WGFL

WGFL is a full-power television station licensed to High Springs, Florida, and serving the Gainesville television market. The station broadcasts on digital channel 29 and uses virtual channel 28, while its principal cable branding has historically emphasized channel 4 through the CBS 4 identity. WGFL has operated under several network affiliations during its history and has been associated with CBS, MyNetworkTV and, from December 2025, NBC programming on a subchannel. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates from shared facilities in Gainesville with WNBW-DT and WYME-CD. WGFL began broadcasting on September 20, 1997, as an analog UHF station on channel 53. Its original identity was WB 53, and it served as the local affiliate of The WB. It also carried UPN programming on a secondary basis, generally placing that programming in late-night hours. Its early schedule combined network programming with syndicated sitcoms, talk and reality programs, and children's programming from Kids' WB. The station became a CBS affiliate on July 15, 2002, following a wider affiliation change in northeastern Florida. It adopted the CBS 4 branding, reflecting its cable channel placement in the Gainesville area, and became the market's outlet for CBS programming, including national news, entertainment, sports and selected college football and basketball events. The transition also displaced its UPN programming, while The WB was moved to a separate cable-only service. WGFL's CBS role gave it access to Florida Gators sports coverage and CBS sports properties, which were particularly significant in a market with strong University of Florida interest. Ownership changed several times in the 2000s. The station was sold to Pegasus Communications in 2004 following an earlier brokerage arrangement involving Budd Broadcasting. After Pegasus filed for bankruptcy in 2005, WGFL became part of New Age Media. Sinclair Broadcast Group later acquired the station's operating assets through a transaction involving New Age Media. Sinclair began operating WGFL under a master service arrangement after purchasing non-license assets in 2014, and the company subsequently completed its direct acquisition of WGFL and WYME in 2025. WGFL has shared facilities and operational relationships with other stations serving Gainesville. Its studios are located on Northwest 80th Boulevard near Interstate 75 and State Road 93, while its transmitter facilities are near Newberry. The station has also carried programming from or operated alongside WMYG-LP, a low-power MyNetworkTV outlet whose license was canceled in 2015. WMYG-LP programming subsequently continued as a WGFL subchannel service. The station has had several approaches to local news. It initially simulcast selected newscasts from WTEV in Jacksonville, then used syndicated news programming. In 2010, it introduced GTN News, a centralized local-news operation produced by Independent News Network and shared with WNBW. The service was later renamed CBS 4 News and adopted Sinclair's standardized presentation in 2016. Production was transferred to Sinclair's WPEC in West Palm Beach by 2019. WGFL discontinued its locally produced CBS 4 News broadcasts in May 2023 and replaced them with nationally syndicated programming, including Sinclair's The National News Desk. Technically, WGFL ended regular analog transmission on July 18, 2008, earlier than the nationwide analog shutdown. Its digital facility initially operated on UHF channel 28 and moved to channel 29 in January 2020 as part of the FCC's post-incentive-auction repacking. WGFL remains a local broadcast outlet focused on network programming, syndicated content and multicast services for Gainesville and surrounding communities.

WGFL signed on September 20, 1997, as an analog UHF station on channel 53. It initially served the Gainesville area as a WB affiliate under the WB 53 identity. The schedule included The WB's prime-time and children's programming, syndicated sitcoms, and talk and reality programs. UPN programming was also carried secondarily, generally in a late-night slot. In May 2002, WGFL announced that it would become a CBS affiliate. The change resulted from an affiliation realignment affecting Jacksonville and surrounding parts of Florida. When the transition took effect on July 15, 2002, WGFL adopted the CBS 4 name, based on its cable channel position in the Gainesville market. The station became a major outlet for CBS network programming, including national news, entertainment, NFL games, college sports and Florida Gators-related coverage. The former UPN programming was eventually moved elsewhere, while WB programming was carried by a separate cable-only service. WGFL's ownership changed during the following decade. Budd Broadcasting had been involved in an earlier time-brokerage arrangement, and the station was sold to Pegasus Communications in 2004. Pegasus later filed for bankruptcy, after which WGFL became part of New Age Media. In 2013, New Age Media announced a plan to sell WGFL and WMYG-LP to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Regulatory and transaction changes followed: New Age Media sought dismissal of the station-sale application in 2014, while Sinclair acquired the non-license assets of stations involved in the proposed transaction and began operating them through a master service agreement. Sinclair later became WGFL's direct owner, with the acquisition of WGFL and WYME reported as completed on August 1, 2025. The station has operated in a shared-services environment with WNBW-DT and WYME-CD. The stations share studio facilities on Northwest 80th Boulevard in Gainesville, near Interstate 75 and State Road 93, and transmitter facilities near Newberry. WGFL also provided full-market over-the-air digital coverage for WMYG-LP, a low-power analog MyNetworkTV affiliate. The WMYG-LP license was canceled on November 18, 2015, after which the MyNetworkTV service continued as a WGFL subchannel. WGFL's local news strategy developed in stages. The station originally planned a local news service after joining CBS. In 2003, it began simulcasting noon, evening and late-night newscasts from WTEV in Jacksonville. Those broadcasts provided limited Gainesville coverage and were later dropped. The station then used Independent News Network programming before launching GTN News on October 27, 2010. GTN News was produced through a centralized operation, initially in Davenport, Iowa, and later in Little Rock, Arkansas, while local reporters supplied market-specific material. WGFL and WNBW shared several newscasts and weather segments. In 2016, the news operation adopted Sinclair's standardized music and graphics and was renamed CBS 4 News. By 2019, production had been transferred to Sinclair-owned WPEC in West Palm Beach. On May 1, 2023, the planned discontinuation of the newscasts was reported; the local operation ended on May 12, with syndicated programming such as The National News Desk taking its place. WGFL was an early participant in the transition away from analog broadcasting. It ended regular analog programming on July 18, 2008, transmitting digitally on its pre-transition UHF channel 28. After the FCC incentive-auction repacking process, the station moved its digital allocation from channel 28 to channel 29 on January 17, 2020. WGFL's affiliations continued to evolve in 2025. The NBC affiliation was reported as moving from WNBW to WGFL's third subchannel on December 10, while WNBW's primary channel moved to the Roar network. Through its CBS, MyNetworkTV and NBC services, WGFL functions as a multi-network broadcast platform for the Gainesville market rather than as a single-network station only.

