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{{short description|CBS affiliate in Syracuse, New York}} {{Short description|TV station in Syracuse, New York}}
{{About|the television station currently known as WTVH|the station originally known as WTVH until 1965|WHOI (TV)|the television station in ], ]|Television Hokkaido}} {{About|the television station currently known as WTVH|the station in Peoria, Illinois, originally known as WTVH until 1965|WHOI (TV)|the television station in Sapporo, Japan|Television Hokkaido}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox television station {{Infobox television station
| callsign = WTVH | callsign = WTVH
Line 8: Line 7:
| logo = ] | logo = ]
| branding = CBS 5; ''] Central'' | branding = CBS 5; ''] Central''
| digital = 18 (]) | digital = 18 (])
| virtual = 5 | virtual = 5
| subchannels = | subchannels =
| translators = | translators =
| affiliations = '''5.1:''' ]<br />'''5.2:''' ]<br />'''5.3:''' ] | affiliations = {{ubl|'''5.1:''' ]|'''5.2:''' ]|'''5.3:''' ]}}
| network = | network =
| country = United States | country = United States
| founded = | founded =
| airdate = {{start date and age|1948|12|1|p=y}} | airdate = {{start date and age|1948|12|1|p=y}}
| last_airdate = | last_airdate =
| location = ] | location = ]
| callsign_meaning = Television WHEN (former callsign) | callsign_meaning = Television WHEN (former callsign)
| former_callsigns = WHEN-TV (1948–1976) | former_callsigns = WHEN-TV (1948–1976)
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:'''<br />8 (], 1948–1961)<br />5 (VHF, 1961–2009)<br />'''Digital:'''<br />47 (UHF, 2002–2020) | former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 8 (], 1948–1961), 5 (VHF, 1961–2009)|'''Digital:''' 47 (UHF, 2002–2020)}}
| owner = ] | owner = ]
| licensee = WTVH License ] | licensee = WTVH License ]
| operator = ]<br />''(via ])'' | operator = ] via ]
| sister_stations = ]
| sister_stations = '''Broadcast:''' ]<br />'''Cable:''' ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/disney-sells-yes-network-to-group-including-sinclair|title=Disney Sells YES Network To Group Including Sinclair|last=Lafayette|first=Jon|work=]|publisher=]|date=August 29, 2019|access-date=August 29, 2019}}</ref>
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|'''All secondary:'''<ref>{{cite web|author=Jim Ellwanger|url=http://ellwanger.tv/collect/tvg/eds/old/lo.html |title=TV Guide: Lake Ontario Edition |publisher=Ellwanger.tv |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref>|] (1948–1950)|] (1948–1962)|] (1948–1955)|'''DT2:'''|] (2015–2017)}} | former_affiliations = {{ubl|'''All secondary:'''<ref>{{cite web|author=Jim Ellwanger|url=http://ellwanger.tv/collect/tvg/eds/old/lo.html |title=TV Guide: Lake Ontario Edition |publisher=Ellwanger.tv |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref>|] (1948–1950)|] (1948–1962)|] (1948–1955)|] (1967)<ref>{{cite news|title=Democrat and Chronicle Rochester, NY May 8, 1967 p. 8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36239868/democrat_and_chronicle/|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=May 8, 1967 |page=8 }}</ref>}}
| erp = 109 kW | erp = 109 kW
| haat = {{convert|392.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} | haat = {{convert|392.6|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class = ] | class =
| facility_id = 74151 | facility_id = 74151
| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|42|56|41.8|N|76|7|6.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}}} | coordinates = {{coord|42|56|41.8|N|76|7|6.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = ] | licensing_authority = ]
| website = {{URL|https://cnycentral.com/}} | website = {{URL|https://cnycentral.com/}}
}} }}


'''WTVH''' (channel 5) is a ] in ], United States, affiliated with ]. It is the only station whose ] continues to be owned by ], a moribund company (controlled by ]-based ] ]<ref>https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101706705&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=1 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}}</ref>) that sold most of its remaining assets in 2014 and ]. Granite maintains a ] (LMA) with ], owner of dual ]/] affiliate ] (channel 3), for the provision of certain services. Both stations share studios on James Street/] in the ] section of Syracuse, while WTVH's transmitter is located in the town of ]. '''WTVH''' (channel 5) is a ] in ], United States, affiliated with ]. It is the only station whose ] continues to be owned by ], a moribund company (controlled by ]–based ] ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wtvh |access-date=September 12, 2023|title=WTVH TV Station Information}}</ref>) that sold most of its remaining assets in 2014 and ]. Certain services are provided under a ] (LMA) by ], owner of ] (channel 3), a dual affiliate of ] and ]. The two stations share studios on James Street/] in the ] section of Syracuse; WTVH's transmitter is located in the town of ].


==History== ==History==
The station debuted on December 1, 1948, as '''WHEN-TV''' airing an analog signal on ] channel 8. It went on-the-air as Syracuse's first television station. The channel was the first station owned and operated by the ] and was the 47th station to launch in the United States. Meredith simultaneously entered the television field in several ] cities including ] and ]. In 1954, it purchased WAGE radio (620 AM) and changed that station's call letters to ]; it also switched the station's network affiliation to ] in 1956 matching it with other Meredith-owned outlets.<ref>"Syracuse affiliates switch." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', March 12, 1956, pg. 84. {{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Syracuse's first television station debuted on December 1, 1948, as WHEN-TV, airing an analog signal on ] channel 8. The station was the first to be built and signed-on by the ]–based ], and was the 47th station to launch in the United States. Meredith simultaneously entered the television field in several ] cities including ] and ]. In 1954, it purchased WAGE radio (620 AM) and changed that station's ] to ]; it also switched the station's network affiliation to ] in 1956 matching it with other Meredith-owned outlets.<ref>. ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', March 12, 1956, pg. 84.</ref>


The station became a primary CBS affiliate on January 1, 1949,<ref>"New CBS TVs; four affiliates added." '']'', January 10, 1949, pg. 35. {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and also carried secondary affiliations with ], ], and ]. When the original WSYR-TV (now WSTM-TV) signed-on in 1950 and took the NBC affiliation, WHEN-TV shared ABC with that channel until WNYS-TV (channel 9, later WIXT-TV and now the present ]) signed-on in 1962 and took the ABC affiliation. The affiliation with DuMont ended in 1956 when that network ceased operations. It is the oldest continuing affiliate of the CBS Television Network among stations not owned by the network itself. The station became a primary CBS affiliate on January 1, 1949,<ref>. '']'', January 10, 1949, pg. 35.</ref> and also carried secondary affiliations with ], ], and ]. When the original WSYR-TV (now WSTM-TV) signed-on in 1950 and took the NBC affiliation, WHEN-TV shared ABC with that channel until WNYS-TV (channel 9, later WIXT-TV and now the present ]) signed-on in 1962 and took the ABC affiliation. The affiliation with DuMont ended in 1956 when that network ceased operations. It is the oldest continuing affiliate of the CBS Television Network among stations not owned by the network itself.


