WJCL is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Savannah, Georgia, and the surrounding Coastal Georgia and South Carolina Lowcountry markets.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WJCL is a commercial television station broadcasting on channel 22 in Savannah, Georgia. The station is affiliated with the ABC television network and is owned by Hearst Television, the broadcast-station division of Hearst Communications. Its service area includes Savannah and nearby communities in southeastern Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry. WJCL operates from studios located in the Savannah Morning News building on Chatham Parkway, while its transmitter is situated in western Chatham County near Bloomingdale. The station began broadcasting on July 18, 1970, becoming Savannah's fourth television station and the market's first primary ABC affiliate. Before WJCL launched, ABC programming was carried on a secondary basis by the market's CBS and NBC stations. The call letters were derived from the initials of founder Julius Curtis Lewis Jr., a former mayor of Savannah and an amateur-radio enthusiast. At launch, WJCL also introduced technical and production features that were relatively new to the local market, including local color-film news coverage, reel-to-reel videotape, stereo broadcasting, and a notably tall transmission tower. The station has also identified a visit by President Richard Nixon as the first live event it televised from the Savannah area. WJCL's network affiliation has changed during its history. It became an NBC affiliate in 1982 after an affiliation exchange involving WSAV-TV, then returned to ABC in 1985 when WSAV resumed full-time NBC programming. The station briefly carried UPN programming as a secondary affiliation from 1995 to 1997. Its local programming expanded through news partnerships and syndicated or locally produced formats. In 1996, WJCL entered a news-sharing arrangement that enabled it to produce a prime-time newscast for Fox affiliate WTGS. In 2001, the station partnered with Carleton Public Relations to produce ABC 22 LawCall, a live legal call-in program that used the LawCall name before the format became more broadly associated with other stations. Ownership changed several times after the Lewis era. Lewis Broadcasting sold WJCL to Grapevine Communications in 1999, around the time Grapevine merged with Piedmont Television. New Vision Television acquired WJCL in 2007. LIN TV Corporation bought New Vision's station group in 2012 for a reported consideration of $330.4 million plus assumed debt, subject to regulatory approval. LIN Media subsequently agreed to merge with Media General, but the combined company already owned Savannah NBC station WSAV-TV. To comply with broadcast-ownership requirements, WJCL was divested to Hearst Television. Hearst completed its acquisition of WJCL in December 2014, while WTGS was sold separately to Sinclair Broadcast Group. WJCL has shared facilities and operational relationships with WTGS at different points, although the two stations are no longer under common ownership. The stations moved into the Savannah Morning News facility in October 2011. WJCL provides local news, weather, sports, traffic, digital video, streaming content, and ABC network programming. Its current local schedule includes weekday morning and evening news, as well as weekend morning broadcasts added in 2020. The station completed the United States digital television transition by ending analog broadcasts in February 2009 and moving its digital signal to UHF channel 22. As a local television brand, WJCL's positioning rests on network-affiliate programming combined with Savannah-focused journalism and weather coverage.
History
WJCL signed on July 18, 1970, as Savannah's fourth television station. Founded by former Savannah mayor Julius Curtis Lewis Jr., the station took its call letters from Lewis's initials. Its launch gave Savannah its first primary ABC affiliate; previously, ABC programs had been carried secondarily by WTOC-TV and WSAV-TV. WJCL's early technical profile included a high transmission tower and local adoption of color-film news, reel-to-reel videotape, stereo broadcasting, and live-event television. The station was part of Lewis Broadcasting, whose television and radio interests included WJCL-FM. J. Fred Pierce served as the television station's executive vice president from 1972 until the first sale of WJCL in 1999. The station dropped the -TV suffix from its call sign in 1981. In 1982, WJCL changed its primary affiliation from ABC to NBC in an exchange involving WSAV-TV. The arrangement lasted until 1985, when WJCL returned to ABC and WSAV resumed its full-time NBC role. WJCL also carried UPN programming on a secondary basis from 1995 to 1997. A news-sharing arrangement established in 1996 enabled WJCL to produce a prime-time newscast for WTGS, a neighboring Fox affiliate. The stations later shared additional programming and operational resources. In 2001, WJCL worked with Carleton Public Relations to launch ABC 22 LawCall, a live weekly legal call-in show. The program ran until June 2006 and featured host Mike Avery, attorneys from Carter & Tate, and rotating discussion topics. WJCL's ownership shifted during a period of consolidation in local broadcasting. Lewis Broadcasting sold the station to Grapevine Communications in 1999; Grapevine merged with Piedmont Television around that time. New Vision Television acquired WJCL in 2007 and invested in a redesigned web presence, including a blog-oriented site and later migration to the Inergize Digital Network. The station also became a setting for the second season of the television program Making News, which began airing in 2008. In October 2011, WJCL and WTGS moved their operations into the Savannah Morning News building on Chatham Parkway. LIN TV announced its purchase of New Vision in May 2012. The transaction, which included WJCL and operational control of WTGS, received FCC approval in October and closed that month. LIN Media then agreed to merge with Media General in 2014. Because Media General already owned WSAV-TV, the combined company could not retain both Savannah stations under applicable ownership requirements. Media General announced that WJCL would be sold to Hearst Television, while WTGS would go to Sinclair Broadcast Group. Hearst completed the WJCL transaction in December 2014. WJCL continues as a Hearst-owned ABC affiliate. It produces local news, weather, sports, and digital video for Savannah and surrounding communities, while carrying ABC network programming. Its local schedule has included a weekday morning program, an hour-long 5 p.m. newscast, and weekend morning broadcasts added in March 2020. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, and its digital signal moved to UHF channel 22.
