WATN-TV
An ABC-affiliated television station serving Memphis, Tennessee, and the surrounding Mid-South region.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WATN-TV is a commercial television station in Memphis, Tennessee, affiliated with the ABC network and commonly branded as ABC 24. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 24 and serves the Memphis television market, including communities in western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas. It operates alongside CW affiliate WLMT-TV, with which it shares facilities and operational resources. The stations maintain studios at Shelby Oaks Corporate Park in northeast Memphis and use transmitter facilities near Brunswick, Tennessee. The station began broadcasting on September 10, 1978, as WPTY-TV, the first independent television station in the Memphis market. Its initial purpose was to provide alternative programming against the city’s established network affiliates. Early programming included syndicated entertainment, sports and local discussion programming, including Southeastern Conference basketball and Memphis Forum. WPTY became the stronger of Memphis’s two independent stations after WMKW-TV, now WLMT, launched in 1983. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, WPTY strengthened its competitive position by obtaining important local sports rights and then acquiring the Fox affiliation from channel 30 in 1990. Clear Channel Television purchased the station in 1992 and subsequently entered into a local marketing arrangement under which it programmed and operated much of WLMT. This arrangement combined the resources of the two former competitors. A major transformation occurred in 1995. Fox purchased Memphis ABC affiliate WHBQ-TV, causing WHBQ to leave ABC and WPTY to become the market’s ABC affiliate on December 1. WPTY launched its first substantial local news operation at the same time, initially using the News Watch 24 name for its own newscasts and News Watch 30 for a 9 p.m. program on WLMT. Although the newsroom experienced technical and editorial difficulties at launch and initially drew weak ratings, its performance improved after later staffing and format changes. The news operation was reworked under the Eyewitness News brand in 2003 and later became a central part of the station’s local identity. WPTY and WLMT were sold with Clear Channel’s television portfolio to Newport Television in 2007–2008. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired both Memphis stations from Newport in 2012. Nexstar moved them from their older Union Avenue facilities to a renovated former call center in northeast Memphis and changed WPTY-TV’s call sign to WATN-TV as part of a broad relaunch. The station was subsequently sold to Tegna when Nexstar acquired Tribune Media in 2019 and chose to retain WREG-TV, another Memphis station acquired in that transaction. Tegna restored the ABC 24 branding in 2021. The supplied reference material states that Nexstar agreed to acquire Tegna in 2025 and completed the transaction in 2026, while court action temporarily restricted integration of the acquired stations. WATN-TV remains an active local broadcast brand focused on ABC network programming, local news, weather, sports and community coverage.
History
The history of channel 24 in Memphis began with competing construction-permit proposals in the 1960s. A permit eventually went to a group associated with Victor Muscat and Cliff Ford, but the station was never built. Muscat later pleaded guilty in a case involving false and misleading information submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, and the permit was ultimately surrendered. Petry Television, a national television advertising-sales representative, revived the project through its Delta Television subsidiary. Petry argued that Memphis was unusually large among American markets without an independent station or a UHF outlet. The FCC granted a construction permit in December 1977, and studios were built on Union Avenue. WPTY-TV signed on September 10, 1978, offering counterprogramming against Memphis’s three network affiliates. Its early schedule included syndicated programs, Southeastern Conference basketball and the local discussion program Memphis Forum. WPTY remained Memphis’s only independent station until WMKW-TV began broadcasting on channel 30 in April 1983. Competition nevertheless favored WPTY, which led its newer rival in audience performance. Petry sold the station to Robert H. Precht in 1984, and Precht sold it less than two years later to Chase Broadcasting. During Chase’s ownership, WPTY secured Memphis State University basketball rights and then won the Fox affiliation from channel 30, effective July 1, 1990. The moves established WPTY as the leading independent and gave it a stronger programming base. Chase sold WPTY to Clear Channel Television in 1992. Clear Channel later assumed most of WLMT’s operations through a local marketing agreement, allowing the two stations to share programming and resources. The decisive affiliation change came after Fox acquired WHBQ-TV, Memphis’s ABC station, in 1994. WHBQ left ABC on December 1, 1995, and WPTY became the new ABC affiliate. Clear Channel prepared for the transition by renovating a Union Avenue building and creating a newsroom. News Watch 24 debuted on the same day, along with a 9 p.m. News Watch 30 broadcast on WLMT. The news launch was technically troubled, with repeated openings, sound problems and on-air mistakes. Early ratings were weak, and the initial news director was dismissed within the first year. Ratings improved after the introduction of audience meters in 1997, especially among younger viewers, while the WLMT 9 p.m. newscast became a comparatively strong performer. In 2003, the news operation was substantially revised under the Eyewitness News name, with new anchors, new presentation and upgraded weather technology. WPTY and WLMT began digital broadcasting in 2002. WPTY ended analog transmission in 2009 as part of the nationwide digital transition and continued using virtual channel 24 on its digital signal. Clear Channel sold its television portfolio to Newport Television in a transaction announced in 2007 and completed in 2008. Nexstar acquired the Memphis stations from Newport in 2012, moved them into a former call-center facility in northeast Memphis and renamed WPTY-TV WATN-TV. Following Nexstar’s 2019 acquisition of Tribune Media, Nexstar retained WREG-TV, the acquired Memphis CBS affiliate, and divested WATN-TV and WLMT to Tegna. Tegna revived the ABC 24 identity in September 2021. The supplied reference material further states that Nexstar acquired Tegna in 2026, although a federal court order temporarily prevented Nexstar from fully integrating the stations. WATN-TV continues to operate as a local ABC station serving the Memphis market.
