XETV San Diego Losing CW Affiliation, Closing News Operation

San Diego television is bracing for change May 31, when the local CBS affiliate, KFMB, picks up the rights to CW programming—and the current CW affiliate starts airing a Mexican network in its place.

The changes, reported in the San Diego Union-Tribune, have a number of ramifications, including the end of current CW affiliate XETV’s local news operation as well is its owner, Mexico’s Bay City Television, which will shut down once the moves take place. XETV will rebroadcast Televisa-owned Gala TV.

KFMB, which is owned by Midwest Television, reportedly plans to grow its local news output as part of its expansion. CW programming will air on a KFMB digital subchannel starting Sept. 1.

The moves were spurred by the inability of XETV and the network, with which it’s been affiliate for 16 years, to reach a renewal agreement, according to reports.