WPHL-TV
Philadelphia television station branded as PHL17 and affiliated with The CW, with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WPHL-TV is a commercial television station serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding Delaware Valley. It broadcasts on digital channel 17 and uses the consumer-facing brand PHL17. The station is affiliated with The CW and also carries programming from MyNetworkTV as a secondary affiliation. Nexstar Media Group owns and operates the station; Nexstar became its owner through the 2019 acquisition of Tribune Broadcasting and later shifted The CW affiliation to WPHL-TV after acquiring control of the network. The station's roots extend to the first use of Philadelphia's UHF channel 17. WPCA-TV began broadcasting on July 17, 1960, as a religious and family-oriented service founded by Percy Crawford's Young People's Church of the Air. Crawford died several months after the launch, and the station eventually ceased broadcasting on August 1, 1962. A consortium headed by attorney Aaron Jerome Katz and real-estate interests then acquired the facility. After regulatory approval and a substantial increase in transmitting power, the station returned as WPHL-TV in September 1965. In its early decades WPHL-TV operated as an independent station in a competitive Philadelphia UHF market. Its programming combined syndicated entertainment, locally produced shows, children's programming and sports. Sports became one of its most durable areas of differentiation. The station carried Philadelphia 76ers basketball during its early years, Phillies baseball for much of the 1970s and early 1980s, selected Philadelphia Eagles coverage, college basketball and, for a period, Philadelphia Bell games from the World Football League. It also became known for locally produced entertainment, including the teen dance program Dancin' on Air and its later nationally distributed version, Dance Party USA, as well as the horror-movie host Dr. Shock. Ownership changed several times. U.S. Communications Corporation, associated with American Viscose Corporation and a group of Overmyer-related construction permits, acquired the station in 1967. WPHL-TV was the strongest performer in that group and survived while several sister stations encountered severe financial difficulties or closed. The Providence Journal Company purchased the station in 1978 and invested in its programming and facilities. When competitor WKBS-TV shut down in 1983, WPHL-TV acquired much of its programming inventory and production equipment, strengthening its independent-station schedule. Taft Broadcasting acquired the station near the end of 1987, but financial pressure associated with Taft's leveraged ownership structure led to a sale to Tribune Broadcasting in 1992. Tribune brought several important changes. WPHL-TV regained Phillies telecasts, joined The WB when that network launched in 1995, and introduced local news through a short-lived partnership with The Philadelphia Inquirer called Inquirer News Tonight. After the partnership ended, WPHL continued pursuing local news, eventually outsourcing production first to WCAU and later to WPVI. The station began producing an in-house morning newscast in 2015. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, WPHL-TV did not receive the new network affiliation and instead became a MyNetworkTV affiliate. That arrangement continued until Nexstar's ownership of The CW led to a Philadelphia affiliation change in 2023. WPHL-TV now combines CW entertainment and sports-related programming with syndicated content, local news, MyNetworkTV programming and other broadcast services. Its facilities in Wynnefield support station operations, while its signal and that of sister station WUVP-DT are transmitted from the Roxborough antenna-farm area.
History
Philadelphia's channel 17 originated with a construction permit first associated with WKDN-TV of Camden, New Jersey. The permit was sold in 1959 to Percy Crawford's Young People's Church of the Air, and the call sign was changed to WPCA-TV. The station received authorization to serve Philadelphia and began broadcasting on July 17, 1960, with religious and family programming. Crawford died later that year, and the station ultimately went dark on August 1, 1962. A consortium headed by attorney Aaron Jerome Katz and real-estate investors then pursued the station. Following FCC approval and authorization to increase its effective radiated power, the facility returned to the air in September 1965 as WPHL-TV. It entered a market that had recently gained several UHF independents, including channel 29 and channel 48. The new station offered syndicated entertainment, children's programs, local shows and sports. Early local productions included a teen dance program, a cartoon show and a jazz program hosted by Sid Mark. Sports quickly became central to WPHL-TV's identity. The station carried Philadelphia 76ers basketball from 1965 to 1972 and Phillies baseball from 1971 to 1982. It also aired an early example of a scheduled regular-season professional football game on a UHF independent station when it showed a Philadelphia Eagles game in 1969. During the 1970s it added Philadelphia Bell World Football League road games and college basketball. In the entertainment field, the station became associated with Dr. Shock, Joseph Zawislak's horror-movie-host persona, and with the teen dance show Dancin' on Air. A national adaptation, Dance Party USA, was produced at the station for the USA Network. U.S. Communications Corporation, a division of American