WFIE

WFIE is a television station serving Evansville, Indiana, and nearby communities in southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 14 and has maintained an NBC affiliation throughout its history, making it the longest-tenured NBC affiliate in Indiana. Its news identity is commonly presented under the 14 News brand. WFIE was granted a construction permit in June 1953 and began broadcasting on November 15 of that year. It was initially licensed to broadcast on analog UHF channel 62 and was owned by Jesse, Isadore, and Oscar Fine. The station was the second television station in the Evansville Tri-State market, but the first to be based physically in Evansville. WFIE initially carried NBC as its primary network and also had secondary affiliations with ABC and DuMont. Those secondary affiliations ended in 1956 after the launch of WTVW and the closure of the DuMont network. The Fine family sold WFIE in 1956 to the George Norton family of Louisville, owners of NBC affiliate WAVE-TV. The station received approval to move to the stronger UHF channel 14 in 1957, establishing the channel identity it retains today. WFIE became the first station in the Evansville market to broadcast color programming through its NBC relationship in 1956, and it began airing live local color programming in 1966. Over subsequent decades, the station introduced local remote broadcasts, stereo transmission, digital broadcasting, expanded weather coverage, and high-definition local news. WFIE's news operation is a central part of its business and public identity. It produces local news, weather, and sports programming for viewers across the Evansville market, with additional coverage and newsroom operations in western Kentucky. The station has invested heavily in weather technology, including an early Doppler radar system installed near its Evansville studios in 1988 and a second radar facility in Owensboro introduced as part of its Dual Doppler service in 2007. It was also an early adopter of extended morning news, beginning its weekday morning program at 4:30 a.m., and became the first Evansville-market station to broadcast local newscasts in high definition in 2011. WFIE operates digital multicast services in addition to its main NBC channel. Its second digital subchannel previously carried NBC Weather Plus, followed by a locally oriented weather and news format branded 14Xtra. In October 2014, the subchannel adopted the full MeTV schedule. The station has also used other digital subchannels for multicast entertainment networks, including Grit. WFIE's main channel continues to combine NBC network programming with locally produced news and weather coverage. Ownership has changed several times. The station moved from the Norton family's Orion Broadcasting interests to Cosmos Broadcasting in 1981. Cosmos was associated with Liberty Corporation, which later brought WFIE directly under its corporate banner after Liberty exited the insurance business. Liberty merged with Raycom Media in 2006. In 2019, Raycom and Gray Television completed a $3.6 billion merger, placing WFIE within Gray's national television-station portfolio. WFIE remains an active NBC affiliate with studios on Mount Auburn Road in Evansville and a transmitter in the Wolf Hills section of Henderson, Kentucky.

WFIE received a construction permit on June 10, 1953, and signed on November 15, 1953. The station originally operated on analog UHF channel 62 and was owned by Jesse, Isadore, and Oscar Fine. Although WEHT had launched earlier in the broader market, WFIE was the first television station based in Evansville itself. It began as an NBC affiliate while also carrying selected ABC and DuMont programming. Those secondary network relationships ended in August 1956, when WTVW began carrying ABC and the DuMont network ceased operations. WFIE has never changed its primary NBC affiliation, a distinction that makes it Indiana's longest-serving NBC affiliate. The station also carried color programming through NBC in 1956, among the first such developments in the Evansville market. In 1956, the Fine family sold WFIE to the George Norton family of Louisville, whose broadcasting interests included WAVE-TV. With regulatory approval, WFIE moved to channel 14 in 1957. The channel assignment became the foundation of the station's long-term identity. On March 10, 1966, WFIE became the first Evansville station to air live, locally produced color programming. The station's ownership later became associated with Orion Broadcasting. In October 1981, Orion merged with Cosmos Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Liberty Corporation. WFIE became the first station in its market to broadcast in stereo in September 1985. After Liberty exited the insurance business in 2000, WFIE operated directly under the Liberty corporate name. Liberty and Raycom Media merged on February 1, 2006, leaving WFIE within Raycom's television-station group. WFIE expanded its local news and weather infrastructure over time. In August 1977, it became the first Evansville station to conduct remote local broadcasts from outside its studios. It installed its own Doppler weather radar in February 1988, becoming the second station in Indiana and the first in Evansville to build such a system. In April 2007, it added a second radar in Owensboro, Kentucky, and promoted the combined system as Dual Doppler. The station also established Western Kentucky newsrooms in Owensboro and Madisonville. Digital broadcasting began in May 2002 on channel 46. WFIE ended regular analog programming on June 12, 2009, as part of the United States' transition to digital television; its digital service continued using virtual channel 14. The station developed several multicast services. WFIE-DT2 launched in 2005 as a local outlet for NBC Weather Plus, branded First Alert Weather Now. After NBC Weather Plus ended in 2008, the subchannel became a local weather, news, and sports service called 14Xtra. In October 2014, the full MeTV schedule moved to WFIE-DT2, replacing the local 14Xtra format. Other digital subchannels carried multicast services including Movies! and Grit at different points. The news operation continued to expand in the 2010s. WFIE began high-definition local newscasts with its 5 p.m. broadcast on July 11, 2011, and introduced a 4 p.m. newscast on September 12 of that year. The station also produces a weeknight prime-time newscast for WFIE-DT2 and maintains extensive weather and regional reporting. In June 2018, Gray Television announced an agreement to combine its broadcasting assets with those of Raycom Media. The transaction was approved in December 2018 and completed on January 2, 2019, making WFIE part of Gray's station group. The station remains active as an NBC affiliate serving the Evansville-area market.

