WCCB
A Charlotte, North Carolina television station owned by Bahakel Communications.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WCCB is a television station serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and surrounding communities. The station is owned by locally based Bahakel Communications and operates from studios near Uptown Charlotte, close to Bojangles Coliseum. Its transmitter is in the Newell area of northeastern Mecklenburg County. Although the station is now associated with the WCCB call sign, its broadcast history reaches back to the launch of WAYS-TV on January 5, 1954, when it began operating on UHF channel 36 as Charlotte's second television station. The early station carried ABC programming as its primary affiliation and NBC programs on a secondary basis, but its low-power UHF signal and the limited availability of television sets equipped for UHF reception made it difficult to compete with established VHF stations WBTV and, later, WSOC-TV. The original operation experienced financial and technical difficulties. WAYS-TV became WQMC after a change in ownership, went off the air in 1955, and subsequently returned as WUTV in 1961 after several years of delays. WUTV initially carried educational programming supplied by the University of North Carolina and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, but it again ceased broadcasting in 1963. Cy Bahakel acquired the dormant license and facilities in 1964 and relaunched the station as WCCB-TV on November 1 of that year. The call letters reflected Bahakel's connection to Charlotte. In 1966, the station moved from channel 36 to channel 18 and began operating with a substantially more powerful transmitter, improving its ability to serve the wider Charlotte market. WCCB became Charlotte's full-time ABC affiliate in 1967 after WSOC-TV ended its ABC commitments. The affiliation lasted until 1978, when ABC moved to WSOC-TV. WCCB sought the NBC affiliation that became available in the same transition, but NBC selected WRET-TV, now WCNC-TV, after owner Ted Turner proposed a major investment in facilities and news operations. WCCB consequently became an independent station, relying on syndicated entertainment, cartoons, movies, and locally produced programming. Its independent period included the popular after-school program Afternoon Express, associated with the costumed Sonic Man character played by Larry Sprinkle. In 1986, WCCB joined Fox as a charter affiliate. The station was already a strong independent, and its Fox affiliation turned it into one of the network's better-performing affiliates. Its profile increased further in 1994 when Fox acquired the National Football Conference package from CBS. WCCB became the principal Charlotte-market broadcaster for Carolina Panthers regular-season games during the team's first 18 seasons, helping establish the station as a major local sports outlet. Cy Bahakel was also an original partner in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, and WCCB served as the team's flagship station during the franchise's first Charlotte period from 1988 through 1992. Fox's purchase of Charlotte stations WJZY and WMYT-TV in 2013 ended WCCB's long Fox tenure. WCCB became the Charlotte affiliate of The CW on July 1, 2013, adopting branding that referred to it as Charlotte's CW while generally retaining emphasis on the WCCB call letters. In 2025, Nexstar Media Group announced that WMYT would become a CW owned-and-operated station, resulting in WCCB's expected loss of the CW affiliation and return to independent status. The station has continued to combine syndicated and network-era programming with local news, weather, community features, and sports. After the 2025 transition, it expanded its emphasis on locally controlled programming and live sports under the Bahakel Sports banner.
History
WCCB's lineage began with WAYS-TV, which signed on in Charlotte on January 5, 1954, using UHF channel 36. It was the city's second television station and initially carried ABC programming alongside a secondary NBC affiliation. The station faced the structural disadvantages common to early UHF broadcasters: its signal was weak, many television receivers lacked built-in UHF tuning, and established VHF competitor WBTV had a strong position. WAYS-TV became WQMC after an ownership change and went silent in 1955 amid technical and financial problems. A successor operation, WUTV, was planned by Century Advertising and finally launched in September 1961. It operated from a new facility near the Charlotte Coliseum and carried educational programs from the University of North Carolina and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. WUTV ceased operations in May 1963 after the educational groups declined to continue leasing the station. In 1964, businessman Cy Bahakel purchased the dormant license and facilities for $175,000. He rebuilt the operation and returned it to the air on November 1, 1964, as WCCB-TV. The relaunched station initially had difficulty securing a full network affiliation because its UHF signal remained comparatively limited and Charlotte households were only gradually adopting all-channel television receivers. WCCB therefore carried selected programs from ABC, NBC, and CBS. Its prospects improved after it moved from channel 36 to channel 18 on November 1, 1966, using a much more powerful transmitter. In 1967, WSOC-TV ended its ABC programming, allowing WCCB to become Charlotte's exclusive ABC affiliate. The station nevertheless remained behind the market's leading stations in audience performance. ABC later selected WSOC-TV as its Charlotte outlet beginning in 1978. WCCB competed for the NBC affiliation but lost to WRET-TV, whose owner Ted Turner committed to substantial technical and news investments. WCCB became independent and filled its schedule with syndicated programs, movies, cartoons, and locally produced shows. Its after-school programming included Afternoon Express, which featured the Sonic Man character portrayed by Larry Sprinkle. WCCB joined Fox at the network's October 1986 launch. The station's strong independent ratings made it an important early Fox affiliate. The 1994 transfer of NFC football rights to Fox gave WCCB extensive Carolina Panthers coverage after the team's 1995 debut. WCCB also carried Charlotte Hornets games during the team's first Charlotte era, reflecting Bahakel's broader involvement in local professional sports. Cy Bahakel died in 2006, after which his family continued operating the station and Bahakel Communications. WCCB remained with Fox until 2013, when Fox purchased WJZY and WMYT-TV and shifted its Charlotte network affiliation to the newly acquired stations. WCCB then became a CW affiliate on July 1, 2013. In 2025, a Nexstar ownership and affiliation change involving WMYT was announced, ending WCCB's CW period and returning the station to independent status. Its programming mix has continued to include local news, syndicated entertainment, weather, community content, and sports, with additional local sports activity associated with Bahakel Sports.
