WMYD Detroit will become the market’s CW affiliate as of Monday, November 13. Known as TV20, WMYD is owned by E.W. Scripps.
WADL had been The CW affiliate in DMA No. 14, but split from the network October 29 over issues related to the station’s sale.
“We are extremely pleased to be adding TV20 as a CW affiliate, especially as we get set to launch ACC men’s and women’s college basketball next month,” Dennis Miller, president of The CW Network, said. “TV20 has a legacy of service to the community, and it will be a great home in the Detroit metro area for The CW.”
WMYD is an independent station.
“The CW offers our audiences and advertisers a solid lineup of attractive programming, including popular entertainment and a growing amount of live sports programming,” said Mike Murri, general manager at WXYZ-WMYD Detroit.
Mission Broadcasting agreed to acquire Adell Broadcasting’s WADL for $75 million in May. The FCC has not yet signed off on the deal. Nexstar manages Mission’s stations. In October 2022, Nexstar completed its acquisition of 75% of The CW.
Adell Broadcasting chief Kevin Adell told B+C he did not have an affiliation agreement with The CW, but agreed to air the network as an “accommodation” as he awaited the FCC’s signoff on the WADL sale. Prior to the WMYD announcement, Adell said Nexstar should enter into an affiliation agreement and pay WADL to run the network.
The CW’s schedule, amidst the Hollywood strikes, features both homegrown shows, including Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and series picked up from other countries, such as Sullivan’s Crossing, The Spencer Sisters and Son of a Critch.
CBS-owned WKBD had been Detroit’s CW affiliate, but the eight CW stations in the CBS group, including WKBD, WPSG Philadelphia and WUPA Atlanta, went independent as of September 1.
WADL had aired both The CW and MyNetworkTV programming weeknights, from 8 to 10 p.m. and 10 to midnight, respectively. It is now running MyNetworkTV programming from 8 to 10 p.m.
Adell told B+C he now has “more options to put other programming” on WADL.
