WUPL
WUPL is a television station serving the New Orleans area from its license city of Slidell, Louisiana.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WUPL, branded in recent years as WUPL 54, is a full-power television station licensed to Slidell, Louisiana, and serving the New Orleans metropolitan area. The station broadcasts primarily as an independent outlet while maintaining a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV. Its signal and programming operation are associated with channel 54, although its digital transmission uses UHF channel 24 and preserves virtual channel 54. WUPL shares facilities and operational resources with CBS affiliate WWL-TV, including studios on Rampart Street in New Orleans's historic French Quarter. Its transmitter is located on Cooper Road in Terrytown. The station began broadcasting on June 1, 1995, as a charter affiliate of the United Paramount Network, or UPN. Before WUPL launched, UPN programming had not been available in the New Orleans market after another local station declined the proposed affiliation. WUPL initially combined UPN programming with a conventional independent-station schedule of syndicated sitcoms, talk shows, court programs and older off-network series. Larry Safir owned the station through Middle America Communications. Cox Enterprises assumed operational control in 1996, and Safir sold the station in 1997 to Viacom's Paramount Stations Group, making WUPL a UPN-owned-and-operated station. Viacom's later merger with CBS created an unusual local ownership situation. CBS programming remained on WWL-TV, a highly rated long-standing CBS affiliate, rather than moving to WUPL. Viacom considered acquiring WWL-TV to create a local duopoly but did not complete that purchase. In 2005, it agreed to sell WUPL to Belo Corporation for $14.5 million. The transaction was delayed after Hurricane Katrina disrupted the New Orleans region, leading CBS to sue Belo over the uncompleted sale. The dispute was resolved when Belo completed its purchase in 2007, after which WUPL's operations moved into WWL-TV's Rampart Street facility. When UPN was replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, WUPL was selected as the New Orleans affiliate of MyNetworkTV. The CW instead went to WNOL-TV. WUPL has subsequently carried a mixture of MyNetworkTV programming, syndicated entertainment, locally produced content and programming supplied by WWL-TV. It has periodically served as an outlet for CBS programs that WWL-TV could not air because of extended breaking-news or severe-weather coverage. The station also carried CBS morning programming for periods when WWL-TV was committed to an extended local morning newscast. Local programming has been an important part of WUPL's relationship with WWL-TV. WWL launched a weekday 9 p.m. newscast on WUPL in 2007, but the program ended in 2013 after weak ratings. It was temporarily replaced by the interview program The 504. Newscasts returned in 2014 with a weeknight 6:30 p.m. broadcast produced by WWL-TV. WUPL also carried portions of WWL-TV's morning news schedule. The station has changed ownership several times. Belo was acquired by Gannett in 2013, and the broadcasting and digital assets, including WUPL and WWL-TV, became part of Tegna when Gannett split its publishing and broadcasting businesses in 2015. In April 2018, WUPL retired the 'My 54' branding and adopted a call-letter-based identity, WUPL 54, with a logo related to WWL-TV's visual system. Reference material identifies Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of Tegna as completed on March 19, 2026, with WUPL designated for divestiture within two years because of overlapping station ownership in the market. WUPL therefore remains an active local television brand, although its long-term ownership is subject to that reported divestiture commitment.
History
WUPL began operations on June 1, 1995, as a UPN affiliate serving the New Orleans television market. The station was established by Texas broadcaster Larry Safir through Middle America Communications. Its launch filled a local gap: a prospective station had declined UPN programming, leaving the market without the network for several months. WUPL supplemented the network schedule with syndicated sitcoms, talk shows, court programs and other general-entertainment content. In 1996, Cox Enterprises entered an agreement to operate WUPL. Safir sold the station the following year to Viacom's Paramount Stations Group. Because Viacom held an ownership interest in UPN, WUPL became a network-owned station. Viacom merged with CBS in 2000, but the CBS affiliation in New Orleans remained with WWL-TV rather than moving to WUPL. Viacom considered purchasing WWL-TV and forming a duopoly but abandoned that effort after Belo rejected its offer for the station. Viacom then agreed in July 2005 to sell WUPL to Belo for $14.5 million. The sale was delayed after Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans area in August 2005. CBS subsequently filed suit against Belo in February 2006 over the failure to finalize the transaction. Meanwhile, the planned shutdown of UPN and The WB led to the creation of The CW and MyNetworkTV. WNOL-TV was selected as the New Orleans CW affiliate, and WUPL was announced as a MyNetworkTV affiliate in July 2006. Belo ultimately proceeded with the acquisition. The company announced in February 2007 that the purchase would settle the litigation, and the transaction closed later that year. Belo also acquired WUPL's low-power repeater, formerly identified as WBXN-CA, in April 2007. WUPL's operations moved into WWL-TV's Rampart Street facility in mid-April 2007. WWL-TV developed local programming for WUPL as part of the stations' shared operating relationship. A weekday 9 p.m. newscast, My54 Eyewitness News at 9, premiered on June 4, 2007. It competed with WVUE's established 9 p.m. newscast and a separate WGNO-produced program on WNOL-TV. The WNOL program was canceled in 2010, while the WUPL broadcast continued until April 26, 2013, when it was discontinued because of consistently low ratings. The prerecorded interview program The 504 replaced it temporarily. A WWL-produced weeknight 6:30 p.m. newscast returned to WUPL on September 9, 2014. WUPL also carried CBS morning programming at times when WWL-TV aired an extended local morning newscast. It began carrying The Early Show in 2005 and later carried CBS This Morning. In December 2016, WWL-TV began airing CBS This Morning across its full weekday two-hour block, while WUPL shifted to portions of WWL-TV's Eyewitness Morning News. The station may still carry CBS network programming when WWL-TV is occupied with extended breaking-news or severe-weather coverage. Belo was acquired by Gannett in December 2013. In 2015, Gannett divided its publishing and broadcasting operations; the broadcast company was named Tegna and retained WUPL and WWL-TV. In April 2018, WUPL abandoned the My 54 identity in favor of WUPL 54, using a logo related to WWL-TV's branding. Reference material reports that Nexstar acquired Tegna in March 2026. Because Nexstar also owns other New Orleans television stations, the transaction included a commitment to divest WUPL within two years. The station's current service remains focused on the New Orleans area, with a schedule built around independent programming, MyNetworkTV content and programming supplied by WWL-TV.
