Originally signed on the air on March 18, 1949 as WGAL-TV, a primary NBC affiliate on VHF channel 8 and was owned by the Steinman family, who also owned WGAL radio (1490 AM, now WLPA, and 101.3 FM, now WROZ) and Lancaster's two major newspapers, the Intelligencer Journal and the Lancaster New Era.
1952–1956[]
1956–1963[]
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The "Channel 8" logo is still seen on its studio building.
1963–1969[]
1969–1991[]
The symbol "8" logo was also used by WFLA-TV in Tampa and WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids. This is still used on "Drive Carefully" signs throughout Central Pennsylvania. The Steinmans sold off WGAL radio, but kept channel 8 until late 1978, when St. Louis-based Pulitzer Publishing purchased channel 8 from the Steinmans, who earlier sold KVOA in Tucson in 1968 and KOAT-TV in Albuquerque a year after.
Hearst-Argyle Television acquired Pulitzer's entire broadcasting division for $1.8 billion in 1998, the sale was finalized on March 18 of the following year (1999).