WTVW
WTVW is a television station serving the Evansville, Indiana, market and broadcasting programming from The CW.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WTVW is a television station serving Evansville, Indiana, and the surrounding Tri-State region of Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. Broadcasting on virtual channel 7, the station is owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar Media Group through a shared services arrangement. Its studios and newsroom operations are located with sister station WEHT on Marywood Drive in Henderson, Kentucky, while its transmitter is situated near Chandler, Indiana. WTVW began broadcasting on August 21, 1956, as Evansville's first VHF television station and its original ABC affiliate. The station initially operated from downtown Evansville studios and was locally owned by Evansville Television, Inc. During its early years, it opposed a Federal Communications Commission proposal that would have moved channel 7 to UHF channel 31 and reassigned the VHF allocation to Louisville. Ownership subsequently changed several times. Evansville Television entered bankruptcy in 1959, and the station was later acquired by Polaris Corporation, which became associated with Fuqua Industries through a merger. After Fuqua exited broadcasting, WTVW was purchased by Charles Woods in 1980, followed by a 1993 acquisition by Banam Broadcasting. A major transformation occurred in 1995, when Banam sold WTVW to Petracom Broadcasting. Following Fox's purchase of an equity stake in Petracom and a broader Evansville affiliation realignment, WTVW ended nearly four decades as an ABC affiliate and joined Fox on December 3, 1995. ABC moved to WEHT, while CBS moved to WEVV. Under Fox, the station expanded and repeatedly refreshed its local-news operation, using brands including Fox 7 News, Fox 7 First News, WTVW NewsChannel 7, and related variations. Petracom sold the station group to Quorum Broadcasting in 1997, and Quorum merged with Nexstar Broadcasting in 2003. WTVW's Fox era ended after a dispute over affiliation economics and retransmission-consent revenue. Fox announced in 2011 that it would move its Evansville affiliation to a digital subchannel of WEVV-TV. WTVW became an independent station on July 1, 2011, adopting the Local 7 identity and filling its schedule with syndicated programs, movies, classic television, sports, and expanded locally produced content. Its programming included local high-school and college sports as well as selected syndicated sports packages. In the same period, Nexstar acquired WEHT and arranged for WTVW to be transferred to Mission Broadcasting. Nexstar continued operating WTVW under a shared services agreement, and WTVW's operations moved into WEHT's Henderson facilities. The two stations consolidated much of their news production, while WTVW retained a distinct channel identity and local-news presence. The stations restored the Eyewitness News branding in December 2011 and introduced high-definition local newscasts in August 2012. WTVW became the Evansville area's CW affiliate on January 31, 2013, after the shutdown of the low-power stations that had carried the market's prior CW service. The station continues to combine CW network programming with local news, syndicated programming, sports, digital multicast content, and other locally relevant material. Its digital offerings have included Bounce TV on subchannel 7.2 and specialized news programming. WTVW's current role is that of a network-affiliated local broadcaster: it provides national CW programming while serving the region through weather, news, community coverage, sports, and advertising-supported television services.
History
WTVW signed on August 21, 1956, as Evansville's third television station and its first VHF outlet. It was established by Evansville Television, Inc. as an ABC affiliate and initially operated from studios on Carpenter Street in downtown Evansville. The station's channel assignment became significant in the early history of the Evansville market because the FCC considered moving channel 7 to UHF channel 31 and reallocating the VHF frequency to Louisville. WTVW opposed the proposed change and ultimately retained its VHF position. The station entered a period of ownership instability in the late 1950s. Evansville Television entered bankruptcy in 1959, after which WTVW was administered by a trustee. Polaris Corporation acquired the station in 1962, and Polaris later merged with Natco Corporation, a Fuqua Industries subsidiary, in 1966. Fuqua eventually withdrew from broadcasting. In 1980, Charles Woods, who also owned WTVY-FM-TV in Dothan, Alabama, purchased WTVW. Banam Broadcasting, a BankAmerica subsidiary, acquired the station in 1993. WTVW's first major affiliation change took place in 1995. Banam sold the station to Petracom Broadcasting in May, and Fox subsequently acquired a minority interest in Petracom. In the resulting Evansville affiliation exchange, WTVW left ABC and joined Fox on December 3, 1995. ABC moved to WEHT and CBS moved to WEVV, while WTVW became one of Indiana's former ABC affiliates to adopt Fox programming. Petracom sold its stations to Quorum Broadcasting in 1997. Quorum later merged with Nexstar Broadcasting at the end of 2003, although a separate proposed sale of WTVW to GNS Media did not close. During its Fox period, WTVW expanded its local-news schedule and used several station-news brands, including Fox 7 News, Fox 7 First News, WTVW NewsChannel 7, and News 7. Local programming evolved repeatedly: morning and midday newscasts were introduced, canceled, or restored at different points, while evening news was adjusted to suit the Fox schedule. The station also carried syndicated sports, including Southeastern Conference football and basketball packages, and later other regional sports programming. Fox and Nexstar reached an affiliation impasse in 2011. Fox announced that it would move its Evansville affiliation to a digital subchannel of WEVV-TV, citing the economics of affiliation agreements and retransmission-consent revenue. WTVW's final Fox program aired on June 30, 2011. The station became independent on July 1 and adopted the Local 7 brand. Its replacement schedule included syndicated entertainment, classic television, movies, increased local programming, and local high-school and college sports. Some classic programming was supplied through a partial MeTV arrangement while WTVW transitioned to a new schedule. On August 8, 2011, Nexstar announced that it would acquire WEHT from Gilmore Broadcasting and transfer WTVW to Mission Broadcasting. Nexstar would operate WTVW through a shared services agreement. The related transactions closed on December 1, 2011, and WTVW's operations moved to WEHT's studios in Henderson, Kentucky. The combined news operation reduced overlapping newscasts and adjusted WTVW's schedule in response to regulatory and operational constraints. Both stations returned to the Eyewitness News name in December 2011 and began producing local news in high definition in August 2012. WTVW returned to network affiliation on January 31, 2013, when it became the Evansville-market affiliate of The CW. The change followed the closure of the low-power stations that had previously carried CW programming. Because of existing paid-programming and educational-programming commitments, some CW-related weekend programming was phased in after the initial affiliation date. The station has continued to operate as a locally oriented CW broadcaster. Its services include approximately 23 hours of local newscasts per week, weather reporting, an Owensboro news bureau operated through the shared news department, regional sports, syndicated content, and digital multicast channels. Its identity has shifted from original ABC affiliate to Fox affiliate, independent station, and finally CW affiliate, while its channel 7 position and service to the Evansville region have remained constant.
