Nexstar Media Group said stations it owns in five additional markets will become affiliates with The CW, Nexstar’s owned network, beginning in September and October.
The CW is carried on the digital subchannels of WJBF, Augusta, Georgia; KARD, Monroe, Louisiana; KFDX, Wichita Falls, Texas; WTWO, Terre Haute, Indiana; and WFXV, Utica, New York.
On each station, The CW replaces an EW Scripps digital multicast network, either Ion, Bounce or Laff. Scripps announced earlier this year that it would drop CW affiliates in several markets.
The CW previously had subsidiaries in each of these markets.
Nexstar has stated that the presence of The CW on its own channel brings economic benefits to the company.
“The addition of these affiliates increases the number of CW stations owned by Nexstar and its partners to 54, covering more than 45% of U.S. television households,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcast division.
“As The CW’s premier affiliate group, Nexstar is excited to be able to broadcast the network’s programming on these channels this fall, particularly the NASCAR Xfinity Series races and the WWE series NXT “This joins a very extensive lineup of sports programming, including LIV golf, ACC college football and basketball, and Pac-12 football,” Alford said. “The addition of The CW’s programming to these networks provides advertisers with a variety of new linear and digital opportunities to reach millions of viewers.”
