History
WXOW signed on on March 7, 1970, as a semi-satellite of WKOW-TV in Madison, which was owned by Horizon Communications at the time. Before then, ABC programming in the market was relegated to off-hours clearances on CBS affiliate WKBT (channel 8) and NBC affiliate WEAU (channel 13). Depending on the location, Western Wisconsin viewers could get the full ABC schedule on KMSP-TV (now a Fox O&O) from the Twin Cities, KAUS-TV (now KAAL) in Austin, Minnesota, or WKOW.
For its first decade on the air, WXOW's UHF signal was marginal at best in Eau Claire, primarily because its transmitter was located in Minnesota. As a result, Chippewa Valley viewers only got a decent signal from the station when cable arrived in the market in the mid-1970s. In order to solve this reception problem, WXOW severed the electronic umbilical cord with WKOW and signed on WQOW as a full-time satellite on September 22, 1980, two years after the station was sold to Liberty Television. Tak Communications purchased Liberty Television's Wisconsin-based stations in 1985. In 1991, Tak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; it would be taken over by a group of creditors less than three years later. This resulted in the sale of Tak's Wisconsin stations to Shockley Communications in 1995.
WXOW and WQOW began operating a cable-only affiliate of The WB in 1998 known as "WBCZ".[3] This was seen through a simulcast on channel 15 on most cable systems in La Crosse and Eau Claire. In June 2001, Quincy Newspapers (later Quincy Media) announced that it would acquire Shockley Communications. In September 2002, WXOW became the first La Crosse area television station to broadcast in digital on UHF channel 14.[4] WXOW and WQOW replaced "WBCZ" with new second digital subchannels (simulcasting The CW) when the new network launched in the fall of 2006.
After The CW Plus national feed was upgraded to 720p high-definition level in fall 2012, an HD feed became available on Charter digital channel 610. Up until August 2018, there were two different signals from the same tower at WXOW's studios carrying The CW as a digital translator of sister station KTTC also carried a CW subchannel in high definition.
WXOW began airing solely in digital effective February 17, 2009, with the analog transmitter operating for 60 additional days broadcasting as part of a "nightlight" service with local news and information about the digital transition.[5] On June 11, 2009, WXOW moved from its initial digital channel assignment to channel 48 at a higher broadcasting power. WXOW and WQOW launched This TV (simulcast on new third digital subchannels of the stations) in February–March 2010.[6][7] WXOW had a construction permit to air a digital fill-in translator covering Tomah, Wisconsin. Airing on UHF channel 28, this low-powered signal would have had a transmitter on Echo Road in western unincorporated Monroe County. The permit was canceled on June 6, 2013.[8]
In January 2021, Gray Television announced its intent to purchase Quincy Media for $925 million.[9] As Gray already owns the market's WEAU, it planned to keep that station and sell both WXOW and WQOW in order to satisfy FCC requirements.[10] On April 29, Gray announced that WXOW and WQOW would be divested to Allen Media Broadcasting.[11] The sale was completed on August 2;[12] on that day, WEAU assumed the CW and MeTV affiliations from WXOW/WQOW.[13][14]
On June 1, 2025, amid financial woes and rising debt, Allen Media Group announced that it would explore "strategic options" for the company, such as a sale of its television stations (including WXOW/WQOW).[15][16]
