and resource pooling without disrupting WDCW's CW affiliation commitments. The partnership positioned WDVM-TV, previously an independent station with limited reach, as a key extension for "DC News Now," broadcasting over 67 hours of weekly local programming including morning shows, midday updates, and evening newscasts or rebroadcast on WDCW's subchannels. This expansion addressed gaps in regional coverage by incorporating bureaus in Hagerstown and other outlying areas, providing content on issues like traffic in suburbs and weather impacts in , while attributing investigative reports to specific station contributions for transparency. Furthering the integration, Nexstar completed construction of a new transmitter tower for on October 6, 2025, relocating its signal from the previous site to enhance over-the-air coverage across the entire D.C. metropolitan area and parts of , , , and . The upgrade added access for approximately 700,000 additional television households and 1.8 million viewers, enabling broader distribution of "DC News Now" content, emergency alerts, and syndicated extensions from WDCW. The FCC licensed the facility on September 2, 2025, following physical relocation, which supports monetization synergies between the stations and The Hill's political reporting. This technical enhancement has been credited with strengthening Nexstar's competitive stance in the market by prioritizing accessible, antenna-based delivery amid trends.

Ratings performance and market reception

DC News Now, the local news operation simulcast on WDCW and , represents Nexstar's recent entry into the market's competitive news landscape, where established stations like and dominate ratings. Specific Nielsen viewership figures for WDCW's news programming remain limited in public data, reflecting the challenges for newer entrants against incumbents with larger audiences; for instance, morning news competitions in the market show leaders averaging over 50,000 adults 25-54 in key slots. As a CW affiliate, WDCW's primetime performance aligns with the network's national trends, which saw a 21% audience decline to an average of 453,000 viewers in 2023 amid programming shifts, though Nexstar reported five consecutive quarters of growth by mid-2025, elevating CW to the eighth-ranked U.S. network in total . Local reception of CW programming on WDCW has been modest, consistent with the network's youth-skewing demographic and lower household penetration compared to ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox affiliates in the No. 8 Nielsen market. Nexstar's investments, including the October 6, 2025, completion of a new transmitter for , aim to boost over-the-air accessibility, potentially adding 700,000 households and 1.8 million viewers to DC News Now's reach across D.C., , , and . This expansion targets audience growth in underserved areas, with early indicators from app platforms showing user satisfaction ratings of 4.6 out of 5 on and 4.2 on Android, suggesting positive digital reception amid broadcast challenges. Independent assessments praise DC News Now for neutral reporting and high factual accuracy, contrasting with perceived biases in some mainstream D.C. outlets.

Technical information

Subchannels and multicast offerings

WDCW transmits its signal on RF channel 15 (UHF) while mapping to virtual channel 50 via PSIP, enabling delivery of multiple subchannels over the shared spectrum facility co-located with WFDC-DT and . The station's primary subchannel, 50.1, simulcasts The CW network's national feed, including prime-time series, sports events via syndication partnerships, and limited local insertions for emergency alerts, broadcast in resolution with 5.1 surround audio and optional SAP for descriptive services. Subchannel 50.2 carries , a Nexstar-owned diginet launched nationally in 2010 that focuses on archived sitcoms and dramas from the 1950s through 1990s, such as and , airing 24/7 without paid infomercials in standard definition with stereo audio. This subchannel supports WDCW's strategy to maximize over-the-air spectrum utilization post-Nexstar's 2023 acquisition of the station from , providing supplementary viewing options amid declining linear TV audiences.
Virtual ChannelAffiliation/ProgrammingResolutionAudio FormatLaunch Notes
50.1DD 5.1 (SAP)Primary affiliation since 2006 merger of and .
50.2480iDD 2.0Added under Nexstar ownership for classic TV reruns.
These offerings reflect standard ATSC 1.0 multicasting practices, with no deployment reported as of October 2025, prioritizing bandwidth efficiency for HD main programming over additional subchannels.

