2023–24 CW affiliation realignment

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On September 1, 2023, a series of network affiliation changes took place in nine television markets throughout the United States involving The CW Television Network. These changes were initiated after Nexstar Media Group, which owned multiple key affiliates in the network, acquired a 75 percent stake in the network on October 3, 2022.[1]

Background

Under Nexstar, The CW agreed to a three-year broadcast deal in January 2023 with LIV Golf, a professional golf tour financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, marking the first-ever national sports broadcasting contract for both the network and the tour.[2] On February 14, 2023, the network said their LIV Golf coverage would be available in 100 percent of media markets in the United States, but encountered numerous affiliates that declined carriage of the tour, including all owned by Paramount Global's CBS News and Stations subsidiary. Consequently, LIV coverage in those affected markets aired on Nexstar-owned stations or subchannels, or on other stations via secondary affiliation agreements.[3][4]

As part of the sale, Paramount Global was granted the right to withdraw their eight affiliates from the network—in Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle and the Tampa Bay area—which was exercised on May 5, 2023, effective September 1.[5] In the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Tampa Bay markets, Nexstar-owned MyNetworkTV stations (WPHL-TV, KRON-TV and WTTA, respectively) were announced as replacements for WPSG, KBCW and WTOG.[6] Adell Broadcasting-owned WADL, Detroit's existing MyNetworkTV affiliate, replaced WKBD-TV; Mission Broadcasting, a closely related company to Nexstar, also filed to buy WADL, with Nexstar to provide services.[7][8] Adell terminated the affiliation on October 30, with the affiliation moving to WMYD by November 13; the acquisition of WADL by Mission remained pending as of February 2024.[9]

The remainder of the affected markets were addressed through new affiliation agreements with group owners Hearst Television, Gray Television and Sinclair Broadcast Group, each of which already owned multiple CW affiliates. Hearst's renewal included KQCA as the new CW Sacramento affiliate in place of KMAX-TV,[10] while the Gray Television renewal included WPCH-TV in Atlanta, replacing WUPA.[11] Sinclair included WPNT in Pittsburgh and a subchannel of Seattle's ABC affiliate KOMO-TV as replacements for WPCW and KSTW, respectively. As part of the Sinclair agreement, The CW moved from Sinclair's KOCB to Nexstar's KAUT-TV in Oklahoma City.[12][13] Additionally, Nexstar took back the CW affiliation in Billings, Montana, when the statewide Montana Television Network ceased airing The CW on a subchannel of its stations.[14]

On November 13, 2023, The Seattle Times reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group would move The CW's Seattle affiliation to KUNS-TV on January 1, 2024, replacing Univision.[15]

On November 20, 2023, KASW became an independent station known as Arizona 61, airing the Coyotes and using local news and entertainment programming as well as content from Scripps News, while programming from The CW would move to a subchannel of Phoenix's ABC affiliate KNXV-TV.[16]

On December 18, 2023, Nexstar announced that WOTV, KELO-TV and WMBB would become CW affiliates via their digital subchannels on January 1, 2024.[17]

On January 8, 2024, locally-owned independent KAZT-TV out of Prescott, announced it would take up the CW affiliation in the Phoenix market effective February 1, as part of a time brokerage deal with Nexstar.[18]

On February 1, 2024, it was announced that the Fox affiliation in the Columbus–Tupelo market would move from WLOV-TV to WCBI-DT2 the next day. WLOV-TV would assume WCBI-DT3's CW Plus affiliation.[19]

On April 19, 2024, Nexstar and the E. W. Scripps Company confirmed the latter will not renew its CW Network affiliation with seven Scripps-owned stations. In two markets—Norfolk, Virginia; and Lafayette, Louisiana—the network will move to Nexstar-owned stations effective September 1.[20]

