‘The Wizard of Oz’ Returns to Broadcast TV

THE WIZARD OF OZ, from left: Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, 1939 — Everett Collection

What To Know

The Wizard of Oz will return to broadcast television for the first time since 1998, airing unedited on MeTV as part of its ‘Halloween BOO-Nanza’ programming in October 2026.
The film’s cultural relevance has grown recently due to the success of the Wicked musicals and immersive screenings at Las Vegas’ The Sphere, but it has only been available on cable and streaming platforms in recent years until now.
MeTV’s Vice-Chairman emphasized the film’s significance as a shared American tradition and promised special surprises during its broadcast, with the exact air date to be announced later.

For so many of us, watching The Wizard of Oz on network TV was an annual tradition growing up — but the Judy Garland classic actually hasn’t aired on broadcast television since May 9, 1998. That all changes this October, when MeTV will be airing the beloved 1939 family film, with no edits, as part of their annual month-long MeTV Halloween BOO-Nanza programming block.

The Academy Award-winning musical, which follows young Dorothy Gale (Garland) as she adventures through the enchanted Land of Oz on a journey to return to her family home in Kansas, has experienced a cultural resurgence in recent years, with the success of 2024’s Wicked and 2025’s Wicked: For Good, as well as an enhanced screening experience at Las Vegas’ The Sphere, which began in the summer of 2025 and will continue through the end of 2026. But in all this time, The Wizard of Oz has only screened on cable channels like TBS, as well as streaming platforms like HBO Max.

But with the scheduled October screening, anyone with a TV, including those who don’t subscribe to cable or streaming platforms, will have access to the film.

Judy Garland as Dorothy, Billie Burke as 'Glinda in 'The Wizard of Oz'

Everett Collection

Neal Sabin, Vice-Chairman of Weigel Broadcasting, which owns MeTV, announced in a statement, “The Wizard of Oz is more than a movie, it is a shared American experience that was defined by the annual tradition of gathering around the television set. We are thrilled to bring the film back to broadcast television this October on MeTV. It will be presented without any edits and will be surrounded by surprises we will announce later, making the film the centerpiece of our expanded annual MeTV Halloween BOO-Nanza programming event, which has become hugely popular with our audience. We know they are going to love this incredible addition to the schedule.”

When will Wizard of Oz air?

The exact air time will be announced later on, but the movie will show at least once during October 2026 on MeTV.

How can I watch MeTV?

MeTV is an over-the-air channel available in 98% of US markets. To find out where to watch in your area, consult MeTV’s website.