WNBC-TV

WNBC-TV is the flagship television station of the NBC television network, licensed to New York City and serving the New York metropolitan area. Owned by the NBCUniversal division of Comcast, its studios and offices are located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, sharing the Comcast Building with corporate siblings. The station's over-the-air signal is transmitted from the Empire State Building, a landmark in the city's skyline.

History

The station traces its origins to experimental station W2XBS, which began mechanical television broadcasts from the RCA Building in 1928 under the direction of Vladimir K. Zworykin. It launched commercially on July 1, 1941, as WNBT, making it one of the oldest continuously operating television stations in the United States. Key early broadcasts included coverage of the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1940 Republican National Convention. The call letters were changed to WRCA-TV in 1954, reflecting the parent company Radio Corporation of America, before becoming WNBC-TV in 1960. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the station was central to the development of color television under RCA and the expansion of the NBC network, broadcasting historic events like the funeral of John F. Kennedy and the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Programming

As the network's flagship, the station carries the full NBC schedule, including long-running programs like *The Tonight Show* and Saturday Night Live. It has also been the originating station for numerous iconic shows, such as the original *Tonight* show with Steve Allen and The Howdy Doody Show. In addition to network fare, WNBC-TV has produced significant local programming, including the children's show Wonderama and the public affairs program Direct Connection. Its secondary digital channel carries programming from the Telemundo network, serving the area's Hispanic community.

News Operation

WNBC-TV operates one of the most-watched local news departments in the country, branded as **NBC 4 New York**. It broadcasts over 40 hours of local news weekly, with flagship programs like *Today in New York* and *News 4 New York at 11*. The department has been home to many notable journalists, including Gabe Pressman, Chuck Scarborough, and Sue Simmons. The station's investigative unit, the *I-Team*, has won numerous awards, including Peabody Awards and New York Emmy Awards. Its coverage of major events in the New York City area, such as the September 11 attacks and Hurricane Sandy, has been critically acclaimed.

Technical Details

The station broadcasts on digital channel 28 (virtual channel 4) from a transmitter atop the Empire State Building. It shares this facility with other major New York stations like WCBS-TV and WABC-TV. WNBC-TV began broadcasting a digital signal in 1996 and completed its transition to all-digital broadcasting in 2009, following the national transition. The station's master control and some technical operations are now consolidated at the NBC network's central facility in Stamford, Connecticut.

Outlets and Translators

WNBC-TV's primary signal covers a vast area through a network of translators and cable carriage. Key translators include WNBC-DT2, which broadcasts Telemundo programming as part of a channel sharing agreement. The station is also carried on all major cable and satellite providers in the region, including Optimum, Spectrum, and Verizon Fios. Its programming is streamed nationally via the NBC app and services like YouTube TV, extending its reach beyond the traditional over-the-air coverage area.

Category:Television stations in New York City Category:NBC television stations Category:1941 establishments in New York (state)