WBAY-TV
WBAY-TV is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Green Bay and northeastern Wisconsin.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WBAY-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and serving the Green Bay–Appleton market. Broadcasting on digital channel 2, the station is affiliated with ABC and is owned by Gray Media. Its main studios occupy a historic building on South Jefferson Street in downtown Green Bay, across from the Brown County Courthouse. WBAY also operates a news bureau in the Fox Cities on College Avenue in Appleton, while its transmitter is located in Ledgeview, Wisconsin. The station began broadcasting on March 17, 1953, shortly after the Federal Communications Commission ended its postwar freeze on new television licenses. It was the second television station to go on the air in Wisconsin. Its original owner was the Norbertine Order of Priests, whose nearby abbey operated St. Norbert College and had already been involved in local radio through WBAY in Green Bay and WHBY in Appleton. At launch, WBAY carried programming from all four major television networks of the period, with CBS as its primary affiliation. ABC programming moved to the market's new channel 42 in 1954, NBC followed later that year when another station signed on, and the closure of the DuMont network in 1956 left WBAY as an exclusive CBS affiliate. During its long CBS period, WBAY developed a particularly strong relationship with the Green Bay Packers. CBS's National Football Conference rights enabled the station to carry most Packers games for decades, including games during the team's championship years in the 1960s. Packers programming, local sports coverage, and the station's coaches' shows became important parts of its identity. WBAY also originated exhibition-game coverage for many years and continued to air selected Packers games after the team’s regular-season broadcast rights moved elsewhere. WBAY switched from CBS to ABC on March 15, 1992, following a broader affiliation realignment in the Green Bay market. The change occurred after WFRV-TV became a CBS affiliate, and it established the ABC relationship that WBAY maintains today. The station has continued to emphasize local news, weather, community events, regional sports, and public-service programming alongside ABC network content. Its digital expansion has included a locally operated weather service, initially branded Stormcenter 2 24/7 and later First Alert Weather 24/7. The service provides forecasts, radar, traffic information, observations, and severe-weather coverage. WBAY has also used digital platforms for special-event and trial coverage. Its longstanding local-service commitments include the annual Cerebral Palsy Telethon, broadcast since 1954 for Cerebral Palsy, Inc., as well as the WBAY Boat Show, WBAY RV and Camping Show, Scouting for Food, and the local Toys for Tots campaign. Ownership changed several times after the station left the Norbertine organization. It was sold to Nationwide Communications in 1974, became part of Young Broadcasting in 1993, and then moved through Media General and Nexstar transactions. Gray Television acquired WBAY from Nexstar in 2017 after regulatory and market-overlap considerations shaped the ownership structure. Gray Television later adopted the Gray Media name. WBAY remains an active local ABC station and one of the principal broadcast news brands in northeastern Wisconsin.
