WANE-TV

WANE-TV is a CBS-affiliated television station broadcasting on channel 15 from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station serves the Fort Wayne television market and surrounding areas of northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. Its studios and transmission facilities are located on West State Boulevard in Fort Wayne's Tower Heights area. WANE-TV is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates as part of the company's wider local-station portfolio. The station began broadcasting on September 26, 1954, under the call sign WINT. It was established by Tri-State Television and was initially licensed to Waterloo, Indiana, a community north of Fort Wayne. During its early period, the station identified itself with both Waterloo and Fort Wayne and transmitted from a site near Auburn. In 1956, Indiana Broadcasting Company, which also owned Indianapolis station WISH-TV and radio station WANE, acquired WINT. The new owners moved the station's operations and license to Fort Wayne and adopted the WANE-TV call sign, linking the television station to the existing WANE radio identity. The transmitter remained near Auburn until 1957. Indiana Broadcasting became Corinthian Broadcasting Company in 1957. WANE-TV has been affiliated with CBS throughout its history, although it also carried ABC programming during its early years before WPTA-TV began broadcasting in 1957. The station briefly carried programming from the NTA Film Network in the late 1950s and produced local programs including The Ann Colone Show, a talk and variety program. WANE radio was later sold separately in 1966. Ownership changed several times. Corinthian was acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in 1970, and the station was subsequently sold to Belo Corporation in 1983. Because of contemporary Federal Communications Commission ownership restrictions, Belo divested WANE-TV and WISH-TV to LIN Broadcasting. The two stations remained closely connected for many years, sharing resources, news themes and coverage capabilities. Between 1997 and 2012, their news operations used related musical branding, and WANE-TV benefited from WISH-TV's resources for breaking news, live events and sports coverage. WANE-TV expanded its role in local television during the 1990s and 2000s. In 1999, it acquired the Fort Wayne market rights to the syndicated game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune from WKJG-TV. In 2003, the station moved UPN programming to a newly created digital subchannel, WANE-DT2, after previously operating as a secondary UPN outlet. That arrangement ended in 2006 when UPN merged with The WB to create The CW. The station also used its digital capacity for repeated newscasts, local sports and other programming. In 2011, WANE announced an Antenna TV affiliation for its previously unused 15.2 subchannel; that affiliation later moved to WFFT-TV's third digital subchannel. The station's carriage has occasionally been affected by retransmission-consent negotiations. A dispute between LIN TV and Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks in 2008 led to WANE-TV being removed from certain systems after the existing contract expired. Service was restored on Time Warner Cable in northwest Ohio later that month, while some Bright House systems did not restore the station. LIN Media's 2014 merger with Media General placed WANE-TV under Media General ownership. Nexstar announced its acquisition of Media General in 2016, and the transaction was completed in 2017. Because the combined company already owned WFFT-TV in the Fort Wayne market, Nexstar retained WANE-TV and sold WFFT-TV and several other stations to Heartland Media and its investment partner. By September 2019, WANE-TV had become a sister station to Nexstar-owned WTTV and WXIN in Indianapolis. WANE-TV has maintained a substantial local-news operation, including weekday and weekend newscasts and the Friday-night sports program The Highlight Zone. Its local broadcasts transitioned from pillarboxed standard definition to high-definition production…

