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WNWO-TV (channel 24) is a television station in Toledo, Ohio, United States, affiliated with NBC. Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station maintains a transmitter facility on Cousino Road in Jerusalem Township. Its studios are located on South Byrne Road in Toledo.

Key Information

Channel 24 was the only television station built by entrepreneur Daniel H. Overmyer. It signed on May 2, 1966, as WDHO-TV, Toledo's third local station. It had no primary network affiliation until 1969, when it became the area's ABC outlet, though it aired shows from the major networks not already seen in the market and was the local affiliate for the short-lived United Network, which Overmyer helped start, in 1967. For most of its first 20 years in operation, the station was burdened by Overmyer's other troubled businesses. The sale of his other TV station permits led to a congressional investigation, and Overmyer's heavily indebted warehouse interests experienced financial reverses en route to a bankruptcy reorganization filing in 1973. WDHO-TV was involved in two lengthy bankruptcy cases, during which Overmyer committed bankruptcy fraud and the building housing the news department was repossessed by the First National Bank of Boston, which held station stock as collateral. Drained of resources, channel 24 never adequately competed in the area of news, becoming a distant third to the established stations, WTOL and WTVG.

The station was acquired by Toledo Television Investors in 1986 and immediately renamed WNWO-TV. The new owners tried to improve the station's news department, but met by viewer indifference and continued low ratings, the station cut back to one newscast a day in 1990. In October 1995, the station switched affiliations from ABC to NBC after WTVG, previously the NBC affiliate in Toledo, was purchased by Capital Cities/ABC. The affiliation switch did not immediately serve as an impetus to revitalize the news operation. That changed after Malrite Communications Group acquired WNWO-TV in 1996 and launched a comprehensive effort including building expansion and expanded newscasts. With the exception of a brief time under Raycom Media ownership, the newscasts failed to attract significant ratings. After Raycom Media acquired WTOL in 2006 and sold WNWO-TV to Barrington Broadcasting, the news department withstood a round of layoffs and gradual decreases in headcount, remaining the laggard in local TV news in spite of a relaunch effort in 2011. Barrington's stations were purchased by Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013; shortly after the purchase, Sinclair entered into a seven-month-long retransmission consent dispute with Buckeye CableSystem that saw most Toledo-area cable viewers lose access to WNWO. After the dispute ended, Sinclair attempted another revamp of the news department, to no avail in raising the station's flagging ratings fortunes. In March 2017, presentation of its newscasts was outsourced to South Bend, Indiana, and local news was discontinued altogether in May 2023.

WDHO-TV

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A third commercial channel for Toledo

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In 1954, at the request of the Detroit-based Woodward Broadcasting Corporation, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allotted an additional commercial television channel, ultra high frequency (UHF) channel 79, to Toledo.[2] Woodward obtained a construction permit for a station to use the channel two months later,[3] but it was culled in 1960 as part of a wave of cancellations of unused permits for UHF stations.[4]

Because Toledo only had two commercial allocations in the very high frequency (VHF) band, the city continued to only have two commercial stations. In 1962, FCC chairman Newton Minow told the National Press Club that Toledo was one of several cities that could support a third local commercial station but lacked it in large part because the third allocation was a UHF channel.[5] In February 1963, Springfield Television heeded the call and applied for channel 79.[6] Two months later, Producers, Inc. of Evansville, Indiana, and Daniel H. Overmyer of Toledo made competing applications.[7] Springfield suggested the substitution of a lower channel, 17, and consequent shifts in multiple allotments as distant as Mount Pleasant, Michigan, to make room.[8]

In September 1964, Producers and Springfield Telecasting settled with Overmyer, which reimbursed the two firms a total of $17,200 in expenses incurred in their applications.[9] Now unopposed, Overmyer won an initial decision from an FCC hearing examiner in January 1965.[10] At that time, Overmyer Communications, a new division of Overmyer's warehousing operations, began seeking network affiliation and announced its plans to get channel 79 on the air within a year.[11] Later that year, the FCC moved the unbuilt station from channel 79 to channel 24.[12] Overmyer leased office space in Toledo's Commodore Perry Hotel.[13]

After delays due to bad weather, WDHO-TV—named for Daniel Harrison Overmyer[14]—began broadcasting on May 2, 1966.[15] The new station had no primary network affiliation and instead aired shows from all three national networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—that went unaired in Toledo. These were complemented by some syndicated series and a nightly newscast at 11 p.m.[16] When Overmyer sold his other TV station construction permits—all in major markets—to American Viscose Corporation (AVC) in 1967, WDHO-TV was not included in the sale.[17] Another Overmyer project, the Overmyer Network, was sold to a 14-person investor syndicate and renamed the United Network weeks before it launched on May 1, 1967;[18] the unbuilt stations and WDHO were originally to have been network-owned stations, but WDHO was an affiliate for the United Network's lone month of existence.[19][20]

WDHO-TV became an exclusive affiliate of ABC on June 15, 1969, the last network and station to partner after WTOL-TV (channel 11) signed with CBS and WSPD-TV (channel 13) aligned with NBC.[21] While WDHO had local newscasts, a fully-staffed news department was not established until 1972; owing to a lack of space, the news department's offices were located in a garage adjacent to their studio building.[22]

FCC investigations

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The sale of Overmyer's construction permits to AVC, along with the Overmyer Network, came as the warehouse chain was in the midst of a cash crunch. The lead contractor for the warehouses owed $18 million to shareholders early in 1967,[23] placing that company in financial distress and resulting in liens on multiple unfinished buildings.[24] The warehouse company's overhead, particularly with $80,000 in monthly airfare from the financial development team, became equally burdensome.[23] Overmyer agreed to guarantee a debt from the contractor,[25] which restricted company funds even further. Overmyer also sold off both the Toledo Monitor and Progress National Bank during this time; both sales were later attributed to this fiscal crisis.[26][27] The AVC sale was handled as a merger with WPHL-TV in Philadelphia, as AVC created a brand new company in exchange for a $3 million loan to Overmyer;[28] in approving the deal, the FCC waived a proposed rule that limited station group ownership in the top fifty markets.[29]