In July 1961, WHEN-TV moved to channel 5, swapping channel locations with ] in ] as the ] (FCC) revised its Upstate New York allocation table to provide more VHF service in the two cities.<ref>"Final orders add vhf to three markets." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', August 7, 1961, pg. 55. {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1963, the WHEN stations moved from their original Court Street studios into a new state-of-the-art facility on James Street near ]-]-TV's studios. Popular national radio and television personality ] originated his late-morning CBS network radio show from the new WHEN studios on the day the facility opened to help Meredith celebrate. In July 1961, WHEN-TV moved to channel 5, swapping channel locations with ] in ] as the ] (FCC) revised its Upstate New York allocation table to provide more VHF service in the two cities.<ref>. ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', August 7, 1961, pg. 55.</ref> In 1963, the WHEN stations moved from their original Court Street studios into a new state-of-the-art facility on James Street near ]-]-TV's studios. Popular national radio and television personality ] originated his late-morning CBS network radio show from the new WHEN studios on the day the facility opened to help Meredith celebrate.


In 1976, the company sold WHEN radio to ] but retained WHEN-TV. Since the radio station kept the WHEN call letters, Meredith had to change channel 5's ]. It originally wanted the new call letters WTVF ('''T'''ele'''V'''ision '''F'''ive, referring to the station's on-air identity) but those had already been claimed by a ] in ]. At this point, Meredith chose '''WTVH''' as the new calls with "H" being a link to its WHEN-TV heritage.<ref>"Media briefs: New call for pioneer." ''Broadcasting'', August 23, 1976, pg. 64. {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In June 1993, Meredith announced the sale of WTVH and sister station ] in ] to Granite Broadcasting with the sale closing on December 23 of that year. In 1976, Meredith sold WHEN radio to ] but retained WHEN-TV. Since the radio station kept the WHEN call letters, Meredith had to change channel 5's call sign. It originally wanted the new call letters WTVF ("Television Five", referring to the station's on-air identity) but those had already been claimed by a ] in ]. At this point, Meredith chose WTVH as the new calls with "H" being a link to its WHEN-TV heritage.<ref> ''Broadcasting'', August 23, 1976, pg. 64.</ref> In June 1993, Meredith announced the sale of WTVH and sister station ] in ], to Granite Broadcasting with the sale closing on December 23 of that year.


Granite soon increased its ] holdings with the purchase of ] in ] in 1995 and ] in ] in July 2006. As part of the WBNG-TV purchase, Les Vann (formerly ] and ] of WTVH) was promoted to Executive Vice President of Central and ] operations with regional responsibilities at both WBNG-TV and WTVH. At the same time, Matthew Rosenfeld was promoted to Vice President and Station Manager of this channel after holding the General ] position since 2004. Granite soon increased its ] holdings with the purchase of ] in ] in 1995 and ] in ] in July 2006. As part of the WBNG-TV purchase, Les Vann (formerly president and general manager of WTVH) was promoted to executive vice president of Central and ] operations with regional responsibilities at both WBNG-TV and WTVH. At the same time, Matthew Rosenfeld was promoted to vice president and station manager of WTVH after holding the general ] position since 2004.


In April 2008, Matthew Rosenfeld was appointed to the position of President and General Manager of WTVH and its Binghamton sister stations (WBNG and "]"). On April 6, 2008, ] died at age 84. She was known to many ] children as "The Play Lady" on this station's locally produced ], ''The Magic Toy Shop'', from 1955 until 1982. Daugherty wrote more than 6,000 episodes of the program, which after ending its run, was the longest-running local children's show in the country. In April 2008, Matthew Rosenfeld was appointed to the position of president and general manager of WTVH and its Binghamton sister stations (WBNG and "WBXI"). On April 6, 2008, ] died at age 84. She was known to many ] children as "The Play Lady" on this station's locally produced ], ''The Magic Toy Shop'', from 1955 until 1982. Daugherty wrote more than 6,000 episodes of the program, which after ending its run, was the longest-running local children's show in the country.


On March 2, 2009, as a result of continual low ratings, slow advertising sales, and the loss of the ] area to ], it was announced that WTVH would enter into a local marketing agreement with rivals WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP.<ref>Fybush, Scott. . NorthEast Radio Watch. March 2, 2009.</ref><ref> </ref><ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/40540727.html |title=Central New York television stations join forces &#124; WTVH-TV CBS 5 Syracuse, NY &#124; Local News |access-date=2009-03-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306122922/http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/40540727.html |archive-date=March 6, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Initially, WTVH continued to operate out of its own facilities on James Street but eventually moved into WSTM-TV's studios a block away.<ref name="syracuse.com">{{cite web|author=Michelle Breidenbach / The Post-Standard |url=http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/the_staff_of_wtvh_laid.html |title=Syracuse's Channel 5 shuts down its newsroom |date=March 3, 2009 |publisher=syracuse.com |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref> WTVH's studios were put up for lease in Summer 2009 and were eventually sold after several years of vacancy to developer Lou Santaro in October 2016, who plans to convert the old studios into office space.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syracuse.com/business-news/index.ssf/2016/11/wtvh-tvs_former_studio_in_syracuse_to_be_turned_into_offices.html|last=Moriarty|first=Rick|title=WTVH-TV's former studio in Syracuse to be turned into offices|work=The Post-Standard|date=November 21, 2016|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref> On March 2, 2009, as a result of continual low ratings, slow advertising sales, and the loss of the ] area to ], it was announced that WTVH would enter into a local marketing agreement with rivals WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP.<ref>Fybush, Scott. . NorthEast Radio Watch. March 2, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Syracuse's Channel 5 shuts down its newsroom |url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2009/03/the_staff_of_wtvh_laid.html |date=March 3, 2009 |first=Michelle |last=Gabel |work=Syracuse.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/40540727.html |title=Central New York television stations join forces |work=WTVH-TV 5 |access-date=March 7, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306122922/http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/40540727.html |archive-date=March 6, 2009 }}</ref> Initially, WTVH continued to operate out of its own facilities on James Street but eventually moved into WSTM-TV's studios a block away.<ref name="syracuse.com">{{cite web|author=Michelle Breidenbach / The Post-Standard |url=http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/the_staff_of_wtvh_laid.html |title=Syracuse's Channel 5 shuts down its newsroom |date=March 3, 2009 |publisher=syracuse.com |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref> WTVH's studios were put up for lease in Summer 2009 and were eventually sold after several years of vacancy to developer Lou Santaro in October 2016, who plans to convert the old studios into office space.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syracuse.com/business-news/index.ssf/2016/11/wtvh-tvs_former_studio_in_syracuse_to_be_turned_into_offices.html|last=Moriarty|first=Rick|title=WTVH-TV's former studio in Syracuse to be turned into offices|work=The Post-Standard|date=November 21, 2016|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>


