History of WAFB in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 19, 2025

WAFB is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is owned by Gray Media, which also owns WBXH-CD, a MyNetworkTV affiliate. The two stations share studio facilities in downtown Baton Rouge. WAFB's transmission tower is situated along River Road in the Riverbend area.

1948: WAFB and WAFB-FM Sign On

In 1948, radio stations WAFB and WAFB-FM signed on, affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System, later becoming sister stations to WAFB-TV.

April 19, 1953: WAFB Begins Broadcasting

On April 19, 1953, WAFB began broadcasting as the first television station in Baton Rouge, and the second in Louisiana. It was a counterpart to local radio stations WAFB and WAFB-FM.

1955: "Buckskin Bill" Black Starts Children's Show

In 1955, "Buckskin Bill" Black started hosting a children's show on WAFB, which ran in various formats until 1990.

1955: WBRZ-TV Signs On

In 1955, WBRZ-TV signed on, leading WAFB to discontinue carrying NBC programming.

1956: Sale to Royal Street Corporation

In 1956, Modern Broadcasting of Baton Rouge sold WAFB to Royal Street Corporation of New Orleans, who also owned WDSU-TV.

1957: Radio Stations Sold

In 1957, Royal Street sold the WAFB radio stations, with the AM station changing to a black music format and the FM station going off the air.

1960: WAFB Moves to VHF Channel 9

In 1960, WAFB moved from UHF channel 28 to VHF channel 9, requiring WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg to move to channel 7.

1964: Sale to Guaranty Corporation

In 1964, Royal Street sold WAFB to locally based Guaranty Corporation.

1965: Tower Relocation and Color Broadcasting

In 1965, WAFB moved its transmission tower and began broadcasting in color, expanding its signal reach to a 90-mile radius.

1968: WAFB-FM Returns

In 1968, a new WAFB-FM signed on, after the original station went off the air in 1957.

1971: WRBT Signs On

In 1971, WRBT (now WVLA) signed on, resulting in WAFB ceasing to carry ABC programming.

September 1977: End of "The Buckskin Bill Show"

In September 1977, "The Buckskin Bill Show" for older children ended its run.

September 30, 1988: Cancellation of Daily "Storyland"

On September 30, 1988, AFLAC station management canceled the daily "Storyland" program.

November 5, 1988: "Buckskin Bill and Friends" Premieres

On November 5, 1988, "Buckskin Bill and Friends", a Saturday morning program, began airing after the cancellation of "Storyland".

1988: Daytime Programming Changes

Beginning in 1988, WAFB aired The Price Is Right at 11 a.m. and The Young and the Restless at 4 p.m., shifting from the network-recommended times.

1988: AFLAC Buys WAFB

In 1988, Guaranty sold WAFB to AFLAC. AFLAC invested in studio redesign, rebranded the station as "Louisiana's News Channel", and made changes to local programming. The station also petitioned CBS to change the order of their daytime shows.

September 12, 1990: WAFB Begins 24-Hour Broadcasting

On September 12, 1990, WAFB began broadcasting 24 hours a day.

September 1990: "Buckskin and Friends" Cancelled

In September 1990, "Buckskin and Friends" was cancelled after Buckskin Bill Black's resignation from WAFB.

1990: WAFB Uses "Newschannel" Theme

From 1990, WAFB used the "Newschannel" theme by Gari Media for its news presentation.

1990: End of "Buckskin Bill and Friends"

In 1990, "Buckskin Bill and Friends" ended after Black's resignation from WAFB.

1994: WAFB Overtakes WBRZ in News Ratings

In 1994, WAFB overtook WBRZ's news ratings after investing in its news product and maintaining low staff turnover.

1995: Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune Move to WBRZ

In 1995, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune moved from WAFB to WBRZ.

1997: AFLAC Sells Broadcasting Division to Raycom Media

In 1997, AFLAC sold its entire broadcasting division, including WAFB, to Raycom Media.

2003: Raycom Acquires WBXH-CA

In 2003, Raycom acquired WBXH-CA, which became a sister station to WAFB.

2006: WBXH-CA Becomes UPN/MyNetworkTV Affiliate

In 2006, WBXH-CA became Baton Rouge's third UPN affiliate and later a MyNetworkTV affiliate.

January 8, 2007: WBXH-CD Weeknight Newscast

On January 8, 2007, WBXH-CD began airing a weeknight newscast.

March 3, 2008: WAFB Begins Broadcasting in High Definition

On March 3, 2008, WAFB became the first station in Baton Rouge and the third in Louisiana to broadcast its local broadcasts in high definition. WBXH broadcasts were also included.

June 12, 2009: Analog Signal Shut Down

On June 12, 2009, WAFB shut down its analog signal and relocated its digital signal to VHF channel 9.

September 12, 2011: Morning Newscasts Begin at 4:30 a.m.

On September 12, 2011, WAFB became the first station in the market to begin its morning newscasts at 4:30 a.m.

September 2011: Bounce TV Affiliate Launch

Before September 2011, weather was broadcast on channel 9.2. Later that month, WAFB launched Bounce TV affiliate.

2011: The Oprah Winfrey Show Ends

In 2011, The Oprah Winfrey Show ended its run; it had previously moved from WAFB to WBRZ and then WVLA.

2014: Raycom Switches News Music Client

In late 2014, Raycom switched its news music client to Stephen Arnold Music.

2015: "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" Leaves WAFB

Until 2015, WAFB aired the syndicated version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"; the show then moved to WBXH.

January 10, 2018: Death of William "Buckskin Bill" Black

On January 10, 2018, William "Buckskin Bill" Black passed away. He was known for hosting a show for children.

June 25, 2018: Gray Television and Raycom Announce Merger

On June 25, 2018, Gray Television announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets, including WAFB, under Gray's corporate umbrella.

January 2, 2019: Gray-Raycom Merger Completed

On January 2, 2019, the merger between Gray Television and Raycom was completed, making WAFB a Gray Television station.

September 9, 2019: Return to Network-Recommended Air Times

On September 9, 2019, WAFB resumed airing The Price Is Right and The Young and the Restless at their respective network-recommended times of 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

March 26, 2020: Launch of 4 p.m. Newscast

On March 26, 2020, WAFB launched a 4 p.m. newscast in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 3, 2020: Expansion of 6 p.m. Newscast to a Full Hour

On August 3, 2020, WAFB became the first station in Baton Rouge to expand its 6 p.m. newscast to a full hour.

2020: Family Feud Leaves WAFB

In 2020, WAFB stopped airing the syndicated version of Family Feud hosted by Steve Harvey.

June 26, 2023: Launch of 9 a.m. Weekday Newscast

On June 26, 2023, WAFB launched a 9 a.m. weekday newscast.

December 30, 2023: Pelicans Games to Air on WAFB

On December 30, 2023, Gray Television announced an agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans to air 10 games on WAFB during the 2023–24 season.

September 17, 2024: Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network Deal

On September 17, 2024, Gray and the Pelicans announced a broader deal to form the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, which will broadcast nearly all 2024–25 Pelicans games on Gray's stations, including WAFB.

October 2024: Affiliation with Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network

Beginning in October 2024, WAFB's third subchannel has been affiliated with the Gray Television owned Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network. The network is the television home of the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association.