Nexstar Media Group says it has found a new home for its CW Network programming in Sacramento.
Starting September 1, CW Network programming will air on KQCA-TV (Channel 58), which has served as Nexstar’s broadcast partner for LIV Golf events in the market.
Currently, CW Network programming airs on KMAX-TV (Channel 31), which is owned by Paramount Global. Earlier this year, Paramount said it would drop CW Network programming from KMAX-TV and seven other local broadcast stations in different parts of the country.
“Hearst has been an important partner for The CW throughout the years, and we are extremely pleased to be launching a new CW affiliate in Sacramento,” Dennis Miller, the president of the CW Network, said in a statement. “KQCA-TV is already home to LIV Golf in Sacramento, and this agreement will ensure that viewers there won’t miss a moment of our other highly-rated sports and entertainment programming, including ACC college football and basketball, and Inside the NFL, both of which premiere this fall.”
The agreement announced on Tuesday also extends CW Network programming rights on other Hearst stations serving Orlando, Kansas City, Portland (Maine), Greensboro, Burlington and Fort Smith.
“The evolution of the CW with the infusion of live sports like NASCAR Xfinity Series racing and ACC football and basketball, along with new entertainment programming, brings excitement and momentum to our group,” Michael Hayes, the president of Hearst Television, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Dennis and his team in this expanded partnership, continuing our relationship with the network.”
Nexstar owns a 75 percent majority stake in the CW Network. Its decision to put CW Network programming on KQCA puts the station in direct competition with KTXL, the market’s Fox affiliate that Nexstar owns outright.
KTXL and KQCA both air a prime-time newscast at 10 p.m., with KQCA’s news production and on-air talent furnished by sister-station KCRA (Channel 3).
In June, Nexstar announced it would move its CW Network programming to its owned-stations in San Francisco (KRON, Channel 4), Tampa (WTTA, Channel 38) and Philadelphia (WPHL, Channel 17) following Paramount’s decision to pull the CW Network affiliation from its owned stations in those three markets.
Nexstar is also in the process of acquiring KUSI-TV (Channel 51) in San Diego and facilitating the license transfer of WADL (Channel 38) in Detroit to Mission Broadcasting, with both moves intended to help the company find new homes for CW Network programming in those areas.
