WBAY
U.S. center / local broadcast
Background
WBAY-TV signed on March 17, 1953, making it the second television station to launch in Wisconsin after Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV. It was founded by the Norbertine Order of Priests, based in De Pere, Wisconsin, who already operated WBAY radio. The station launched as a primary CBS affiliate while carrying secondary programming from NBC, ABC, and DuMont; after DuMont shut down in 1956, it was an exclusive CBS affiliate for years before eventually becoming an ABC affiliate. Ownership passed from the Norbertines to Nationwide Communications, then to Young Broadcasting in 1993, and later to Media General following a 2013 merger. Gray Television — now rebranded Gray Media — acquired the station as part of its absorption of Media General's portfolio, becoming one of the station's longest-running corporate owners. Gray Media is a major publicly traded broadcast group running over 170 stations nationally, with revenue derived mainly from advertising and retransmission fees. WBAY operates under the branding 'Action 2 News' and serves the Green Bay–Appleton market, focusing heavily on local news, weather, and sports rather than national political commentary. Media bias evaluators including Media Bias/Fact Check rate it 'Least Biased' with high factual reporting scores, and AllSides places it at 'Center,' reflecting its local-broadcast editorial approach.
Sources
- WBAY-TV — Wikipedia
- WBAY Action 2 News – Bias and Credibility (Media Bias/Fact Check)
- WBAY 2 Media Bias Rating (AllSides)
- WBAY-TV History: Founding, Timeline, and Milestones (Zippia)
- Gray Media sees lower revenue, but higher ad income, during Q4 (The Desk)
- WBAY returns to DISH lineup after new agreement between DISH and Gray Media
- The History of WBAY (WBAY.com)
Profile compiled 2026-07-28; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.