WNDY-TV

WNDY-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Marion, Indiana, and serving viewers in the Indianapolis metropolitan area and throughout central Indiana. The station broadcasts on channel 23 and is operated alongside WISH-TV, WRTV, and WIIH-CD by Circle City Broadcasting. Its studios are located on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, in the city's Television Row area, while WNDY-TV and WISH-TV share transmitter facilities on Walnut Drive in the Augusta section of northwest Indianapolis. The station began broadcasting in 1987 under the call sign WMCC. Its early schedule followed the conventional profile of a local independent station, combining syndicated movies, children's programming, and sports. Although the station initially had limited cable distribution in the broader Indianapolis area, changes associated with federal must-carry rules helped expand its availability during the early 1990s. WMCC also experimented with limited local programming, including the public-affairs program Indiana Living and the short-run teen-oriented production It's My Life. A major transformation came under Wabash Valley Broadcasting, a company associated with the Hulman-George family, owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wabash Valley acquired the station in 1994 and relaunched it as WNDY-TV, branded as Indy-TV, in January 1995. The relaunch included new facilities, a racing-oriented visual identity, and a programming strategy built around Indiana sports, entertainment, and locally relevant features. WNDY obtained a long-term contract to televise Indiana High School Athletic Association state championships, carried The Bob Knight Show, acquired the Hoosier Lottery production contract, and added a WTHR-produced late-evening newscast. It also aired a weekly television version of Mike Pence's political talk program. The Hulman-George investment did not produce the anticipated financial performance. The station incurred losses substantially above projections, and its relatively isolated ownership position made it more difficult to compete for syndicated programming. WNDY was therefore put up for sale in 1997. After a proposed Spartan Communications transaction collapsed immediately before closing, Paramount Stations Group acquired the station for approximately $34.99 million. Paramount shifted WNDY from The WB to UPN in January 1998, while WTTV subsequently became the Indianapolis WB affiliate. LIN TV acquired WNDY in 2005 and integrated it operationally with WISH-TV. The ownership change also shifted production of WNDY's late-evening news from WTHR to WISH. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, WNDY was not selected for The CW; instead, it became an affiliate of MyNetworkTV, a service created by Fox Television Stations for stations left without a CW affiliation. WISH expanded its news programming on WNDY over the following years, including a morning news extension and a longer late-evening newscast with a sports segment. WNDY remained under the ownership chain that included LIN TV, Media General, and then Nexstar Broadcasting Group. In 2019, Nexstar sold WISH-TV and WNDY-TV to Circle City Broadcasting for $42.5 million as part of the station divestitures connected with Nexstar's acquisition of Tribune Media. In subsequent years, WNDY continued to operate as a locally owned Indianapolis-market station, carrying a mixture of syndicated and network programming, local news supplied by WISH-TV, sports, and other acquired programming. Its programming identity is therefore best understood as a locally operated independent-style station with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation rather than as a conventional full-schedule network affiliate.

