WGFL

WGFL is a full-power television station licensed to High Springs, Florida, and serving the Gainesville television market. The station broadcasts on digital channel 29 and uses virtual channel 28, while its principal cable branding has historically emphasized channel 4 through the CBS 4 identity. WGFL has operated under several network affiliations during its history and has been associated with CBS, MyNetworkTV and, from December 2025, NBC programming on a subchannel. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates from shared facilities in Gainesville with WNBW-DT and WYME-CD. WGFL began broadcasting on September 20, 1997, as an analog UHF station on channel 53. Its original identity was WB 53, and it served as the local affiliate of The WB. It also carried UPN programming on a secondary basis, generally placing that programming in late-night hours. Its early schedule combined network programming with syndicated sitcoms, talk and reality programs, and children's programming from Kids' WB. The station became a CBS affiliate on July 15, 2002, following a wider affiliation change in northeastern Florida. It adopted the CBS 4 branding, reflecting its cable channel placement in the Gainesville area, and became the market's outlet for CBS programming, including national news, entertainment, sports and selected college football and basketball events. The transition also displaced its UPN programming, while The WB was moved to a separate cable-only service. WGFL's CBS role gave it access to Florida Gators sports coverage and CBS sports properties, which were particularly significant in a market with strong University of Florida interest. Ownership changed several times in the 2000s. The station was sold to Pegasus Communications in 2004 following an earlier brokerage arrangement involving Budd Broadcasting. After Pegasus filed for bankruptcy in 2005, WGFL became part of New Age Media. Sinclair Broadcast Group later acquired the station's operating assets through a transaction involving New Age Media. Sinclair began operating WGFL under a master service arrangement after purchasing non-license assets in 2014, and the company subsequently completed its direct acquisition of WGFL and WYME in 2025. WGFL has shared facilities and operational relationships with other stations serving Gainesville. Its studios are located on Northwest 80th Boulevard near Interstate 75 and State Road 93, while its transmitter facilities are near Newberry. The station has also carried programming from or operated alongside WMYG-LP, a low-power MyNetworkTV outlet whose license was canceled in 2015. WMYG-LP programming subsequently continued as a WGFL subchannel service. The station has had several approaches to local news. It initially simulcast selected newscasts from WTEV in Jacksonville, then used syndicated news programming. In 2010, it introduced GTN News, a centralized local-news operation produced by Independent News Network and shared with WNBW. The service was later renamed CBS 4 News and adopted Sinclair's standardized presentation in 2016. Production was transferred to Sinclair's WPEC in West Palm Beach by 2019. WGFL discontinued its locally produced CBS 4 News broadcasts in May 2023 and replaced them with nationally syndicated programming, including Sinclair's The National News Desk. Technically, WGFL ended regular analog transmission on July 18, 2008, earlier than the nationwide analog shutdown. Its digital facility initially operated on UHF channel 28 and moved to channel 29 in January 2020 as part of the FCC's post-incentive-auction repacking. WGFL remains a local broadcast outlet focused on network programming, syndicated content and multicast services for Gainesville and surrounding communities.

WGFL signed on September 20, 1997, as an analog UHF station on channel 53. It initially served the Gainesville area as a WB affiliate under the WB 53 identity. The schedule included The WB's prime-time and children's programming, syndicated sitcoms, and talk and reality programs. UPN programming was also carried secondarily, generally in a late-night slot. In May 2002, WGFL announced that it would become a CBS affiliate. The change resulted from an affiliation realignment affecting Jacksonville and surrounding parts of Florida. When the transition took effect on July 15, 2002, WGFL adopted the CBS 4 name, based on its cable channel position in the Gainesville market. The station became a major outlet for CBS network programming, including national news, entertainment, NFL games, college sports and Florida Gators-related coverage. The former UPN programming was eventually moved elsewhere, while WB programming was carried by a separate cable-only service. WGFL's ownership changed during the following decade. Budd Broadcasting had been involved in an earlier time-brokerage arrangement, and the station was sold to Pegasus Communications in 2004. Pegasus later filed for bankruptcy, after which WGFL became part of New Age Media. In 2013, New Age Media announced a plan to sell WGFL and WMYG-LP to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Regulatory and transaction changes followed: New Age Media sought dismissal of the station-sale application in 2014, while Sinclair acquired the non-license assets of stations involved in the proposed transaction and began operating them through a master service agreement. Sinclair later became WGFL's direct owner, with the acquisition of WGFL and WYME reported as completed on August 1, 2025. The station has operated in a shared-services environment with WNBW-DT and WYME-CD. The stations share studio facilities on Northwest 80th Boulevard in Gainesville, near Interstate 75 and State Road 93, and transmitter facilities near Newberry. WGFL also provided full-market over-the-air digital coverage for WMYG-LP, a low-power analog MyNetworkTV affiliate. The WMYG-LP license was canceled on November 18, 2015, after which the MyNetworkTV service continued as a WGFL subchannel. WGFL's local news strategy developed in stages. The station originally planned a local news service after joining CBS. In 2003, it began simulcasting noon, evening and late-night newscasts from WTEV in Jacksonville. Those broadcasts provided limited Gainesville coverage and were later dropped. The station then used Independent News Network programming before launching GTN News on October 27, 2010. GTN News was produced through a centralized operation, initially in Davenport, Iowa, and later in Little Rock, Arkansas, while local reporters supplied market-specific material. WGFL and WNBW shared several newscasts and weather segments. In 2016, the news operation adopted Sinclair's standardized music and graphics and was renamed CBS 4 News. By 2019, production had been transferred to Sinclair-owned WPEC in West Palm Beach. On May 1, 2023, the planned discontinuation of the newscasts was reported; the local operation ended on May 12, with syndicated programming such as The National News Desk taking its place. WGFL was an early participant in the transition away from analog broadcasting. It ended regular analog programming on July 18, 2008, transmitting digitally on its pre-transition UHF channel 28. After the FCC incentive-auction repacking process, the station moved its digital allocation from channel 28 to channel 29 on January 17, 2020. WGFL's affiliations continued to evolve in 2025. The NBC affiliation was reported as moving from WNBW to WGFL's third subchannel on December 10, while WNBW's primary channel moved to the Roar network. Through its CBS, MyNetworkTV and NBC services, WGFL functions as a multi-network broadcast platform for the Gainesville market rather than as a single-network station only.

