WFMJ-TV

WFMJ-TV is a television station serving Youngstown, Ohio, and the surrounding Mahoning Valley. The station is affiliated with NBC on its primary channel and carries The CW on its second digital subchannel, which is branded The CW WBCB. Its studios are located on West Boardman Street in downtown Youngstown, while its transmitter operates from the Lansingville area of the city. The station was established by William F. Maag Jr., publisher of The Vindicator, Youngstown's long-running newspaper. WFMJ-TV began broadcasting on March 8, 1953, initially on channel 73. Its NBC affiliation reflected the longstanding relationship between its sister WFMJ radio operation and the NBC Red Network. In 1954, the station acquired and used a construction permit associated with channel 21 and moved its television service to that frequency on August 7 of that year. The channel 21 assignment has remained central to the station's identity. From its launch through 1957, WFMJ also served portions of the northern Pittsburgh television market that were not well covered by other NBC stations. That wider role diminished after Pittsburgh received its own NBC affiliate. WFMJ's signal has nevertheless reached beyond the immediate Youngstown area under favorable reception conditions, including parts of northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania. For most of its history, WFMJ-TV was owned alongside The Vindicator by Vindicator Printing Company. In 2019, the Maag family sold The Vindicator to Ogden Newspapers, which subsequently operated the newspaper as an edition of the Tribune Chronicle. The Maags retained WFMJ-TV, preserving its status as a locally owned station. The station has emphasized that local ownership in its marketing and has described itself as Youngstown's only locally owned television station. WFMJ's core business is local television broadcasting. Its programming includes NBC network content, locally produced news, weather, sports, syndicated programming, public-service material, and Ohio Lottery programming. The station is also the Youngstown-market carrier for the Ohio Lottery program Cash Explosion Double Play. Its news operation has historically been a leading ratings performer, particularly in morning, early-evening, and late-evening time periods. WFMJ also developed local sports coverage through The Overtime Report, an early Friday-night high-school-football program for the market. The station expanded its local footprint in 2006 by opening the Eastwood Mall Bureau in Niles, Ohio. The satellite facility was intended to improve coverage of Trumbull County and also included a retail outlet for station merchandise. WFMJ began presenting syndicated programs and commercials in high definition when available in 2010 and upgraded Cash Explosion to high definition in 2011. It launched WFMJ Weekend Today in 2013, establishing the area's first weekend morning newscast according to the station's historical account. WFMJ-DT2 began in November 2004 as a digital subchannel affiliated with The WB under the branding The Valley's WB. After The WB and UPN announced their combination into The CW, the subchannel became the Youngstown market's CW outlet in September 2006. The informal WBCB identity was retained, even though the service is technically a digital subchannel rather than a separately licensed full-power station. As of December 2024, WFMJ reported more than 31 hours of locally produced newscasts each week.

WFMJ-TV was created by William F. Maag Jr., the publisher of Youngstown newspaper The Vindicator. The station began broadcasting on March 8, 1953, as a channel 73 service. It was established alongside WFMJ radio, whose longstanding NBC relationship helped determine WFMJ-TV's affiliation with NBC. In 1954, the station acquired a construction permit associated with channel 21 and transferred its operation to that frequency on August 7. The earlier channel 73 position was subsequently used by another Youngstown station. During its first years, WFMJ served not only Youngstown but also parts of the northern Pittsburgh television market. Its NBC programming reached areas that were not adequately served by stations in Johnstown and Wheeling. This broader role ended after Pittsburgh launched its own NBC affiliate in 1957. WFMJ continued to serve northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania, and its signal could reach farther into the Cleveland area when reception conditions permitted. For decades, WFMJ-TV operated under the ownership of Vindicator Printing Company, alongside The Vindicator and the associated radio properties. The station remained unusual in the increasingly consolidated American television industry because it continued to be locally owned and operated. After competing Youngstown station WKBN-TV was sold in 1997, WFMJ became the market's only locally owned television station. Its marketing has repeatedly highlighted that distinction, and the station has maintained a strong local-news position. The station expanded its community presence in 2006 by establishing the Eastwood Mall Bureau in Niles. The facility provided a base for reporting from Trumbull County and also sold WFMJ-related merchandise. WFMJ later upgraded portions of its technical and programming operation. In October 2010, it began carrying syndicated material and commercials in high definition when such feeds were available. In April 2011, its broadcast of Cash Explosion Double Play also moved to high definition. On October 26, 2013, the station launched WFMJ Weekend Today, adding weekend morning news programming. WFMJ's second digital channel developed separately from its main NBC service. WFMJ-DT2 launched in November 2004 as The Valley's WB, an affiliate of The WB and one of the earlier small-market digital subchannels to carry a full network schedule rather than a continuous weather service. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, the subchannel became the Youngstown area's CW outlet. It continued to use the unofficial WBCB designation and later operated under the brand The CW WBCB. The service is distributed through local cable and satellite systems as well as over the air. A carriage dispute briefly interrupted WFMJ's availability to Dish Network customers in July 2012. The interruption resulted from unsuccessful negotiations between Dish and Vindicator Printing Company over renewal of the station's carriage agreement. It was a distribution dispute rather than a change in network affiliation. The Maags' relationship with The Vindicator changed in 2019. On September 1 of that year, the family sold the newspaper to Ogden Newspapers, which operated it as an edition of the Tribune Chronicle. WFMJ-TV was excluded from the sale and remained with the Maag family. This preserved the station's locally owned status while ending its direct common ownership with the newspaper. WFMJ's present identity combines NBC network service, CW programming on WFMJ-DT2, and an extensive local-news operation. The station has been particularly prominent in morning, 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. ratings and has supported local sports coverage through The Overtime Report, a Friday-night high-school-football program. As of December 2024, the station reported at least 31.5 hours of locally produced newscasts each week, including weekday, Saturday, and Sunday programming.

