WIFS is a full-power television station serving the Madison, Wisconsin area, operating on virtual channel 57 and currently carrying Ion Television programming.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WIFS is a television station licensed to Janesville, Wisconsin, and serving the Madison, Wisconsin, broadcast market. The station transmits on virtual channel 57 from facilities in Madison and is owned by Byrne Acquisition Group. Its present identity developed through several network, ownership, branding, and programming changes rather than through a single uninterrupted format. The station received its original construction permit on May 2, 1998, under the call sign WJNW. After delays and a proposed digital-only launch that did not proceed, it adopted the WHPN call sign and began analog broadcasting in the summer of 1999. Its initial role was as a UPN affiliate serving both Madison and the Rockford, Illinois, market area. Before the station launched, UPN programming in Madison had been carried secondarily by CBS affiliate WISC-TV. In 2002, after the station's owners entered bankruptcy, ACME Communications acquired the station's assets and assumed operational control through a local marketing agreement before the transaction formally closed. ACME shifted the station from UPN to The WB in August 2002 and changed its call sign to WBUW, a reference to The WB and the University of Wisconsin. The station later became one of the original affiliates of The CW, the network created by the 2006 combination of The WB and UPN. It was branded as Madison's CW and subsequently as CW 57. The station improved its regional coverage in 2004 by moving its transmitter to a tower near WMTV's facilities on Madison's southwest side. The stronger signal expanded reception across south-central Wisconsin and into northern Illinois. In December 2011, ACME announced the sale of WBUW to Byrne Acquisition Group. The transaction, valued at $1.8 million according to contemporary reporting, received regulatory approval and closed in February 2012. Byrne later upgraded the station's master-control capabilities and expanded locally oriented programming, including sponsor-supported discussions, sports, community features, and other regional content. WBUW's ten-year CW affiliation ended in September 2016 after Gray Television arranged for The CW to move to a digital subchannel of WMTV. The station became independent, introduced the Wisconsin's 57 Television identity, and adopted the WIFS call sign on December 1, 2016. During its independent period, its schedule combined syndicated entertainment and talk programming with local features and selected sports broadcasts. A major programming transformation occurred on February 1, 2019, when WIFS added Ion Television on a digital subchannel and placed Ion Life, later renamed Ion Plus, on its primary channel. The change displaced the station's syndicated schedule, locally produced features, and local advertising. Some local programs and syndicated shows subsequently moved to TVW, a WISC-owned digital subchannel. WIFS was unusual because Ion Plus occupied its main channel while Ion Television appeared on a secondary digital channel; the arrangement also allowed the station to retain Movies! and Heroes & Icons on other subchannels. Following the E. W. Scripps Company's acquisition of Ion Media, Ion Plus and Qubo were discontinued nationally. On February 27, 2021, WIFS replaced Ion Plus on its main channel with the Ion Television feed that had previously appeared on a lower-numbered subchannel. The station therefore became primarily an Ion Television outlet while continuing to use its digital multiplex for additional networks. WIFS remains a local broadcast asset focused primarily on distributing national multicast and entertainment programming rather than operating a conventional full-scale local news department.
History
WIFS began as a proposed full-power television station intended to serve Janesville and the broader Madison market. The FCC granted its original construction permit on May 2, 1998, with the WJNW call sign. Following delays, including an unsuccessful effort to launch as Wisconsin's first digital-only television outlet, the station changed its call sign to WHPN and began analog broadcasts in the summer of 1999. Its initial affiliation was with UPN, and its transmitter location near Evansville allowed it to reach both the Madison and Rockford markets. The station's early ownership encountered financial difficulty. After its owners declared bankruptcy, ACME Communications acquired the station's assets in 2002 and assumed operational control through a local marketing agreement. ACME changed the station's network affiliation from UPN to The WB in August 2002 and renamed it WBUW. The new call sign reflected the station's association with The WB and the University of Wisconsin. In 2004, WBUW moved its transmitter to a site near WMTV's studios in Madison's Greentree neighborhood. The new facility improved coverage across south-central Wisconsin and extended the station's reach into northern Illinois. In March 2006, WBUW was announced as a charter affiliate of The CW, the network formed through the planned merger of The WB and UPN. The station launched its CW service in September 2006 under the Madison's CW identity. It also experimented with local news and features. In 2003, while still associated with The WB, it carried The WB57 Nine O'Clock News, a weekday newscast produced in cooperation with WMTV. The program emphasized fast-paced entertainment, lifestyle, and short-form stories but was canceled in December 2005 after failing to gain sufficient audience against competing late-evening newscasts. Local content returned in 2007 through Buzzed Into Madison, a series of short regional features inserted into The Daily Buzz. The segments covered area events, personalities, and sponsor-related features. Emmy Fink hosted and produced the feature until leaving the station in 2011. After Byrne Acquisition Group purchased the station, WBUW expanded its locally oriented schedule. The station adopted the CW 57 identity and developed sponsor-supported discussion programs, sports coverage, community programming, and other local features. ACME announced the sale of WBUW to Byrne Acquisition Group in December 2011. The $1.8 million transaction was part of ACME's broader retreat from television ownership. It closed in February 2012 after FCC approval. Byrne's ownership continued through the station's transition away from The CW. In late 2015, The CW and Gray Television announced an arrangement that placed the network on WMTV's second digital subchannel. When that service began in September 2016, WBUW's ten-year CW affiliation ended. The station gradually rebranded during 2016, first using Channel 57 for local programming and then introducing Wisconsin's 57 Television, with the slogan Your Home for Local. The WIFS call sign was adopted on December 1, 2016. As an independent station, WIFS relied heavily on syndicated programming while retaining selected local and sports content. Its schedule included syndicated talk, entertainment, drama, and comedy programs, as well as selected college sports, Chicago Bears preseason games, Madison Radicals ultimate games, and Notre Dame football broadcasts. On February 1, 2019, WIFS made its most significant programming change since leaving The CW. Ion Television was added to a digital subchannel, while the main channel began carrying Ion Life, which was renamed Ion Plus later that year. The change was not broadly publicized in advance and removed the station's locally produced programming, syndicated schedule, and local advertising from its principal service. Some locally produced programs were relaunched on TVW, the WISC-owned MyNetworkTV digital subchannel, sometimes under revised titles. The transition also resulted in staff departures, including general manager and on-air host Jessa Jeremiah and station manager Tony Virga. The Ion Plus arrangement ended after the E. W. Scripps Company's acquisition of Ion Media. Ion Plus and Qubo were discontinued in February 2021. On February 27, WIFS replaced Ion Plus on its main channel with Ion Television, which had previously been carried on another digital channel. The station has since functioned primarily as an Ion Television outlet with additional digital multicast services. It remains a full-power station owned by Byrne Acquisition Group and licensed to Janesville while serving the Madison area.
- 2021
Ion Television moves to the main channel
[1]After Ion Plus and Qubo were discontinued, Ion Television replaced Ion Plus on virtual channel 57.1.
- 2019
Ion Plus becomes the primary service
[1]WIFS placed Ion Life, later Ion Plus, on its main channel and Ion Television on a digital subchannel.
- 2016
WBUW becomes independent and adopts WIFS
[1]The station lost its CW affiliation, introduced Wisconsin's 57 Television branding, and adopted the WIFS call sign.
- 2012
Byrne Acquisition Group takes ownership
[1]The FCC-approved sale from ACME Communications to Byrne Acquisition Group closed.
- 2006
The CW affiliation begins
[1]WBUW joined The CW at the network's launch following the combination of The WB and UPN.
- 2004
Transmitter relocated
[1]A transmitter move to Madison's southwest side expanded the station's regional coverage.
- 2002
ACME assumes control and changes affiliation
[1]ACME Communications took operational control, moved the station from UPN to The WB, and changed the call sign to WBUW.
- 1999
Analog broadcasting begins
[1]Broadcasting began on channel 57 under the WHPN call sign, initially as a UPN affiliate.
- 1998
Original construction permit granted
[1]The FCC granted the station's initial construction permit under the WJNW call sign.
Products and positioning
A Madison-area broadcast television station whose identity has shifted from UPN and WB programming to CW affiliation, independent local programming, and subsequently Ion-branded national entertainment and multicast services.
Network-affiliated television service · 2021
Ion Television
WIFS's primary television service since February 2021. It carries the national Ion Television schedule over the station's main virtual channel, replacing the Ion Plus service that had occupied that position since 2019.
Digital television network service · 2019
Ion Plus
A former primary-channel service on WIFS. Ion Life was added in February 2019 and rebranded as Ion Plus later that year. The service ended on WIFS in February 2021 following the national shutdown of Ion Plus.
Network affiliation · 2006
The CW
WBUW carried The CW from the network's September 2006 launch until September 2016. The affiliation followed the station's earlier WB relationship and ended when The CW moved to a WMTV digital subchannel.
Local television feature · 2007
Buzzed Into Madison
A short-form local feature inserted into broadcasts of The Daily Buzz. It presented positive stories about Madison-area events, people, and activities, along with sponsor-related features. Emmy Fink hosted and produced the series during its principal run.
Local news · 2003
The WB57 Nine O'Clock News
A weekday 35-minute newscast launched in 2003 through a partnership with WMTV's news operation. Its fast-paced format targeted a younger, female-skewing audience and emphasized entertainment and lifestyle material. The program ended in December 2005.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012CW 57 local-content expansion
Madison · Southern Wisconsin
After acquiring WBUW, Byrne Acquisition Group expanded sponsor-supported local discussions, sports broadcasts, community features, and other regional programming.
Outcome. Local content occupied substantial portions of the station's non-syndicated schedule until the 2019 Ion Plus conversion.
- 2007Buzzed Into Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
WBUW inserted locally produced vignettes into The Daily Buzz, highlighting regional events, personalities, and sponsor-supported activities.
Outcome. The feature became a model for local inserts at other Daily Buzz affiliates and continued in limited form after Emmy Fink's departure.
Brand decisions
2021
Replace Ion Plus with Ion TelevisionGeneration changeBackground
Ion Plus and Qubo were discontinued after the E. W. Scripps Company acquired Ion Media.
Action taken
WIFS moved the existing Ion Television feed to its primary channel and reorganized its digital subchannels.
Aftermath
WIFS became primarily an Ion Television affiliate.
2019
Convert the primary channel to Ion PlusStrategyBackground
The station sought a new national programming arrangement after operating as an independent outlet.
Action taken
WIFS placed Ion Life, later Ion Plus, on channel 57.1 and added Ion Television to a digital subchannel.
Aftermath
The change displaced local programming, syndicated shows, and local advertising from the station's primary service; some displaced programs moved to TVW.
2016
Transition from The CW to independent programmingStrategyBackground
The CW arranged to move its Madison affiliation to WMTV's second digital subchannel when WBUW's affiliation agreement expired.
Action taken
WBUW ended its CW service, introduced Wisconsin's 57 Television branding, and adopted the WIFS call sign.
Aftermath
WIFS filled its schedule primarily with syndicated programming while continuing selected local and sports content.
2011
Sale to Byrne Acquisition GroupM&ABackground
ACME Communications was gradually exiting the television business.
Action taken
ACME agreed to sell WBUW to Byrne Acquisition Group for $1.8 million, subject to regulatory approval.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in February 2012 and Byrne expanded the station's local programming and technical capabilities.
transaction value. $1.8 million (announced December 2011; closed February 2012)
2006
Join The CW at launchProduct launchBackground
The WB and UPN were being consolidated into a new national television network.
Action taken
WBUW adopted The CW affiliation and the Madison's CW identity.
Aftermath
The station retained the affiliation for approximately ten years, until The CW moved to WMTV's digital subchannel.
2002
Switch from UPN to The WBStrategyBackground
ACME Communications assumed control of the station after acquiring assets from its bankrupt former owners.
Action taken
The station moved its affiliation from UPN to The WB and changed its call sign from WHPN to WBUW.
Aftermath
WBUW later became a charter affiliate of The CW when The WB and UPN were combined.
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