On September 6, 2009, its transmitter was damaged after a ]. While Granite Broadcasting worked to fix the signal, WSTM-TV's third ] (normally a 24-hour local ] channel) carried WTVH.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=348612 |title=Latest local news, weather and sports for Syracuse and Central New York |publisher=Cnycentral.com |access-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222003008/http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=348612 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> As of September 12, WTVH's signal was restored even though, as late as November 12, over-the-air viewers continued to experience breakup of the signal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnycentral.com/entertainment/story.aspx?id=349605 |title=WTVH's broadcast signal has been restored : Entertainment |publisher=CNYcentral.com |access-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222003055/http://www.cnycentral.com/entertainment/story.aspx?id=349605 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On September 6, 2009, its transmitter was damaged after a ]. While Granite Broadcasting worked to fix the signal, WSTM-TV's third ] (normally a 24-hour local ] channel) carried WTVH.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=348612 |title=Latest local news, weather and sports for Syracuse and Central New York |publisher=Cnycentral.com |access-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222003008/http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=348612 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 }}</ref> As of September 12, WTVH's signal was restored even though, as late as November 12, over-the-air viewers continued to experience breakup of the signal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnycentral.com/entertainment/story.aspx?id=349605 |title=WTVH's broadcast signal has been restored : Entertainment |publisher=CNYcentral.com |access-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222003055/http://www.cnycentral.com/entertainment/story.aspx?id=349605 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 }}</ref>


On February 28, 2013, Barrington Broadcasting announced the sale of its entire group, including WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP, to ].<ref name=b&c-saletosinclair>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Michael|title=Sinclair's Chesapeake TV Acquires Barrington Stations|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/492113-Sinclair_s_Chesapeake_TV_Acquires_Barrington_Stations.php|access-date=March 1, 2013|newspaper=]|date=February 28, 2013}}</ref> The existing LMA for WTVH was included in the deal; however, Granite retained ownership of WTVH's license assets. WSTM-TV planned to continue to operate the station until March 2016 (the agreement was earlier expected to last until March 2017 but the FCC later voted to outlaw all existing joint sales agreements by 2016). However, Sinclair continues to operate WTVH as of April 2016 pending legal action on the JSA regulations. The group deal also resulted in Sinclair selling its existing Syracuse ] station (] affiliate ], channel 68) and the LMA and purchase option for ] affiliate ] (channel 43) to its sidecar company, ]. On February 28, 2013, Barrington Broadcasting announced the sale of its entire group, including WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP, to ].<ref name=b&c-saletosinclair>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Michael|title=Sinclair's Chesapeake TV Acquires Barrington Stations|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/492113-Sinclair_s_Chesapeake_TV_Acquires_Barrington_Stations.php|access-date=March 1, 2013|newspaper=]|date=February 28, 2013}}</ref> The existing LMA for WTVH was included in the deal; however, Granite retained ownership of WTVH's license assets. WSTM-TV planned to continue to operate the station until March 2016 (the agreement was earlier expected to last until March 2017 but the FCC later voted to outlaw all existing joint sales agreements by 2016). However, Sinclair continued to operate WTVH as of April 2016 pending legal action on the JSA regulations.


However, in an updated filing that August, Sinclair would instead sell WSYT and the LMA for WNYS-TV to Bristlecone Broadcasting, a company owned by ] owner Brian Brady. Sinclair continued to operate WSYT and WNYS-TV through a transitional services agreement for six months after the sale was consummated (until May 2014).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Barrington%20Closes.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013631/http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Barrington%20Closes.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref> With the sale of KSEE to the ] in February 2013 and the announced sales of most of Granite's remaining stations to the ] and ] in February 2014, along with the surrender of ] ] ]'s spectrum in the 2017 incentive auction, WTVH is the last remaining station whose license is owned by SP Granite. As of December 2021, well over five years after the local marketing agreement was set to expire, WTVH continues to be operated by Sinclair. The group deal also resulted in Sinclair selling its existing Syracuse ] station (] affiliate ], channel 68) and the LMA and purchase option for ] affiliate ] (channel 43) to its sidecar company, ]. However, in an updated filing that August, Sinclair would instead sell WSYT and the LMA for WNYS-TV to Bristlecone Broadcasting, a company owned by ] owner Brian Brady. Sinclair continued to operate WSYT and WNYS-TV through a transitional services agreement for six months after the sale was consummated (until May 2014).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Barrington%20Closes.pdf |title=SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP CLOSES ON ACQUISITION OF BARRINGTON STATIONS|format=PDF |access-date=November 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013631/http://www.sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Barrington%20Closes.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref>
With the sale of KSEE to the ] in February 2013 and the announced sales of most of Granite's remaining stations to the ] and ] in February 2014, along with the surrender of San Francisco ] ]'s spectrum in the 2017 incentive auction, WTVH is the last remaining station whose license is owned by SP Granite. As of March 2024, well over seven years after the local marketing agreement was set to expire, WTVH continues to be operated by Sinclair.


===Other markets=== ===Other markets===
From 1956, when CBS ended a secondary affiliation with ] after a dispute, to November 22, 2015, when WKTV affiliated its second digital subchannel with the network,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wktv.com/news/WKTV_bringing_CBS_affiliation_to_Utica.html |title=WKTV bringing CBS affiliation to Utica |access-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027135050/http://www.wktv.com/news/WKTV_bringing_CBS_affiliation_to_Utica.html |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> WTVH served as the ''de facto'' affiliate for the majority of the ] market, namely ] and that area's portion of ]; the southern portion of the market (corresponding to ]) was served by WBNG. WTVH was extremely protective of this status, barring current ABC affiliate ] from affiliating with CBS on at least one occasion. CBS also blocked a 1983 attempt by new station WTUV (now ]) to affiliate with the network, as it felt that its existing coverage in Utica (including carriage of WTVH on area cable systems) was sufficient<ref name=tdp-wtuvnocbs>{{cite news|last1=Carroll|first1=Doug|title=Third local TV station still needs a network|url=http://fultonhistory.com/Process%20Small/Newspapers/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press%201983.pdf/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press%201983%20-%200778.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=2b84467a&DocId=11932625&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT%2dS&HitCount=10&hits=9+13+68f+6a7+6ee+72c+7f7+83a+83e+844+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf|access-date=August 19, 2015|work=The Daily Press|date=February 2, 1983|page=1}}</ref> (WTUV would sign on in 1986 as a Fox affiliate). Under Granite's ownership, WTVH did not take advantage of this status in terms of targeted advertising and news coverage focusing on the Utica area. Portions of that market lost access to WTVH's over-the-air broadcasts as a result of the ].<ref>, Dec 2008</ref> From 1956, when CBS ended a secondary affiliation with ] after a dispute, to November 22, 2015, when WKTV affiliated its second digital subchannel with the network,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wktv.com/news/WKTV_bringing_CBS_affiliation_to_Utica.html |title=WKTV bringing CBS affiliation to Utica |access-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027135050/http://www.wktv.com/news/WKTV_bringing_CBS_affiliation_to_Utica.html |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> WTVH served as the ''de facto'' affiliate for the majority of the ] market, namely ] and that area's portion of ]; the southern portion of the market (corresponding to ]) was served by WBNG. WTVH was extremely protective of this status, barring current ABC affiliate ] from affiliating with CBS on at least one occasion. CBS also blocked a 1983 attempt by new station WTUV (now ]) to affiliate with the network, as it felt that its existing coverage in Utica (including carriage of WTVH on area cable systems) was sufficient<ref name=tdp-wtuvnocbs>{{cite news|last1=Carroll|first1=Doug|title=Third local TV station still needs a network|url=http://fultonhistory.com/Process%20Small/Newspapers/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press%201983.pdf/Utica%20NY%20Daily%20Press%201983%20-%200778.pdf#xml=http://fultonhistory.com/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=2b84467a&DocId=11932625&Index=Z%3a%5cIndex%20O%2dG%2dT%2dS&HitCount=10&hits=9+13+68f+6a7+6ee+72c+7f7+83a+83e+844+&SearchForm=C%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5cFulton%5fNew%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf|access-date=August 19, 2015|work=The Daily Press|date=February 2, 1983|page=1}}</ref> (WTUV would sign on in 1986 as a Fox affiliate). Under Granite's ownership, WTVH did not take advantage of this status in terms of targeted advertising and news coverage focusing on the Utica area. Portions of that market lost access to WTVH's over-the-air broadcasts as a result of the ].<ref>, Dec 2008</ref>


