WGMB-TV
WGMB-TV is a Fox-affiliated broadcast television station serving Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WGMB-TV is a full-power television station serving Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the surrounding south-central Louisiana market. Operating on virtual channel 44, it is affiliated with the Fox network and is commonly promoted under the Fox 44 identity. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates alongside CW outlet WBRL-CD and independent station KZUP-CD. Nexstar also co-manages NBC affiliate WVLA-TV, with the stations sharing facilities on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge. WGMB's transmitter is located near Addis, Louisiana. The station signed on August 11, 1991, after a lengthy effort to establish a Fox outlet in Baton Rouge. The Federal Communications Commission had assigned channel 44 to the market in 1983, but ownership disputes, licensing delays, and competing applications postponed the launch. Parish Family Television had proposed an independent station affiliated with Fox under the prospective call sign WPFT, while Southwest Multimedia of Houston and Louisiana Super Communications became involved in disputes over the proposed ownership structure. In November 1990, Thomas Galloway acquired the license from Parish Family Television and also purchased several stations from Southwest Multimedia. The transaction removed the principal objection to the license transfer and allowed construction to proceed. Before WGMB began broadcasting, WVLA-TV carried delayed episodes of selected Fox programs, including popular syndicated and network series. Once launched, WGMB combined Fox programming with syndicated movies and other entertainment packages. In its early years it also carried programming associated with the Prime Time Entertainment Network and developed local audience features such as children's events, the Fox 44 Kids Club, a late-1990s Saturday program called Fox Rox Saturday, and selected Baton Rouge-area high-school football games. The station became associated with the Galloway family's broader Louisiana broadcasting interests. In 1996, Sheldon Galloway acquired WVLA, making WGMB and WVLA sister stations. The stations, together with what are now WBRL and KZUP, moved to shared Perkins Road studios in 1999. ComCorp, the corporate structure used for much of the Galloway broadcasting group, later encountered financial distress and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2006. The company said at the time that programming and employment at its stations would continue without immediate changes. WGMB expanded its local news role in the 2000s. It launched a 9 p.m. newscast in March 2007, initially titled Fox News Louisiana and later renamed Fox News Baton Rouge. A morning program, Fox News Louisiana AM, followed in August 2007, but was cancelled in December 2008 during cost reductions that also resulted in layoffs. All locally produced newscasts were discontinued in April 2009, with the evening broadcast produced by sister station KETK-TV in Texas. Local production returned in January 2011. The station later added a weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast and continued sports-oriented local programming focused on LSU and Southern University athletics. Nexstar announced its acquisition of ComCorp's stations, including WGMB-TV, in April 2013; the transaction was completed on January 1, 2015. Under Nexstar ownership, WGMB remained a Fox affiliate and continued operating within a shared Baton Rouge news and production structure. The station completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting in June 2009, retaining virtual channel 44 on its digital signal. Its digital multiplex has also carried WBRL-CD and additional multicast services, including Cozi TV and, beginning in 2025, 365BLK. In January 2025, WGMB and WVLA introduced coordinated graphics and music and brought their news output under the Louisiana First News branding.
History
WGMB-TV was created to bring Fox programming to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a market that did not receive a full-time Fox affiliate until 1991. The FCC assigned channel 44 to Baton Rouge in 1983, but development was delayed by competing ownership proposals and regulatory objections. Parish Family Television proposed an independent Fox-oriented station in 1986, while Southwest Multimedia of Houston later became involved in the proposed ownership structure. Louisiana Super Communications objected to the arrangement. Thomas Galloway resolved the impasse in November 1990 by acquiring the license from Parish Family Television and purchasing several Texas stations from Southwest Multimedia. After the transaction cleared the principal ownership dispute, construction proceeded. WGMB signed on August 11, 1991. Before that launch, WVLA-TV had carried selected Fox programs on a delayed basis, including The Simpsons, Married... with Children, and In Living Color. WGMB's initial schedule combined Fox programming with syndicated films and entertainment packages such as Night at the Movies and Action Pack. The station also briefly served as a secondary outlet for PTEN programming. During the 1990s, WGMB developed community-oriented and youth programming, including the Fox 44 Kids Club, local children's events, and Fox Rox Saturday. It also carried a weekly Baton Rouge-area high-school football game during the early 2000s. The station's ownership became more closely integrated with WVLA in 1996, when Sheldon Galloway acquired the NBC affiliate. WGMB had previously been associated with the Galloway family's broadcasting interests, which operated through names including Associated Broadcasters, Galloway Media, and later Communications Corporation of America. WGMB originally operated from studios on Florida Boulevard. After the Galloways acquired WVLA, the station group consolidated operations, moving WGMB, WVLA, WBBR, and WZUP to shared Perkins Road facilities in 1999. WBBR subsequently became WBRL, while WZUP became KZUP. Local news development began relatively late. WGMB launched a 9 p.m. newscast on March 12, 2007, as Fox News Louisiana. The program was renamed Fox News Baton Rouge in summer 2008. In August 2007, the station also introduced Fox News Louisiana AM, a locally oriented morning program with frequent weather updates. That program was cancelled in December 2008 as part of cost reductions, accompanied by layoffs. In April 2009, WGMB ended all locally produced newscasts and shifted the evening broadcast to KETK-TV in Tyler, Texas. A related Sunday sports program, The Show, was also produced by KETK. WGMB restored local production of its 9 p.m. newscast on January 3, 2011. The station's corporate owner faced financial pressure during this period. Communications Corporation of America filed for Chapter 11 protection in June 2006, while stating that station operations would continue. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced the purchase of ComCorp's entire station portfolio on April 24, 2013. The transaction, which also involved arrangements concerning WVLA and other stations, was completed on January 1, 2015. WGMB has since operated as a Nexstar station within a shared Baton Rouge media group that includes WBRL-CD and KZUP-CD and is co-managed with WVLA-TV. WGMB expanded its news and sports output after returning to local production. It launched a weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast on April 12, 2016, with a later rebroadcast on WBRL. Its sports programming has included Geaux Nation, focused on LSU athletics and also carried by KLFY-TV in Lafayette, and Inside the Jaguar Nation, focused on Southern University athletics. WGMB also produced the 9 p.m. newscast for KADN-TV in Lafayette and formerly produced a similar evening newscast for KMSS-TV in Shreveport. Technically, WGMB ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the nationwide United States digital television transition. Under the federal SAFER Act, its analog signal continued through June 26 with public-service announcements explaining the transition. The digital signal retained virtual channel 44. Its multiplex has carried WBRL-CD programming on a secondary channel, with that service upgraded from standard definition to 720p in September 2021 and to 1080i in April 2023. Cozi TV was added to a third subchannel in January 2018, and 365BLK was added to a fourth subchannel in May 2025. On January 10, 2025, WGMB and WVLA introduced a unified Louisiana First News presentation with new graphics, music, and an updated WGMB logo.
