WKBW-TV
An ABC-affiliated television station serving Buffalo, New York, and nearby communities in Western New York and Southern Ontario.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WKBW-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Buffalo, New York, and operating on channel 7. It is affiliated with the ABC network and is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station produces local news, weather, sports, public-affairs programming and community features while also carrying ABC’s national schedule and syndicated programming. Its studios are located at 7 Broadcast Plaza in downtown Buffalo, and its transmitter is situated on Center Street in Colden, New York. The station’s history began with a contested effort to obtain Buffalo’s channel 7 allocation during the 1950s. Clinton Churchill, who owned Buffalo radio station WKBW, received the license in 1957. Although the station was initially conceived as an independent outlet, changes in the local television market led it to become Buffalo’s ABC affiliate when it launched on November 30, 1958. Its original facilities were in the former Churchill Tabernacle Church on Main Street, next to the WKBW radio operation. Capital Cities Broadcasting purchased the WKBW stations in 1961. During the company’s long ownership, WKBW-TV became particularly associated with locally produced entertainment and children’s programming. Rocketship 7 and The Commander Tom Show became prominent regional programs, while Dialing for Dollars evolved into the long-running AM Buffalo talk and lifestyle program. In 1978, the station moved to its present downtown facility, 7 Broadcast Plaza. WKBW-TV has also had an important cross-border role. Its signal has long been available over the air and through cable systems in parts of Southern Ontario, making it one of several Buffalo stations with a substantial Canadian audience. The station challenged Canadian simultaneous-substitution rules in the late 1970s, but the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the regulator’s jurisdiction. Capital Cities’ acquisition of ABC created ownership-limit issues, requiring the divestiture of WKBW-TV. Queen City Broadcasting acquired the station in 1986, and Granite Broadcasting later purchased it in stages, obtaining a minority interest in 1993 and full control in 1995. Granite’s financial difficulties, including its 2006 bankruptcy filing, contributed to staffing reductions, programming cutbacks and lower local-news output during the late 2000s and early 2010s. The E. W. Scripps Company announced its purchase of WKBW-TV from Granite in 2014. The transaction, which also included WMYD in Detroit, was completed on June 16, 2014, making WKBW-TV Scripps’ first station in New York State. Under Scripps, the station modernized its digital presentation, expanded streaming and adopted corporate digital-platform tools. On December 31, 2021, WKBW introduced its first major on-air rebrand in 18 years, using a logo previously developed for its digital operations. WKBW-TV’s present identity combines network-affiliate programming with locally focused news and community service. Its historic local brands include AM Buffalo, Rocketship 7, The Commander Tom Show, Off Beat Cinema and annual event coverage such as the Buffalo New Year’s Eve ball drop. The station remains active in broadcast, web, mobile and streaming distribution, with its reach extending beyond the United States through the Buffalo market’s cross-border media footprint.