WTVH's schedule was carried in full on cable in ] due to its status as an out-of-market station that was "]" over-the-air, even though the area has ] as its own CBS affiliate. WWNY-TV's owner, ], argued in a 2018 petition that WTVH's significantly-viewed status should be removed as it provides no over-the-air coverage to Watertown after the transition to digital. The FCC decided in United's favor, and WWNY-TV is now allowed to ] network and duplicate syndicated programming on WTVH's feed on local cable providers.<ref>{{cite web |title=In the Matter of United Communications Corporation WWNY-TV, Carthage, New York |url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-826A1.pdf |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref> WTVH's schedule was carried in full on cable in ] due to its status as an out-of-market station that was "]" over-the-air, even though the area has ] as its own CBS affiliate. WWNY-TV's then-owner, ], argued in a 2018 petition that WTVH's significantly-viewed status should be removed as it provides no over-the-air coverage to Watertown after the transition to digital. The FCC decided in United's favor, and WWNY-TV is now allowed to ] network and duplicate syndicated programming on WTVH's feed on local cable providers.<ref>{{cite web |title=In the Matter of United Communications Corporation WWNY-TV, Carthage, New York |url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-826A1.pdf |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref>


===NFL/Buffalo Bills coverage issues=== ===NFL/Buffalo Bills coverage issues===
In ], ] gained the rights to the ] of the ]. The league determined that portions of ], a fairly narrow location only a few miles wide at certain points, was within {{convert|75|mi|km|0}} of ], home of the ]. That area is on the far western fringe of the Syracuse market and has varied between the Syracuse and Rochester markets several times. Therefore, WTVH was formerly forced to ] Buffalo Bills games if they do not sell out before a 72-hour deadline prior to kickoff. Before the launch of WKTV-DT2's CBS subchannel, this also meant the blackout ''de facto'' extended into the Utica market for CBS games. Since the ] the league's blackout policy has been suspended on a season-to-season basis, allowing Bills home games to air on WTVH regardless of sell-out status. WTVH's status was different from the years NBC held the AFC package, where WSTM and WKTV were allowed to broadcast Bills home games regardless of sell-out status, mainly due to less finessed market boundary maps in the pre-digital age. In ], ] gained the rights to the ] of the ]. The league determined that portions of ], a fairly narrow location only a few miles wide at certain points, was within {{convert|75|mi|km|0}} of ], home of the ]. That area is on the far western fringe of the Syracuse market and has varied between the Syracuse and Rochester markets several times. Therefore, WTVH was formerly forced to ] Buffalo Bills games if they do not sell out before a 72-hour deadline prior to kickoff. Before the launch of WKTV-DT2's CBS subchannel, this also meant the blackout ''de facto'' extended into the Utica market for CBS games. Since the ], the league's blackout policy has been suspended on a season-to-season basis, allowing Bills home games to air on WTVH regardless of sell-out status. WTVH's status was different from the years NBC held the AFC package, where WSTM and WKTV were allowed to broadcast Bills home games regardless of sell-out status, mainly due to less finessed market boundary maps in the pre-digital age.


==News operation== ==News operation==
{{see|WSTM-TV#News operation}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->
⚫ For most of its first 40 years on-air, WHEN-TV/WTVH was the dominant station in Central New York. However, it fell into gradual decline beginning in the 1980s which accelerated under subsequent owners, as the Meredith Corporation's other stations were in growth markets such as ] and the relaxation of ownership restrictions saw investment in a station in a stagnant market decline. Ever since the mid-1990s, WTVH's newscasts struggled in the ] running a distant third behind rivals WIXT/WSYR-TV and WSTM-TV. This precipitous decline in its local news viewership contributed to Meredith's decision to sell the station in 1993 (WTVH was battling WSTM-TV for second place behind WIXT at the time of the sale), along with CBS's struggles through the decade causing declines throughout other parts of the day. Ratings plummeted even further after popular longtime anchor Ron Curtis retired in December 2000.

⚫ For most of its first 40 years on-air, WHEN-TV/WTVH was the dominant station in Central New York. However, it fell into gradual decline beginning in the 1980s which accelerated under subsequent owners, as the Meredith Corporation's other stations were in growth markets such as ] and the relaxation of ownership restrictions saw investment in a station in a stagnant market decline. Ever since the mid-1990s, WTVH's newscasts struggled in the ] running a distant third behind rivals WSYR-TV and WSTM-TV. This precipitous decline in its local news viewership contributed to Meredith's decision to sell the station in 1993 (WTVH was battling WSTM-TV for second place behind WSYR-TV at the time of the sale), along with CBS's struggles through the decade causing declines throughout other parts of the day. Ratings plummeted even further after popular longtime anchor Ron Curtis retired in December 2000.


In 2000, WSTM-TV declined to renew its news share agreement with WSYT that featured a nightly, half-hour prime time newscast on the latter. As a result, WSYT partnered with WTVH to continue the broadcasts. Now known as ''Fox 68 ] at 10'', this effort was eventually joined by an hour-long weekday morning show called ''Fox 68 Eyewitness News at 7''. Both of the programs featured the same branding as WTVH's newscasts did at the time. Meanwhile, in 2003, WSTM-TV brought back a nightly prime time show at 10 for its newly acquired sister station WSTQ-LP. In 2000, WSTM-TV declined to renew its news share agreement with WSYT that featured a nightly, half-hour prime time newscast on the latter. As a result, WSYT partnered with WTVH to continue the broadcasts. Now known as ''Fox 68 ] at 10'', this effort was eventually joined by an hour-long weekday morning show called ''Fox 68 Eyewitness News at 7''. Both of the programs featured the same branding as WTVH's newscasts did at the time. Meanwhile, in 2003, WSTM-TV brought back a nightly prime time show at 10 for its newly acquired sister station WSTQ-LP.


In April 2006, WTVH ceased producing all local news programming for WSYT in order to focus on its own newscasts that were cemented in third place by this point. Ironically, the nightly 10 o'clock broadcasts were WTVH's most successful having soundly beat WSTM-TV's effort on WSTQ-LP. WSYT is one of a few ]-affiliated stations which do not have an internal news division. In April 2006, WTVH ceased producing all local news programming for WSYT to focus on its own newscasts that were cemented in third place by this point. Ironically, the nightly 10 o'clock broadcasts were WTVH's most successful having soundly beat WSTM-TV's effort on WSTQ-LP. WSYT is one of a few ]-affiliated stations which do not have an internal news division.


