WROC-TV
Encyclopedia
WROC-TV, virtual channel
8, is a CBS
affiliate based in Rochester, New York
, USA
, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group
. WROC-TV operates Fox
affiliate WUHF
(channel 31, owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group
) through a shared services agreement
. The two share studios on Humboldt Street in Rochester. WROC-TV's transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton, New York
.
affiliate on channel 6. It was owned originally by Stromberg-Carlson
, a telephone equipment manufacturer, along with WHAM radio
. The station was also affiliated with the now defunct DuMont Television Network
. (http://www.ellwanger.tv/collect/tvg/eds/old/lo.html)
WHAM-TV moved to channel 5 on July 24, 1954, as part of a revision of upstate New York's VHF allotments resulting from the Federal Communications Commission
's Sixth Report and Order of 1952. However, WHAM on channel 5 dealt with interference issues from CBLT, a CBC Television
station from Toronto
, after that station moved from its original channel 9 allocation to channel 6 in 1956. CBLT was replaced on channel 9 by CFTO-TV
in 1960, and that channel relocation would later play an indirect role in the station's second frequency shift, eight years later.
Stromberg-Carlson sold its broadcast holdings in 1956, with WHAM-TV going to Transcontinent Broadcasting, which owned WGR radio
and WGR-TV in Buffalo
. The new owners changed the call letters to the current WROC-TV. In 1961, Transcontinent sold the station to Veterans Broadcasting Company, which earlier that year sold its half of what is today WHEC-TV
(channel 10) to the Gannett Company
, then based in Rochester. (The WHAM-TV
callsign is now used on Rochester's ABC affiliate, channel 13, previously known as WOKR. Other than the shared callsign, that station is unrelated to the earlier WHAM-TV.)
Under Veterans' ownership, WROC-TV moved to channel 8 on September 8, 1962 as part of another channel allocation change, this one being a switch involving Rochester and Syracuse
. The FCC moved WROC-TV's former channel 5 east to Syracuse, and it was taken by Meredith Corporation
-owned WHEN-TV (now WTVH
), which was previously on channel 8. The move also allowed a new station on channel 9 to enter the Syracuse market; it signed-on as WNYS-TV (later WIXT and now WSYR-TV
) the following day.
Veterans Broadcasting merged with Rust Craft Broadcasting in 1964. Rust Craft became a subsidiary of Ziff Davis
in 1979. Rust Craft then sold WROC-TV and sister stations in Saginaw, Michigan
, Augusta, Georgia
and Steubenville, Ohio
to Television Station Partners LP in 1983. Television Station Partners sold WROC-TV, along with the Saginaw and Steubenville outlets, to Smith Broadcasting in 1996. Nexstar purchased WROC in 1999.
Under the stewardship of Television Station Partners, WROC-TV made another switch: On July 1, 1989, after 40 years with NBC, channel 8 swapped network affiliations with WHEC-TV and became a CBS station.
Since the 1970s, WROC's newscasts have struggled in the Nielsen
ratings
, usually placing a distant third behind WOKR/WHAM-TV and WHEC-TV. Even with the strong NBC prime-time line-up in the mid-to-late 1980s (the last few years of WROC's affiliation contract with NBC) and the strong CBS line-up during the 2000s, WROC's newscasts remained in third place for the most part, although it slowly grew in market share over the course of the decade. In the November 2008 ratings period, however, WROC's 11 pm newscast finished ahead of the slumping WHEC for the first time in many years.
When the analog television shutdown and digital conversion
took place on June 12, 2009, the station remained on its pre-transition digital channel 45 for post-transition operations. Its analog signal was officially turned-off at 11:35 P.M., following the late newscast. However, through the use of PSIP
, digital television receivers display WROC-TV's virtual channel
as 8.
For many years, WROC was one of three Rochester area stations offered on cable in the Ottawa, Ontario/Gatineau, Quebec and Eastern Ontario
regions. The Rochester area stations were replaced with Detroit stations when the microwave relay system that provided these signals was discontinued. Until January 2009, WROC was also available in many Central Ontario communities such as Belleville
, Cobourg
, and Lindsay
.
