WCRN

**Not related to the real-life AM radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts.
WCRN is the ABC station licensed to serve Caroline, New York. The station signed on the air in July 1973 as a religious independent station, before switching to a more traditional format in 1975. In 1985, the station became an affiliate of the American Broadcasting Company. It is currently owned by Keystone Company.
== Early history (1973-1975) ==
WCRN signed on the air on July 17, 1973 using the call letters WRLG (which were later used by the RDN affiliate in Rockledge, Florida), broadcasting religious movies and cartoons, as well as local church services. At the time, the station was owned by the Caroline First Methodist Church. 
== As an independent (1975-1989) ==
In August 1975, the station was sold to Allred Television (which merged into Confection Broadcasting in 2008). The religious format was dropped, and the station began airing more sitcoms and children's cartoons. A nightly newscast titled News 25 at Eleven was added, and proved to be successful. 
Despite good ratings, News 25 was cancelled in early 1981 due to over half of the newscast's staff going on strike due to salary cuts. The broadcast was to resume in 1982 with new personalities, but this did not happen and newscasts on WCRN did not return until 1989.
== As an ABC affiliate (1989-present) ==
In January 1989, WCRN became an affiliate of ABC. Newscasts resumed under the new title of ABC 25 News. Noon and 6 p.m. newscasts were introduced. 
The station infamously removed The Oprah Winfrey Show from its schedule in September 2004, instead filling the 4 p.m. timeslot with The Tony Danza Show. Oprah had aired on WCRN since its 1986 debut, which sparked protests in the Caroline area. The We Want Our Oprah Back campaign convinced WNBY to pick up the show in the same timeslot later in 2004. WCRN unsuccessfully attempted to get Oprah back from WNBY (even claiming they would air promos for the latter station during the former station's commercial breaks), but this was unsuccessful and WNBY remained Caroline's Oprah station until it ended in 2011. WCRN has aired many unsuccessful shows in the 4 p.m. slot since, including Swift Justice with Jackie Glass, FABlife, Katie, The Megan Mullally Show, and The Jeff Probst Show. WCRN debuted a 4 p.m. newscast, ABC 25 News First at Four, in 2018. In 2021, WCRN was sold to Keystone Company. The company sold WYNN, which will become a TCN O&O. 
Current syndicated programming on WCRN includes The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and Dish Nation.
== Subchannels ==
WCRN currently operates two subchannels. 
Channel	SD/HD	PSIP Short Name	Programming
25.1 	HD 	WCRN-HD 	Main WCRN programming / ABC
25.2 	HD 	NewsNow 	ABC News Now
25.3 	SD 	BITE 	Bites
Category:ABC network affiliates
Category:Former religious independent stations
Category:Bites network affiliates
Category:Caroline
Category:New York
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1973
Category:Keystone Company