WNYT

WNYT, branded as NewsChannel 13, is the NBC-affiliated television station for New York's Capital District, licensed to Albany. Owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, its transmitter is located on the Helderberg Escarpment. The station has been a dominant news source in the region for decades, evolving from its origins as a UHF outlet to a leading VHF broadcaster.

History

The station signed on the air on March 1, 1954, as WCDA, originally broadcasting on UHF channel 35 from Schenectady. It was founded by the Capital District Broadcasting Association, a group led by General Electric executive Walter A. Fallon. Initially, it carried programming from the defunct DuMont network and ABC, alongside films from the NTA Film Network. In 1957, the station was sold, changed its call letters to WTRI, and relocated its city of license to Troy. After a period of financial struggle and a brief closure, the station was purchased by Freedom Newspapers in 1965, which secured a new VHF license on channel 13. Returning to the air in 1966, WTRI became a primary NBC affiliate, competing with established rivals WRGB and WTEN. The station changed its call letters to WNYT in 1981 following its purchase by Knight Ridder. Subsequent ownership changes included a period under Smith Broadcasting before being acquired by its current owner, Hubbard Broadcasting, in 1996.

Programming

As the region's NBC affiliate, WNYT carries the network's full lineup of entertainment and sports programming, including *The Tonight Show*, *Today*, and Sunday Night Football. The station also airs a limited schedule of syndicated programs, such as *Access Hollywood* and *Inside Edition*. WNYT produces several local public affairs programs, including the weekly political discussion show *New York Now*, a collaboration with WMHT, and the long-running *The Big Board*, focusing on high school football highlights. For many years, the station was also the local broadcaster for games of the New York Giants during the NBC football package.

News operation

WNYT operates one of the most-watched local news departments in the Capital District, broadcasting over 30 hours of news each week. Its flagship programs are the weekday *NewsChannel 13 at 6* and *11 p.m.* newscasts. The station was an early adopter of technology, launching the area's first full-color newscasts and later pioneering the use of SNG trucks and Doppler radar under the brand *Storm Tracker 13*. Its news department has received numerous awards, including several Associated Press honors and Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence. WNYT maintains a primary news share agreement with Schenectady-licensed CW affiliate WCWN, producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for that station.

Technical information

WNYT broadcasts a digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter site on the Helderberg Escarpment near New Salem. Its signal covers a wide area encompassing the Capital District, the Hudson Valley, western New England, and southern Vermont. The station's PSIP displays its virtual channel as 13. Its studios and business offices are located on Northern Boulevard in Albany, near the University at Albany campus. WNYT operates a Class A low-power digital station, WNYA, on UHF channel 51, which serves as a simulcast and carries MyNetworkTV programming.

Notable alumni

Several journalists and broadcasters who began their careers at WNYT have achieved national prominence. Lester Holt, longtime anchor of *NBC Nightly News* and *Dateline NBC*, worked as a reporter for the station in the early 1980s. John Gray, now a senior correspondent for Fox News Channel, was a primary anchor at WNYT. Meteorologist Dick Albert served as the station's chief weathercaster before moving to WCVB-TV in Boston. Former anchor Lydia Kulbida later served as press secretary for New York Governor David Paterson. Sports director Andrew Catalon currently calls play-by-play for CBS Sports and the *NFL on CBS*.

Category:Television stations in Albany, New York Category:NBC network affiliates Category:Hubbard Broadcasting Category:Television channels and stations established in 1954