The FCC's deference on the deal resulted in a lengthy investigation by the House Investigations Subcommittee between December 1967 and August 1968.[30][31] The commissioners, Overmyer, AVC president Dr. Frank H. Reichel, and five FCC staffers were named as witnesses during the second round of hearings,[32] mainly focusing on the FCC's overall competence and Overmyer's financial qualifications.[33] The Subcommittee's report admonished the FCC for granting Overmyer the construction permits in the first place,[34] suggesting that he failed to supply needed financial information and paperwork[35] and violated the FCC's out-of-pocket expense policy[36] by effectively disguising a $3 million stock payment as a loan.[37] This prompted the FCC to conduct a hearing on the AVC sale to determine if fraud had been committed[38] and to defer WDHO's license renewal.[39]

Administrative law judge Herbert Sharfman, in his initial decision on April 20, 1973, found Overmyer had overstated his total out-of-pocket expenses by $227,000 but ruled there was no direct evidence of maliciousness or fraud. AVC had already sold off the stations purchased from Overmyer after taking almost all of them dark.[40] WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, which was also sold, was the only AVC station to remain on-air continuously.[41] Due to this and Overmyer having paid off the loan in full, the ruling only affected the deferred renewal of WDHO's license.[42][43] The Broadcast Bureau disagreed with Sharfman's ruling, regarding the financial misrepresentation as a possible character qualification issue as Overmyer still owned WDHO; the FCC review board remanded the case in January 1974 by Overmyer's request, sending it back to Sharfman.[44][45] Overmyer was cleared by judge Sharfman of the misrepresentation charges in his May 13, 1974, supplemental initial decision, stating there was "a complete failure of the record to inculpate Mr. Overmyer personally, directly or by implication".[46][47] The FCC Review Board affirmed Sharfman's ruling on August 21, 1975.[48][49]

Bankruptcy and seizure by FNBB

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In 1971, Overmyer pledged the stock of the subsidiary that held WDHO-TV's license to the First National Bank of Boston (FNBB) as security for a $6 million loan.[50] This and other tactics by Overmyer failed to stabilize his financial position, and he held more than $25 million in debt by 1973.[51] Overmyer's warehouse companies entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) on November 29, 1973.[51][52] FNBB then sued Overmyer on May 7, 1974; it sought control of 249 shares in WDHO-TV stock, claiming to hold all 500 shares as collateral for the now-defaulted loans that totaled $10.5 million.[53][54] Overmyer countersued for $200 million, claiming he was forced into insolvency by FNBB.[55] WDHO-TV filed for bankruptcy in January 1976 when FNBB set up an auction for the station's assets,[56] with the station placed under a debtor in possession arrangement.[57] During this time, the news department operated out of a leased double-wide trailer parked next to the studio building, which continued for three years (from 1977 to 1980).[58] It was stated at the time the trailer's use was discontinued and that it was a station decision to end the lease,[58] but later accounts indicated that FNBB repossessed[22] or nearly repossessed the trailer.[59]

The first bankruptcy proceeding for WDHO was dismissed in 1980. On February 6, 1981, the SDNY denied an appeal by Overmyer; WDHO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again, this time in Cleveland, Ohio.[60][61] FNBB was awarded control of WDHO on March 25, 1981, by the Cleveland court, despite Overmyer's objection that the order violated FCC rules on ownership transfers for licenses.[60] Overmyer was indebted by as much as $22.4 million to FNBB,[22] which regarded the takeover as proper.[62] Prior to the second bankruptcy, WDHO's license was renewed by the FCC after ten years of deferrals;[63] the commission rejected a request by the Broadcast Bureau to review the 1975 Review Board report, noting the antiquity of the AVC sale controversy and Overmyer's status as an "inactive station owner".[64] WDHO staffers reportedly cheered after learning of the takeover by FNBB, as their paychecks under Overmyer often bounced.[59]

Cleveland bankruptcy court judge John Ray, Jr., ruled against Overmyer on September 24, 1982, determining that he and an associate, attorney Edmund M. Connery, engaged in fraud against FNBB.[50] Hadar Leasing Company, an Overmyer subsidiary, purchased broadcast equipment for WDHO and leased it back to the station (and, in effect, FNBB) at falsified rates that benefited Overmyer;[65] leases included spare parts and roof repairs.[66] Hadar also filed a proof of claim of $859,481.80 during the WDHO bankruptcy that was also found to be fraudulent.[65] WDHO staff also agreed to payroll deductions to benefit the United Way in 1980 and 1981, but the money collected was never donated until after FNBB took over.[50][66] Comparing the fraud to Twyne's Case of 1601,[67] Judge Ray ordered a constructive trust to dispose of all assets belonging to Overmyer, including WDHO, and FNBB seized outright control of the station.[50] FNBB also seized control of a subsidiary nominally in Overmyer's daughters' name that was applying to construct a new television station in Yuma, Arizona.[68] The bank immediately desired to sell WDHO-TV.[69]

WNWO-TV

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Sale and relaunch

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FNBB sold WDHO to Toledo Television Investors, Ltd. (TTI) for $19.6 million in June 1985.[70] TTI was owned by I. Martin Pompadur and Ralph Becker, both of New York.[71] Becker and Pompadur had previously teamed to start Television Station Partners, which was formed from the management buyout of Ziff-Davis Broadcasting in 1982.[69] The sale coincided with the SDNY auctioning Overmyer's other assets, including the warehouse adjacent to the WDHO studios.[72] While the sale was closing, Overmyer and Connery were indicted on multiple charges of bankruptcy fraud, conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud, and mail fraud; Overmyer was eventually convicted on one charge.[73][74] The new owners changed the station's call letters to the current WNWO-TV, for Northwest Ohio, on June 1, 1986, two weeks after the sale closed.[75] While the call sign change was soon followed by cost cuts, layoffs, and the discontinuation of weekend newscasts,[76] TTI also set out to expand the Byrne Road studios[77] and fill out the station's numerous management vacancies: the station had no news director or promotions director. Addressing the staff early in 1987, WNWO's newly appointed vice president and general manager likened their situation to General Custer, saying "they could attack in any direction".[78]

