WPXZ-TV (channel 21) is a television station in Covington, Kentucky, serving Cincinnati, Ohio as an outlet for Ion Television programming. The station is owned by the Ion Media Networks subsidiary of the locally-based E. W. Scripps Company as part of a triopoly with Cincinnati-licensed Ion Plus owned-and-operated station WOAH-TV (channel 69) and ABC affiliate and Scripps company flagship WCPO-TV (channel 9). WPXZ-TV and WOAH-TV share offices on Ferguson Drive in Union Township, Ohio (with a Cincinnati mailing address), while WCPO-TV maintains separate facilities in the Mount Adams neighborhood of Cincinnati. WPXZ-TV and WOAH-TV share transmission facilities on the Kentucky Educational Television tower near Winston Park in Kenton County, Kentucky. Prior to Ion's 2018 acquisition of WKOI-TV, WPXZ had been the de facto Ion station for the Dayton, Ohio market.
History[]
As WEKO (1968-1998)[]
The station signed on the air on August 11, 1968 under the call letters of WEKO; it was signed-on and owned by Kaiser Broadcasting until it was sold to Field Communications in 1977. While lagging in the ratings behind WXIX-TV (channel 19), WEKO found some success with it's syndicated programming schedule. It also aired a simulcast of CNN Headline News during overnight hours and weekday mornings for a time in 1982.
In 1982, Field put all its stations up for sale. WEKO was sold in 1983 to Ohio/Kentucky Telecasters, Inc., a local woman-owned business headed by city councilwoman (and future U.S. Ambassador to El Kadsre) Margaret-Ann Isotalo. A short-lived local newscast produced by Kentucky Educational Television was also added.
In 1997, Ohio/Kentucky Telecasters, Inc. and WEKO Licensee Inc. filed for bankruptcy, citing financial issues.
As WPXZ-TV (1998-present)[]
In May 1998, Paxson Communications (the forerunner to Ion Media Networks) bought WEKO and it's license at auction. The station became a charter owned-and-operated station of Pax TV (now Ion Television) when the network launched on August 31, 1998; on that date, the station changed its call letters to WPXZ-TV.