The Federal Communications Commission assigned channel 23 to Marion in 1970 after a proposed channel change involving another Marion station was rejected because of interference concerns involving land-mobile services in Chicago. The frequency remained unused for more than a decade. In 1983, Mississinewa Communications Corporation and Metro Program Network applied for the construction permit. Metro withdrew its application in 1984, leaving Mississinewa as the successful applicant, although the company experienced difficulty arranging financing and missed its original launch timetable. In 1986, Mississinewa agreed to sell the proposed station to Gerald J. Robinson, who owned television stations in Illinois and Michigan. Robinson proceeded with construction, placing the station's facilities at Strawtown, south of Marion and outside Indianapolis. Test transmissions began in October 1987, followed by full programming on October 19 under the WMCC call sign. WMCC competed with WTTV and WXIN as an independent station and relied mainly on movies, children's shows, and sports. Local production was modest, though the station carried Indiana Living and briefly produced the youth-focused soap opera It's My Life. WMCC's initial cable reach was strongest in Marion, Muncie, and Kokomo. Indianapolis-area cable carriage improved in the early 1990s after regulatory changes increased the importance of must-carry obligations. The station also positioned itself for a network relationship, reaching an agreement in principle to become the Indianapolis affiliate of The WB when that network launched in 1995. Wabash Valley Broadcasting, associated with the Hulman-George family, agreed to acquire WMCC in 1994. The transaction closed in December, and the new owners rebuilt the station's identity as WNDY-TV Indy-TV. The January 1995 relaunch featured racing-themed branding, new facilities near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and a broader local-programming plan. WNDY secured a ten-year agreement to produce and broadcast Indiana High School Athletic Association championships in football, basketball, and volleyball. It also carried Indianapolis Ice hockey, Butler men's basketball, The Bob Knight Show, and racing-related programming. Later additions included Mike Pence's weekly political program and statewide Hoosier Lottery broadcasts, including Hoosier Millionaire. Although WNDY did not create a full news department, it arranged for WTHR to produce a 10 p.m. newscast beginning in March 1996. The sports and local-programming strategy generated visibility, but the station's operating losses exceeded the Hulman-George family's expectations. Its lack of a large station group also limited its ability to compete for syndicated programming. After considering local operating agreements, the owners decided to sell in 1997. A proposed Spartan Communications acquisition collapsed just before closing, triggering renewed bidding. Paramount Stations Group ultimately purchased WNDY for approximately $34.99 million. Paramount's ownership was strategically significant because the group was associated with UPN. WNDY switched from The WB to UPN in January 1998, and WTTV took over the WB affiliation several months later. Several formerly prominent WNDY properties moved elsewhere, including The Bob Knight Show and the Hoosier Lottery broadcasts. WNDY also discontinued IHSAA basketball coverage after audience declines and a dispute with the association. LIN TV announced its purchase of WNDY in 2005 and integrated the station with WISH-TV. The transition changed the supplier of WNDY's late news: WTHR's production ended, and WISH began producing a replacement newscast. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, WNDY joined MyNetworkTV instead. WISH later expanded WNDY's local-news schedule with a morning extension and a longer late-evening program that incorporated sports coverage. The station's ownership subsequently passed through LIN TV's merger with Media General and Media General's acquisition by Nexstar. Nexstar divested WNDY and WISH in 2019 while completing its Tribune Media transaction. Circle City Broadcasting, owned by DuJuan McCoy, acquired both stations for $42.5 million. WNDY continues to serve the Indianapolis market as a locally owned station with primarily independent programming and a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

• 2019

  Circle City Broadcasting becomes owner

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Circle City Broadcasting completes the purchase of WNDY-TV and WISH-TV from Nexstar.

• 2006

  WNDY joins MyNetworkTV

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation after the UPN and WB networks are replaced by The CW.

• 2005

  LIN TV acquires WNDY-TV

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  LIN TV purchases WNDY and begins operational integration with WISH-TV.

• 1998

  WNDY switches to UPN

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station becomes the central Indiana UPN affiliate, while WTTV takes the WB affiliation.

• 1996

  WTHR-produced late news begins

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTHR begins supplying a 10 p.m. newscast for WNDY-TV.

• 1995

  The station is relaunched as WNDY-TV Indy-TV

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The new identity launches with revised facilities, racing-oriented branding, and expanded Indiana-focused programming.

• 1994

  Wabash Valley Broadcasting acquires WMCC

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Hulman-George-associated broadcaster purchases the station and prepares a major relaunch.

• 1987

  WMCC begins broadcasting

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Test transmissions begin in October and full programming follows on October 19.

• 1983

  Construction-permit applications are filed

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Mississinewa Communications Corporation and Metro Program Network apply to build the station; Metro later withdraws.

• 1970

  Channel 23 is assigned to Marion

  [1]WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC assigns the Marion channel 23 allocation after an earlier proposed channel move is rejected.

A locally operated Indianapolis-area broadcast outlet combining independent-station programming, MyNetworkTV content, WISH-produced news, syndicated entertainment, and selected sports rights.

• Television programming · 1987

  Independent and syndicated television programming

  WNDY's schedule has historically centered on acquired entertainment, films, children's programming, sports, and other programming typical of an independent television station. Although the station has maintained a MyNetworkTV affiliation since 2006, its overall identity remains broader than a conventional single-network outlet.

