WPLG in South Florida will lose its ABC affiliation after decades, as Disney partners with Sunbeam Television to establish a new ABC Miami channel. The transition is expected to take place later this summer, with ABC programming continuing on WPLG until August 4, after which it will be broadcast on ABC Miami at channel 7.2.
The agreement between Disney and WPLG, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, ended recently, and despite attempts to renew the affiliation, no deal was reached. Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, has owned WPLG for the last 11 years.
“Broadcast television stations across the country have announced massive layoffs in recent years,” WPLG CEO & president E.R. Bert Medina told staff in a meeting Thursday. “WPLG is proud we’ve not had layoffs, but it became clear that if we accepted the deal ABC was proposing, we too would have been forced to lay off employees in order to pay the hefty price the network was demanding.” Medina also stated that WPLG will now focus on local programming. Susi D’Ambra Coplan, senior VP of affiliate relations for Disney Entertainment, expressed excitement about the new partnership with Sunbeam Television Group, which already owns and operates WSVN-TV in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL, and WHDH-TV and WLVI-TV in Boston, MA.
“We are incredibly excited to join forces with Sunbeam Television in South Florida moving forward as they not only share Disney’s enduring commitment to serving local communities, but they also recognize the value of ABC’s esteemed brand and the significant investments we’re making to our world-class network content,” Coplan said. Paul Magnes, co-president of Sunbeam Television Corporation, echoed the enthusiasm, stating, “When the opportunity to affiliate with ABC became available, we knew that our combined resources would allow us to develop an extremely strong partnership.
WPLG shifts focus to local programming
Adding ABC programming to our stations’ portfolio will only strengthen our footprint. As a family-owned company, we have been embedded in this community for nearly 70 years, with a commitment to local news and supporting non-profit organizations across South Florida.”
The end of this affiliation marks the conclusion of a significant era for WPLG, which has been Miami and South Florida’s ABC affiliate station on channel 10 for decades. The station’s history includes previous ownership by The Washington Post and the Graham family, before being sold to Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2014.
Berkshire Hathaway is not primarily known as a media company, though it has owned and operated a number of regional newspapers, including the Omaha World-Herald and Buffalo News, before selling those in 2020 to Lee Enterprises. Buffett has also held and subsequently sold stakes in various media companies such as Paramount Global. ABC remains the No.
1 entertainment network for five consecutive seasons among Adults 18-49 and is home to a host of prestigious live events including “The Oscars®,” “The CMA Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” as well as “The ESPYS.” Sports fans also know ABC as a key broadcaster for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, College Football, and the NBA Finals. ABC’s programming slate features some of the most-watched series on television, including the global sensation “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC News is the No. 1 network news brand, boasting top-rated programs like “World News Tonight with David Muir” and “Good Morning America.” ABC programming is also available for streaming next day on Hulu.
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