A Baltimore television station affiliated with Fox and carrying MyNetworkTV programming on a digital subchannel.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WBFF is a commercial television station serving Baltimore, Maryland, and the surrounding Central Maryland region. It broadcasts on virtual channel 45 and is primarily affiliated with the Fox Broadcasting Company. The station also carries MyNetworkTV programming on a digital subchannel and operates within a group of Baltimore stations connected to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Its studios are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry area of northern Baltimore, where it shares facilities with sister station WUTB and with WNUV, a CW affiliate operated by Sinclair under a local marketing agreement with Cunningham Broadcasting. WBFF began broadcasting on April 11, 1971, as Baltimore's second commercial UHF station and second independent station. It was established by Chesapeake Television Corporation, an enterprise controlled by Julian Sinclair Smith, whose broadcasting interests later became the foundation of Sinclair Broadcast Group. The station's original call-sign interpretation was “Baltimore's Finest Features,” reflecting an early schedule dominated by older films. During its first decades, WBFF operated as a general-entertainment independent station, combining movies, syndicated programs, children's programming, and local features. Its children's programming included Captain Chesapeake, performed by George Lewis, with James Uhrin appearing as the sea-monster character Mondy. Sinclair expanded its station portfolio during the late 1970s and early 1980s, launching or acquiring independent stations in Pittsburgh and Columbus. In 1985, the three stations were consolidated under the Sinclair Broadcast Group name. The following year, WBFF became one of Fox's early affiliates, joining the network when Fox launched in October 1986. The affiliation became central to the station's identity as Fox developed from a fledgling network into a major national broadcaster. WBFF remains notable as the only Baltimore station that has never changed its primary network affiliation. The station launched a local news department in 1991 with a nightly 10 p.m. newscast. It subsequently added morning, early-evening, late-evening, and weekend programming. WBFF began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition in 2008 and has expanded its schedule to one of the largest locally produced news outputs among Baltimore television stations. Its news identity is marketed under the Fox 45 brand, including Fox 45 Good Day Baltimore. The operation has also been associated with Sinclair's broader news initiatives and syndicated programming. WBFF's ownership environment reflects Sinclair's long-standing Baltimore operations. Sinclair operates WUTB, while WNUV is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting and operated by Sinclair under an LMA. The relationship between Sinclair and Cunningham has been criticized by media-ownership advocates and examined in discussions of FCC ownership limits. In 2012 and 2013, Sinclair arranged the acquisition of WUTB by Deerfield Media and then assumed operational control, creating a virtual three-station operating structure in the market. In addition to its Fox schedule and local news, WBFF has carried Baltimore Ravens games through Fox's NFL rights. It has also used digital subchannels for several formats, including Good TV, This TV, TBD, and later MyNetworkTV programming. The station continues to function as a major local news and entertainment outlet in the Baltimore market.
History
WBFF signed on April 11, 1971, as Baltimore's second commercial UHF station and second independent station. Its founder was Chesapeake Television Corporation, controlled by Julian Sinclair Smith. The station initially presented itself as a general-entertainment outlet, and the call sign was explained as “Baltimore's Finest Features,” a reference to its early reliance on older films. Local programming included the children's program Captain Chesapeake, featuring George Lewis as the title character and James Uhrin as Mondy, a sea monster sidekick. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Smith expanded beyond Baltimore. A Chesapeake subsidiary launched WPTT in Pittsburgh in 1978 and WTTE in Columbus in 1984. These stations were brought together under the Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1985, with David D. Smith taking a prominent operational role. In 1986, WBFF and WTTE joined the newly created Fox Broadcasting Company. The Fox affiliation helped transform WBFF from a traditional independent station into a major network outlet and remained its primary affiliation despite later competition from other Baltimore stations. WBFF created a news department in 1991. Its first regular local newscast, News at Ten, debuted on June 3 of that year. The station gradually expanded its news schedule with weekday mornings, late-evening broadcasts, early-evening programs, and weekend mornings. Sinclair also used centralized news production for one late-evening program during the early 2000s. By 2008, WBFF had converted its local news broadcasts to high definition. Later expansions included the Fox 45 Good Day Baltimore morning brand and additional afternoon, early-evening, and weekend broadcasts. The station's corporate structure became intertwined with Sinclair's efforts to operate multiple Baltimore outlets. Sinclair acquired Abry Communications, including WNUV, in 1994, but ownership rules required the station to be transferred to Glencairn Ltd. Glencairn later became Cunningham Broadcasting. Sinclair continued operating WNUV through a local marketing agreement, while the Smith family retained a significant relationship with Cunningham. Critics argued that this arrangement functioned as a de facto Sinclair duopoly and was designed to work around FCC ownership restrictions. A further affiliation threat emerged after News Corporation acquired Baltimore UPN station WUTB in 2001. Fox could have moved its Baltimore programming from WBFF to WUTB, but Sinclair negotiated a long-term agreement to preserve WBFF's Fox status. After the later creation of The CW and MyNetworkTV, WUTB became a MyNetworkTV outlet. Sinclair exercised an option in 2012 to arrange WUTB's acquisition by Deerfield Media, with Sinclair assuming operational control after regulatory approval and closing in 2013. This produced a virtual triopoly involving WBFF, WUTB, and WNUV. WBFF has also carried Fox sports programming, including selected Baltimore Ravens games. Its digital subchannel history has included Good TV, This TV, TBD, and later MyNetworkTV programming. The station's news operation attracted criticism in December 2014 after a report about a police-brutality protest used editing that allegedly made the protesters' words appear more threatening than the original chant. WBFF removed the report and apologized online and on air. In April 2016, the studios were evacuated during a hoax-bomb incident involving an armed suspect and a vehicle fire. WBFF remains an active Fox affiliate and a major local-news provider in the Baltimore market.
