WTMJ-TV

WTMJ-TV is a commercial television station serving Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the surrounding southeastern Wisconsin market. Broadcasting on virtual and VHF channel 4, it is affiliated with NBC and is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station operates from Radio City, an Art Deco broadcast facility on Capitol Drive north of downtown Milwaukee, where its studios and transmitter are located. Its consumer-facing news identity is TMJ4. The station traces its roots to the Journal Company, publisher of The Milwaukee Journal. Journal received an early experimental television authorization in 1931 and later obtained a commercial construction permit in 1941. Wartime restrictions suspended construction and equipment production, but the company eventually launched WTMJ-TV on December 3, 1947. It was Wisconsin's first commercial television station and one of the earliest stations in the United States. The station began on VHF channel 3 and moved to channel 4 in 1953 as part of the Federal Communications Commission's nationwide channel-allocation changes. WTMJ-TV has been an NBC affiliate from its launch, reflecting the longstanding NBC relationship of its radio sister station. In its early years it also carried selected programming from CBS, ABC, and DuMont, but those secondary affiliations ended as competing Milwaukee stations entered the market. Its uninterrupted NBC affiliation is a central part of its identity and makes it one of NBC's longest-serving affiliates. The station was also an early adopter of color television technology, carrying NBC's color presentation of Amahl and the Night Visitors in December 1953 and originating local color programming the following year. For most of its history, WTMJ-TV was part of a locally based Journal media group that also included WTMJ radio and WTMJ-FM, later WKTI. Journal expanded into television ownership in other U.S. markets while retaining Milwaukee as a flagship operation. In 2000, WTMJ-TV entered a joint sales and operating relationship with WPXE-TV, a station licensed to Kenosha and associated with the Pax television network. That arrangement ended in 2005, although engineering cooperation continued. The station introduced the Today's TMJ4 brand in 1992, later shortening it to TMJ4. The branding was refreshed during NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics and again in 2020, when the word Today's was removed during a broader Scripps graphics and news-branding rollout. News, weather, sports, public-affairs programming, syndicated programming, and NBC network content form the station's principal output. It has also operated digital multicast channels, including weather services and other specialty networks. WTMJ-TV became part of Scripps when Scripps acquired Journal Communications in a transaction completed in April 2015. The transaction separated Journal's newspaper assets into Journal Media Group while Scripps retained the broadcast stations. In January 2021, Scripps completed its acquisition of Ion Media, bringing WPXE-TV under common ownership with WTMJ-TV and creating a Milwaukee-area station relationship. WTMJ-TV remains an active local broadcast outlet and a prominent NBC news and programming source for the Milwaukee market.

The Journal Company began exploring television in the early 1930s. Its experimental W9XD facility conducted low-definition television tests from 1931 to 1933, followed by high-fidelity experimental work under W9XAZ. The Federal Communications Commission withdrew the experimental authorization in 1938 as it sought to concentrate licenses on operators actively developing television. Journal received a commercial construction permit in December 1941 under the call sign WMJT. Construction and equipment acquisition were interrupted by World War II restrictions that halted civilian production of television transmission equipment. After the war, the station was completed and adopted the call letters WTMJ-TV, linking it to The Milwaukee Journal and the company's WTMJ radio operation. WTMJ-TV began broadcasting on December 3, 1947, on channel 3. It was the first commercial television station in Wisconsin and one of the earliest stations in the country. NBC became its primary network affiliation from the beginning, although the station initially carried selected CBS, ABC, and DuMont programs. As additional Milwaukee stations launched in 1953, those secondary affiliations disappeared. In July 1953, WTMJ-TV moved from channel 3 to channel 4 under the FCC's revised national channel plan. The station was an early technical leader in color television. It carried NBC's color broadcast of Amahl and the Night Visitors in December 1953 and produced its first locally originated color program, The Grenadiers, in 1954. Over subsequent decades it developed a broad local-service operation centered on news, weather, sports, public affairs, and community programming. Its Radio City facility became a recognizable part of Milwaukee's broadcast landscape. Journal expanded its television holdings in markets including Las Vegas, Boise, Green Bay, Omaha, Tucson, and Nashville, while WTMJ-TV remained its Milwaukee flagship. The station launched the Today's TMJ4 identity in 1992 and later adopted the shorter TMJ4 brand. In 2000, Journal entered a joint sales agreement with WPXE-TV, enabling WTMJ-TV to provide advertising and certain operational services. The agreement ended in 2005 after Paxson terminated its station JSAs, but engineering cooperation continued. A major carriage conflict occurred in 2013 when Time Warner Cable removed WTMJ-TV and related Journal services from southeastern Wisconsin systems during a retransmission-consent dispute. Subscribers filed a class-action complaint against the cable operator, and the parties eventually reached a new agreement that restored the station in September. The dispute also affected the distribution of some digital subchannels. Journal reorganized parts of its management structure in 2014 and appointed Joe Poss as WTMJ-TV's general manager and Janet Hundley as news director. Scripps announced its acquisition of Journal Communications in July 2014, received regulatory approval later that year, and completed the transaction in April 2015. The broadcast assets, including WTMJ-TV, remained with Scripps, while the newspaper properties were placed in Journal Media Group. Scripps later agreed to buy Ion Media in a transaction supported by Berkshire Hathaway. The acquisition closed in January 2021 and added WPXE-TV to the Scripps portfolio, making it a sister station to WTMJ-TV. The station continues to operate as an NBC affiliate under the TMJ4 identity, with broadcast, digital, and streaming distribution serving Milwaukee and nearby communities.