On December 22, 2006, one of the area's most popular long-time journalists, ], died after a long illness. Duffy began her television career at channel 5. Throughout her career, Duffy led the way for women in journalism. She became the first female police reporter in Central New York after joining the '']'' in 1966. She was Syracuse's first female television reporter when she moved to channel 5 in 1967. She became the first woman to join the Syracuse Press Club and later served as its president. In 1970, Duffy served as ] at ] for then-mayor ]. She returned to the station after a year and moved to what was then WNYS-TV as a reporter and weekday morning news anchor in 1977. On December 22, 2006, one of the area's most popular long-time journalists, ], died after a long illness. Duffy began her television career at channel 5. Throughout her career, Duffy led the way for women in journalism. She became the first female police reporter in Central New York after joining the '']'' in 1966. She was Syracuse's first female television reporter when she moved to channel 5 in 1967. She became the first woman to join the Syracuse Press Club and later served as its president. In 1970, Duffy served as ] at ] for then-mayor ]. She returned to the station after a year and moved to what was then WNYS-TV as a reporter and weekday morning news anchor in 1977.
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In 2007, the station fired Ron Curtis' longtime anchor desk partner, Maureen Green, a 22-year veteran of the station. In 2007, the station fired Ron Curtis' longtime anchor desk partner, Maureen Green, a 22-year veteran of the station.


As a result of the JSA/SSA with WSTM, WTVH's news department was shut down and merged with the NBC outlet. This resulted in the elimination of 40 jobs at this station. Only Michael Benny was retained to solo-anchor the weeknight newscasts on WTVH from its separate studios (less than a block away on James Street from WSTM-TV's facility) using other personalities from WSTM-TV for all other content.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://syracusepressclub.org/joomla/index.php?view=article&catid=14%3Aindustry-news&id=194%3Awtvh-move-to-wstm-studios-final-on-monday&option=com_content&Itemid=45 |title=WTVH Move to WSTM Studios Final on Monday |access-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412104602/http://syracusepressclub.org/joomla/index.php?view=article&catid=14%3Aindustry-news&id=194%3Awtvh-move-to-wstm-studios-final-on-monday&option=com_content&Itemid=45 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The system set up by this CBS affiliate to use all videotaped footage (including interviews) shot by WSTM-TV was filled with problems with staffers from WSTM-TV actually walking to WTVH's old studios to deliver raw video to be edited for its weeknight news programs. Neither station attempted to offer newscasts outside traditional time slots to compete with WSYR-TV (such as weekdays at 11&nbsp;a.m., 12:30&nbsp;p.m., or weeknights at 4 and 7) despite a plan originally announced.<ref name="syracuse.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=267378 |title=Central New York television stations join forces : News |publisher=CNYcentral.com |date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref> WSYR-TV eventually expanded WSTQ-LP's weeknight prime time newscast to an hour on August 30, 2010. As a result of the LMA with WSTM, WTVH's news department was shut down and merged with the NBC outlet. This resulted in the elimination of 40 jobs at this station. Only Michael Benny was retained to solo-anchor the weeknight newscasts on WTVH from its separate studios (less than a block away on James Street from WSTM-TV's facility) using other personalities from WSTM-TV for all other content.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://syracusepressclub.org/joomla/index.php?view=article&catid=14%3Aindustry-news&id=194%3Awtvh-move-to-wstm-studios-final-on-monday&option=com_content&Itemid=45 |title=WTVH Move to WSTM Studios Final on Monday |access-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412104602/http://syracusepressclub.org/joomla/index.php?view=article&catid=14%3Aindustry-news&id=194%3Awtvh-move-to-wstm-studios-final-on-monday&option=com_content&Itemid=45 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The system set up by this CBS affiliate to use all videotaped footage (including interviews) shot by WSTM-TV was filled with problems with staffers from WSTM-TV actually walking to WTVH's old studios to deliver raw video to be edited for its weeknight news programs. Neither station attempted to offer newscasts outside traditional time slots to compete with WSYR-TV (such as weekdays at 11&nbsp;am, 12:30&nbsp;pm, or weeknights at 4 and 7) despite a plan originally announced.<ref name="syracuse.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=267378 |title=Central New York television stations join forces : News |publisher=CNYcentral.com |date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref> WSYR-TV eventually expanded WSTQ-LP's weeknight prime time newscast to an hour on August 30, 2010.


In October 2009, Barrington Broadcasting began to produce separate weeknight newscasts on WTVH from a new secondary set at WSTM-TV's facility. Otherwise, at that time, the CBS and NBC stations would simulcast each other on weekday mornings (except the first hour at 4 a.m. on WSTM-TV), weekdays at noon, and weekend evenings. Although WTVH retained unique branding, music, and graphic aspects of the separately-produced news broadcasts on weeknights, coverage was essentially the same with re-purposed and packaged stories from the NBC affiliate airing on this CBS station. WSTM-TV usually featured more live reports from the field during a breaking news event.<ref>http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=171703.0;wap2 {{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In October 2009, Barrington Broadcasting began to produce separate weeknight newscasts on WTVH from a new secondary set at WSTM-TV's facility. Otherwise, at that time, the CBS and NBC stations would simulcast each other on weekday mornings (except the first hour at 4 a.m. on WSTM-TV), weekdays at noon, and weekend evenings. Although WTVH retained unique branding, music, and graphic aspects of the separately-produced news broadcasts on weeknights, coverage was essentially the same with re-purposed and packaged stories from the NBC affiliate airing on this CBS station. WSTM-TV usually featured more live reports from the field during a breaking news event.<ref>http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=171703.0;wap2 {{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
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In mid-December 2010, WSTM-TV became the first in the market to upgrade local news production to ] ] ] and the shows on WTVH were included in the change. Although not truly high definition, the broadcasts match the ] of HD television screens. Rival WSYR-TV would switch to full high definition newscasts on January 29, 2011. On October 23, 2016, WSTM and WTVH became the second and third stations, respectively, to switch to their own true HD newscasts. In mid-December 2010, WSTM-TV became the first in the market to upgrade local news production to ] ] ] and the shows on WTVH were included in the change. Although not truly high definition, the broadcasts match the ] of HD television screens. Rival WSYR-TV would switch to full high definition newscasts on January 29, 2011. On October 23, 2016, WSTM and WTVH became the second and third stations, respectively, to switch to their own true HD newscasts.


