Report: Tribune’s WGN Dropping CW in Chicago

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Tribune Media’s flagship TV station, WGN-TV, in Chicago, is dropping its affiliation with the CW network, according to a report by Chicago media reporter Rob Feder.

Tribune has been having sometimes-contentious affiliation negotiations for two years with the CW, which is owned by CBS and Time Warner. Tribune has CW affiliates in 12 other markets.

The CW affiliation is being picked up by WPWR-TV, which is owned by 21st Century Fox, according to Feder. WPWR is currently an affiliate of Fox’s MyNetworkTV.

Tribune plans to run WGN as an independent station airing local programming beginning in September.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.