On September 26, 2011 WROC-TV launched Bounce TV
on sub-channel 8.2.
ratings
usually placing a distant third behind WHAM and WHEC. Even with the strong NBC prime-time line-up in the mid-to-late 1980s (the last few years of WROC's affiliation contract with NBC) and the strong CBS line-up during the 2000s, its newscasts remained in third place for the most part. It did slowly grow in market share over the course of the decade. In the November 2008 ratings period, WROC's 11 p.m. newscast finished ahead of slumping WHEC for the first time in many years.
After becoming operated by Nexstar, WUHF's separate news department was shut down. Two anchors, a producer, and a photographer were added to WROC's news staff. The remainder of its personnel was laid-off in this move. On September 1, 2005, a nightly half-hour prime time broadcast (produced by WROC) called Fox First at 10 began airing on WUHF
. This crippled the stations operations and brought morale down considerably. Originating from a secondary set at this station's facilities, the show eventually expanded to 45 minutes followed by a fifteen minute sports highlight program known as Sports Extra. On September 13, 2010, this station began airing a weeknight 4 p.m. newscast for a half-hour (an area first). WROC's meteorologists provide weather forecasts for sister station WUTR
in Utica
since that channel currently lacks a news department.
As of 2011, WROC's newscasts remain in third place overall, barely close enough to remain competitive with WHAM and WHEC. It is also one of two stations in the market that have not yet upgraded their newscasts to high definition or 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen.
Meteorologists
Sports
Reporters
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
8, is a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate based in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc., is an entity of broadcast television stations headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company consists of 50 television stations across the U.S., ranging from market sizes 9 to 201 . 43 of the stations are broadcasting at full power, with the other 4 broadcasting at...
. WROC-TV operates Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate WUHF
WUHF
WUHF is the Fox-affiliated television station for Rochester, New York. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 28 from a transmitter on Pinnacle Hill on the border between Rochester and Brighton. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 7 and in high definition on...
(channel 31, owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group
The Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
) through a shared services agreement
Shared services
Shared services refers to the provision of a service by one part of an organization or group where that service had previously been found in more than one part of the organization or group. Thus the funding and resourcing of the service is shared and the providing department effectively becomes an...
. The two share studios on Humboldt Street in Rochester. WROC-TV's transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton, New York
Brighton, Monroe County, New York
Brighton is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.-History:The Town of Brighton, located on the southeast border of the city of Rochester, was originally settled approximately 1790, and formally established in 1814—earning it recognition as one...
.
History
WROC-TV is Rochester's oldest television station, signing on June 11, 1949 as WHAM-TV, an NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate on channel 6. It was owned originally by Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson was a telecommunications equipment and electronics manufacturing company formed in 1894 as a partnership of Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson. Along with four other companies, it controlled the United States national supply of telephone equipment until after World War...
, a telephone equipment manufacturer, along with WHAM radio
WHAM (AM)
WHAM is a clear-channel talk radio station in Rochester, New York, owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its 50,000-watt transmitter is located in Chili, New York, and the station broadcasts on 1180 kHz.The station first went on the air in 1922...
. The station was also affiliated with the now defunct DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
. (http://www.ellwanger.tv/collect/tvg/eds/old/lo.html)
WHAM-TV moved to channel 5 on July 24, 1954, as part of a revision of upstate New York's VHF allotments resulting from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
's Sixth Report and Order of 1952. However, WHAM on channel 5 dealt with interference issues from CBLT, a CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
station from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, after that station moved from its original channel 9 allocation to channel 6 in 1956. CBLT was replaced on channel 9 by CFTO-TV
CFTO-TV
CFTO-DT, broadcast on channel 9 and cable 8, is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. Currently branded as CTV Toronto, it is the flagship station of the CTV Television Network, and was one of the charter members of the network when it was launched in 1961. It...
in 1960, and that channel relocation would later play an indirect role in the station's second frequency shift, eight years later.
Stromberg-Carlson sold its broadcast holdings in 1956, with WHAM-TV going to Transcontinent Broadcasting, which owned WGR radio
WGR
WGR, or WGR Sports Radio 550, is an all sports radio station in Buffalo, New York that broadcasts on 550 AM. It is the flagship station of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, and is currently the only full-time sports talk station in the city of Buffalo. Its studios are located in Amherst,...
and WGR-TV in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The new owners changed the call letters to the current WROC-TV. In 1961, Transcontinent sold the station to Veterans Broadcasting Company, which earlier that year sold its half of what is today WHEC-TV
WHEC-TV
WHEC-TV, channel 10, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Rochester, New York, USA. WHEC-TV is owned by Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Hubbard Broadcasting, and broadcasts from a studio/office facility on East Avenue in Downtown Rochester...