On April 13, 2015, WTVH reintroduced separately-produced local newscasts airing weekday mornings (from 5 to 7 a.m.) and weekdays at noon (seen for a half-hour) with a dedicated anchor and ] that do not appear on WSTM-TV. At the same time, this station also began to feature its own meteorologist for the weeknight newscasts rather than sharing an on-air personality with WSTM-TV. WTVH already has a separate news anchor seen weeknights exclusively on the station. WTVH continues to simulcast local news with WSTM-TV on weekend evenings. These broadcasts use the two station's shared branding, ''CNY Central''. There can be a preemption or delay on one channel due to network obligations (most notably sports programming).<ref>http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1185612#.VSH54pOztOh</ref><ref>http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1185625#.VSH7oJOztOg</ref> On April 13, 2015, WTVH reintroduced separately-produced local newscasts airing weekday mornings (from 5 to 7&nbsp;am) and weekdays at noon (seen for a half-hour) with a dedicated anchor and ] that do not appear on WSTM-TV. At the same time, this station also began to feature its own meteorologist for the weeknight newscasts rather than sharing an on-air personality with WSTM-TV. WTVH already has a separate news anchor seen weeknights exclusively on the station. WTVH continues to simulcast local news with WSTM-TV on weekend evenings. These broadcasts use the two station's shared branding, ''CNY Central''. There can be a preemption or delay on one channel due to network obligations (most notably sports programming).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1185612|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305003055/http://cnycentral.com/news/local/cbs5-news-expands-with-brand-new-morning-and-noon-news?id=1185612|archive-date=March 5, 2017|title=CBS5 News expands with brand new morning and noon news|access-date=September 12, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1185625|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305003059/http://cnycentral.com/news/local/cbs5-welcomes-veteran-meteorologist-to-evening-newscasts?id=1185625|archive-date=March 5, 2017|title=CBS5 welcomes veteran meteorologist to evening newscasts|access-date=September 12, 2023}}</ref>


===Notable former on-air staff=== ===Notable former on-air staff===
*] – weather anchor (1993-1996, now chief weather anchor at ] in ]) * ] – weather anchor (1993–1996, now chief weather anchor at ] in New York City)
* ] – sports director (late 1980s–1995, now the radio voice of the ], as well as ] ] and ] games)
*] – program host and ]/pioneering newscaster (1948–1949) * ] – program host and ]/pioneering newscaster (1948–1949)
*] – news anchor (mid-late 1990s, now anchor of '']'')
*] – weekend weather anchor (1974–1976, now weather and feature reporter for '']'') * ] – news anchor (mid–late 1990s, now anchor of '']'')
* ] – weekend weather anchor (1974–1976, now weather and feature reporter for '']'')
*] – ] (late 1980s–early 1990s, later ]'s '']'' play-by-play announcer, now at ] effective July 2016.) * ] – sports director (late 1980s–early 1990s, later ]'s '']'' play-by-play announcer, now at ])
* ] – sports anchor and reporter (1998–1999, now a studio host for ])


==Technical information== ==Technical information==


===Subchannels=== ===Subchannels===
The station's digital signal is ]: The station's signal is ]:
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
⚫ |+Subchannels of WTVH<ref></ref>
⚫ ! scope = "col" | ]
⚫ ! scope = "col" | ]
⚫ ! scope = "col" | ]
⚫ ! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|- |-
! scope = "row" | 5.1
⚫ ! ]
⚫ | ] || rowspan=3| ] || WTVHCBS || ]
⚫ ! ]
⚫ ! ]
⚫ ! Short name
⚫ ! Programming<ref></ref>
|- |-
! scope = "row" | 5.2
⚫ | 5.1 || 1080i || rowspan=3| ] || WTVHCBS || Main WTVH programming / ]
⚫ | rowspan=2| ] || Charge! || ]
|-
⚫ | 5.2 || rowspan=2| 480i || Charge! || ]
|-
⚫ | 5.3 || TBD || ]
|- |-
! scope = "row" | 5.3
⚫ | TBD || ]
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399;"
! scope = "row" | ]
| 1080i || rowspan=2|16:9 || WSTMNBC || ] (])
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6;"
! scope = "row" | ]
| 480i || Comet || ] (])
|} |}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}


===Analog-to-digital conversion=== ===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WTVH shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television in the United States ] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition ] channel 47.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |access-date=2012-03-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Through the use of ], digital television receivers display the station's ] as its former VHF analog channel 5. In January 2015, WTVH's second digital subchannel began carrying the ] network. On February 13, 2017, WTVH's third digital subchannel began carrying Sinclair's ] network. WTVH shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television in the United States ] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition ] channel 47,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref> using ] 5.


Grit was removed from WTVH-DT2 on February 28, 2017, and replaced by ], another Sinclair-owned network. In January 2015, WTVH's second digital subchannel began carrying the ] network. On February 13, 2017, WTVH's third digital subchannel began carrying Sinclair's ] network. Grit was removed from WTVH-DT2 on February 28, 2017, and replaced by ], another Sinclair-owned network.


==References== ==References==
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==External links== ==External links==
* *


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Latest revision as of 08:24, 20 December 2024

TV station in Syracuse, New York This article is about the television station currently known as WTVH. For the station in Peoria, Illinois, originally known as WTVH until 1965, see WHOI (TV). For the television station in Sapporo, Japan, see Television Hokkaido.

WTVH
Channels
BrandingCBS 5; CNY Central
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
OperatorSinclair Broadcast Group via LMA
Sister stationsWSTM-TV
History
First air dateDecember 1, 1948 (76 years ago) (1948-12-01)
Former call signsWHEN-TV (1948–1976)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 8 (VHF, 1948–1961), 5 (VHF, 1961–2009)
  • Digital: 47 (UHF, 2002–2020)
Former affiliations
Call sign meaningTelevision WHEN (former callsign)
Technical information
Licensing authorityFCC
Facility ID74151
ERP109 kW
HAAT392.6 m (1,288 ft)
Transmitter coordinates42°56′41.8″N 76°7′6.2″W / 42.944944°N 76.118389°W / 42.944944; -76.118389
Links
Public license information
Websitecnycentral.com

WTVH (channel 5) is a television station in Syracuse, New York, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is the only station whose broadcast license continues to be owned by Granite Broadcasting, a moribund company (controlled by Greenwich, Connecticut–based hedge fund Silver Point Capital) that sold most of its remaining assets in 2014 and 2017. Certain services are provided under a local marketing agreement (LMA) by Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of WSTM-TV (channel 3), a dual affiliate of NBC and The CW. The two stations share studios on James Street/NY 290 in the Near Northeast section of Syracuse; WTVH's transmitter is located in the town of Onondaga.

History

Syracuse's first television station debuted on December 1, 1948, as WHEN-TV, airing an analog signal on VHF channel 8. The station was the first to be built and signed-on by the Des Moines, Iowa–based Meredith Corporation, and was the 47th station to launch in the United States. Meredith simultaneously entered the television field in several Midwestern cities including Omaha and Kansas City. In 1954, it purchased WAGE radio (620 AM) and changed that station's call letters to WHEN; it also switched the station's network affiliation to CBS Radio in 1956 matching it with other Meredith-owned outlets.

The station became a primary CBS affiliate on January 1, 1949, and also carried secondary affiliations with NBC, ABC, and DuMont. When the original WSYR-TV (now WSTM-TV) signed-on in 1950 and took the NBC affiliation, WHEN-TV shared ABC with that channel until WNYS-TV (channel 9, later WIXT-TV and now the present WSYR-TV) signed-on in 1962 and took the ABC affiliation. The affiliation with DuMont ended in 1956 when that network ceased operations. It is the oldest continuing affiliate of the CBS Television Network among stations not owned by the network itself.

In July 1961, WHEN-TV moved to channel 5, swapping channel locations with WROC-TV in Rochester as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revised its Upstate New York allocation table to provide more VHF service in the two cities. In 1963, the WHEN stations moved from their original Court Street studios into a new state-of-the-art facility on James Street near WSYR (AM)-FM-TV's studios. Popular national radio and television personality Arthur Godfrey originated his late-morning CBS network radio show from the new WHEN studios on the day the facility opened to help Meredith celebrate.

