WBRL-CD

WBRL-CD is a low-power, Class A television station serving Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and surrounding communities. The station carries programming from The CW and operates within a broadcast group controlled by Nexstar Media Group. It is co-managed with NBC affiliate WVLA-TV and is owned alongside Fox affiliate WGMB-TV and independent station KZUP-CD. The stations share studios on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge, while WBRL-CD's transmitter is located near Addis, Louisiana. The station's technical and branding history is more complex than its current call sign suggests. It first went on the air on March 30, 1989, as K65EF on channel 65. The original facility was established by Great Oaks Broadcasting Corporation, associated with Woody Jenkins, and initially operated as a translator for independent station WBTR. Its early purpose was to improve the availability of WBTR to viewers because the station had difficulty obtaining carriage on Baton Rouge-area cable systems. In 1995, the facility moved to channel 21 and adopted the call sign KANC-LP. During that period it became Baton Rouge's first all-news station, carrying programming from the All News Channel. Meanwhile, access to WB programming in the market was provided through a mixture of cable carriage and low-power television. Communications Corporation of America introduced a cable-only WB service under the fictitious call sign WBBR on February 1, 1999, after an earlier low-power WB outlet, WTVK-LP, ceased operations. The cable arrangement reflected the uneven reach of low-power stations and the limited carriage available on local systems at the time. Communications Corporation of America purchased the station then known as WTNC on November 13, 2002, with the intention of bringing WB programming to an over-the-air Baton Rouge outlet. The station was renamed WBRL, initially with plans involving channel 19 before it was placed on channel 21. Some early station identifications consequently used an incorrect “WB 19” reference. The WBRL call letters had previously been used by an unrelated Baton Rouge-area FM station, but that historical use has no corporate connection to the television station. The station became a CW affiliate during the 2006 transition in American television programming. After Baton Rouge UPN affiliate WBXH announced that it would join MyNetworkTV, WBRL was announced as the local CW outlet. Its affiliation was part of the broader realignment that followed the creation of The CW from the merger of The WB and UPN. In June 2006, ComCorp sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; the company stated that the proceeding was not expected to produce immediate changes for viewers or employees. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the acquisition of ComCorp's stations, including WBRL-CD and sister station WGMB-TV, on April 24, 2013. The transaction also included a local marketing arrangement involving WVLA-TV and KZUP-CD, whose ownership remained with White Knight Broadcasting. The acquisition was completed on January 1, 2015, placing WBRL within Nexstar's Baton Rouge operating structure. WBRL has also undergone several technical changes. On July 1, 2020, its digital transmission was moved from channel 21 to channel 20 to avoid co-channel interference involving WHNO in New Orleans; the move placed it on shared channel space with KZUP-CD. WBRL is also simulcast in high definition on WGMB's second digital subchannel, WGMB-DT2. That simulcast was upgraded to 720p high definition on November 1, 2021. In local news, the station has retransmitted WGMB's 9 p.m. newscast at 10:30 p.m. since March 2017. WBRL's current role is therefore a combination of CW network distribution, local-market brand presence, and shared technical and news resources within Nexstar's Baton Rouge station group.

WBRL-CD traces its technical lineage to a low-power television facility that began broadcasting on March 30, 1989, as K65EF on channel 65. Great Oaks Broadcasting Corporation, associated with Woody Jenkins, established the station as a translator for independent station WBTR. The translator helped address WBTR's limited availability on Baton Rouge cable systems. In 1995, the facility moved to channel 21 and became KANC-LP. It was then used as an all-news station affiliated with the All News Channel, making it an early attempt to provide a dedicated news service to the Baton Rouge market. At the same time, WB programming reached local viewers through a combination of cable carriage and low-power broadcasting. Communications Corporation of America launched a cable-only WB service using the fictitious call sign WBBR on February 1, 1999. This followed the decline of WTVK-LP, another low-power outlet that had previously carried WB programming in parts of the market. Communications Corporation of America acquired the facility, then operating as WTNC, on November 13, 2002. The company intended to create an over-the-air home for WB programming. The call sign was changed to WBRL, and the station ultimately operated on channel 21 rather than the initially contemplated channel 19. Some early identifications mistakenly referred to the service as “WB 19.” The WBRL call sign had also been used decades earlier by an unrelated FM station, a historical coincidence rather than a continuation of the same enterprise. The station's network identity changed during the 2006 UPN–WB realignment. When WBXH announced that it would become a MyNetworkTV affiliate, WBRL was selected as Baton Rouge's CW affiliate. This gave the station a continuing role as a network outlet after The WB and UPN were replaced by the combined CW service. ComCorp entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2006. According to the company's contemporaneous statement, the proceeding was not expected to cause immediate changes for WBRL viewers or employees. Nexstar Broadcasting Group later announced the purchase of ComCorp's entire station group on April 24, 2013. The deal included WBRL-CD and WGMB-TV, while a local marketing arrangement involving WVLA-TV and KZUP-CD was also included even though White Knight Broadcasting retained ownership of those stations. The transaction closed on January 1, 2015. WBRL's digital operation was revised on July 1, 2020, when the station moved from digital channel 21 to channel 20 to address potential co-channel interference from WHNO in New Orleans. The new arrangement used shared channel space with KZUP-CD. WBRL is also carried as a high-definition simulcast on WGMB-DT2. That simulcast was upgraded to 720p on November 1, 2021. Since March 2017, WBRL has retransmitted WGMB's 9 p.m. newscast at 10:30 p.m., complementing its CW network schedule with locally produced news content. Today, WBRL functions as part of Nexstar's integrated Baton Rouge broadcast operation, combining local market distribution, network programming, shared facilities, and shared technical resources.