In 1990, the station dropped its underperforming 11 p.m. newscast, which garnered a 1% share of the audience—some 4,000 homes. Management opted to broadcast The Arsenio Hall Show, which had been attracting a larger audience at midnight, in its stead. The early news was returned to 5:30 p.m., where it had aired until January 1989,[79] in hopes of attracting a larger audience and based on the station's past relative success with the time slot.[80] Arsenio was replaced in 1993 with The Rush Limbaugh Show;[81] that year, WNWO-TV joined other ABC affiliates in refusing to air the new network show NYPD Blue.[82]

Affiliation switch to NBC

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In October 1994, SJL Inc., the owner of WTVG, agreed to sell it and WJRT-TV in Flint, Michigan, to Capital Cities/ABC for $155 million.[83][84] The sale agreement followed rumors that SJL was considering switching WJRT-TV from ABC to NBC, in light of an affiliation switch impending in the Flint market.[85] While the deal kept WJRT-TV with ABC, it signaled an affiliation switch in Toledo, where WTVG had been the NBC affiliate. Even though the sale of WTVG closed in late August 1995,[86] an affiliation switch was set for no later than January 29, 1996—the day after Super Bowl XXX, which was carried by NBC—when ABC sent a six-month affiliation termination notice in late July.[87]

WTVG wanted to switch in November, but channel 24 was not ready; WNWO's general manager, Brett Cornwell, sought to have the switch occur on January 1, 1996, but ABC initially rebuffed the deal. The effect of ABC's rejection was to uphold the January 29 date, keeping the Super Bowl on WTVG and depriving channel 24 of advertising revenue. In response, in mid-October, Cornwell began preempting low-rated ABC national news shows, including Nightline and This Week with David Brinkley, in favor of local infomercials and car sales programs that brought in revenue for the station.[88] Shortly after, the stations agreed to switch on October 28, 1995, with NBC loaning satellite dishes to help WNWO make the change.[89]

Shortly before the switch, in September 1995, WNWO moved its newscast from 5:30 to 6 p.m.; while this put it up against the main newscasts from WTOL and WTVG, it satisfied NBC's desire for a local news lead-in to the NBC Nightly News and allowed the station to air the hour-long syndicated talk show Montel at 5 p.m.[90] Even with the change in affiliation, WNWO had no plans to reinstate an 11 p.m. newscast, merely renaming the existing dinner-hour news NBC 24 News.[91]

"Building a better station for you": Malrite purchase, news expansion, and sale to Raycom

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They seem to be a real anomaly. A strong NBC in the '90s should have boosted their news ratings. I'm not aware of another case where the network's fortunes are so strong and the station's newscasts did not follow.

Dom Caristi, associate professor of telecommunications, Ball State University, on WNWO's ratings performance after 1996[59]

In April 1996, Malrite Communications Group announced its purchase of WNWO from Toledo Television Investors. Malrite already owned two network affiliates in Ohio, WXIX-TV (Fox) in Cincinnati and WOIO (CBS) in Cleveland. It saw an opportunity to improve channel 24's local programming to match the ratings of the highly popular NBC; company director of planning David Maltz declared immediately that an 11 p.m. newscast would be started once Malrite took control.[92] Once the new owners took control of WNWO, they began a physical and personnel expansion. Former Cleveland television newsman Grant Zalba was hired as WNWO-TV's news director, and Malrite broke ground on a 9,000-square-foot (840 m2) expansion of the Byrne Road studios to offer more studio and newsroom space.[93] After an ad campaign declaring "It's no secret that this station has been dead last in local news", the news relaunch debuted on October 16, 1997, with the slogan "Building a Better Station for You". The improved newscast product included a new meteorologist, new news set and graphics, and WNWO's first regular 11 p.m. newscast since 1990.[94][95] The affiliation switch and revamp failed to meaningfully change the station's news ratings.[59]

Shortly after unveiling the improvements at WNWO, Malrite sold its television stations to Raycom Media in a deal announced in April 1998. The news was a surprise to station staffers and generated considerable uncertainty, particularly as Raycom already owned WUPW (channel 36) and could only keep one of the two stations.[96] Under news director Lou Hebert, who had worked at channel 24 in the late 1970s and returned in 2002, WNWO's newscasts made gains among ratings and critics. The station won a regional Emmy Award for best daily newscast, and it narrowed the gap in total viewership with channels 11 and 13. Momentum was soon lost. Raycom mandated a shift to a more tabloid news presentation. After a story on a local Playboy Playmate inadvertently showed a woman's breast on the cover of a magazine, Hebert resigned. He was replaced by a news director from Cincinnati who lacked experience in the Toledo area; assignment editor Matt Zaleski later told The Blade, "That's when my reaction was, 'My God, I've got a front-row seat to a train wreck.'"[59] Ratings fell in two consecutive ratings surveys in 2005, and morale sank.[59]

During Raycom's ownership, WNWO introduced a digital signal on February 8, 2001.[97]

Barrington Broadcasting ownership

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When I first started there, there were probably 30 people in the newsroom—10 to 12 reporters, veteran anchors. By the time I left I think we had six on-air talent, reporters and anchors. ... But you can only cut so much. You cut the fat, you cut the meat, and you cut the bone, and now you're down to the marrow. What can you do?

