WPTZ is the NBC-affiliated television station serving the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York market.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WPTZ is a commercial television station licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, and serving the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York designated market area. The station carries NBC programming on its primary channel and is operated by Hearst Television alongside WNNE, a CW-affiliated station licensed to Montpelier, Vermont. Although WPTZ retains its Plattsburgh identity and maintains a secondary facility there, its principal studios are in South Burlington, Vermont. The station began broadcasting on December 8, 1954, under the call sign WIRI. It was established by Great Northern Broadcasting Company, which also owned Plattsburgh radio station WIRY. Its original license was associated with North Pole, New York, and its early facilities were located on Cornelia Street in Plattsburgh, with transmission from Terry Mountain in Peru, New York. From its launch, the station was primarily affiliated with NBC. It also carried some ABC programming until the arrival of WVNY in 1968 and briefly had a secondary DuMont affiliation before that network ceased operations. Rollins Telecasting acquired the station in 1956 and changed its call letters to WPTZ. The call sign had previously been used by a Philadelphia television station. WPTZ became the market's only outlet carrying network color programming until 1965 and later introduced color studio cameras. During the late twentieth century, its coverage and operational footprint expanded through its relationship with WNNE. Heritage Broadcasting acquired WNNE in 1990 and subsequently operated it as a semi-satellite of WPTZ, helping extend the station group's reach into southeastern Vermont and the Upper Valley. Ownership changed several times during the 1990s. Rollins merged with Heritage Broadcasting to create Heritage Media in 1987. Heritage sold its broadcasting assets to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1997, and Sinclair sold WPTZ and WNNE to Sunrise Television in 1998. Later that year, Sunrise exchanged the stations with Hearst-Argyle Television, now Hearst Television. WPTZ's local marketing relationship with Fox affiliate WFFF-TV ended around the time of the Hearst transaction. WPTZ petitioned in 1999 to change its community of license from North Pole to Plattsburgh, citing the diminishing independent identity and population of North Pole. The FCC approved the change in 2011. The station subsequently continued to serve both sides of the Lake Champlain region, balancing its historical North Country focus with increasing coverage of Vermont. In 2019, WPTZ moved its principal operations to a new South Burlington facility and began producing newscasts in high definition. It retained a Plattsburgh studio and later established a renovated secondary facility on Cornelia Street. WPTZ's business is centered on local television news, weather, sports and community reporting, supplemented by NBC's national programming and syndicated or digital-subchannel content. Its news operation has historically emphasized northern New York while maintaining bureaus and reporters in Vermont. WPTZ has often competed against WCAX-TV and WVNY/WFFF for local news audiences. The station's digital history includes a locally produced weather service, This TV, MeTV and The CW on successive subchannels. Following WNNE's 2018 channel-sharing arrangement with WPTZ, the CW affiliation moved to WNNE, while WPTZ's spectrum continued to support the shared transmission operation. The station currently operates under the NBC 5 and MyNBC5 identity and remains an active Hearst-owned local broadcaster.
History
WPTZ signed on December 8, 1954, as WIRI. Great Northern Broadcasting Company owned the station together with WIRY radio in Plattsburgh. The television operation used early studios on Cornelia Street in Plattsburgh and transmitted from Terry Mountain in Peru. It was established as the area's NBC affiliate and also carried selected ABC programs until WVNY began broadcasting in 1968. It briefly carried DuMont programming before that network's closure. Rollins Telecasting bought the station in 1956 and renamed it WPTZ. The new call sign reflected Plattsburgh and had recently been relinquished by a Philadelphia station. WPTZ developed as a VHF network affiliate and was the market's sole outlet for network color programming until 1965. It later installed color studio cameras and moved its studios to a new Old Moffitt Road facility in Plattsburgh in 1979. Corporate consolidation shaped the station during the following decades. Rollins merged with Heritage Broadcasting in 1987, forming Heritage Media. Heritage acquired WNNE in 1990 and turned the Vermont station into a semi-satellite of WPTZ, substantially extending the group's coverage. Heritage sold its broadcast portfolio to Sinclair in 1997. Sinclair subsequently sold WPTZ and WNNE to Sunrise Television, which exchanged them with Hearst-Argyle Television in 1998. Hearst's takeover ended WPTZ's local marketing arrangement for independently owned WFFF-TV. WPTZ sought a formal community-of-license change in 1999, arguing that North Pole no longer functioned as a meaningful standalone community. The FCC approved the transfer from North Pole to Plattsburgh on January 5, 2011. The station nevertheless continued to serve a broad cross-border market, using Vermont facilities and reporting resources to complement its New York base. The station expanded its digital services in the 2000s. It launched a second digital channel carrying NBC Weather Plus in 2006, later replaced the discontinued national service with a locally derived weather presentation, and then carried This TV. MeTV replaced This TV in 2013. WPTZ's second digital channel assumed the market's CW affiliation in March 2013, with MeTV continuing outside CW programming until the services were separated into distinct subchannels in 2014. The CW affiliation ultimately moved to WNNE in 2018 after WNNE began sharing WPTZ's spectrum. In June 2018, Hearst announced a new South Burlington broadcast center. WPTZ moved its principal operations there in July 2019 and began airing high-definition newscasts. The former Plattsburgh operation remained useful as a secondary studio, and the station later opened a renovated Cornelia Street facility. WPTZ and WNNE transmit through a channel-sharing arrangement using WPTZ's spectrum and an antenna on Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. The station's news identity has traditionally been that of a North Country broadcaster competing across a geographically divided market. Its coverage has focused on northern New York while adding Vermont bureaus and reporters over time. WNNE once produced separate local newscasts, but its news operation was progressively reduced after the Heritage acquisition and ended as an independent full-scale news department in 2007. WPTZ continues to provide local news, weather and public-affairs programming under Hearst Television ownership.
- 2019
South Burlington facility opens
[1]WPTZ moved its main operations to South Burlington and began producing newscasts in high definition.
- 2019
Mount Mansfield antenna fire
[1]A fire at the shared transmission facility temporarily interrupted over-the-air service for WPTZ, WNNE and WCAX-TV.
- 2018
WNNE begins channel-sharing transition
[1]WNNE moved to a channel-sharing arrangement using WPTZ's spectrum, and the CW affiliation shifted to WNNE.
- 2016
NBC 5 branding introduced
[1]The station changed its on-air identity from NewsChannel 5 to NBC 5.
- 2013
CW affiliation arrives on WPTZ-DT2
[1]WPTZ's second digital channel assumed the local CW affiliation from WFFF-DT2.
- 2011
Community of license changes to Plattsburgh
[1]The FCC approved WPTZ's move of its formal community of license from North Pole to Plattsburgh.
- 2006
Weather Plus digital service launches
[1]WPTZ launched a second digital subchannel associated with NBC Weather Plus.
- 1998
Hearst takes control
[1]A Sunrise Television exchange brought WPTZ and WNNE into Hearst-Argyle Television.
- 1990
WNNE acquired
[1]Heritage purchased WNNE and subsequently operated it as a semi-satellite of WPTZ.
- 1987
Heritage Media formed
[1]Rollins merged with Heritage Broadcasting, placing WPTZ in the newly formed Heritage Media portfolio.
Products and positioning
A regional NBC affiliate combining local news and weather coverage for the Champlain Valley, northern New York and Vermont, with a particularly strong historical focus on the North Country.
Local television news · 1954
NBC 5 local news
WPTZ's core offering is a schedule of local news programs covering the Champlain Valley, northern New York and Vermont. The operation combines studio anchors, regional reporters, weather presentations and live field reporting, with a historical emphasis on the North Country and an expanded Vermont presence.
Weather service
First Alert Storm Tracker
The station's weather presentation uses National Weather Service radar data and a branded forecasting system to deliver regional forecasts and severe-weather coverage. The service is presented across WPTZ and its associated WNNE operation.
Digital television · 2006
WPTZ digital multicast services
WPTZ has used its digital subchannels for several services over time, including NBC Weather Plus, a locally derived weather channel, This TV, MeTV and The CW. The CW service later moved to WNNE after the channel-sharing transition.
Brand decisions
2018
Move primary operations to South BurlingtonStrategyBackground
WPTZ had long operated from Plattsburgh while maintaining Vermont bureaus to cover a geographically divided market.
Action taken
Hearst Television announced and implemented a move to a new South Burlington broadcast facility, while retaining a Plattsburgh secondary operation.
Aftermath
The move was completed in July 2019, and WPTZ began producing high-definition newscasts from the new facility.
2018
Transfer the CW affiliation to WNNEGeneration changeBackground
WNNE was preparing to discontinue its previous transmission arrangement and share WPTZ's spectrum.
Action taken
Hearst moved the market's CW service from WPTZ-DT2 to WNNE when WNNE entered the channel-sharing arrangement.
Aftermath
The change improved access to the CW service for WNNE viewers, while some Upper Valley viewers relied on cable and satellite distribution for WPTZ's NBC programming.
2016
Adopt NBC 5 brandingStrategyBackground
The station had previously used the NewsChannel 5 identity.
Action taken
WPTZ changed its logo and on-air branding to NBC 5 before the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Aftermath
The new identity emphasized the station's network affiliation and became its principal broadcast brand.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
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