WNBW-DT
WNBW-DT, virtual channel 9, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Gainesville, Florida, United States. Owned by MPS Media, it is operated under a local marketing agreement by New Age Media, making it sister to High Springs-licensed dual CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate WGFL and Gainesville-licensed low-powered, Class A Antenna TV affiliate WYME-CD. All three stations, in turn, are operated under a master service agreement by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The stations share studios on Northwest 80th Boulevard in Gainesville and transmitter facilities on Southwest 30th Avenue near Newberry. There is no separate website for WNBW; instead, it is integrated with that of sister station WGFL.
On cable, WNBW is available on Cox channel 9 in Gainesville and Altitude Communications channel 9 in High Springs. There is a high definition feed offered on Cox digital channel 1009.
The Gainesville market is located between several other Florida DMAs. In these areas, local cable systems opt instead for the affiliate for their home market instead of WNBW. This includes Charter Spectrum and Cox in Ocala that both offer WESH. In Lake City, Comcast Xfinity provides WTLV.
History
In June 2008, WGFL announced it would be launching a new digital-only television station on September 8. Originally known since 1996 by its construction permit number, 960920WR, the station received the WNBW-DT calls on August 18. Its signal was activated for testing on September 4. New Age Media officially launched the station on December 31, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. through an LMA with MPS Media. On that date, WNBW began regular programming bringing local NBC service back to Gainesville since WCJB-TV switched its affiliation from the network to ABC in 1973. It holds rights to enforce blackouts on out-of-market stations carrying NBC and syndicated programming such as WESH in Orlando which originally served Gainesville and Ocala as the de facto affiliate. Cox began offering WNBW on channel 9 beginning January 16. However, WESH's analog and digital feeds remain on the system.The station had a construction permit for airing an analog signal on UHF channel 29. However, this was not activated before the analog shutdown on June 12, 2009. Originally, WNBW indicated it would eventually air some local programming including local newscasts by the start of 2010. This is required to maintain its NBC affiliation. Due to the low wattage of its transmitter, any usable signal is not received for the majority of Gainesville residents. Ironically, WYME broadcasts a higher-powered analog signal even though it is a Class A station. That station, which had been serving as a repeater of WMYG, became a separate outlet and joined MeTV. The service is a network specifically designed for digital subchannels offering classic television sitcoms, dramas, and classic commercials from the 1950s through 1980s. WNBW launched a second digital subchannel to offer WYME a digital signal.
On September 25, 2013, New Age Media announced that it would sell most of its stations, including WGFL and WMYG-LP, to the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Concurrently, MPS Media planned to sell WNBW-DT to Cunningham Broadcasting; the station would have continued to be operated by WGFL. On October 31, 2014, MPS Media requested the dismissal of its application to sell WNBW-DT; the next day, Sinclair purchased the non-license assets of the stations it planned to buy from New Age Media and began operating them through a master service agreement.
Digital television
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming |
| 9.1 | 1080i | WNBW-DT | Main WNBW-DT programming / NBC | |
| 9.2 | 480i | Charge! | Charge! | |
| 9.3 | 480i | Comet | Comet | |
| 9.4 | 480i | Antenna | Simulcast of WYME-CD / Antenna TV |
Until June 3, 2015, WYME-CD did not air a digital signal, as with the case of many Class A stations. A digital simulcast is provided on WNBW-DT4 currently for that purpose.
As part of the repacking process following the 2016–2017 FCC incentive auction, WNBW will plan to move its VHF channel allocation number from 9 to 8 on May 1, 2020.