Viscose Corporation, acquired WPHL-TV in 1967. The station was the strongest performer in the group and was treated as its flagship, even as other U.S. Communications stations were closed, sold or threatened with closure. The company built new transmission facilities in the Roxborough area and substantially increased the station's power. A proposed 1972 sale to Music Fair Enterprises collapsed amid a dispute over unpaid programming-license fees claimed by MCA Television. American Viscose ultimately retained the station and moved its operations in 1975 to a converted supermarket in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. The Providence Journal Company bought WPHL-TV in 1978. Under its ownership, the station invested in sports rights and regained the 76ers after losing Phillies rights to a competing station connected with Taft Broadcasting and the Phillies ownership group. When WKBS-TV shut down in 1983, WPHL-TV acquired most of that station's programming inventory and equipment, improving its position among Philadelphia independents. Providence Journal attempted to sell WPHL-TV during the 1980s. A proposed transaction with Odyssey Partners failed after financing problems and competing interest. Taft Broadcasting ultimately acquired the station in 1987. The station became more competitive, aided in part by experienced personnel who moved from Taft's former Philadelphia station. However, the new Taft Broadcasting carried heavy debt from a leveraged buyout and sold WPHL-TV to Tribune Broadcasting in 1992. Tribune's ownership brought a sequence of programming and news changes. WPHL-TV again carried Phillies games, became a WB affiliate in 1995 and launched local news through Inquirer News Tonight, a joint project with The Philadelphia Inquirer. The partnership ended in 1996, after which the station produced news independently for a time. Tribune later outsourced production to WCAU in 2005. After switching to WPVI as its news provider in 2012, WPHL-TV launched an internally produced morning newscast in 2015. The station's network identity changed in 2006. The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, but WPHL-TV was not selected for the new network in Philadelphia and instead became a MyNetworkTV affiliate. Nexstar Media Group acquired Tribune Broadcasting in 2019. After Nexstar acquired control of The CW in 2022, WPHL-TV became the Philadelphia CW affiliate in 2023. The station continues to operate under the PHL17 brand, combining network, syndicated, local-news and other over-the-air programming.
- 2023
The CW moves to WPHL-TV
[1]WPHL-TV became Philadelphia's local CW station under Nexstar's ownership of the network.
- 2019
Nexstar acquires Tribune
[1]Nexstar Media Group acquired Tribune Broadcasting, bringing WPHL-TV into the Nexstar station portfolio.
- 2015
In-house morning news expansion
[1]WPHL-TV began producing a local morning newscast internally.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV affiliation
[1]The station became a MyNetworkTV affiliate when The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW.
- 1995
The WB affiliation
[1]WPHL-TV joined The WB and added the network's programming to its schedule.
- 1992
Tribune Broadcasting acquisition
[1]Tribune Broadcasting purchased the station from the financially burdened Taft Broadcasting.
- 1987
Taft Broadcasting acquisition
[1]Taft Broadcasting acquired WPHL-TV after earlier sale efforts by the Providence Journal Company.
- 1983
WKBS-TV inventory acquired
[1]WPHL-TV purchased much of the inventory and equipment of the Philadelphia competitor after WKBS-TV closed.
- 1978
Providence Journal Company ownership begins
[1]The Providence Journal Company acquired the station and expanded its investment in programming and sports rights.
- 1967
Acquisition by U.S. Communications
[1]WPHL-TV became part of U.S. Communications and was positioned as the group's leading Philadelphia operation.
Products and positioning
A locally branded Philadelphia broadcast station that combines national network programming with local news, syndicated entertainment and sports-oriented content.
Broadcast television station · 1965
PHL17 television service
The station's core over-the-air and digital television service for Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. It operates under the PHL17 brand and carries a mix of network, syndicated, local and special-event programming.
Network affiliation · 2023
The CW programming
WPHL-TV's primary network offering since 2023, following Nexstar's acquisition of The CW and the relocation of the Philadelphia affiliation to channel 17.
Network affiliation · 2006
MyNetworkTV programming
A secondary affiliation retained by WPHL-TV after the station became the Philadelphia CW outlet. MyNetworkTV supplies scheduled syndicated-style network programming.
News broadcasting · 1996
Local news programming
WPHL-TV has maintained a changing local-news operation, including the Inquirer News Tonight partnership, outsourced newscasts produced by other Philadelphia stations, and an in-house morning newscast launched in 2015.
Sports broadcasting · 1965
Sports telecasts
Sports coverage has been a long-standing programming pillar. Historical offerings included Philadelphia 76ers basketball, Phillies baseball, selected Eagles coverage, college basketball and Philadelphia Bell games.
Marketing campaigns
- 1981Dancin' on Air
Philadelphia · Delaware Valley
WPHL-TV began producing the locally oriented teen dance program Dancin' on Air, using studio and location segments to build a youth-focused local entertainment identity.
