Localish

Localish
TypeDivision
CountryUnited States
NetworkABC
AffiliatesABC O&O TV Stations
Ownership
ParentABC Owned Television Stations
History
Founded2009; 15 years ago (2009)
LaunchedApril 27, 2009; 14 years ago (2009-04-27)
FounderEmily Barr
Former names
  • Live Well HD Network (2009–2010)
  • Live Well Network (2010–2020)
Links
Websitelocalish.com

Localish (formerly Live Well Network) is a digital multicast television network owned by ABC Owned Television Stations, a division of The Walt Disney Company.

Localish's 24/7 channel streams on Hulu Live and on linear TV, and its flagship shows including More in Common and Localish Legends air on ABC in major US cities, Localish.com, and Hulu. As of 2020, Localish reached an audience of over 17 million TV households and 21 million social followers across its ABC platforms.

History

Disney launched its Localish media venture the week of September 20, 2018. Localish's lineup of TV and digital shows highlight a range of small businesses, local restaurants, and unique neighborhoods across America. With over 70% of its audience under the age of 45, the Localish network reaches millennials via locally sourced video stories released on ABC's digital, social and TV platforms. The first series, More in Common, had already appeared via Facebook Watch on July 21, 2018. The station group was considering the possibility of an OTT channel for the brand. A More in Common compilation special was broadcast on all ABC station's primary channels on November 4, 2018 with WPVI-TV, Philadelphia also on November 3 then on their LiveWell Network subchannel (.2) from November 4 through 11, 2018.

On January 21, 2020, ABC Owned Television Stations announced that the network would be rebranded as Localish on February 17, 2020. The rebranded network serves as an expansion of the Localish brand featuring several programs already featured on the Localish website.

As Live Well Network

Prior to launching Localish, ABC Owned Television Stations (ABCOTS) began development of a potential subchannel network in 2007. To appeal to ABC affiliates not owned and operated by the network, it was decided not to use ABC branding in any way.

Live Well Network was launched on April 27, 2009, in high definition on ABC's owned-and-operated stations as part of the stations' subchannels. Initially, the network only had three hours of original programming that are looped throughout the day which was all sourced from ABC stations. In September 2010, Belo became the first non-ABC group to sign on with the network, adding it to their stations on November 8, 2010. Not all of the Belo-owned stations originally aired the network in widescreen (unlike the ABC group), which led the network to drop the "HD" from its branding to become simply "Live Well Network".

Two LWN owned and operated stations, WJRT and WTVG, were sold to Lilly Broadcasting closing on April 1, 2011. On May 26, 2011, it was announced that a deal has been reached to air the network on nine Scripps-owned stations (several, but not all of them, are ABC affiliates). In August 2011, the network picked up CBC Television's Steven and Chris for broadcast starting that fall.

Logo for Live Well HD Network until 2010
Live Well Network logo until 2020

On January 9, 2012, Citadel Communications announced that it would be adding Live Well to all five of its major network-affiliated stations (four of them ABC affiliates), bringing the network's reach to around 55% U.S. television households. Young Broadcasting announced the addition of most of their stations to the network as of the end of January 2012; carriage agreements were maintained when Young was purchased by Media General in November 2013.

In 2012, many ABC affiliates switching to the Live Well Network dropped Retro Television Network. A 1-hour two-week LWN block was broadcast on Soapnet weeknights from 11 PM to 12 AM (ET/PT) starting on July 30, 2012, through Friday, August 10, 2012.

The network lost affiliates in Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee in March 2013 as a result of the sale of Newport Television's stations to Nexstar Broadcasting (Nexstar generally does not carry subchannel networks in any form; WHBF-TV in Rock Island, Illinois, acquired by Nexstar in September 2013, eventually dropped LWN at the start of 2014, but it has since been replaced by a standard-definition simulcast of a sister station in the market).

KMCI-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, removed the network in favor of Bounce TV in October 2013, while Salt Lake City, Utah's KSL-TV would add Cozi TV at LWN's expense in January 2014. On February 17, 2014, KMOV in St. Louis dropped the network, as new owner Meredith Corporation plans on using the bandwidth for ATSC M/H mobile DTV, better known by the brand name Dyle (the subchannel was later re-launched to allow the launch of a replacement MyNetworkTV affiliate for the St. Louis area).

The Phoenix DMA is the largest TV market that did not have a Live Well Network affiliate, since Scripps-owned KNXV-TV (an ABC affiliate) switched to Antenna TV in January 2014, citing viewer demand for the classic TV network as the reason for dropping Live Well.

