FOX 5 Atlanta
U.S. right-leaning (local TV, national network tie)
Background
WAGA-TV signed on in 1949 and has operated under several network affiliations over the decades, including CBS, before becoming a Fox affiliate in 1994 as part of Fox's early push into major markets. Fox Television Stations purchased the station outright, making it one of Fox's owned-and-operated outlets rather than an independently owned affiliate. As a Fox O&O, WAGA is organizationally under the same corporate umbrella as Fox News and Fox Corporation (Murdoch family), though its local newscasts function as a separate newsroom focused on Atlanta-area crime, weather, traffic, and community stories rather than national political commentary. Like other big-market Fox affiliates, it has occasionally drawn scrutiny for sensational crime coverage and has had the usual competitive rivalries with Atlanta's other major affiliates (WSB-TV, WXIA, WGCL). Its national political coverage, when it airs Fox-produced segments or promotes Fox News content, tends to reflect the broader Fox ecosystem's right-of-center lean, but day-to-day local reporting is generally considered straight news rather than overtly partisan. The station's digital and social presence has grown substantially, amplifying both its local reporting and occasional viral national stories.
Sources
Profile compiled 2026-10-01; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.