# WGN-TV
**WGN-TV** (virtual channel 9) is a television station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, whose call letters come from the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-tribune)'s first slogan, "World's Greatest Newspaper." It signed on April 5, 1948 on Channel 9 from studios at Tribune Tower under Colonel Robert McCormick, and it is now owned by [Nexstar Media Group](https://www.edgepedia.org/nexstar-media-group) as part of its 2019 acquisition of Tribune Media.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) • [2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1348.html) • [3](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50045420.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Call sign origin | "WGN" stands for "World's Greatest Newspaper," the Chicago Tribune's first slogan[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) |
| Television sign-on | April 5, 1948, on Channel 9 from Tribune Tower studios[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) |
| Radio precursor | WGN radio went on the air in June 1924 as a clear-channel station and was purchased by the Tribune Company soon after[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1348.html) |
| Ownership | Purchased by Nexstar Media in 2019 as part of its acquisition of Tribune Media; the FCC public file's status record dated January 24, 2024 lists the licensee as Tribune Media Company[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) • [4](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv) |
| Affiliation history | CW affiliate from 2006, independent from 2016, CW again from September 1, 2024[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) • [5](https://thedesk.net/2024/05/nexstar-moving-cw-network-to-wgn-tv-9/) |
| News output | More than 70 hours of news per week; the morning newscast, launched as one hour in 1994, has grown to six hours[6](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/) |
| Technical record | Virtual channel 9, RF channel 19 (500.0 MHz), Facility ID 72115, license expires April 1, 2030[4](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv) |
## History
The WGN call sign predates television. The radio station went on the air in June 1924 as a clear-channel outlet and was not started by the Tribune Company but purchased by the newspaper soon afterward; its letters stood for the Tribune's first slogan, "World's Greatest Newspaper."[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1348.html) In 1934, WGN talent and executives helped create the Mutual Radio Network.[2](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1348.html)
**Television debut.** WGN-TV hit the airwaves on April 5, 1948, on Channel 9 in Chicago from studios at Tribune Tower, under Colonel Robert McCormick.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) The city's first TV newscast debuted on the station's second day on air, and that year the news team counted votes in an election-night special from the Chicago Tribune newsroom.[6](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/)
**Affiliation eras.** In 2006, WGN-TV became the Chicago affiliate of The CW Television Network. In 2016 it returned to independent status. On September 1, 2024, it rejoined [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw), when Nexstar's agreement with Weigel Broadcasting's WCIU (Channel 26) expired on August 31; it was the first time since 2016 that WGN-TV had carried the network.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) • [5](https://thedesk.net/2024/05/nexstar-moving-cw-network-to-wgn-tv-9/)
## Ownership and the superstation story
WGN-TV was a longtime property of the Tribune Company. In 2008 the station's national superstation feed was renamed [WGN America](https://www.edgepedia.org/wgn-america), and in 2014 WGN America transitioned into its own national cable channel, separating the national service from the Chicago station's local feed.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) In 2019, WGN was purchased by Nexstar Media as part of its acquisition of Tribune Media.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/)
The cited ownership records differ. The FCC public file's status record dated January 24, 2024 listed the licensee as Tribune Media Company.[4](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv) The Library of Congress authority record and the station's own history page state that the station is owned by Nexstar Media Group.[3](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50045420.html) • [1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) Both are cited here; the FCC record had not been updated to reflect the 2019 transaction as of its January 2024 status date.
## News operation
WGN News marked 75 years of continuous operation after the 1948 sign-on, and the station now produces more than 70 hours of news per week.[6](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/) In 1994, WGN premiered a one-hour weekday morning newscast, which has grown into a six-hour show that, in the station's words, doubles as Chicago's breakfast table and routinely rules the ratings.[6](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/) In 2000, WGN opened a new 29,000 sq. ft. newsroom facility.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/)
**Major-event coverage.** WGN provided the pool coverage of Pope John Paul's 1979 visit to Chicago for all other outlets, and it broadcast [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama)'s historic 2008 Grant Park victory speech.[6](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/) In 2004, all Cubs, White Sox, and Bulls home game telecasts on WGN aired in high definition on WGN 9.1, and the WGN Morning News expanded to four hours.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/)
## Technical information
The FCC record identifies WGN-TV as virtual channel 9 broadcasting on RF channel 19 at 500.0 MHz, with Facility ID 72115 and a license expiring April 1, 2030.[4](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv) The main studio is at 2501 West Bradley Place in Chicago's North Center community area, and the transmitter sits atop the [Willis Tower](https://www.edgepedia.org/willis-tower) on South Wacker Drive in the [Chicago Loop](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-loop).[4](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv) • [7](https://www.c-span.org/organization/wgn-tv/39812/)
## WGN-TV since 2023
Two changes defined 2024. Meteorologist [Tom Skilling](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-skilling) retired after 45 years at WGN, and The CW Network returned to the station on September 1.[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/) • [5](https://thedesk.net/2024/05/nexstar-moving-cw-network-to-wgn-tv-9/) In 2023 the weekday afternoon series "Spotlight Chicago" premiered; in 2025 WGN began adding exclusive shows to its WGN+ TV app livestream; and in 2026 the station premiered a weeknight political show, "The Point."[1](https://wgntv.com/station-history/)
## References
1. [WGN TV History | Chicago, WGN-TV official website](https://wgntv.com/station-history/)
2. [WGN, Encyclopedia of Chicago (Chicago Historical Society)](https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1348.html)
3. [WGN (Television station : Chicago, Ill.), Library of Congress authority record](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50045420.html)
4. [TV Station WGN-TV, Station Information, FCC Public Inspection Files](https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wgn-tv)
5. [Nexstar reclaims Chicago's CW affiliation for WGN-TV, The Desk](https://thedesk.net/2024/05/nexstar-moving-cw-network-to-wgn-tv-9/)
6. [For 75 years, WGN News has documented Chicago history, WGN-TV](https://wgntv.com/news/wgn_75th_anniversary/for-75-years-wgn-news-has-documented-chicago-history-one-story-at-a-time/)
7. [WGN-TV | Organization, C-SPAN.org](https://www.c-span.org/organization/wgn-tv/39812/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Individual broadcast stations, lists, and call signs › US radio and television stations*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license