WIPX-TV

WIPX-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, and serving the broader Indianapolis, Indiana, television market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 63 and is affiliated with Ion Television, the national broadcast network formerly known as Pax and Pax TV. WIPX-TV is owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings and is operated alongside WCLJ-TV, a Bounce TV affiliate also licensed to Bloomington. The two stations share offices on Production Drive in southwestern Indianapolis and operate under a channel-sharing arrangement in which both services transmit through WIPX-TV's spectrum and facilities. The station's origins date to a contested Federal Communications Commission licensing process for channel 63. Several applicants sought the frequency during the early 1980s, but the eventual construction permit was awarded to Bloomington 63 Limited after the FCC review process overturned an earlier administrative decision. Sinclair Broadcast Group, associated with the original applicant Channel 63, Inc., ultimately developed the station. Construction proceeded slowly, and the station did not begin broadcasting until December 27, 1988. At launch, the station used the call sign WIIB and carried Home Shopping Network programming rather than a conventional independent general-entertainment schedule. Its locally produced material was limited, including public-affairs programming associated with Indiana University. The decision reflected the competitive and financial conditions of the Indianapolis television market at the time, including the bankruptcy of WTTV and the low-cost sale of WXIN. On January 1, 1996, WIIB replaced HSN with Infomall TV, also known as inTV, an infomercial service. The change was prompted in part by management's concern that HSN might move toward a cable-focused model. The station's ownership structure changed several times during the 1990s. After Sinclair acquired River City Broadcasting, which owned WTTV, federal ownership restrictions made common ownership of two full-power commercial stations in the same market problematic. The owners initially considered selling channel 63, but instead placed their interests in WIIB into a non-attributable structure and transferred controlling interest to David C. McCarus. In 1998, the station was sold for $35 million to RDP Communications, also known as DP Media, an entity controlled by members of the Paxson family. WIIB joined the newly launched Pax network on August 31, 1998. Pax later became Pax TV, then Ion Television, making WIPX-TV one of the network's long-term Indianapolis-area outlets. DP Media's stations were absorbed into Paxson Communications Corporation in 2000. In January 2001, WIPX-TV entered into an arrangement with Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR. Under the arrangement, WIPX-TV aired delayed rebroadcasts of WTHR's weekday 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, while WTHR's sales operation marketed advertising inventory on WIPX-TV. The station also operated a low-power Indianapolis translator, WIPX-LP, to improve reception in parts of the market. That translator remained associated with the station until it was donated to Word of God Fellowship, the parent organization of the Daystar Television Network, in 2014. WIPX-TV completed the federally mandated transition from analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Its digital service continued on UHF channel 27 while retaining virtual channel 63. As part of the nationwide repacking of television spectrum following the 2016 wireless spectrum auction, the WIPX-TV/WCLJ-TV transmission arrangement moved from channel 27 to channel 28 on October 18, 2019. In 2020, WIPX-TV and WCLJ-TV were among the Ion Media stations transferred to Inyo Broadcast Holdings in connection with E. W. Scripps Company's acquisition of Ion Media. Scripps could not retain the stations because of ownership limits involving its Indianapolis station, WRTV. The transfer left WIPX-TV under Inyo ownership while it continued to carry Ion programming. Scripps announced in February 2026 that it intended to repurchase all Inyo stations; the completion status of that proposed transaction is not established by the supplied material. WIPX-TV therefore remains best characterized as an active local broadcast outlet, with its identity centered on Ion Television affiliation, over-the-air distribution, and service to the Indianapolis market rather than on a separately marketed consumer product line.