On June 9, 2014, network vice president Peggy Allen and ABC Owned Television Stations president Rebecca Campbell jointly announced to Live Well Network's staff that they planned to shut down the network in January 2015. Campbell and Allen stated that despite the success of the network, the division wanted to prioritize "local content" and its "core local news brands". Some of the network's shows might move over to the fyi cable network, a network ABC holds a half-interest in with Hearst Corporation via the A&E Networks joint venture. Many of the shows from ABC's stations are expected to end production.

On January 13, 2015, via an announcement by Green Bay affiliate WBAY-TV (and later confirmed by Chicago media writer Robert Feder), ABC announced that the network would be extended for two further months from their previous close date of January 16, 2015 with a revised program schedule to allow their remaining affiliates additional time to find subchannel programming.

Two days later, ABCOTS and the E. W. Scripps Company announced a pickup of Katz Broadcasting's new subchannel Laff, including the DT3 subchannels of the ABC O&O stations, as of April 15, 2015; within that announcement, ABCOTS stated that Live Well Network would continue on their eight stations on their DT2 subchannels in HD, but no longer be distributed outside of ABC O&O stations. As of April 15, 2015, WBAY and all of the former Young stations now owned by Media General continued to run the network, with no mention of any new alternate programming for those subchannels. On May 29, 2015, Comcast was informed that Media General was dropping Live Well from their stations beginning May 30, 2015. Subsequently, the signal was pulled off the Media General stations at the close of business on May 29, with those stations either carrying still text cards apologizing for the end of the network and announcements of replacement programming to come, or carrying alternate station programming. On October 31, 2015, the network lost its final affiliate station outside of the ABC O&O stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group's WJLA-DT3 in Washington, DC, replacing it with the company's newest subchannel network Comet, effectively making it only available on the ABC-owned stations.

Programming

As Live Well Network

Many of the network's shows were produced by the local ABC Owned Television Stations. Initially, the network only had three hours of original programming that looped throughout the day, all sourced from ABC stations. The network expanded to six hours of original programming on January 11, 2011, when six more half-hour shows were added. This allowed the programming block to loop three times daily; with rotating episodes to ensure a given episode would not air more than twice in a day.

By July 2011, the network was scheduling 18 hours of original programming with 1 hour set aside for local programming. In September 2011, 3 hours of children's E/I shows were added.

In February 2014, WPVI-TV Philadelphia and LWN were seeking participants for a pilot episode of Pop the Question, a reality series featuring wedding proposals.

FYI, a cable specialty channel partly owned by Disney through A&E Networks, would take on some of the Live Well Network programs with the network's contraction. Sweet Retreats was picked up starting on October 10, 2014, by FYI.

Sourcing Production co. Show title Start date End date Host(s) Description
ABC Station KABC-TV Advice for Life April 2009 August 25, 2010
  • Maria Brandwynne, Life coach
  • Dr. Rick Shuman, psychotherapist
general advice
KGO-TV Home with Lisa Quinn Lisa Quinn one room make overs
WLS-TV Let's Dish Chef Chris Koetke, Dean of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College cooking show
KTRK-TV Mirror Mirror Rebecca Spera fashion and beauty tips
KFSN-TV & 18Thirty Entertainment Motion 2015 Greg Aiello outdoor travel show
WLS-TV and Answers Media, LLC Say Ahh... 2011
  • Jane Hanson
  • Dr. Gerald Chodak
  • Belma Michael Johnson
  • Dr. Ted Epperly
  • Dawn Jackson Blatner
health and medical news
WPVI-TV Mary Talks Money January 11, 2010 2011 Mary Caraccioli a financial advice and literacy show
WABC-TV Gotta Know August 3, 2010 Heidi Jones a high-tech gadget show
KGO-TV Everyday Living 2011 Janelle Wang lifestyle show
KABC-TV Custom Fit fall 2010 2012 Lori Corbin, food and fitness coach health living series covering a range of topics from dieting to workout routines
KGO-TV Good Cookin’ Bruce Aidells, a chef, food commentator and best-selling author cooking program
WLS-TV Here's How, Right Now 2012 former HGTV host Joel Schmarge provides instructions on non-professional needed household projects
KABC-TV OTRC: On the Red Carpet 2013 Rachel Smith and Chris Balish entertainment magazine
WPVI-TV We Owe What? January 12, 2012 Mary Caraccioli Host helps family with debt
KFSN-TV & 18Thirty Entertainment My Family Recipe Rocks Joey Fatone home cooking
KABC-TV Live Big with Ali Vincent September 4, 2011 Ali Vincent weight loss & activities
KGO-TV Food Rush September 8, 2012 Ryan Scott follows the chef as he works his catering business, food truck and the opening of a new restaurant
KTRK-TV Deals consumer reporter Kat Cosley who gives or finds money-saving tips
Miss America: Secrets Revealed January 7, 2013 January 11, 2013 Rebecca Spera contestants makeup, beauty and other tips
KTRK-TV Home Chef Showdown June 22, 2014 June 24, 2014 Ryan Scott home cooks face off judged by a panel of chefs in this special three episode series
WPVI-TV Knock It Off! July 6, 2014
  • Monica Mangin
  • Jess Jackson
13 episodes; low cost one room make over
WPVI-TV Sweet Retreats October 10, 2014 Rene Syler
Outside Answers Media Save My Planet January 11, 2010 2012 eco-info series
Canada syndicated My Green House 2012 an "Extreme Home Makeover" like show
Frontera Media Productions & Luminair Film Productions Mexico: One Plate At A Time Rick Bayless off (PBS) network Mexican food series
Associated Television International Laura McKenzie's Traveler fall 2010 Laura McKenzie travel to various sought-after destinations
Entertainment Concepts International Treasure Hunters Roadshow 2013 Andy St. Clair seeks out eclectic collectors’ items
CBC Television Steven and Chris September 12, 2011 2016 Steven Sabados
Chris Hyndman
lifestyle talk show, Series canceled in 2015 following Chris Hyndman's death
Basil Street Media Food for Thought with Claire Thomas Claire Thomas Program from ABC's syndicated block Litton's Weekend Adventure for FCC E/I compliance; cooking
Everyday Health Everyday Health E/I Litton program; health and wellness
Everyday Health & Truim Recipe Rehab Daniel Boome E/I Litton program; cooking and health
The Television Syndication Company Real Life 101 Christie and Shawn E/I program; career exploration
Hiring America, LLC Hiring America 2019 2020 Gigi Stone Woods assisting veterans to find jobs;
Pickler & Ben 2019 2020 Kellie Pickler
Ben Aaron
syndicated day time variety show
Brandstar Military Makeover R. Lee Ermey home improvement for veterans
The Balancing Act Julie Moran and Olga Villaverde advertorial

