WRBW

WRBW is a broadcast television station serving Orlando, Florida, on channel 65. Although it has retained a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV, the station is primarily programmed as an independent outlet and is marketed as Fox 35 Plus, an extension of Fox-owned WOFL, the market's Fox affiliate. WRBW and WOFL operate as a duopoly and share studios on Skyline Drive in Lake Mary, north of Orlando. WRBW's transmitter is located in Bithlo, Florida. The station's origins were unusually contentious. Four applicant groups sought the channel 65 construction permit in the early 1980s, beginning a proceeding that lasted almost twelve years and generated repeated challenges before the Federal Communications Commission and the courts. The FCC's comparative review considered factors including the degree to which owners would participate in station management and the agency's policies favoring minority and female ownership. Rainbow Broadcasting Company, led by Cuban immigrant Joseph Rey, ultimately prevailed in the FCC review process. Metro Broadcasting, one of the unsuccessful applicants, challenged both the award and the constitutional basis of the FCC's comparative preferences. The dispute became part of the landmark Supreme Court case Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC, in which the Court upheld the relevant FCC policies in 1990. Construction was delayed further by disputes involving the proposed transmission tower in Bithlo. The owner of the tower had also permitted Press Communications, operator of competing independent station WKCF, to use space on the structure. Conflicts arose over antenna placement, transmitter power, construction-permit extensions, and several related legal petitions. The tower owner eventually reduced WKCF's power so WRBW's antenna could be installed safely. The FCC rejected Press Communications' objections in 1994, while additional proceedings continued into the following years. WRBW began broadcasting on June 6, 1994, as an independent station. Its early schedule emphasized movies, classic sitcoms, cartoons, and other syndicated programming, including aggressive counterprogramming intended to distinguish channel 65 from Orlando's established stations. It joined the newly launched United Paramount Network, or UPN, in January 1995 after competing station WKCF chose an affiliation with The WB. In 1997, WRBW added a local 10 p.m. newscast produced by ABC affiliate WFTV. United Television, a subsidiary of Chris-Craft Industries and a part-owner of UPN, agreed to acquire WRBW from Rainbow in 1997. The transaction closed in 1999. Under United ownership, the station refreshed its syndicated programming and began carrying Orlando Magic basketball games, sharing the team's local broadcast package with the regional Sunshine Network. WRBW held those broadcast rights for eight seasons before the Magic moved to an exclusively cable-based arrangement in 2007. Fox Television Stations acquired WRBW in 2001 as part of its purchase of most of Chris-Craft's television assets. Fox subsequently acquired WOFL through a station trade with Meredith Corporation, creating the Orlando duopoly that continues to operate WRBW. When UPN and The WB were replaced by The CW in 2006, Fox-owned UPN stations were generally excluded from The CW's initial affiliation structure. Fox therefore launched MyNetworkTV as a programming service for many of its former UPN stations, and WRBW became its Orlando affiliate. During the 2010s and early 2020s, WRBW's schedule and branding moved closer to WOFL's. The station carried a mixture of syndicated and locally produced programming while continuing its MyNetworkTV relationship. In 2019, it adopted the Fox 35 Plus identity and added a dedicated 8 p.m. local newscast, positioning the channel as a complementary service to WOFL rather than as a fully separate network-style operation. Its current role is therefore a hybrid one: a Fox-owned local broadcast outlet, a MyNetworkTV affiliate, and a secondary pla…

