WFXW will end their affiliation agreement with Fox and become the Terre Haute market’s ABC affiliate September 1, Nexstar broadcasting announced today. The deal is part of a long-term agreement that extends current ABC affiliations at nine stations currently owned by Nexstar.
The announcement comes at a particularly tense time for Fox and its affiliates. At issue is Fox’s demand of 25 cents per subscriber from affiliated stations in the top 125 markets, a number that could climb to as much as 50 cents in the fourth year of the contract.
WFXW’s Fox affiliation agreement ended a year ago, but the station has continued to operate under a previous contract while Fox and Nexstar attempted to negotiate a renewal. The station will change its call letters to WAWV, short for ABC for the Wabash Valley.
Last week, Fox dropped Nexstar stations in Springfield and Fort Wayne. Earlier today, Nexstar announced that Evansville station WTVW will become independent after its Fox affiliation expires next month.