- 2020
Weekend morning news expansion
[1]WJCL adds weekend morning newscasts.
- 2014
Hearst Television ownership begins
[1]Hearst completes its acquisition of WJCL following the LIN Media–Media General merger process.
- 2012
LIN TV completes New Vision acquisition
[1]LIN TV acquires WJCL after FCC approval of the New Vision station-group transaction.
- 2011
Move to Chatham Parkway
[1]WJCL begins broadcasting from the Savannah Morning News facility.
- 2009
Digital transition
[1]WJCL ends regular analog programming and continues digitally on UHF channel 22.
- 2007
New Vision acquires WJCL
[1]New Vision Television becomes the station's owner.
- 1999
Lewis Broadcasting sells WJCL
[1]Grapevine Communications acquires the station.
- 1996
WTGS news-sharing agreement begins
[1]WJCL begins producing a prime-time newscast for WTGS under a news-sharing arrangement.
- 1985
WJCL returns to ABC
[1]The station resumes its primary ABC affiliation.
- 1982
NBC affiliation period begins
[1]WJCL becomes an NBC affiliate after an affiliation exchange with WSAV-TV.
Products and positioning
A Savannah-market ABC affiliate combining national network programming with locally produced news, weather, sports, digital content, and community coverage.
Local television news · 1970
WJCL local news
WJCL's core offering is locally produced television journalism for Savannah and surrounding communities. Coverage includes breaking news, civic affairs, local features, sports, traffic, and weather. The station's schedule has included weekday morning programming, an hour-long 5 p.m. newscast, and weekend morning broadcasts introduced in 2020.
Broadcast network affiliation · 1970
ABC network programming
As the Savannah market's ABC affiliate, WJCL carries national ABC news, entertainment, sports, and special-event programming alongside its local output. The station has maintained the ABC affiliation since returning to the network in 1985, apart from its earlier NBC period.
Digital media · 2007
WJCL digital and streaming content
The WJCL brand extends online through news articles, weather information, video, live or streamed broadcasts, and other digital updates. The station introduced a redesigned website in 2007 and later migrated its web operation to the Inergize Digital Network while under New Vision ownership.
Local public-affairs program · 2001
ABC 22 LawCall
ABC 22 LawCall was a weekly live legal call-in program produced with Carleton Public Relations. Hosted by Mike Avery and featuring attorneys from Carter & Tate, the program discussed legal topics and answered viewer questions. It ran from 2001 until June 2006.
Brand decisions
2014
Divestiture to Hearst TelevisionM&ABackground
LIN Media's planned merger with Media General created an ownership overlap because Media General already owned WSAV-TV in the Savannah market.
Action taken
WJCL was sold to Hearst Television, while WTGS was transferred separately to Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Aftermath
Hearst completed the WJCL acquisition in December 2014 and remains its owner.
2001
Launch of ABC 22 LawCallProduct launchBackground
WJCL sought to expand local programming through a participatory public-affairs format.
Action taken
The station partnered with Carleton Public Relations to produce a live legal call-in program.
Aftermath
The program continued until June 2006.
1985
Return to ABCStrategyBackground
WSAV's network status changed again after a short period in which WJCL carried NBC programming.
Action taken
WJCL resumed its primary ABC affiliation.
Aftermath
ABC has remained WJCL's primary network affiliation.
1982
Switch to NBC affiliationStrategyBackground
An affiliation exchange involving WSAV-TV changed the network relationships of Savannah's major stations.
Action taken
WJCL changed its primary affiliation from ABC to NBC.
Aftermath
The NBC period ended in 1985 when WJCL returned to ABC and WSAV resumed full-time NBC programming.
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