Analog-to-digital conversion

WDCW operated its primary on UHF channel 50 from the station's launch in 1981 until the mandated digital transition. The station began transmitting a on UHF channel 51 in 2006, allowing simultaneous analog and digital broadcasts during the transition period required by federal regulations. On June 12, 2009, WDCW ceased analog transmissions on channel 50, aligning with the nationwide deadline established by the and Public Safety Act of 2005, as amended, which required full-power stations to end analog service to free spectrum for and public safety uses. Post-transition, the digital signal continued on physical channel 51 but adopted 50 for PSIP mapping, preserving the station's channel number in electronic program guides. In the years following the analog shutdown, WDCW's digital facility on channel 50 underwent reassignment to match its virtual channel, completing the conversion process before subsequent spectrum repacks altered physical frequencies. This transition enabled subchannels and improved signal efficiency, though initial viewer disruptions were mitigated through FCC programs for digital converter boxes. The shift reflected broader industry adaptation to , prioritizing higher resolution and data capacity over legacy analog .

Broadcast spectrum repack and facility upgrades

As part of the Federal Communications Commission's 2016–2017 broadcast , WDCW relinquished its UHF license, receiving $121,992,349 in compensation for going off-air on its assigned channel. This participation in the freed up for use while allowing the station to continue operations through alternative means. Prior to the , WDCW broadcast on RF channel 50 following its digital transition; the sale eliminated the need for a channel reassignment, as the station opted to exit its full-power allotment rather than relocate within the compressed UHF band. To sustain over-the-air service post-auction, WDCW entered a channel sharing agreement with affiliate WFDC-DT ( 14), shifting its transmissions to WFDC-DT's RF channel 15 facility located in 's neighborhood. This arrangement, implemented in late 2017, enabled WDCW to maintain its 50 mapping and affiliation without independent spectrum holdings, relying on shared transmitter infrastructure for signal propagation across the Washington market. The transition preserved coverage comparable to pre-auction levels, though dependent on the host station's equipment reliability and power output. Facility upgrades tied to the repack have been limited, with WDCW leveraging WFDC-DT's existing tower and transmitter rather than constructing new infrastructure. , which acquired operational control of WDCW following its purchase of assets in 2019 (subject to divestitures), has focused subsequent investments on studio expansions at the station's headquarters, including a 23,000-square-foot to enhance production capabilities, but no major over-the-air transmission enhancements specific to WDCW's shared setup have been publicly detailed as of 2025. Related upgrades by Nexstar for co-owned , including a new transmitter tower completed in October 2025 to expand news coverage reach, indirectly support integrated operations like DC News Now but do not alter WDCW's or primary broadcast facility.

Market position and impact

Competitive environment in Washington, D.C. market

The market ranks as the eighth-largest designated market area (DMA) in the United States, encompassing approximately 2.63 million television households during the 2024–2025 television season. Dominated by affiliates of the major broadcast networks, the market features established players that control the majority of and prime-time viewership, with competition intensified by ownership groups like , , and . These entities operate high-rated stations that leverage extensive resources for news production, including helicopters, multiple bureaus, and investigative teams, making it challenging for newer or sub-network entrants to gain significant share. Key competitors to WDCW include (channel 4, affiliate owned by ), which frequently leads in overall news ratings; WTTG-TV (channel 5, Fox affiliate owned by ), known for strong morning and evening newscasts that have outperformed network counterparts in key demographics like adults 25–54; (channel 7, ABC affiliate owned by ); and WUSA-TV (channel 9, affiliate owned by Tegna Inc.). Additional rivals encompass (channel 20, affiliate also owned by ) for syndicated and sports programming, alongside cable and streaming options that fragment audiences further. Local news viewership remains a battleground, with these stations collectively airing dozens of hours weekly and vying for dollars in a politically charged region where government-related coverage drives demand. As the CW affiliate, WDCW (owned by since 2021) operates in a niche historically secondary to the "Big Four" networks, focusing on youth-oriented programming, syndication, and sports like Washington Nationals games. However, through its duopoly with (channel 25) and the launch of DC News Now in recent years, WDCW has entered the local news fray, producing over 67 hours of programming weekly to target underserved demographics and compete directly with incumbents. This strategy aims to erode the market leaders' dominance amid Nexstar's broader investments, though established stations maintain advantages in household penetration and ratings, with no public data indicating WDCW surpassing them in key metrics as of 2024. Ownership consolidations, such as Nexstar's pending acquisition of Tegna (which owns WUSA), could reshape duopoly dynamics and intensify competition if approved by regulators.

