WMOW
WMOW, virtual channel 4, is a dual CW+/ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Crandon, Wisconsin, United States. The station is owned by Quincy Media. WMOW's transmitter is located just east of downtown Crandon. On cable, the station is available on Charter Spectrum channel 8 in both standard and high definition. Besides the transmitter, WMOW does not maintain any physical presence locally in Crandon.
Overview
Although considered a separate station in its own right, it technically operates as a full-time satellite of ABC affiliate WAOW in Wausau, which also operates semi-satellite WYOW in Eagle River. However, in an unusual arrangement, the big three network is actually seen on the second digital subchannel of WMOW. Therefore, this actually makes its main channel a straight satellite of CW affiliate WAOW-DT2.Master control and all internal operations of WMOW and WYOW originate from WAOW's studios on Grand Avenue/US 51 in Wausau. On the main channel, it airs a thirty-minute prime time newscast on weeknights known as News 9 at 9 on The CW which is produced by WAOW.
History
Founded December 4, 1998, the station first signed-on February 9, 2001 as WBIJ. It was a FamilyNet affiliate owned by Dennis Selenka. The station aired an analog signal on VHF channel 4. Since WBIJ was granted its construction permit after the finalization of the Federal Communications Commission digital television allotment plan on April 21, 1997, it did not receive a companion digital channel.After Dennis Selenka's death on September 30, 2008, Quincy purchased WBIJ from his widow for $1.5 million on February 13, 2009. The company announced its intention to run WBIJ as a second satellite station of WAOW to serve the northeast portion of the Wausau market in a similar capacity that WYOW does for the extreme northern part of the market. In the meantime, WBIJ signed-off on June 12 at the end of the digital transition for full-service stations as it did not yet have digital facilities ready.
Quincy brought the station back on-the-air as WMOW on June 4, 2010. This station operates its digital signal on VHF channel 12 which was the former analog home of NBC affiliate WJFW-TV.
On June 19, 2011, WAOW became the market's second television outlet to upgrade local news to high definition level. Included in the change was a redesigned set and updated graphics scheme.
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP short name | Programming |
| 4.1 | 720p | WMOW-CW | Main WMOW programming / The CW | |
| 4.2 | 720p | WMOW-DT | Simulcast of WAOW / ABC | |
| 4.3 | 480i | Decades | Decades | |
| 4.4 | 480i | 16:9 | Court TV | |
| 4.5 | 480i | 16:9 | Justice Network |