- 2016
Studio evacuation follows hoax-bomb incident
[1]WBFF's facilities are evacuated during an incident involving an alleged hoax bomb, a vehicle fire, and a suspect later apprehended by police.
- 2013
Sinclair assumes operational control of WUTB
[1]After regulatory approval and the sale to Deerfield Media, Sinclair begins operating WUTB, creating a virtual triopoly with WBFF and WNUV.
- 2008
Local newscasts move to high definition
[1]WBFF begins presenting local news in high definition.
- 2006
Second digital subchannel launches
[1]WBFF launches its second digital channel, initially branded WBFF-2 and later Good TV.
- 1996
WBFF begins carrying Baltimore Ravens games
[1]The station starts airing selected Ravens games through Fox's NFL rights.
- 1991
Local news department launches
[1]WBFF debuts its News at Ten newscast and begins building a local news operation.
- 1986
WBFF becomes a Fox affiliate
[1]The station affiliates with Fox during the network's first year of operation.
- 1985
Stations consolidate under Sinclair Broadcast Group
[1]WBFF and the other Smith-controlled stations are merged into the Sinclair Broadcast Group structure.
- 1984
A third Smith-controlled independent station launches
[1]WTTE begins broadcasting in Columbus, Ohio.
- 1978
Sinclair's predecessor expands to Pittsburgh
[1]A Chesapeake Television subsidiary launches WPTT, broadening Julian Sinclair Smith's independent-station holdings.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Fox affiliate combining high-volume Baltimore news programming with national network entertainment, sports, syndicated content, and digital multicast services.
Broadcast television station · 1971
WBFF Fox 45
The station's primary broadcast service on virtual channel 45. It carries Fox network programming, locally produced news, syndicated programs, sports, and advertising aimed at the Baltimore market. The Fox 45 identity is the station's principal consumer-facing brand.
Local news · 1991
Fox 45 News
WBFF's local news operation, launched in 1991, supplies morning, afternoon, early-evening, late-evening, and weekend broadcasts. Its schedule has expanded substantially over time and includes the Fox 45 Good Day Baltimore morning brand.
Digital multicast service · 2006
WBFF digital subchannel 45.2
WBFF's second digital channel has carried several formats over its history, including the locally assembled Good TV service, This TV, TBD, and MyNetworkTV programming. Its content has changed as Sinclair adjusted the distribution of multicast and network services in Baltimore.
Controversies
2016
Hoax-bomb evacuation at WBFF studios
A person allegedly wearing a hoax bomb caused an evacuation at the station. The suspect was later shot and apprehended by police; investigators did not establish a specific motive beyond the suspect's reported desire to share end-times-prophecy material.
2014
Criticism over edited police-brutality protest report
A WBFF report on a protest following the killing of Eric Garner was criticized because its editing allegedly made the protesters appear to chant a threat against police rather than their reported words. The station removed the report, described the problem as an honest misunderstanding, and issued online and on-air apologies.
Brand decisions
2013
Expand weekend local-news programmingOtherBackground
WBFF had been progressively increasing the amount and range of its local news output.
Action taken
The station introduced Saturday and Sunday morning newscasts.
Aftermath
The expanded schedule reinforced WBFF's positioning as a high-volume local-news station.
2012
Extend the Fox affiliation and pursue WUTBStrategyBackground
Fox's ownership of Baltimore's WUTB created a potential alternative outlet for Fox programming, while Sinclair sought to preserve WBFF's network relationship.
Action taken
Sinclair agreed to a five-year Fox affiliation extension and exercised an option to arrange the purchase of WUTB through Deerfield Media.
Aftermath
Sinclair retained WBFF's Fox affiliation and assumed operational control of WUTB after the transaction received approval and closed in 2013.
1991
Create a dedicated news departmentProduct launchBackground
WBFF sought to compete more directly with Baltimore's established network stations rather than relying mainly on syndicated entertainment.
Action taken
The station launched a nightly 10 p.m. local newscast and subsequently expanded its news schedule.
Aftermath
Local news became a central part of WBFF's programming and later grew to one of the largest news outputs in the Baltimore market.
1986
Join the Fox networkStrategyBackground
WBFF was operating as a general-entertainment independent station when Fox was preparing to launch as a new national network.
Action taken
Sinclair affiliated WBFF with Fox, making the station one of the network's early affiliates.
Aftermath
The affiliation strengthened WBFF's position as Fox expanded nationally and has remained the station's primary network relationship.
Recent events
Reported
WBFF and WJLA receive 32 regional Emmy Awards[3]
Sinclair said its stations WBFF and WJLA received a combined 32 awards at the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Emmy Awards: WBFF received 19 and WJLA received 13.
Reported
Sinclair stations receive 28 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards[4]
Sinclair Broadcast Group said 18 of its news stations and partner stations were honored with a total of 28 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for journalism.
Sources4 sources
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