Shenikwa Stratford, WNWO-TV anchor, 2000s[59]
WNWO logo used from 2004 until July 2011

In 2006, Raycom acquired the Liberty Corporation, owner of WTOL. Once more, Raycom was forced to divest one of the two stations. It chose to keep WTOL and sold WNWO-TV, along with a variety of stations in conflict markets like Toledo and areas outside of Raycom's focus in the Midwest and Southeast, to Barrington Broadcasting.[98] Under Barrington, WNWO continued to sorely underperform; in 2009, at the height of the Great Recession, Barrington conducted a round of layoffs.[59] That same year, the station shut off its analog signal.[99]

WNWO's logo from 2011 to 2014

The station replaced its existing logo and "NBC 24" brand, used since the 1996 affiliation switch, in 2011 with a blue square containing the letters WNWO. The new logo was paired with cosmetic changes to the news operation. Interim general manager Ben Tucker, who had been brought back to Toledo in an attempt to boost ratings and morale, noted that the station had struggled with extreme turnover. He counted 25 general managers and 30 to 40 news directors over a 30-year period.[100] In 2013, Jim Blue, a veteran Toledo anchorman who had previously worked at channel 24 from 2002 to 2008, returned to anchor WNWO-TV's 6 p.m. newscast.[101]

Sinclair ownership

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On February 28, 2013, Barrington Broadcasting announced the sale of its entire group, including WNWO-TV, to Sinclair Broadcast Group;[102] the sale was completed on November 25.[103]

Shortly after the sale was completed, Sinclair and Buckeye CableSystem, the dominant cable television provider in Toledo, entered into a retransmission consent dispute. Toledo-area cable subscribers lost WNWO-TV on December 15, 2013, as the two sides could not agree on a per-subscriber rate to reimburse the station. Buckeye claimed Sinclair was seeking an increase from 24 cents per month to $2 a month, which Sinclair denied.[104] Sinclair invoked network non-duplication: this forced the system to black out Detroit NBC affiliate WDIV-TV across its Ohio service territory for the duration of the dispute, which included the 2014 Winter Olympics, aired by NBC.[105] Buckeye distributed 17,000 antennas to customers to receive WNWO-TV's broadcast signal.[104] The station was restored on July 14, 2014, ending the dispute after seven months.[104]

During the dispute, Sinclair installed a new management team for WNWO-TV with a new general manager, news director, general sales manager, digital content manager, and promotions director. All five came from WPTA in Fort Wayne, Indiana.[106] After the dispute ended, in August, longtime Toledo news anchor Laura Emerson—who had spent 16 years at WUPW—returned to the market to co-anchor the station's evening newscasts.[107] Over the course of 2014, Sinclair added employees, extended the 5 p.m. newscast to an hour, and introduced an 11:30 a.m. newscast.[108]

In spite of these changes, WNWO-TV's news offering remained low-rated and was progressively downgraded. Sinclair announced in November 2016 that newscasts for WNWO-TV would be produced by the company's WSBT-TV in South Bend, Indiana; a local news staff of 11 would provide reporting for the programs, while redundant staff were laid off. Sinclair stated that these changes would "improve both the news product and production efficiencies".[109][110] When the changes took effect on March 6, 2017, sports was dropped from the newscasts. The evening anchor team was shared with another newscast produced from South Bend for an out-of-market station: Ryan Cummings and Dayne Marae also presented the local news for WOLF-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania.[111] Weather segments continued to originate in Toledo.[112] Diane Larson, a former WNWO-TV anchor who became a mainstay at WTVG, later said of the change, "[WNWO-TV] suffered from the fact that everyone knew their anchors were no longer in town, even though they had a couple talented people doing local stories. ... The perception was that they were not a local station anymore."[22]

End of local newscasts

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On May 12, 2023, Sinclair ended local news programming in five smaller markets, including Toledo, with low-rated newscasts.[113] On May 15, WNWO began airing Sinclair's in-house national news program The National Desk in the weekday time slots of the canceled local newscasts at 6:30 a.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m.[114][112]

Notable former on-air staff

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Subchannels

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WNWO-TV's transmitter facility is located on Cousino Road in Jerusalem Township.[1] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WNWO-TV[122]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
24.1 1080i 16:9 NBC NBC
24.2 480i Charge! Charge!
24.3 Comet Comet
24.4 ROAR Roar
24.5 TheNest The Nest

Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WNWO-TV

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WNWO-TV, virtual channel 24 (UHF digital channel 49), is a licensed to , , serving the and portions of northwestern and southeastern . Affiliated with the network since its sign-on, the station broadcasts programming from alongside syndicated content and limited local insertions. Owned by through subsidiary WNWO Licensee, LLC, WNWO maintains studios on South Byrne Road in Toledo and a transmitter on Cousino Road in Jerusalem Township, Lucas County. Originally signing on in 1967 as WDHO-TV under controversial ownership that led to financial struggles and low ratings, the station was renamed WNWO-TV in 1986 following acquisition by Toledo Television Investors, who attempted to bolster its news operations amid competition from established rivals and . Despite efforts to cultivate talent and improve local news, WNWO consistently ranked third in the market, hampered by resource constraints and its status. Sinclair acquired WNWO in 2012 as part of its expansion of local broadcast holdings, integrating it into a portfolio of over 180 stations known for centralized content distribution and mandates that have drawn for uniformity across affiliates. In May 2023, amid ongoing financial pressures, WNWO ceased in-house production of local casts, effectively ending its department after decades of operation and shifting to syndicated and network fare. The station has also faced operational disruptions, including a attack in 2021 that affected broadcasts.

History

Launch and Early Operations as WDHO-TV (1970–1986)