• 2025

  Sinclair completes direct acquisition

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair completes the reported acquisition of WGFL and WYME on August 1.

• 2023

  Local news operation ends

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  CBS 4 News newscasts end in May, and syndicated programming replaces locally produced news.

• 2020

  Digital channel changes to 29

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL moves its digital channel allocation from 28 to 29 as part of the FCC repacking process.

• 2016

  CBS 4 logo and news presentation updated

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL replaces its older CBS 4 logo and adopts Sinclair's standardized news music and graphics package.

• 2015

  WMYG-LP license is canceled

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  The low-power WMYG-LP license is canceled, with its MyNetworkTV programming continuing through a WGFL subchannel.

• 2010

  GTN News launches

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL launches a centralized local news service produced by Independent News Network and shared with WNBW.

• 2008

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL ends regular analog programming on July 18 and continues with digital transmission.

• 2005

  WGFL becomes part of New Age Media

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  Following Pegasus Communications' bankruptcy filing, WGFL becomes associated with New Age Media.

• 2004

  Station sold to Pegasus Communications

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL is sold to Pegasus Communications amid an earlier brokerage arrangement involving Budd Broadcasting.

• 2002

  CBS affiliation begins

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  WGFL becomes the Gainesville area's CBS affiliate on July 15 and adopts the CBS 4 brand.

• 1997

  WGFL begins broadcasting

  [1]WGFLen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on September 20 as a WB affiliate on analog UHF channel 53, using the WB 53 identity.

A local network-affiliated television station serving Gainesville and north-central Florida, with a principal CBS 4 identity and additional multicast network services.

• Network-affiliated television service · 2002

  CBS 4

  WGFL's principal branding since its 2002 affiliation with CBS. The service carries CBS entertainment, news and sports programming for the Gainesville market and has historically emphasized its cable channel 4 placement.

• Multicast television service

  MyNetworkTV

  WGFL has carried MyNetworkTV programming through a digital subchannel, including programming formerly associated with low-power affiliate WMYG-LP after that station's license was canceled.

• Multicast television service · 2025

  NBC

  The NBC affiliation was reported as moving to WGFL's third subchannel on December 10, 2025, following a change involving co-owned WNBW-DT.

• Local news · 2010

  CBS 4 News

  WGFL's former local news service, known earlier as GTN News. It used centralized production and later Sinclair-supported production before being discontinued in May 2023.

• 2002CBS 4 rebrand

  Gainesville, Florida

  WGFL promoted its transition from WB 53 to CBS 4 as it assumed the CBS affiliation and became a principal local source for CBS network programming.

  Outcome. The CBS 4 identity became the station's principal consumer-facing brand.

  Source

• 2023

  End of locally produced newscastsStrategy

  Background

  Sinclair reported plans to discontinue WGFL's CBS 4 News operation.

  Action taken

  The station ended local newscasts on May 12 and replaced them with nationally syndicated programming.

  Aftermath

  WGFL no longer maintains a locally produced television news operation and instead carries services including The National News Desk.

  Source

• 2010

  Launch of GTN NewsProduct launch

  Background

  After ending earlier syndicated and imported news arrangements, WGFL sought a more locally branded news service.

  Action taken

  WGFL launched GTN News, produced through Independent News Network and shared with WNBW.

  Aftermath

  The service later became CBS 4 News and was eventually discontinued in 2023.

  Source

• 2002

  Switch from The WB to CBSStrategy

  Background

  A Jacksonville-area affiliation realignment left an opportunity for WGFL to become the CBS outlet serving Gainesville.

  Action taken

  WGFL began carrying CBS programming on July 15, 2002, and adopted the CBS 4 identity.

  Aftermath

  The station gained CBS sports and entertainment programming, while its former WB and UPN arrangements changed.

  Source

1. 1WGFLen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WGFL official websitemycbs4.com