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{{Short description|Television station in Wausau, Wisconsin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Update|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WAOW
| logo                   = WAOW 2018 Logo.png
| logo_size              = 150px
| location               = [[Wausau, Wisconsin]]
| country                = United States
| city                   =
| branding               = WAOW 9; ''9 News WAOW''
| digital                = 9 ([[VHF]])
| virtual                = 9
| subchannels            = 
| translators            = ''see {{section link||Satellite stations}}''
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''9.1:''' [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner                  = [[Allen Media Group]]
| licensee               = Wausau TV License Company, [[LLC]]
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1965|5|7|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning       = "Wausau WKOW"
| sister_stations        = {{ubl|[[WXOW]]/[[WQOW]], [[WKOW]], [[WREX-TV]]|'''Cable:''' [[Bally Sports Wisconsin]], [[Bally Sports North]]}}
| former_callsigns       = 
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 9 (VHF, 1965–2009)|'''Digital:''' 29 ([[UHF]], 1999–2009)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[National Educational Television|NET]] (select programs, 1969–1970){{cn|date=October 2022}}|[[PBS]] (select programs, 1970–1972){{cn|date=October 2022}}|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] ([[NFL on Fox|NFL broadcasts]], 1994–1999)|[[CW+]] (9.2, 2006−2021)|Fox (9.3, via [[WFXS-DT]], February−March 2009)}}
| erp                    = 63.2 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|368|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 64546
| coordinates            = {{nowrap|{{coord|44|55|14.2|N|89|41|28.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://waow.com/}} 
}}
'''WAOW''' (channel 9) is a [[television station]] based in [[Wausau, Wisconsin]], United States, affiliated with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and owned by [[Allen Media Group]]. The station's studios are located on Grand Avenue/[[U.S. Route 51 in Wisconsin|US 51]] in Wausau, and its transmitter is located on [[Rib Mountain]].

WAOW relays its signal on [[satellite station]] '''[[WMOW]]''' (channel 4) in [[Crandon]], extending its range in the northeastern reaches of the [[media market|market]].

==History==
WAOW signed on the air on May 7, 1965. Owned by Mid-Continent Broadcasting, it served as a [[satellite station]] of [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]]'s [[WKOW]] as part of the Wisconsin Television Network which would later include [[WXOW]] in [[La Crosse]] and [[WQOW]] in [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin|Eau Claire]]. Midcontinent Broadcasting sold the stations to Horizon Communications in 1970. Liberty Television bought the stations in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=85895 |title= History Cards for WAOW|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}--></ref> This station gradually increased its local programming and content, finally severing the electronic umbilical cord with WKOW in the 1980s.

In 1985, Liberty Television sold the Wisconsin stations to Tak Communications. Tak filed for [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] protection in 1991 and would be taken over by a group of creditors less than three years later. In 1995, [[Shockley Communications]] purchased WAOW along with three sister stations (WKOW, WXOW, and WQOW) from Tak's creditors. [[Quincy Newspapers]] purchased most of the Shockley stations, including its Wisconsin sister stations in June 2001.

Between 1994 and 1999, WAOW carried the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network's [[National Football League]] [[NFL on Fox|game package]], which featured most games of the home state [[Green Bay Packers]]. The arrangement was necessary due to a lack of a local, over-the-air Fox affiliate in the Wausau–[[Rhinelander, Wisconsin|Rhinelander]] market. (Area cable systems primarily carried Fox through the [[Foxnet]] service or through Green Bay's [[WGBA-TV]] or [[WLUK-TV]].) WAOW's arrangement with Fox came to an end in December 1999, when the [[Wittenberg, Wisconsin|Wittenberg]]-licensed [[WFXS-DT|WFXS]] (channel 55) signed on to become Central Wisconsin's first full-time Fox station.

On June 25, 2002, WAOW became the first commercial television station in the Wausau–Rhinelander [[media market|market]] to broadcast in [[high-definition television|high-definition]]; WYOW would join them on October 24.

WAOW/WYOW converted fully to digital on February 17, 2009, without a nightlight period for WAOW while WYOW converted after a nightlight period.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} The two stations carried the [[Retro Television Network]] (RTV) on a third [[digital subchannel]] until March 2009. In the beginning of that month, it was replaced with This TV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9945506 |title=Channel 9.3 to temporarily host FOX 55 again - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports |publisher=WAOW |access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref> On September 1, 2015, [[Decades (TV network)|Decades]] replaced This TV.

In February and March, WAOW aired WFXS' digital signal temporarily on DT3 while that station ironed out problems with the activation of its digital transmitter. In early September 2009, WFXS added RTV to its third digital subchannel.