WDHO-TV began broadcasting on May 3, 1966, as channel 24 in , established by warehouse magnate and broadcasting entrepreneur Daniel H. Overmyer through his Overmyer Broadcasting Company. The station's call letters derived from Overmyer's initials, marking it as the only television property he directly constructed and launched amid his broader ambitions to build a UHF network. Operating from studios at 300 South Byrne Road, WDHO-TV initially functioned as an independent outlet, filling its schedule with syndicated fare, local productions, and select preempted network programs from established VHF stations WSPD-TV (/) and WTOL-TV (/). By June 15, 1969, WDHO-TV secured an exclusive primary affiliation with ABC, resolving Toledo's split network coverage after ABC pressured for dedicated clearance amid competition from and signals. This shift positioned the station as the market's ABC outlet, airing full network schedules alongside syndicated movies, game shows, and public affairs content; in fall 1966 programming adjustments had already incorporated prime-time films and select / offerings to bolster audience draw before the affiliation solidified. Local newscasts debuted in , evolving into branded formats like "First Team News" by the mid-1970s, though viewership lagged behind VHF incumbents due to UHF signal limitations and Overmyer's erratic management. Operations emphasized cost-conscious programming, including off-network reruns and children's shows, while competing for advertisers in a market dominated by older stations. Throughout the and into the , WDHO-TV maintained its ABC alignment amid growing financial strain on Overmyer, who faced personal and corporate debts from overexpansion. The station's transmitter on Cousino Road in , operated at reduced power initially, limiting reach to northwest Ohio and fringes, which hampered ratings and revenue. By early 1981, escalating losses prompted proceedings, culminating in seizure of assets by the First National Bank of Boston on March 28, 1981, though day-to-day control remained with Overmyer trustees until resolution. Under bank oversight, programming persisted with ABC feeds and local inserts, but infrastructure investments stalled, reflecting broader UHF viability challenges in smaller markets during the era's network dominance. The period underscored WDHO-TV's role as an underdog entrant, reliant on affiliation stability yet vulnerable to volatility.

Financial Troubles, FCC Scrutiny, and Bankruptcy

WDHO-TV encountered severe financial difficulties in the mid-1970s, exacerbated by owner Daniel H. Overmyer's broader business challenges, including secured against the station's assets. In 1971, Overmyer pledged the stock of the subsidiary holding WDHO-TV's license to the First National Bank of (FNBB) as collateral for a $6 million to support his operations. By 1976, mounting debts led D.H. Overmyer Telecasting Co. to file for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of , with the station operating as a debtor-in-possession. Allegations emerged that Overmyer and an associate had defrauded FNBB by misrepresenting the value and control of the pledged stock, prompting the bank to seize WDHO-TV on , 1981, amid claims of over $22 million in total indebtedness across Overmyer's affiliates. The seizure triggered FCC scrutiny under Section 310(d) of the Communications Act, which mandates prior Commission approval for transfers of broadcast station control; Overmyer contested the action, arguing it violated FCC rules on license transfers without consent. In a 1983 memorandum opinion, the FCC addressed the unauthorized transfer, weighing court orders against broadcast licensing requirements but ultimately deferring to judicial processes while affirming Overmyer's character qualifications despite prior misrepresentations in unrelated dealings. The proceedings, spanning over a , involved two extended cases marked by disputes over asset sales and creditor claims. Overmyer was convicted in by a federal jury in Akron of six counts of under 18 U.S.C. § 152 and two counts of to commit such , related to concealing assets and filing false claims in the Telecasting , including efforts to manipulate proofs of claim involving WDHO-TV. FNBB retained operational control post-seizure, leading to the station's sale in through auction to Toledo 24 Ltd., a local investment group, for an undisclosed sum that resolved outstanding debts. These events highlighted vulnerabilities in UHF station financing during the era, where high startup costs and limited advertising revenue often clashed with aggressive expansion by owners like Overmyer.

Sale, Relaunch as WNWO-TV, and Initial Independent Era

In 1986, following prolonged bankruptcy proceedings under the ownership of Daniel H. Overmyer Communications Company, control of channel 24 was transferred by the First National Bank of Boston to , a Connecticut-based , for $19.6 million. The acquisition ended years of financial instability, including FCC investigations into Overmyer's operations and asset mismanagement that had led to the station's near-collapse. Toledo Television Investors, comprising local investors with interests in media properties, assumed operation to stabilize and reposition the UHF outlet in the Toledo market. The buyers relaunched the station as WNWO-TV on June 1, 1986, adopting call letters denoting "Northwest " to reflect its regional service area and signal a break from the tarnished WDHO-TV branding associated with prior mismanagement. No major infrastructural overhauls accompanied the change, but management invested in modest facility upgrades at the existing studios on South Byrne Road and sought to enhance programming appeal amid competition from VHF network affiliates (channel 11, ) and WSPD-TV (channel 13, ). As an during this nascent phase through 1986, WNWO-TV relied on a mix of syndicated fare—such as off-network reruns and first-run talk shows—locally produced public affairs segments, and spillover programming from network preemptions by the Big Three affiliates. The strategy aimed to carve a niche in a market underserved by UHF signals, leveraging the station's full-market coverage via its tower in , but viewership remained modest due to ingrained habits favoring established VHF options and limited advertising revenue. Early efforts to expand included hiring additional staff and introducing short bulletins, though these initiatives yielded limited gains against rivals' entrenched resources. This period represented a transitional stabilization rather than rapid growth, setting the stage for subsequent affiliation shifts amid evolving network dynamics.

CBS Affiliation and Competitive Struggles (1987–1995)

WNWO-TV retained its long-standing affiliation with ABC during this period, a partnership established in following years as an airing secondary network programming. As Toledo's sole UHF commercial outlet, the station faced inherent disadvantages in signal strength and viewer penetration compared to VHF competitors (channel 11, ) and (channel 13, ), which had launched earlier and commanded larger audiences through better over-the-air coverage. Competitive pressures intensified in the late amid rising cable penetration and syndicated fare proliferation, yet WNWO consistently placed third in key ratings metrics, including local newscasts, a pattern persisting from its inception. Efforts to counter this included bolstering "" with expanded coverage and promotional campaigns, but the station lagged behind WTOL's dominant evening news share—often exceeding 30% in the early —and WTVG's strong primetime performance. Ownership transitions, including acquisition by Grant Broadcasting in 1985 and rebranding under Combined Broadcasting by 1989, prioritized cost controls over aggressive investments, limiting infrastructure upgrades like enhanced transmitter power. The period culminated in national affiliation shifts triggered by ABC's purchase of in 1995, displacing from channel 13. approached WNWO with an unsolicited offer to affiliate, leading to the switch on October 28, 1995, after which ABC programming moved to the stronger VHF signal of . This realignment positioned WNWO to leverage 's superior ratings—averaging 15-20% higher in key demographics than ABC at the time—for improved market viability, though initial implementation delays pushed full transition logistics into early 1996.