WANE-TV signed on September 26, 1954, as WINT, a station established by Tri-State Television. The station was initially licensed to Waterloo, Indiana, and identified with both Waterloo and Fort Wayne. Its original transmission facilities were located near Auburn, while the station's early studios served the Waterloo area. In 1956, Indiana Broadcasting Company purchased WINT. The buyer also owned WISH-TV in Indianapolis and WANE radio in Fort Wayne. Following the acquisition, the station's call letters changed to WANE-TV, and its license and operations moved to Fort Wayne. The Auburn-area analog transmitter remained in use until 1957. Indiana Broadcasting adopted the Corinthian Broadcasting Company name in 1957. WANE-TV retained CBS as its primary affiliation and carried ABC as a secondary service until WPTA-TV signed on in September 1957. The station briefly carried NTA Film Network programs and produced locally originated programming such as The Ann Colone Show. WANE radio was sold independently in 1966. Corinthian Broadcasting was acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in 1970. In 1983, WANE-TV became part of Belo Corporation, but Belo's holdings exceeded the television ownership limit then in effect when considered with WANE-TV and WISH-TV. Both stations were therefore sold to LIN Broadcasting. WANE-TV and WISH-TV remained closely related operations for decades, sharing news resources and, from 1997 through 2012, related news-theme branding. The relationship helped WANE-TV draw on Indianapolis resources for breaking news, live events and sports coverage. The station's programming profile changed as television distribution evolved. In 1999, WANE-TV obtained the local broadcast rights to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune from WKJG-TV. After UPN launched in 1995, programming associated with the network appeared in the market through secondary arrangements. WANE-TV moved UPN programming to its digital subchannel full-time in 2003, where it was combined with repeated newscasts and local sports content. The UPN service ended in 2006 following the creation of The CW through the merger of UPN and The WB. In 2011, WANE-TV announced an Antenna TV affiliation for digital channel 15.2; the affiliation subsequently moved to WFFT-TV's third digital stream in 2018. WANE-TV experienced a significant carriage dispute in 2008. LIN TV was unable to renew agreements with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks covering WANE-TV and other LIN stations. After the contracts expired on October 2, the stations were removed from affected systems nationwide. WANE-TV returned to Time Warner Cable in northwest Ohio on October 29, while some Bright House systems in Grant County, Indiana, continued to receive another CBS affiliate instead. The station was included in Media General's acquisition of LIN Media, announced in 2014 and completed in December of that year. Nexstar subsequently announced its acquisition of Media General in January 2016. Since Nexstar already owned WFFT-TV in the Fort Wayne market, Federal Communications Commission ownership rules required a divestiture. Nexstar chose to retain WANE-TV and sold WFFT-TV, along with several other stations, to Heartland Media through a joint venture involving USA Television MidAmerica Holdings and MSouth Equity Partners. WANE-TV became part of Nexstar's operating structure after the Media General transaction and later operated as a sister station to WTTV and WXIN in Indianapolis. The news operation has been central to WANE-TV's identity. The station produces recurring local newscasts across weekdays and weekends and airs The Highlight Zone, a Friday-night sports program. It became a particularly prominent local news competitor after changes to the WISE-TV and WPTA news operation reduced the independent identity of WISE-TV's newsroom. WANE-TV's broadcasts moved from pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition toward high-definition production, completing the upgrade with new graphics and a new set on September 10, 2012. The station completed the federally mandated analog shutdown on June 12, 2009, while retaining virtual channel 15 on its digital signal. In October 2018, the station refreshed its visual identity by combining the CBS eye with the number 15 and replacing the NewsChannel 15 name with WANE 15. The station now presents itself as a local news, weather and sports brand alongside its CBS network service and digital publishing operation.

1. 2018Rebrands as WANE 15

   The station introduced a CBS-eye-and-15 logo and retired the NewsChannel 15 name.

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2. 2017Nexstar ownership begins

   Nexstar's acquisition of Media General was completed, placing WANE-TV under Nexstar ownership.

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3. 2014Media General completes LIN Media merger

   The merger completed on December 19, transferring WANE-TV to Media General.

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4. 2012Local newscasts upgraded to high definition

   The station introduced high-definition local newscasts, a new studio set and new graphics on September 10.

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5. 2009Analog broadcasting ends

   WANE-TV shut down its analog signal on June 12 as part of the United States full-power television transition to digital broadcasting.

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6. 2003UPN moves to WANE digital subchannel

   UPN programming moved to WANE-DT2, which also carried newscast repeats and local sports content.

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7. 1999Adds Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune

   WANE-TV acquired the Fort Wayne market rights to the two syndicated game shows from WKJG-TV.

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8. 1983Station sold to LIN Broadcasting

   Belo divested WANE-TV and WISH-TV because of television ownership limits, and LIN Broadcasting acquired the stations.

