WCWW-LD
A low-power television station serving the South Bend, Indiana area as an affiliate of The CW.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WCWW-LD is a low-power television station licensed to South Bend, Indiana, and affiliated with The CW television network. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 25 and is owned by Weigel Broadcasting, which also operates South Bend stations WBND-LD, an ABC affiliate, and WMYS-LD. The three stations share studio facilities on Generations Drive in northeastern South Bend, while WCWW-LD's transmitter is situated on the city's south side near the St. Joseph Valley Parkway. The station began operations on August 31, 1990, as W25BM, an affiliate of the Three Angels Broadcasting Network. It later became WYGN-LP before being transferred to Weigel Broadcasting in March 2002. Under Weigel, the station briefly simulcast programming from sister station WBND-LP and then adopted the programming identity of The WB. The station used the WMWB-LP call sign during that phase, reflecting the movement of The WB affiliation from the former WMWB-LP on channel 69. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, channel 25 became a CW affiliate and adopted the WCWW-LP call letters when the new network launched on September 18 of that year. The call sign was previously associated with the sister station that became a MyNetworkTV outlet. WCWW-LD's low-power designation limits the reach of its over-the-air signal primarily to the immediate South Bend area. To provide broader access across the market, Weigel uses paid television carriage for its South Bend stations. The station's programming mix combines The CW's network schedule with syndicated and locally relevant programming, while news coverage is supplied by WBND-LD. WCWW debuted a weekday morning news block and a nightly 10 p.m. newscast produced by WBND in 2012. The station has also developed a multiplexed digital service. Its secondary channel has carried several Weigel-associated and partner networks over time, including This TV, Start TV, and MeTV+. Additional subchannels have carried a high-definition simulcast of WBND-LD, Story Television, and WEST. These changes illustrate WCWW-LD's role not only as a CW affiliate but also as a local distribution platform for multiple digital broadcast networks. WCWW-LD remains notable within Weigel's portfolio because it is the company's CW affiliate in South Bend. Weigel's Chicago flagship, WCIU-TV, ended its CW affiliation on September 1, 2024, after which WCWW-LD became the company's only CW affiliate according to the cited station history. The station continues to serve the South Bend and surrounding Michiana area through its low-power broadcast signal, pay-television distribution, network affiliation, and locally produced news partnerships.
History
WCWW-LD began broadcasting on August 31, 1990, under the call sign W25BM. It initially operated as a low-power affiliate of the Three Angels Broadcasting Network. In October 1995, the station adopted the WYGN-LP call sign. A major change occurred on March 14, 2002, when the station was transferred to Weigel Broadcasting. Weigel had previously provided general-entertainment programming on the facility. Following the transfer, the station dropped the Three Angels affiliation, which moved to the station later identified as WYGN-LD, and adopted the WRDY-LP call sign. It also temporarily simulcast ABC programming from sister station WBND-LP. That simulcast ended later in 2002, when the station became an affiliate of The WB. The WB affiliation moved from the former WMWB-LP on channel 69, and channel 25 adopted the WMWB-LP call letters. The next major transition came during the creation of The CW, a network formed through the combination of programming interests associated with The WB and UPN. In August 2006, Weigel announced that WMWB would join The CW when the network launched. On September 18, 2006, the station began carrying The CW and changed its call sign to WCWW-LP. The WCWW call letters had previously been used by the sister station on channel 69, which instead became associated with MyNetworkTV. The station later used the WCWW-LD designation as its low-power digital operation. In 2008, Weigel agreed in principle to sell WCWW and its two South Bend sister stations to Schurz Communications, the owner of local CBS affiliate WSBT-TV. The proposed transaction was not completed. According to the station history, the deal was called off in August 2009 after the Federal Communications Commission had not taken action on it. WCWW began digital broadcasting with its sister stations on September 14, 2007. Its digital operation uses channel 25 and has operated at an effective radiated power of 25 kilowatts. The station's analog service ended on December 28, 2010, after an equipment failure. In April 2012, the FCC granted a construction permit allowing the station to move its digital frequency from channel 27 to its former analog channel, UHF 25. The station expanded beyond its primary CW service through digital multicasting. In July 2010, it added This TV on subchannel 25.2. In September 2018, Start TV replaced This TV on that subchannel, while This TV moved to a new third subchannel. In February 2019, WCWW added a high-definition simulcast of WBND-LD on 25.4. That simulcast was replaced by MeTV+ in September 2021. Story Television launched on a fifth subchannel in March 2022, and the station's cited history records the launch of WEST on a sixth subchannel in September 2025. Local news became a significant part of the station's service in March 2012, when WBND-LD began producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast branded ABC 57 News at 10 on CW 25. WBND also supplies two hours of weekday morning news on WCWW. The arrangement gives the low-power CW station locally produced news while allowing the stations to share production resources. WCWW-LD's transmitter is located on South Bend's south side near the St. Joseph Valley Parkway, and its studios are shared with WBND-LD and WMYS-LD on Generations Drive. Because the station's low-power signal does not cover the entire South Bend market over the air, Weigel depends on cable and other paid-television carriage to extend access. After Weigel's Chicago station WCIU-TV ended its CW affiliation in September 2024, WCWW-LD became the company's only CW affiliate according to the cited station account.
