View source for WCWG

{{Short description|Television station in Lexington, North Carolina}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Redirect|WTWB-TV|the Pittsburgh television station that used the callsign from 1995 to 1997|WPKD-TV}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WCWG
| city = Lexington, North Carolina
| logo = Triad CW 2024.svg
| logo_size = 175px
| branding = Triad CW; ''WXII 12 News on Triad CW''
| digital = 16 ([[UHF]]), shared with [[WXII-TV]]
| virtual = 20
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''20.1:''' [[The CW]]|'''20.4:''' [[Dabl]]}}
| owner = [[Hearst Television]]
| licensee = Hearst Properties Inc.
| location = {{ubl|[[Lexington, North Carolina|Lexington]]–[[Winston-Salem]]–[[Greensboro]]–|[[High Point, North Carolina]]}}
| country = United States
| founded = May 3, 1983
| airdate = {{start date and age|1985|10|30|p=y}}
| sister_stations = [[WXII-TV]]
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WEJC (1985–1996)|WBFX (1996–2000)|WTWB-TV (2000–2006)}}
| callsign_meaning = "CW Greensboro"
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 20 (UHF, 1985–2009)|'''Digital:''' 19 (UHF, 2003–2017), 31 (UHF, 2017–2019)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[Religious broadcasting|Religious]] [[Independent station|Independent]] (1985–1990)|[[Christian Television Network|CTN]] (1990–1996)|[[The WB]] (secondary 1995–1996, primary 1996–2006)|[[Fox Kids]] (secondary, 1996–2001)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|571.9|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 35385
| coordinates = {{coord|36|22|31|N|80|22|25|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.wxii12.com/cw}}
}}

'''WCWG''' (channel 20) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Lexington, North Carolina]], United States, serving the [[Piedmont Triad]] region as an affiliate of [[The CW]]. It is owned by [[Hearst Television]] alongside [[Winston-Salem]]–licensed [[NBC]] affiliate [[WXII-TV]] (channel 12). WCWG and WXII-TV share studios on Coliseum Drive in Winston-Salem; through a [[channel sharing agreement]], the stations transmit using WXII-TV's spectrum from an antenna on [[Sauratown Mountain]] in [[Stokes County]].

==History==
The station first signed on the air on October 30, 1985, as WEJC (standing for "We Exalt [[Jesus Christ]]"; operating as an [[independent station]], it originally maintained a [[religious broadcasting|religious]] educational format. Initially, the programming was [[Baptist]]- and [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]]-based and stayed away from "[[Signs and Wonders]]" preaching. The station first operated from studios located off [[Interstate 85 Business (North Carolina)|I-85 Business]] in Lexington. Due to lack of suitable programming as well as the perception of religious programs due to hard times in Christian broadcasting following the [[Jim Bakker]] and [[Jimmy Swaggart]] scandals starting in 1987, the station was reduced to minimum staffing and operations from the transmitter building near [[Randleman, North Carolina|Randleman]]. It was originally owned by Koinonia Broadcasting. During this time, WEJC's programming was split in approximately half between the [[HSN#History|Home Shopping Club]] and religious programming. In 1990, the station moved its operations to a new studio facility located on Guilford College Road in [[Greensboro]], eventually resuming local studio production and eliminated most of the HSN programming. The station was affiliated with the broader-based [[evangelical]] [[Christian Television Network]] from 1990 until March 1996.

Koinonia sold the station to [[Pappas Telecasting]] in 1995. Initially it kept the religious format, but it soon became a [[The WB|WB]] affiliate, and added that network's programming to its lineup immediately after the sale was finalized. On March 14, 1996, it changed its call letters to WBFX. Religious programming was reduced to mornings from 5 to 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. to noon in the spring of 1996, with the rest of the schedule filled by syndicated [[animated cartoon|cartoons]] from 7 to 9 a.m., [[westerns]] in the early afternoon, cartoons until 5 p.m., additional westerns in the evening, WB programs and older [[feature film|movies]] in prime time, and [[drama series]] and classic movies in the late night hours.