History
WKBW-TV’s origins lie in the competition for Buffalo’s channel 7 license during the 1950s. Clinton Churchill, founder and owner of the WKBW radio operation, secured the license in 1957 after competing applications from local media interests. The planned station was initially intended to operate independently, but Buffalo’s network affiliations changed after NBC shut down WBUF-TV in 1958. WGR-TV, which had been affiliated with ABC, resumed carrying NBC programming, allowing WKBW-TV to launch as Buffalo’s ABC affiliate on November 30, 1958. The station began operations from facilities in the former Churchill Tabernacle Church on Main Street. Capital Cities Broadcasting bought the WKBW stations in 1961, beginning the longest ownership period in the station’s history. Capital Cities invested in a strong local identity, and WKBW-TV developed a reputation for original programming aimed at Buffalo audiences. Children’s shows such as Rocketship 7 and The Commander Tom Show became regional institutions. The station also built a durable local lifestyle and talk format through Dialing for Dollars, later renamed AM Buffalo. In 1978, WKBW-TV moved into 7 Broadcast Plaza, its current downtown Buffalo studio complex. Because WKBW-TV’s signal reached Canada, the station became involved in a significant regulatory dispute. In 1977, it challenged Canadian simultaneous-substitution rules affecting the carriage of American programs on Ontario cable systems. The Canadian Supreme Court ultimately ruled that broadcasting was a federal undertaking and upheld the Canadian regulator’s authority. Capital Cities announced its acquisition of ABC in 1985. Because the combined company would have exceeded ownership limits, WKBW-TV was divested to Queen City Broadcasting. The transaction closed in early 1986, while the related WKBW radio station was sold separately and later became WWKB. Granite Broadcasting acquired a 45-percent stake in WKBW-TV in 1993 and purchased the remaining interest in 1995. During the Granite period, WKBW continued its ABC affiliation and local programming but faced increasing economic pressure. Granite filed for bankruptcy in 2006, and the resulting financial constraints contributed to layoffs, reduced staffing and cutbacks in news and other production resources. The station also operated WNGS, later WBBZ-TV, under a local marketing agreement for much of the period from 2006 through 2009. That arrangement ended after Equity Media Holdings entered bankruptcy and WNGS changed ownership and affiliation. WKBW was an early participant in local television’s online transition. It launched a website in the 1990s, adopted RSS feeds and podcasts, streamed selected newscasts and later added on-demand video, user-submitted material and mobile distribution. Scripps’ 2014 acquisition brought the station into a larger national television group and led to a redesigned digital platform and renewed streaming infrastructure. The station’s programming history also includes Off Beat Cinema, the Variety Kids telethon, Dyngus Day Diary, Buffalo Bills-related broadcasts and annual New Year’s Eve coverage. Several of these properties later moved to other Buffalo stations or changed format. AM Buffalo was cancelled in 2023 after a long run. WKBW also changed some sports rights over time, including surrendering its local Monday Night Football rights to WGRZ in 2022, with later ABC scheduling changes restoring indirect access to many Buffalo Bills broadcasts. WKBW-TV remains an active ABC affiliate under Scripps ownership. Its current business combines linear broadcast television with web, mobile and streaming products, while its geographic position gives it an audience in both Western New York and Southern Ontario.
- 2023
AM Buffalo cancelled
[1]The station ended its long-running local talk and lifestyle program in June.
- 2021
Major visual identity update
[1]WKBW introduced a new station logo and on-air branding beginning with its December 31 late newscast.
- 2014
Scripps ownership begins
[1]Scripps completed its $110 million acquisition of WKBW-TV from Granite Broadcasting on June 16.
- 1995
Granite obtains full ownership
[1]Granite Broadcasting completed its acquisition of the remaining interest in WKBW-TV.
- 1986
Queen City Broadcasting ownership begins
[1]The station was divested by Capital Cities and transferred to Queen City Broadcasting.
- 1978
Move to 7 Broadcast Plaza
[1]The station relocated from Main Street to its current downtown Buffalo studios.
- 1977
Canadian simultaneous-substitution litigation
[1]WKBW-TV challenged Canadian broadcasting rules concerning the substitution of American programs on Ontario cable systems; the challenge ultimately failed.
- 1961
Capital Cities purchases the station
[1]Capital Cities Broadcasting acquired WKBW-TV and its associated radio operation.
- 1958
WKBW-TV signs on as an ABC affiliate
[1]The station began broadcasting on November 30 after Buffalo’s network affiliations were reorganized.
- 1957
Channel 7 license awarded
[1]Clinton Churchill received authorization to establish a television station on Buffalo’s channel 7 allocation.
Products and positioning
A locally focused ABC network affiliate combining regional journalism, weather and sports coverage with digital news distribution and community programming for Buffalo and Western New York.
Television news · 1958
Local news
WKBW produces local newscasts covering Buffalo, Niagara County and the wider Western New York region. The service includes general reporting, investigative and community stories, weather information, traffic and local sports. News is distributed through broadcast television, the station website, mobile products and streaming video.
Network television · 1958
ABC network programming
As Buffalo’s ABC affiliate, WKBW carries the network’s national schedule, including entertainment, news, sports and special-event programming, subject to local breaking-news and severe-weather coverage.
