WUPA

WUPA

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Broadcasting
Founded	1981
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia , United States
Owner	CBS News and Stations (CBS)

WUPA (channel 69), known on-air as CBS Atlanta, is a television station located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It operates under the ownership and management of the CBS network through its CBS News and Stations division. The station's studios are situated along Northeast Expressway (I-85) within unincorporated DeKalb County, while its transmitter is positioned in the northeastern section of Atlanta near North Druid Hills.

Channel 69 commenced operations in 1981 under the call sign WVEU as an independent broadcaster. Early technical challenges involving interference with mobile radio communications constrained both its broadcast hours and signal reach, which negatively impacted the success of its subscription television (STV) service and a music video channel. In 1994, local stakeholders sold WVEU to CBS amid the network’s search for a new affiliate in Atlanta; however, CBS ultimately partnered with a more established station. Subsequently, WVEU became affiliated with UPN and was acquired by the Paramount Stations Group. Renamed WUPA, Paramount enhanced the station's programming lineup and audience ratings prior to UPN’s transition to The CW in 2006. Following Paramount Global’s divestment of most of its interest in The CW to Nexstar Media Group in 2022, WUPA ended its affiliation on September 1, 2023, reverting to independent status. Less than two years later, WUPA was relaunched as Atlanta’s CBS network-owned outlet.

Initial establishment, land mobile interference conflict, and STV period (1981–1984)

In 1978, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received competing applications for a new television station on channel 69 in Atlanta. On August 19, 1980, the license was granted to Broadcast Corporation of Georgia (BCG), a group of Atlanta-based investors. BCG proposed a dual programming model combining traditional advertising-supported content during daytime hours with a subscription television (STV) service at night. David Harris, an attorney and majority stakeholder in BCG, was consulted by representatives of a California-based STV firm seeking guidance on establishing the station. The antenna installation atop the Peachtree Plaza Hotel was completed in mid-August 1980 shortly before the FCC's licensing decision.

Subscription content was to be delivered under the Superstar TV brand by Subscription Television of Greater Atlanta, initially reported as co-owned by Clint Murchison and electronics manufacturer Dynacom, which produced subscriber decoders. However, ownership actually resided with Clyde A. Murchison, who was described as Clint's great-nephew but later found to have no relation. This false claim became critical when Clyde attempted to establish Radioactivity Broadcast Group in 1988; investigative due diligence revealed fraudulent background assertions and forged financial records, resulting in his conviction for wire fraud in 1989.

WVEU launched broadcasts on August 22, 1981. A full-scale debut scheduled for October 1 was postponed due to interference issues between channel 69’s transmissions on 800–806 MHz and two-way land mobile radio systems. Additionally, planned daytime programming from The Market Report business news service experienced financial difficulties preventing its timely rollout. Superstar TV began operations by year-end, officially launching on January 8, 1982. The FCC imposed restrictions on WVEU’s broadcast hours: weekday transmissions were limited to after 7 p.m., Saturdays after 3 p.m., and full-day operation on Sundays only. Commercial programs aired exclusively Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Superstar TV occupying all other time slots.

The land mobile radio interference problem persisted for several years, confining WVEU mainly to production contract work. In June 1983, the FCC permitted the station to operate at half power before 7 p.m., contingent upon paying approximately $250,000 to relocate affected users; however, opposition delayed this plan. By February 1984, the FCC mandated that WVEU either negotiate relocations or face revocation of its temporary authorization. The conflict concluded by July 1984 when BCG was awarded a full license; nevertheless, Superstar TV had filed for bankruptcy in April 1983 and ceased operations on July 23 with fewer than 3,000 subscribers.

The independent years (1984–1995)

Following the discontinuation of Superstar TV, WVEU entered into an operational partnership with VideoMusic Channel, a provider of music video content on Atlanta's cable networks, to supply nearly the entire programming schedule for channel 69. In August 1984, the station resumed control of its programming but soon eliminated music videos entirely, substituting them with syndicated series and reruns, as advertisers showed limited interest in the video format. That same year, an initial plan to sell the station to RBP Corporation was reached but ultimately did not come to fruition.

