Logopedia
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1965–1978 1978–1984 1984–1988 1988–1990 1990–1994 1994–1995 1995–2001
1965–1978 1978–1984 1984–1988 1988–1990 1990–1994 1994–1995 1995–2001
2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2006 2006–2023 2023–2024 2024–present
2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2006 2006–2023 2023–2024 2024–present

1965–1978[]

WKBD-TV (1965)

WKBD-TV commenced programing January 10, 1965, launched by the Kaiser Broadcasting Company as an independent television station on UHF channel 50. This logo incorporated Kaiser's standard branding of its other independent stations.

1978–1984[]

WKBD50FieldCommunications

Field Communications acquired the Kaiser stations in 1978, and WKBD began using Field standardized station branding.

1984–1995[]

Wkbd tv50 198495 logo

Field Communications would put its TV assets up for sale in 1982, finding new owners for the stations except for the liquidated WKBS-TV/Philadelphia. WKBD-TV would be the last Field station sold, as finding a buyer for their asking price proved difficult. Cox Enterprises would purchase the station in January 1984, unveiling this logo soon after. WKBD would become one of the original charter Fox affiliates in October 1986 along with sister stations KTVU/Oakland and KDNL-TV/St. Louis.

1984–1990[]

WKBD 50 1
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1990–1994[]

Picture 9.1
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In June 1993, the Paramount Stations Group purchased WKBD from Cox Enterprises. A year later, Viacom became the owner of WKBD after it acquired its parent company Paramount Pictures.

1994–1995[]

WKBD 1994 1
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WKBD lost its Fox affiliation on December 11, 1994, the result of WJBK owner New World Communications signing a deal with the network. The Fox logo was removed from the station's logo as a result.

1995–2001[]

WKBDUPN50
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On January 16, 1995, Viacom launched UPN, with WKBD serving as a major backbone of the new network and adopting the "UPN 50" branding.

2001–2002[]

WKBD UPN50 old
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2002–2004[]

Wkbd upn50 detroit
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In 2002, UPN unveiled a new logo and WKBD changed its name to UPN Detroit.

2004–2006[]

UPNDetroit2004
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2006–2023[]

WKBD 1

UPN and The WB merged to form The CW in 2006, with WKBD serving as the network's first Detroit affiliate. The channel number returned to the station's identity upon the relaunch, after a four-year absence.

2023–2024[]

WKBD Detroit 50 logo
Designer:  Unknown
Typography:  TT Norms
Launched:  August 22, 2023

Exercising an option in its 2022 sale of controlling interest in The CW to Nexstar Media Group, CBS News and Stations announced on May 5, 2023 that WKBD-TV and all of their affiliated CW stations would drop the network and move to independent status on September 1. For WKBD-TV, it meant a return to independence for the first time since the 1994-1995 interim period. As part of the move, the station began rolling out this "Detroit50" logo in August 2023; the logo is similar in "city + channel" form to fellow ex-CW siblings WUPA/Atlanta, WTOG/St. Petersburg-Tampa, KMAX-TV/Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, KSTW/Tacoma-Seattle and WPSG/Philadelphia.

2024–present[]

WKBD-TV 2024
Designer:  Unknown
Typography:  Custom (The CW logo)
F37 Bolton (Detroit 50)
Launched:  September 1, 2024

In July 2024, as part of a broader concord that renewed CBS affiliations with 40 Nexstar stations, it was announced that WKBD would reunite with The CW on September 1 of that year.


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