In 1976, Meredith sold WHEN radio to Park Communications but retained WHEN-TV. Since the radio station kept the WHEN call letters, Meredith had to change channel 5's call sign. It originally wanted the new call letters WTVF ("Television Five", referring to the station's on-air identity) but those had already been claimed by a fellow CBS affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee. At this point, Meredith chose WTVH as the new calls with "H" being a link to its WHEN-TV heritage. In June 1993, Meredith announced the sale of WTVH and sister station KSEE-TV in Fresno, California, to Granite Broadcasting with the sale closing on December 23 of that year.

Granite soon increased its Northeastern holdings with the purchase of WKBW-TV in Buffalo in 1995 and WBNG-TV in Binghamton in July 2006. As part of the WBNG-TV purchase, Les Vann (formerly president and general manager of WTVH) was promoted to executive vice president of Central and Southern New York operations with regional responsibilities at both WBNG-TV and WTVH. At the same time, Matthew Rosenfeld was promoted to vice president and station manager of WTVH after holding the general sales manager position since 2004.

In April 2008, Matthew Rosenfeld was appointed to the position of president and general manager of WTVH and its Binghamton sister stations (WBNG and "WBXI"). On April 6, 2008, Jean Daugherty died at age 84. She was known to many baby boomer children as "The Play Lady" on this station's locally produced children's program, The Magic Toy Shop, from 1955 until 1982. Daugherty wrote more than 6,000 episodes of the program, which after ending its run, was the longest-running local children's show in the country.

On March 2, 2009, as a result of continual low ratings, slow advertising sales, and the loss of the Ithaca area to WENY-DT2, it was announced that WTVH would enter into a local marketing agreement with rivals WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP. Initially, WTVH continued to operate out of its own facilities on James Street but eventually moved into WSTM-TV's studios a block away. WTVH's studios were put up for lease in Summer 2009 and were eventually sold after several years of vacancy to developer Lou Santaro in October 2016, who plans to convert the old studios into office space.

On September 6, 2009, its transmitter was damaged after a power failure. While Granite Broadcasting worked to fix the signal, WSTM-TV's third digital subchannel (normally a 24-hour local weather channel) carried WTVH. As of September 12, WTVH's signal was restored even though, as late as November 12, over-the-air viewers continued to experience breakup of the signal.

On February 28, 2013, Barrington Broadcasting announced the sale of its entire group, including WSTM-TV and WSTQ-LP, to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The existing LMA for WTVH was included in the deal; however, Granite retained ownership of WTVH's license assets. WSTM-TV planned to continue to operate the station until March 2016 (the agreement was earlier expected to last until March 2017 but the FCC later voted to outlaw all existing joint sales agreements by 2016). However, Sinclair continued to operate WTVH as of April 2016 pending legal action on the JSA regulations.

The group deal also resulted in Sinclair selling its existing Syracuse market station (Fox affiliate WSYT, channel 68) and the LMA and purchase option for MyNetworkTV affiliate WNYS-TV (channel 43) to its sidecar company, Cunningham Broadcasting. However, in an updated filing that August, Sinclair would instead sell WSYT and the LMA for WNYS-TV to Bristlecone Broadcasting, a company owned by Northwest Broadcasting owner Brian Brady. Sinclair continued to operate WSYT and WNYS-TV through a transitional services agreement for six months after the sale was consummated (until May 2014).

With the sale of KSEE to the Nexstar Broadcasting Group in February 2013 and the announced sales of most of Granite's remaining stations to the E. W. Scripps Company and Quincy Newspapers in February 2014, along with the surrender of San Francisco independent station KOFY-TV's spectrum in the 2017 incentive auction, WTVH is the last remaining station whose license is owned by SP Granite. As of March 2024, well over seven years after the local marketing agreement was set to expire, WTVH continues to be operated by Sinclair.

Other markets

From 1956, when CBS ended a secondary affiliation with WKTV after a dispute, to November 22, 2015, when WKTV affiliated its second digital subchannel with the network, WTVH served as the de facto affiliate for the majority of the Utica market, namely Herkimer County and that area's portion of Oneida County; the southern portion of the market (corresponding to Otsego County) was served by WBNG. WTVH was extremely protective of this status, barring current ABC affiliate WUTR from affiliating with CBS on at least one occasion. CBS also blocked a 1983 attempt by new station WTUV (now WFXV) to affiliate with the network, as it felt that its existing coverage in Utica (including carriage of WTVH on area cable systems) was sufficient (WTUV would sign on in 1986 as a Fox affiliate). Under Granite's ownership, WTVH did not take advantage of this status in terms of targeted advertising and news coverage focusing on the Utica area. Portions of that market lost access to WTVH's over-the-air broadcasts as a result of the 2009 digital television transition.

WTVH's schedule was carried in full on cable in Watertown due to its status as an out-of-market station that was "significantly viewed" over-the-air, even though the area has WWNY-TV as its own CBS affiliate. WWNY-TV's then-owner, United Communications, argued in a 2018 petition that WTVH's significantly-viewed status should be removed as it provides no over-the-air coverage to Watertown after the transition to digital. The FCC decided in United's favor, and WWNY-TV is now allowed to black out network and duplicate syndicated programming on WTVH's feed on local cable providers.

NFL/Buffalo Bills coverage issues

In 1997, CBS gained the rights to the American Football Conference of the National Football League. The league determined that portions of Yates County, a fairly narrow location only a few miles wide at certain points, was within 75 miles (121 km) of Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills. That area is on the far western fringe of the Syracuse market and has varied between the Syracuse and Rochester markets several times. Therefore, WTVH was formerly forced to black out Buffalo Bills games if they do not sell out before a 72-hour deadline prior to kickoff. Before the launch of WKTV-DT2's CBS subchannel, this also meant the blackout de facto extended into the Utica market for CBS games. Since the 2015 NFL season, the league's blackout policy has been suspended on a season-to-season basis, allowing Bills home games to air on WTVH regardless of sell-out status. WTVH's status was different from the years NBC held the AFC package, where WSTM and WKTV were allowed to broadcast Bills home games regardless of sell-out status, mainly due to less finessed market boundary maps in the pre-digital age.

News operation

Further information: WSTM-TV § News operation

For most of its first 40 years on-air, WHEN-TV/WTVH was the dominant station in Central New York. However, it fell into gradual decline beginning in the 1980s which accelerated under subsequent owners, as the Meredith Corporation's other stations were in growth markets such as Phoenix and the relaxation of ownership restrictions saw investment in a station in a stagnant market decline. Ever since the mid-1990s, WTVH's newscasts struggled in the Nielsen ratings running a distant third behind rivals WIXT/WSYR-TV and WSTM-TV. This precipitous decline in its local news viewership contributed to Meredith's decision to sell the station in 1993 (WTVH was battling WSTM-TV for second place behind WIXT at the time of the sale), along with CBS's struggles through the decade causing declines throughout other parts of the day. Ratings plummeted even further after popular longtime anchor Ron Curtis retired in December 2000.

