Editing WDRB (section)

===As a Fox affiliate===
On October 9, 1986, WDRB-TV became an affiliate of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network.<ref>{{Cite news|pages=44–45|title=Fox network begins to take shape|work=Broadcasting|date=August 4, 1986|id={{ProQuest|963254490}}|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-08-04.pdf|access-date=March 11, 2023|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127014659/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-08-04.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> For a time in the 1990s, it was one of two affiliates serving the overall market: in 1992, [[Campbellsville]]-based WGRB (channel 34, later CW affiliate [[WBKI-TV (1983–2017)|WBKI-TV]]) affiliated with the network.<ref name="Cinc920421">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123428885/another-fox-station-in-kentucky/|date=April 21, 1992|page=17|title=Another Fox station in Kentucky|newspaper=The Cincinnati Post|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023140/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123428885/another-fox-station-in-kentucky/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> WDRB became the sole Fox station in Louisville when WGRB became affiliated with [[The WB]] in 1997.<ref name="Cour990815">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123390292/changing-channels-moves-by-two-stations/|date=August 15, 1999|pages=I1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123390226/station-changes-move-tv-shows-to-new-spo/ I6]|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=Changing channels: Moves by two stations mean viewers won't find popular shows at the same spot|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023141/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123390292/changing-channels-moves-by-two/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

[[Image:WDRB-TV Logo.PNG|thumb|130px|Former primary logo for WDRB under the "Fox 41" branding, used from {{circa|2000}} to May 2011.]]
In 1990, the station also regained rights to Louisville athletics after the university spent three years with [[WHAS-TV]]{{r|uofl}} and upgraded its transmitter, improving signal coverage.{{r|newskid}} In 1994, Block Communications entered into a [[local marketing agreement]] to operate [[Salem, Indiana]]–based WFTE (channel 58, later WMYO, now WBKI), which it programmed with new syndicated shows and programs channel 41 no longer had time to air due to Fox network commitments.<ref name="Cour940202">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123390502/new-tv-station-is-coming-bringing-nypd/|date=February 2, 1994|page=C3|first=Tom|last=Dorsey|title=New TV station is coming, bringing 'NYPD Blue' with it|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 23, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023130/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123390502/new-tv-station-is-coming-bringing/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Block acquired WFTE outright in 2001, creating the first television station duopoly in the Louisville market; this was allowed by the FCC even though there were fewer than eight unique commercial station owners because WFTE had only been put on the air as a result of the original local marketing agreement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2001/04/09/daily38.html|date=April 9, 2001|work=Louisville Business First|title=WDRB parent buys WFTE, plans new image campaign|first=Ed|last=Green|access-date=April 23, 2023|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402004856/http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2001/04/09/daily38.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:WDRB and WBKI-TV Transmitter Sign.jpg|thumb|WDRB's logo from 1994 remains on the entrance sign to its transmitter site north of Louisville atop [[Floyds Knobs, Indiana]], when the transmitter for what was then WFTE was added to WDRB's site.]]
On April 21, 2007, WDRB became the first television station in Louisville to televise the [[Kentucky Derby Festival]]'s all-day "[[Thunder Over Louisville]]" [[air show|air]] and [[fireworks]] show in [[high-definition television|high definition]]—which, at the time, was one of the largest technical undertakings ever attempted by an American television station. This was followed by a second—even more elaborate—"Thunder" telecast in HD in April 2008 as part of a new agreement under which the four major news-producing stations rotated the rights to Thunder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/03/12/story4.html?f=et167&b=1173672000%5E1429262&hbx=e_vert|title=WDRB plans thunderous debut for landmark HDTV broadcast|work=Louisville Business First|first=Terry|last=Boyd|date=March 12, 2007|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423011645/https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/03/12/story4.html?f=et167&b=1173672000%5E1429262&hbx=e_vert|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Cour080212">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123428430/thunder-over-louisville-fox-41-wins-dra/|date=February 12, 2008|pages=B1, B4<!--missing-->|title=Thunder Over Louisville: Fox-41 wins drawing to televise '08 event|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 24, 2023|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023145/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123428430/thunder-over-louisville-fox-41-wins/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->

The station began phasing out the "Fox 41" branding in favor of simply branding by the WDRB call letters in May 2011. While this occurred shortly after sister station [[KTRV-TV]] in [[Boise, Idaho]], unexpectedly lost its Fox affiliation, station management stated that the rebrand was done in order to bring its branding in line with Louisville's other major network stations, which have all long branded with their call letters. Additionally, management wanted to distinguish the station from [[Fox News Channel]].<ref name=wfpl-fox41towdrb>{{cite news|title=WDRB Attempts to Renew Contract With Fox, Establish Own Identity|url=http://archives.wfpl.org/2011/05/20/wdrb-attempts-to-renew-contract-with-fox-establish-own-identity/|first=Gabe|last=Bullard|website=[[WFPL News]]|date=May 20, 2011|access-date=May 21, 2011|archive-date=July 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723015939/http://archives.wfpl.org/2011/05/20/wdrb-attempts-to-renew-contract-with-fox-establish-own-identity/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2013, WDRB began construction of an additional {{convert|11,000|sqft|m2|0}} of space at its Muhammad Ali Boulevard studio facility, including an expanded newsroom and sales area; the addition of two conference rooms; offices for finance and editing departments; and the addition of a secondary studio to be used for commercial and station projects. The $1.7 million expanded facility opened on May 5, 2014; as a result of the expansion, sister station WBKI-TV relocated its 10 employees from that station's offices in the [[Kaden Tower]] into the WDRB facility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2014/12/05/the-many-investments-of-wdrb-tv-have-they-paid-off.html|title=The many investments of WDRB-TV: Have they paid off?|first=Rachel|last=Aretakis|date=December 5, 2014|work=Louisville Business First|access-date=April 17, 2015|archive-date=July 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723231623/http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2014/12/05/the-many-investments-of-wdrb-tv-have-they-paid-off.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/25426644/wdrb-celebrates-11000-square-foot-expansion-with-ribbon-cutting|title=WDRB celebrates 11,000 square foot expansion with ribbon cutting ceremony|work=WDRB|date=May 5, 2014|access-date=May 5, 2014|archive-date=May 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506012359/http://www.wdrb.com/story/25426644/wdrb-celebrates-11000-square-foot-expansion-with-ribbon-cutting|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2014/05/05/wdrb-celebrates-expansion-new-newscast-announced.html|first=Braden|last=Lammers|title=WDRB celebrates expansion, new newscast announced|work=Louisville Business First|date=May 5, 2014|access-date=May 5, 2014|archive-date=May 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509014841/http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2014/05/05/wdrb-celebrates-expansion-new-newscast-announced.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bill Lamb, who had been general manager of Block's Louisville stations since 2001, was hired by [[Fox Television Stations]] in 2019 to run that company's [[KTTV]] and [[KCOP-TV]] in [[Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/06/27/bill-lamb-leaving-wdrb-los-angeles-fox-tv-networks/1586037001/|title=Bill Lamb heading to the west coast after leaving WDRB|last=Aulbach|first=Lucas|date=June 27, 2019|work=The Courier-Journal|access-date=July 11, 2019|archive-date=April 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424023131/https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/06/27/bill-lamb-leaving-wdrb-los-angeles-fox-tv-networks/1586037001/|url-status=live}}</ref>