- 2025
Louisiana First News presentation launches
[1]WGMB and WVLA unify their news branding, graphics, and music under Louisiana First News and update WGMB's logo.
- 2023
WBRL service upgrades to 1080i
[1]The WBRL-CD service carried on a WGMB subchannel is upgraded to 1080i high definition.
- 2021
WBRL service upgrades to 720p on a WGMB subchannel
[1]The station's rebroadcast of WBRL-CD is upgraded to 720p high definition.
- 2016
Weekday 5:30 p.m. newscast launches
[1]WGMB adds an early-evening weekday local newscast on April 12.
- 2015
Nexstar ownership begins
[1]Nexstar completes its acquisition of ComCorp stations, including WGMB-TV, on January 1.
- 2011
Local 9 p.m. news production returns
[1]WGMB resumes local production of its evening newscast on January 3.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]The station ends regular analog programming on June 12 during the United States digital television transition.
- 2007
Local news operation begins
[1]WGMB launches its first local 9 p.m. newscast on March 12.
- 2006
ComCorp files for Chapter 11
[1]Communications Corporation of America seeks bankruptcy protection while stating that station operations will continue.
- 1999
Stations move to Perkins Road studios
[1]WGMB, WVLA, WBBR, and WZUP consolidate operations at shared studios on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.
Products and positioning
Local Fox-affiliated television broadcasting with regional news, weather, sports, syndicated entertainment, and multicast programming for the Baton Rouge market.
Network television affiliation · 1991
Fox 44 broadcast service
WGMB's principal service is its Fox-affiliated broadcast schedule on virtual channel 44. It carries Fox network entertainment, news, sports, and special programming for viewers in the Baton Rouge market, supplemented by syndicated programming and locally inserted commercial and public-service material.
Local news · 2025
Louisiana First News
Louisiana First News is the coordinated news presentation used by WGMB and WVLA beginning in January 2025. WGMB's local news operation has included evening broadcasts, weather coverage, and regional reporting, with production responsibilities changing over time between Baton Rouge and other Nexstar or ComCorp stations.
Sports programming
Geaux Nation
Geaux Nation is a locally oriented sports program focusing on LSU athletics. The program has also aired on sister station KLFY-TV in Lafayette, extending WGMB's regional sports coverage beyond the Baton Rouge signal.
Sports programming
Inside the Jaguar Nation
Inside the Jaguar Nation focuses on Southern University athletics and forms part of WGMB's local sports programming portfolio. It reflects the station's emphasis on institutions and audiences in the Baton Rouge area.
Multicast television · 2009
Digital multicast services
WGMB's digital signal carries additional services alongside its primary Fox channel. Its documented multicast history includes WBRL-CD, Cozi TV, and 365BLK, with changes in picture quality and service composition over time.
Brand decisions
2025
Unify WGMB and WVLA news brandingStrategyBackground
WGMB and co-managed NBC affiliate WVLA sought a more unified presentation for their Baton Rouge news operations.
Action taken
On January 10, 2025, the stations introduced Louisiana First News graphics and music and WGMB updated its logo.
Aftermath
The stations' news output received a coordinated visual identity while retaining their separate network affiliations.
2013
Sell the ComCorp station group to NexstarM&ABackground
Communications Corporation of America announced the sale of its entire station group, including WGMB-TV, to Nexstar Broadcasting Group.
Action taken
Nexstar announced the transaction on April 24, 2013, and completed it on January 1, 2015.
Aftermath
WGMB became part of Nexstar's station portfolio and continued operating with related Baton Rouge stations under shared facilities and management arrangements.
2009
Move news production outside Baton RougeStrategyBackground
The station sought to reduce the costs of local news production.
Action taken
WGMB discontinued its locally produced newscasts and moved production of the 9 p.m. broadcast to KETK-TV in Tyler, Texas.
Aftermath
Local production of the 9 p.m. newscast returned to Baton Rouge in January 2011.
2008
Cancel the morning newscastStrategyBackground
WGMB faced cost pressures during a period when its owner, ComCorp, was restructuring after bankruptcy protection.
Action taken
The station cancelled Fox News Louisiana AM in December 2008 and reduced staffing.
Aftermath
WVLA continued to provide an early local newscast before Today, while WGMB later discontinued all locally produced newscasts before restoring its evening program in 2011.
Sources2 sources
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