- 2026
Reported Nexstar acquisition and divestiture commitment
[1]Reference material reports that Nexstar completes its Tegna acquisition and commits to divesting WUPL within two years.
- 2018
Station rebrands as WUPL 54
[1]WUPL drops the My 54 identity and adopts call-letter-based branding.
- 2015
WUPL becomes part of Tegna
[1]Gannett's broadcast and digital assets are separated into Tegna, which retains WUPL.
- 2013
Belo joins Gannett
[1]Gannett completes its acquisition of Belo, including WUPL and WWL-TV.
- 2007
Belo completes acquisition and moves operations
[1]Belo completes its purchase of WUPL and moves station operations into WWL-TV's Rampart Street facility.
- 2007
Local prime-time newscast launches
[1]WWL-TV begins producing My54 Eyewitness News at 9 for WUPL.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV affiliation announced
[1]WUPL is selected as the New Orleans affiliate of MyNetworkTV after UPN's replacement by new broadcast networks.
- 2005
Belo sale is agreed
[1]Viacom agrees to sell WUPL to Belo for $14.5 million, but the transaction is delayed after Hurricane Katrina.
- 1997
Viacom acquires WUPL
[1]Viacom's Paramount Stations Group purchases the station, making it a UPN-owned-and-operated outlet.
- 1996
Cox assumes operations
[1]Cox Enterprises enters an agreement to operate the station for owner Middle America Communications.
Products and positioning
A New Orleans-area broadcast station combining independent general-entertainment programming with MyNetworkTV affiliation and selected local programming from sister station WWL-TV.
Over-the-air television station · 1995
WUPL 54 broadcast service
WUPL's primary service is a full-power digital television signal serving the New Orleans area. The station uses virtual channel 54 and transmits its digital signal on UHF channel 24. Its schedule combines independently acquired entertainment programming, MyNetworkTV content, selected CBS programming when WWL-TV is preempted, and locally produced material. WUPL broadcasts in 1080i high definition.
Network affiliation · 2006
MyNetworkTV programming
WUPL has carried MyNetworkTV programming since the network launched in 2006. The affiliation forms part of a broader schedule in which the station operates primarily as an independent outlet rather than as a full traditional network station.
Local news and public affairs · 2007
WWL-TV-produced local programming
Through its relationship with sister station WWL-TV, WUPL has carried locally produced news and interview programming. Examples include a weekday 9 p.m. newscast launched in 2007, the interview program The 504, and a weeknight 6:30 p.m. newscast introduced in 2014. WUPL has also simulcast or carried portions of WWL-TV's morning news output.
Brand decisions
2018
Replace My 54 branding with WUPL 54StrategyBackground
The station had used the My 54 identity during its MyNetworkTV era and shared an operating relationship with WWL-TV.
Action taken
WUPL retired the My 54 branding and adopted WUPL 54, with a logo based on WWL-TV's visual identity.
Aftermath
The station's public identity became more closely tied to its call letters and sister-station relationship.
2006
Select MyNetworkTV over The CWStrategyBackground
The creation of The CW and MyNetworkTV forced former UPN affiliates to choose new affiliations. WNOL-TV received the New Orleans CW affiliation, leaving WUPL to determine its post-UPN network relationship.
Action taken
WUPL was announced as the New Orleans affiliate of MyNetworkTV in July 2006.
Aftermath
WUPL continued operating as a primarily independent station while carrying MyNetworkTV programming as a secondary network affiliation.
- WNOL-TV — WNOL-TV became the New Orleans affiliate of The CW.
Recent events
- 2026
Nexstar acquisition of Tegna and planned WUPL divestiture[1]
M&A · Regulation
Reference material states that Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tegna on March 19, 2026, and committed to divesting WUPL within two years because of overlapping television-station ownership in the market.
- 2018
WUPL adopts WUPL 54 branding[1]
Other
The station dropped the My 54 identity and began using its call letters in the WUPL 54 brand.
- 2007
Belo completes purchase of WUPL[1]
M&A · Lawsuit
Belo completed its delayed acquisition of WUPL from CBS after litigation connected with the transaction was resolved following Hurricane Katrina.
- 2006
WUPL becomes a MyNetworkTV affiliate[1]
Other
After UPN's planned replacement by The CW, WUPL was announced as the New Orleans affiliate of MyNetworkTV, while WNOL-TV took the market's CW affiliation.
- 1995
WUPL begins broadcasting as a UPN affiliate[1]
Other · Product launch
WUPL signed on in the New Orleans market as a UPN affiliate, adding the network's programming to the local television lineup.
Sources1 sources
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