WXIX-TV
WXIX-TV is a Cincinnati-area television station licensed to Newport, Kentucky, and affiliated with the Fox network.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
WXIX-TV, branded as Fox 19, is a commercial television station licensed to Newport, Kentucky, and serving the Cincinnati metropolitan area. Although its license is in Northern Kentucky, its studios and principal news operation are in Cincinnati, Ohio. The station operates as the market's Fox affiliate and is owned by Gray Media. It shares the 19 Broadcast Plaza facility in Cincinnati's Queensgate neighborhood with low-power Telemundo affiliate WBQC-LD and low-power independent station WZCD-LD. WXIX's transmitter is located in Cincinnati's South Fairmount neighborhood. The station's origins trace to a 1953 construction permit obtained by Tri-City Broadcasting Company for a Newport station on channel 74. The permit remained unbuilt for many years as ownership changed and UHF broadcasting faced substantial technical and commercial challenges. In 1965, television entrepreneur Daniel H. Overmyer acquired the permit. The proposed station was initially assigned the call sign WSCO-TV, and the Federal Communications Commission later replaced channel 74 with channel 19 as part of a revision to the UHF allocation table. Overmyer's television interests were subsequently reorganized under U.S. Communications Corporation, which completed the station's construction. WXIX-TV began broadcasting on August 1, 1968. It was Cincinnati's first commercial independent television station and initially relied on films, syndicated series, sports, and locally produced programs. Early local attractions included a children's program hosted by puppeteer Larry Smith and the horror-and-science-fiction movie presentation Scream-In, featuring the character The Cool Ghoul. The station developed a strong following despite the historical disadvantages of UHF broadcasting and was recognized in 1970 as one of the leading independent UHF stations in the United States. U.S. Communications nearly shut WXIX down in 1971, but a prospective sale allowed the station to remain on the air. Metromedia acquired it in 1972 and invested in programming, production, and sales operations. During this period, WXIX carried local sports, including Cincinnati Stingers hockey and University of Cincinnati basketball, and built a significant commercial production business. Metromedia sold the station to Malrite Communications Group in 1983 as part of a broader portfolio restructuring. WXIX joined Fox at the network's launch in 1986 and became a charter Fox affiliate. Its Fox Kids Club attracted a large membership, and the station also produced the children's program Fridays Are Fun. A major strategic change came in the early 1990s, when WXIX moved from being primarily an entertainment-oriented independent station to a substantial local-news provider. The first full local newscasts launched in October 1993 after an investment in newsroom personnel and facilities. The station moved its operations to the former Harriet Beecher Stowe School building in Cincinnati's Queensgate neighborhood in December 1995, renaming the facility 19 Broadcast Plaza. News expansions followed, including a longer late-evening newscast, morning news, midday news, an evening news program, and weekend morning editions. The station's 10 p.m. newscast became a central part of its identity and competitive strategy. Raycom Media acquired Malrite Communications in 1998. Under Raycom, WXIX continued expanding its news schedule and digital and technical capabilities. Gray Television acquired Raycom's broadcasting assets in a transaction completed in January 2019, bringing WXIX into the Gray station group. Gray later adopted the corporate name Gray Media. In the 2020s, WXIX expanded its sports role through Cincinnati Bengals preseason programming and additional Cincinnati Reds game distribution. It also became associated with Rock Entertainment Sports Network, a regional sports service carried on the station's third digital subchannel. Today, WXIX combines Fox network programming, locally produced news, weather, sports, public-affairs coverage, syndicated content, digital publishing, and streaming video for the Cincinnati market.
History
WXIX-TV's permit history began in 1953, when Tri-City Broadcasting Company applied for a Newport television station on channel 74. The permit remained dormant through several years of uncertainty about UHF broadcasting. Daniel H. Overmyer acquired it in 1965, changed the proposed call sign to WSCO-TV, and supported a move to channel 19. After Overmyer's television properties were reorganized under U.S. Communications Corporation, the station received the call letters WXIX-TV and signed on August 1, 1968. The new station operated as an independent, using movies, syndicated programs, sports, and original local productions to build an audience. Its children's programming and the horror-film franchise Scream-In helped establish a distinctive local identity. Despite financial problems at U.S. Communications and the temporary suspension of several sister stations, WXIX remained in operation because buyers showed interest. Metromedia acquired the station in 1972 and strengthened its programming, commercial-production, and sales operations. Malrite Communications Group purchased WXIX from Metromedia in the early 1980s. The station joined Fox in 1986 and supplemented network programming with local sports and children's initiatives. Its most consequential transformation occurred under general manager Stu Powell and news director Greg Caputo, who launched a full local newsroom in 1993. The move to 19 Broadcast Plaza in 1995 placed news operations closer to central Cincinnati and supported subsequent schedule growth. WXIX expanded its morning, midday, evening, and late-night news offerings and became a major local-news competitor. Raycom Media purchased Malrite in 1998. Gray Television's acquisition of Raycom was completed in 2019, making WXIX part of one of the largest local television station groups in the United States. The station has continued to emphasize local news, weather, digital journalism, community reporting, and sports. Recent programming developments include Bengals preseason broadcasts, Reds game simulcasts, and the use of a digital subchannel for Rock Entertainment Sports Network programming.