On January 7, 2021, Quincy Media announced that it had put itself up for sale.<ref>[https://www.northpine.com/blog/2021/01/07/tv-station-owner-quincy-media-up-for-sale/ "TV Station Owner Quincy Media Up for Sale,"] from Northpine.com, January 7, 2021</ref> On February 1, [[Gray Television]] announced it would purchase Quincy's radio and TV properties for $925 million. As Gray already owned [[WSAW-TV]] in the Wausau–Rhinelander market, and both that station and WAOW rank among the market's top four stations, it agreed to sell WAOW in order to satisfy FCC requirements.<ref name="graybuysquincy">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/gray-television-quincy-media-for-925-million-in-cash-1234684531/|title=Gray Television Acquires Quincy Media For $925 Million In Cash|first=Jill|last=Goldsmith|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|date=February 1, 2021|access-date=February 1, 2021}}</ref>

On April 29, Gray announced that WAOW and WMOW would be divested to Allen Media Broadcasting in a $380 million deal that includes, among other Quincy-owned stations, WKOW/Madison, WXOW/La Crosse, and WQOW/Eau Claire.<ref name=Allen>[https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/04/29/2220067/0/en/Gray-Sells-Divestiture-Stations-From-Quincy-Media-Transaction-to-Allen-Media-for-380-Million.html "Gray Sells Divestiture Stations From Quincy Media Transaction to Allen Media for $380 Million,"] press release from GlobeNewswire, April 29, 2021</ref> Gray, however, kept WYOW, and converted the Eagle River station into a full-power satellite of WSAW-TV, airing The CW on its main 34.1 channel and simulcasting CBS and Fox on subchannels 7.10 and 33.10, respectively.<ref>[https://www.wsaw.com/2021/08/02/wsaw-adds-cw-tv-lineup-starttv-moves-335/ "WSAW adds CW to TV lineup, StartTV moves to 33.5"], WSAW-TV, August 2, 2021, Retrieved August 3, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.northpine.com/blog/2021/02/12/fcc-filing-provides-details-of-gray-tvs-plans-for-quincy-media-stations/ "FCC Filings Provide Details of Gray TV's Plans for Quincy Media Stations,"] from Northpine.com, December 2, 2021</ref>

On June 1, 2025, amid financial woes and rising debt, Allen Media Group announced that it would explore "strategic options" for the company, such as a sale of its television stations (including WAOW/WMOW). The company had also attempted to re-hub the outstate stations, including WAOW, to WKOW, including some statewide newscasts originating newscasts from Madison to reduce costs, but had returned most newscasts outside of mid-day to local control by that time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Weprin|first=Alex|date=June 1, 2025|title=Byron Allen Puts His Local TV Stations Up for Sale|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/byron-allen-selling-local-tv-stations-up-1236235004/|access-date=June 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Mark K. |date=June 2, 2025 |title=Allen Media Group Retains Moelis To Sell Its TV Stations |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/allen-media-group-retains-moelis-to-sell-its-tv-stations/ |access-date=June 2, 2025 |website=TVNewsCheck |language=en-US}}</ref>

==News operation==
[[File:WAOWTV9WauasauWisconsin2007.jpg|thumb|right|WAOW's studios.]]
In 2000, WAOW entered into a news share agreement with WFXS (owned by Davis Television, [[LLC]]). The arrangement resulted in a weeknight prime time newscast debuting on the Fox outlet. The broadcast, known as ''Fox 55 News at 9'', could be seen for thirty minutes.

Although there was no weekend edition of the show, it was eventually joined by a weekday morning newscast (also produced by WAOW) on April 23, 2012. Known as ''Fox 55 This Morning'', this program aired for an hour (from 7 to 8 a.m.) on WFXS offering a local alternative to the national [[Breakfast television#United States|morning programs]] seen on the big three networks. Both WFXS newscasts maintained a separate music package and graphics scheme from WAOW. The broadcasts originated from the ABC outlet's primary set at its studios but with unique [[duratrans]] indicating the Fox-branded shows. On June 19, 2011, WAOW became the market's second television outlet to upgrade local news to a high definition level. Included in the change were a redesigned set and an updated graphics scheme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waow.com/category/136204/newsteam |title=NewsTeam - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports |publisher=WAOW |date=November 9, 2013 |access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref> Eventually, in 2012, WFXS made the transition to HD newscasts.

On July 1, 2015, concurrent with the Fox affiliation moving to low-power [[WZAW-LD]], both of the Fox-branded newscasts were canceled after the news share arrangement was terminated. Almost a week later (on July 6), WAOW introduced its own prime time news at 9 (airing weeknights for a half-hour) on its CW digital subchannel. This broadcast, known as ''Newsline 9 at 9 on The CW'', can also be seen through a simulcast on WMOW's main channel and WYOW-DT2.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 6, 2015 |title=Newsline 9 at 9 starts tonight on CW |url=http://www.waow.com/story/29483416/2015/07/06/newsline-9-at-9-starts-tonight-on-cw |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174522/http://www.waow.com/story/29483416/2015/07/06/newsline-9-at-9-starts-tonight-on-cw |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |website=waow.com}}</ref>