WRBW's history began with the creation of a new television allocation on channel 65 in the Orlando market. Four groups applied for the construction permit in 1982: Metro Broadcasting, Winter Park Communications, Orlando Family Television, and Rainbow Broadcasting Company. Rainbow was led by Joseph Rey, a Cuban immigrant who assembled a group that included Cuban-American investors. The comparative hearing examined ownership integration, local participation, and FCC affirmative-action policies relating to minority and female ownership. An FCC administrative law judge initially favored Metro Broadcasting in December 1983, but the FCC review board reversed that result in December 1984 and awarded the permit to Rainbow. Metro challenged the decision, arguing that the FCC's minority and gender preferences violated equal-protection principles. Winter Park Communications brought a separate challenge concerning the choice of Orlando rather than Winter Park as the city of license. The controversy moved through the FCC and federal courts and became intertwined with the broader constitutional dispute considered in Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC. In June 1990, the Supreme Court upheld the FCC's contested preference policies in a 5–4 ruling. The permit's legal clearance did not immediately produce a station. Rainbow faced additional disputes concerning its proposed Bithlo tower site and the relationship between WRBW and WKCF, which was also using the tower while changing channels. Questions concerned lease rights, antenna spacing, power reductions, construction-permit extensions, and the use of an antenna different from the one described in the original FCC application. The tower owner ultimately reduced WKCF's power so WRBW's antenna could be installed. The FCC dismissed Press Communications' principal objections in May 1994, and WRBW finally began broadcasting on June 6 of that year. At launch, WRBW was an independent station with a schedule built around movies, classic comedies, cartoons, and syndicated programs. Its programming strategy emphasized counterprogramming against established Orlando outlets. The station had studio and office space at Universal Studios Florida. In January 1995, it joined UPN, which had been seeking an Orlando affiliate while WKCF selected The WB. WRBW later expanded its local presence by adding a WFTV-produced 10 p.m. newscast in March 1997. United Television, associated with Chris-Craft Industries and UPN, agreed to purchase WRBW from Rainbow in 1997. The sale closed in July 1999. The new ownership updated the station's daytime syndicated lineup and added Orlando Magic basketball broadcasts. WRBW carried Magic games for eight seasons, sharing rights with the Sunshine Network, until the team moved to an exclusively cable-based arrangement in 2007. Fox Television Stations purchased WRBW in 2001 as part of its acquisition of Chris-Craft's television holdings. Fox later obtained WOFL and WOGX in a 2002 transaction with Meredith, producing an Orlando duopoly. Fox did not move its main Fox affiliation from WOFL to WRBW. Instead, WRBW remained the secondary station in the group. The collapse of UPN and The WB in 2006 brought another major change. Because Fox-owned UPN stations were not selected for the new CW network, Fox created MyNetworkTV for many of those outlets. WRBW became Orlando's MyNetworkTV station. Over time, Fox aligned its programming, presentation, and local-news strategy more closely with WOFL. In 2019, WRBW was renamed Fox 35 Plus and received a dedicated 8 p.m. local newscast. The current station is therefore best understood as a Fox-owned independent-style channel with a continuing MyNetworkTV affiliation and a supporting role within WOFL's Orlando television operation.

1. 2019Fox 35 Plus rebrand

   WRBW adopted the Fox 35 Plus identity and added an 8 p.m. local newscast connected to the WOFL operation.

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2. 2006MyNetworkTV affiliation begins

   After UPN ended, WRBW became an affiliate of Fox's MyNetworkTV service.

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3. 2002Fox and Meredith create the Orlando duopoly

   A station exchange gave Fox control of WOFL and WOGX, placing WRBW and WOFL under common ownership.

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4. 2001Fox acquires WRBW

   Fox Television Stations acquired WRBW through its purchase of Chris-Craft's television assets.

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5. 1999United Television ownership closes

   United Television completed its acquisition of WRBW and subsequently added Orlando Magic broadcasts.

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6. 1997Local late news is introduced

   WRBW began airing a WFTV-produced 10 p.m. weekday newscast.

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7. 1995UPN affiliation begins

   WRBW became an affiliate of the newly launched UPN network in January.

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8. 1994WRBW signs on

   WRBW began broadcasting on June 6 as an independent station.

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9. 1990Supreme Court resolves the central legal challenge

   The Supreme Court upheld the FCC policies at issue in Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC, removing a major obstacle to the permit's implementation.

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10. 1984Rainbow Broadcasting receives the permit award

    The FCC review board overturned an initial administrative-law decision and awarded the construction permit to Rainbow Broadcasting Company.

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11. 1982Four groups apply for channel 65

    Four applicant groups submitted competing applications for a new Orlando-area television station on channel 65.

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A Fox-owned secondary Orlando television outlet that combines independent programming, MyNetworkTV content, syndicated entertainment, and local news under the Fox 35 Plus brand.

• WRBW broadcast serviceTelevision station1994

  WRBW is a full-power Orlando-market television service broadcasting on channel 65. Its schedule combines independent-station programming with MyNetworkTV content, syndicated entertainment, movies, and programming coordinated with sister station WOFL. The station's signal serves Orlando and surrounding areas in Central Florida from its Bithlo transmitter.

• Fox 35 PlusLocal television brand2019

  Fox 35 Plus is the branding adopted by WRBW in 2019 to present the station as a complementary Fox-owned service associated with WOFL's Fox 35 operation. The identity supports shared programming and local-news initiatives while preserving WRBW's separate channel position and MyNetworkTV relationship.