1. 2019WFIE joins Gray Television

   Gray Television completed its merger with Raycom Media, bringing WFIE into Gray's ownership group.

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2. 2014MeTV moves to WFIE-DT2

   The full MeTV schedule moved to WFIE-DT2, replacing the 14Xtra local news and weather format.

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3. 2011High-definition news and 4 p.m. newscast introduced

   WFIE began high-definition local news and added a 4 p.m. weekday newscast.

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4. 2009Analog television service ends

   WFIE ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12 during the nationwide digital transition.

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5. 2005WFIE-DT2 launches

   The second digital subchannel launched as a local outlet for NBC Weather Plus.

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6. 1988Doppler radar installed

   WFIE installed a station-operated Doppler weather radar near its Evansville studios.

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7. 1981Orion merges into Cosmos Broadcasting

   WFIE entered the Cosmos Broadcasting structure through the merger of Orion Broadcasting and Cosmos.

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8. 1977Remote local broadcasting introduced

   WFIE became the first Evansville station to remotely broadcast local news, sports, and weather from outside its studios.

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9. 1966First local live color broadcasts

   WFIE began airing live and locally produced color programming on March 10.

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10. 1957Move to channel 14

    WFIE moved to the stronger UHF channel 14, the channel associated with its continuing identity.

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11. 1956Secondary affiliations end and ownership changes

    WFIE dropped its secondary ABC and DuMont affiliations and was sold by the Fine family to the George Norton family.

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12. 1953Construction permit granted and station launched

    WFIE received a construction permit on June 10 and began broadcasting on November 15 from Evansville on analog UHF channel 62.

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Local NBC affiliate with a strong emphasis on regional news, weather technology, severe-weather information, and coverage of southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky.

• 14 NewsLocal television news

  WFIE's principal local-news brand covers Evansville and surrounding communities in southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky. Its output includes weekday morning, daytime, evening, and late-night programming, plus weekend broadcasts. The operation emphasizes local reporting, regional sports, breaking news, and weather information, and also distributes content through the station's website and other digital channels.

• First Alert WeatherWeather service

  WFIE's weather offering provides forecasts, severe-weather reporting, radar information, and regional alerts for the Evansville Tri-State area. The service is supported by the station's Evansville radar and its additional Owensboro radar, historically promoted together as Dual Doppler.

• WFIE-DT2Digital multicast television2005

  WFIE-DT2 is the station's second digital subchannel. It launched with NBC Weather Plus, later carried a locally produced weather, news, and sports format called 14Xtra, and since October 2014 has carried MeTV programming. The subchannel has also been used for additional local or syndicated programming at different points.

• 2019Completion of Gray Television and Raycom Media mergerM&A

  Gray Television and Raycom Media agreed to combine their television-station assets in a transaction announced in 2018.

  What changed. The transaction received approval on December 20, 2018, and closed on January 2, 2019, placing WFIE under Gray Television.

  Aftermath. WFIE gained additional Gray sister stations in nearby markets and remained an NBC affiliate within Gray's national broadcast portfolio.

  Announced transaction value. $3.6 billion (2018 announcement)

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• 2014Move MeTV programming to WFIE-DT2Strategy

  After MeTV's earlier carriage arrangements in the Evansville market changed and WFIE's other digital services were reorganized, the station needed to preserve a full-market outlet for the network.

  What changed. WFIE moved the complete MeTV schedule to its second digital subchannel at noon on October 28, while Grit launched on WFIE-DT3.

  Aftermath. The change ended the 14Xtra local news and weather format and established WFIE-DT2 as the station's MeTV outlet.

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• 2019Gray Television completes Raycom Media merger

  The completion of Gray Television's merger with Raycom Media moved WFIE into Gray's station portfolio.

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• 2011WFIE begins high-definition local news

  WFIE began airing local newscasts in high definition, becoming the first station in the Evansville market to do so.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 2007WFIE launches Dual Doppler weather service

  The station introduced a second weather radar in Owensboro, Kentucky, expanding its regional weather-monitoring capabilities.

  Product launch
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• 2002WFIE begins digital broadcasting

  WFIE began broadcasting a digital signal on UHF channel 46 while retaining virtual channel 14.

  Other
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1. WFIE
2. 14 News official website