NBC Affiliation Switch and Programming Expansion (1995 Onward)

In October 1995, WNWO-TV relinquished its ABC affiliation in favor of after acquired (channel 13), the market's longstanding outlet, prompting the latter to realign with ABC. The affiliation swap took effect on October 28, resulting from an unsolicited offer that boosted the station's market value by aligning it with a network featuring stronger prime-time performers such as ER and . The transition positioned WNWO as "NBC 24," enabling access to NBC's robust national schedule, which included expanded evening news from and weekend programming like , replacing weaker ABC counterparts in key demographics. This shift improved WNWO's competitive standing in Toledo's VHF-dominated market, where NBC historically drew higher ratings than ABC. Local programming saw initial enhancements, with the station leveraging the affiliation upgrade to invest in news production beyond its prior limited 6 p.m. newscast, adding weekend and late-night segments to capture displaced NBC viewers from . By 1996, following Malrite Communications Group's acquisition announcement in April, WNWO pursued further programming growth, including facility upgrades and extended local news hours to build audience loyalty amid rivals and . These efforts reflected causal incentives from the alignment: higher network clearance rates reduced reliance on costly syndication fillers, freeing resources for original content like expanded weather and community affairs segments tailored to northwest . Over the subsequent years, syndicated additions such as and complemented fare, sustaining viewership gains into the early before later ownership shifts curtailed local expansions.

Ownership Changes: Malrite, Raycom, Barrington, and Sinclair Acquisition

Malrite Communications Group acquired WNWO-TV from Toledo Television Investors in April 1996. The station remained under Malrite ownership until 1998, when purchased Malrite's television stations, including WNWO-TV, as part of a merger announced that year. Raycom Media held WNWO-TV from 1998 to 2006, during which the company also acquired CBS affiliate WTOL in the same market, prompting regulatory scrutiny over market concentration. On March 27, 2006, Raycom announced the sale of WNWO-TV and 11 other stations to Barrington Broadcasting Corporation for $262 million, a transaction completed later that year to address ownership limits. Barrington Broadcasting operated WNWO-TV from 2006 until February 28, 2013, when it agreed to sell its entire portfolio of 18 stations, including WNWO-TV, to Sinclair Broadcast Group for $370 million. The deal received FCC approval following divestitures to comply with ownership caps, and Sinclair completed the acquisition on November 25, 2013. Under Sinclair, WNWO-TV integrated into the company's centralized operations, including the relocation of master control to South Bend, Indiana, in 2016.

End of Local Newscasts Under Sinclair (2023)

On April 27, 2023, informed WNWO-TV employees that the station would discontinue all local newscasts, effective after the final broadcast on May 12, 2023. The decision affected approximately 20 staff members in Toledo, including anchors, reporters, and producers, who were laid off as part of the operational changes. Beginning May 15, 2023, WNWO replaced its weekday morning, noon, and evening local newscasts with The National Desk, a nationally syndicated news program produced by Sinclair from its Washington, D.C., headquarters, airing on a delayed basis to align with local time zones. This shift eliminated in-house production of local content, though the station continued to provide weather updates via partnerships and network programming. Sinclair cited persistently low ratings for WNWO's newscasts as a primary factor, noting that the Toledo market's size 74 designation by Nielsen contributed to unviable economics for sustaining dedicated local news operations. No, avoid Wikipedia. From other: low-rated. The closure was one of five such actions by Sinclair in smaller markets that month, including stations in ; ; and others, reflecting a broader to centralize production and reduce costs amid declining in local television. WNWO's final local newscast on May 12 featured reflections from longtime staff on the station's history as an underdog competitor in Toledo's media landscape, where it had struggled against dominant like and despite efforts to build talent and community ties. Post-closure, the station's website and over-the-air broadcasts shifted focus to network feeds, syndicated programming, and occasional shared content from Sinclair's regional hubs, with no plans announced for resuming production.

Technical and Operational Details

Studios, Transmitter, and Signal Coverage

WNWO-TV maintains its primary studios at 300 South Byrne Road in . Following Sinclair Broadcast Group's acquisition and operational consolidations starting in 2017, certain production elements, including newscasts until their discontinuation in 2023, originated from shared facilities with WTOL-TV in , while retaining a minimal on-site staff in Toledo. The station's transmitter tower is positioned on Cousino Road in Jerusalem Township, , roughly 16 kilometers northeast of central Toledo near . This site enables broadcast on UHF digital channel 23 ( 24), serving the Toledo designated market area through typical for UHF signals in flat terrain. WNWO-TV's signal footprint encompasses the Toledo DMA, which includes , Wood, Ottawa, Sandusky, Hancock, Henry, Fulton, Defiance, Williams, and Seneca counties in , along with Lenawee and portions of Monroe counties in . Over-the-air reception reliably reaches urban Toledo and suburbs like Maumee, Perrysburg, Sylvania, Sandusky, Fremont, and Findlay, with fringe coverage extending into communities such as Monroe. Cable and satellite carriage extends the reach beyond OTA contours to the full DMA households.

Analog-to-Digital Transition and Subchannels

WNWO-TV initiated service on UHF channel 49 ( 24) in 2001, as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission's initial digital channel allotments for full-power broadcasters during the early phase of the nationwide transition from analog to digital signals. The station selected channel 49 for its permanent post-full-power digital operations in the first round of FCC channel elections, enabling it to broadcast in digital format while continuing analog service on UHF channel 24. Analog broadcasting on channel 24 terminated at 12:59 a.m. EDT on June 12, 2009, coinciding with the federally mandated end of analog transmissions for most full-power U.S. stations to free spectrum for other uses and complete the conversion to ATSC digital standards. Post-transition, WNWO-TV maintained its digital signal on channel 49 until the 2017 broadcast spectrum incentive auction repackaging process relocated it to UHF channel 23 (virtual 24) effective October 5, 2018, to optimize spectrum efficiency. Following the full-power transition, WNWO-TV expanded its multicast capacity under Sinclair Broadcast Group's ownership to include subchannels featuring syndicated digital networks, a common strategy to monetize unused digital bandwidth through affiliation agreements with low-cost programming providers. As of October 2025, the station's digital multiplex includes the following subchannels:
Virtual ChannelPhysical ChannelAffiliation/Network
24.123.3 (primary programming)
24.223.4Charge! (action and adventure series)
24.323.5 (sci-fi and classic TV)
24.423.6ROAR (sports and lifestyle content)
24.523.7The Nest (home and garden programming)
These subchannels, introduced progressively since the mid-2010s, reflect Sinclair's emphasis on multicasting niche content to supplement the main channel's network feed, though viewer carriage depends on local over-the-air reception and cable/ provider inclusion. Earlier configurations included affiliations like on 24.2, which were replaced as Sinclair consolidated its portfolio of networks.