Stations

Market New affiliate Old affiliation Prior affiliate New affiliation Date of switchover
Atlanta, GA WPCH-TV Independent WUPA Independent September 1, 2023
Battle Creek–Kalamazoo–Grand Rapids, MI WOTV-DT2[a] Dabl WWMT-DT2 Independent January 1, 2024
Billings–Hardin, MT KSVI-DT2[a][b] Ion Mystery KTVQ-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
Butte–Bozeman, MT — — KXLF-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
K23LW-D2[a][b] Ion Mystery KBZK-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
Detroit, MI WADL MyNetworkTV WKBD-TV Independent September 1, 2023
WMYD Independent WADL[c] MyNetworkTV[d] November 13, 2023
Great Falls, MT — — KRTV-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
Helena, MT — — KTVH-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
Missoula, MT — — KPAX-DT2 Independent September 1, 2023
Oklahoma City, OK KAUT-TV[a] Independent KOCB Independent September 1, 2023
Panama City, FL WMBB-DT2[a][b] Antenna TV WJHG-DT2 MeTV January 1, 2024
Philadelphia, PA WPHL-TV[a] MyNetworkTV[e] WPSG Independent September 1, 2023
Phoenix, AZ KNXV-DT2 Antenna TV KASW Independent November 20, 2023
KAZT-TV[f] Independent KNXV-DT2 Antenna TV[d] February 1, 2024
Pittsburgh, PA WPNT MyNetworkTV[e] WPKD-TV Independent September 1, 2023
Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto, CA KQCA MyNetworkTV[e] KMAX-TV Independent September 1, 2023
San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose, CA KRON-TV[a] MyNetworkTV[e] KPYX Independent September 1, 2023
Seattle–Tacoma, WA KOMO-DT2 Comet KSTW Independent September 1, 2023
KUNS-TV[g] Univision[h] KOMO-DT2 Comet[d] January 1, 2024
Sioux Falls, SD KELO-DT4[a][b] Ion Mystery KSFY-DT2 Outlaw January 1, 2024
Tampa–St. Petersburg, FL WTTA[a] MyNetworkTV[e][i] WTOG Independent September 1, 2023
Tupelo–Columbus–West Point, MS WLOV-TV[b] Fox[j] WCBI-DT3 MyNetworkTV February 2, 2024
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i These stations are network owned-and-operated, owned by Nexstar.
  2. ^ a b c d e These stations carry The CW Plus, a syndication service feed controlled by the network, independent of individual affiliates outside of its main primetime hours.
  3. ^ WADL terminated its affiliation on October 30, 2023 over a payment dispute with Nexstar;[9] replaced by WMYD on November 13, 2023.[21]
  4. ^ a b c Retained as a primary affiliation.
  5. ^ a b c d e Retained as a secondary affiliation.
  6. ^ KAZT-TV replaced KNXV-DT2 on February 1, 2024, as part of a time brokerage deal with Nexstar.[22]
  7. ^ Affiliation moved again to KUNS-TV on January 1, 2024.[23]
  8. ^ Univision affiliation moved to KVOS-TV following KUNS-TV's switchover to The CW.
  9. ^ Also carried on sister station WSNN-LD, based out of Sarasota.
  10. ^ Fox affiliation moved to WCBI-DT2 following WLOV-TV's switchover to The CW.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hayes, Dade (October 3, 2022). "New Day Dawns For Broadcast TV As Nexstar Closes Deal For Control Of The CW". Deadline. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Strauss, Ben; Bonesteel, Matt (January 19, 2023). "After a year of streaming, LIV Golf finds a television partner". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  3. ^ Rice, Lynette (February 14, 2023). "LIV Golf Tour Clears 100 Percent Of US Markets (But Not All CW Stations)". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Rice, Lynette; Hayes, Dade (February 24, 2023). "LIV On CW: Behind Nexstar's Drive To Secure TV Stations For Controversial Golf League". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  5. ^ Rice, Lynette (May 5, 2023). "Eight CBS Stations To Ditch CW And Go Independent This Fall". Deadline. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "Nexstar Television Stations in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Tampa to Become Affiliated with the CW Network on September 1" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. June 14, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "Mission Broadcasting To Acquire WADL-TV Detroit From Adell Broadcasting". Mission Broadcasting, Inc. broadcastone. May 18, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. May 17, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Graham, Adam (October 30, 2023). "CW Network yanked from Detroit airwaves over business spat". The Detroit News. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "The CW Network And Hearst Television Expand And Extend Affiliation Partnership" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "The CW Network and Gray Television Expand and Extend Affiliation Partnership" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. August 30, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "The CW Network and Sinclair Expand and Extend Affiliation Partnership" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "Nexstar's KAUT-TV in Oklahoma City To Become CW Network Affiliate on September 1" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  14. ^ McCollum, Cheryl (August 29, 2023). "Programming Changes in Billings, Montana". TDS Telecommunications. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  15. ^ Shapiro, Nina (November 13, 2023). "Sinclair nixes Univision affiliation, ending local Spanish broadcasts". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "Arizona Coyotes Moving to New Home with Scripps Sports". Arizona Coyotes. November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  17. ^ Malonepublished, Michael (December 18, 2023). "Nexstar Stations Take Over CW Affiliations in 3 Markets". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "Nexstar Media Enters Into Time Brokerage Agreement with KAZT-TV in Phoenix, Arizona". Nexstar Media Group, Inc. January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  19. ^ Sullivan, Mary Carroll (February 1, 2024). "WCBI-TV CBS, WLOV-TV FOX announce changes". WCBI.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  20. ^ Keys, Matthew (April 19, 2024). "Scoop: Scripps to pull CW Network affiliation in seven cities in September". The Desk. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  21. ^ "Detroit's WMYD-TV To Become CW Affiliate On Monday, Nov. 13" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  22. ^ Alex (January 8, 2024). "Nexstar Media Enters Into Time Brokerage Agreement with KAZT-TV in Phoenix, Arizona" (Press release). Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  23. ^ Shapiro, Nina (November 13, 2023). "Sinclair nixes Univision affiliation, ending local Spanish broadcasts". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
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