WHBQ-TV
WHBQ-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station serving the Memphis, Tennessee, market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WHBQ-TV, branded as Fox 13 Memphis, is a commercial television station serving Memphis, Tennessee, and surrounding areas in parts of West Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. The station broadcasts on channel 13 and is affiliated with the Fox network. Its studios are on South Highland Street in East Memphis, near the University of Memphis, while its transmitter is located on Raleigh-LaGrange Road in the northeastern part of the city. The station began broadcasting on September 27, 1953, under the ownership of Harding College of Searcy, Arkansas. It was launched alongside WHBQ radio and initially carried CBS programming as its primary affiliation, with selected ABC programming shared with Memphis NBC affiliate WMCT, now WMC-TV. General Teleradio, the broadcasting division of General Tire and Rubber Company, acquired the WHBQ stations in 1954. Following General Tire's acquisition of RKO Radio Pictures, the broadcasting operation became associated with RKO General, which controlled WHBQ-TV for several decades. During its long ABC period, WHBQ-TV was one of the market's most prominent local stations. It developed a reputation for strong local personalities, film presentations, children's programs, music shows, wrestling coverage, and a highly selective approach to network programming. Under general manager Alex Bonner and program director Lance Russell, the station sometimes preempted or delayed ABC programs to make room for locally produced shows, movies, paid programming, or content the station considered unsuitable for its audience. Its locally created programs included Fantastic Features, hosted by the horror-film character Sivad; Talent Party, hosted by George Klein; and children's programs presented by Hal Miller. The station also carried a substantial selection of films from the RKO library. WHBQ-TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate in 1956 after WREC-TV, now WREG-TV, took over the CBS affiliation. It remained with ABC until 1995. In the early 1990s, ownership changes accompanied the unraveling of RKO General's broadcast holdings. Adams Communications acquired the station around 1990, Communications Corporation of America acquired it in 1994, and News Corporation purchased it in 1995. When the ABC affiliation agreement expired at the end of November 1995, WHBQ-TV became a Fox station on December 1. ABC programming moved to WPTY-TV, now WATN-TV. The Fox transition made WHBQ-TV a network-owned station and gave Fox a presence in a market that had briefly been considered in connection with professional football expansion and relocation. WHBQ-TV remained part of Fox Television Stations after other Fox-owned stations were sold in 2007, partly because regulatory limits prevented a common owner from operating it alongside WREG-TV, another major Memphis station. In 2014, Fox traded WHBQ-TV to Cox Media Group in exchange for stations including KTVU and KICU-TV in the San Francisco market. Cox's station group was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2019. In 2022, WHBQ-TV was sold to Imagicomm Communications, an affiliate associated with the owner of the INSP cable network. In 2025, Imagicomm announced and completed a sale of WHBQ-TV to Rincon Broadcasting Group. The station continues to operate as a Fox affiliate under a long-term network affiliation arrangement.
History
WHBQ-TV signed on September 27, 1953, as Memphis television channel 13. Harding College of Searcy, Arkansas, owned the station together with WHBQ radio. At launch, WHBQ-TV carried CBS as its primary network and selected ABC programs as a secondary service shared with WMCT, the city's NBC affiliate. General Teleradio, the broadcasting arm of General Tire and Rubber Company, purchased the WHBQ stations in March 1954. After General Tire acquired RKO Radio Pictures, the broadcasting and film interests were reorganized under the RKO General name. WREC-TV's launch in January 1956 resulted in a change of network relationships. Because WREC-TV inherited the CBS affiliation associated with WREC radio, WHBQ-TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate. It remained with ABC for almost four decades and became a major local programming institution. The station used RKO's film library extensively and developed locally produced entertainment, music, children's, talk, and horror-film programs. Among its best-known productions was Fantastic Features, which presented classic horror films through the fictional host Sivad, played by Watson Davis. Other notable programs included George Klein's Talent Party, Hal Miller's Happy Hal's Funhouse and Cartoon Time, and local wrestling coverage hosted by Lance Russell. WHBQ-TV was also known for frequent network preemptions and delays during the 1960s through the 1980s. Management sometimes substituted local programs, movies, paid religious programming, or syndicated series for ABC offerings. Shows affected included portions of ABC's daytime schedule, American Bandstand, Good Morning America during its early years, Soap, and selected sports coverage. These decisions reflected both the station's conservative programming policies and the commercial value of controlling entire local time periods. By the late 1970s, the station had begun carrying the complete ABC daytime lineup, although some programs were initially delayed. The station's ownership became unsettled as RKO General faced prolonged regulatory and corporate difficulties. The FCC ultimately found RKO General unfit to hold broadcast licenses, and the company began dismantling its station portfolio. WHBQ-TV was sold to Adams Communications after longtime general manager Alex Bonner retired around 1990. Adams later sold the station to Communications Corporation of America in a transaction completed in August 1994. News Corporation then acquired WHBQ-TV, with the sale closing in July 1995. News Corporation purchased the station in part to establish a Fox presence in Memphis. Fox programming could not move immediately because WHBQ-TV's ABC contract continued until November 30, 1995. On December 1, Fox became the station's network affiliation and ABC moved to WPTY-TV, now WATN-TV. The switch made WHBQ-TV a Fox-owned-and-operated station and ended its long tenure with ABC. Fox placed WHBQ-TV on the market in 2007, but the station was not included in the eventual sale of most of the other stations because the prospective buyer already owned WREG-TV and federal ownership rules restricted a combination of major stations in the Memphis market. In 2014, Fox traded WHBQ-TV to Cox Media Group. Cox's broadcast holdings later passed to an Apollo Global Management-controlled operation in 2019. WHBQ-TV was sold to Imagicomm Communications in 2022 and subsequently to Rincon Broadcasting Group in 2025. It remains an active Fox affiliate serving the Memphis region through broadcast and digital platforms.
