WISH-TV

What WISH-TV does

WISH-TV is an Indianapolis-based television broadcasting station operating as a CW affiliate in the #25 U.S. television market (Indianapolis DMA). Founded in 1954 and currently owned by Circle City Broadcasting I, LLC — a certified Minority Business Enterprise led by Owner, President, and CEO DuJuan McCoy — the station is positioned as Indiana's only statewide television news network. It delivers more than 80 hours per week of local news, weather (Storm Track 8), sports coverage (Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Indy 500, Purdue, IU, and high school sports), investigative journalism (I-Team 8), crime reporting (Crime Watch 8), and lifestyle programming (Life.Style.Live!).

The underlying technology stack is traditional broadcast infrastructure combined with a modern digital distribution layer: over-the-air transmission, dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, the wishtv.com website with live-streaming capability, and an expanding podcast network (All INdiana Podcast Network, with 13+ original shows). In October 2025, WISH-TV extended its distribution through agreements with Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, activating OTT streaming carriage alongside its existing CW affiliation and wholly-owned sister stations WNDY (CW 8) and WIIH-TV, plus digital properties Circulus Digital Media and MyINDY-TV 23.

The business model is the standard local broadcast television model: advertising revenue (national and local spot ad sales) is the primary monetization mechanism, with subscription and streaming royalty contributions newly layered in via the Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV deals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, reflecting the traditional broadcast model where ad rates are negotiated rather than list-priced. WISH-TV's end customers are Indianapolis DMA viewers (highly fragmented) and advertisers seeking access to the local audience; the station does not name specific advertiser customers in available materials.

Name

WISH-TV

Legal name

Circle City Broadcasting I, LLC

Website

https://wishtv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WISH-TV is an Indianapolis-based CW affiliate television station and Indiana's only statewide TV news network, owned by Circle City Broadcasting. It delivers 80+ hours weekly of local news, weather, sports, and lifestyle content across broadcast, mobile, and streaming platforms including Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Television Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

Keywords

• Local television broadcasting
• Local news programming
• Weather forecasting coverage
• Sports broadcasting rights
• Over-the-air broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WISH-TV is a CW-affiliated local television station headquartered in Indianapolis that produces and broadcasts local and statewide news, weather, and sports coverage across Central Indiana. It monetizes its broadcast, streaming, and digital audiences through advertising sales across linear TV, connected TV, mobile, and web inventory. The station also distributes its content through a mobile app, a website with live and on-demand video, and third-party live-TV streaming platforms.

Product overview

WISH-TV is Indiana's only statewide television news network providing over 80 hours per week of local news and programming. The station operates as a CW affiliate under Circle City Broadcasting, offering a multi-platform news and entertainment portfolio. Core offerings include local news (Crime Watch 8, I-Team 8 investigative unit), weather forecasting (Storm Track 8), sports coverage, lifestyle programming (Life.Style.Live!), and podcast content (All INdiana Podcast Network). Distribution spans traditional broadcast, mobile apps (iOS/Android), and streaming platforms (Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV), with subchannel offerings through CW 8 and MyINDY-TV 23.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local News Programming Daily local and statewide news broadcasts covering Indianapolis, Central Indiana, and the broader state of Indiana for mass-market viewers.
• Weather Forecasting and Severe-Weather Coverage
• Local Sports Coverage
• Live and On-Demand Streaming on wishtv.com
• WISH-TV News 8 Mobile App
• Advertising on WISH-TV (Linear, Digital, Connected TV)
• MBE-Certified Supplier-Diverse Media Partnerships

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hulu + Live TVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 October 2025WISH-TV secured distribution agreement with Hulu + Live TV to carry its local programming including news, sports, and community content on their streaming platform. The deal activates within 75 days, expanding access beyond traditional cable and over-the-air broadcasts.
• YouTube TVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 October 2025WISH-TV secured distribution agreement with YouTube TV to carry its local programming including news, sports, and community content on their streaming platform. The deal activates within 75 days, providing diversified revenue through subscriber fees and streaming royalties.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WRTV: Indianapolis ABC affiliate; directly competes with WISH-TV for local news viewers and ad revenue in the same Indianapolis metropolitan market.
• WGN-TV: Chicago-based CW affiliate owned by Nexstar; comparable as a CW-affiliated local TV station in a major US market with multi-platform content distribution.
• WXIN/WTTV: Indianapolis FOX (WXIN) and CW (WTTV) duopoly owned by Nexstar Media; WTTV in particular competes head-to-head with WISH-TV's CW-affiliated audience and ad inventory in the same market.
• WFTV: Orlando ABC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group; comparable as a top-market local TV station with strong local news output and digital streaming presence.
• WSB-TV: Atlanta ABC affiliate owned by Cox Media Group; comparable as a top-tier market local TV station emphasizing local news, weather, and digital distribution.
• WTHR: Indianapolis NBC affiliate owned by Tegna; directly competes with WISH-TV for local news audience and advertising dollars in the same Indianapolis DMA. Comparable as a network-affiliated local TV station in the same market.
• WBNS-TV: Columbus, Ohio CBS affiliate owned by Dispatch Broadcasting; comparable as an independent, locally owned network-affiliated station in a top-tier Midwest market producing heavy local news.

Broad incumbents

• Gray Television: Major US local broadcast group with 100+ stations; relevant as a broad incumbent shaping local TV ad markets and acquisition benchmarks relevant to valuing stations like WISH-TV.
• Tegna: Large US local TV station group operating 60+ stations including WTHR; relevant as a scaled incumbent defining competitive dynamics in Indianapolis and similar markets.
• Nexstar Media Group: Largest US local TV broadcaster with 200+ stations including the WXIN/WTTV Indianapolis duopoly; directly relevant as the dominant in-market competitor and a benchmark for station valuations and OTT strategies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WISH_TV

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WISH-TV