WJW
A Cleveland television station affiliated with the Fox network and branded as Fox 8.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WJW is a television station serving Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. It broadcasts on channel 8 and is affiliated with the Fox network, using the consumer-facing brand Fox 8. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates alongside WBNX-TV, a CW affiliate, from shared facilities northeast of downtown Cleveland. WJW's transmission facilities are in Parma, Ohio. The station began broadcasting on December 17, 1949, as WXEL, Cleveland's third television station. It was established by Herbert Mayer, the founder of Empire Coil Company, and initially operated from facilities in Parma. WXEL was primarily associated with the DuMont Television Network while also carrying selected ABC, CBS and Paramount programming. From its earliest years, the station emphasized local production, including news, sports, children's programming, entertainment and public-affairs content. Its early output included Cleveland Indians baseball, Cleveland Browns football, horse racing, boxing and locally produced variety and interview programs. A major technical and corporate transition occurred in the mid-1950s. WXEL moved from channel 9 to channel 8 in December 1953. Empire Coil was then sold to Storer Broadcasting, which also acquired Cleveland radio station WJW. Storer secured a CBS affiliation for the television station, and WXEL adopted the WJW-TV call sign in April 1956. The station's renovated Playhouse Square studios became a prominent Cleveland broadcasting venue, with an elaborate colonial architectural style that reflected Storer's identity across several of its stations. WJW developed a strong local television culture during the 1960s and 1970s. Announcer Ernie Anderson became widely known as the horror host Ghoulardi, while Big Chuck Schodowski, Hoolihan Wells and Lil' John Rinaldi continued the station's tradition of locally produced movie programs and comedy sketches. Tim Conway also worked at the station early in his career. Meteorologist Dick Goddard joined in 1965 and remained for 51 years, becoming one of the best-known weather personalities in Ohio. His Woollybear Festival and animal-welfare advocacy extended the station's community presence beyond its broadcasts. The station changed its call letters to WJKW in 1977 after the WJW radio station was sold, then restored the WJW identity in 1985. Ownership changed repeatedly after Storer Broadcasting was taken private and subsequently experienced financial difficulties. New World Communications acquired the station in the early 1990s. In 1994, New World reached a group affiliation agreement with Fox, and WJW became the first station in that group to switch from CBS to Fox. The change initially required the station to adjust its programming and news strategy, but WJW later regained substantial audience strength and became a durable Fox affiliate. Fox acquired WJW and the other New World stations in 1996. The station was later sold to Local TV LLC in 2008, became part of Tribune Broadcasting, and ultimately passed to Nexstar when Nexstar acquired Tribune in 2019. WJW remains an active local television operation, combining Fox network programming with regional news, weather, sports, traffic, community features and digital publishing through Fox8.com.
History
WJW traces its history to Empire Coil Company, a manufacturer founded by Herbert Mayer. Mayer became interested in television after the postwar expansion of broadcasting and applied to the Federal Communications Commission for a Cleveland television construction permit in 1947. The permit was granted later that year, and facilities were developed in Parma, on elevated land selected for its transmission potential. The station was delayed by the FCC's television-license freeze and by uncertainty over Cleveland's channel assignments. It ultimately began regular service on December 17, 1949, as WXEL on channel 9. The station was initially a primary DuMont affiliate, with selected ABC and CBS programs and some Paramount content. Unlike a purely network-fed operation, WXEL invested heavily in local programming. Its early schedule included news, weather, cooking, children's shows, sports and entertainment. It carried Cleveland Indians baseball, Cleveland Browns football, horse racing and boxing, helping establish the station as a local institution. Empire expanded WXEL's facilities during the early 1950s. The Parma site was enlarged, while a former movie theater in Cleveland's Playhouse Square district was renovated as the station's principal studio complex. This location supported a substantial amount of live local production. Early personalities included announcer and weather presenter Howard Hoffman, sportscaster John FitzGerald, home-economics host Alice Weston and Soupy Sales, who used the station as an early platform for his comedy career. A locally produced nightly report, Your Sohio Reporter, was also distributed to other Ohio stations for a period. In December 1953, WXEL moved from channel 9 to channel 8 under the FCC's revised allocation