WMYD

WMYD is a full-power television station serving Detroit, Michigan, on channel 20. Although the station has spent much of its history associated with national broadcast networks, it currently operates as an independent outlet under the consumer-facing identity The Spot – Detroit 20. The station is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company and is operated in a duopoly with WXYZ-TV, Detroit's ABC affiliate. WMYD and WXYZ share Broadcast House studios on 10 Mile Road in Southfield, while WMYD's transmitter is located on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park. The station began broadcasting in 1968 as WXON on channel 62. It was established by Aben Johnson, who had initially pursued a different UHF allocation and envisioned a broader group of stations with youth-oriented programming. WXON's early schedule consisted largely of syndicated reruns and films, supplemented by locally produced or locally originated programs such as children's entertainment, commercials, dance programming and wrestling. The station's original transmission facility in Walled Lake did not provide as strong a Detroit signal as expected, creating an important technical and commercial limitation. In 1972, WXON moved to channel 20 after acquiring the dormant construction permit associated with WJMY-TV and relocating to a higher-powered facility. The move improved its market reach and helped establish the station as a durable independent. During the 1970s and 1980s, its identity was built around syndicated entertainment, movies and cult programming, including The Ghoul Show. It also experimented with original production, including a limited run of a soap opera, but remained primarily an acquisition-driven station. From 1979 through 1983, WXON carried the Detroit edition of ON TV, a subscription-television service. The venture attracted substantial early interest and offered premium sports and movie programming, but it was undermined by signal-piracy problems, especially in the Detroit–Windsor border region, as well as disputes over airtime, programming control and scheduling between the service operator and the station. ON TV ultimately closed in Detroit in 1983 after failing to become profitable. WXON joined The WB as a charter affiliate in January 1995. Granite Broadcasting agreed to purchase the station in 1996, completing the transaction in 1997, and changed its call sign to WDWB later that year. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, WDWB instead became an affiliate of MyNetworkTV and adopted the call sign WMYD. It remained aligned with MyNetworkTV for approximately fifteen years. The E. W. Scripps Company acquired WMYD in 2014 and subsequently used the WXYZ newsroom to provide local news programming. WMYD later carried The CW in Detroit from 2023 until 2024, after which it returned to independent programming. The station has also served as Detroit's principal ATSC 3.0 or NextGen TV outlet and has been used in automotive-sector transmission technology testing. Scripps has announced that WMYD will become the primary television broadcaster of Detroit Pistons basketball beginning in 2026, adding a significant local sports role to its programming portfolio.

WMYD traces its history to a construction permit pursued by Aben Johnson in the 1960s. Johnson initially sought a different UHF channel and later amended the application after changes to the Federal Communications Commission's allocation table. The FCC issued a construction permit in 1965, assigned the WXON call sign, and the station began broadcasting on September 15, 1968, from a Walled Lake facility on channel 62. Its early schedule combined syndicated programs and films with several local productions, including children's entertainment, dance programming, commercials and wrestling. Weak coverage of Detroit limited the station's early performance. The opportunity to improve the signal came from the unused channel 20 facility associated with WJMY-TV. WXON acquired the relevant permit and received FCC approval to move. After leaving channel 62 in November 1972, the station resumed transmission on channel 20 on December 9. Its city of license later changed to Detroit, and its facilities moved to Southfield. The stronger signal supported gradual growth as an independent station built around syndicated series, movies and reruns. The station also carried The Ghoul Show during two periods and experimented with other locally oriented productions. A major but ultimately unsuccessful strategic experiment began in 1979, when WXON became the Detroit outlet for ON TV subscription television. The service offered premium films and sports, including selected Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Michigan Wolverines events. It gained subscribers rapidly, but its business was damaged by unauthorized decoder distribution across the nearby Canadian border, where the service could not legally operate. Litigation, border enforcement and technical changes did not solve the problem. The service also had a difficult relationship with WXON: restrictions on evening airtime and disagreements over movie content impaired ON TV's ability to present live sports and other premium material. ON TV ended Detroit operations on March 31, 1983. After returning its attention to conventional independent broadcasting, WXON strengthened its syndicated inventory. It benefited as other Detroit stations changed affiliations and as Fox's growing schedule altered the local market. WXON became a charter WB affiliate on January 11, 1995. Granite Broadcasting agreed to buy the station in 1996 for $175 million, completing the purchase in February 1997. The call sign changed to WDWB in October of that year. Granite attempted to reposition the outlet with a more professional presentation and stronger sales operation. The station did not become a CW affiliate when The WB and UPN were consolidated in 2006. Instead, it adopted the WMYD call letters and joined MyNetworkTV. The E. W. Scripps Company purchased WMYD in 2014 and combined its operation with WXYZ-TV. This arrangement allowed WMYD to add locally produced news while continuing to carry acquired and syndicated programming. In the 2020s, WMYD served briefly as Detroit's CW station, then returned to independent status. It has also played a technical role as the market's ATSC 3.0 outlet, including automotive-related transmission testing. Its announced 2026 role as the primary television home of Detroit Pistons basketball represents a renewed emphasis on major local sports.