Digital media · 1990
Digital news and streaming
WKBW distributes articles, video clips, livestreams, weather information and mobile content through WKBW.com and related digital applications. The station was an early Buffalo television participant in websites, RSS feeds, podcasts and online video.
Local talk and lifestyle programming · 1978
AM Buffalo
AM Buffalo grew out of WKBW’s Dialing for Dollars format and became a long-running local talk and lifestyle program. Its later years included sponsored segments and local personalities. WKBW ended the program in 2023 after approximately 59 years of local broadcast history.
Children’s television · 1965
The Commander Tom Show
Hosted by weatherman Tom Jolls, The Commander Tom Show was a prominent afternoon children’s program on WKBW from 1965 until its cancellation in 1991. In its later years it was primarily carried on weekends, and a short-lived revival followed in the early 1990s.
Children’s television · 1962
Rocketship 7
Rocketship 7 was a locally produced children’s program associated with WKBW-TV from the 1960s through the 1970s. The program featured weatherman Dave Thomas and the character Promo the Robot and became one of the station’s best-known historic local productions.
Film presentation · 1993
Off Beat Cinema
Off Beat Cinema presented unusual or cult-oriented B movies in overnight slots. WKBW created the program in 1993, carried it through 2012 and also supplied it to the Retro Television Network before the show moved to another Buffalo station.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Digital news and streaming expansion
Buffalo · Western New York · Southern Ontario
Under Scripps, WKBW continued shifting local distribution toward web, mobile and streaming products, supplementing its over-the-air and cable presence with on-demand video and digital news coverage.
Outcome. Digital distribution became a continuing part of the station’s operating model.
- 1990Variety Kids telethon
Western New York
WKBW aired an annual long-form charity telethon supporting children and local community causes. Station personalities and guest hosts participated in the broadcast, which became a recurring regional fundraising event.
Outcome. The telethon later moved to WGRZ and WBBZ-TV in 2020.
- 1988Buffalo New Year’s Eve ball-drop coverage
Buffalo · Western New York
WKBW began carrying local coverage of Buffalo’s New Year’s Eve ball drop as part of a synchronized presentation alongside ABC’s national New Year’s Eve programming. The broadcast also included local celebrations and later fireworks coverage.
Outcome. The tradition continued for decades, although the format and extent of local coverage changed over time.
Brand decisions
2021
Station-wide brand refreshStrategyBackground
WKBW had already used a new logo for its digital operations before changing its broadcast presentation.
Action taken
The station introduced a new logo and major on-air identity beginning with the December 31 late newscast.
Aftermath
The refresh aligned the broadcast brand more closely with the station’s digital presentation.
2014
Sale to the E. W. Scripps CompanyM&ABackground
Granite Broadcasting placed WKBW-TV and Detroit station WMYD under an agreement with Scripps as part of its station-portfolio strategy.
Action taken
Scripps agreed to acquire the two stations for $110 million, received FCC approval and completed the transaction on June 16, 2014.
Aftermath
WKBW became Scripps’ first New York station and gained access to Scripps’ national digital and broadcast resources.
Purchase price. 110 million US dollars (Announced February 10, 2014; transaction completed June 16, 2014)
1985
Divestiture to comply with ownership limitsM&ABackground
Capital Cities’ planned acquisition of ABC required it to sell certain stations under the ownership rules then enforced by the FCC.
Action taken
Capital Cities agreed to sell WKBW-TV to Queen City Broadcasting; the transaction closed in 1986.
Aftermath
WKBW-TV left Capital Cities ownership while retaining its ABC affiliation.
1958
Launch as Buffalo’s ABC affiliateStrategyBackground
WKBW-TV was initially planned as an independent station, but the shutdown of WBUF-TV and the resulting changes in Buffalo network affiliations created an opening for a new ABC outlet.
Action taken
The station launched on November 30, 1958, carrying ABC programming.
Aftermath
ABC affiliation became the foundation of WKBW-TV’s long-term identity and operating model.
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