WXYZ-TV
An ABC-affiliated television station serving Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WXYZ-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Detroit, Michigan, and serving the wider Southeast Michigan market. The station broadcasts on channel 7 and is affiliated with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). It is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company and operates alongside independent station WMYD-TV, channel 20. Both stations use facilities at Broadcast House on West Ten Mile Road in Southfield, where WXYZ-TV's transmitter is also located. The station began broadcasting on October 9, 1948, becoming the second television station in Detroit and the second in Michigan. It was established as an owned-and-operated station of ABC and grew out of the earlier WXYZ radio operation, which had been associated with nationally recognized programs including The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. Its first broadcast was hosted by WXYZ radio personality Dick Osgood. The station initially operated from the Maccabees Building on Woodward Avenue in Detroit before moving its radio and television operations to Broadcast House in Southfield in 1959. During the 1950s and 1960s, WXYZ-TV became known for locally produced entertainment, children's programming, talk shows, public-affairs programs and filmed travel features. Programs such as Lunch with Soupy, hosted by Soupy Sales, helped establish the station as a creative production center. The success of its local programming and strong audience ratings made WXYZ-TV an important asset within the ABC organization at a time when the network was financially less powerful than its principal competitors. The station began carrying ABC programming in color in 1962 and moved its locally produced programming and news operations to color during the following years. WXYZ-TV developed one of the strongest local news operations in the Detroit market. Its Action News identity, prominent anchors and aggressive reporting strategy helped it achieve substantial ratings, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. Coverage of the 1967 Detroit disturbances contributed to the department's reputation for serious local reporting. Longtime anchor Bill Bonds became one of the station's most recognizable personalities, while programs such as Spotlight on the News gave the station a continuing role in regional public affairs. Spotlight, first broadcast in 1965, became one of Detroit's longest-running current-affairs programs. The station changed ownership as a consequence of the 1985 Capital Cities Communications acquisition of ABC. After the transaction received regulatory approval, WXYZ-TV was sold to The E. W. Scripps Company in 1986 to address ownership limits. Scripps retained the station's ABC affiliation and its established Channel 7 identity. In the 1990s, WXYZ-TV was involved in a broader affiliation dispute created by the Fox-New World agreement. Scripps ultimately signed a long-term arrangement with ABC in 1994, preserving WXYZ-TV's affiliation while also supporting affiliation changes at other Scripps stations. In addition to network programming and local news, WXYZ-TV has broadcast sports, community events, public-service campaigns and special coverage of Detroit institutions. Its programming has included local coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, the North American International Auto Show Charity Preview, the Woodward Dream Cruise, professional sports celebrations and Super Bowl XL in Detroit. The station also briefly held over-the-air preseason broadcast rights for the Detroit Lions from 2011 through 2015. WXYZ-TV has maintained a visible community-service role through charitable partnerships, literacy programming, immunization initiatives and other local projects. It remains an active ABC affiliate and a major local television news and information brand in the Detroit area.
History
WXYZ-TV signed on October 9, 1948, as Detroit's second television station and Michigan's second television station. It was also the third of ABC's original owned-and-operated stations to begin service. The station developed from the WXYZ radio operation, whose entertainment properties included The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. Dick Osgood, a WXYZ radio personality, hosted the inaugural broadcast. Early studios were located in Detroit's Maccabees Building on Woodward Avenue, opposite the Detroit Institute of Arts. The station's early identity was strongly shaped by local production. During the 1950s, WXYZ-TV created children's programs, variety shows, movie presentations, music programs and travel features using personalities drawn from Detroit radio and television. Lunch with Soupy, featuring Soupy Sales, became the best-known example. ABC later moved production of the program to Los Angeles and presented it nationally. Other locally associated programs included children's and variety formats hosted by performers such as Marv Welch, Bob Henry, Irv Romig, Johnny Ginger and Dee Parker. The station also produced filmed travel programming through World Adventure Series and homemaking material through programs hosted by Edythe Fern Melrose. In 1959, WXYZ's radio and television operations moved to Broadcast House in Southfield. The facility was built with multiple television studios and a dedicated transmission tower, creating a production base that the television station continues to use. WXYZ-TV began airing ABC programming in color in 1962 and transitioned local shows and newscasts to color around 1964. Its programming success helped strengthen ABC during the network's less established years and made the station an unusually valuable local asset. WXYZ-TV expanded its public-affairs and news identity during the 1960s. Spotlight on the News premiered in 1965 and became a durable forum for interviews with regional and national public figures. The station's coverage of the 1967 Detroit disturbances contributed to the news department's credibility. During the 1970s, management invested in a larger reporting operation and adopted elements associated with ABC's Eyewitness News presentation, while calling its own newscasts Action News because a competing Detroit station was already using the Eyewitness News name. The popularity of lead anchor Bill Bonds and the station's broader news team helped WXYZ-TV become one of the dominant local television outlets in the United States by the late 1970s. The station also remained active in entertainment and daytime programming. Kelly & Company, hosted by former WXYZ news personnel John Kelly and Marilyn Turner, ran from 1978 to 1995 as a talk and variety program with guests and a studio audience. WXYZ-TV launched Hot Fudge in 1974; the children's series later entered national syndication. In 1987, the station created Learn To Read, an educational literacy program co-produced with Kentucky Educational Television. Ownership changed in 1986. Capital Cities Communications acquired ABC, but regulatory ownership limits required the combined company to dispose of certain stations or radio assets. WXYZ-TV was sold to The E. W. Scripps Company and continued as an ABC affiliate. Scripps also used the station's strong market position in negotiations with cable operators concerning carriage of the company's HGTV service. In 1993, WXYZ-TV hosted a nationally notable town meeting with President Bill Clinton, with satellite participation from audiences at other stations. The 1994 Fox-New World affiliation agreement created another threat to the station's network relationship. After WJBK-TV moved toward Fox, CBS explored recruiting WXYZ-TV and Scripps sister station WEWS-TV in Cleveland. Scripps instead reached a long-term agreement with ABC in June 1994, preserving WXYZ-TV's affiliation. The agreement also involved affiliation changes at several other Scripps-owned stations. WXYZ-TV has remained with ABC since its launch. In later years, WXYZ-TV broadened its role beyond scheduled local news. It carried Detroit-area civic traditions and major events, including Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage, the Woodward Dream Cruise, auto-show events, professional sports celebrations and Super Bowl XL-related coverage. It became the Detroit affiliate of Bounce TV in 2012 and briefly served as the over-the-air flagship for Detroit Lions preseason broadcasts from 2011 to 2015. The station continues to produce extensive local newscasts, sports segments, public-affairs programming and digital journalism while participating in community initiatives such as charitable drives, literacy work and children's health events.