WVEU ventured into sports broadcasting by securing rights to air 30 Atlanta Hawks NBA games during the 1984–85 season, featuring John Sterling as the play-by-play commentator. Due to insufficient advertising demand, this package was reduced to 19 games. The subsequent season included a 20-game slate with the Hawks managing advertising sales; they also broadcast a sold-out home game at The Omni arena, marking their first home telecast in two years.

Throughout the mid-1990s, WVEU served as Atlanta’s fallback independent station while competitors like WATL (channel 36) stabilized and WGNX (channel 46) expanded as leading local independents. It earned a reputation as the city’s "quicker picker-upper," airing programs overlooked by network affiliates—including CBS morning news from 1986 to 1994 and late-night shows—as well as preempted network sports events.

WVEU’s diverse programming lineup reflected its position as Atlanta’s "underfunded" independent station. Offerings included martial arts films presented under Black Belt Theater with host Morgus the Magnificent; professional wrestling; a weekday public access program titled Community; a locally produced weekly automotive magazine show called The Auto Doctor; and a jazz music video series named Jazz Beat. After a planned acquisition by Home Shopping Network fell through in 1989, the station introduced Japanese-language content known as 600 Station during morning hours.

Almost a CBS affiliate

On May 23, 1994, New World Communications revealed plans to convert most of its stations, including Atlanta’s WAGA-TV, into Fox affiliates. This development prompted CBS to seek a new partner in Atlanta following Fox’s acquisition of NFC football broadcast rights.

In July of that year, Broadcast Corporation of Georgia (BCG) proposed selling WVEU to CBS. By September, with no more prominent alternatives available, CBS agreed to purchase WVEU for $22 million and transform it into a CBS owned-and-operated outlet. However, WVEU lacked the infrastructure and personnel typical of network affiliates, necessitating significant investment from CBS—potentially approaching $100 million—to establish a comprehensive news operation and upgrade technical facilities. Although securing an affiliate, CBS anticipated possible ratings drops and faced challenges due to WVEU’s weaker signal compared to the departing WAGA. For BCG and its majority stakeholder David Harris, the transaction represented a lucrative outcome; prior to becoming cash flow–positive in 1993, WVEU had never turned a profit.

During late 1994, CBS delayed finalizing the acquisition while continuing discussions with Fox and Tribune Broadcasting (owner of WGNX). By mid-November, despite WAGA’s imminent switch to Fox, CBS had not submitted FCC documentation for the deal. On November 16, CBS announced it would affiliate with WGNX instead, favoring its established local news team. CBS regarded WVEU as a "backup" option and intended to acquire and promptly resell the station.

Affiliation with UPN (1995–2006)

Although channel 69 did not secure the CBS affiliation in Atlanta, WVEU gained a strategic network partnership by joining the newly established United Paramount Network (UPN) in December 1994, just prior to UPN's official debut. Concurrently, WATL became affiliated with The WB network. Shortly thereafter, the Paramount Stations Group negotiated the acquisition of WVEU from CBS. Paid programming was substantially reduced and replaced with stronger syndicated content and UPN shows, leading to improved audience ratings.

In May 1995, Viacom, the parent company of Paramount, acquired WVEU for $27 million, divesting KSLA in Shreveport to adhere to ownership regulations. In December 1995, Viacom rebranded the station as WUPA (United Paramount/Atlanta) and pursued a more assertive strategy in acquiring syndicated programming, which resulted in tripling household ratings and earning the distinction as UPN’s inaugural affiliate of the year.

During the late 1990s, WUPA broadened its local sports coverage. Following TBS's reduction of Atlanta Braves broadcasts due to its cable transition, WUPA secured rights to air an 11-game Braves package in 1998, expanding to 30 games in 1999 before Turner South reclaimed the rights in 2000. Additionally, starting in 1999, WUPA broadcast 15 Atlanta Thrashers hockey games annually and resumed airing Atlanta Hawks basketball contests in 2001 after WHOT-TV was sold to Univision.

