WFLD

WFLD, branded on air as Fox 32 Chicago, is a television station serving Chicago, Illinois, and surrounding communities. It broadcasts on digital channel 31 while retaining the WFLD call sign associated with its former analog channel 32 identity. The station is owned and operated by Fox through Fox Television Stations and is paired with WPWR-TV, an independent station affiliated with MyNetworkTV. The two outlets share downtown Chicago facilities on North Michigan Avenue, while their transmission infrastructure is located at the Willis Tower. WFLD began broadcasting on January 4, 1966, as an independent UHF station. Its original controlling participant was Field Enterprises, the media company associated with the Field family and the publishers of the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. The station initially operated from the Marina City complex and promoted itself as technologically progressive. During its early independent years, it combined syndicated entertainment, movies, children's programming, sports, public-affairs content and news material connected with the Field newspapers. It competed primarily with Chicago's established independent stations, especially WGN-TV. Ownership changed repeatedly during the station's first two decades. An attempted sale to Metromedia in 1969–1970 was abandoned, after which Field acquired full control. Field later partnered with Kaiser Broadcasting, but Kaiser sold its interest back to Field in 1977. WFLD strengthened its position through acquisitions of widely recognized syndicated series, classic cartoons and off-network sitcoms. By the early 1980s, it had become a particularly strong independent station and was competing directly with WGN-TV for viewers. Field's internal disagreements and decision to liquidate its television holdings led to a completed sale of WFLD to Metromedia in 1983. The station adopted the Metromedia 32 identity and expanded its syndicated schedule. In 1985, Metromedia agreed to sell WFLD and several other independent stations to News Corporation. The transaction was completed in 1986, making WFLD one of the core stations of the newly created Fox Television Stations group. When the Fox Broadcasting Company launched in October 1986, WFLD became one of its charter owned-and-operated stations. Like other early Fox affiliates, WFLD initially operated much like an independent because Fox supplied only limited programming. The station filled non-network periods with movies and syndicated entertainment before Fox progressively expanded its schedule. WFLD added a local news department in 1987 and later became an important Fox news outlet in the Chicago market. Its brand shifted from Fox 32 to Fox Chicago in 1997, although viewers continued to use the Fox 32 name widely. Fox expanded its Chicago presence in 2002 by purchasing WPWR-TV from Newsweb Corporation and creating a duopoly with WFLD. WPWR's operations were subsequently integrated into WFLD's downtown facilities. WFLD remains a local broadcast brand combining Fox network programming, locally produced news, weather and sports coverage, syndicated programs and digital content for viewers in the Chicago market.

WFLD entered the Chicago television market on January 4, 1966, as an independent station on UHF channel 32. Field Enterprises, linked to the Field family and the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, held the principal interest and managed the station. Its first studios were at Marina City. WFLD was marketed as a technically forward-looking broadcaster and carried a mixture of syndicated shows, films, children's programs, public affairs, sports and locally originated material. The station's ownership evolved during the 1970s. A proposed sale to Metromedia in 1969 collapsed the following year, after which Field acquired the minority interest and gained full control. Field subsequently sold a controlling interest to Kaiser Broadcasting in 1972. The resulting station group connected WFLD with several other UHF independents, but Kaiser returned its share to Field in 1977. During this period, WFLD competed against stronger VHF and independent rivals by assembling a broad syndicated schedule. It acquired popular older sitcoms, cartoons, dramas, movies and first-run programs, and its ratings improved substantially. The station also became associated with horror-film presentations, including the early Chicago versions of the Svengoolie franchise. Field Enterprises began selling its television assets in the early 1980s amid disagreements among family principals. WFLD was sold to Metromedia in a transaction completed in March 1983 for slightly more than $100 million, at the time an unusually high price for a UHF station. Metromedia rebranded the outlet as Metromedia 32 and refreshed its syndicated schedule while WFLD remained Chicago's leading independent station. News Corporation agreed in 1985 to acquire Metromedia's principal independent stations, including WFLD. Regulatory approval was completed in 1986, and Fox Television Stations was established to operate the outlets. WFLD joined the Fox Broadcasting Company when the network launched on October 9, 1986. Fox initially supplied only a small amount of programming, so WFLD continued to function largely as an independent, using movies and syndicated series to fill much of its schedule. Fox gradually added prime-time nights and children's programming, eventually becoming a full seven-night network in 1993. WFLD moved operations to its current North Michigan Avenue location in 1986 and launched a dedicated news department in August 1987. In 1997 it adopted the Fox Chicago identity, although Fox 32 remained an enduring audience nickname. Fox's 2002 purchase of WPWR-TV created a Chicago duopoly, with the stations sharing facilities. WFLD continues to operate as a Fox-owned local station, combining network programming with Chicago-focused news, weather, sports, syndicated content and digital publishing.