- 2012
Bounce TV affiliation begins
[1]WXYZ-TV begins carrying Bounce TV programming in the Detroit area.
- 2011
Detroit Lions preseason broadcasts move to WXYZ-TV
[1]The station becomes the Lions' local over-the-air preseason broadcast flagship.
- 1994
Long-term ABC affiliation is secured
[1]Scripps and ABC agree to preserve WXYZ-TV's network affiliation amid major national affiliation changes.
- 1987
Learn To Read is created
[1]WXYZ-TV launches an educational literacy series co-produced with Kentucky Educational Television.
- 1986
Scripps acquires WXYZ-TV
[1]The station is sold to The E. W. Scripps Company following the Capital Cities-ABC transaction.
- 1978
WXYZ-TV reaches a peak of local-news prominence
[1]The station is described as one of the most dominant local television outlets in the United States, aided by ABC prime-time strength and Action News.
- 1974
Hot Fudge is introduced
[1]The station launches a children's program that later achieves national syndication.
- 1965
Spotlight on the News premieres
[1]WXYZ-TV launches a public-affairs program that becomes a long-running Detroit current-events institution.
- 1962
ABC network programs begin in color
[1]The station begins carrying ABC programming in color and later converts local programming and news.
- 1959
Broadcast House opens for station operations
[1]WXYZ's radio and television operations move to a new Southfield facility.
Products and positioning
A Detroit-focused broadcast television station positioned around local news authority, ABC network programming, weather and traffic information, sports coverage, public affairs and community service.
Local news
7 Action News
WXYZ-TV's principal local-news brand, covering Detroit and Southeast Michigan through scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather, traffic, investigations and regional features. Its identity developed during the station's major news expansion in the 1970s and is closely associated with the station's Channel 7 branding.
Public affairs · 1965
Spotlight on the News
A Sunday public-affairs and interview program focused on Michigan politics, civic issues and public policy. It began in 1965 and has featured local and national officials. The program is among WXYZ-TV's longest-running original formats.
Sports programming
7 Sports Cave
A weekly sports highlight program produced for WXYZ-TV's local schedule, presenting discussion and coverage of Detroit-area professional and collegiate sports.
Sports programming
Ford Lions Report Live
A seasonal Detroit Lions-focused program carried by WXYZ-TV during the National Football League season, providing team-related highlights and analysis.
Children's television · 1974
Hot Fudge
A locally produced children's program launched by WXYZ-TV in the 1970s. Its success extended beyond Detroit through national syndication, making it one of the station's most prominent later entertainment productions.
Talk and variety programming · 1978
Kelly & Company
A long-running daytime talk program hosted by John Kelly and Marilyn Turner, both former members of WXYZ-TV's news staff. The format combined interviews, guests and a studio audience and ran from 1978 through 1995.
Marketing campaigns
- 1989Community-service initiatives
Detroit metropolitan area
WXYZ-TV received a National Community Service Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its community work.
Outcome. The recognition reinforced the station's public-service positioning.
- 1987Learn To Read
Detroit metropolitan area
The station created a children's literacy series using an audio-lingual teaching approach in cooperation with Kentucky Educational Television.
Outcome. The program expanded WXYZ-TV's community role beyond news and entertainment.
- Children's immunization fair
Detroit metropolitan area
WXYZ-TV participated in Detroit-area charitable and public-health efforts, including an annual children's immunization fair.
Outcome. Specific participation dates and quantitative results are not established in the supplied reference.
Brand decisions
2012
Add Bounce TV programmingProduct launchBackground
Scripps sought to broaden the programming portfolio of its local stations.
Action taken
WXYZ-TV became the Detroit-area affiliate of Bounce TV.
Aftermath
It became the first Scripps-owned station to affiliate with Bounce TV, a network later acquired by Scripps.
1994
Renew the ABC affiliationStrategyBackground
The Fox-New World agreement disrupted Detroit's existing network relationships and led CBS to consider recruiting WXYZ-TV.
Action taken
Scripps signed a long-term agreement with ABC covering WXYZ-TV and other stations.
Aftermath
WXYZ-TV retained ABC programming, while related affiliation changes occurred at other Scripps stations.
- CBS — CBS explored recruiting WXYZ-TV before ultimately affiliating with WGPR-TV, later WWJ-TV.
1986
Accept sale to The E. W. Scripps CompanyM&ABackground
Capital Cities' acquisition of ABC created ownership-limit complications under the broadcasting rules then in force.
Action taken
WXYZ-TV was divested to Scripps while continuing as an ABC affiliate.
Aftermath
The station remained a major Detroit outlet and preserved its established ABC and Channel 7 identities.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wxyz-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled