WCWJ
WCWJ is a CW-affiliated television station serving Jacksonville, Florida, and the surrounding market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WCWJ is a television station licensed to Jacksonville, Florida, and affiliated with The CW. The station broadcasts on channel 17 and operates alongside independent station WJXT, which is also owned by Graham Media Group. The stations share studios at 4 Broadcast Place on the south bank of the St. Johns River, while WCWJ’s transmitter is located on Anders Boulevard on Jacksonville’s south side. The station began broadcasting on February 19, 1966, as WJKS-TV. It was built by Rust Craft Broadcasting at a time when Jacksonville had only two commercial television stations and lacked a full-time ABC affiliate. WJKS-TV initially joined ABC, replacing the split carriage arrangement under which WJXT and WFGA-TV, now WTLV, had carried ABC programs. Despite the new affiliation, the station struggled for years to establish a strong audience and a substantial local-news operation. Its early local output was limited, and it did not introduce an early-evening newscast until 1978. Rust Craft was acquired by Ziff-Davis in 1979. In 1981, Ziff-Davis sold WJKS-TV to Media General, which invested in the station’s news operation, adding weekend broadcasts, improved production facilities, live-reporting capability, new presentation elements, and later a helicopter branded Sky 17. The station briefly challenged WTLV for second place in local news ratings, but it generally remained behind Jacksonville’s stronger stations. In 1991, WJKS-TV began producing a prime-time newscast for Fox affiliate WAWS, creating an important source of local-news output even as the station’s own newscasts remained comparatively weak. The station lost its ABC affiliation in 1997 after Allbritton Communications arranged to move ABC programming to WBSG-TV in Brunswick, Georgia, and then to a related Jacksonville-area service. WJKS-TV ended its local news operation in December 1996 and moved to The WB, adopting the call sign WJWB. The station became one of The WB’s stronger affiliates and repositioned itself around syndicated programming and the network’s entertainment schedule rather than a traditional major-network news identity. Following the 2006 merger of The WB and UPN, WJWB became an affiliate of the newly formed The CW network and changed its call sign to WCWJ. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired the station in 2009 and experimented with original local programs. Graham Media Group acquired WCWJ in 2017 as part of Nexstar’s acquisition of Media General. WCWJ remains a local broadcast outlet centered on CW network programming, syndicated entertainment, and service to the Jacksonville television market.
History
WCWJ traces its origins to Rust Craft Broadcasting’s effort to establish a third commercial television station in Jacksonville. The company applied to the Federal Communications Commission in 1963 for a station originally associated with channel 36, then secured approval to use channel 17 in order to improve its prospects of obtaining a network affiliation. The station began broadcasting on February 19, 1966, as WJKS-TV, with ABC programming. Its launch ended Jacksonville’s status as the largest American city with only two commercial television stations and created a full-time ABC outlet in the market. The station’s first years were difficult. WJKS-TV had limited local programming and weak ratings, particularly in news. Its late-evening newscast attracted only a small audience in the 1970s, and the station operated with a very small news staff. A feature-oriented early-evening newscast was introduced in 1978, but WJKS-TV remained behind WJXT and WTLV in audience strength. In 1969, it built a 1,050-foot transmission tower, improving its technical reach across North Florida. Ziff-Davis acquired Rust Craft in 1979 after an extended transaction process. Ziff later decided to exit broadcasting and sold WJKS-TV to Media General in 1981. Media General invested in the news department, introducing weekend reports, upgraded sets and presentation, microwave equipment for live reports, and additional personnel. The station also launched the Sky 17 helicopter in 1985. These initiatives briefly brought WJKS-TV closer to WTLV in local news ratings, but the station did not displace Jacksonville’s established leaders. The market experienced several major affiliation changes. WTLV moved from NBC to ABC in 1980, making WJKS-TV an NBC affiliate. The arrangement was reversed in 1988 after Gannett acquired WTLV and returned it to NBC. WJKS-TV therefore returned to ABC, but the change damaged its competitive position as WTLV benefited from the stronger NBC schedule. WJKS-TV expanded and renamed its news products several times, but morning and noon broadcasts were withdrawn in 1989 because of weak ratings. In 1990, the news operation became 17 First Coast News. From 1991, the station also produced a 10 p.m. newscast for WAWS, Jacksonville’s Fox affiliate; that program eventually attracted more viewers than WJKS-TV’s own late news. In February 1996, Allbritton announced an agreement to purchase WBSG-TV in Brunswick, Georgia, and affiliate it with ABC in place of WJKS-TV. WJKS-TV challenged aspects of the proposed technical changes before the FCC, but conceded in August 1996. Its final local newscast aired on December 29, 1996, and the news department was closed. The station then moved to The WB, changed its call sign to WJWB, and developed a stronger position as a WB affiliate. The 2006 combination of The WB and UPN produced The CW, and WJWB became WCWJ. Nexstar acquired the station in 2009 and tried several original local-programming concepts. Graham Media Group acquired WCWJ in 2017 in connection with Nexstar’s acquisition of Media General. The station continues to operate as a CW affiliate in the Jacksonville market, sharing facilities with WJXT while maintaining its own broadcast transmission infrastructure.
