WCNY-TV

WCNY-TV is a nonprofit public television station based in Syracuse, New York. It operates as a PBS member station under the ownership of The Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York, Inc., and is sister to WCNY-FM, a classical music radio station. The television and radio operations share the WCNY Broadcast and Education Center on West Fayette Street in Syracuse's Near Westside neighborhood, while the television station's primary transmission facilities are located in Pompey, New York. The station was established in March 1965 by the Onondaga County School Board Association under a charter from the New York State Education Department. A nonprofit entity initially called The Educational Television Council of Central New York, Inc. was formed to manage the service. The station was first assigned the call sign WHTV, but adopted WCNY-TV on September 23, 1965, after the call letters became available from the station now known as WWNY-TV in Watertown. WCNY-TV began broadcasting on December 20, 1965. General Electric played an important early role in the station's launch. Its nearby Salina plant donated broadcast equipment and provided studio space on Old Liverpool Road. WCNY-TV initially transmitted in black and white, using cameras that had previously been used to record The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The station converted to color broadcasting in 1971. Its early network affiliation was with National Educational Television, the predecessor to PBS; after PBS replaced NET in 1970, WCNY-TV became a PBS member station. In addition to carrying national PBS programming, WCNY-TV has produced educational, cultural, public-affairs, and locally focused programs and specials. Some productions reached audiences outside Central New York through national PBS distribution or other outlets. Examples include the six-part drama Old Enough To Care, which PBS distributed to member stations in 1982, and Pappyland, a children's program co-produced with Craftsmen and Scribes' Creative Workshop and carried for several years in the TLC Ready Set Learn! programming block as well as by PBS stations. WCNY-TV has also pursued distinctive approaches to public broadcasting finance and technology. In 2007, it discontinued its on-air pledge drive, describing the decision as part of an effort to reduce dependence on state and federal funding. The station became the first television station in the Syracuse market to produce and broadcast its own programming in high definition in 2006. It completed the federally mandated shutdown of its analog signal on June 12, 2009, retaining digital transmission on UHF channel 25 while continuing to use virtual channel 24. The station also operates multiple digital subchannels, which are simulcast by translator W22DO-D to extend service into the Mohawk Valley, including Utica and Rome. Before moving in 2013, WCNY's television and radio operations were based at the former Old Liverpool Road facility. The current station identity combines PBS programming, local production, educational services, cultural coverage, and regional public-media distribution. Detailed current leadership, financial information, and a complete contemporary subchannel schedule are not established by the supplied reference material.

WCNY-TV originated in a regional educational broadcasting initiative organized by the Onondaga County School Board Association. In March 1965, the association established the station under a charter from the New York State Education Department and created a nonprofit management organization initially known as The Educational Television Council of Central New York, Inc. The service was initially assigned the call letters WHTV, but changed to WCNY-TV on September 23, 1965, after those call letters were relinquished by the Watertown station now known as WWNY-TV. Broadcasting began on December 20, 1965. The station's launch benefited from General Electric's nearby manufacturing presence. General Electric donated equipment and provided studio facilities at its plant in Salina, near Syracuse. WCNY-TV's first cameras had been used to record The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The station began in monochrome and moved to color transmission in 1971. Its initial network relationship was with National Educational Television. When NET was replaced by the Public Broadcasting Service in 1970, WCNY-TV became a PBS member station, a role it continues to hold. For much of its early history, WCNY-TV and its sister radio service operated from the Old Liverpool Road facility in Salina. The station combined national educational programming with regional productions, including programs addressing local cultural, educational, and public-affairs interests. Some of its work achieved distribution beyond the Syracuse market. Old Enough To Care, a six-part drama, was picked up for PBS distribution in 1982. WCNY also co-produced the children's series Pappyland with Craftsmen and Scribes' Creative Workshop; the program was carried for three years in TLC's Ready Set Learn! block and by various PBS member stations. WCNY-TV adopted several notable operational and technical policies. In 2006 it became the first television station in the Syracuse market to produce and broadcast its own programming in high definition. In 2007 it stopped conducting an on-air pledge drive. The station's president and chief executive described the decision as an effort to eliminate dependence on state and federal funding, making WCNY distinctive among PBS member stations at that time. The station's analog signal on UHF channel 24 ended on June 12, 2009, the federally designated date for the full-power United States analog-to-digital transition. Its digital signal remained on pre-transition UHF channel 25, with virtual channel 24. WCNY-TV subsequently operated a multiplexed digital service with several subchannels. Its programming was also made available through translator W22DO-D, which serves the Mohawk Valley, including the Utica and Rome areas, from a transmitter on Smith Hill Road in Deerfield. Before 2013, WCNY's television and radio services remained based at the Old Liverpool Road studios. In 2013 the operations moved to the WCNY Broadcast and Education Center on West Fayette Street in Syracuse's Near Westside neighborhood. The television station's transmitter facilities are in Pompey, New York. Today WCNY-TV functions as a regional nonprofit public-media outlet, combining PBS distribution with locally relevant programming and digital broadcast services across Central New York and adjacent communities.