Programming and Content Strategy

Network Affiliations and Syndicated Fare

WNWO-TV has served as the affiliate for the Toledo television market since October 1995, following an affiliation swap with amid Capital Cities/ABC's acquisition of that station. Prior to this, the station held an ABC affiliation from 1969 to 1995, after operating as an independent from its sign-on in May 1966 until securing a primary network partnership. As an NBC outlet, WNWO carries the network's full primetime lineup, daytime soaps, morning programs such as Today, late-night shows including , and sports coverage from , alongside national news broadcasts like . The station's syndicated programming fills daytime, early evening, and late fringe slots, featuring a mix of talk, court, and lifestyle shows common to network affiliates. In September 2020, WNWO acquired The Ellen DeGeneres Show from WTVG, airing it alongside other syndicated fare such as episodes focused on family disputes in the 7 p.m. hour. Historically, offerings have included talk programs like Montel Williams in the 5 p.m. slot during the ABC era. Following Sinclair's 2023 decision to discontinue local newscasts, WNWO increased its reliance on nationally syndicated content to fill former news time periods, emphasizing cost efficiencies in a competitive market.

Local Programming Evolution and Cost Rationales

WNWO-TV initiated local news programming shortly after its launch on July 31, 1967, as an independent station, filling airtime with a mix of syndicated content and original productions to compete in the Toledo market. Following its affiliation shifts—first to ABC in 1969 and later to CBS in 1987—the station maintained a commitment to local newscasts, though these consistently ranked last among Toledo's major stations in every Nielsen ratings period since inception. The 1995 switch to NBC affiliation prompted some expansion in programming scope, including enhanced evening and morning news blocks, but local content remained focused primarily on news, weather, and community affairs rather than expansive non-news shows like talk or public affairs programs. Under subsequent owners, including Barrington Broadcasting and (which acquired WNWO in 2017), local programming evolved minimally, with incremental additions such as extensions for news repeats but no significant diversification into original non-news formats. This persistence reflected an industry norm where served as a station identifier and revenue driver via , despite WNWO's perennial third-place position in the market. By the early , however, structural challenges in smaller designated market areas like Toledo (ranked 71st nationally) pressured cost structures, leading to the discontinuation of all local newscasts on May 15, 2023. The rationale for curtailing local programming centered on economic viability, as producing dedicated news operations incurs high fixed costs for , , and facilities relative to ad revenues in underperforming markets. Sinclair cited the need to "ensure long-term success" by transitioning to centralized production via The National Desk, a syndicated newscast from its , hub, which eliminates per-market newsroom overhead while maintaining a news-like presence. This approach addresses broader industry headwinds, including declining linear TV viewership and competition from digital platforms, where local news expenses—often exceeding $5-10 million annually per station in personnel alone—outstrip returns in low-rated outlets like WNWO. Prior owners tolerated these costs to sustain community ties and regulatory goodwill under FCC localism rules, but Sinclair's scale enables efficiencies through shared resources across its 185-station portfolio, prioritizing profitability over bespoke local content.

Market Performance and Reception

Ratings History and Competitive Position

WNWO-TV has historically occupied a distant in the Toledo television market's news ratings, trailing behind dominant ABC affiliate (Channel 13) and CBS affiliate (Channel 11). Since its launch in 1967 as the market's youngest major station, WNWO struggled to compete with the established incumbents, which benefited from earlier affiliations and deeper community ties, resulting in consistently low viewership for its local newscasts across morning, midday, and evening slots. Nielsen data from various sweeps periods underscore this pattern. In February 2010, WNWO ranked last in all competitive newscasts, including mornings and evenings, with no slots exceeding single-digit household shares amid 's sweeps. By November 2014, achieved a clean sweep across dayparts, further marginalizing WNWO's offerings. In the February 2018 sweeps, WNWO's morning newscast averaged just 9,000 total viewers, compared to 89,000 for and 55,000 for , while evening slots showed similarly lopsided results with WNWO trailing by factors of 5-to-10 times. The August 2020 book reinforced 's lead in key demos and total viewers for 6 a.m., noon, and 11 p.m. newscasts, with WNWO's inclusion in morning competitions yielding negligible gains. The station's competitive position weakened further after Sinclair Broadcast Group's 2019 acquisition and the May 2023 discontinuation of all local newscasts, replaced by syndicated national programming like The National Desk. This move aligned with cost-cutting in the #81-ranked DMA (per 2021-2022 Nielsen estimates of 416,210 TV households), where WNWO's pre-cancellation news audience was already minimal and shifted seamlessly to rivals without significant backlash or retention loss. Overall, WNWO's remains constrained by its affiliation's network primetime performance, which, while stronger than local content, does not offset the absence of competitive news programming against WTVG's entrenched leadership and WTOL's solid second place.

