WUXP-TV
WUXP-TV is a Nashville, Tennessee television station that operates primarily as an independent outlet and carries MyNetworkTV programming.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
WUXP-TV is a full-power television station serving Nashville, Tennessee, and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 30 and is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. It is operated alongside Sinclair-owned WZTV, Nashville’s Fox affiliate, and is co-managed with WNAB, the market’s CW affiliate. The stations share studios on Mainstream Drive along the Cumberland River, while WUXP-TV’s transmitter is located near Interstate 24 in Whites Creek. The station began broadcasting on February 18, 1984, as WCAY-TV. TVX Broadcast Group developed the outlet after receiving the construction permit for UHF channel 30 from the Federal Communications Commission in 1983. Its launch created a second general-market independent television competitor in Nashville, alongside WZTV. During its first years, WCAY-TV faced difficult financial and competitive conditions, including a short-lived rivalry with WFYZ, a Murfreesboro station that later adopted a religious format. In 1986, WCAY-TV became Nashville’s Fox affiliate, although the station continued to function largely as a syndicated independent because Fox supplied limited programming at that stage. TVX’s acquisition of several stations from Taft Broadcasting in 1987 placed substantial financial pressure on the company. As TVX attempted to reduce its debt, it agreed to sell WCAY-TV to SouthWest MultiMedia in 1988, but that transaction did not close. MT Communications subsequently acquired the station, and the call letters changed to WXMT in October 1989. WXMT retained the challenge of competing with WZTV, which had also changed ownership. In 1990, Fox and most of WXMT’s major programming moved to WZTV, leaving WXMT with a reduced schedule that included selected children’s programming, syndicated content, and extensive Home Shopping Network programming. The station then rebuilt its schedule as an independent outlet. WXMT carried a locally produced prime-time news program, The Scene at 9, from 1992 through 1994. It also committed early to the United Paramount Network, becoming a UPN affiliate when that network launched in January 1995. In 1996, Sullivan Broadcasting entered into a local marketing agreement to operate the station, while Mission Broadcasting acquired the license assets. The call sign changed to WUXP-TV in August 1996, reflecting its UPN identity. Sinclair acquired Sullivan Broadcasting in 1998 and took control of WUXP-TV’s operations. After federal rules permitted additional television duopolies, Sinclair purchased WUXP-TV outright from Mission Broadcasting in 2000. When UPN and The WB ceased operating as separate networks in 2006, WUXP-TV became Nashville’s MyNetworkTV affiliate. Its schedule has remained primarily independent in character, supplemented by MyNetworkTV programming, syndicated entertainment, local sports, public-affairs content, and Sinclair’s national news service, The National Desk. WUXP-TV does not maintain a dedicated local news department, but it airs Comments with Dr. Haney, an interview program featuring retired Tennessee State University professor James Haney, and selected national news blocks. Local sports have been an important part of the station’s identity. WUXP-TV introduced Thursday Night Lights, a package of Tennessee high-school football broadcasts, in 2008. The sports portfolio expanded to high-school basketball in 2014, while the football broadcasts moved to Fridays under the Friday Night Rivals title. The station began carrying Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state championship football games in 2013. From 2018 through 2022, WUXP-TV was the primary Nashville-area television broadcaster for Nashville SC matches, covering the club during its transition from the United Soccer League to Major League Soccer. That arrangement ended when Apple obtained the comprehensive local and national MLS television rights. WUXP-TV completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009, ahead of the revised federal deadline. Its digital signal uses UHF channel 21 while continuing to identify as virtual channel 30. The station is also part of Nashville’s NextGen TV environment and, together with WNAB, is among the market’s ATSC 3.0 broadcasters.
History
The history of WUXP-TV begins with the FCC’s allocation process for Nashville’s UHF channel 30. In 1981, the commission designated numerous competing applications for a comparative hearing. The permit was ultimately awarded in August 1983 to Television Corporation of Tennessee, associated with TVX Broadcast Group. The company selected WCAY-TV as the call sign and constructed facilities for a rapid launch. WCAY-TV began broadcasting on February 18, 1984. Its principal early competition came from WZTV, which had operated as Nashville’s established independent station since 1976, and WFYZ, a newer outlet based in Murfreesboro. WCAY-TV survived the competitive struggle after WFYZ reduced its operations and later adopted a Christian format. In 1986, WCAY-TV joined Fox, but Fox’s limited early schedule meant that the station still depended heavily on syndicated programs and independent scheduling. TVX’s financial position deteriorated after the company acquired five independent stations from Taft Broadcasting in 1987. The purchase left TVX highly leveraged, and the company began looking for buyers for smaller properties. A proposed 1988 sale of WCAY-TV to SouthWest MultiMedia for $6 million failed to close. MT Communications then acquired the station, changing its call letters to WXMT in October 1989. The new owner faced the same structural problem as TVX: Nashville’s market was difficult to support with two heavily competing independent stations. Act III Broadcasting, which owned WZTV, successfully secured Fox’s affiliation and most of WXMT’s programming inventory in February 1990. The transfer moved Fox shows, several syndicated programs, and other major content to WZTV. WXMT temporarily relied more heavily on Home Shopping Network programming and selected remaining content, but it gradually rebuilt its schedule. From 1992 to 1994, it carried The Scene at 9, a prime-time news program produced by WSMV-TV. The station also committed to UPN before the network’s 1995 launch. Ownership and operating arrangements changed again in 1996. Sullivan Broadcasting entered into a local marketing agreement to run most of WXMT’s operations, while Mission Broadcasting acquired the station’s license assets. In August of that year, the station adopted the WUXP-TV call sign. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Sullivan in 1998, thereby gaining control of WUXP’s operations through the existing agreement. Sinclair purchased the station outright from Mission in 2000. The end of UPN in 2006 led WUXP-TV to affiliate with MyNetworkTV. The station has since operated as a hybrid independent outlet: MyNetworkTV programs occupy part of the schedule, while the remainder consists of syndicated entertainment, local sports, public-affairs programming, and Sinclair-produced news content. WUXP-TV has not maintained a separate local news department, although it airs The National Desk and Comments with Dr. Haney. Sports programming has become a recurring feature. Thursday Night Lights began in 2008, high-school basketball was added in 2014, and the football package was rebranded Friday Night Rivals. WUXP-TV also carried TSSAA state championship football games beginning in 2013. Its Nashville SC rights ran from 2018 through 2022 and ended after Apple assumed comprehensive MLS distribution rights. Technically, the station ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, retained virtual channel 30 on digital UHF channel 21, and later became part of Nashville’s ATSC 3.0 broadcast ecosystem.