1. 2021WPXE becomes a sister station

   Scripps' acquisition of Ion Media placed WPXE-TV under common ownership with WTMJ-TV.

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2. 2020TMJ4 branding refresh

   The station retired the word Today's from its primary branding during a corporate graphics update.

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3. 2015Scripps ownership begins

   Scripps completed its acquisition of Journal Communications' broadcast assets.

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4. 2013Time Warner Cable carriage dispute

   A retransmission dispute temporarily removed WTMJ-TV from affected cable systems before a new agreement restored carriage.

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5. 2006Digital weather channel launches

   WTMJ-TV launched a weather-focused digital subchannel on virtual channel 4.2.

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6. 2000WPXE joint sales agreement

   WTMJ-TV began providing sales and selected operational services for WPXE-TV.

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7. 1992Today's TMJ4 brand introduced

   The station introduced the Today's TMJ4 identity during NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympics.

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8. 1954Local color broadcasting

   The station became one of the earliest U.S. stations capable of originating live local color programming.

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9. 1953Move to channel 4

   WTMJ-TV shifted from VHF channel 3 to channel 4 under the FCC's revised channel plan.

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10. 1947WTMJ-TV signs on

    The station began commercial broadcasting on December 3 as Wisconsin's first commercial television station and an NBC affiliate.

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11. 1941Commercial construction permit

    Journal received a commercial television construction permit, initially using the WMJT call sign.

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12. 1931Experimental television authorization

    The Journal Company began experimental television transmissions through W9XD.

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A long-established Milwaukee broadcast institution combining NBC network programming with locally produced news, weather, sports, and community coverage.

• TMJ4 NewsLocal television news

  WTMJ-TV's local news service, covering Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin through scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, investigations, weather, traffic, and community stories. The service is distributed through broadcast television and the station's digital and streaming platforms.

• TMJ4 WeatherWeather broadcasting2006

  The station's weather operation provides local forecasts, severe-weather information, radar and current conditions through televised news segments and digital channels. It has also supported dedicated multicast weather services, including NBC Weather Plus and later AccuWeather-branded programming.

• NBC programmingNetwork television affiliation1947

  WTMJ-TV carries NBC's national schedule, including news, entertainment, sports, and special-event programming. NBC has been the station's primary network affiliation since its 1947 sign-on, making the relationship one of the longest continuous network affiliations in Milwaukee television.

• Digital multicast servicesMulticast television2006

  WTMJ-TV has used its digital capacity for additional services beyond its main NBC feed. Its multicast history includes a dedicated weather channel and other specialty network arrangements, with availability varying by time and distribution partner.

• 2021Common ownership with WPXE-TVM&A

  Scripps sought to expand its broadcast portfolio through the acquisition of Ion Media.

  What changed. The Ion Media acquisition closed and made WPXE-TV a sister station to WTMJ-TV.

  Aftermath. The two Milwaukee-area stations came under common Scripps ownership, while WTMJ-TV retained its NBC affiliation.

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• 2014Agreement to sell Journal Communications to ScrippsM&A

  Journal Communications pursued a transaction that would separate its newspaper assets from its broadcast operations.

  What changed. Scripps announced an all-stock acquisition of Journal Communications' broadcast properties, including WTMJ-TV.

  Aftermath. The transaction closed in April 2015, placing WTMJ-TV in the Scripps television group.

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• 2013Resolution of Time Warner Cable carriage disputeOther

  Journal Communications and Time Warner Cable disagreed over retransmission and distribution terms, leading to the removal of WTMJ-TV from affected systems.

  What changed. The parties negotiated a new carriage agreement and restored WTMJ-TV in September 2013, with changes to some channel placements and subchannel availability.

  Aftermath. The main station returned to cable distribution, while some digital subchannels remained unavailable on certain systems.

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• 2000Joint sales relationship with WPXE-TVStrategy

  WPXE-TV was associated with Paxson Communications and required commercial and operational support in the Milwaukee market.

  What changed. WTMJ-TV provided advertising sales services and supported selected shared programming and operational functions under a joint sales agreement.

  Aftermath. The arrangement ended in 2005, although WTMJ-TV continued to provide engineering assistance to WPXE-TV.

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• 1992Launch of Today's TMJ4 identityStrategy

  WTMJ-TV sought a more consumer-oriented identity for its local service while retaining a visible connection to its call sign and channel number.

  What changed. The station introduced the Today's TMJ4 brand, later evolving it into the shorter TMJ4 identity.

  Aftermath. TMJ4 became the station's durable public-facing brand and was subsequently adopted in updated graphic systems.

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• 2021Scripps completes Ion Media acquisition

  Scripps acquired Ion Media, making WPXE-TV a sister station of WTMJ-TV.

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• 2015Scripps completes acquisition of Journal Communications broadcast assets

  The Journal-Scripps transaction closed, transferring WTMJ-TV to Scripps ownership.

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• 2014Journal Communications and Scripps announce merger

  Scripps announced an all-stock transaction to acquire Journal Communications and retain its broadcast properties, including WTMJ-TV, while Journal's print assets were separated into a new company.

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• 2013Time Warner Cable restores WTMJ-TV carriage

  After a carriage dispute that removed WTMJ-TV from affected southeastern Wisconsin systems, the station returned to Time Warner Cable under a new agreement.

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1. WTMJ-TV
2. WTMJ4 official website