WKCF

WKCF

Clermont–Orlando, Florida United States
City	Clermont, Florida
Channels	Digital: 23 (UHF) Virtual: 18
Branding	CW18
Programming
Affiliations	18.1: The CW / NBC (alternate) 18.2: True Crime Network 18.3: Estrella TV
Ownership
Owner	Hearst Television (Hearst Properties Inc.)
Sister stations	WESH
History
First air date	December 8, 1988 (35 years ago) (1988-12-08)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 68 (UHF, 1988–1991), 18 (UHF, 1991–2009) Digital: 17 (UHF, 2002–2020)
Former affiliations	Independent (1988–1995) The WB (1995–2006)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	53465
ERP	1,000 kW
HAAT	510.8 m (1,676 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	28°35′12.6″N 81°4′57.5″W / 28.586833°N 81.082639°W / 28.586833; -81.082639
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	www.wesh.com/cw18

WKCF (channel 18) is a television station licensed to Clermont, Florida, United States, serving the Orlando area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Daytona Beach–licensed NBC affiliate WESH (channel 2). The two stations share studios on North Wymore Road in Eatonville; WKCF's transmitter is located in unincorporated Bithlo, Florida.

WKCF began broadcasting on channel 68 on December 8, 1988. It was an independent station owned by New Jersey–based Press Broadcasting, which had previously owned WMOD in Melbourne and struggled with an inadequate signal; the company saw WKCF as a transmitter upgrade for WMOD. Before channel 68 was even on the air, Press Broadcasting had reached a deal with Brevard Community College to exchange channel 68 for channel 18, which had been a non-commercial allotment as WRES. After opposition from competing broadcasters, the swap was approved and took effect in October 1991, with WKCF moving to channel 18. Programming highlights of WKCF's first years on air included Orlando Magic road games, a kids' club known as the Buckaroo Club, and a 10 p.m. newscast produced by Orlando CBS affiliate WCPX-TV.

In 1995, WKCF became Orlando's affiliate of The WB. It was among the network's strongest affiliates throughout its tenure. Press Broadcasting moved the station to new studios in Lake Mary in 1998 and sold it the next year to Emmis Communications. Ratings continued to rise, but the newscast was scrapped because its viewers were older than those of The WB. During this time, Emmis acquired a 50-percent stake in the syndicated national morning show The Daily Buzz and moved production of the program from Dayton, Ohio, to the WKCF studios.

In 2006, WKCF was sold as part of Emmis's exit from television to Hearst-Argyle Television, and the station joined The CW upon the merger of The WB and UPN. WKCF's operation was integrated into that of WESH, including the introduction of morning and 10 p.m. newscasts.