- 2025
WEST launches on a sixth digital subchannel
[1]The cited station history records WEST beginning carriage on digital subchannel 25.6 in September.
- 2024
WCWW becomes Weigel's only CW affiliate
[1]Following WCIU-TV's return to independent programming in Chicago, WCWW is identified as Weigel's sole CW affiliate.
- 2022
Story Television launches
[1]WCWW adds Story Television on digital subchannel 25.5.
- 2021
MeTV+ replaces WBND simulcast
[1]The station changes digital subchannel 25.4 from a WBND-LD simulcast to MeTV+.
- 2012
Local news service launches
[1]WBND begins producing a weekday morning block and a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WCWW.
- 2010
Analog signal is discontinued
[1]The station turns off its analog channel 25 service on December 28 after equipment failure.
- 2007
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]WCWW and its sister stations begin transmitting low-power digital signals on September 14.
- 2006
The station becomes a CW affiliate
[1]The station adopts the WCWW-LP call sign and joins The CW at the network's launch on September 18.
- 2002
Weigel Broadcasting takes control
[1]The station transfers to Weigel Broadcasting, briefly carries an ABC simulcast, and later affiliates with The WB.
- 1995
Call sign changes to WYGN-LP
[1]The station adopts the WYGN-LP call sign in October.
Products and positioning
A locally focused CW affiliate and digital broadcast platform serving South Bend and the surrounding Michiana market.
Network-affiliated broadcast television · 2006
The CW on channel 25
WCWW-LD's primary service is a low-power broadcast outlet for The CW in the South Bend area. It carries the network's entertainment schedule and related programming under the channel 25 identity. Because the station's over-the-air coverage is concentrated around South Bend, broader market access depends substantially on cable and other paid-television carriage.
Television news · 2012
Local news programming
WBND-LD produces local news for WCWW, including a weekday morning block and the nightly ABC 57 News at 10 on CW 25. The arrangement provides WCWW with locally produced news while using the newsroom and production infrastructure of its ABC-affiliated sister station.
Digital broadcast television · 2010
Digital multicast services
WCWW-LD operates multiple digital subchannels in addition to its primary CW service. Documented services have included This TV, Start TV, MeTV+, Story Television, WEST, and an HD simulcast of WBND-LD. The lineup has changed as Weigel and its partners have adjusted network distribution across the station's multiplex.
Brand decisions
2021
MeTV+ replaces WBND simulcastGeneration changeBackground
WCWW had carried an HD simulcast of sister station WBND-LD on digital subchannel 25.4 since 2019.
Action taken
The station replaced the WBND-LD simulcast with MeTV+ in September 2021.
Aftermath
The multiplex gained an additional entertainment-network service instead of continuing the sister-station simulcast.
2018
Reconfiguration of digital subchannelsGeneration changeBackground
Weigel adjusted its multicast network distribution on WCWW's digital multiplex.
Action taken
Start TV replaced This TV on 25.2, while This TV moved to a newly launched third subchannel.
Aftermath
The station continued to use its digital capacity for multiple specialized broadcast networks.
2012
Launch of WCWW local news blocksProduct launchBackground
The CW affiliate needed locally relevant news programming, while sister station WBND-LD already operated a local newsroom.
Action taken
WBND began producing a weekday morning news block and a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WCWW.
Aftermath
WCWW expanded its service beyond network entertainment by carrying locally produced news under a shared-station production model.
2008
Proposed sale to Schurz CommunicationsM&ABackground
Weigel Broadcasting agreed in principle to sell WCWW and its two South Bend sister stations to Schurz Communications.
Action taken
The proposed transaction was submitted for regulatory consideration, but the sale was not completed.
Aftermath
The deal was called off in August 2009 after the Federal Communications Commission had not taken action, and Weigel retained the stations.
2006
Move from The WB to The CWStrategyBackground
The WB and UPN were being replaced by the new CW network, creating a network-affiliation transition for Weigel's South Bend stations.
Action taken
Weigel selected WMWB-LP, later WCWW-LP, to carry The CW when the network launched on September 18, 2006.
Aftermath
The station became the South Bend area's CW outlet and has retained that affiliation under the WCWW identity.
Sources2 sources
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