| La Crosse, Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
| Branding | WXOW 19 (general) News 19 (newscasts) La Crosse-Eau Claire CW (on DT2) |
| Slogan | Your Hometown Team |
| Channels | Digital: 48 (UHF) Virtual: 19 (PSIP) |
| Subchannels | 19.1 ABC 19.2 The CW 19.3 This TV |
| Translators | 26 (UHF) Tomah, WI (construction permit) |
| Owner | Quincy Newspapers (WXOW-WQOW Television, Inc.) |
| First air date | March 7, 1970 |
| Call letters' meaning | X for La Crosse and sister to Madison's WKOW |
| Sister station(s) | WQOW |
| Former channel number(s) | 19 (UHF analog, 1970-2009) 14 (UHF digital, 2002-2009) |
| Transmitter power | 371 kW |
| Height | 348 m |
| Facility ID | 64549 |
| Website | wxow.com |
WXOW is the ABC-affiliated television station for La Crosse, Wisconsin. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter at its studios on County Highway 25 in La Crescent, Minnesota. Syndicated programming on the station includes: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Doctors, Rachael Ray, and The Dr. Oz Show. WQOW in Eau Claire is a semi-satellite of WXOW. It clears all of this channel's syndicated programming but airs separate newscasts, station identifications, and commercials. WXOW serves the southern half of the La Crosse/Eau Claire market while WQOW serves the northern half. The two stations are counted as a single unit for ratings purposes. DirecTV carries WXOW but not WQOW. As of September 2010 Dish Network offers both WXOW and WQOW to its customers in the La Crosse/Eau Claire market.
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On WXOW-DT2 (CenturyLink channel 5, and Charter and Mediacom channel 15) is the area's CW affiliate. On WXOW-DT3 as well as Charter and Mediacom digital channel 968 is This TV; it is not offered on CenturyLink's digital systems.
| Subchannel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 19.1 | main WXOW programming/ABC HD |
| 19.2 | WXOW-DT2 "La Crosse-Eau Claire CW" |
| 19.3 | WXOW-DT3 This TV |
WXOW signed on-the-air March 7, 1970 as a semi-satellite of WKOW-TV in Madison. Before then, ABC was relegated to off-hours clearances on CBS affiliate WKBT and NBC affiliate WEAU-TV. Depending on the location, western Wisconsin viewers could get the full ABC schedule on KMSP-TV in the Twin Cities, KAUS-TV (now KAAL) in Austin, Minnesota or WKOW.
However, unlike the other stations in the La Crosse/Eau Claire market, it was unable to provide a decent signal to Eau Claire due to its transmitter being in Minnesota. In 1980, WXOW severed the electronic umbilical cord with WKOW and signed-on WQOW as a semi-satellite to improve its coverage in the northern part of the area. In 1980-1982 and 1990-1996, WXOW's newscasts were simulcasted on WQOW. From 1982-1990, this station provided all weather segments during WQOW's newscasts as that station did not have a weather department. WXOW still provides the weekend weather segments on WQOW. WXOW and WQOW began operating the cable-only "WBCZ" affiliate of The WB in 1998.[1] This was on channel 15 on most systems in La Crosse and Eau Claire. In September 2002, WXOW became the first La Crosse area television station to broadcast in digital on UHF channel 14.[2] On September 7, 2011 WXOW began to air newscasts in high definition. The station also unveiled a new HD set and graphics and now newscasts are called News 19 Live At (time of Day) Expect Daybreak.
WXOW and WQOW replaced "WBCZ" with new digital broadcast subchannels WXOW 19.2 and WQOW 18.2 simulcasting The CW when the new network launched in the fall of 2006. WXOW began airing solely in digital, effective February 17, 2009, with the analog WXOW transmitter operating for sixty additional days broadcasting only local news and information about the digital transition.[3] On June 11, 2009, WXOW moved from its initial digital channel assignment to channel 48 at a higher power.
WXOW and WQOW launched This TV simulcasted on new digital third digital subchannels of the stations in February/March 2010.[4][5]
Anchors
News 19 Storm Vision Meteorologists
Sports
Reporters
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