In 2000, WSTM-TV declined to renew its news share agreement with WSYT that featured a nightly, half-hour prime time newscast on the latter. As a result, WSYT partnered with WTVH to continue the broadcasts. Now known as Fox 68 Eyewitness News at 10, this effort was eventually joined by an hour-long weekday morning show called Fox 68 Eyewitness News at 7. Both of the programs featured the same branding as WTVH's newscasts did at the time. Meanwhile, in 2003, WSTM-TV brought back a nightly prime time show at 10 for its newly acquired sister station WSTQ-LP.

In April 2006, WTVH ceased producing all local news programming for WSYT to focus on its own newscasts that were cemented in third place by this point. Ironically, the nightly 10 o'clock broadcasts were WTVH's most successful having soundly beat WSTM-TV's effort on WSTQ-LP. WSYT is one of a few big four network-affiliated stations which do not have an internal news division.

On December 22, 2006, one of the area's most popular long-time journalists, Nancy Duffy, died after a long illness. Duffy began her television career at channel 5. Throughout her career, Duffy led the way for women in journalism. She became the first female police reporter in Central New York after joining the Syracuse Herald-Journal in 1966. She was Syracuse's first female television reporter when she moved to channel 5 in 1967. She became the first woman to join the Syracuse Press Club and later served as its president. In 1970, Duffy served as press secretary at Syracuse City Hall for then-mayor Lee Alexander. She returned to the station after a year and moved to what was then WNYS-TV as a reporter and weekday morning news anchor in 1977.

In 2007, the station fired Ron Curtis' longtime anchor desk partner, Maureen Green, a 22-year veteran of the station.

As a result of the LMA with WSTM, WTVH's news department was shut down and merged with the NBC outlet. This resulted in the elimination of 40 jobs at this station. Only Michael Benny was retained to solo-anchor the weeknight newscasts on WTVH from its separate studios (less than a block away on James Street from WSTM-TV's facility) using other personalities from WSTM-TV for all other content. The system set up by this CBS affiliate to use all videotaped footage (including interviews) shot by WSTM-TV was filled with problems with staffers from WSTM-TV actually walking to WTVH's old studios to deliver raw video to be edited for its weeknight news programs. Neither station attempted to offer newscasts outside traditional time slots to compete with WSYR-TV (such as weekdays at 11 am, 12:30 pm, or weeknights at 4 and 7) despite a plan originally announced. WSYR-TV eventually expanded WSTQ-LP's weeknight prime time newscast to an hour on August 30, 2010.

In October 2009, Barrington Broadcasting began to produce separate weeknight newscasts on WTVH from a new secondary set at WSTM-TV's facility. Otherwise, at that time, the CBS and NBC stations would simulcast each other on weekday mornings (except the first hour at 4 a.m. on WSTM-TV), weekdays at noon, and weekend evenings. Although WTVH retained unique branding, music, and graphic aspects of the separately-produced news broadcasts on weeknights, coverage was essentially the same with re-purposed and packaged stories from the NBC affiliate airing on this CBS station. WSTM-TV usually featured more live reports from the field during a breaking news event.

In mid-December 2010, WSTM-TV became the first in the market to upgrade local news production to 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen and the shows on WTVH were included in the change. Although not truly high definition, the broadcasts match the aspect ratio of HD television screens. Rival WSYR-TV would switch to full high definition newscasts on January 29, 2011. On October 23, 2016, WSTM and WTVH became the second and third stations, respectively, to switch to their own true HD newscasts.

On April 13, 2015, WTVH reintroduced separately-produced local newscasts airing weekday mornings (from 5 to 7 am) and weekdays at noon (seen for a half-hour) with a dedicated anchor and meteorologist that do not appear on WSTM-TV. At the same time, this station also began to feature its own meteorologist for the weeknight newscasts rather than sharing an on-air personality with WSTM-TV. WTVH already has a separate news anchor seen weeknights exclusively on the station. WTVH continues to simulcast local news with WSTM-TV on weekend evenings. These broadcasts use the two station's shared branding, CNY Central. There can be a preemption or delay on one channel due to network obligations (most notably sports programming).

Notable former on-air staff

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTVH
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
5.1 1080i 16:9 WTVHCBS CBS
5.2 480i Charge! Charge!
5.3 TBD TBD
3.1 1080i 16:9 WSTMNBC NBC (WSTM-TV)
3.3 480i Comet Comet (WSTM-DT3)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion

WTVH shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 47, using virtual channel 5.

In January 2015, WTVH's second digital subchannel began carrying the Grit network. On February 13, 2017, WTVH's third digital subchannel began carrying Sinclair's TBD network. Grit was removed from WTVH-DT2 on February 28, 2017, and replaced by Charge!, another Sinclair-owned network.

References

  1. Jim Ellwanger. "TV Guide: Lake Ontario Edition". Ellwanger.tv. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  2. "Democrat and Chronicle Rochester, NY May 8, 1967 p. 8". Democrat and Chronicle. May 8, 1967. p. 8.
  3. "Facility Technical Data for WTVH". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. "WTVH TV Station Information". Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  5. "Syracuse affiliates switch". Broadcasting - Telecasting, March 12, 1956, pg. 84.
  6. "New CBS TVs; four affiliates added". Broadcasting - Telecasting, January 10, 1949, pg. 35.
  7. "Final orders add vhf to three markets". Broadcasting - Telecasting, August 7, 1961, pg. 55.
  8. "Media briefs: New call for pioneer." Broadcasting, August 23, 1976, pg. 64.
  9. Fybush, Scott. A Great Voice is Stilled. NorthEast Radio Watch. March 2, 2009.
  10. Gabel, Michelle (March 3, 2009). "Syracuse's Channel 5 shuts down its newsroom". Syracuse.com.
  11. "Central New York television stations join forces". WTVH-TV 5. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  12. ^ Michelle Breidenbach / The Post-Standard (March 3, 2009). "Syracuse's Channel 5 shuts down its newsroom". syracuse.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  13. Moriarty, Rick (November 21, 2016). "WTVH-TV's former studio in Syracuse to be turned into offices". The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  14. "Latest local news, weather and sports for Syracuse and Central New York". Cnycentral.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  15. "WTVH's broadcast signal has been restored : Entertainment". CNYcentral.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  16. Malone, Michael (February 28, 2013). "Sinclair's Chesapeake TV Acquires Barrington Stations". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  17. "SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP CLOSES ON ACQUISITION OF BARRINGTON STATIONS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  18. "WKTV bringing CBS affiliation to Utica". Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  19. Carroll, Doug (February 2, 1983). "Third local TV station still needs a network" (PDF). The Daily Press. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  20. FCC coverage maps for Syracuse-market station audiences impacted by DTV transition, Dec 2008
  21. "In the Matter of United Communications Corporation [and] WWNY-TV, Carthage, New York" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission.
  22. "WTVH Move to WSTM Studios Final on Monday". Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  23. "Central New York television stations join forces : News". CNYcentral.com. March 2, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  24. http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=171703.0;wap2
  25. "CBS5 News expands with brand new morning and noon news". Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  26. "CBS5 welcomes veteran meteorologist to evening newscasts". Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  27. RabbitEars TV Query for WTVH
  28. "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.

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