- 2021
ABC 24 brand returns
[1]Tegna relaunches the station under the ABC 24 identity.
- 2019
Station transfers to Tegna
[1]Nexstar divests WATN-TV and WLMT after acquiring Tribune Media.
- 2012
Nexstar acquisition and WATN renaming
[1]Nexstar acquires the station, moves its facilities and changes the call sign from WPTY-TV to WATN-TV.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]The station completes the federally mandated transition to digital television.
- 2002
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]WPTY-TV and WLMT begin digital transmission.
- 1995
ABC affiliation and local news launch
[1]WPTY becomes an ABC affiliate and starts its local news department.
- 1990
Fox affiliation moves to WPTY
[1]WPTY replaces WLMT as the Memphis Fox affiliate.
- 1983
Second Memphis independent station launches
[1]WMKW-TV begins operation on channel 30, creating direct competition for WPTY.
- 1978
WPTY-TV begins broadcasting
[1]Channel 24 signs on as Memphis’s first independent television station.
Products and positioning
A Memphis-focused ABC affiliate combining network entertainment and information programming with local news, weather, sports and community coverage.
Local television news · 1995
ABC 24 local news
WATN-TV’s local news service covers Memphis and the surrounding Mid-South with scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather, traffic, sports and community stories. The service developed from the News Watch 24 operation launched when the station joined ABC in 1995 and was later refreshed under the Eyewitness News identity.
Network television · 1995
ABC network programming
As Memphis’s ABC affiliate, WATN-TV carries the network’s national schedule, including entertainment, news, daytime and sports programming, subject to local preemptions and schedule decisions.
Digital media
Localmemphis.com
The station’s digital news outlet extends WATN-TV’s local reporting, weather, video and public-service coverage beyond the broadcast schedule.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021ABC 24 brand relaunch
Memphis, Tennessee · Western Tennessee · Northern Mississippi · Eastern Arkansas
Tegna returned the station to the ABC 24 branding and introduced a new logo, reinforcing its network affiliation and local Memphis identity.
Outcome. The ABC 24 name became the station’s principal public-facing identity.
Brand decisions
2012
Facility move and WATN-TV rebrandGeneration changeBackground
Nexstar acquired the station and considered its existing midtown facility outdated and vulnerable to disruption from nearby infrastructure work.
Action taken
Nexstar moved WPTY and WLMT to a renovated northeast Memphis facility and changed WPTY’s call sign to WATN-TV.
Aftermath
The rebrand established the WATN-TV identity that remains in use.
1995
Transition to ABC affiliation and local newsStrategyBackground
Fox acquired WHBQ-TV, which had been Memphis’s ABC affiliate, creating an opening for a replacement ABC station.
Action taken
WPTY accepted the ABC affiliation and launched local newscasts on the same day.
Aftermath
The station shifted from an independent/Fox-oriented model to a full-service network-affiliate model.
1990
Pursuit of the Fox affiliationStrategyBackground
WPTY was competing with WLMT for Fox programming and had stronger reported ratings in the Memphis market.
Action taken
WPTY intensively lobbied Fox and secured the affiliation effective July 1, 1990.
Aftermath
The move strengthened WPTY’s position as Memphis’s leading independent station until the later ABC affiliation change.
Recent events
- 2026
Nexstar completes Tegna acquisition[1]
M&A · Regulation
The supplied reference material states that Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tegna after receiving regulatory waivers, while subsequent court action restricted immediate integration.
- 2021
Tegna restores ABC 24 branding[1]
Product launch · Campaign
Tegna reintroduced the ABC 24 identity with a new logo and refreshed presentation.
- 2012
Nexstar acquires WPTY-TV and WLMT[1]
M&A
Nexstar purchased the two stations from Newport Television and announced a facility move and station overhaul.
- 2012
WPTY-TV is renamed WATN-TV[1]
Product generation
The call-sign change accompanied the move to new northeast Memphis studios and a comprehensive rebranding.
- 1995
WPTY-TV becomes Memphis ABC affiliate[1]
Other · Product generation
Fox’s purchase of WHBQ-TV triggered an affiliation change, moving ABC programming to WPTY on December 1, 1995.
- 1995
WPTY-TV launches local news operation[1]
Product launch · Leadership change
The station introduced News Watch 24 and a related WLMT newscast while beginning its transition from an entertainment-led independent station to a full-service network affiliate.
- 1990
WPTY-TV takes Memphis Fox affiliation[1]
Other
WPTY won Fox programming from WLMT after demonstrating stronger ratings and offering a more competitive platform.
- 1978
WPTY-TV launches as Memphis’s first independent station[1]
Other
Channel 24 began broadcasting under the WPTY-TV call sign with alternative entertainment, sports and local programming.
Sources1 sources
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