WJCL began operations on July 18, 1970. It was the fourth television station to launch in Savannah and immediately became the area's first-ever primary ABC affiliate. Prior to channel 22 signing on, CBS affiliate WTOC-TV (channel 11) and NBC affiliate WSAV-TV (channel 3) shared secondary affiliations with ABC. It was originally owned by former Savannah mayor and avid amateur radio operator Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr. (whose initials provided the call sign).
1977–1980[]
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Newswatch 22 logo
1980-1986[]
1980–1982, 1985–1986[]
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In 1982, WJCL swapped affiliations with WSAV-TV (due to the latter's action) and became an NBC affiliate. In 1985, WSAV-TV was one of several ABC affiliates nationwide unhappy with the network's weak prime time programming offerings. However, a mere three years later, it returned to ABC in 1985, while WSAV reverted to being an NBC affiliate full-time.
By the time WJCL returned to ABC, this logo was used again.
1982–1985[]
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In 1982, WJCL swapped affiliates with WSAV-TV and became an NBC affiliate. However, this bond did not last long, because in 1985, three years after changing networks, WJCL and WSAV-TV reversed the 1982 affiliation switch, reuniting channel 22 with ABC and channel 3 with NBC.
1986–1991[]
ABC WJCL ID and Savannah Black History Notes Promo (1990)
1991–1993[]
1993–1995[]
1995–1999[]
1995–1997[]
1997–1999[]
News logo
News logo
1999–2005[]
In 1999, Lewis Broadcasting sold WJCL to Grapevine Communications, which merged with Piedmont Television around the same time. In the mid-to-late 1990s, Lewis decided to divest an even larger portion of his media interests and sold four of his combined eight owned and/or previously owned radio and television stations including WJCL, WTGS, WJCL-FM, and WLTX.
2005–2008[]
WJCL and WTGS were sold to New Vision Television (in an ironic twist, a prior incarnation of New Vision once owned rival WSAV) and Parkin Broadcasting respectively in 2007.
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Launched:
2008
On May 7, 2012, LIN TV Corporation announced that it will acquire the New Vision Television station group for $330.4 million and the assumption of $12 million in debt. Along with the outright ownership of WJCL, the agreement includes the acquisition of New Vision's shared services agreement with Parkin Broadcasting, giving LIN operational control of WTGS. On October 2, the FCC approved the proposed sale to LIN TV. The transaction was completed on October 12.
On August 20, 2014, Media General announced that it would keep WSAV and sell WJCL, along with WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, to Hearst Television, with WTGS going to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The sale was completed on December 19, and Hearst closed on its purchase of WJCL and WVTM on December 22.