WNKY

WNKY is a television station serving Bowling Green and south-central Kentucky. The station broadcasts NBC programming on its primary channel and CBS programming on a digital subchannel, making it one of the market's principal network television outlets. Its signal is transmitted from Pilot Knob near Smiths Grove, while its studios are located on Chestnut Street in downtown Bowling Green. WNKY is owned by Marquee Broadcasting, which also operates the low-power stations WNKY-LD and WDNZ-LD in the surrounding area. The station began broadcasting on December 17, 1989, under the call sign WQQB. It was initially a religious independent station and faced the usual challenges of a new UHF outlet in a market where viewers had long relied on established VHF stations from Bowling Green and nearby Nashville. Early difficulties included limited cable carriage, weak reception in portions of the market, and technical problems. In 1990, a local cable system added the station, helping it become more visible to viewers. After a 1991 ownership change, WQQB adopted a general-entertainment schedule and changed its call sign to WKNT in January 1992. In April of that year it became Bowling Green's first Fox affiliate and branded itself as Fox 40. During the 1990s, WKNT carried Fox programming, syndicated entertainment, selected college sports, overnight Shop at Home programming, and limited programming from other networks. It also aired NYPD Blue for several seasons because the market's ABC affiliate declined to broadcast the program at that time. The station's Fox affiliation ended in 2001 after Fox terminated its agreement with WKNT. NBC then affiliated with the station, and the call sign changed to WNKY. The affiliation transition was accompanied by a substantial increase in transmission power, improving the station's reach. WNKY launched its digital signal in December 2003 and began transmitting NBC programming in high definition in 2004. In 2007, WNKY added CBS to a new digital subchannel, WNKY-DT2. The change gave Bowling Green a locally based CBS outlet after the market had historically relied on stations from Nashville or Louisville. The CBS service later received a high-definition upgrade, although its over-the-air format used 720p to manage available bandwidth. Both network services were also made available through satellite and cable distribution, although carriage arrangements have varied by provider and county. Marquee Broadcasting acquired WNKY in 2017. Under Marquee, the station expanded its local operating group. WDNZ-LD, a Glasgow-licensed low-power station, joined the group in 2023 and now carries The Country Network. WNKY-LD began broadcasting in 2023 and later became an Ion Television affiliate rather than remaining solely a translator of WNKY. WNKY moved its operations to downtown Bowling Green in February 2021. Beyond network programming, WNKY has carried regional sports, including Tennessee Titans preseason football and earlier Southeastern Conference sports. The station has also operated or carried local news programming, competing with long-established market leader WBKO and with Nashville stations whose signals reach parts of south-central Kentucky. WNKY's principal role today is as a local broadcast platform for NBC and CBS programming, supplemented by local news, syndicated content, sports, public-service material, and digital multicast services.

The history of WNKY began with a construction permit for Bowling Green's UHF channel 40. The Federal Communications Commission granted the permit on October 21, 1983, to CMM Communications of Crossville, Tennessee. The permit later passed to local businessman John M. Cunningham and then to Word Broadcasting president Bob Rodgers, who had previously been involved in launching Louisville station WBNA. The station signed on December 17, 1989, as WQQB. It initially operated as a religious independent station from a transmission site near Smiths Grove. Because Bowling Green viewers were accustomed to established VHF stations and could also receive signals from Nashville, WQQB struggled to establish a local audience. Its early coverage was limited, cable distribution was sparse, and technical issues affected reception and presentation. A significant local cable system began carrying the station in 1990, improving its visibility. Word Broadcasting sold WQQB to Southeastern Communications in late 1991. Under its new ownership, the station moved toward a general-entertainment schedule built around syndicated programs, older films, sitcoms, cartoons, and other lower-cost material. In January 1992, the call letters became WKNT, reflecting the station's intended Kentucky news identity, and the studios moved to Campbell Lane. On April 2, 1992, WKNT became the market's first Fox affiliate and adopted the Fox 40 identity. It subsequently expanded its broadcast day and carried Fox programs alongside syndicated series, sports, overnight shopping content, and selected programs associated with other networks. WKNT entered into a local marketing arrangement with Crossroads Communications in January 1997. Crossroads, connected with Northwest Broadcasting, later purchased the station outright in July 2000. In March 2001, Fox ended its affiliation with WKNT, citing noncompliance with the affiliation agreement. NBC quickly selected the station as its new Bowling Green affiliate. The call sign changed to WNKY on March 27, 2001. The transition also included a power increase designed to improve local coverage, although Nashville's WSMV continued to be available in parts of the region. Northwest Broadcasting sold WNKY to Max Media in 2002, with regulatory approval following in 2003. WNKY launched a digital companion signal in December 2003 and began carrying NBC in high definition in August 2004. The station's next major programming development came in 2007, when it launched CBS on WNKY-DT2. Before that launch, viewers generally depended on Nashville's WTVF or Louisville's WLKY for CBS programming. The new subchannel gave the Bowling Green market a local CBS service, although some cable systems continued to carry WTVF as well. The station has also been involved in several regulatory and distribution matters. In 2013, the FCC fined the licensee after a locally produced advertisement used EAS tones outside an actual emergency. In 2015, a cable dispute led to the temporary removal of WNKY's two digital services from the Glasgow Electric Plant Board system. The services returned after revised retransmission terms were reached. Max Media announced the sale of WNKY to Marquee Broadcasting in April 2017, and the transaction closed in June. Marquee subsequently expanded its Bowling Green-area holdings. WDNZ-LD joined the group in 2023 after a sale from Daily News Broadcasting, while WNKY-LD began operation that year following Marquee's acquisition of its license. WNKY-LD initially retransmitted WNKY but later became an Ion affiliate. WDNZ-LD now carries The Country Network. WNKY itself relocated to downtown Bowling Green in February 2021 and continues to operate as an NBC/CBS television outlet.