That summer, the station reached an agreement with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] [[owned-and-operated station]] (now affiliate) [[WGHP]] (channel 8) to carry the [[Fox Kids]] programming block, which had aired on that station since it switched to Fox in September 1995. Upon gaining new affiliates through its group affiliation deal with [[New World Pictures#New World Communications|New World Communications]] (which sold WGHP directly to Fox as it placed New World over the 12-station ownership limit at the time), Fox executives had decided to change the carriage policies for Fox Kids, allowing a station to choose to keep airing it or be granted the right to pass the block to another station in the market. More recent off-network [[sitcom]]s were added to WBFX's schedule, and more of its religious shows were dropped.

The station's call letters changed to WTWB-TV (for "Triad WB") on August 28, 2000. WTWB dropped Fox's children's programming in March 2001, and WGHP chose not to pick up Fox's new [[Saturday morning cartoon]] block, Fox Box (later [[4Kids TV]]), which replaced Fox Kids in 2002. As a result, the block did not air at all in the Piedmont Triad.

On January 24, 2006, the [[Warner Bros.]] unit of [[WarnerMedia|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 a new "fifth" network called [[The CW]].<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/cbs_warner/ 'Gilmore Girls' meet 'Smackdown'; CW Network to combine WB, UPN in CBS-Warner venture beginning in September], [[CNNMoney.com]], January 24, 2006.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/business/media/24cnd-network.html?bl UPN and WB to Combine, Forming New TV Network], ''[[The New York Times]]'', January 24, 2006.</ref> On March 2, 2006, UPN affiliate WUPN-TV (channel 48, now [[WMYV]]) was announced as an affiliate of [[MyNetworkTV]]. Two weeks later on March 17, 2006, WTWB was confirmed as the market's CW outlet. On August 10, 2006, the call sign was changed to WCWG (for "CW Greensboro") to reflect the affiliation.

On January 16, 2009, Pappas announced that several of its stations, including WCWG, would be sold to New World TV Group, after the acquisition received [[United States bankruptcy court]] approval.<ref name="tvnd-pappastonw">{{cite news|url=http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/01/16/daily.11/|title=New World Gets Pappas TVs for $260M|date=January 16, 2008|work=TVnewsday|access-date=January 18, 2008}}</ref> At some point, New World TV Group would change its name to Titan Broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ownerships |url=http://www.newsblues.com/Secure/Source/ownerships.cgi?ownership=479 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630000046/http://www.newsblues.com/Secure/Source/ownerships.cgi?ownership=479 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |website=www.newsblues.com}}</ref> On April 1, 2013, [[Lockwood Broadcast Group]] announced it would be acquiring WCWG from Titan Broadcasting;<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/66551/lockwood-buying-wcwg-greensboro| title = Lockwood Buying WCWG Greensboro - TV News Check| date = April 2013}}</ref> the sale was consummated on September 23.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101575994&formid=905&fac_num=35385|title = CDBS Print}}</ref>

In the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC)'s [[incentive auction]], WCWG sold its spectrum for $105,731,122 and indicated that it would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.<ref name="fcc-wcwgsale">{{cite web|title=FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0413/DA-17-314A2.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=May 21, 2017|date=April 4, 2017}}</ref> WCWG subsequently reached a channel sharing agreement with [[WXII-TV]] (channel 12); the station also entered into a separate [[shared services]] agreement allowing WXII's owner, [[Hearst Television]], to provide additional services to WCWG.<ref name="fcc-wcwgwxiicsa">{{cite web|title=Channel Sharing Agreement|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f915c09a304015c0db5b1f10593|website=Licensing and Management System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=May 21, 2017|format=PDF|date=April 20, 2017}}</ref> With the spectrum move, WCWG dropped Escape and Laff from their channel lineup on July 31, 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Clodfelter|first1=Tim|title=Ask SAM: where did WCWG subchannels go?|date=August 1, 2017|url=http://www.journalnow.com/news/ask_sam/ask-sam-where-did-wcwg-subchannels-go/article_d32db483-d981-539d-8c50-908f8ffef1c2.html|work=[[Winston-Salem Journal]]|language=en}}</ref>