(channel 10) to the Gannett Company
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
, then based in Rochester. (The WHAM-TV
WHAM-TV
WHAM-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Rochester, New York. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter on Pinnacle Hill on the border between Rochester and Brighton. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 13 and in high definition...
callsign is now used on Rochester's ABC affiliate, channel 13, previously known as WOKR. Other than the shared callsign, that station is unrelated to the earlier WHAM-TV.)
Under Veterans' ownership, WROC-TV moved to channel 8 on September 8, 1962 as part of another channel allocation change, this one being a switch involving Rochester and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. The FCC moved WROC-TV's former channel 5 east to Syracuse, and it was taken by Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation
The Meredith Corporation is a media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The company has two divisions, National Media and Local Media.-History:...
-owned WHEN-TV (now WTVH
WTVH
WTVH is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central New York State licensed to Syracuse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 47 from a transmitter in LaFayette. The station can also be seen on Time Warner and Verizon FiOS channel 5. There is a high definition feed...
), which was previously on channel 8. The move also allowed a new station on channel 9 to enter the Syracuse market; it signed-on as WNYS-TV (later WIXT and now WSYR-TV
WSYR-TV
WSYR-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Central New York State that is licensed to Syracuse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter on Sevier Road in Pompey. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 9 and in high definition on...
) the following day.
Veterans Broadcasting merged with Rust Craft Broadcasting in 1964. Rust Craft became a subsidiary of Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis Inc. is an American publisher and Internet company. It was founded in 1927 in Chicago by William B. Ziff, Sr. and Bernard G. Davis. Throughout most of its history, it was a publisher of hobbyist magazines, often ones devoted to expensive, advertiser-rich hobbies such as cars,...
in 1979. Rust Craft then sold WROC-TV and sister stations in Saginaw, Michigan
WEYI-TV
WEYI-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Flint/Tri-Cities market that is licensed to Saginaw. The station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a 193 kilowatt, high transmitter at its studios on West Willard Road in Vienna Township along the Genesee and...
, Augusta, Georgia
WRDW-TV
WRDW-TV, channel 12, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Augusta, Georgia, USA. WRDW-TV is owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television, and also provides digital subchannels for MyNetworkTV on channel 12.2 and The Country Network on channel 12.3...
and Steubenville, Ohio
WTOV-TV
WTOV-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Ohio Valley that is licensed to Steubenville & Wheeling. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter in Mingo Junction, Ohio. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in Steubenville. Syndicated...
to Television Station Partners LP in 1983. Television Station Partners sold WROC-TV, along with the Saginaw and Steubenville outlets, to Smith Broadcasting in 1996. Nexstar purchased WROC in 1999.
Under the stewardship of Television Station Partners, WROC-TV made another switch: On July 1, 1989, after 40 years with NBC, channel 8 swapped network affiliations with WHEC-TV and became a CBS station.
Since the 1970s, WROC's newscasts have struggled in the Nielsen
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, usually placing a distant third behind WOKR/WHAM-TV and WHEC-TV. Even with the strong NBC prime-time line-up in the mid-to-late 1980s (the last few years of WROC's affiliation contract with NBC) and the strong CBS line-up during the 2000s, WROC's newscasts remained in third place for the most part, although it slowly grew in market share over the course of the decade. In the November 2008 ratings period, however, WROC's 11 pm newscast finished ahead of the slumping WHEC for the first time in many years.
When the analog television shutdown and digital conversion
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
took place on June 12, 2009, the station remained on its pre-transition digital channel 45 for post-transition operations. Its analog signal was officially turned-off at 11:35 P.M., following the late newscast. However, through the use of PSIP
Program and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
, digital television receivers display WROC-TV's virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
as 8.
For many years, WROC was one of three Rochester area stations offered on cable in the Ottawa, Ontario/Gatineau, Quebec and Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
regions. The Rochester area stations were replaced with Detroit stations when the microwave relay system that provided these signals was discontinued. Until January 2009, WROC was also available in many Central Ontario communities such as Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
, Cobourg
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...
, and Lindsay
Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
.