Achievements in Talent Development Amid Challenges

Despite consistently ranking third in the Toledo market's Nielsen ratings since its launch in 1967, WNWO-TV fostered the professional growth of numerous journalists through hands-on reporting and anchoring roles in a resource-constrained environment. The station's smaller operations, often operating on tighter budgets compared to competitors and , provided early-career opportunities that honed skills in live , investigative work, and production, enabling staff to build versatile resumes attractive to larger outlets. This development model persisted through ownership transitions from Malrite Communications to , Barrington Broadcasting, and ultimately , even as cost-cutting measures intensified post-2012 Sinclair acquisition. A prime example is Marcus Espinoza, who began his career as a multimedia at WNWO-TV in Toledo, covering local stories that built his foundation in investigative reporting and on-air delivery. After departing for weekend anchoring at KHQA in , Espinoza advanced to reporter at WTXF (FOX 29) in —the #4 U.S. —in December 2019, where he contributed to high-profile investigations amid the station's aggressive "We Go There" ethos. By March 2025, he transitioned to national correspondent at , reporting across beats including and from major cities. WNWO's track record extended to producing talent that migrated to Detroit-area stations (markets #11-14 nationally) and even specialized roles like Atlanta Braves television play-by-play, as noted in retrospectives on the station's 50-year history. These successes occurred despite escalating challenges, including the 2023 termination of all local newscasts on May 12—Sinclair's response to declining ad revenues and viewer fragmentation—which displaced remaining staff but underscored prior investments in personnel who had already parlayed WNWO experience into broader careers. The station's team from the early 1980s, including anchors like and sports director Jim Tichy (who retired in 2007 after 35 years as a local staple), exemplified early that prioritized on-the-job rigor over formal programs.

Criticisms of Operational Decisions and Industry Context

In April 2023, announced the cessation of all local newscasts on WNWO-TV, its affiliate in , effective May 15, 2023, replacing them with the company's nationally syndicated program The National Desk supplemented by limited local inserts. This decision followed a period where WNWO had not produced its own newscasts since 2017, production to sister station in , amid persistently low ratings that placed the station last in the Toledo market. Sinclair cited the move as necessary for the station's "long-term success," arguing that underperforming news operations failed to attract sufficient high-value sponsorships to justify continued investment. The company framed this as part of broader operational efficiencies, eliminating a skeleton crew of reporters and photographers at WNWO while centralizing content production in , to reduce costs in smaller markets. Employees expressed shock at the abrupt closure, with one WNWO photographer describing it as coming "out of the blue" and indicative of corporate in local operations. Critics of the decision, including affected staff and media observers, contended that it prioritized short-term cost savings over community-specific , exacerbating the erosion of local coverage in markets reliant on stations like WNWO for hyper-local reporting on issues such as regional events and municipal . This operational shift mirrored similar shutdowns at four other Sinclair stations in April-May 2023, resulting in approximately 28 layoffs across affected newsrooms and highlighting a pattern of retreating from local production in low-performing outlets. In the broader industry context, such decisions reflect mounting economic pressures on local television, including , fragmented audiences, and stagnant advertising revenue, which render full-scale newsrooms unsustainable in mid-sized markets like Toledo (DMA rank 71). Sinclair's centralization strategy, while enabling scale efficiencies through shared national programming, has drawn scrutiny for potentially homogenizing content and diminishing station autonomy, though defenders note that unprofitable operations risk station viability without adaptation. Additionally, The National Desk has faced accusations of right-center bias, with outlets like Media Matters claiming it promotes conservative viewpoints and occasional —allegations attributable to partisan critics and countered by independent ratings affirming high factual accuracy despite editorial leanings.

Notable Personnel

Key On-Air Talent and Contributions

Jim Tichy served as WNWO-TV's sports director for 35 years, from the station's early days until his retirement on December 31, 2007, earning recognition as the dean of local sportscasters in Toledo through consistent coverage of regional teams and events. Jim Blue anchored and reported at WNWO-TV from 2002 to 2008, returning in January 2013 as news director and co-anchor of the 6 p.m. newscast alongside colleagues like Angi Gonzalez and later Laura Emerson, until his departure in December 2015; during his first stint, he earned an award for enterprise reporting on "Caught in the Sex Web," highlighting online solicitation risks. In the early 1980s, the team featured anchors Angela Atalla, , and Bill Spencer, who helped establish the station's local reporting presence amid competitive challenges, with the group contributing to foundational newscasts that built viewer familiarity despite lower ratings. Tom Bosco, a reporter at WNWO-TV, received the Ohio Best Reporter award in 2004 for his investigative work, exemplifying the station's efforts to produce impactful local journalism. Later anchors like Angi Gonzalez (6 and 11 p.m. from 2012), Laura Emerson (joining evenings in August 2014), and morning leads such as Abby Powell (from June 2012) and Annette Falconer (from July 2013) maintained continuity in WNWO's newscasts until the discontinuation of local programming on May 12, 2023, often transitioning to other markets after developing skills in a resource-constrained environment.

Management Figures and Their Impacts

John Nizamis served as general manager of WNWO-TV from April 2014 to February 2016, succeeding Chris Topf amid a comprehensive management restructuring by owner . This overhaul, which included appointing Charity Freeman as general sales manager and Nicole Hahn as news director, was explicitly intended to elevate the station's profile and competitiveness among Toledo-area viewers. Nizamis, previously general sales manager at in , focused on sales and operational efficiencies during his tenure, though specific performance metrics tied to his leadership remain undocumented in public records. Freeman was promoted internally to general manager in February 2016 following Nizamis's reassignment to Sinclair's WSBT in , and held the position until her departure in May 2017. Her leadership coincided with the station's decision to outsource news production to sister station WSBT, a move Sinclair described as maintaining commitment to local content while leveraging shared resources across markets. This centralization aimed to control costs in a competitive landscape but presaged further reductions in on-site operations. James Hanning, promoted from prior sales roles within Sinclair stations, assumed general manager duties in April 2018 and continued in the role through at least 2023. Under his oversight, WNWO-TV discontinued all locally produced newscasts effective May 1, 2023, transitioning to Sinclair's centralized "The National Desk" program originating from Hunt Valley, Maryland. This shift eliminated the station's in-house news team, aligning with Sinclair's broader cost-reduction strategies amid declining linear TV revenues and advertising challenges, though it curtailed Toledo-specific reporting and drew local media scrutiny for diminishing market-specific . Hanning, as vice president and general manager, did not publicly comment on the rationale beyond the operational change.

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