On October 4, 2017, it was announced that Hearst would buy WCWG outright for $3.3 million.<ref name="hearstbuyswcwg">{{Cite news|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/107842/hearst-buying-wcwg-greensboro-for-33m|title=Hearst Buying WCWG Greensboro For $3.3M|last=Miller|first=Mark K.|date=October 4, 2017|work=TVNewsCheck.com|access-date=October 4, 2017|language=en}}</ref> The purchase was completed on February 16, 2018.<ref name="hearstgranted">{{Cite news|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/111298/hearst-completes-purchase-of-wcwg|title=Hearst completes purchase of WCWG|last=Miller|first=Mark K.|date=February 16, 2018|work=TVNewsCheck.com|access-date=February 16, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

==News operation==
As part of the shared services agreement with WXII, the station moved its 10 p.m. newscast from its MeTV subchannel to WCWG beginning July 31, 2017. The newscast was also expanded to a full hour on weeknights while remaining a half-hour on weekends.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.journalnow.com/news/ask_sam/ask-sam-why-is-wxii-carrying-news-on-cw-channel/article_6315a920-ddae-5b74-bcb6-8ef92b5a1c3d.html|title=Ask SAM: Why is WXII carrying news on CW channel?|last=Clodfelter|first=Tim|work=Winston-Salem Journal|date=July 26, 2017|access-date=July 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wxii12.com/article/wxii-12-expands-10-pm-news-on-the-triad-cw/10371287|title=WXII 12 expands 10 p.m. news on The Triad CW|last=Staff|first=WXII.com Web|date=July 27, 2017|work=WXII|access-date=July 30, 2017|language=en}}</ref>

On August 28, 2017, WCWG additionally added a two-hour extension of WXII's morning show.<ref>[http://www.wxii12.com/article/wxii-12-expands-morning-news-coverage-beginning-monday/12097634 WXII 12 expands morning news coverage beginning Monday] ''WXII.com,'' August 25, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.</ref>

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
{{#section:WXII-TV|subs}}
Video Mix TV, a localized viewer request [[music video]] channel which originated for ten years in the [[South Florida]] market, was carried on digital subchannel 20.2 from June 1, 2009, to December 26, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=not found |url=http://www.wcwg20.com/Global/story.asp?S=12315883&nav=menu620_4_2 |access-date=August 19, 2024 |website=www.wcwg20.com}}</ref> On December 27, 2010, the subchannel affiliated with Black Network Television, an [[African American]]-oriented service with emphasis on the local community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=not found |url=http://www.wcwg20.com/Global/story.asp?S=13603122 |access-date=August 19, 2024 |website=www.wcwg20.com}}</ref> BNT's programming was supplemented with syndicated programs, and at launch also included offerings from the AMG TV network. On July 1, 2015, WCWG replaced BNT with the [[Ion Mystery|Escape]] TV channel.

In May 2010, WCWG began carrying [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish-language]] network [[Estrella TV]] on digital subchannel 20.3.<ref name="estrella">{{cite news|url=http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/100210|title=WCWG-TV Signs on Estrella TV|date=May 4, 2010|work=Television Broadcast|access-date=May 21, 2010|archive-date=November 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129020129/http://televisionbroadcast.com/article/100210|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the summer of 2012, [[Bounce TV]] was added to digital channel 20.4. On June 1, 2015, WCWG replaced Estrella TV with the [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]] network.

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WCWG shut down its analog signal on June 12, 2009, as part of the FCC-mandated [[Digital television transition in the United States|transition to digital television for full-power stations]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">[http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf List of Digital Full-Power Stations]</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 19, using [[virtual channel]] 20.

==Out-of-market cable and satellite carriage==
In recent years, WCWG has been carried on [[Cable television|cable]] in [[Siler City]], which is part of the [[Raleigh]] [[television market]] and in [[Wytheville, Virginia]], which is part of the [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]] market. On [[DirecTV]], WCWG has been carried in [[Grayson County, Virginia]], which is also part of the [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]] market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sat coverage for nondma |url=http://svtvstations.webs.com/satcoveragefornondma.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716205324/http://svtvstations.webs.com/satcoveragefornondma.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |website=svtvstations.webs.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.triad20.com/}}

{{Piedmont Triad TV}}
{{CW North Carolina}}
{{CW Virginia}}
{{Hearst}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wcwg}}
[[Category:1985 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:The CW affiliates]]
[[Category:Dabl affiliates]]
[[Category:Davidson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Hearst Television]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1985]]
[[Category:Television stations in the Piedmont Triad|CWG]]