WIPX-TV originated in the FCC licensing competition for Bloomington, Indiana's channel 63. In 1983, the FCC designated applications from Channel 63, Inc., Hoosier Tele-Media, and Channel 63 Limited for a comparative hearing. Hoosier Tele-Media withdrew after determining that its connection to Bloomington radio station WBWB could weaken its position. An administrative law judge initially favored Bloomington 63 Limited in September 1984 because the applicant did not already own other broadcast properties. Sinclair appealed, and the FCC review board later overturned the settlement-related decision and awarded the construction permit to the Sinclair-associated applicant. Development was delayed for several years. A tower proposal did not reach the Johnson County zoning board until June 1988. Sinclair chose a Home Shopping Network affiliation instead of building a conventional independent schedule. That decision was influenced by the financial condition of the Indianapolis independent-station market, including WTTV's 1987 bankruptcy and WXIN's low-price sale. The station launched on December 27, 1988, as WIIB. HSN supplied most of its schedule, leaving only a small amount of non-shopping programming, including public-affairs programs produced by Indiana University. On January 1, 1996, WIIB adopted the Infomall TV, or inTV, infomercial service. The station's general manager believed HSN could become primarily a cable network after attending an HSN affiliates conference and hearing indications about a possible change in distribution strategy. During the same period, Sinclair acquired River City Broadcasting, owner of WTTV. Because FCC rules then restricted common ownership of two full-power commercial stations in one market, the owners first announced plans to sell channel 63. They later shifted their ownership interests into a non-attributable structure and sold controlling interest to David C. McCarus. The station became part of the Pax network when that service launched on August 31, 1998. Channel 63, Inc. sold the station for $35 million to RDP Communications, also called DP Media, a company controlled by members of the Paxson family. DP Media's six stations were absorbed by Paxson Communications Corporation in 2000, although Paxson had already been brokering their airtime for Pax programming. The station subsequently carried the WIPX-TV identity associated with the Pax-to-Ion network lineage. In January 2001, WIPX-TV entered a joint sales-related arrangement with WTHR, Indianapolis's NBC affiliate. WIPX-TV aired WTHR's weekday 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on a one-hour tape delay, and WTHR's sales department marketed WIPX-TV's commercial inventory. A low-power translator, WIPX-LP, had also been established in Indianapolis to improve coverage. The translator remained connected with WIPX-TV until its 2014 donation to Word of God Fellowship, the organization behind Daystar. WIPX-TV shut down its analog UHF signal on June 12, 2009, the federally established date for the full-power U.S. digital transition. Its digital operation used channel 27 while retaining virtual channel 63. Following the 2016 wireless spectrum auction and resulting television-channel repack, the WIPX-TV/WCLJ-TV operation moved to channel 28 on October 18, 2019. The station and WCLJ-TV changed ownership in 2020. They were among the Ion Media stations placed with Inyo Broadcast Holdings when E. W. Scripps Company acquired Ion Media but could not retain the Indianapolis-area stations because of its ownership of WRTV. WIPX-TV continued as an Ion Television affiliate under Inyo. Scripps announced a planned repurchase of all Inyo stations on February 26, 2026; the supplied reference does not confirm completion, so the station's current ownership should be treated as requiring verification.

• 2020

  Ownership transfers to Inyo Broadcast Holdings

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WIPX-TV moved to Inyo Broadcast Holdings in connection with Scripps's acquisition of Ion Media.

• 2019

  Digital channel changes from 27 to 28

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changed its physical digital transmission channel as part of the national spectrum repack.

• 2009

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WIPX-TV ended analog broadcasting during the U.S. digital television transition.

• 2001

  WTHR programming arrangement starts

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WIPX-TV began airing delayed WTHR evening newscasts under a joint sales-related arrangement.

• 2000

  DP Media stations absorbed by Paxson

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Paxson Communications Corporation absorbed the six stations held by DP Media.

• 1998

  Pax affiliation begins

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WIIB joined the Pax network when it launched on August 31.

• 1996

  WIIB adopts Infomall TV

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station replaced HSN programming with the Infomall TV infomercial service.

• 1988

  Station launches as WIIB

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WIIB began broadcasting on December 27 with Home Shopping Network programming.

• 1984

  Bloomington 63 initially prevails

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  An administrative law judge initially favored Bloomington 63 Limited, but the FCC review board later overturned the decision and awarded the permit to the Sinclair-associated applicant.

• 1983

  FCC comparative hearing begins

  [1]WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC designated competing applications for Bloomington's proposed channel 63 for a comparative hearing.