- 2017
Graham Media Group acquires WCWJ
[1]Graham Media Group acquired WCWJ as part of the broader Nexstar–Media General transaction.
- 2009
Nexstar acquires the station
[1]Nexstar Broadcasting Group purchased WCWJ and explored original local programming.
- 2006
WCWJ joins The CW
[1]Following the WB–UPN merger, the station became a CW affiliate and took the WCWJ call sign.
- 1997
WJKS-TV becomes WJWB and joins The WB
[1]Channel 17 moved from ABC to The WB and adopted the WJWB call sign.
- 1996
ABC affiliation lost and local news ends
[1]The station conceded the ABC affiliation dispute and aired its final local newscast in December.
- 1991
Prime-time newscast produced for WAWS
[1]WJKS-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast for Jacksonville Fox affiliate WAWS.
- 1985
Sky 17 helicopter introduced
[1]The station added a branded news helicopter as part of its effort to strengthen local coverage.
- 1981
Media General ownership begins
[1]Media General acquired WJKS-TV from Ziff-Davis and began upgrading its news operation.
- 1979
Ziff-Davis completes Rust Craft acquisition
[1]Ziff-Davis took control of Rust Craft’s television assets, including WJKS-TV.
- 1978
Early-evening local newscast introduced
[1]WJKS-TV launched a 5:30 p.m. local news program after years of limited local-news production.
Products and positioning
Local broadcast television station serving the Jacksonville market, with a programming identity centered on The CW and syndicated entertainment rather than a major-network local-news operation.
Television network affiliation · 2006
The CW network programming
WCWJ’s principal programming proposition is its carriage of The CW schedule, including the network’s entertainment, scripted, reality, and syndicated offerings. The affiliation has defined the station since 2006, following its earlier identity as a WB affiliate.
Broadcast television · 1966
Local television broadcasting
WCWJ provides over-the-air television service to Jacksonville and the surrounding media market. Its operations include transmission from the city’s south side and programming distribution through local broadcast and digital platforms.
Television news · 1978
Local news programming
The station historically produced its own local newscasts and, from 1991, supplied a 10 p.m. newscast for Fox affiliate WAWS. WCWJ’s in-house news department was closed at the end of 1996, and the station’s current identity is primarily network- and entertainment-focused.
Brand decisions
2006
Adoption of The CW affiliationProduct launchBackground
The WB and UPN combined to form The CW, requiring affiliated stations to select a new network identity.
Action taken
WJWB adopted the WCWJ call sign and became Jacksonville’s CW affiliate.
Aftermath
WCWJ has continued operating under The CW identity through subsequent ownership changes.
1996
Transition from ABC to The WBStrategyBackground
Allbritton’s agreement to place ABC programming on WBSG-TV removed WJKS-TV’s long-standing network affiliation and left the station without another major commercial network immediately available.
Action taken
The station ended its local news department, changed its call sign to WJWB, and joined The WB in 1997.
Aftermath
The station became one of The WB’s stronger affiliates and later transitioned to The CW when The WB and UPN merged.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wcwj · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled