WISE-TV

WISE-TV is a television station serving Fort Wayne, Indiana, and surrounding communities. Broadcasting on virtual channel 33, it currently operates as a CW Plus affiliate and is owned by Gray Media alongside WPTA, the market's ABC, NBC and MyNetworkTV outlet, and WFFT-TV, the local Fox affiliate. WISE-TV and WPTA share studio and transmission facilities on Butler Road in northwest Fort Wayne. The station began broadcasting on November 21, 1953, as WKJG-TV, becoming Fort Wayne's first television station. Its original call sign reflected the ownership of William Kunkel, publisher of The Journal Gazette and owner of associated WKJG radio properties. The station launched as an NBC affiliate and retained that affiliation for more than six decades. Early station figures included general manager and sports director Hilliard Gates, who was among the first people seen on television in Fort Wayne, and announcer John Siemer, known on air as “Engineer John.” Ownership changed several times. Tony Hulman, the Indiana industrialist associated with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, owned the station for a period, after which control passed through Joseph R. Cloutier and the Corporation for General Trade. New Vision Television acquired that company in 2003. Later that year, in connection with the station's fiftieth anniversary, WKJG-TV adopted the WISE-TV call sign and received technical upgrades, including a stronger transmitter and high-definition capability. Granite Broadcasting purchased the station in 2005. During the 2000s and early 2010s, WISE-TV carried several digital multicast services. Its second digital channel moved from NBC Weather Plus to MyNetworkTV in 2006 and later carried Fox programming beginning in 2011 after a dispute between Fox and Nexstar led to the affiliation leaving WFFT-TV. A 2013 settlement returned Fox to WFFT-TV, leaving MyNetworkTV as WISE-DT2's principal network service. The station's digital operations also carried weather programming and other multicast networks as affiliations developed. The station's relationship with WPTA became central to its corporate and programming history. Granite operated WPTA under a shared-services arrangement after WPTA was transferred to Malara Broadcasting, a structure that prompted regulatory scrutiny and criticism from competitors. Quincy Media subsequently acquired WPTA and, through a series of transaction revisions, ultimately acquired WISE-TV as well. In 2016, the NBC affiliation moved from WISE-TV to WPTA's second digital subchannel, while WISE-TV's main signal took over the CW Plus affiliation previously associated with WPTA-DT2. This ended WISE-TV's long run as an NBC station and made it a primarily entertainment-oriented CW Plus outlet. WISE-TV's local news operation also evolved substantially. A shared newsroom arrangement with WPTA led to staff reductions and extensive simulcasting, while a separately formatted WISE newscast launched in 2013. Following the 2016 network realignment, WISE-TV no longer carried local newscasts. Its digital schedule instead emphasizes CW Plus programming and multicast services, including networks such as Justice Network, Grit, Start TV, MeTV and Court TV at various times. Gray Media's acquisition of WFFT-TV in 2026 created a three-station Gray presence in the Fort Wayne market. The transaction included a commitment to divest WISE-TV within two years, making the station's longer-term ownership position subject to further regulatory and corporate developments.

WISE-TV traces its history to November 21, 1953, when it signed on as WKJG-TV. The station was established by William Kunkel, publisher of The Journal Gazette, and became the first television station in Fort Wayne. Its call letters were connected to Kunkel's newspaper and radio interests. It joined NBC at launch and built a longstanding identity around network programming, local news and sports. Hilliard Gates served as the station's general manager and sports director for many years and was among the first people to appear on Fort Wayne television. John Siemer, an announcer and newscaster remembered as “Engineer John,” also became associated with the station's early presentation. The station later entered the ownership orbit of Tony Hulman, the Indiana industrialist and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner. Following Hulman's death in 1977, control passed through Joseph R. Cloutier and then the Corporation for General Trade, in which Cloutier's son held a majority interest. In January 2003, New Vision Television acquired the Corporation for General Trade for $20 million. WKJG-TV changed its call letters to WISE-TV on May 26, 2003, and upgraded its transmission facilities. Granite Broadcasting bought WISE-TV in March 2005. Granite also became involved in operating WPTA through a shared-services structure after WPTA's license was held by Malara Broadcasting. The arrangement drew objections and regulatory allegations because of the number of major network affiliations managed across the two stations and concerns about whether the structure functioned as a way around duopoly restrictions. Granite later emerged from bankruptcy in 2007 under the influence of Silver Point Capital. The rise of digital television produced several programming changes. WISE-DT2 initially carried NBC Weather Plus, then became a MyNetworkTV outlet in September 2006. In 2011, Fox programming moved from WFFT-TV to WISE-DT2 after a retransmission-consent dispute between Fox and Nexstar. Nexstar sued Granite, alleging that the Granite-WPTA arrangement restricted competition in local advertising and network affiliations. The litigation was settled in 2013, and Fox returned to WFFT-TV on March 1 of that year. Quincy Media's effort to acquire WPTA and reorganize the Fort Wayne television market led to several revisions of the proposed transaction. An initial plan contemplated separate ownership of WISE-TV by SagamoreHill Broadcasting, followed by further changes concerning the shared-services agreement and the destination of network affiliations. The FCC approved the final structure in September 2015, and the transaction closed in November. The operational realignment took effect on August 1, 2016: NBC moved to WPTA-DT2, while WISE-TV became the market's CW Plus station. News production changed alongside the ownership and affiliation changes. Earlier, WISE-TV and WPTA shared substantial news resources under the Indiana's NewsCenter branding. Granite's consolidation of operations resulted in the dismissal of 57 WISE-TV employees, generating unfavorable local reaction. WISE-TV introduced a separately formatted newscast in March 2013, but after the 2016 affiliation swap it stopped producing or airing local newscasts. Quincy relaunched NBC-oriented news on WPTA-DT2, although that service was later folded into simulcasts under Gray ownership. Quincy acquired WISE-TV outright in 2018 for a reported $952,884, relying on market ranking data in its FCC filing to address ownership limits. The station expanded its multicast lineup in 2019 after dropping a radar service, adding Justice Network, Grit, Start TV and MeTV, with Court TV planned as an additional service. Gray Media later became the station's owner through its acquisition of Quincy Media. In 2026, Gray's purchase of WFFT-TV created a three-station group in Fort Wayne; the company committed to divest WISE-TV within two years, leaving the station's future ownership subject to that process.

• 2026

  Gray commits to divestiture

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  After acquiring WFFT-TV, Gray commits to divesting WISE-TV within two years.

• 2019

  Multicast lineup expands

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station replaces a radar service with multiple standard-definition digital networks.

• 2018

  Quincy acquires WISE-TV outright

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Quincy Media completes its purchase of the WISE-TV license and station.

• 2016

  CW Plus affiliation begins

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  NBC moves to WPTA-DT2 and WISE-TV becomes a CW Plus affiliate.

• 2013

  Fox returns to WFFT-TV

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A settlement ends the affiliation dispute and returns Fox programming to WFFT-TV.

• 2011

  Fox temporarily moves to WISE-DT2

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WISE-DT2 becomes the Fort Wayne Fox outlet, while MyNetworkTV shifts to secondary status.

• 2006

  MyNetworkTV launches on WISE-DT2

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The second digital channel moves from NBC Weather Plus to MyNetworkTV.

• 2005

  Granite Broadcasting acquisition

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Granite Broadcasting purchases WISE-TV.

• 2003

  WISE-TV identity introduced

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  New Vision Television changes WKJG-TV's call sign to WISE-TV and upgrades its transmission facilities.

• 1953

  WKJG-TV signs on

  [1]WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting as Fort Wayne's first television outlet and joins NBC.

A locally focused broadcast television station serving the Fort Wayne market, positioned primarily as a CW Plus entertainment outlet after its former NBC affiliation moved to WPTA's digital platform.

• CW Plus television affiliate · 2016

  WISE-TV primary channel

  The station's principal broadcast service on virtual channel 33. It carries The CW Plus programming for Fort Wayne and surrounding communities. Since the 2016 realignment, the primary channel has no longer carried NBC and has not operated a regular local-news schedule.

• Digital television subchannels · 2005

  WISE digital multicast services

  WISE-TV has used its digital capacity for a succession of services, including NBC Weather Plus, MyNetworkTV, Fox, Justice Network, Grit, Start TV, MeTV and Court TV. The exact lineup has changed over time as network agreements and station strategy evolved.

• 2005

  Shared-services and duopoly allegations

  The Granite-Malara operating arrangement involving WISE-TV and WPTA prompted allegations that Granite used Malara as a shell structure to evade FCC limits on common ownership and control of major stations in the Fort Wayne market.

  Source

Read more

• 2019

  Expanded digital multicast lineupProduct launch

  Background

  The station discontinued its radar subchannel and had additional digital capacity available for syndicated multicast networks.

  Action taken

  Justice Network, Grit, Start TV and MeTV were added, with Court TV planned for a further subchannel.

  Aftermath

  WISE-TV broadened its free over-the-air programming mix beyond its CW Plus service.

  Source

• 2016

  NBC and CW Plus affiliation exchangeStrategy

  Background

  The ownership and operating structure of WISE-TV and WPTA was reorganized after Quincy Media's acquisition of WPTA.

  Action taken

  NBC programming moved to WPTA-DT2, while WISE-TV's main channel adopted The CW Plus affiliation.

  Aftermath

  WISE-TV ended its historic NBC affiliation and became a CW Plus station without local newscasts.

  Source

• 2011

  Temporary Fox affiliation switchStrategy

  Background

  A retransmission-consent dispute between Nexstar and Fox led Fox programming to leave WFFT-TV.

  Action taken

  WISE-DT2 began carrying Fox while retaining MyNetworkTV as a secondary service.

  Aftermath

  Nexstar filed an antitrust lawsuit against Granite. The dispute was settled in 2013, and Fox returned to WFFT-TV.

  • Nexstar Broadcasting Group — Nexstar sued Granite, challenging the competitive and affiliation consequences of the operating arrangement.

  Source

1. 1WISE-TVen.wikipedia.org