plan. The shift enabled a stronger transmitter configuration and allowed another Ohio station to use channel 9. Empire's broader television ambitions were less successful. Its Kansas City station, KCTY, struggled against established VHF competition and the limited adoption of UHF converters. Empire sold KCTY to DuMont for a nominal amount and then sold its broadcasting and manufacturing interests to Storer Broadcasting for $8.5 million. Storer already owned Cleveland radio station WJW and acquired the radio property separately in 1954. The television station changed its primary affiliation to CBS in March 1955, at a time when DuMont was collapsing. In April 1956, WXEL became WJW-TV. Storer simultaneously completed a major renovation of the Playhouse Square studios, creating an ornate colonial-style facility that became one of the most recognizable physical symbols of the station and was later imitated at other Storer properties. WJW's local identity grew during the 1960s. Ernie Anderson hosted the horror program Ghoulardi from 1963 to 1966, developing a distinctive performance style that influenced Cleveland popular culture and later television horror hosts. After Anderson's departure, Big Chuck Schodowski and Hoolihan Wells, later joined by Lil' John Rinaldi, maintained a long-running combination of movie presentation and comedy sketches. The station also employed Tim Conway early in his career. Weather became another defining area. Dick Goddard joined WJW in 1965 and served as chief meteorologist for 51 years. His long tenure, daily forecasting and public presence made him one of the best-known local television figures in Ohio. He founded the Woollybear Festival in Vermilion, which became an annual community event supported by the station. Goddard also used his platform to promote animal welfare and pet adoption. During the 1970s and 1980s, WJW's news operation became particularly competitive. Under news management associated with Virgil Dominic, the station built a market-leading newscast, supported by personalities including Tim Taylor, Robin Swoboda, Dick Goddard and sportscaster Casey Coleman. In 1977, after the sale of WJW radio, the television station temporarily changed its call letters to WJKW. It restored WJW-TV in 1985. The station's corporate ownership became unsettled after Storer was taken private by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. George N. Gillett Jr. later acquired much of the Storer group, but financial problems connected with leveraged investments led to bankruptcy and the breakup of the assets. New World Communications subsequently acquired WJW during a period of rapid consolidation in American television. On May 23, 1994, New World announced a group affiliation agreement with Fox. WJW was the first station in the group to change networks, moving from CBS to Fox in September 1994. The transition required changes to the schedule and news operation, but the station eventually regained strong audience performance. Fox purchased New World in 1996, retaining WJW until 2008, when the station was sold to Local TV LLC. Tribune Broadcasting later acquired Local TV, and Nexstar acquired Tribune in 2019. WJW is now part of Nexstar's local broadcasting portfolio. It continues to operate as a Fox affiliate under the Fox 8 brand, distributing local news and weather through over-the-air television, online video, social platforms and Fox8.com.
- 2019
Nexstar ownership begins
[1]Nexstar acquires Tribune Broadcasting, bringing WJW into the Nexstar group.
- 1996
Fox ownership begins
[1]Fox acquires New World Communications and takes ownership of WJW.
- 1994
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WJW changes from CBS to Fox as part of New World's group affiliation agreement.
- 1985
WJW call sign restored
[1]The station resumes use of the WJW identity.
- 1977
Call sign changes to WJKW
[1]The station temporarily changes its call letters after WJW radio is sold.
- 1965
Dick Goddard joins the station
[1]Goddard begins his long tenure as WJW's chief meteorologist.
- 1963
Ghoulardi era begins
[1]Ernie Anderson begins hosting Ghoulardi, a locally influential horror-movie program.
- 1956
WJW-TV name introduced
[1]The station adopts the WJW-TV call sign after Storer links it with WJW radio.
- 1955
CBS affiliation begins
[1]WXEL becomes a primary CBS affiliate.
- 1954
Acquisition by Storer Broadcasting
[1]Storer acquires Empire Coil's broadcasting assets, including WXEL.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Cleveland television and digital news brand combining Fox network programming with strong regional news, weather, community coverage and recognizable on-air personalities.
Local television news
Fox 8 News
WJW's local news operation provides scheduled morning, daytime, evening and late-night newscasts for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Its coverage typically spans breaking news, politics, public safety, consumer issues, health, education, sports, traffic and regional features. The news brand is supported by broadcast personalities, live reporting, weather resources and video distributed through the station's website and digital channels.