1. 2023WNKY-LD begins operation

   A Marquee-owned low-power station began broadcasting and later became an Ion Television affiliate.

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2. 2021Operations move downtown

   WNKY relocated its studios and broadcast operations to Chestnut Street in downtown Bowling Green.

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3. 2017Marquee Broadcasting becomes owner

   Marquee Broadcasting completed its purchase of WNKY from Max Media.

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4. 2007CBS service launches on WNKY-DT2

   A new digital subchannel began carrying CBS programming for the Bowling Green market.

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5. 2004NBC high-definition broadcasting begins

   WNKY began carrying NBC programming in high definition, including coverage of the Athens Olympics.

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6. 2003Digital companion signal launches

   WNKY began digital broadcasting from its Smiths Grove transmitter facility.

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7. 2001Station changes to NBC and adopts WNKY call sign

   Following the loss of its Fox affiliation, the station joined NBC and became WNKY.

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8. 1992WKNT becomes Bowling Green's Fox affiliate

   After changing its call sign from WQQB to WKNT, the station joined Fox and adopted the Fox 40 identity.

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9. 1989Station signs on as WQQB

   The station began broadcasting on December 17 as a religious independent outlet.

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10. 1983FCC grants channel 40 construction permit

    The FCC authorized construction of a new UHF television station for Bowling Green to CMM Communications.

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A local network television station serving Bowling Green and south-central Kentucky, with NBC on its primary service and CBS on a digital subchannel.

• WNKYNBC television affiliate1989

  WNKY's primary broadcast service carries NBC network programming for Bowling Green and surrounding communities in south-central Kentucky. The service also supports local news, public-service material, syndicated programs, sports, and other locally scheduled content. Its transmitter is near Smiths Grove at Pilot Knob, while the station's studios are in downtown Bowling Green.

• WNKY-DT2CBS digital subchannel2007

  WNKY-DT2 is the station's CBS-affiliated digital service. Launched in 2007, it replaced the market's historical dependence on CBS stations from Nashville and Louisville with a local Bowling Green outlet. The service later received a high-definition upgrade and has also been distributed by cable and satellite providers.

• WNKY-LDIon Television low-power station2023

  WNKY-LD is a Marquee Broadcasting low-power station serving the Bowling Green area. It initially operated as a translator of WNKY and simulcast the station's services, but became a distinct Ion Television affiliate in September 2023.

• WDNZ-LDThe Country Network low-power station

  WDNZ-LD is licensed to Glasgow, Kentucky, and operates alongside WNKY under Marquee Broadcasting ownership. After its acquisition by Marquee, it dropped several earlier multicast affiliations and adopted The Country Network as its primary affiliation.

• 2017Sale to Marquee BroadcastingM&A

  Max Media decided to sell the Bowling Green station after owning it for roughly fifteen years.

  What changed. Marquee Broadcasting acquired WNKY and completed the transaction in June 2017.

  Aftermath. WNKY became part of Marquee's regional station group, later joined by WDNZ-LD and WNKY-LD.

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• 2007Launch CBS on a digital subchannelProduct launch

  Bowling Green viewers had historically received CBS from stations in Nashville or Louisville rather than from a locally based affiliate.

  What changed. WNKY launched CBS programming on WNKY-DT2.

  Aftermath. The market gained a local CBS service, although some cable systems continued to carry out-of-market CBS stations.

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• 2001Replace Fox affiliation with NBC affiliationStrategy

  Fox ended its agreement with WKNT, while NBC sought a local affiliate in the Bowling Green market.

  What changed. The station joined NBC, changed its call sign to WNKY, and increased its effective transmission power.

  Aftermath. WNKY became a principal Big Three network station and later added CBS through a digital subchannel.

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• 1992Switch from independent programming to Fox affiliationStrategy

  The station had struggled as a new religious and general-entertainment independent in a competitive market with strong signals from established stations.

  What changed. After changing its call sign to WKNT, the station joined Fox and repositioned itself as Fox 40.

  Aftermath. The affiliation expanded the station's programming supply and gave it a national network identity until Fox ended the relationship in 2001.

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• 2013Improper use of Emergency Alert System tonesControversy

  A locally produced advertisement for a sports apparel business included EAS tones even though it was not an emergency message. The FCC fined WNKY's licensee and required additional emergency-preparedness public-service activity and cooperation on warning-equipment infrastructure.

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• 2023WNKY-LD becomes an Ion Television affiliate

  After beginning as a translator of WNKY, the Marquee-owned low-power station WNKY-LD was converted into a separate Ion Television affiliate.

  Product launch
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• 2021WNKY relocates to downtown Bowling Green

  The station moved its broadcast operations from its former west-side facility to studios on Chestnut Street in downtown Bowling Green.

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• 2017Marquee Broadcasting acquires WNKY

  Marquee Broadcasting completed its acquisition of WNKY from Max Media and assumed operation of the Bowling Green station.

  M&A
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• 2015WNKY resolves Glasgow cable carriage dispute

  Glasgow Electric Plant Board temporarily removed WNKY's NBC and CBS services during a retransmission-cost dispute. The channels returned after the parties agreed to revised terms.

  PricingOther
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• 2007WNKY adds CBS digital subchannel

  WNKY launched a CBS-affiliated digital subchannel, creating a locally based CBS service for the Bowling Green market.

  Product launch
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1. WNKY
2. WNKY official website