WDCW

Station Profile

WDCW-TV signed on the air in 1980 as “Nifty-Fifty”, and the station gained prominence in 1995 when it became the market’s WB affiliate.  Tribune Broadcasting purchased the station in 1998 and invested heavily in the best sitcoms available to further grow the station’s presence in the market.  The station morphed from WBDC to DCW50 in 2006 with the changeover to the CW Network in prime time.  Station held annual events to become a contestant on the CW’s America’s Next Top Model drawing millions of on-line votes and sending contestants to the Network show.  DCW50 serves as the National feed for the CW on Direct TV carried on airlines and markets that lack a CW affiliate.

Station has carried a number of professional sports teams over the years including the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles.  The station’s commitment to the community it serves has been evident through a variety of charitable partnerships highlighted by the S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat) annual turkey trot run as well as through local production. The station has produced numerous award winning “Living Black History” specials over the past decade that we air each February and since 2015 have been shared with markets across the country.  In addition to our specials, a regular community program now called “This Just In” highlights important events and topics to the DC market.

Market Profile

Washington DC / Hagerstown MD is in the 8th largest DMA in the United States, with a population of approximately 6,314,680 and 2,630,640 television households, as reported by Nielsen Media.

Cable/ADS penetration in the market is estimated to be 74.2% wired, 18.5% ADS. Washington, DC serves as the Nation’s capital and the District and the surrounding areas are home to many well known historical sites, museums, monuments and parks that visitors flock to the city to see every year.  The Nationals (MLB), Redskins (NFL Super Bowl winners ‘83, ‘88, ‘92), Capitals (NHL Stanley Cup winners ‘18), Wizards (NBA champions ‘78) and DC United (MLS cup champions ’96, ‘97, ‘99, 2004) all call DC home.