History
WBAY-TV went on the air on March 17, 1953, after the Federal Communications Commission lifted its freeze on television-station licensing. It became the second television station broadcasting in Wisconsin, following WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. The station was established by the Norbertine Order of Priests, a religious order based at the abbey in nearby De Pere. The Norbertines also had interests in local radio, including WBAY radio in Green Bay and WHBY in Appleton, and used their existing community presence to develop the television service. At launch, WBAY carried programs from CBS, NBC, ABC, and DuMont. CBS was its primary network, while the other affiliations were secondary. The competitive environment changed rapidly as new stations entered the market. ABC programming moved to WNAM-TV in Neenah in January 1954, and NBC shifted to WMBV-TV in Marinette later that year. After DuMont ceased operations in 1956, WBAY became a full-time CBS affiliate. The station installed facilities capable of carrying network programs in color in 1956, and locally produced programming followed in color during the 1960s. WBAY's downtown Green Bay home has a notable local history. The principal building was constructed in 1924 as a Knights of Columbus clubhouse. It later served as a Roman Catholic high school after the Norbertines took over the property during the Great Depression. A former gymnasium and auditorium became the WBAY Auditorium, which has hosted local productions and served as a studio for the station's cerebral palsy telethon. Other parts of the building, including the newsroom area, were adapted from former school facilities. The site also housed the station's radio operations for many years. Sports became a defining feature of WBAY's CBS era. Because CBS held broadcast rights to the National Football Conference, the station carried most Green Bay Packers games for much of the period from its launch through the 1991 season. Audience levels were especially high during the Packers' championship period under coach Vince Lombardi, when some games reportedly reached extraordinarily large local shares. WBAY also carried the Vince Lombardi Show, produced exhibition-game coverage for many seasons, and later aired selected Packers games distributed through ESPN and ABC. The station's sports role evolved as NFL rights changed among the networks. In 1974, the Norbertines sold WBAY to Nationwide Communications. Young Broadcasting acquired the station in 1993, together with WATE-TV in Knoxville and WRIC-TV in Richmond. The station's network identity changed in 1992, when it exchanged affiliations with WFRV-TV and became an ABC affiliate. The switch followed CBS's decision to retain WFRV after acquiring Midwest Television assets. WBAY management arranged for the change to occur close to the station's March 17 anniversary; the actual affiliation swap took place on March 15. The station expanded its digital services in the 2000s. A temporary digital service carried ABC News Now during the 2004 political conventions and election period. In 2006, the same digital outlet provided extensive coverage of the Steven Avery murder trial. On December 1, 2004, WBAY launched a permanent locally produced weather channel, first called Stormcenter 2 24/7 and later First Alert Weather 24/7. The service combines forecasts, radar, observations, traffic information, and advertising, and can provide extended or commercial-free coverage during severe weather. Young Broadcasting experienced financial difficulties during the late 2000s. Gray Television managed WBAY and several other Young stations under an arrangement connected with Young's restructuring, with the agreement ending in 2012. Young then merged with Media General in 2013. A later Media General transaction with LIN Media created ownership overlap in the Green Bay market, requiring regulatory disposition of stations. Media General retained WBAY while WLUK-TV and WCWF were transferred to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Nexstar announced its acquisition of Media General in 2016. Because Nexstar already owned WFRV-TV, it could not retain both stations under applicable ownership limits. Nexstar announced that WBAY would be sold to Gray Television for a reported transaction value of $270 million; the sale closed on January 17, 2017. Under Gray ownership, WBAY became part of a larger regional broadcast group that included stations in Wisconsin and Michigan. Gray also assumed control of the station's digital properties and distributed selected WBAY sports programming to other stations. WBAY continues to operate as an ABC affiliate serving Green Bay, Appleton, and surrounding communities. Its current identity combines local newscasts, weather and emergency information, regional sports, ABC programming, digital video, and recurring community events. The Cerebral Palsy Telethon, which began on the station in 1954, remains its most prominent long-running public-service tradition.
- 2017
Gray Television completes acquisition
[1]Gray closes its purchase of WBAY-TV on January 17.
- 2016
Nexstar announces sale of WBAY to Gray
[1]Nexstar selects Gray Television as the buyer for WBAY to resolve market ownership overlap.
- 2013
Young Broadcasting merges with Media General
[1]The transaction places WBAY within Media General's station group.
- 2010
WBAY begins continuous daily broadcasting
[1]After previously signing off during weekend overnight hours, the station moves to a 24-hour daily schedule.
- 2004
Permanent digital weather service launches
[1]WBAY launches a locally operated weather subchannel, initially branded Stormcenter 2 24/7.
- 1992
WBAY becomes an ABC affiliate
[1]WBAY and WFRV exchange network affiliations, ending WBAY's long CBS era.
- 1974
Nationwide Communications acquires WBAY
[1]The station is sold by its original Norbertine ownership to Nationwide Communications.
- 1956
WBAY becomes an exclusive CBS affiliate
[1]After other network affiliations move to newer stations and DuMont shuts down, WBAY is left as a full-time CBS station.