In the early 2000s, WUPA enhanced its local identity by shifting from "UPN 69" to "UPN Atlanta" in 2003, while also producing non-news specials and sponsoring events such as Music Midtown. The station relocated its transmitter to northeastern Atlanta near North Druid Hills to facilitate digital broadcasting operations. On April 5, 2004, NBC affiliate WXIA-TV began producing a half-hour prime time newscast at 10 p.m. for WUPA titled UPN Atlanta News at Ten, handling advertising sales for the program. This was complemented by a live half-hour talk show called Atlanta Tonight at 10:30 p.m. However, both programs struggled against WAGA’s well-established newscast and were discontinued on August 28, 2005 due to "economic reasons."

The CW Affiliation and Independent Operation (2006–2025)

On January 24, 2006, Warner Bros. (Time Warner) and CBS Corporation announced that The WB and UPN would cease operations to form a new network named The CW; as part of this transition, eleven of CBS’s fifteen UPN affiliates—including WUPA—became CW affiliates.

In 2014, WUPA obtained official broadcast rights for the Atlanta Falcons’ preseason games and weekly team shows. Initially produced by CBS Sports, production responsibilities shifted to Tupelo Raycom in 2017. The Falcons later transferred their broadcast partnership to WAGA-TV in 2020.

Beginning in 2017, WUPA aired overflow matches for Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC through an agreement with Fox Sports Networks; this arrangement transitioned to WPCH-TV by the start of the 2022 season.

By 2019, WUPA’s main local program was the weekly public affairs series Focus Atlanta. On January 17, 2020, CBS Television Stations launched a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WUPA produced by WCBS-TV in New York City, which premiered on February 17. During the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown of the CBS Broadcast Center, WUPA simulcast Boston’s WBZ News at 10 with limited local updates for five months. Production of the Atlanta newscast resumed from KTVT in Fort Worth, Texas on August 11, 2020. On July 18, 2022, the newscast was rebranded as Atlanta Now News, adopting a hybrid local and national format while continuing production from Fort Worth.

Nexstar Media Group acquired majority control of The CW on October 3, 2022. Under this arrangement, CBS retained the option to terminate affiliations with its eight CW stations. On May 5, 2023, CBS announced that WUPA would conclude its CW affiliation by the end of August and revert to independent status. The CW affiliation was transferred to Gray Television-owned WPCH-TV under an extended agreement between Gray and The CW. Subsequently, WUPA adopted the "Atlanta 69" brand name, aligning with a trend among disaffiliated stations emphasizing city name combined with channel number.

As a CBS Owned-and-Operated Station

On June 2, 2025, Gray Media announced its decision to discontinue WANF's affiliation with CBS after mid-August 2025, transitioning the station to operate independently. Concurrently, Paramount Global disclosed that WUPA would assume the role of Atlanta's new CBS owned-and-operated station beginning August 16, 2025. Alongside this affiliation transition, CBS intended to establish an internal news division and introduce a local streaming service named CBS News Atlanta dedicated to regional news coverage.

On August 6, 2025, Paramount appointed Shawn Hoder—formerly the news director at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh—to lead CBS News Atlanta as its news director ahead of the channel's September debut. Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS News and Stations, highlighted the importance of assembling a team deeply connected to the Atlanta community. Prior to the official news launch, WUPA began incorporating localized weather updates during CBS Mornings starting August 18. The complete 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts premiered on September 15, anchored by Jobina Fortson-Evans, who previously worked at WANF. These broadcasts utilize cutting-edge augmented reality and virtual reality technologies similar to those employed by other CBS owned-and-operated stations.

Technical Information and Subchannels

WUPA transmits from a broadcast tower located in northeastern Atlanta near North Druid Hills. The station’s digital signal is multiplexed as follows:

WUPA Subchannels

Channel	Resolution	Aspect Ratio	Identifier	Content
69.1	1080i	16:9	WUPA-DT	CBS
69.2	480i		Start	Start TV
69.3			COMET	Comet
69.4			MeTV	MeTV (WGTA)
69.5			FAVE	Fave TV
69.6			Charge!	Charge!
69.7			H&I	Heroes & Icons (WGTA)

Analog-to-digital transition

On June 12, 2009, WUPA discontinued its analog transmission on UHF channel 69 in accordance with the federally required digital switch. Its digital signal remained on UHF channel 43, while maintaining virtual channel 69 for viewers.

In 2019, the station was reassigned from channel 43 to channel 36 as part of the repacking process.

External links

• MeTVAtlanta.com – Official website of MeTV Atlanta