Weather service
Fox 8 Weather
The station's weather offering is a central part of its local identity, with daily forecasts, severe-weather alerts, radar and seasonal reporting for Northeast Ohio. WJW's weather tradition was strongly associated with Dick Goddard, whose five-decade tenure helped make meteorology one of the station's signature services.
Digital news platform
Fox8.com
Fox8.com extends WJW's television operation into digital publishing. It carries local and national news articles, live updates, weather information, video, traffic material, community stories and station programming information for users in the Cleveland area and throughout Northeast Ohio.
Broadcast network affiliation · 1994
Fox network programming
As a Fox affiliate, WJW carries programming supplied by the Fox network, including network news, sports, entertainment and special-event content, subject to the station's local scheduling and promotional decisions.
Marketing campaigns
- Woollybear Festival
Northeast Ohio
Created by longtime meteorologist Dick Goddard, the Woollybear Festival became an annual community event in Vermilion, Ohio, associated with seasonal weather traditions and the station's local-community identity.
Outcome. The event became a continuing regional tradition supported by WJW.
- Animal welfare and pet-adoption advocacy
Ohio
Dick Goddard used WJW's broadcasts and public profile to promote animal welfare, pet adoption and stronger protections against cruelty.
Outcome. The advocacy contributed to public awareness and was associated with improved animal-cruelty legislation in Ohio.
Brand decisions
2019
Nexstar acquisition of Tribune BroadcastingM&ABackground
Nexstar expanded its local television portfolio through the acquisition of Tribune Broadcasting.
Action taken
WJW became part of Nexstar Media Group.
Aftermath
The station remained a Fox affiliate while operating within Nexstar's national local-media group.
1996
Fox acquisition of New World CommunicationsM&ABackground
Fox sought to consolidate the stations brought into its network through the New World affiliation arrangement.
Action taken
Fox acquired New World Communications, including WJW.
Aftermath
WJW continued as a Fox station under direct network ownership until its later sale to Local TV.
1994
Switch from CBS to FoxStrategyBackground
New World Communications entered a group affiliation agreement with Fox during a period of national network expansion and local-station realignment.
Action taken
WJW became the first station in the New World group to change from CBS to Fox.
Aftermath
The station initially faced an adjustment period but later recovered audience strength and established the Fox 8 identity in Cleveland.
1955
Switch to CBS affiliationStrategyBackground
After Storer acquired WXEL and the DuMont network weakened, the station reassessed its network position in the Cleveland market.
Action taken
WXEL became a primary CBS affiliate in March 1955.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the station's relationship with a major national network, while the collapse of DuMont altered Cleveland's television landscape.
Recent events
- 2019
Nexstar becomes WJW's owner through the Tribune transaction[1]
M&A
Nexstar acquires Tribune Broadcasting, adding WJW to its national portfolio of local television stations.
- 1996
Fox acquires WJW[1]
M&A
Fox purchases New World Communications and takes direct ownership of WJW and the other stations involved in the affiliation agreement.
- 1994
WJW becomes Cleveland's first New World station to switch to Fox[1]
Other
Following New World Communications' group agreement with Fox, WJW changes from CBS to Fox in a major network-affiliation realignment.
- 1956
The station adopts the WJW-TV identity[1]
Other
WXEL is renamed WJW-TV after Storer's acquisition of WJW radio and the renovation of the station's Playhouse Square studios.
- 1955
WXEL becomes a CBS affiliate[1]
Other
The station joins CBS as its primary network affiliation, replacing its earlier DuMont-centered arrangement.
- 1954
Storer Broadcasting acquires the station[1]
M&A
Storer Broadcasting purchases Empire Coil, including WXEL, after Empire's expansion into television was weakened by the failure of its Kansas City UHF operation and difficulties in its manufacturing business.
- 1953
WXEL moves from channel 9 to channel 8[1]
Other
A nationwide frequency-allocation change moves WXEL to channel 8 and permits the station to build a taller, higher-power transmission facility.
- 1949
WXEL begins broadcasting in Cleveland[1]
Other
The station signs on as WXEL on December 17, becoming Cleveland's third television station and initially emphasizing local programming alongside DuMont and selected programs from other networks.
Sources2 sources
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