- 2018
Nashville SC coverage begins
[1]WUXP-TV became the primary local broadcaster of Nashville SC matches.
- 2013
TSSAA championship coverage begins
[1]The station began airing Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state championship football games through a statewide network.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]WUXP-TV shut down its analog signal on February 17 and continued digitally on UHF channel 21 using virtual channel 30.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV affiliation begins
[1]WUXP-TV affiliated with MyNetworkTV after UPN ceased operations.
- 2000
Sinclair ownership completed
[1]Sinclair purchased WUXP-TV outright from Mission Broadcasting.
- 1996
WUXP-TV identity adopted
[1]The station changed its call sign to WUXP-TV after Sullivan Broadcasting began operating it under a local marketing agreement.
- 1995
UPN affiliation
[1]The station became an affiliate of the newly launched United Paramount Network.
- 1990
Fox programming moves to WZTV
[1]WZTV acquired Fox’s Nashville affiliation and most of WXMT’s major programming inventory.
- 1989
Call sign changes to WXMT
[1]MT Communications changed the station’s call letters from WCAY-TV to WXMT in October.
- 1986
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WCAY-TV joined Fox while continuing to program much of its schedule as an independent station.
Products and positioning
A locally oriented Nashville independent television station combining MyNetworkTV, syndicated entertainment, sports, public affairs, and Sinclair news content.
Network television affiliation · 2006
MyNetworkTV programming
WUXP-TV has carried MyNetworkTV programming since 2006, following the closure of UPN. The affiliation forms one part of a broader schedule that also includes syndicated entertainment and local programming.
Local sports television · 2014
Friday Night Rivals
Friday Night Rivals is the station’s branded presentation of Tennessee high-school football. The package evolved from Thursday Night Lights, which began on WUXP-TV in 2008, and is complemented by high-school basketball coverage.
Statewide sports programming · 2013
TSSAA football championships
WUXP-TV carries Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state championship football games as part of a statewide television network.
Public affairs
Comments with Dr. Haney
A Saturday-morning local interview program featuring retired Tennessee State University professor James Haney. It is one of the station’s locally produced non-sports offerings.
Professional sports television · 2018
Nashville SC broadcasts
WUXP-TV served as the primary local television broadcaster for Nashville SC matches from 2018 through 2022, spanning the club’s move from the United Soccer League to Major League Soccer.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Thursday Night Lights
Middle Tennessee
WUXP-TV introduced a recurring broadcast package focused on local high-school football, strengthening its community and sports identity.
Outcome. The package continued and was later shifted to Fridays and renamed Friday Night Rivals.
Brand decisions
2006
Move to MyNetworkTVStrategyBackground
UPN and The WB were replaced by new network arrangements in 2006.
Action taken
WUXP-TV selected MyNetworkTV as its network affiliation while continuing to operate with an independently programmed schedule.
Aftermath
MyNetworkTV programming remains part of the station’s current identity.
1995
UPN affiliationStrategyBackground
WXMT needed a stable network relationship after losing Fox and much of its programming inventory.
Action taken
The station joined the United Paramount Network at its launch.
Aftermath
The UPN identity helped establish the WUXP call sign adopted the following year; after UPN closed, the station moved to MyNetworkTV.
1990
Surrender of Fox affiliation and programming inventoryStrategyBackground
Nashville’s market had difficulty supporting two closely competing independent stations, and Act III Broadcasting sought to move Fox to its WZTV outlet.
Action taken
Fox programming and most of WXMT’s major syndicated inventory were transferred to WZTV, while WXMT rebuilt its schedule with reduced programming and home-shopping content.
Aftermath
WXMT later rebuilt as an independent station and joined UPN in 1995.
- WZTV — WZTV obtained the Fox affiliation and the majority of WXMT’s transferred programming.
Sources2 sources
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