- 2025
Rincon Broadcasting Group acquisition
[1]Rincon Broadcasting Group completes its purchase of the station.
- 2022
Imagicomm acquisition
[1]Imagicomm Communications completes its acquisition of WHBQ-TV.
- 2019
Apollo-backed ownership transition
[1]Apollo Global Management completes its acquisition of Cox Media Group's station operations.
- 2014
Cox Media Group ownership begins
[1]A station exchange transfers WHBQ-TV from Fox Television Stations to Cox Media Group.
- 1995
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WHBQ-TV switches from ABC to Fox on December 1.
- 1994
Communications Corporation of America acquisition
[1]Communications Corporation of America completes its purchase of the station.
- 1990
Adams Communications ownership
[1]WHBQ-TV leaves the RKO General portfolio and is acquired by Adams Communications.
- 1972
Local wrestling replaces American Bandstand
[1]WHBQ-TV replaces American Bandstand with a locally relevant professional wrestling program.
- 1962
Fantastic Features premieres
[1]The locally produced horror-film program Fantastic Features debuts with Watson Davis as Sivad.
- 1956
Exclusive ABC affiliation
[1]The station becomes a full-time ABC affiliate after losing CBS service to WREC-TV.
Products and positioning
A Memphis-focused Fox broadcast and digital news brand combining network entertainment and sports with local news, weather, traffic, community reporting, and regional advertising.
Local television news
Fox 13 Memphis local news
WHBQ-TV's local news operation provides Memphis-area reporting, breaking news, weather, traffic, investigations, consumer features, and community coverage through scheduled broadcasts and digital publishing. Severe-weather information is an important part of the station's regional service.
Network television affiliation · 1995
Fox network programming
Since December 1, 1995, WHBQ-TV has carried Fox entertainment, sports, news, and special-event programming for the Memphis market. The affiliation replaced the station's long-running relationship with ABC.
Digital media
Fox13Memphis.com
The station's website extends its broadcast brand with local articles, video, weather information, live and on-demand news content, and station information for audiences using digital platforms.
Brand decisions
2022
Sale to Imagicomm CommunicationsM&ABackground
Cox Media Group announced a sale of WHBQ-TV and 17 other stations.
Action taken
Imagicomm Communications acquired the station in a group transaction completed on August 1.
Aftermath
WHBQ-TV moved into Imagicomm's station portfolio while continuing as a Fox affiliate.
Group transaction value. $488 million (Announced March 29, 2022; completed August 1, 2022)
2014
Trade to Cox Media GroupM&ABackground
Fox Television Stations sought to exchange WHBQ-TV and WFXT for Cox's San Francisco stations KTVU and KICU-TV.
Action taken
WHBQ-TV was transferred to Cox Media Group while retaining its Fox affiliation through a long-term agreement.
Aftermath
The station became part of Cox's television group until its later sale to Imagicomm.
1995
Switch from ABC to FoxStrategyBackground
News Corporation acquired WHBQ-TV while Fox was expanding its owned-and-operated station portfolio and seeking stronger market coverage.
Action taken
After the existing ABC agreement expired, Fox programming moved to WHBQ-TV and ABC programming moved to WPTY-TV.
Aftermath
WHBQ-TV became a Fox-owned-and-operated station and has remained a Fox affiliate.
Sources2 sources
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