• 2002

  WPWR-TV acquisition creates a duopoly

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  Fox purchases WPWR-TV and integrates its operations with WFLD.

• 1997

  Brand changes to Fox Chicago

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  The station shifts its primary on-air branding away from the channel-number-based Fox 32 identity.

• 1987

  Local news department launches

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  WFLD establishes a dedicated news operation in Chicago.

• 1986

  WFLD joins Fox

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  The station becomes one of Fox's charter owned-and-operated stations when the network launches.

• 1983

  Metromedia ownership begins

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  Metromedia completes its acquisition of WFLD and introduces the Metromedia 32 identity.

• 1977

  Field regains Kaiser's interest

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  Kaiser sells its share of the station partnership back to Field Enterprises.

• 1972

  Kaiser Broadcasting takes a controlling interest

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  Field Enterprises enters a partnership that places WFLD within Kaiser's group of independent UHF stations.

• 1966

  WFLD begins broadcasting

  [1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on January 4 as an independent UHF broadcaster on channel 32.

A Fox-owned, mass-market Chicago television station focused on local news, weather, network entertainment and syndicated programming.

• Local television news · 1987

  Fox 32 Chicago local news

  WFLD's locally produced news service is the station's principal owned content offering. It covers Chicago-area politics, crime, public safety, transportation, weather, consumer issues, community events and regional sports, distributed through broadcast newscasts and the station's digital channels.

• Network television · 1986

  Fox network programming

  As a Fox owned-and-operated station, WFLD carries Fox entertainment, news, sports and special-event programming in the Chicago market. In Fox's early years, the network schedule was limited, so the station supplemented it with movies and syndicated programs.

• Television programming · 1966

  Syndicated programming

  Syndicated entertainment has been central to WFLD since its independent-station period. Its historical schedule included classic cartoons, sitcoms, dramas, talk shows, movies and first-run series, helping the station compete with Chicago's other independents and fill periods not occupied by Fox programming.

• 2002

  Acquisition of WPWR-TVM&A

  Background

  Fox expanded its Chicago station portfolio by purchasing UPN affiliate WPWR-TV from Newsweb Corporation.

  Action taken

  Fox completed the purchase and integrated WPWR's operations with WFLD, forming a two-station duopoly.

  Aftermath

  The stations shared downtown facilities, with WFLD continuing as the Fox outlet and WPWR operating independently with MyNetworkTV affiliation.

  Source

• 1985

  Agreeing to join the News Corporation station acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Metromedia agreed to sell WFLD and several sister independent stations to News Corporation as the latter assembled the assets for a new broadcast network.

  Action taken

  The transaction was completed in 1986, transferring WFLD into Fox Television Stations and making it a charter Fox owned-and-operated station.

  Aftermath

  WFLD became part of the Fox network at launch and developed from an independent-style outlet into a full Fox network station.

  Source

• 2002

  Fox acquires WPWR-TV and creates a Chicago duopoly[1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Fox purchased WPWR-TV from Newsweb Corporation and combined its operations with WFLD, creating a two-station Chicago operation.

• 1986

  WFLD becomes a charter Fox owned-and-operated station[1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  Following News Corporation's acquisition of Metromedia's stations, WFLD joined the Fox Broadcasting Company at its launch and became part of Fox Television Stations.

• 1966

  WFLD signs on as a Chicago independent station[1]WFLDen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WFLD began broadcasting on January 4 as an independent UHF station operated primarily by Field Enterprises and its partners.

1. 1WFLDen.wikipedia.org