Outcome. The format later supported the nationally distributed Dance Party USA, which was produced at the station for USA Network.
- 1970Philadelphia Phillies television package
Philadelphia · Delaware Valley
WPHL-TV secured Phillies telecasts after the team moved its broadcasts from channel 6, reinforcing the station's sports-led positioning.
Outcome. The station carried Phillies games for much of the 1970s and early 1980s, later losing the package to Taft-owned channel 29 before regaining Phillies coverage under Tribune.
- 1970Dr. Shock
Philadelphia · Delaware Valley
The station developed a recognizable horror-movie presentation around Joseph Zawislak's Dr. Shock character, supported by viewer response after an initial cancellation.
Outcome. The program became one of WPHL-TV's strongest non-sports attractions during the 1970s.
Brand decisions
2023
Move The CW affiliation to WPHL-TVStrategyBackground
Nexstar acquired The CW after becoming WPHL-TV's owner through the Tribune transaction.
Action taken
Nexstar designated WPHL-TV as Philadelphia's local CW station and retained MyNetworkTV as a secondary affiliation.
Aftermath
The station regained a primary broadcast-network role and adopted a network relationship within its corporate owner's portfolio.
2012
Change local-news providerStrategyBackground
WPHL-TV had outsourced news production to WCAU beginning in 2005.
Action taken
The station transferred production of its local newscasts from WCAU to WPVI-TV.
Aftermath
The change preceded the station's return to internally produced morning news in 2015.
2006
Switch to MyNetworkTVStrategyBackground
The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, but WPHL-TV was not selected as Philadelphia's CW affiliate.
Action taken
The station joined MyNetworkTV and used that service as its principal network programming source.
Aftermath
WPHL-TV remained associated with MyNetworkTV until its later move to The CW in 2023.
1995
Join The WBStrategyBackground
The newly created WB network needed local affiliates in major U.S. television markets.
Action taken
WPHL-TV added The WB's national programming while continuing to operate with a substantial locally selected schedule.
Aftermath
The affiliation gave the station a network identity through the late 1990s and early 2000s.
1983
Acquire programming and equipment from WKBS-TVStrategyBackground
Competitor WKBS-TV left the air after its owner failed to find a buyer and decided to liquidate the station.
Action taken
WPHL-TV purchased most of WKBS-TV's programming inventory and a package of cameras, videotape and editing equipment.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened WPHL-TV's schedule and production capabilities in the Philadelphia independent-station market.
1965
Relaunch as an independent commercial stationStrategyBackground
After the earlier religious station on channel 17 ceased broadcasting, new owners sought to establish a stronger commercial UHF operation in Philadelphia.
Action taken
The facility returned to the air under the WPHL-TV call sign with increased transmission power and a schedule combining entertainment, local productions and sports.
Aftermath
WPHL-TV developed into one of Philadelphia's leading independent UHF stations.
Recent events
- 2023
Nexstar moves The CW affiliation to WPHL-TV[1]
Leadership change
After Nexstar acquired The CW, WPHL-TV became Philadelphia's local CW outlet, replacing its earlier primary MyNetworkTV role.
- 2015
WPHL-TV launches an in-house morning newscast[1]
Product launch
The station expanded its local programming operation by producing a morning newscast internally.
- 2012
WPVI begins producing WPHL-TV newscasts[1]
Other
WPHL-TV changed its outsourced local-news provider from WCAU to WPVI-TV.
- 2006
WPHL-TV becomes a MyNetworkTV affiliate[1]
Other
Following the creation of The CW from the merger of The WB and UPN, WPHL-TV was not selected for The CW and instead affiliated with MyNetworkTV.
- 1995
WPHL-TV joins The WB[1]
Other
The station became an affiliate of The WB, adding national network programming to its independent-station schedule.
- 1992
Tribune Broadcasting acquires WPHL-TV[1]
M&A
Tribune Broadcasting purchased the station after the highly leveraged new Taft Broadcasting encountered financial pressure.
- 1987
Taft Broadcasting acquires WPHL-TV[1]
M&A
WPHL-TV changed ownership to Taft Broadcasting near the end of 1987, after earlier proposed transactions involving other buyers failed.
- 1983
WPHL-TV benefits from WKBS-TV's closure[1]
M&A
After WKBS-TV left the air, WPHL-TV bought most of its programming inventory and a package of production equipment.
- 1978
Providence Journal Company acquires WPHL-TV[1]
M&A
The Providence Journal Company purchased the Philadelphia station and became its owner for the following decade.
- 1967
WPHL-TV becomes part of U.S. Communications[1]
M&A
American Viscose-related U.S. Communications acquired WPHL-TV as part of a larger UHF station-group transaction.
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