- 2023
Sunday local news schedule is adjusted
[1]The Sunday WTVW newscast is moved from 6 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to accommodate WEHT's ABC programming schedule.
- 2014
Bounce TV launches on subchannel 7.2
[1]WTVW adds Bounce TV to its digital multicast lineup beginning January 1.
- 2013
WTVW becomes a CW affiliate
[1]The station begins carrying The CW on January 31.
- 2012
Local newscasts move to high definition
[1]WTVW and WEHT introduce HD news production, including new studio and forecasting equipment.
- 2011
WTVW becomes independent
[1]After Fox moves its affiliation to WEVV's digital subchannel, WTVW adopts the Local 7 identity and operates without a primary network affiliation.
- 2011
Mission Broadcasting becomes the owner
[1]WTVW is transferred to Mission Broadcasting while Nexstar begins operating it under a shared services agreement.
- 2003
Quorum merges with Nexstar
[1]WTVW becomes part of the Nexstar broadcasting portfolio through Quorum's merger with Nexstar Broadcasting.
- 1997
Quorum Broadcasting acquires WTVW
[1]Petracom sells the station to Quorum Broadcasting.
- 1995
WTVW joins Fox
[1]On December 3, WTVW ends its ABC affiliation and begins broadcasting Fox programming.
- 1993
Banam Broadcasting acquires the station
[1]Banam Broadcasting, a BankAmerica subsidiary, takes ownership of WTVW.
Products and positioning
A locally focused broadcast television station combining CW network entertainment with regional news, weather, sports, community information, syndicated programming, and advertiser-supported services for the Evansville Tri-State market.
Local television news · 1956
Local 7 / WTVW local news
WTVW's local-news service provides reporting, weather, traffic, community stories, and regional coverage for the Evansville Tri-State area. The operation is produced in coordination with WEHT under the Nexstar shared services arrangement and includes an Owensboro bureau. The station has used several news identities over time, including Eyewitness News, Fox 7 News, Local 7 News, and related channel-based brands.
Network television programming · 2013
The CW programming
Since January 31, 2013, WTVW has carried The CW's schedule for the Evansville market. The network service forms the station's principal entertainment offering and is combined with local news, syndicated programs, sports, and paid or educational programming as required by the station's schedule.
Sports broadcasting · 1996
Regional sports programming
WTVW has historically carried locally relevant and syndicated sports, including NFL preseason games involving the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears. It also carried Southeastern Conference football and men's basketball packages from 1996 through later syndicated-package transitions, and subsequently carried selected ACC sports programming.
Digital multicast television · 2014
Bounce TV on digital subchannel 7.2
WTVW added Bounce TV to digital subchannel 7.2 in 2014. In addition to Bounce programming, the subchannel was used for specialized editions of the station's local news content.
Brand decisions
2013
Launch of CW affiliationProduct launchBackground
The prior Evansville CW outlets ceased operation, creating an opening for a new full-power affiliate.
Action taken
WTVW began airing The CW's daytime and prime-time schedule on January 31, 2013.
Aftermath
The station returned to a network-affiliate model while retaining its local news and regional programming.
2011
Operate as an independent station after losing FoxStrategyBackground
Fox sought improved economics from its Evansville affiliate and announced that it would move the affiliation to a WEVV digital subchannel.
Action taken
WTVW dropped Fox programming and adopted the Local 7 identity, replacing network prime time with syndicated programming, movies, classic television, and expanded local content.
Aftermath
WTVW operated independently until it obtained the CW affiliation in January 2013.
2011
Transfer to Mission Broadcasting and shared-services operationM&ABackground
Nexstar pursued the acquisition of WEHT while the Evansville market's station-ownership limits affected how WTVW could be held and operated.
Action taken
Mission Broadcasting acquired WTVW, and Nexstar began operating it through a shared services agreement after moving operations to WEHT's Henderson facility.
Aftermath
The stations consolidated newsroom resources and adjusted WTVW's local-news schedule.
1995
Switch from ABC to FoxStrategyBackground
A market-wide affiliation exchange followed Petracom's acquisition of WTVW and Fox's investment in Petracom.
Action taken
WTVW ended its long-running ABC relationship and began carrying Fox programming on December 3, 1995.
Aftermath
The station expanded its Fox-oriented news and entertainment schedule while ABC moved to WEHT.
Sources2 sources
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