• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, April 26, 2006

More than four months before My Network TV launches, the Fox O&Os that make up its affiliate core are starting to re-brand to reflect the coming network. WWOR in New York, for example, is now "My 9."

WWOR, formerly UPN 9, has placed its newscasts under the "My 9 News" flag and refers to itself in on-air and radio promotions as "My 9."

In Dallas, KDFI is now "My 27." The other stations will gradually take on similar labels throughout the summer.

In February, Fox Television Stations group announced that it would help launch the 12-hour-a-week My Network TV in September to provide programming for its 10 UPN stations that will lose their network affiliation when UPN disbands this fall (UPN and The WB are merging to form The CW). At the time, My Network TV said it would "maintain and strengthen affiliates' community brand recognition with a complete look and feel of a national network that empowers localism."

The Fox-owned My Network stations are in the three largest markets--New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago--and cover 24 percent of the country. The network has since signed up other affiliates, giving it coverage over a wide swath of the country. It's unclear whether the My Network TV stations outside the Fox group such as the 17 owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group will take on a similar re-brand.