- 2025
Return to independent programming
[1]WCCB is scheduled to lose its CW affiliation when WMYT becomes a CW owned-and-operated station, restoring WCCB's independent status.
- 2013
The station joins The CW
[1]WCCB replaces WJZY as Charlotte's CW affiliate on July 1 after Fox acquires WJZY and WMYT-TV.
- 1995
Panthers coverage begins
[1]WCCB becomes a principal local broadcaster of Carolina Panthers regular-season games after Fox acquires NFC rights.
- 1986
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WCCB joins Fox at the network's launch and establishes a long-running identity as Fox Charlotte.
- 1978
WCCB becomes independent
[1]ABC moves to WSOC-TV and NBC selects WRET-TV, leaving WCCB to operate as an independent station.
- 1967
WCCB becomes Charlotte's ABC affiliate
[1]After WSOC-TV drops ABC programming, WCCB becomes the market's full-time ABC station.
- 1966
WCCB moves to channel 18
[1]The station changes from channel 36 to channel 18 and begins transmitting from a higher-power facility.
- 1964
Cy Bahakel relaunches the station
[1]Cy Bahakel acquires the dormant channel 36 operation and returns it to the air as WCCB-TV.
- 1963
WUTV ceases broadcasting
[1]WUTV goes off the air after its educational programming arrangement ends.
- 1961
WUTV launches
[1]The channel 36 facility returns as WUTV with educational programming and a newly built Charlotte studio facility.
Products and positioning
A locally owned Charlotte television station combining local news, weather, entertainment, and sports programming.
Broadcast programming
Local news and weather
WCCB produces and broadcasts local news, weather, traffic, and community-oriented programming for the Charlotte market. These services are the station's main locally produced offering and support its role as a regional broadcast outlet independent of any single national network.
Network television · 2013
CW network programming
From July 2013 through 2025, WCCB carried programming from The CW, including the network's entertainment schedule and selected special programming. The affiliation followed Fox's acquisition of WJZY and WMYT-TV and replaced WJZY as the Charlotte-market CW outlet.
Sports broadcasting · 1995
Carolina Panthers broadcasts
WCCB carried most Carolina Panthers regular-season games during the franchise's first 18 seasons, when Fox held the National Football Conference package. It later carried Panthers preseason games until those rights moved to WSOC-TV for the 2019 season.
Sports broadcasting · 1988
Charlotte Hornets broadcasts
WCCB served as the flagship station for the Charlotte Hornets during the franchise's first Charlotte period from 1988 to 1992. The relationship reflected Cy Bahakel's role as an original partner in the NBA franchise.
Brand decisions
2025
Return to independent statusStrategyBackground
Nexstar announced that WMYT would become a CW owned-and-operated station, removing the need for WCCB to serve as the Charlotte CW affiliate.
Action taken
WCCB returned to independent programming and increased its emphasis on locally controlled content and sports under the Bahakel Sports banner.
Aftermath
The station ended its 2013–2025 CW period and resumed the independent model it had used between 1978 and 1986.
2013
Transition from Fox to The CWStrategyBackground
Fox purchased Charlotte stations WJZY and WMYT-TV, creating a path for Fox to operate its own station in the market and displacing WCCB after 27 years as a Fox affiliate.
Action taken
WCCB accepted the CW affiliation and introduced Charlotte's CW branding beginning July 1, 2013.
Aftermath
The change preserved WCCB's network-affiliated status while ending its long-running Fox identity.
Recent events
- 2025
WCCB set to return to independent status[1]
Other
Nexstar announced that WMYT would become a CW owned-and-operated station, ending WCCB's CW affiliation and returning WCCB to independent programming.
- 2013
WCCB becomes the Charlotte CW affiliate[1]
Leadership change · Other
After Fox acquired WJZY and WMYT-TV, WCCB announced that it would take over as Charlotte's CW affiliate on July 1, 2013.
- 1986
WCCB becomes a charter Fox affiliate[1]
Other
WCCB joined Fox when the new network launched, beginning a 27-year affiliation that made the Charlotte station one of Fox's strongest affiliates.
Sources2 sources
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