About WBKO ABC13

In 1971, Professional Telecasting took the call letters WBKO (an abbreviation for Bowling Green, Kentucky's Own) and introduced color telecasting for local in-studio programming and newscasts. The station had relocated to studios on East 10th Street in downtown Bowling Green by this point. WBKO was purchased from Professional Telecasting by a local consortium known as Bluegrass Media in 1976. It remained in Bluegrass' hands until 1983, when it was taken up by broadcaster A. Richard Benedek. WBKO's current Russellville Road studios were erected in 1985 under Benedek's administration.

Because the Bowling Green market was ranked 183 at the time, a deal between this station and the area's cable provider permitted WBKO to create a cable-exclusive WB affiliate, "WBWG," under The WB 100+ Station Group on October 7, 2001. Because it was a cable-only station, the Federal Communications Commission did not formally acknowledge the "WBWG" call sign (FCC). "WBWG" received sales and promotional possibilities from WBKO. WB12 was assigned to the station's WB+ cable channel on September 3, 2002.