- 1954
Cerebral Palsy Telethon begins
[1]WBAY begins airing its long-running local telethon benefiting Cerebral Palsy, Inc.
- 1953
WBAY-TV signs on
[1]WBAY-TV begins broadcasting on March 17 as the second television station on the air in Wisconsin.
Products and positioning
A long-established local broadcast institution focused on northeastern Wisconsin news, weather, sports, emergency information, and community service, with ABC network programming supporting its regional television identity.
Television news · 1953
WBAY local news
WBAY's local news operation provides reporting for Green Bay, Appleton, and surrounding northeastern Wisconsin communities. Its output includes regularly scheduled newscasts, breaking-news coverage, regional reporting, public-affairs material, and digital video distributed through the station's website and mobile platforms.
Weather service · 2004
First Alert Weather 24/7
A locally operated digital weather service featuring forecasts, radar, current observations, traffic information, and severe-weather updates. The service originated as Stormcenter 2 24/7 and is maintained by WBAY meteorologists rather than being a national weather-network feed.
Community-service broadcast · 1954
Cerebral Palsy Telethon
WBAY's annual fundraising telethon supports Cerebral Palsy, Inc., a local organization providing care and related services. The program has aired on the station since 1954 and is presented with local broadcasters and community participants.
Sports programming
Sunday Sports Night: Cover 2
A regional sports program centered on local teams and football coverage. Under Gray ownership, the program has also been made available to selected sister stations in the company's regional broadcast group.
Marketing campaigns
- 1954Cerebral Palsy Telethon
Green Bay · Northeastern Wisconsin
WBAY launched a recurring local telethon to raise funds for Cerebral Palsy, Inc. The broadcast became one of the station's signature public-service initiatives and has continued for decades.
Outcome. The telethon became one of the longest-running programs of its type on the same television channel.
- Scouting for Food
Northeastern Wisconsin
WBAY supports an annual Boy Scout door-to-door food-collection initiative during the fall.
- Local Toys for Tots campaign
Northeastern Wisconsin
The station participates in the area's Toys for Tots effort with the Marine Corps Reserve.
Brand decisions
2016
Disposition of WBAY during the Nexstar–Media General transactionM&ABackground
Nexstar already owned WFRV-TV in the same market and could not retain both stations under applicable ownership limits.
Action taken
Nexstar agreed to sell WBAY-TV to Gray Television.
Aftermath
Gray completed the acquisition in January 2017 and assumed control of WBAY's broadcast and digital operations.
Reported transaction value. $270 million (2016 announcement)
2004
Launch of a permanent digital weather subchannelProduct launchBackground
Digital television enabled the station to provide a continuous locally produced weather service alongside its main channel.
Action taken
WBAY launched Stormcenter 2 24/7, later renamed First Alert Weather 24/7.
Aftermath
The service became a continuing digital extension of WBAY's weather and emergency-information operation.
1992
Switch from CBS to ABCStrategyBackground
WFRV-TV's move to CBS created a network-affiliation opening in the Green Bay market.
Action taken
WBAY accepted the ABC affiliation and exchanged network positions with WFRV on March 15, 1992.
Aftermath
WBAY has remained an ABC affiliate, while its former CBS identity became part of the station's historical positioning.
Recent events
- 2017
WBAY-TV is sold to Gray Television[1]
M&A
Gray Television completed its acquisition of WBAY-TV from Nexstar following the Media General and Nexstar ownership transactions.
- 1992
WBAY-TV changes affiliation from CBS to ABC[1]
Other
The station changed from its longtime CBS affiliation to ABC after WFRV-TV moved to CBS as part of a market-wide network realignment.
- 1953
WBAY-TV begins broadcasting in Green Bay[1]
Other
WBAY-TV signed on as Wisconsin's second television station after the FCC ended its freeze on new television licenses.
Sources4 sources
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