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On part 5 of batch 1, we now venture into Gotham City's CW affiliate WFFG-TV. Affiliation History: Independent (1974-1986) Fox (1986-1995) The WB (1995-2006) The CW (2006-present; O&O since 2023) Ownership History: Trooper Communications (1974-1980) Taft Broadcasting (1980-1987) Business Men's Assurance Company (1987-1988) Rising Star Communications (1988-2002) Tribune Broadcasting (2002-2019) Nexstar Media Group (2019-present) History: WFFG-TV was established on May 25, 1974 as Gotham City's second independent station. It was owned by Trooper Communications, a company founded by army veteran turned businessman Cory Gaines. Although it initially struggled to compete with market-dominant WUAA, it eventually grew to become to a strong competitor to that station. Taft Broadcasting would acquire WFFG-TV in 1980 to serve as a counterweight to WTAF-TV in Philadelphia. Taft would also provide its library to the station, primarily from Hanna-Barbera. WFFG-TV would become a launch affiliate of the Fox network in 1986 after WUAA declined the offer to maintain its superstation status. Only a year later in 1987, Taft sold its independent stations to TVX Broadcasting. WFFG-TV was not part of the deal and was sold to Business Men's Assurance Company (through subsidiary, Rising Star Communications) However only a year later again in 1988, BMA declared bankruptcy and sold off most of its stations. WFFG-TV was given to a newly independent Rising Star Communications. In 1991, the station branded itself as "Fox 45" as part of Fox's effort to emphasize its branding in its affiliates. WFFG-TV became a WB affiliate on July 1, 1995, as part of an mass affiliate switch that occurred. That same year, it signed an LMA deal with Renaissance Broadcasting (owners of WUAA), in which Renaissance would provide programming and ad sales to the station. The LMA deal was transferred over to Tribune Broadcasting in 1996 after Tribune bought Renaissance that year. Tribune would later buy WFFG-TV outright in 2002, forming a duopoly with it and WUAA. After The WB and UPN merged to form The CW in 2006. WFFG-TV immediately became an affiliate of the new network as part of a deal with the channel's owners. WFFG-TV would drop "The CW" from its branding in 2008 due to poor ratings from that network at the time, instead using a modified version of its parent station's logo. In 2011, the station would return usage of "The CW" in its on-air branding as ratings improved for the station. The "Boxed 4 with a 5" continued to be used until 2014. In 2013, Tribune Broadcasting would rename itself to Tribune Media. Later in 2019, Tribune Media would merge with Nexstar Media Group, keeping the latter's name. As of now, Nexstar is the current owner of the station. WFFG-TV would become an O&O of The CW in 2023 after Nexstar Media Group acquired majority ownership of the network.
