WWCW
WWCW is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, and serving the Roanoke–Lynchburg market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WWCW is a full-power television station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, and serving viewers across the Roanoke–Lynchburg designated market area. The station operates as the market's CW outlet and is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside WFXR, the Fox affiliate licensed to Roanoke. Although WWCW retains a Lynchburg license and transmits from Thaxton Mountain in central Bedford County, its operational center is shared with WFXR at Nexstar's Valleypointe facility in northeastern Roanoke County. The company also maintains an advertising sales office on Airport Road near Lynchburg's southwestern boundary with Campbell County. The station began broadcasting in 1986 under the call sign WJPR. Its original business model was that of an independent general-entertainment station, carrying syndicated sitcoms, children's programming, sports, and other schedule-based content. Fox programming was added in October 1986, when Fox was still a developing network whose affiliates generally continued to rely heavily on independent-station programming. WJPR's launch coincided with the arrival of another independent station in Roanoke, WVFT, creating an economically difficult competitive situation in a market whose size, advertising base, and mountainous terrain could not easily sustain two comparable outlets. Financial difficulties led WJPR and WVFT into bankruptcy proceedings in the late 1980s. In 1990, Henry A. Ash acquired both stations through a court-approved transaction and obtained a Federal Communications Commission waiver allowing common ownership despite overlapping coverage. The stations began simulcasting on August 20, 1990, creating a combined Fox service branded as Fox 21/27. This arrangement expanded Fox coverage while avoiding the costs of operating two fully separate independent-style services. Grant Communications acquired the stations in 1993. Under Grant, the channel 27 station adopted the WFXR-TV call sign, while the paired operations continued to develop a shared programming and technical structure. The stations added The WB as a secondary affiliation in 1999. That service first appeared in overnight hours, then moved to a cable-only service known as WBVA-TV, and eventually became a digital subchannel. Following the 2006 merger of The WB and UPN into The CW, the Lynchburg station adopted the WWCW call sign and became the market's principal CW-branded outlet. Fox and CW programming were distributed across the two transmitters and their digital subchannels so that viewers in both the Roanoke and Lynchburg areas could receive each network. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of Grant Communications' stations in 2013, completed the transaction in December 2014, and retained WWCW and WFXR. Nexstar subsequently invested in a larger shared facility in Roanoke County. The stations moved operations in September 2015 into a roughly 14,830-square-foot studio complex at Valleypointe, a move that also enabled the company to bring local news production in-house. Before that transition, local newscasts had been produced for the stations by WSLS-TV since 1996. Today, WWCW functions primarily as a network television outlet within a paired-station and shared-transmitter operation. Its CW programming is carried on virtual channel 21.1 from the WWCW signal and on a WFXR subchannel, while Fox programming is correspondingly carried across the paired facilities. The station also participates in digital multicast and NextGen TV arrangements associated with the broader Nexstar operation. Its business scope centers on television programming distribution, local advertising sales, broadcast transmission, and participation in the market's local news ecosystem rather than on a standalone national consumer brand.
History
WWCW originated as WJPR, a television station assigned to channel 21 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Communications consultant James E. Price secured the construction permit in 1982, but the permit passed through several ownership groups before Lynchburg–Roanoke Television Partners, led by Thomas F. Carney, completed construction. The station's transmitter was built on Thaxton Mountain after delays caused partly by winter weather, and WJPR finally went on air on March 23, 1986. The original service was an independent station carrying syndicated entertainment, children's programs, and sports. Fox was added in October 1986. The station faced immediate structural problems: a second independent outlet, WVFT on channel 27 in Roanoke, launched later that year, while cable carriage limitations, weak advertising demand, and difficult terrain constrained both stations. WJPR filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in November 1988, followed by WVFT in 1989. A proposed acquisition by NewSouth Broadcasting was disrupted when its owner, Timothy Brumlik, was arrested and indicted on money-laundering allegations. Henry A. Ash subsequently acquired both stations through Roanoke–Lynchburg TV Acquisition Corporation. The Federal Communications Commission approved a waiver permitting common ownership because the market appeared unable to sustain two independent stations and the combination materially expanded Fox coverage. WJPR and WVFT began simulcasting on August 20, 1990. Grant Communications bought the stations in 1993. The company upgraded their facilities and developed a shared programming structure. The stations added The WB as a secondary affiliation in 1999, first airing the network overnight. A cable-only service, WBVA-TV, followed in 2001, and the WB programming later moved to a digital subchannel. When The WB and UPN merged into The CW in 2006, the channel 21 service adopted the WWCW call sign. The paired stations used digital subchannels and shared transmission arrangements to distribute both CW and Fox programming throughout the two-city market. Nexstar Broadcasting Group agreed to buy the Grant stations in 2013, received regulatory approval in 2014, and completed the transaction on December 1, 2014. Nexstar retained WWCW and WFXR while later divesting another area station acquired through its Media General transaction. In 2015, the two stations moved into a new shared studio at Valleypointe in northeastern Roanoke County. The relocation coincided with a shift from WSLS-produced local news to in-house news production. WWCW currently operates as a Nexstar-owned CW affiliate. Its signal originates from Thaxton Mountain, while WFXR and WWCW jointly distribute their primary network services across the Roanoke–Lynchburg market. The station has also participated in digital multicast and ATSC 3.0 hosting arrangements involving other local broadcast facilities.
