WLUK-TV: The Evolution of Green Bay's Fox Affiliate
The history of WLUK-TV is a reflection of the shifting landscape of American broadcast television. From its origins as a small-market VHF station to its current status as a dominant Fox affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the station has navigated numerous ownership changes and network swaps to become a cornerstone of local media.
Early Years and Network Transitions
The station began its journey as WMBV-TV, licensed to Marinette, Wisconsin. Approved for VHF channel 11 on November 18, 1953, the station was launched by the M & M Broadcasting Company, owned by William Walker. After confirming an affiliation with NBC on March 9, 1954, WMBV-TV officially signed on the air on September 10, 1954.
The year 1959 marked a period of significant transformation. On February 1, the station swapped affiliations with WFRV-TV to become an ABC affiliate. It also shifted its city of license to Green Bay and adopted the call sign WLUK-TV on August 22, 1959, inspired by the slogan "Lucky 11." This era saw the introduction of full-power broadcasting from a new tower, the launch of network color programming in 1959, and local color broadcasts starting in 1965.
Ownership shifted to the Post Corporation in 1965, which led to the construction of a new studio on Highland Avenue in 1966. This street was renamed Lombardi Avenue in 1968 in honor of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. During this time, the station aired eclectic local content, including a daily children's show featuring Bozo the Clown and a Saturday night polka show.
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The Return to NBC
On April 18, 1983, WLUK reclaimed its NBC affiliation. The mid-1980s brought rapid ownership changes: George N. Gillett's Gillett Broadcasting purchased Post Corporation in 1984, only to sell the station to Burnham Broadcasting later that year. This sale was necessitated by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations regarding adjacent market ownership, as Gillett sought to acquire KKR stations, including WITI in Milwaukee.
The Shift to Fox and the Packers Era
A pivotal moment occurred on July 29, 1994, when Burnham Broadcasting sold WLUK-TV to SF Broadcasting—a joint venture between Savoy Communications and the Fox Broadcasting Company—for $38 million. Despite a legal challenge from NBC alleging that News Corporation used a shell company to bypass foreign investment limits, the FCC approved the purchase on April 27, 1995.
WLUK officially became a Fox affiliate on August 28, 1995, swapping affiliations with WGBA-TV. The final NBC program aired on the station was a repeat of Wayne's World from the Sunday Night at the Movies series.
This transition proved strategically brilliant due to Fox's 1994 acquisition of the NFL's National Football Conference rights. WLUK became the unofficial home of the Green Bay Packers, leading to massive ratings. Packer games routinely drew an 80% share of the viewing audience, and the station broadcast two of the team's Super Bowl victories since 1994: Super Bowls XXXI and XLV.
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Children's Programming and Ownership Shifts
For years, WLUK was a destination for youth programming, airing Fox Kids until 2001, followed by the Fox Box and 4KidsTV until 2008. By 2014, children's content returned via Xploration Station.
Ownership continued to evolve as SF Broadcasting was acquired by Silver King Communications (led by Barry Diller), which then sold the station to Emmis Communications in 1997 for $307 million as part of a larger portfolio sale.
LIN Media and the Creation of a Duopoly
In August 2005, LIN TV Corporation purchased WLUK as part of a $260 million deal. A significant operational shift occurred on June 4, 2010, when LIN TV entered into shared services and local sales agreements to operate CW affiliate WIWB (now WCWF).
By April 2011, LIN purchased WCWF outright under a failing station waiver. This FCC provision allowed a duopoly (two stations owned by one company in one market) because WCWF was deemed economically non-viable, despite Green Bay not meeting the usual requirement of having eight full-power stations for such an arrangement.
Sinclair Broadcast Group Ownership
The current era began in 2014 when LIN Media merged with Media General. To comply with FCC ownership rules—since Media General already owned WBAY-TV—the WLUK/WCWF duopoly was sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group on December 19, 2014.
Under Sinclair, WLUK further solidified its sports dominance. In 2016, the station won the bid with ESPN for the local syndication of Monday Night Football games featuring the Packers. Combined with Fox's Thursday Night Football rights, WLUK ensures a minimum of ten Packers games per season for local viewers.
Key Facts
- Original Call Sign: WMBV-TV (launched September 10, 1954).
- Current Call Sign: WLUK-TV (adopted August 22, 1959).
- Network History: Affiliated with NBC, then ABC, then NBC again, and finally Fox (since 1995).
- Sports Dominance: Holds a massive audience share (up to 80%) during Green Bay Packers broadcasts.
- Market Duopoly: Operates alongside WCWF under Sinclair Broadcast Group ownership.
| Period | Owner | Network Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 – 1958 | M & M Broadcasting | NBC |
| 1958 – 1965 | Morgan Murphy Stations | NBC / ABC |
| 1965 – 1984 | Post Corporation | ABC / NBC |
| 1984 – 1994 | Burnham Broadcasting | NBC |
| 1994 – 1997 | SF Broadcasting / Silver King | NBC / Fox |
| 1997 – 2005 | Emmis Communications | Fox |
| 2005 – 2014 | LIN TV Corporation | Fox |
| 2014 – Present | Sinclair Broadcast Group | Fox |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did WLUK change its call sign to WLUK-TV?
The station changed its call sign on August 22, 1959, to reference its on-air slogan at the time, "Lucky 11."
How did WLUK become the "home" of the Green Bay Packers?
When WLUK switched to Fox in 1995, it gained access to the NFL's National Football Conference rights, which Fox had acquired in 1994, making it the primary broadcaster for Packers games.
What is a "failing station waiver" in the context of WLUK?
It is an FCC provision that allowed LIN TV to purchase WCWF and create a duopoly in the Green Bay market, despite the market not having enough full-power stations to normally permit such an arrangement, because WCWF was economically non-viable.
Which Super Bowls have been the highest-rated programs in the Green Bay market?
Super Bowls XXXI and XLV, both Packers victories broadcast on WLUK, are the highest-rated programs in the history of the Green Bay market.
Who currently owns WLUK-TV?
WLUK-TV is currently owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which acquired the station and its sister station WCWF in December 2014.