WPNB

WPNB is an NBC owned-and-operated television station located in Philadelphia, PA, and serves the Deleware Valley region, which includes Philadelphia, South Jersey and the Lehigh Valley region. Broadcasting on virtual and VHF digital channel 12, WPNB is owned and operated by the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations subsidiary of NBCUniversal. In addition to running the NBC schedule, WPNB also runs syndicated programming, including Supermarket Sweep, The Take, and Match Game. WPNB also operates four subchannels: 12.2 (For Cartoon Cartoons), 12.3 (For Cartoon Theater), 12.4 (for NBC Weather Plus), and 12.5 (for Cozi TV).
==History==
WPNB was launched in 1955 as WPFH, named after Paul F. Harron, who owned Philadelphia radio station WIBG. As an independent station, WPFH became the home station for the Philadelphia Phillies, the (then) Philadelphia Athletics, the (then) Philadelphia Warriors, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Finally in 1970, 15 years after they launched, WPFH became an NBC affiliate. WPFH struggled as an NBC affiliate as NBC struggled as a whole. WPFH found themselves finishing at the bottom of the Delaware Valley market. Even as NBC rose in the ratings during the 80s, WPFH still struggled in the market, finishing at no. 4 by 1989.
==Change of ownership==
Harron died on January 20, 1990. Rather than keeping the station in the estate, Harron's family decided to sell the station to Storer Broadcasting. Storer changed the call letters to WPNB, and began to give the station a face lift. Howeer, ratings continue to be a struggle for WPNB, and in 2000, 10 years after buying the station from Harron's estate, Storer put WPNB on the market. Meanwhile after being bought out by Walt Disney Company to become ABC, Inc. Frank Smith, Jr. (whose father helped founded the original Capital Cities Communications) decided to relaunch Capital Cities and made it his creation. In 2002, CapCities bought WPNB and stated making changes to the station. Finally in 2008, WPNB stated gaining a foot into the market race, finishing third in the market while being behind WKYW and WPHE.
== NBCUniversal ownership ==
On June 18, 2017, Capital Cities sold WPNB to NBCUniversal, thus making WPNB an O&O station.
Category:Channel 12
Category:Philadelphia
Category:Pennsylvania
Category:NBC network affiliates
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1955
Category:Former independent stations
Category:NBCUniversal
Category:Cartoon Cartoons affiliate
Category:NBC owned and operated stations