Since the station went on the air in 1965, it has maintained a [[weather beacon]] in the form of a sign or tower that is lit in various colors to convey the forecast for the next 12 to 24 hours. The "9" sign on the side of the WAOW studios currently serves this purpose.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.waow.com/story/29111491/2015/05/Wednesday/why-do-we-have-a-neon-weather-9 |title=Why do we have a neon weather 9?|access-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224053005/http://www.waow.com/story/29111491/2015/05/Wednesday/why-do-we-have-a-neon-weather-9 |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A poem created by a viewer contest helps to remember the meaning of the colors:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://waow.com/2020/02/19/a-weather-tradition-close-to-home/|publisher=WAOW|title=A Weather Tradition Close to Home|access-date=May 30, 2021|date=February 19, 2020}}</ref>

:When the Weather 9 is red; warmer weather is ahead.
:When the Weather 9 is green; cooler weather is foreseen.
:When the Weather 9 is white; little change is in sight.
:When the Weather 9 is flashing by night or day; precipitation is on the way.

==Subchannels==
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WAOW<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WAOW#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WAOW|website=[[RabbitEars]]|accessdate=June 3, 2025}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.1 
| rowspan=2|[[720p]] || rowspan=6|[[16:9]] || WAOWABC || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.2 
| WAOWCAT || [[Catchy Comedy]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.3 
| [[480i]] || MeToons || [[MeTV Toons]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.4 
| 720p || CourtTV || [[Court TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.5 
| rowspan=2|480i || Crime || [[True Crime Network]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 9.6
| || [[Wisconsin Department of Transportation|WISDOT]] [[traffic camera]] loop
|}

==Satellite stations==
In addition to its main signal, WAOW operates one satellite station that provides additional coverage and some overlap. The station formerly operated WYOW which was sold to Gray Television in 2021.

===WMOW===
{{main|WMOW}}
'''WMOW''' (channel 4) in [[Crandon]] operates as a full-time satellite of WAOW. Besides its transmitter, WMOW does not maintain any physical presence locally in Crandon.

In mid-February 2009, Quincy announced the purchase of Crandon-based WBIJ, a [[FamilyNet]] affiliate, which was sold to Quincy by the widow of the station's founder. Plans called for the conversion of the station to a second satellite of WAOW to serve the northeastern portion of the market near the Michigan border after completing the station's digital VHF channel 12 transmitter facilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/74662 |title=Quincy Takes WBIJ for $1.55 Million |date=February 13, 2009 |work=TelevisionBroadcast.com |access-date=February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218063704/http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/74662 |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Quincy has since renamed the station WMOW to conform with the call letters of WAOW and the remainder of Quincy's network of ABC affiliates throughout the state which all carry a "OW" suffix. Quincy put WMOW on the air on June 4, 2010.<ref name="waow-wmowbegin">{{cite news|title=WMOW On The Air|url=http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12596893|access-date=June 10, 2010|newspaper=WAOW—Newsline 9|date=June 4, 2010}}</ref>

===WYOW===
{{see|WSAW-TV}}
[[File:WAOW-WYOW Logo.png|125px|thumb|right|WYOW's last logo as a semi-satellite of WAOW, used until August 2, 2021.]]
'''WYOW''' (channel 34) in [[Eagle River, Wisconsin|Eagle River]] formerly operated as a [[semi-satellite]] of WAOW serving Rhinelander. As such, it [[simulcast]] all network and [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programming as provided through its parent, but aired separate [[station identification|legal identifications]] and local commercial inserts. However, this slightly different feed was seen exclusively [[terrestrial television|over the air]] as only WAOW had been offered on [[cable television|cable]] and [[satellite television|satellite]] providers in the market. Although WYOW maintained an advertising sales office on West Pine Street/[[WIS 17]]/[[WIS 70]] in Eagle River and transmitter facilities in unincorporated [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]] (between [[Sugar Camp]] and [[Three Lakes, Wisconsin|Three Lakes]]), [[master control]] and most internal operations were based at WAOW's studios. WYOW was identified on-air as '''"Northwoods 34"''' based on north-central Wisconsin's namesake as a popular vacation and retirement destination in the [[Upper Midwest]]ern United States. It also serves the western portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula although the off-air signal reach is limited to areas around [[Iron River, Michigan|Iron River]] and [[Watersmeet Township, Michigan|Watersmeet]].

WYOW's first broadcast to viewers in Northern Wisconsin and the Western [[Upper Peninsula of Michigan]] was on January 4, 1997, under the ownership of Northwoods Educational Television. Shockley operated the station through a [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) until Shockley successfully purchased it outright in December 1998.

WYOW did not maintain any news-related personnel at its Eagle River office. However, there was a specific section on WAOW's website featuring "Northwoods 34" branded headlines as provided through WAOW's regional coverage.

As of August 2021, the station is owned by Gray Television and rebroadcasts WSAW-TV.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://waow.com/}}

{{Wausau TV}}
{{Marquette TV}}
{{Wisconsin TV}}
{{Other Wisconsin Stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waow}}
[[Category:1965 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Allen Media Group]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Catchy Comedy affiliates]]
[[Category:Court TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1965]]
[[Category:Television stations in Wausau, Wisconsin|AOW]]
[[Category:True Crime Network affiliates]]