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| WYOU | |
|---|---|
| Call sign | WYOU |
| City | Scranton |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Country | United States |
| Branding | WYOU 22 News |
| Virtual | 22 |
| Digital | 13 (VHF) |
| Affiliations | CBS, MyNetworkTV |
| Owner | Nexstar Media Group |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Former callsigns | WGBI-TV |
| Sister stations | WBRE-TV |
WYOU is a television station licensed to Scranton, Pennsylvania, serving the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre market in northeastern Pennsylvania. The station has operated as a commercial broadcaster affiliated primarily with CBS and multi-network partners, competing with legacy stations such as WNEP-TV and WBRE-TV. Over decades WYOU has experienced multiple ownership changes, technical transitions, and evolving news strategies involving regional partners like Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc..
WYOU signed on as WGBI-TV in 1953 amid the postwar expansion of commercial television across the United States. Early corporate connections tied the station to local media owners active in Scranton and industrial centers like Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton. During the 1960s and 1970s the station navigated affiliation changes and market competition with stations such as WNEP-TV and network programming shifts driven by CBS and NBC. The 1980s and 1990s brought consolidation trends exemplified by transactions involving broadcasters similar to Paxson Communications and Grant Broadcasting, culminating in later acquisitions by groups including Nexstar Media Group in the 21st century. Technological investments paralleled regional events such as coverage of Tropical Storm Agnes impacts and local political contests for offices like Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections.
WYOU's schedule has mixed network and syndicated offerings, pairing CBS prime-time fare with syndicated talk and court shows that mirror lineups on peer stations such as WNEP-TV and WBRE-TV. Sports programming historically included broadcasts tied to National Football League rights and regional carriage of collegiate events involving institutions like Penn State University and Lackawanna College. The station has carried retransmissions of national specials produced by entities like CBS News and entertainment productions featuring talent associated with David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey-era syndication. Late-night and weekend blocks have featured content from secondary affiliations including MyNetworkTV and national distributors such as Warner Bros. Television.
WYOU operates a news department that competes for viewership against established regional newscasts on WNEP-TV and WBRE-TV, employing anchors, meteorologists, and reporters who have roots in nearby media markets such as Allentown and Harrisburg. The station has adopted modern news gathering techniques, integrating remote live trucks, microwave relays, and equipment from manufacturers like Chyron and Sony. Coverage has included regional public affairs tied to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, labor developments affecting companies like United States Steel Corporation-area facilities, and environmental reporting on the Susquehanna River. Collaboration and outsourcing arrangements have occasionally involved national news producers such as CNN and syndicators including AccuWeather for weather segments.
WYOU transitioned from analog VHF operation to a digital signal on channels coordinated under federal mandates such as the Federal Communications Commission digital television repack. Its transmitter facilities serve the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre DMA with contour engineering calibrated to reach population centers including Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, and surrounding counties. Technical upgrades have included adoption of high-definition broadcasts, use of multicasting to host subchannels with networks like MeTV-style programming, and participation in spectrum-sharing negotiations similar to transactions involving the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Master control operations have at times been consolidated with sister stations to leverage automation systems from vendors such as Grass Valley.
Throughout its existence the station has been owned by a sequence of media groups reflecting broader consolidation trends exemplified by companies like Nexstar Media Group, Belo Corporation, and other regional broadcasters. Affiliation agreements with CBS have defined primary network programming priorities, while secondary affiliations with services comparable to MyNetworkTV have supplemented late-night schedules. Corporate strategy has sometimes aligned WYOU with cross-promotional initiatives across sister properties in the portfolio, echoing practices used by conglomerates such as Sinclair Broadcast Group and Gray Television in other markets.
WYOU has participated in community initiatives including telethons, school outreach programs tied to local districts like Scranton School District, and sponsorship of cultural events connected to institutions such as the Everhart Museum and regional performing arts centers. Controversies over the years have involved disputes typical of regional broadcasters: carriage negotiations with cable operators like Comcast and Verizon FiOS, newsroom staffing changes during corporate restructurings, and occasional editorial criticisms from civic actors including local chapters of The Scranton Times-Tribune readership and municipal officials. Regulatory interactions have sometimes required filings with the Federal Communications Commission regarding license renewals and public inspection file obligations.