On September 26, 2011 WROC-TV launched Bounce TV
Bounce TV
Bounce TV is a United States television network airing on digital terrestrial television stations. Promoted as "the first 24/7 digital multicast broadcast network created exclusively for African Americans," Bounce TV launched on September 26, 2011 and features programming geared toward blacks in...
on sub-channel 8.2.
News operation
In August 1957, WROC began airing the area's first 11 o'clock broadcast called Eleventh Hour News. Regular sports segments were added to the show on April 7, 1958. In 1981, this channel acquired a live satellite truck to assist in news gathering efforts. Since the 1970s, WROC's newscasts have struggled in the NielsenNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
usually placing a distant third behind WHAM and WHEC. Even with the strong NBC prime-time line-up in the mid-to-late 1980s (the last few years of WROC's affiliation contract with NBC) and the strong CBS line-up during the 2000s, its newscasts remained in third place for the most part. It did slowly grow in market share over the course of the decade. In the November 2008 ratings period, WROC's 11 p.m. newscast finished ahead of slumping WHEC for the first time in many years.
After becoming operated by Nexstar, WUHF's separate news department was shut down. Two anchors, a producer, and a photographer were added to WROC's news staff. The remainder of its personnel was laid-off in this move. On September 1, 2005, a nightly half-hour prime time broadcast (produced by WROC) called Fox First at 10 began airing on WUHF
WUHF
WUHF is the Fox-affiliated television station for Rochester, New York. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 28 from a transmitter on Pinnacle Hill on the border between Rochester and Brighton. The station can also be seen on Time Warner channel 7 and in high definition on...
. This crippled the stations operations and brought morale down considerably. Originating from a secondary set at this station's facilities, the show eventually expanded to 45 minutes followed by a fifteen minute sports highlight program known as Sports Extra. On September 13, 2010, this station began airing a weeknight 4 p.m. newscast for a half-hour (an area first). WROC's meteorologists provide weather forecasts for sister station WUTR
WUTR
WUTR is the ABC-affiliated television station for Central Upstate New York's Mohawk Valley. Licensed to Utica, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a transmitter at its studios on Smith Hill Road in Deerfield...
in Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
since that channel currently lacks a news department.
As of 2011, WROC's newscasts remain in third place overall, barely close enough to remain competitive with WHAM and WHEC. It is also one of two stations in the market that have not yet upgraded their newscasts to high definition or 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen.
Newscast titles
- TV-8 Total News (1971-1974)
- TV-8 Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
(1974-1978) - NewsCenter 8 (1978-1981)
- News Eight/News 8 (1981–1987)
- Eyewitness NewsEyewitness NewsEyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
(1987-1990s) - NewsChannel 8 (1990s)
- News 8 (1990s-1999, 2009–present)
- News 8 Now (1999–2009)
Station slogans
- "Take a Look at TV-8" (1978–1981)
- "The Look is Channel 8" (1991–1992; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
- "8's On Your Side" (1998–2004)
- "See the Difference Everyday" (2004–2009)
- "The Team You Can Trust" (2009–present)
News team
Anchors- Katrina Irwin - weekday mornings and noon (also "Go Green" segment producer)
- Matt Molloy - weeknights at 4 and reporter
- Maureen McGuire - weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, and 11 (also "Scholastic Arts Spotlight" segment producer)
- Kevin Doran - Managing EditorManaging editorA managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
seen weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, 10, and 11 (also "Golden Apple Award" segment producer) - Tina Shively - weekends and reporter (also "Fit Families" and "Healthy Heroes" segments producer)
Meteorologists
- Scott Hetsko (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
and NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seals of Approval) - Chief seen weeknights - John DiPasquale - weekday mornings and noon
- Stacey Pensgen - weekends
Sports
- John Kucko - DirectorSports DirectorA sports director is an individual at a television or radio station who is in charge of the sports department. In local news, the sports director is typically the station's primary sportscaster, and often anchors the primetime newscasts on weekdays. They are in charge of sports programming and...
seen weeknights at 6, 10:45, and 11 (also Football Frenzy host) - Thad Brown - weekends and sports reporter (also producer and fill-in sports anchor)
- "Athlete of the Week" segment producer
- Cory Hepola - sports reporter and "Cory Stories" and segment producer
- Scott Pitoniak - contributor
Reporters
- Amanda Ciavarri (also "Living Here" segment producer)
- Mark Gruba
- Alex Hinckley
- Deanna King
- Cierra Putman
- Caroline Tucker