• 2013

  Operations move to West Fayette Street

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY's television and radio operations moved to the WCNY Broadcast and Education Center in Syracuse.

• 2009

  Analog transmission ends

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY-TV shut down its analog UHF channel 24 signal during the nationwide digital television transition.

• 2007

  On-air pledge drive discontinued

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station discontinued its pledge drive as part of a stated effort to reduce dependence on public funding sources.

• 2006

  Local high-definition production begins

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY-TV became the first television station in the Syracuse market to produce and broadcast its own programs in high definition.

• 1982

  Old Enough To Care receives PBS distribution

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY's six-part drama Old Enough To Care was picked up for distribution to PBS member stations.

• 1971

  Color broadcasting introduced

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY-TV transitioned from monochrome transmission to color broadcasting.

• 1970

  Joins PBS

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Following the replacement of National Educational Television by PBS, WCNY-TV became a PBS member station.

• 1965

  Station established

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Onondaga County School Board Association established the educational television service in March under a New York State Education Department charter.

• 1965

  WCNY-TV call sign adopted

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station changed its originally assigned WHTV call sign to WCNY-TV on September 23.

• 1965

  Broadcasting begins

  [1]WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCNY-TV began broadcasting from the Syracuse area on December 20.

Regional nonprofit public television serving Central New York through PBS programming, local production, educational content, and cultural and public-affairs coverage.

• Public television broadcasting · 1970

  PBS television service

  WCNY-TV's core offering is a PBS member-station service distributed to viewers in Syracuse and Central New York. It combines nationally supplied PBS programming with regional programming and public-media content. The station's principal service uses virtual channel 24 and is supported by digital multicast distribution.

• Television production · 1965

  Local productions and specials

  WCNY-TV produces programs and specials focused on local educational, cultural, and public-affairs interests. Selected productions have received distribution beyond the immediate Syracuse market, including the drama Old Enough To Care and the children's program Pappyland.

• Digital television

  Digital multicast service

  The station operates multiple digital programming subchannels in addition to its primary service. These channels broaden the station's programming mix and are also simulcast on translator W22DO-D for viewers in the Mohawk Valley.

• Broadcast relay

  W22DO-D translator service

  W22DO-D extends WCNY-TV's over-the-air reach into the Mohawk Valley, including Utica and Rome. The translator transmits from Smith Hill Road in Deerfield and carries the station's digital programming services.

• 2009

  Transition from analog to digital transmissionOther

  Background

  United States full-power television stations were required to complete the federally mandated analog-to-digital transition on June 12, 2009.

  Action taken

  WCNY-TV shut down its analog UHF channel 24 transmission and continued digitally on UHF channel 25 while retaining virtual channel 24.

  Aftermath

  The station continued digital broadcasting and later operated multiple digital subchannels, with those services also available through W22DO-D.

  Source

• 2007

  End of the on-air pledge driveStrategy

  Background

  WCNY-TV reassessed its traditional public-television fundraising model and stated that it wanted to reduce dependence on state and federal funding.

  Action taken

  The station discontinued its pledge drive, reportedly making it the only PBS member station to take that step at the time.

  Aftermath

  The decision became a distinctive feature of WCNY's operating strategy. The supplied material does not provide subsequent fundraising figures or a later reversal.

  Source

• 2006

  Launch of locally produced high-definition programmingProduct launch

  Background

  Digital and high-definition television were becoming important production and distribution standards for local broadcasters.

  Action taken

  WCNY-TV began producing and broadcasting its own programs in high definition, becoming the first Syracuse-market television station to do so.

  Aftermath

  The move established an early local technical distinction for the station, although the supplied material does not quantify its audience or financial impact.

  Source

1. 1WCNY-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WCNY official websitewcny.org