• Orlando Magic broadcastsSports broadcasting1999

  WRBW carried Orlando Magic basketball games beginning in 1999, sharing the local broadcast package with Sunshine Network. The station served as an over-the-air outlet for the team for eight seasons before the Magic moved their rights exclusively to cable in 2007.

• 2019Fox 35 Plus rebrand

  Orlando · Central Florida

  WRBW was repositioned under the Fox 35 Plus name to make its relationship with WOFL more explicit and to support an expanded local-news role.

  Outcome. The station added a dedicated 8 p.m. local newscast and became more visibly integrated with the WOFL brand family.

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• 1994Independent-station launch campaign

  Orlando · Central Florida

  At launch, WRBW promoted itself as a new independent alternative, using movies, classic comedies, cartoons, and counterprogramming to establish a distinct position against established Orlando stations.

  Outcome. The station established an initial independent identity before joining UPN the following year.

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• 2019Reposition as Fox 35 PlusStrategy

  Fox increasingly coordinated WRBW's programming and presentation with sister station WOFL.

  What changed. WRBW adopted the Fox 35 Plus identity and introduced a dedicated 8 p.m. local newscast.

  Aftermath. The station was positioned as a complementary extension of WOFL's Fox 35 operation while continuing to carry MyNetworkTV programming.

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• 2006Move from UPN to MyNetworkTVStrategy

  UPN and The WB were being replaced by The CW, but Fox-owned UPN stations were not selected for the new network.

  What changed. Fox assigned WRBW to MyNetworkTV, its newly created programming service for many displaced UPN stations.

  Aftermath. WRBW retained a network programming relationship while operating within Fox's broader station portfolio.

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• 1999Add Orlando Magic television broadcastsProduct launch

  The station sought stronger locally relevant programming after its acquisition by United Television.

  What changed. WRBW took over WKCF's over-the-air role in the Orlando Magic broadcast package while sharing games with Sunshine Network.

  Aftermath. WRBW carried the games for eight seasons, until the team moved to an exclusively cable-based rights arrangement in 2007.

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• 1995Join UPN rather than remain independentStrategy

  The newly created UPN sought an Orlando affiliate, while WKCF selected the rival WB network.

  What changed. WRBW affiliated with UPN in January 1995 after operating independently for roughly seven months.

  Aftermath. The affiliation gave WRBW a network schedule and established it as a principal UPN outlet in the Orlando market.

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• 2019WRBW adopts Fox 35 Plus branding

  The station was repositioned as Fox 35 Plus, more closely linking its identity and programming to sister station WOFL, and added an 8 p.m. local newscast.

  CampaignProduct launchLeadership change
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• 2006WRBW joins MyNetworkTV

  Following the shutdown of UPN, Fox placed WRBW with its newly created MyNetworkTV programming service.

  Product generation
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• 2001Fox Television Stations acquires WRBW

  Fox acquired WRBW as part of its purchase of most of Chris-Craft Industries' television stations.

  M&A
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• 1999WRBW begins carrying Orlando Magic games

  The station replaced WKCF as an over-the-air carrier of Orlando Magic games, sharing the package with Sunshine Network.

  Product launch
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• 1997WRBW launches WFTV-produced late local newscast

  A half-hour weeknight 10 p.m. newscast produced by Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV debuted on WRBW.

  Product launch
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• 1997United Television agrees to acquire WRBW

  United Television agreed to purchase the station from Rainbow Broadcasting; the transaction closed in 1999.

  M&A
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• 1995WRBW becomes an original UPN affiliate

  The station joined UPN in January after WKCF selected The WB instead.

  Other
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• 1994WRBW begins broadcasting

  WRBW signed on June 6 as an independent Orlando television station after years of administrative and judicial litigation.

  Product launch
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• 1990Supreme Court upholds FCC preference policies in Metro Broadcasting case

  The Supreme Court upheld the FCC's use of policies favoring minority and female broadcast ownership, clearing a major legal obstacle affecting Rainbow's channel 65 permit.

  RegulationLawsuit
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• 1984FCC awards channel 65 construction permit to Rainbow Broadcasting

  After a comparative hearing involving four applicants, the FCC review board awarded the Orlando channel 65 permit to Rainbow Broadcasting Company.

  Other
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1. WRBW