The CW Network is moving its Chicago affiliation from Tribune’s WGN to Fox-owned WPWR on September 1.
“We love high quality, big budget first-run prime and we love having more original programming,” said Frank Cicha, svp of Programming for Fox Television Stations. “But most of all, we love moving to The CW the same time as Supergirl.”
WGN will become an independent station.
Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports sources tell him the station switch will cost WGN “less than $4 million in revenue.”
From the Tribune press release:
By becoming an independent station, WGN will have greater flexibility to take full advantage of its strong local news product and its unique line-up of professional sports teams. WGN will be able to broadcast a full slate of more than 150 live Cubs, Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks games without interfering with network programming. In the past, the station has had move as many as 30 games a year to another local station in Chicago. The station will also take full control of all of its primetime advertising inventory.
Variety reports Tribune-owned stations WPIX in New York, KTLA in Los Angeles, KDAF in Dallas, WDCW in Washington, DC, KIAH in Houston, WSFL in Miami, KWGN in Denver, KPLR in St. Louis, KRCW in Portland, WCCT in Hartford, WGNT in Norfolk and WNOL in New Orleans have all extended their affiliation agreements with the CW.
WGN became a WB affiliate when the network launched in 1995 and became a CW affiliate when UPN and the WB merged in 2006.