WXCW
WXCW is a locally owned CW-affiliated television station serving Southwest Florida from Naples and Fort Myers.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WXCW is a television station licensed to Naples, Florida, and serving the broader Southwest Florida market. The station operates as a CW network affiliate under the on-air brand WINK CW. Its coverage area includes the Fort Myers–Naples television market and reaches communities across Lee and Collier counties and nearby parts of Southwest Florida. The station began broadcasting on October 22, 1990, as WNPL-TV. It was established by William Darling's Southwest Florida Telecommunications as an independent station intended to fill a programming gap in the local market. WFTX-TV had joined Fox several years earlier, leaving room for another commercial outlet. WNPL initially operated from studios on Goodlette Road in Naples, but the station experienced early difficulties obtaining and maintaining attractive programming. During the 1990s it carried selected Florida Marlins baseball broadcasts from Miami's WBFS-TV and programming associated with the Orlando Magic broadcast network. WNPL entered bankruptcy proceedings in 1993 amid creditor litigation and disputes involving the station's original ownership structure. The station was sold in 1995 to Cleveland-based Second Generation for $4 million. After the transaction, it adopted the call sign WTVK and became an original affiliate of the United Paramount Network, or UPN, when that network launched in January 1995. Second Generation moved station operations to the former WEVU facilities in Bonita Bay, providing greater space and improved access to satellite-delivered programming. In 1998, WTVK was sold to Acme Television for $15.5 million. Acme shifted the station from UPN to the WB network, and the station used the promotional identity WB 6, reflecting its cable position in the market. When the WB and UPN were combined to create The CW in 2006, WTVK became one of Acme's charter CW affiliates. The change placed the station within a new national network formed from the two predecessor services. Sun Broadcasting, led by Joe Schwartzel, agreed to acquire WTVK in 2006. The transaction closed in February 2007, and the station changed its call sign to WXCW the following month. Its broadcast operations were subsequently consolidated with those of WINK-TV, the Fort Myers-based CBS and MyNetworkTV affiliate operated by Fort Myers Broadcasting Company. Sun Broadcasting and Fort Myers Broadcasting Company maintain a shared-services relationship under which certain operational services are provided across the stations. WINK-TV began producing local news for WXCW in March 2007. The arrangement initially supplied a 10 p.m. newscast, later expanded to an hour, and was followed by weekday morning programming and other local-news extensions. WXCW's news programming was included in WINK-TV's transition to high-definition local news in 2007. In later years, the station also carried a weekday morning block and, for a period, an 11 a.m. newscast. The station's facilities were severely affected by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Storm-surge flooding entered the Palm Beach Boulevard facility in Fort Myers, taking WXCW, WINK-TV, and associated radio outlets off the air. Both television stations resumed transmission from a temporary studio at the transmitter site two days later, with WXCW carrying the primary WINK-TV schedule while repairs were undertaken. The damage encouraged Sun Broadcasting to seek a less flood-prone location. The company acquired a building on Corporate Lakes Drive in Gateway in 2023, renovated it, and relocated WXCW and WINK-TV there in January 2026. WXCW has also carried digitally multiplexed programming. Its 46.2 subchannel launched in 2012 with MundoFox, later known as MundoMax. After MundoMax ceased operations in December 2016, the subchannel began carrying Estrella TV. The station completed its transition to digital-only broadcasting in February 2009. In 2026, most WINK-produced newscasts previously shown on WXCW were moved to Sun Broadcasting's Fox affiliate, WFTX-TV. WXCW nevertheless remains a CW-branded broadcast outlet in the Southwest Florida market.
History
WXCW began broadcasting on October 22, 1990, under the call sign WNPL-TV. The station was founded and operated by William Darling's Southwest Florida Telecommunications as an independent outlet licensed to Naples. Its initial purpose was to expand the number of commercial television choices in a market where WFTX-TV had already joined Fox. WNPL operated from Goodlette Road in Naples and encountered early challenges in assembling viable programming. Among its acquired sports programming were Florida Marlins broadcasts from WBFS-TV in Miami between 1993 and 1998, along with programming connected to the Orlando Magic broadcast network. The station's early financial history was troubled. WNPL filed for bankruptcy in 1993 after litigation from creditors, including the Associated Press, and disputes involving investors who alleged that they had been misled about participation in a general partnership intended to operate the station. In 1995, Cleveland-based Second Generation purchased WNPL for $4 million. The new owner changed the call letters to WTVK on June 30 and moved the station's operations to the former WEVU studios in Bonita Bay. The relocation provided additional space and better access to satellite feeds. WTVK became a charter UPN affiliate when UPN launched on January 16, 1995, although its affiliation history later changed. Second Generation announced a sale to Acme Television in March 1998. The transaction was valued at $15.5 million, and Acme immediately shifted the station from UPN to the WB network. The station adopted the on-air identity WB 6, based on its cable channel position. When The WB and UPN were merged into The CW in 2006, Acme affiliated WTVK with the new network. This made the station one of the initial CW outlets, while the former market UPN outlet pursued a MyNetworkTV affiliation. Sun Broadcasting agreed to buy WTVK in May 2006, and the acquisition closed on February 16, 2007. The station adopted the WXCW call sign on March 2. Sun Broadcasting consolidated broadcast operations with WINK-TV, the CBS and MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Fort Myers Broadcasting Company. The companies operate under a shared-services arrangement, allowing certain technical, administrative, and production functions to be coordinated between the stations. The station's public identity became WINK CW. News became an important part of WXCW's schedule under the Sun Broadcasting era. WINK-TV began producing a half-hour 10 p.m. newscast for WXCW on March 26, 2007. The program was later expanded to an hour. WXCW also carried a WINK-produced weekday morning extension from 7 to 9 a.m. beginning in January 2008; that block was later expanded to run until 10 a.m. A weekday 11 a.m. newscast was introduced in the fall of 2010 and later discontinued, then returned for a period in 2019. WXCW's local news output was included when WINK-TV began presenting its newscasts in high definition in October 2007. The station also experimented with a commercial-free opening segment for its 10 p.m. newscast beginning in 2008. Before the WINK news-sharing arrangement, WNPL operated its own news department from October 1991 through October 1992, producing a program called Channel 46 Ten O'Clock News. The station therefore has both an early independent-news period and a later shared-production model. WXCW's operations were disrupted by Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022. Storm surge from nearby Billy Creek flooded the Palm Beach Boulevard facility in downtown Fort Myers, affecting WXCW, WINK-TV, and sister radio operations. The television stations resumed service from a makeshift studio at the transmitter site on September 30, with WXCW carrying WINK-TV's main schedule. Repairs allowed operations to return to the principal facility approximately one week later. The flooding led Sun Broadcasting to seek a more resilient location. The company purchased a building on Corporate Lakes Drive in Gateway in mid-2023, renovated it, and relocated WXCW and WINK-TV to the site on January 12, 2026. The station has also evolved through digital broadcasting. WXCW became digital-only in February 2009. In August 2012, it added MundoFox to digital subchannel 46.2; the service was later renamed MundoMax and ceased operations on December 1, 2016. Estrella TV subsequently occupied the subchannel. In 2026, most WINK-produced newscasts carried by WXCW were moved to WFTX-TV after Sun Broadcasting's acquisition of that Fox affiliate. WXCW remains a CW-affiliated local station serving Southwest Florida.
- 2026
Move to Gateway facility
[1]WXCW and WINK-TV relocate to a renovated building on Corporate Lakes Drive.
- 2022
Hurricane Ian facility disruption
[1]Flooding forces WXCW and associated stations to operate temporarily from a transmitter-site studio.
- 2012
MundoFox launches on subchannel 46.2
[1]The station adds a Spanish-language digital multicast service.
- 2009
Digital-only broadcasting
[1]WXCW completes its transition away from analog broadcasting.
- 2007
Sun Broadcasting acquisition and WXCW rename
[1]Sun Broadcasting completes its purchase, and the station adopts the WXCW call sign.
- 2007
WINK news-sharing arrangement begins
[1]WINK-TV starts producing a prime-time newscast for WXCW.
- 2006
Charter CW affiliation
[1]WTVK is selected as one of The CW's original affiliates after the announced UPN–WB combination.
- 1998
Acme Television acquisition
[1]Acme Television buys WTVK and changes its affiliation from UPN to The WB.
- 1995
Second Generation acquisition and UPN affiliation
[1]Second Generation purchases the station, renames it WTVK, relocates its operations, and makes it a UPN affiliate.
- 1993
Bankruptcy filing
[1]WNPL-TV files for bankruptcy amid creditor lawsuits and ownership-related disputes.
Products and positioning
A locally owned network-affiliated television station serving Southwest Florida, combining CW entertainment programming with locally produced news and regional broadcast distribution.
CW network affiliate · 2006
WINK CW
WXCW's principal broadcast service carries programming from The CW, along with locally scheduled material, syndicated content, advertising, and selected programming produced or supplied through its relationships with WINK-TV and Sun Broadcasting.
Local television news · 2007
WINK-produced local news
Since 2007, WXCW has carried local news produced by WINK-TV. The schedule has included a prime-time newscast, a weekday morning extension, and at different times an 11 a.m. program. Some of this programming was later shifted to WFTX-TV.
Digital multicast television · 2012
Digital subchannel 46.2
WXCW's second digital stream carried MundoFox and later MundoMax beginning in 2012. After MundoMax shut down in 2016, the subchannel began carrying Estrella TV.
Controversies
1993
WNPL-TV bankruptcy and ownership disputes
WNPL-TV entered bankruptcy after lawsuits by creditors and disputes with investors concerning representations about participation in a partnership to operate the station. In 1996, William Darling and his wife were found guilty of bankruptcy-fraud charges involving fraudulent claims connected with the station's sale.
Brand decisions
2022
Facility relocation after Hurricane IanStrategyBackground
Hurricane Ian storm surge flooded the shared Fort Myers facility and disrupted WXCW's broadcast operations.
Action taken
Sun Broadcasting acquired and renovated a building in Gateway for use by WXCW and WINK-TV.
Aftermath
The stations moved to Corporate Lakes Drive in January 2026, replacing the more flood-exposed facility.
2007
Sun Broadcasting acquisitionM&ABackground
Sun Broadcasting sought to acquire the CW-affiliated station and integrate it with its Southwest Florida broadcast operations.
Action taken
Sun Broadcasting completed the purchase, changed the call sign to WXCW, and consolidated operations with WINK-TV.
Aftermath
The station became part of a locally owned cluster with shared facilities and services.
Acquisition price. $45 million (Agreement announced in 2006; transaction completed February 16, 2007)
2007
Launch of WINK-produced newsProduct launchBackground
WXCW needed local news content while operating as a CW affiliate.
Action taken
WINK-TV began producing a half-hour 10 p.m. newscast for WXCW, later expanding the program and adding morning coverage.
Aftermath
WXCW developed a recurring local-news presence without maintaining a fully separate news operation.
2006
Transition from The WB to The CWStrategyBackground
The WB and UPN announced a merger to form The CW.
Action taken
WTVK joined The CW as a charter affiliate.
Aftermath
The station continued as a network-affiliated entertainment outlet under the new CW brand.
1998
Sale to Acme TelevisionM&ABackground
Second Generation owned WTVK as the station's affiliation landscape was changing between UPN and The WB.
Action taken
Acme Television acquired WTVK and changed its affiliation to The WB.
Aftermath
The station adopted the WB 6 identity and later became a charter CW affiliate.
Acquisition price. $15.5 million (1998 transaction)
1995
Sale to Second GenerationM&ABackground
The station was undergoing bankruptcy-related difficulties and ownership disputes.
Action taken
Second Generation acquired WNPL-TV for $4 million, changed its call sign to WTVK, and moved its operations to Bonita Bay.
Aftermath
The station became a UPN affiliate and received expanded facilities for programming and satellite operations.
Acquisition price. $4 million (1995 transaction)
Recent events
- 2026
WXCW and WINK-TV relocate to Gateway[1]
Other
After acquiring and renovating a new building, Sun Broadcasting moved the stations to Corporate Lakes Drive in Gateway.
- 2022
Hurricane Ian floods WXCW facilities[1]
Other
Storm surge inundated the shared Fort Myers facility, temporarily taking WXCW and related stations off the air. Broadcasting resumed from a temporary transmitter-site studio two days later.
- 2012
WXCW launches MundoFox digital subchannel[1]
Product launch
The station added MundoFox, later MundoMax, to digital subchannel 46.2.
- 2007
Sun Broadcasting acquires WTVK[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Sun Broadcasting completed its acquisition of WTVK, which changed its call sign to WXCW shortly afterward and consolidated operations with WINK-TV.
- 2007
WINK-TV begins producing news for WXCW[1]
Product launch
A news-sharing arrangement added a WINK-produced prime-time newscast to WXCW's schedule.
- 2006
WTVK selected as a charter CW affiliate[1]
Other
Following the announced merger of UPN and The WB, WTVK joined the new CW network as one of its initial affiliates.
- 1998
WTVK becomes a WB affiliate[1]
M&A
Acme Television acquired the station and moved it from UPN to the WB network, branding it as WB 6.
- 1995
Station sold to Second Generation[1]
M&A
Second Generation acquired WNPL-TV and subsequently changed its call sign to WTVK and its network affiliation to UPN.
- 1993
WNPL-TV files for bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy · Lawsuit
The station entered bankruptcy proceedings after creditor lawsuits and disputes connected with its original ownership and financing arrangements.
- 1990
WNPL-TV begins broadcasting[1]
Other
The station signed on as WNPL-TV, an independent commercial television station serving the Naples and Southwest Florida market.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wxcw · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled