WGXA
WGXA is a Fox- and ABC-affiliated television station serving Macon and Middle Georgia.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WGXA is a commercial television station on channel 24 serving Macon and the wider Middle Georgia market. The station operates as a Fox affiliate and also carries ABC programming on a digital subchannel. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the largest television station groups in the United States. WGXA's studios are located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in downtown Macon, while its transmitter is positioned southeast of the city along the Golden Isles Highway corridor. The station was created to give Macon a third commercial television service. Before WGXA signed on, WMAZ-TV had been the market's dominant station and WCWB-TV had provided a smaller competing service. A group of former WMAZ employees formed Broadcasting Dynamics in the late 1970s to pursue a new station, while Russell-Rowe Communications separately sought the channel 24 construction permit. After Broadcasting Dynamics joined the Russell-Rowe effort and a competing application was withdrawn, the Federal Communications Commission awarded the permit in 1980. The station initially considered the call sign WWLG, and its owners reportedly hoped to use WROW, but ultimately adopted WGXA. WGXA began broadcasting on April 21, 1982, although its launch took place before the facility was fully equipped. The station's first local newscast, branded News 24, followed on October 18 of that year. It quickly established itself as a credible second-place competitor in local ratings, despite remaining well behind WMAZ. Its initial network affiliation was ABC, and its local news operation became an important part of its identity. A major transformation occurred after GOCOM Media acquired the station in 1995. GOCOM invested in staffing and facilities and moved WGXA from ABC to Fox at the beginning of 1996. The change was designed to give the station a younger programming profile and create room for a stronger local-news strategy, including a 10 p.m. newscast. Fox programming had previously been carried by WPGA-TV, which switched to ABC after the arrangement changed. Under GOCOM, WGXA expanded its news schedule, later adding a morning program and additional weekend broadcasts. GOCOM subsequently combined its station portfolio with Grapevine Communications, forming Piedmont Communications. Frontier Television Investors purchased WGXA in 2007. ABC returned to the station on January 1, 2010, through a digital subchannel after WPGA-TV ended its ABC affiliation. The resulting cable-placement dispute between WPGA's owner and Cox Communications reached the Georgia Court of Appeals. The court's 2011 ruling allowed Cox to move WGXA's ABC service into the cable position previously associated with WPGA. WGXA also expanded its newsroom during this period, using the combined NewsCentral identity for Fox and ABC local broadcasts and experimenting with a radio-television morning simulcast. Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to acquire WGXA from Frontier in 2014, and the transaction closed on September 3 of that year. Since then, WGXA has remained a dual Fox/ABC outlet, producing local news for both services from its Macon newsroom. The station has also been involved in news production for Sinclair sister station WFXL in Albany, Georgia. In the early 2020s, management responsibilities were coordinated with other Sinclair stations, and in March 2023 several local newscasts were reduced or replaced by Sinclair's nationally distributed program The National Desk. WGXA converted to digital-only broadcasting in 2009 and moved its over-the-air signal from channel 16 to channel 26 in 2019 as part of the United States television spectrum repack.
History
WGXA developed from efforts in the 1970s to establish a third commercial television station in Macon. The market had long been dominated by WMAZ-TV, while WCWB-TV provided a less competitive alternative. Former WMAZ employees Lloyd Harris, Stan Carey, and Bill Manly formed Broadcasting Dynamics and began pursuing a channel 24 facility. Russell-Rowe Communications, led by Atlanta entrepreneurs Herman J. Russell and Howard Rowe, filed its own application. After Rowe's death, Russell continued the project and joined forces with the Broadcasting Dynamics group, which lacked the capital to continue independently. A competing application from Middle Georgia Communications was withdrawn in 1979, and Russell-Rowe received the construction permit in January 1980. The station's early call-sign plans changed several times. The permit initially used WWLG, and the owners considered WROW in recognition of Howard Rowe, but the final call sign became WGXA. The station built studios at the former Brown Hotel site in downtown Macon and constructed a transmission tower near the Cochran Short Route. WGXA began operations on April 21, 1982, before all studio systems and production equipment were installed. Local advertising material initially had to be edited outside Macon. The first local newscast launched on October 18, 1982, under the News 24 name. WGXA started as a primary ABC affiliate. Although it could not challenge WMAZ's exceptionally strong news and entertainment ratings, it immediately outperformed the weaker WCWB service and settled into second place during its first year. Its newsroom and local programming were central to the station's competitive strategy. In 1995, the original ownership group sold WGXA to GOCOM Media for a reported $11.75 million. GOCOM changed the station's management, committed additional capital, and hired more staff. It also decided that Fox offered a better opportunity for counterprogramming WMAZ than ABC. WGXA moved to Fox on January 1, 1996, while WPGA-TV assumed the ABC affiliation. The Fox affiliation gave WGXA greater flexibility to target younger viewers and expand local news around Fox's evening schedule. The station added weekend broadcasts and introduced the morning program News A.M. in 1997. Its early-evening and late-night news arrangements changed over time, including the eventual consolidation of some broadcasts into a longer 10 p.m. program. GOCOM later combined its ten-station portfolio with Grapevine Communications, creating Piedmont Communications. Frontier Television Investors acquired WGXA from Piedmont in 2007. ABC programming returned to WGXA on January 1, 2010, as a digital subchannel after a disagreement between ABC and WPGA-TV's owner over affiliation terms and programming. The new service was promoted as ABC 16, reflecting the station's then-used physical channel. Its arrival generated a cable carriage dispute involving WPGA-TV and Cox Communications. WPGA argued that it retained rights to its established cable position, while Cox sought to carry WGXA's ABC service there. After lower-court proceedings and an appeal, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the arrangement that allowed Cox to replace WPGA with WGXA's ABC service in the relevant channel position. WGXA expanded its newsroom in 2010 and adopted the NewsCentral identity across its Fox and ABC broadcasts. It also carried a radio-television morning simulcast with WMAC for a period between 2010 and 2012. The station later produced an evening newscast for sister station WFXL in Albany, using local reporters in Albany and presentation resources from Macon. Sinclair Broadcast Group purchased WGXA from Frontier in a transaction announced in March 2014 and completed in September of that year. The station's technical profile changed alongside its ownership and programming. WGXA ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Following the United States television spectrum repack, it moved its over-the-air signal from channel 16 to channel 26 in 2019. In 2022, its general-management responsibilities were coordinated with Sinclair stations WFXL and WACH-TV. In March 2023, several local newscasts were cut back and replaced in part by The National Desk, reflecting Sinclair's broader use of centralized national programming. WGXA remains an active Fox and ABC television outlet serving Macon and Middle Georgia.
