ATLANTA—CBS said WUPA Atlanta will become its new network outlet in that city. The station, which broadcasts on Channel 69, will begin broadcasting CBS programming on Aug. 16.
CBS News & Stations has owned WUPA, currently branded on-air as Atlanta 69, since 1994. Currently an independent, WUPA was an affiliate of The CW from 2006 to 2024.
Effective Aug. 16, WUPA will rebrand as CBS Atlanta and plans to launch a streaming CBS News Atlanta channel, covering the latest regional weather, traffic, local and breaking news.
Gray Media’s WANF had been the CBS affiliate since 1994. Gray said WANF will become an independent station focued on its local news operation.
CBS owns and operates 27 stations in 17 of the country’s biggest markets. It operates a streaming service, CBS News 24/7, which includes streaming news feeds from many of its owned stations.
“Launching our first owned CBS station in Atlanta is a milestone moment for us,” said Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Stations and CBS News and Stations Digital. “This expansion allows us to bring the full strength of CBS’ award-winning news, sports and entertainment programming directly to one of the most vibrant and influential markets in the country. With WUPA and the launch of the CBS News Atlanta streaming channel, we’re not just delivering content—we’re investing in the community, local journalism and ensuring Atlanta viewers receive the same trusted, high-quality journalism that defines CBS in every market we serve.”
WUPA’s live linear feed will also be available on Paramount+.
In a separate announcement, Gray Media said WANF would leverage its local news operation and the resources of its Atlanta-based parent company to better serve the local community with on-air and online content.
“As residents of Atlanta along with our families, this company’s leadership and our corporate colleagues have been keenly focused on improving what we watch every day on WANF and its sister station, WPCH Peachtree TV,” said Gray’s executive chairman Hilton Howell. “We are excited to now take WANF in a new direction that puts full control of the station’s offerings in local hands and that allows us to expand our investment in local news, weather and sports by, for and about the people who, like us, live in Greater Atlanta.”
Gray said that it plans to make additional financial and other resource investments in WANF to enable it to transition successfully to a strong independent local television station.
Gray said it expects that WANF will join the ranks of other successful local independent news stations. Former network affiliates like Gray-owned KTVK Phoenix, WJXT Jacksonville, and WHDH Boston are all high-rated independent stations that have flourished with a strong local news presence, the company said.
“Since acquiring WANF and WPCH in December 2021, Gray has invested tens of millions of dollars to reinvigorate the stations and expand their capabilities,“ Gray Co-CEO Pat LaPlatney said. “Three years ago, WANF adopted its current call sign to emphasize its new commitment to delivering Atlanta News First. This is not just a slogan, it’s the philosophy for the entire organization. The next chapter as an independent station allows WANF to deliver on that commitment more fully, and our experience and our research make us optimistic that viewers and advertisers will increasingly turn to WANF as a result.”