• 2026

  Planned Detroit Pistons broadcast role

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  WMYD is scheduled to become the primary television broadcaster of Detroit Pistons basketball.

• 2024

  Returns to independent programming

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended its temporary CW affiliation and resumed independent operations.

• 2023

  Becomes Detroit CW affiliate

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  WMYD began carrying The CW in the Detroit market.

• 2014

  Acquired by Scripps

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  Scripps acquired WMYD and paired it with WXYZ-TV, adding local news supplied by the WXYZ newsroom.

• 2006

  Becomes WMYD and joins MyNetworkTV

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted WMYD and affiliated with MyNetworkTV after the WB–UPN realignment.

• 1997

  Granite ownership and WDWB rename

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  Granite Broadcasting completed its acquisition and changed the station's call letters to WDWB.

• 1995

  Joins The WB

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  WXON became a charter affiliate of The WB Television Network.

• 1983

  ON TV closes in Detroit

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The Detroit subscription-television operation ended after piracy, scheduling disputes and competition from cable and other pay services.

• 1979

  ON TV subscription service launches

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  WXON began carrying Detroit's ON TV subscription service, including premium films and sports.

• 1975

  City of license becomes Detroit

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The station changed its city of license from Allen Park to Detroit and moved its studios to Southfield.

• 1972

  Move to channel 20

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  WXON relocated from channel 62 to channel 20, improving its transmission reach in the Detroit market.

• 1968

  WXON begins broadcasting

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The station launched on September 15 as WXON on channel 62.

• 1965

  FCC construction permit issued

  [1]WMYDen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC issued a construction permit for the proposed Detroit-area UHF station that would become WXON.

A Detroit independent television station combining locally produced news and sports with syndicated entertainment, network programming arrangements and advanced digital-broadcast services.

• Television news · 2014

  Local news programming

  Locally focused news broadcasts produced through the WXYZ-TV newsroom after Scripps paired the two Detroit stations. The programming extends WMYD beyond its traditional role as a syndicated-entertainment outlet and gives the station a regular local-information presence.

• Independent station brand

  The Spot – Detroit 20

  WMYD's current independent-station identity, used to present a schedule of local programming, syndicated entertainment, films and other acquired content to viewers in the Detroit market.

• Subscription television · 1979

  ON TV Detroit

  A premium scrambled television service carried by WXON from 1979 to 1983. Its offering included movies and selected Detroit-area sports, but the service was weakened by decoder piracy, cross-border issues and limited access to desirable evening airtime.

• Sports broadcasting · 2026

  Detroit Pistons broadcasts

  A planned local television sports offering under which WMYD will serve as the primary broadcaster of Detroit Pistons basketball beginning in 2026.

• Broadcast technology

  ATSC 3.0 / NextGen TV transmission

  WMYD serves as Detroit's ATSC 3.0 outlet and has been used in automotive-related tests of next-generation over-the-air television transmission.

• 2026

  Planned Pistons broadcast expansionProduct launch

  Background

  Scripps is expanding WMYD's local sports role in the Detroit market.

  Action taken

  WMYD is scheduled to become the primary broadcaster of Detroit Pistons basketball.

  Aftermath

  The planned arrangement is expected to make the station a more prominent destination for locally relevant sports programming.

  Source

• 2023

  Temporary CW affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The Detroit market required a broadcast outlet for The CW after an affiliation transition.

  Action taken

  WMYD began carrying The CW network.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement ended in 2024, after which WMYD returned to independent programming.

  Source

• 2014

  Scripps acquisition and WXYZ integrationM&A

  Background

  Scripps expanded its Detroit television presence by acquiring WMYD and operating it alongside existing ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.

  Action taken

  Scripps purchased WMYD and integrated its operations with WXYZ, including use of the WXYZ newsroom for local newscasts.

  Aftermath

  WMYD gained a stronger local-news platform while remaining a separate channel and brand.

  Source

• 2006

  Switch to MyNetworkTVStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, but the Detroit station was not selected for the new network's affiliation lineup.

  Action taken

  The station changed its call sign from WDWB to WMYD and affiliated with MyNetworkTV.

  Aftermath

  WMYD carried MyNetworkTV programming for roughly fifteen years before a later CW affiliation and return to independent status.

  Source

• 1995

  Affiliation with The WBStrategy

  Background

  The newly launched WB Television Network needed affiliates in major markets, while WXON sought a stronger national identity than its independent format provided.

  Action taken

  WXON became a charter WB affiliate in January 1995.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation continued until the 2006 network realignment, when the station instead joined MyNetworkTV.

  Source

• 1979

  Launch of ON TV subscription televisionStrategy

  Background

  WXON sought additional revenue and premium programming by carrying a scrambled subscription service in a market with strong sports and film demand.

  Action taken

  The station entered an agreement with National Subscription Television and began transmitting the Detroit ON TV service.

  Aftermath

  The service initially attracted subscribers but later suffered from decoder piracy, border-related legal problems and disputes over airtime. It closed in 1983.

  Source

1. 1WMYDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The E. W. Scripps Companyen.wikipedia.org