- 2025
Reds simulcast agreement
[1]The station agreed to simulcast ten Cincinnati Reds regular-season games with FanDuel Sports Network Ohio.
- 2024
Bengals programming agreement
[1]WXIX began carrying Cincinnati Bengals team programming and selected preseason games under a multiyear agreement.
- 2019
Gray acquires Raycom
[1]Gray completed its acquisition of Raycom, making WXIX part of Gray's station group.
- 1998
Raycom acquires Malrite
[1]WXIX entered Raycom Media's television station portfolio.
- 1995
Move to 19 Broadcast Plaza
[1]WXIX moved its principal operations into the former Harriet Beecher Stowe School building in Cincinnati's Queensgate neighborhood.
- 1993
Local news operation launches
[1]The station debuted its first full local newscasts on October 18 after creating a dedicated newsroom.
- 1986
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WXIX joined Fox as a charter affiliate when the network launched.
- 1983
Malrite acquisition
[1]Cleveland-based Malrite Communications Group acquired the Cincinnati station from Metromedia.
- 1972
Metromedia acquisition
[1]Metromedia completed its purchase of WXIX after the station faced financial uncertainty under U.S. Communications.
- 1968
WXIX-TV signs on
[1]WXIX-TV began broadcasting on August 1 as Cincinnati's first commercial independent station.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Fox affiliate competing through extensive news, weather, sports, digital publishing, and community coverage across the Cincinnati metropolitan market.
Local news · 1993
Fox 19 News
WXIX's local news franchise covers Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and surrounding communities through scheduled television newscasts, breaking-news reports, investigative stories, weather coverage, and public-service journalism.
Network television · 1986
Fox network programming
As the Cincinnati area's Fox affiliate, WXIX distributes Fox's entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming over its primary broadcast service and related digital platforms.
Sports broadcasting
Local sports programming
WXIX carries selected Cincinnati sports content, including Bengals team programming and preseason football, as well as Reds game simulcasts and other regional sports programming.
Digital media
Digital and streaming news
Through Fox19.com and connected-device services, WXIX provides written reports, live coverage, weather information, video clips, alerts, and on-demand local content beyond the linear broadcast schedule.
Marketing campaigns
- 1986Fox Kids Club
Cincinnati metropolitan area
WXIX created a local membership club to support Fox's children's-programming strategy and build a direct relationship with young viewers and families.
Outcome. The club reportedly grew rapidly and exceeded the station's initial membership expectations.
- 1986Fridays Are Fun
Cincinnati metropolitan area
WXIX introduced a locally produced children's program alongside its Fox Kids programming.
Outcome. The program formed part of the station's effort to localize its children's schedule.
Brand decisions
2024
Add Bengals preseason broadcastsProduct launchBackground
WXIX sought to deepen its local sports role and expand its relationship with a prominent Cincinnati professional team.
Action taken
The station entered a multiyear agreement for Bengals team programming and up to three preseason games per year.
Aftermath
The agreement strengthened WXIX's sports offering and returned Bengals preseason coverage to the station after a long period in which another local station carried most of those games.
1995
Relocate to 19 Broadcast PlazaStrategyBackground
The Woodlawn studio location was relatively distant from Cincinnati and was inconvenient for a growing news operation.
Action taken
WXIX purchased and converted the former Harriet Beecher Stowe School building in Cincinnati's Queensgate neighborhood.
Aftermath
The new facility placed reporters and production operations closer to the city center and became the station's long-term broadcast base.
1993
Build a full local-news operationStrategyBackground
WXIX had historically operated mainly as an independent entertainment station and had only provided limited news updates.
Action taken
Management recruited Greg Caputo and invested in a dedicated newsroom, staff, and local production infrastructure.
Aftermath
The resulting news operation became a major part of WXIX's identity and supported successive expansions of its morning, midday, evening, and late-night schedules.
Sources2 sources
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