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9. 1957Corinthian Broadcasting identity adopted

   Indiana Broadcasting Company became known as Corinthian Broadcasting Company.

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10. 1956Acquisition and move to Fort Wayne

    Indiana Broadcasting Company acquired WINT, changed its call sign to WANE-TV and moved the license and operations to Fort Wayne.

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11. 1954Station signs on as WINT

    Tri-State Television launched the station on September 26 as WINT, initially licensed to Waterloo, Indiana.

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A locally focused CBS network affiliate and news provider for the Fort Wayne television market.

• WANE 15 Local NewsLocal television news1954

  WANE-TV's core local-news service covers Fort Wayne and surrounding communities through weekday and weekend broadcasts. Its output includes reporting, weather, traffic and community coverage, supported by the station's website and digital video distribution. The station's local-news identity has historically been central to its competitive position in the Fort Wayne market.

• The Highlight ZoneLocal sports programming

  The Highlight Zone is WANE-TV's Friday-night sports highlights program. It extends the station's local coverage beyond general news and focuses on area athletics and sports results.

• CBS network programmingNetwork television1954

  WANE-TV has maintained a CBS affiliation throughout its history. The station distributes CBS entertainment, news and sports programming to viewers in the Fort Wayne market alongside its own locally produced content.

• Digital subchannel servicesDigital broadcasting2003

  WANE-TV has used its digital multiplex for additional services, including UPN programming beginning in 2003 and an Antenna TV affiliation beginning in December 2011. The station has also used digital capacity for repeated newscasts and local sports content.

• WANE.comDigital news publishing

  WANE.com is the station's official online platform, extending its local news, weather, sports and video coverage beyond the broadcast schedule.

• 2018Rebranded from NewsChannel 15 to WANE 15Strategy

  The NewsChannel 15 identity had been used for 26 years during the station's LIN Media and Media General ownership periods.

  What changed. WANE-TV adopted a logo combining the CBS eye with the number 15 and shifted its public brand to WANE 15.

  Aftermath. The rebrand aligned the station's identity more closely with its call sign, channel number and CBS affiliation.

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• 2012Converted local news production to high definitionGeneration change

  WANE-TV had been producing local broadcasts in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition while competitors were moving toward widescreen and high-definition presentation.

  What changed. The station introduced HD newscasts together with a new set and updated graphics on September 10.

  Aftermath. WANE-TV became the second Fort Wayne station, and the first network-affiliated station in the market, to make the upgrade.

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• 2008Maintained carriage position during retransmission disputeStrategy

  LIN TV and major cable providers were unable to agree on renewed carriage terms for WANE-TV and other LIN-owned stations.

  What changed. The station remained part of LIN's negotiating position, and its signal was removed from affected cable systems after the contract expired.

  Aftermath. WANE-TV returned to Time Warner Cable in northwest Ohio later in October, while some Bright House systems in Grant County did not restore the station.

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• 2018WANE-TV adopted WANE 15 branding

  The station redesigned its logo to incorporate the CBS eye with the number 15 and retired the NewsChannel 15 name after 26 years.

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• 2016Nexstar announced plan to acquire Media General

  Nexstar announced that it would acquire Media General. Because Nexstar already owned WFFT-TV in the same market, regulatory requirements led to the later sale of WFFT-TV while WANE-TV was retained.

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• 2014Media General announced acquisition of LIN Media

  Media General announced a transaction to acquire LIN Media, bringing WANE-TV into the Media General station group after completion of the merger.

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• 2011WANE-TV announced Antenna TV digital subchannel affiliation

  The station announced that Antenna TV would begin airing on its previously vacant 15.2 digital subchannel in December 2011.

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• 2008WANE-TV removed from some cable systems during retransmission dispute

  LIN TV, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks failed to reach a carriage agreement covering WANE-TV and other LIN-owned stations. The stations were removed from certain systems after the contract expired, with restoration occurring on some systems later in October.

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1. WANE-TV
2. WANE 15 official website