- 2023
Local-news schedule reduced
[1]Several local newscasts were reduced and partially replaced by The National Desk.
- 2019
Over-the-air channel relocation
[1]WGXA moved its transmitted signal from channel 16 to channel 26 during the national spectrum repack.
- 2014
Sinclair acquisition completed
[1]Sinclair Broadcast Group completed its purchase of WGXA on September 3.
- 2010
ABC added as a digital subchannel
[1]WGXA restored ABC programming through a new digital subchannel and expanded its local-news operation.
- 2007
Frontier Television Investors acquisition
[1]Frontier Television Investors purchased WGXA from Piedmont Communications.
- 1996
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WGXA switched from ABC to Fox as part of a broader Macon affiliation realignment.
- 1995
Sale to GOCOM Media
[1]GOCOM Media acquired WGXA and invested in new management, facilities, and personnel.
- 1982
WGXA begins broadcasting
[1]WGXA signed on April 21 and launched its first local newscast later that year.
- 1980
Construction permit awarded
[1]Russell-Rowe Communications received authorization to build a television station on Macon's channel 24 after a competing application was withdrawn.
Products and positioning
A locally focused broadcast station combining Fox entertainment and sports programming with ABC network content and regional news coverage for Macon and Middle Georgia.
Broadcast television service · 1996
WGXA Fox
WGXA's primary Fox service carries Fox network entertainment, sports, and news programming for the Macon market, alongside locally produced broadcasts and syndicated content.
Digital broadcast television service · 2010
WGXA ABC
WGXA's ABC service operates on a digital subchannel and restores ABC network programming to the station's portfolio. It also carries local news produced from the WGXA newsroom.
Local television news · 1982
WGXA Local News
WGXA's local-news operation serves Macon and Middle Georgia and has historically produced broadcasts for both the Fox and ABC services. Its branding and schedule have changed from News 24 to NewsCentral and other Sinclair-aligned formats.
Brand decisions
2023
Reduction of local-news outputStrategyBackground
Sinclair made schedule and staffing changes affecting WGXA's local-news operation.
Action taken
Several newscasts were reduced or replaced by the national program The National Desk.
Aftermath
WGXA retained local news but with a smaller schedule and greater use of centralized Sinclair programming.
2010
Launch of ABC digital subchannelProduct launchBackground
ABC programming became available through a new WGXA subchannel after WPGA-TV ended its ABC relationship.
Action taken
WGXA added ABC programming and expanded local news across its Fox and ABC services.
Aftermath
The change led to a cable-channel dispute with WPGA-TV and Cox Communications that was ultimately resolved through court and regulatory proceedings.
- WPGA-TV — WPGA-TV challenged the relocation of its cable position and the transfer of ABC programming to WGXA.
1995
Switch from ABC to FoxStrategyBackground
After acquiring WGXA, GOCOM Media sought a network arrangement that could better distinguish the station from dominant WMAZ-TV and support a younger audience strategy.
Action taken
WGXA moved to Fox, while WPGA-TV assumed the ABC affiliation at the start of 1996.
Aftermath
The Fox affiliation supported expanded local-news scheduling and repositioned WGXA as a stronger competitor in the Macon market.
- WPGA-TV — WPGA-TV shifted to ABC after losing Fox programming.
Recent events
- 2023
WGXA reduces some local newscasts[1]
Leadership change
Several WGXA newscasts were shortened or replaced by Sinclair's nationally distributed program The National Desk during a round of staffing reductions.
- 2014
Sinclair agrees to acquire WGXA[1]
M&A
Frontier Radio Management agreed to sell WGXA to Sinclair Broadcast Group for a reported $33 million; the transaction closed later that year.
- 2011
Court ruling resolves cable placement dispute involving WGXA ABC[1]
Lawsuit
The Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that enabled Cox Communications to move WGXA's ABC service into the cable position previously associated with WPGA-TV.
- 2010
ABC returns to WGXA through a digital subchannel[1]
Product launch · Leadership change
WGXA began carrying ABC programming on a digital subchannel after WPGA-TV ended its ABC affiliation.
- 1996
WGXA changes affiliation from ABC to Fox[1]
Leadership change
WGXA became a Fox affiliate, while WPGA-TV moved to ABC. The change supported a younger programming profile and expanded local-news plans.
- 1995
GOCOM Media acquires WGXA[1]
M&A · Leadership change
GOCOM Media purchased the station and announced new investment, management changes, and additional staffing.
- 1982
WGXA signs on as Macon's third commercial television station[1]
Other
WGXA began broadcasting on April 21, 1982, expanding Macon's commercial television market beyond WMAZ-TV and WCWB-TV.
- 1982
WGXA launches its first local newscast[1]
Product launch
The station's first local news program, News 24, aired on October 18, several months after the station's on-air debut.
Sources2 sources
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