- 2015
Operations move to Valleypointe
[1]WWCW and WFXR relocated to a new shared studio facility in Roanoke County.
- 2014
Nexstar completes acquisition
[1]Nexstar completed its purchase of the Grant stations, including WWCW and WFXR, on December 1.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]WWCW ended regular analog broadcasting on UHF channel 21 as part of the United States digital television transition.
- 2006
WWCW call sign adopted
[1]The channel 21 service became the market's CW outlet after the creation of The CW.
- 1999
The WB becomes a secondary affiliation
[1]The stations began carrying The WB in overnight hours.
- 1993
Grant Communications takes ownership
[1]Grant Communications purchased the paired stations and changed WVFT's call sign to WFXR-TV.
- 1990
WJPR and WVFT combine operations
[1]Common ownership and a regulatory waiver enabled the two stations to simulcast Fox programming as Fox 21/27.
- 1988
WJPR enters Chapter 11
[1]The station sought bankruptcy protection amid financial pressure and a dispute over an alleged debt.
- 1986
WJPR launches
[1]WJPR began broadcasting on March 23 as an independent general-entertainment station.
- 1986
Fox affiliation begins
[1]Fox programming was added to WJPR's schedule in October.
Products and positioning
A regional over-the-air television outlet positioned as the CW affiliate for the Roanoke–Lynchburg market, with coverage and operational resources shared with Nexstar's WFXR.
Broadcast television network affiliation · 2006
CW network service
WWCW's principal service is the CW network feed for the Roanoke–Lynchburg market. The service is carried on the station's primary virtual channel and is also distributed through the paired WFXR operation, allowing the network to reach viewers across the geographically challenging market.
Broadcast television · 1986
WJPR independent television service
Before adopting the WWCW identity, channel 21 operated as WJPR, an independent station with a schedule built from syndicated sitcoms, children's programming, sports, and other general-entertainment material. Fox programming was added during its first year.
Television news · 1996
Local news programming
WWCW has participated in local news distribution with WFXR. WSLS-TV produced a local newscast for the stations beginning in 1996; after the 2015 move to Valleypointe, news production was brought in-house by the Nexstar operation.
Brand decisions
2015
Move to shared Valleypointe facilityStrategyBackground
Nexstar sought larger premises for the WFXR and WWCW operations and planned to expand locally produced news.
Action taken
The stations moved into a new shared studio complex in Roanoke County and shifted local news production in-house.
Aftermath
The relocation consolidated staff and facilities while supporting the stations' own news operation.
Facility construction cost. $3 million (2015 facility project)
2013
Nexstar acquisition of Grant stationsM&ABackground
Grant Communications elected to sell its television stations, including WWCW and WFXR.
Action taken
Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced an acquisition of the stations and completed it after FCC approval in 2014.
Aftermath
WWCW became part of Nexstar's station portfolio and continued operating alongside WFXR.
Announced transaction value. $87.5 million (2013 announcement)
2006
Transition from The WB to The CWProduct launchBackground
The WB and UPN merged to create The CW, requiring a new network affiliation structure in the market.
Action taken
Channel 21 adopted the WWCW call sign and became the market's CW outlet, with programming shared across the paired digital broadcast facilities.
Aftermath
WWCW became the durable identity for the channel 21 CW service.
1990
Consolidation with WVFTStrategyBackground
WJPR and WVFT faced insufficient advertising revenue and overlapping coverage in a market that could not readily sustain two separate independent stations.
Action taken
The stations were placed under common ownership and began simulcasting Fox programming as Fox 21/27.
Aftermath
The combined operation broadened Fox coverage and reduced the need to operate two fully independent programming services.
Purchase prices. $2.95 million for WJPR and $1.25 million for WVFT (1990 acquisition)
Recent events
- 2015
WWCW and WFXR move into Valleypointe studios[1]
Product launch
The paired stations relocated their operations to a new shared facility in Roanoke County, supporting expanded in-house production.
- 2013
Nexstar announces acquisition of Grant stations[1]
M&A
Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its purchase of Grant Communications' stations, including WWCW and WFXR.
- 2006
The CW affiliation arrives and WJPR becomes WWCW[1]
Product launch · Leadership change
After The WB and UPN combined to form The CW, channel 21 adopted the WWCW call sign and became the market's CW service.
- 1993
Grant Communications acquires the paired stations[1]
M&A
Grant Communications purchased WJPR and WVFT and subsequently changed WVFT's call sign to WFXR-TV.
- 1990
WJPR and WVFT begin Fox simulcast[1]
Product generation
The paired stations began simulcasting as Fox 21/27, extending Fox coverage across the Roanoke–Lynchburg market.
- 1988
WJPR files for Chapter 11 protection[1]
Bankruptcy · Lawsuit
The station entered bankruptcy reorganization after weak advertising revenue and a lawsuit concerning an alleged programming-related debt.
- 1986
WJPR begins broadcasting as an independent station[1]
Product launch
The station launched on March 23 as a general-entertainment independent outlet licensed to Lynchburg.
- 1986
WJPR adds Fox programming[1]
Product launch
Fox programming joined the station's schedule in October, establishing its early network affiliation.
Sources1 sources
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