WFXR-TV

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WFXR-TV / WWCW
Roanoke / Lynchburg, Virginia
Branding	FOX 21/27
Channels	WFXR: 27 (UHF) WWCW: 21 (UHF) analog, WFXR: 17 (UHF) WWCW: 20 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	Fox The CW (on digital as WCW5)
Owner	Grant Broadcasting
Founded	WFXR: July 11, 1981 WWCW: June 5, 1983
Call letters meaning	WFXR: FoX Roanoke WWCW: WW CW
Former callsigns	WFXR: WVFT-TV (1981-1993), WRFT (1960s-70s) WWCW: WJPR (1983-2006)
Former affiliations	WFXR: Independent 1981-1987, ABC 1960s-70s WWCW: Independent 1983-1986)
Website	www.fox2127.com/

WFXR-TV is an affiliate of Fox in Roanoke, Virginia. WFXR's programming can also be seen on WWCW channel 21 in Lynchburg. The stations are collectively known as "FOX 21/27".

[edit] History

The Channel 27 frequency in Roanoke was originally home to WROV-TV, which operated from late 1952 to early 1953. It was the first UHF station in the country to go dark, after less than three months on the air. Its facilities were eventually sold to the owners of WDBJ-TV Channel 7 (which signed on in 1955) after WROV-TV suspended operations.

Also appearing on the Channel 27 frequency was WRFT, which was known to have broadcasted in the late 60s to mid 70s as an ABC affiliate.

In 1984, Jefferson-Pilot Communications launched WJPR as an independent station on channel 21, with the callsign signifying Jefferson Pilot Radio. In 1986, WJPR became a charter Fox affiliate as that network began operations. WVFT Channel 27 signed on July 11, 1981 as religious station WVFT-TV -- Victory Faith Television. On June 5, 1983, WVFT became a standard independent station. In 1992, Grant Media, then owner of WJPR, bought the floundering WVFT and began simulcast of channel 21 content. This marked the beginning of the modern day Fox 21/27. In 1993, WVFT was renamed WFXR-TV to reflect the Fox affiliation. On October 28, 1996, WFXR debuted a 10PM newscast produced by WSLS-TV, originally referred to as 'The FOX 10:00 News'.

On June 30, 2006, the call letters of WJPR were changed to WWCW. The new call letters will match the new affiliation agreement with The CW Television Network. The new net will appear on a digital subchannel of WWCW as well as WFXR. Fox will continue to be on both WFXR and WWCW, in both analog and digital. This may draw the ire of some people who were used to the WJPR calls, as well as of those who think the WWCW calls should only be used if that station's analog channel is a CW affiliate as well.

[edit] Digital TV

WFXR and WWCW also carried a digital-only WB affiliate, WB5; formerly WBVA, it uses the WCW5 calls. WB5 was carried on a subchannel of each station's digital channel. WB5 also aired on local cable TV, and is available in the Roanoke/Lynchburg local channel packages of both the DirecTV and Dish Network satellite services.

WB5 became an affiliate of the The CW Television Network in September 2006. To reflect this, the WBVA calls were changed to WCW5 in June 2006.

[edit] External links

• FOX 21/27 website
• CW 5 website
• Roanoke TV History
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WFXR
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WWCW
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WJPR (Construction permit for a WWCW booster in Roanoke)

Broadcast television in the Roanoke market  (Nielsen DMA #68)
WDRG 2 (IND) - WDBJ 7 (CBS) (My Network TV on DT2 "7Too") - W08CW 8 (PBS) - WSLS 10 (NBC) - WSET 13 (ABC) - WBRA 15 (PBS) - WTLU 19 (IND) - WWCW 21 (FOX) (The CW on DT2) - WDRL 24 (Ind) - WFXR 27 (FOX) - WPXR 38 (i) - WRKV 43 (IND) - W49AP 49 (TBN)

Fox Network Affiliates in the state of Virginia
WHSV-DT 3.2 (Harrisonburg) - WAHU-CA 27 (Charlottesville) - WFXR 27 / WWCW 21 (Roanoke / Lynchburg) - WRLH 35 (Richmond) - WVBT 43 (Virginia Beach)
See also: ABC, CW, CBS, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS, and Other stations in Virginia