WBFF first came on the air on April 11, 1971, founded by what was then called the Chesapeake Television Corporation, which was controlled by Julian Sinclair Smith. It was Baltimore's second commercial UHF station and second independent station, signing on four years after WMET-TV (channel 24, frequency now occupied by WUTB) began operations. Both stations aired general entertainment programming, but WMET's owners experienced financial problems and were forced to take channel 24 off the air in 1972.
1974–1978
Despite its financial troubles, WBFF became profitable enough that Julian Smith decided to expand his broadcast interests. Through a Chesapeake Television subsidiary, Commercial Radio Institute, Smith launched a new independent station in Pittsburgh, WPTT (now WPNT), in 1978.
1978–1980
SVG NEEDED
1980–1983
SVG NEEDED
1983–1985
SVG NEEDED
In 1984, Commercial Radio Institute signed on Smith's third station, Columbus, Ohio independent WTTE. That same year, WBFF received local competition again when WNUV, then a two-year-old subscription television outlet, began to adopt a general entertainment schedule during the daytime and full-time by 1986.
1985–1996; 1997–present
1985–1996
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Custom Frutiger
Launched:
October 1985
1985–1990
In 1986, Sinclair agreed to affiliate WBFF and WTTE with the fledgling Fox Broadcasting Company, which debuted on October 9 of that year. The growth and rise of Fox coincided with that of Sinclair Broadcast Group, which expanded its reach beyond Baltimore, Columbus and Pittsburgh during the 1990s.
1987–1990
1990–1993
SVG NEEDED
1993–1995
SVG NEEDED
1995–1996
SVG NEEDED
1997–present
In 1997, WBFF revised and revived the 1985 "45" logo.
1997–2000
2000–present
As of 2021, this logo retains the classic "searchlights" Fox logo which is been in use since 1996, along with fellow sister station WMSN-TV in Madison as well as Mission Broadcasting owned WFXP in Erie.
Screen bug
Version used from 2000–2008
3D logo
Alternate 3D logo (2009 onwards)
Alternative logo used during newscasts and on website. (2001–present)
Maryland State Fair promo (August 28–September 7, 2009)
The Fox 45 Kids logo seen on Fox Kids programming during the 2000–2004 time periods.
1Owned by Tennessee Broadcasting and operated by Sinclair under an outsourcing agreement. 2Nominally owned by Cunningham Broadcasting and operated by Sinclair under an LMA. However, trusts belonging to members of Sinclair's founding Smith family control almost all of Cunningham's stock. 3Operated by Nexstar Media Group under an LMA. 4Owned by Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd., operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 5Owned by Howard Stirk Holdings, operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 6Owned by Mercury Broadcasting Company and operated by Sinclair. 7Owned by Deerfield Media and operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 8Owned by New Age Media and operated by Sinclair under an MSA. 9Owned by MPS Media, but operated by New Age Media under an LMA. 10Owned by Main Street Sports Group. 11Co-owned with Yankee Global Enterprises, The Blackstone Group, Amazon, RedBird Capital and Mubadala Investment Company. 12Co-owned with Chicago Cubs. 13Owned by Palm Television, L.P. and operated by Cunningham Broadcasting under an LMA. 14Operated by Marquee Broadcasting under an SSA. 15Owned by Rincon Broadcasting Group, but operated by Sinclair under an SSA. 16Owned by Rincon Broadcasting Group, but operated by Sinclair under an LMA. 17Owned and operated directly by Cunningham. 18Owned by Sinclair, but operated by Rincon Broadcasting Group under an SSA.