• 2021

  WGMB-DT2 simulcast receives HD upgrade

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station's simulcast on WGMB-DT2 is upgraded to 720p high definition.

• 2020

  Digital transmission moves to channel 20

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  WBRL moves its digital channel assignment to channel 20 to prevent interference involving WHNO.

• 2015

  Station joins Nexstar's Baton Rouge group

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar completes its acquisition of ComCorp's station group, including WBRL-CD.

• 2006

  WBRL becomes a CW affiliate

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  WBRL is selected as Baton Rouge's CW outlet after WBXH chooses MyNetworkTV.

• 2002

  ComCorp acquires the facility and adopts WBRL

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  ComCorp purchases the station then known as WTNC, changes its call sign to WBRL, and prepares it to carry WB programming over the air.

• 1999

  Cable-only WB service launches

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Communications Corporation of America introduces WB programming to Baton Rouge cable subscribers under the fictitious WBBR designation.

• 1995

  Facility becomes KANC-LP

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves to channel 21, adopts the KANC-LP call sign, and carries All News Channel programming.

• 1989

  K65EF begins broadcasting

  [1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The low-power facility signs on channel 65 as K65EF and operates as a translator for independent station WBTR.

A locally distributed CW network outlet serving Baton Rouge through a low-power Class A signal, shared digital infrastructure, and programming resources from Nexstar's local station group.

• Network television affiliate · 2006

  The CW Baton Rouge

  WBRL-CD's principal offering is local distribution of The CW's television schedule to viewers in the Baton Rouge market. The service combines network entertainment programming with the station's local identity and shared broadcast infrastructure.

• Local news programming · 2017

  WGMB 9 p.m. newscast rebroadcast

  Since March 2017, WBRL has carried a later repeat of WGMB's 9 p.m. newscast at 10:30 p.m., allowing the station to provide locally produced news within its network schedule.

• Digital simulcast · 2021

  WBRL on WGMB-DT2

  WBRL is simulcast in high definition on WGMB's second digital subchannel. The simulcast was upgraded to 720p high definition in November 2021.

• 2021

  Upgrade WGMB-DT2 simulcast to 720pOther

  Background

  WBRL was already being distributed through a simulcast on WGMB's second digital subchannel.

  Action taken

  The WGMB-DT2 simulcast was upgraded to 720p high definition.

  Aftermath

  Viewers receiving WBRL through the secondary digital feed gained a higher-definition presentation.

  Source

• 2020

  Move digital transmission from channel 21 to channel 20Other

  Background

  The existing digital assignment risked co-channel interference involving WHNO in New Orleans.

  Action taken

  WBRL relocated its digital channel to channel 20 and shared channel space with KZUP-CD.

  Aftermath

  The change was intended to improve spectrum compatibility and prevent interference.

  Source

• 2006

  Accept CW affiliation after UPN–WB realignmentStrategy

  Background

  The creation of The CW and WBXH's decision to join MyNetworkTV created a new network-affiliation opportunity in Baton Rouge.

  Action taken

  WBRL accepted the local affiliation with The CW and became the market's CW outlet.

  Aftermath

  The station retained a network role after the dissolution of the former WB and UPN affiliation structure.

  Source

• 2021

  WGMB-DT2 simulcast upgraded to high definition[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  WBRL's simulcast on WGMB's second digital subchannel was upgraded to 720p high definition.

• 2020

  WBRL changes digital channel assignment[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  The station moved its digital transmission from channel 21 to channel 20 to prevent interference with WHNO in New Orleans and began sharing channel space with KZUP-CD.

• 2015

  Nexstar completes acquisition of WBRL-CD[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The ComCorp transaction closed, bringing WBRL-CD into Nexstar's Baton Rouge station group.

• 2013

  Nexstar announces acquisition of ComCorp stations[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced an agreement to acquire ComCorp's station group, including WBRL-CD and WGMB-TV, together with related Baton Rouge operating arrangements.

• 2006

  WBRL announced as Baton Rouge's CW affiliate[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  After Baton Rouge UPN affiliate WBXH selected MyNetworkTV for the upcoming network transition, WBRL was announced as the market's affiliate of The CW.

• 2006

  ComCorp files for Chapter 11 protection[1]WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  WBRL's owner, Communications Corporation of America, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company said viewers and station staff were not expected to experience immediate changes.

1. 1WBRL-CDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WBRL-CD official websitebrproud.com