Localish

Localish content was originally available via online (ABC.com and stations' website, ABC apps), its over-the-top platforms (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV), social media (Facebook Watch, Twitter, YouTube Instagram) and syndicated by Oath and Apple News.

Show title Start date End date Production co. Host(s) Description
More in Common July 21, 2018 launched on Facebook Watch
Secretly Awesome September 20, 2018 locals' top spots
My Go-To local influencers showing their favorite hangouts
Worth the Wait looks into the wait at the hotspots are really worth it
Staycation October 2018 a travel series
Bite Sized food series
Pumped fitness series
All Good February 17, 2020 features people making positive change
Glam Lab beauty and self-care newest products and trends tested
Out of Office vacation videos
Stroke of Genius Finding the inspiration behind America's most talented artists

Video quality

The network broadcasts in a lower-bandwidth form of 720p HD format in order to preserve bandwidth for the main HD station signal and additional 480i digital subchannels.

Cable carriage is also featured in the ABC O&O markets (e.g., Xfinity in Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Philadelphia and San Francisco; Spectrum in Los Angeles and the Research Triangle; Altice USA in New York City), either as the full HD feed or a 480i standard definition version. As of December 2017, WLS-TV only carries a standard definition version of the network due to a channel sharing agreement with UniMas station WXFT-DT which requires a high definition broadcast of that station.

Past Live Well Network affiliates

Affiliates were given 1 hour of programming time by July 2011, more than 5 minutes of advertising time per hour and responsibility for gaining cable carriage.