• News broadcasting · 1996

  Local news

  WNDY has carried locally produced late-evening news supplied by other Indianapolis stations rather than maintaining a large standalone newsroom. WTHR produced its first 10 p.m. newscast beginning in 1996; after the 2005 ownership change, WISH-TV became the news producer and later expanded the schedule with morning and evening programming.

• Sports broadcasting · 1987

  Sports programming

  Sports has been a recurring part of WNDY's identity. The station has carried Indiana high school championships, Indianapolis Ice hockey, Butler University basketball, Ball State men's basketball, Indiana Firebirds arena football, auto-racing coverage, and selected Chicago professional sports programming at different points in its history.

• Network television affiliation · 2006

  MyNetworkTV affiliation

  WNDY joined MyNetworkTV in 2006 after UPN was discontinued and The CW selected WTTV for the Indianapolis market. The affiliation complements the station's independent-style schedule rather than defining all of its programming.

• 1995WNDY-TV Indy-TV relaunch

  Indianapolis · Central Indiana

  The station introduced the WNDY-TV and Indy-TV identity with a checkered-flag logo, racing imagery, new facilities, and an advertising campaign featuring Mario Andretti. The campaign connected the station to Indianapolis Motor Speedway ownership while promoting its new local sports and entertainment lineup.

  Outcome. The relaunch gave the former WMCC a stronger local identity and supported its expansion into sports, lottery, political, and news programming.

  Source

• 2019

  Sell WNDY-TV to Circle City BroadcastingM&A

  Background

  Nexstar planned to acquire Tribune Media and elected to divest WISH-TV and WNDY-TV to satisfy ownership and regulatory requirements.

  Action taken

  Nexstar agreed to sell both Indianapolis stations to Circle City Broadcasting, owned by DuJuan McCoy.

  Aftermath

  WNDY became part of a locally owned Indianapolis broadcast group alongside WISH-TV.

  Purchase price for WISH-TV and WNDY-TV. $42.5 million (Transaction announced December 2018 and completed in 2019)

  Source

• 2006

  Adopt MyNetworkTV after the UPN and WB transitionStrategy

  Background

  The planned merger of The WB and UPN into The CW left some stations without a new network affiliation.

  Action taken

  LIN TV affiliated WNDY and several other stations with MyNetworkTV, while WTTV received the Indianapolis CW affiliation.

  Aftermath

  WNDY retained a network programming relationship while continuing to operate with an independent-style mix of programming.

  Source

• 2005

  Integrate WNDY-TV with WISH-TVM&A

  Background

  LIN TV acquired WNDY with the expectation that shared operations with WISH-TV would create cost savings and other efficiencies.

  Action taken

  LIN transferred news production from WTHR to WISH-TV and consolidated aspects of station operations.

  Aftermath

  WNDY continued to receive WISH-produced news and remained part of the same ownership chain through Media General and Nexstar before being sold to Circle City Broadcasting.

  Acquisition price for WNDY-TV and WWHO. $85 million (Announced February 2005)

  Source

• 1998

  Switch the network affiliation from The WB to UPNStrategy

  Background

  Paramount Stations Group acquired WNDY and had a strategic interest in placing its UPN programming on the station after uncertainty surrounding WTTV's network plans.

  Action taken

  WNDY became central Indiana's UPN affiliate in January 1998; WTTV later became the market's WB affiliate.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation change moved several established local programs and rights away from WNDY over time, including The Bob Knight Show and Hoosier Millionaire.

  Source

• 1995

  Build the station around Indiana sports and locally relevant programmingStrategy

  Background

  Wabash Valley Broadcasting sought to differentiate the relaunched station from other Indianapolis independents and benefit from its association with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

  Action taken

  WNDY pursued IHSAA championship rights, expanded racing and local sports coverage, carried The Bob Knight Show, and added locally oriented lottery and political programming.

  Aftermath

  The strategy raised the station's local profile, but the broader investment generated losses above the owners' expectations and did not prevent a sale in 1997.

  Source

1. 1WNDY-TVen.wikipedia.org