WATL

WATL is television station WATL, broadcasting on channel 36 in the Atlanta, Georgia, market. The station operates primarily with an independent schedule and maintains a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV. It is commonly associated with the MyATLTV and The ATL brands and shares facilities, management resources, and ownership with NBC affiliate WXIA-TV. The stations operate from One Monroe Place in Atlanta, while WATL's transmitter is located on a broadcast tower near North Druid Hills, northeast of the city. The station's origins date to the early UHF expansion of American television. Radio broadcaster Robert Rounsaville, owner of Atlanta station WQXI, obtained a construction permit for channel 36 in 1953. Test transmissions began in October 1954, and commercial operation began on December 18 of that year under the call sign WQXI-TV. Because UHF reception generally required costly converters at the time, the station struggled to attract an adequate audience and ceased broadcasting after less than six months. Its call letters were changed to WATL-TV in 1956, although the station remained off the air for several years. Ownership and plans for the dormant permit changed repeatedly. Daniel H. Overmyer acquired the permit in the mid-1960s and intended to use the station as part of the proposed Overmyer, later United, television network. That network failed shortly after launch, and the permit was subsequently transferred to U.S. Communications Corporation. WATL returned to the air in August 1969, but limited advertising revenue and intense competition from Ted Turner's WTCG caused another shutdown in early April 1971. During this period, WATL experimented with inexpensive entertainment, game shows, movies, and an unusually early all-weekend music-video program called The Now Explosion. Briarcliff Communications Group acquired the permit in 1974 and restored permanent service on July 5, 1976. For much of the late 1970s and early 1980s, WATL operated as a general-interest independent station, carrying public-domain films, syndicated programs, local productions, religious programming, financial news, and programs preempted by Atlanta's network affiliates. It briefly tested subscription television and later broadened its schedule with cartoons, westerns, classic sitcoms, movies, and stronger syndicated series. Ownership passed to Sillerman Morrow Broadcasting and then Outlet Communications, which invested in programming and facilities. WATL became one of the original affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Company when Fox launched in October 1986. The station was sold to Chase Broadcasting in 1989 and became part of Renaissance Communications in 1992. Fox Television Stations acquired WATL in 1993, making it Atlanta's first station owned directly by a national broadcast network. Fox planned a local news operation, but the plan was abandoned after Fox arranged to move its Atlanta affiliation to longtime CBS affiliate WAGA-TV as part of the network's broader affiliation realignment following its acquisition of National Football League rights. Fox programming moved from WATL to WAGA in December 1994, leaving WATL temporarily independent. The station was later sold to Qwest Broadcasting, associated with Quincy Jones and Tribune Broadcasting, and joined The WB in January 1995. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, WATL was selected for MyNetworkTV. Tribune soon sold the station to Gannett, owner of WXIA-TV, creating Atlanta's first television duopoly. Gannett introduced the MyATLTV identity before MyNetworkTV launched in September 2006. The station later used The ATL branding. WATL became part of Tegna when Gannett separated its broadcasting and digital businesses from its publishing operations in 2015. It continues to function as a flexible secondary-market outlet, carrying syndicated entertainment, paid programming, selected sports, and MyNetworkTV programming, while also serving as a scheduling partner for WXIA. The station's history reflects the changing economics of UHF broadcasting, the rise and decline of broadcast networks, the consolidation of local television ownership, and the development of modern duopoly operations.

WATL originated with an application by Atlanta radio owner Robert Rounsaville for a UHF station on channel 36. The FCC granted the construction permit in November 1953. Test transmissions began in October 1954, followed by commercial service on December 18 under the WQXI-TV call sign. UHF broadcasting was still difficult for viewers because many television sets required separate converters, and the station could not build a viable audience. It signed off in May 1955 and adopted the WATL-TV call letters the following year. The dormant permit changed hands during the 1960s. Daniel H. Overmyer acquired it with plans to use the station in a proposed nationwide network. After that network collapsed, U.S. Communications Corporation obtained control and relaunched channel 36 in August 1969. The station invested heavily in programming, including movies, game shows, and The Now Explosion, an early program devoted to music videos. Competition from WTCG and insufficient advertising revenue nevertheless proved decisive. WATL ended operations again in the early hours of April 1, 1971. Briarcliff Communications Group acquired the construction permit in 1974 and returned WATL to the air permanently on July 5, 1976. The restored station operated as a low-cost independent, mixing movies, syndicated programs, religious shows, financial news, local productions, and programming displaced by Atlanta's three established network affiliates. It experimented briefly with subscription television around 1980–81 and later added Financial News Network programming. Financial problems led to another ownership change in 1982, when Sillerman Morrow Broadcasting acquired the station. Outlet Communications purchased WATL in the mid-1980s and strengthened its schedule with sitcoms, cartoons, and popular syndicated series. WATL became an original Fox affiliate in October 1986. Despite improving programming, the station accumulated substantial debt, and Outlet sold it to Chase Broadcasting in 1989. Renaissance Communications acquired Chase in 1992, and Fox Television Stations purchased WATL the next year. Fox considered creating a local news department, but the plan was dropped after Fox made a major affiliation agreement with New World Communications. That agreement moved Fox programming to WAGA-TV in December 1994, following Fox's acquisition of National Football Conference broadcast rights. WATL briefly returned to independent status before being sold to Qwest Broadcasting. WATL joined The WB in January 1995 and retained some Fox children's programming for a period because the new Fox outlet did not clear the entire block. Tribune Broadcasting was associated with Qwest, and Tribune later became WATL's direct owner. In 2000, Meredith Corporation acquired the station. WATL continued under The WB identity until the network transition announced in 2006. The station was not selected for The CW; instead, CBS-owned WUPA received that affiliation, while WATL joined the newly created MyNetworkTV. It adopted the MyATLTV identity ahead of the network's September 2006 launch. Gannett purchased WATL from Tribune in 2006 and paired it with WXIA-TV, Atlanta's NBC affiliate. The stations share facilities and operational resources, although WATL's acquisition produced an unusual arrangement in which the larger network affiliate moved operations into the facility previously associated with the junior station. WATL has since carried MyNetworkTV programming, syndicated entertainment, paid programming, sports, and material moved from WXIA because of scheduling conflicts. Its branding later shifted to The ATL. In 2015, WATL became part of Tegna after Gannett divided its publishing and broadcasting businesses. The station remains an active Atlanta-market broadcaster and continues to operate alongside WXIA. The supplied reference material also reports a later acquisition of Tegna by Nexstar Media Group, with completion dated March 19, 2026; that transaction should be checked against current corporate records before being treated as a present ownership fact.