Achievements in audience growth and investments

Nexstar Media Group completed construction of a new state-of-the-art transmitter tower for , the primary signal for the DC News Now brand shared with WDCW, on October 6, 2025. This infrastructure investment expanded over-the-air coverage to encompass the entirety of the metropolitan area and portions of , , , and , adding access for approximately 700,000 additional television households and 1.8 million more individuals. The upgrade enhances signal reliability and supports programming, positioning DC News Now to capture a broader viewer base amid trends favoring free over-the-air television. In May 2022, Nexstar integrated operations between WDVM-TV in Hagerstown, Maryland, and WDCW in Washington, D.C., under the unified DC News Now banner, streamlining news production and content distribution across both stations. This consolidation leveraged WDCW's established CW affiliation with Nexstar's growing national footprint in the network—following Nexstar's acquisition of a controlling stake in The CW on August 15, 2022—to foster operational efficiencies and expanded local programming reach. The move capitalized on synergies from prior investments, including Tribune Broadcasting's heavy programming expenditures in the late 1990s that bolstered WDCW's market presence through syndicated sitcoms. These developments reflect Nexstar's strategic emphasis on and affiliation leverage to drive audience expansion in competitive markets, with the 2025 tower project explicitly aimed at monetizing enlarged viewership through enhanced opportunities. While direct Nielsen ratings for DC News Now remain limited in public data, the expanded signal footprint provides a verifiable metric of potential growth, aligning with industry shifts toward robust OTA to sustain local television viability.

Criticisms and challenges in local media landscape

DC News Now, operated by WDCW under , has encountered operational challenges in the market, where local television competes against a backdrop of declining traditional viewership and the rise of digital platforms. The broader local media environment has seen closures of key outlets, such as DCist in early , contributing to reduced coverage of hyper-local issues like and , amid a national trend of newspaper and journalist losses exceeding 2,500 outlets and 25,000 jobs since 2005. In D.C., federal politics often dominates airtime, marginalizing community stories and intensifying pressure on stations to differentiate through investigative reporting or partnerships, though WDCW's centralized production with has been noted for efficiency rather than unique local depth. Critics of Nexstar's model, which includes WDCW, argue that shared news operations across stations lead to homogenized content, potentially diluting station-specific local focus in favor of cost-saving syndication—a practice that, while enabling launches like DC News Now in 2022, has drawn concerns over reduced investigative resources in competitive markets. Labor unions have highlighted systemic issues at Nexstar properties, including allegations of abusive working conditions, understaffing, and wages below industry standards, which could impact newsroom morale and output quality in high-pressure environments like D.C.'s. These challenges are compounded by carriage disputes, such as the 2025 standoff with threatening blackouts for Nexstar stations, disrupting access for millions and underscoring vulnerabilities in distribution amid trends. Public perceptions of media credibility in D.C., where mainstream outlets face accusations of left-leaning in story selection, have prompted calls for alternatives, yet WDCW's neutral reporting—rated least biased with high factual accuracy—has not shielded it from the market's structural headwinds, including advertiser shifts to streaming and the need for public funding to sustain . No major scandals or viewer complaints specific to WDCW's content have surfaced in regulatory filings or public discourse, contrasting with broader industry critiques, but its growth relies on navigating these ecosystem pressures without compromising empirical, community-oriented coverage.

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