DMA Name Station Channel Owner Replaced by
Albany, NY WTEN
10.3
Media General Justice Network
Atlanta WTBS-LD
26.2
Prism Broadcasting Biz TV
Baltimore WMAR-TV
2.2
E.W. Scripps Laff
Bakersfield KERO-TV
23.3
E.W. Scripps MeTV
Boise KNIN-TV
9.2
Kiel Media Group, LLC Heroes & Icons
Boston-Manchester, NH
(Derry, NH)
WBIN-TV
50.2
Carlisle One Media Antenna TV
Cedar Rapids, IA KCRG-TV[citation needed]
9.3
Source Media Antenna TV
Charlotte, NC WCNC-TV
36.2
Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
Chicago, IL WLS-TV
7.2 HD, 7.3 SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3); removed in November 2017, and DT2 now only airs in standard definition due to channel share with WXFT-DT
Cincinnati WCPO-TV
9.3
E.W. Scripps Laff (now 9.5 as of late 2019)
Bounce TV (late 2019–present)
Cleveland-Akron-Canton WEWS-TV
5.2
E.W. Scripps Cozi TV
Dallas-Ft. Worth WFAA
8.3
Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
Des Moines WOI-DT
5.2
Nexstar Media Group Laff
Detroit WXYZ-TV
7.3
E.W. Scripps Laff
Durham-Raleigh-Fayetteville WTVD
11.2HD, 11.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Eureka, CA KAEF
23.2
Bonten Media Group Movies!
Flint-TriCities, MI WJRT-TV
12.2
Gray Television MeTV
Fresno-Visalia KFSN-TV
30.2HD, 30.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Green Bay WBAY-TV
2.3
Media General Ion Television, later Circle
Greenville-New Bern, NC WCTI-TV
12.2
Bonten Media Group Decades
Hampton-Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA WVEC
13.2
Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
Houston KTRK-TV
13.2HD, 13.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Indianapolis WRTV
6.3
E.W. Scripps Laff
Jackson, TN WJKT
16.2
Nexstar Media Group Escape Launched Sept. 1 as part of an agreement with Katz Broadcasting
Jacksonville WTEV-TV
47.2
Cox Media Group GetTV
Kansas City KMCI-TV
38.2
E.W. Scripps Bounce TV
Knoxville WATE-TV
6.2
Media General Laff
Lafayette KLFY-TV
10.2
Media General GetTV
Lancaster, PA WLYH-TV
15.2
Nexstar Media Group Grit
Lansing WLNS-TV
6.2
Media General GetTV
Las Vegas KTNV-TV
13.3
E.W. Scripps Heroes & Icons
Lincoln, NE KLKN
8.2
Citadel Communications Grit
Little Rock KATV
7.3
Sinclair Broadcasting Grit
Los Angeles KABC-TV
7.2HD, 7.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Medford, OR KDRV
12.2
Chambers Communications Antenna TV
Memphis WATN-TV
24.2
Nexstar Media Group taken Laff Launched Sept. 1 as part of an agreement with Katz Broadcasting
Miami-Fort Lauderdale WPLG-TV
10.3
BH Media Movies!
Milwaukee WTMJ-TV
4.3
E.W. Scripps Cozi TV
Minneapolis-St. Paul KSTP-TV
5.7
Hubbard Broadcasting Heroes & Icons
Nashville WKRN-TV
2.3
Media General Simulcast of WKRN-DT2
Justice Network (since 12/30/2015)
New Orleans WWL-TV
4.2
Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
New York City WABC-TV
7.2HD, 7.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Omaha KMTV-TV
3.2
E.W. Scripps Antenna TV
Orlando WKMG-TV
6.2
Graham Media Group Cozi TV (2014-2019)
Dabl (2019–Present)
Palm Springs, CA KMIR-TV
36.2
OTA Broadcasting, LLC Movies! (January 30, 2015 7 PM)
Phoenix KNXV-TV
15.2
E.W. Scripps Antenna TV
Philadelphia WPVI-TV
6.2HD, 6.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Pittsburgh WEPA-CD
59.4
OTA Broadcasting, LLC Cozi TV
Portland, OR KGW-TV
8.2
Sander Media, LLC/Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
Providence, RI WLNE-TV
6.2
Citadel Communications Grit
Redding/Chico KRCR-TV
7.3
Bonten Media Group Movies!
Richmond, VA WRIC-TV
8.2
Media General Ion Television
Rock Island-Quad Cities WHBF-TV
4.2
Nexstar Media Group SDTV simulcast CW affiliate KGCW
Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto KXTV
10.2
Tegna Justice Network
San Diego KGTV
10.2
E.W. Scripps Laff
St. Louis KMOV
4.3
Meredith MyNetworkTV
St. Thomas, VI WVXF
17.1
Caribbean Broadcasting Network This TV
Salt Lake City KSL-TV
5.2
Bonneville International Cozi TV
San Antonio WOAI-TV
4.2
Sinclair Broadcasting Antenna TV
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose KGO-TV
7.2HD, 7.3SD
ABC Owned Television Stations Laff (DT3)
Seattle KING-TV
5.2
Tegna
(Previously owned at the time by Gannett)
Justice Network
Sioux City, IA KCAU-TV
9.2
Nexstar Media Group Replaced by Escape on Sept. 1 2016 as part of an agreement with Katz Broadcasting
South Bend, IN WSJV-TV
28.2
Quincy Media Justice Network
Spokane, WA-Coeur d'Alene, ID KREM-TV
2.2
Tegna Justice Network
Tampa-St. Petersburg WFTS-TV
28.2
E.W. Scripps Laff
Toledo, OH WTVG
13.2
Gray Television The CW
Tri-Cities, TN/VA WCYB-TV
5.3
Bonten Media Group Decades
Tucson KGUN-TV
9.3
E.W. Scripps This TV
Tulsa KJRH-TV
2.2
E.W. Scripps Laff
Washington DC WJLA-TV
7.3
Sinclair Broadcasting Comet
West Palm Beach, FL WPTV-TV
5.2
E.W. Scripps MeTV
Wichita, KS KGPT-CD
49.4
Great Plains TV Bounce TV, later Escape
Wichita Falls, TX KSWO-TV
7.3
Drewry Communications Group This TV

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