• 2024

  Reported local-news schedule

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  As of December, WFMJ reports more than 31 hours of locally produced newscasts per week.

• 2019

  Newspaper ownership changes while WFMJ remains with the Maags

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Maag family sells The Vindicator to Ogden Newspapers but retains WFMJ-TV.

• 2013

  WFMJ Weekend Today launches

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station introduces locally produced weekend morning newscasts.

• 2011

  Cash Explosion moves to high definition

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting Cash Explosion Double Play in high definition.

• 2010

  High-definition syndicated programming begins

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WFMJ starts carrying syndicated programs and commercials in high definition when feeds are available.

• 2006

  Eastwood Mall Bureau opens

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WFMJ establishes a satellite studio in Niles for Trumbull County reporting.

• 2006

  WFMJ-DT2 becomes a CW affiliate

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The second digital subchannel switches from The WB to The CW in September.

• 2004

  Launch of The Valley's WB

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WFMJ-DT2 launches as a digital WB affiliate using the WBCB identity.

• 1957

  Northern Pittsburgh service role ends

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WFMJ's role as an NBC outlet for parts of the northern Pittsburgh market diminishes after Pittsburgh launches its own NBC affiliate.

• 1954

  Move to channel 21

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WFMJ-TV transfers its operation to channel 21 on August 7.

• 1953

  WFMJ-TV signs on

  [1]WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting on March 8 as a channel 73 television service in Youngstown.

Locally owned, community-focused television broadcaster and NBC affiliate serving the Youngstown market

• NBC-affiliated television station · 1953

  WFMJ-TV

  The station's primary television service on channel 21. It carries NBC network programming together with WFMJ's local news, weather, sports, syndicated programming, advertising, and Ohio Lottery content for the Youngstown area.

• Digital television subchannel · 2004

  WFMJ-DT2 / The CW WBCB

  WFMJ's second digital subchannel carries The CW in 1080i high definition and uses the WBCB identity for branding and ratings purposes. It launched as a WB service in 2004 and became a CW affiliate in 2006. The subchannel also carries syndicated programming supplied by WFMJ rather than participating in The CW Plus.

• Broadcast news service · 1953

  Local news operation

  WFMJ produces local newscasts covering Youngstown, the Mahoning Valley, Trumbull County, and nearby areas. Its schedule includes weekday, Saturday, and Sunday broadcasts, with reported strengths in morning, 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. ratings. The operation also includes weather reporting and local sports coverage.

• Ohio Lottery television program

  Cash Explosion Double Play

  An Ohio Lottery program carried by WFMJ as the Youngstown-market carrier station. WFMJ upgraded its presentation of the program to high definition in 2011.

• Weekend morning newscast · 2013

  WFMJ Weekend Today

  A locally produced weekend morning news franchise introduced in 2013. Its launch expanded WFMJ's news schedule to Saturday and Sunday mornings.

• 2019

  Retain WFMJ-TV during the sale of The VindicatorM&A

  Background

  The Maag family owned both WFMJ-TV and The Vindicator through the Vindicator Printing Company.

  Action taken

  The family sold The Vindicator to Ogden Newspapers on September 1 but kept WFMJ-TV.

  Aftermath

  WFMJ remained locally owned by the Maag family while the newspaper became associated with the Tribune Chronicle operation.

  Source

• 2006

  Convert WFMJ-DT2 to The CWStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN announced that they would cease operating as separate networks and form The CW.

  Action taken

  WFMJ-DT2 became the Youngstown-market CW affiliate in September 2006 and retained the WBCB branding.

  Aftermath

  The subchannel continued as a digital and multichannel CW service under The CW WBCB branding.

  Source

• 2006

  Expand local reporting through the Eastwood Mall BureauStrategy

  Background

  WFMJ sought a stronger reporting presence in Trumbull County.

  Action taken

  The station opened a satellite studio at Eastwood Mall in Niles.

  Aftermath

  The bureau served as a base for Trumbull County coverage and included a station merchandise outlet.

  Source

• 2004

  Launch a digital WB subchannelProduct launch

  Background

  Youngstown had limited access to a full-time terrestrial WB service, while some cable systems carried out-of-market or cable-only alternatives.

  Action taken

  WFMJ launched WFMJ-DT2 as The Valley's WB and used the informal WBCB designation.

  Aftermath

  The subchannel provided a local digital home for WB programming and later became the market's CW outlet.

  Source

• 1954

  Move the television service to channel 21Strategy

  Background

  WFMJ initially broadcast on channel 73 and had access to a construction permit associated with channel 21.

  Action taken

  The station moved its operation to channel 21 on August 7, establishing the channel assignment associated with WFMJ-TV today.

  Aftermath

  The channel 21 service continued as the station's primary broadcast identity.

  Source

1. 1WFMJ-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WFMJ-TV official websitewfmj.com