A locally licensed Indianapolis-market broadcast station positioned primarily as an Ion Television network affiliate, with broad national entertainment programming rather than a large standalone local-news operation.

• Broadcast network affiliation · 1998

  Ion Television programming

  WIPX-TV's principal service is the local broadcast of Ion Television programming in the Indianapolis market. The affiliation traces back to the launch of the Pax network in 1998, which later evolved through the Pax TV and Ion Television identities. The station's schedule is primarily network supplied, distinguishing it from local independent stations that assemble most of their programming themselves.

• Broadcast transmission · 2009

  Digital terrestrial television service

  WIPX-TV provides full-power digital over-the-air television to viewers in and around Indianapolis. The service uses virtual channel 63. Its physical digital transmission began on channel 27 after the analog shutdown and moved to channel 28 in 2019 during the U.S. television spectrum-repacking process. WIPX-TV shares transmission arrangements and facilities with WCLJ-TV.

• Advertising service

  Television advertising inventory

  As a commercial broadcast station, WIPX-TV sells advertising associated with its local distribution of Ion Television programming. In the early 2000s, WTHR's sales department also marketed WIPX-TV inventory under the station's arrangement with the Indianapolis NBC affiliate.

• 2020

  Transfer station ownership to Inyo Broadcast HoldingsM&A

  Background

  E. W. Scripps Company's acquisition of Ion Media created ownership-limit issues in Indianapolis because Scripps already owned WRTV.

  Action taken

  WIPX-TV and WCLJ-TV were placed with Inyo Broadcast Holdings.

  Aftermath

  WIPX-TV continued operating as an Ion Television affiliate under Inyo ownership.

  Source

• 2019

  Move physical digital channel to 28Generation change

  Background

  The 2016 U.S. wireless spectrum auction required many television stations to change physical transmission channels.

  Action taken

  The WIPX-TV/WCLJ-TV operation moved from physical channel 27 to channel 28 on October 18, while WIPX-TV retained virtual channel 63.

  Aftermath

  The change allowed the stations to comply with the national repacking plan while maintaining the familiar virtual channel identity.

  Source

• 2009

  Convert from analog to digital transmissionGeneration change

  Background

  Federal U.S. broadcasting rules required full-power television stations to end analog transmission.

  Action taken

  WIPX-TV shut down its analog UHF channel 63 signal on June 12 and continued digitally using virtual channel 63.

  Aftermath

  The station operated digitally on physical channel 27 until the later spectrum-repacking change.

  Source

• 2001

  Establish WTHR news and sales arrangementStrategy

  Background

  WIPX-TV sought a way to add local-news content and commercial support while operating primarily as a network affiliate.

  Action taken

  WIPX-TV began airing delayed rebroadcasts of WTHR's weekday evening newscasts, and WTHR's sales department began selling WIPX-TV advertising.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement gave WIPX-TV access to locally produced news content without creating a full independent newsroom.

  Source

• 1998

  Join the Pax networkProduct launch

  Background

  The Pax network was created to provide a national television service built around family-oriented entertainment and syndicated programming.

  Action taken

  WIIB joined Pax when the network launched on August 31, 1998.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation continued through the network's later Pax TV and Ion Television rebrandings.

  Source

• 1996

  Replace HSN with Infomall TVStrategy

  Background

  Station management believed Home Shopping Network might move toward cable-only distribution and sought an alternative low-cost programming model.

  Action taken

  WIIB changed its schedule to the Infomall TV, or inTV, infomercial service on January 1.

  Aftermath

  The infomercial period preceded the station's 1998 transition into the Pax network.

  Source

• 1988

  Launch with Home Shopping Network programmingStrategy

  Background

  Sinclair chose a shopping-oriented schedule rather than assembling a conventional general-entertainment independent station, in a market affected by WTTV's bankruptcy and WXIN's sale.

  Action taken

  WIIB launched on December 27, 1988, carrying HSN programming and only limited non-shopping content.

  Aftermath

  The station later abandoned the HSN format in favor of Infomall TV and eventually became a Pax, then Ion, affiliate.

  Source

1. 1WIPX-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ion Televisioniontelevision.com