• 2015

  Transfer to Tegna

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  WATL became part of Tegna after Gannett separated its broadcasting business.

• 2006

  MyNetworkTV affiliation and Gannett acquisition

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  WATL was selected for MyNetworkTV and was acquired by Gannett, owner of WXIA-TV.

• 1995

  The WB affiliation begins

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  WATL joined The WB after its former Fox affiliation ended.

• 1994

  Fox affiliation ends

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  Fox programming moved to WAGA-TV, and WATL returned to an independent schedule.

• 1986

  Fox affiliation begins

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  WATL became one of Fox's original affiliates at the network's launch.

• 1976

  Permanent service restored

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  Briarcliff Communications returned WATL to the air on July 5.

• 1971

  Second shutdown

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  The station suspended operations because of low advertising revenue.

• 1969

  WATL-TV relaunches

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  Channel 36 returned to service after a prolonged period off the air.

• 1955

  First shutdown

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  WQXI-TV left the air after less than six months because UHF reception limitations constrained its audience.

• 1954

  WQXI-TV begins commercial service

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  The station began full-time broadcasting on December 18 under the WQXI-TV call sign.

• 1953

  FCC grants channel 36 construction permit

  [1]WATLen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC granted Robert Rounsaville authority to construct Atlanta's first UHF television station on channel 36.

A flexible Atlanta broadcast outlet combining independent programming with MyNetworkTV, syndicated entertainment, paid programming, and selected sports or overflow content from its WXIA-TV sister station.

• Network television service · 2006

  MyNetworkTV programming

  WATL carries MyNetworkTV programming as a secondary affiliation within an otherwise primarily independent schedule. The affiliation began in 2006 after WATL was not selected as Atlanta's CW outlet.

• Television programming

  Syndicated programming

  The station's independent schedule includes syndicated entertainment and game shows. WATL has carried Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune when those programs are preempted on sister station WXIA-TV.

• Television programming

  Paid programming

  WATL broadcasts commercial and paid-programming blocks, including Fox's Weekend Marketplace block on Saturdays when it is not cleared by Atlanta's Fox station.

• Music-video television program

  The Now Explosion

  During its late-1960s and early-1970s independent period, WATL aired The Now Explosion, an all-weekend music-video program notable for its early use of the format.

• 2006

  Adopt MyNetworkTV affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN were being replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV, and Atlanta's CW affiliation was assigned to WUPA.

  Action taken

  WATL accepted a MyNetworkTV affiliation and introduced the MyATLTV identity before the network launched.

  Aftermath

  WATL continued as a flexible secondary station with network, syndicated, paid, and overflow programming.

  Source

• 2006

  Create an Atlanta television duopolyM&A

  Background

  Tribune Broadcasting agreed to sell WATL to Gannett, which already owned Atlanta NBC affiliate WXIA-TV.

  Action taken

  Gannett completed the acquisition and operated WATL and WXIA as commonly owned stations.

  Aftermath

  The stations shared facilities and operational resources, with WATL continuing as the junior-market outlet.

  Reported acquisition price. $180 million (2006 transaction)

  Source

• 1994

  Return to independent programmingStrategy

  Background

  Fox selected WAGA-TV for its Atlanta affiliation after a major affiliation realignment connected to Fox's acquisition of NFC football rights.

  Action taken

  WATL dropped Fox's prime-time network schedule and temporarily operated as an independent station.

  Aftermath

  The station later joined The WB and eventually became a MyNetworkTV affiliate.

  Source

• 1986

  Join the Fox Broadcasting CompanyStrategy

  Background

  WATL was competing as an independent station in a market with other established independent and network outlets.

  Action taken

  The station became one of Fox's charter affiliates when the network launched.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation raised WATL's profile, but it ended in 1994 after Fox shifted its Atlanta programming to WAGA-TV.

  Source

1. 1WATLen.wikipedia.org