WWOR-TV

WWOR-TV is a television station licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey, serving the New York metropolitan area. It is owned by the Fox Corporation alongside Manhattan-based Fox flagship WNYW. The station's studios are located in Secaucus, New Jersey, and its transmitter is based at the Empire State Building in New York City.

History

The station first signed on the air on October 10, 1949, as WOR-TV, originally owned by the General Tire subsidiary RKO General. It was the last of New York City's major commercial stations to launch, following WNBC, WCBS-TV, and WABC-TV. For much of its early history, it operated as a primary independent station, competing with WPIX and later WNEW-TV. In 1987, following a lengthy legal battle over the license renewal of RKO General's stations, the Federal Communications Commission awarded the channel to a consortium led by MCA Inc., prompting the call letter change. The station was later acquired by Chris-Craft Industries, which entered into a partnership with News Corporation's Fox Television Stations group. This led to its eventual full ownership by News Corporation in 2001, placing it under common ownership with WNYW.

Programming

As an MyNetworkTV affiliate, the station carries the network's schedule of dramatic series and reality television. Outside of network programming, WWOR-TV's schedule consists largely of syndicated programming, including court shows, talk shows, and off-network reruns of popular sitcoms and procedural dramas. Historically, the station was known for its extensive sports programming, including broadcasts of New York Mets baseball and New Jersey Devils hockey. It also aired a significant amount of children's television programming during the 1970s and 1980s, such as the popular The Uncle Floyd Show. The station produces several local public affairs programs focused on the New Jersey community.

Technical information

The station broadcasts on virtual channel 9, using PSIP to display its channel number, while its RF signal is transmitted on UHF channel 38. It broadcasts from a transmitter atop the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan, sharing facilities with other New York City stations like WNBC and WABC-TV. The station's signal is radiated from an antenna at an height above average terrain of 415 meters. WWOR-TV began broadcasting a digital television signal in 1999 and completed its transition from analog television in 2009, following the national transition mandate.

News operation

WWOR-TV currently produces a limited schedule of local news broadcasting, focusing on New Jersey-centric coverage. Its primary newscast is a nightly hour-long broadcast at 10 p.m., competing directly with the late news programs on WNBC, WCBS-TV, and WABC-TV. The station's news department shares resources and personnel with its sister station, WNYW, though it maintains a separate identity and emphasis on New Jersey news. Historically, the station has launched and canceled several news ventures, including a notable attempt in the 1990s to compete in the morning news arena. The newsroom and studio facilities are based in Secaucus, New Jersey.

MyNetworkTV affiliation

WWOR-TV became the New York City affiliate for MyNetworkTV upon the network's launch on September 5, 2006. This followed the dissolution of the UPN network, of which it had been the flagship station since 1995. The affiliation agreement provided the nascent network with a major market presence. As an owned-and-operated station of Fox Television Stations, its carriage of MyNetworkTV programming was part of a broader group deal. Over the years, the network's programming strategy has shifted from original telenovela-inspired series to a lineup heavy with acquired drama series and reality shows, which form the core of WWOR-TV's prime-time schedule.

Category:Television stations in New York City Category:MyNetworkTV affiliates Category:Fox Television Stations