1. 2025Sinclair completes direct acquisition

   Sinclair completes the reported acquisition of WGFL and WYME on August 1.

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2. 2023Local news operation ends

   CBS 4 News newscasts end in May, and syndicated programming replaces locally produced news.

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3. 2020Digital channel changes to 29

   WGFL moves its digital channel allocation from 28 to 29 as part of the FCC repacking process.

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4. 2016CBS 4 logo and news presentation updated

   WGFL replaces its older CBS 4 logo and adopts Sinclair's standardized news music and graphics package.

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5. 2015WMYG-LP license is canceled

   The low-power WMYG-LP license is canceled, with its MyNetworkTV programming continuing through a WGFL subchannel.

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6. 2010GTN News launches

   WGFL launches a centralized local news service produced by Independent News Network and shared with WNBW.

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7. 2008Analog broadcasting ends

   WGFL ends regular analog programming on July 18 and continues with digital transmission.

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8. 2005WGFL becomes part of New Age Media

   Following Pegasus Communications' bankruptcy filing, WGFL becomes associated with New Age Media.

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9. 2004Station sold to Pegasus Communications

   WGFL is sold to Pegasus Communications amid an earlier brokerage arrangement involving Budd Broadcasting.

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10. 2002CBS affiliation begins

    WGFL becomes the Gainesville area's CBS affiliate on July 15 and adopts the CBS 4 brand.

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11. 1997WGFL begins broadcasting

    The station signs on September 20 as a WB affiliate on analog UHF channel 53, using the WB 53 identity.

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A local network-affiliated television station serving Gainesville and north-central Florida, with a principal CBS 4 identity and additional multicast network services.

• CBS 4Network-affiliated television service2002

  WGFL's principal branding since its 2002 affiliation with CBS. The service carries CBS entertainment, news and sports programming for the Gainesville market and has historically emphasized its cable channel 4 placement.

• MyNetworkTVMulticast television service

  WGFL has carried MyNetworkTV programming through a digital subchannel, including programming formerly associated with low-power affiliate WMYG-LP after that station's license was canceled.

• NBCMulticast television service2025

  The NBC affiliation was reported as moving to WGFL's third subchannel on December 10, 2025, following a change involving co-owned WNBW-DT.

• CBS 4 NewsLocal news2010

  WGFL's former local news service, known earlier as GTN News. It used centralized production and later Sinclair-supported production before being discontinued in May 2023.

• 2002CBS 4 rebrand

  Gainesville, Florida

  WGFL promoted its transition from WB 53 to CBS 4 as it assumed the CBS affiliation and became a principal local source for CBS network programming.

  Outcome. The CBS 4 identity became the station's principal consumer-facing brand.

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• 2023End of locally produced newscastsStrategy

  Sinclair reported plans to discontinue WGFL's CBS 4 News operation.

  What changed. The station ended local newscasts on May 12 and replaced them with nationally syndicated programming.

  Aftermath. WGFL no longer maintains a locally produced television news operation and instead carries services including The National News Desk.

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• 2010Launch of GTN NewsProduct launch

  After ending earlier syndicated and imported news arrangements, WGFL sought a more locally branded news service.

  What changed. WGFL launched GTN News, produced through Independent News Network and shared with WNBW.

  Aftermath. The service later became CBS 4 News and was eventually discontinued in 2023.

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• 2002Switch from The WB to CBSStrategy

  A Jacksonville-area affiliation realignment left an opportunity for WGFL to become the CBS outlet serving Gainesville.

  What changed. WGFL began carrying CBS programming on July 15, 2002, and adopted the CBS 4 identity.

  Aftermath. The station gained CBS sports and entertainment programming, while its former WB and UPN arrangements changed.

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• 2025Sinclair completes acquisition of WGFL and WYME

  Sinclair announced in May 2025 that it would acquire WGFL and WYME outright; the transaction was reported as completed on August 1.

  M&A
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• 2025NBC programming moves to WGFL subchannel

  The NBC affiliation was reported as moving from WNBW to WGFL's third subchannel on December 10, 2025, while WNBW's main channel adopted the Roar affiliation.

  Product launchOther
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• 2023WGFL discontinues locally produced news

  WGFL ended its CBS 4 News newscasts in May 2023 and eliminated its local news operation, substituting nationally syndicated programming.

  Leadership change
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• 2013New Age Media announces sale of WGFL stations to Sinclair

  New Age Media announced plans to sell WGFL and related stations to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair later operated the stations through a master service agreement after acquiring their non-license assets.

  M&A
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• 2002WGFL joins CBS

  WGFL replaced its WB affiliation with CBS and adopted the CBS 4 brand, becoming the principal CBS outlet serving Gainesville.

  OtherProduct generation
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1. WGFL
2. WGFL official website