WUTR

WUTR is television station WUTR, channel 20, serving Utica, Rome, and the wider Mohawk Valley of New York. The station is affiliated with the ABC television network and is owned by Mission Broadcasting, while Nexstar Media Group operates it through local marketing and shared-services arrangements. WUTR is part of a three-station operating group with WFXV, a Fox and CW Plus affiliate on channel 33, and WPNY-LD, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming on channel 11. The stations share facilities on Smith Hill Road in Deerfield, using a Utica mailing address; WUTR's transmitter is also located at the site. WUTR began broadcasting on February 28, 1970, as the Utica market's second television station. Roy H. Park Communications had initially pursued a CBS affiliation, but CBS declined amid objections from WHEN-TV in Syracuse, which argued that a Utica affiliation would undermine its coverage and advertising position. WUTR instead joined ABC, taking the network affiliation from WKTV. At the time, it was the only ABC affiliate owned by Park Communications and the only Park television outlet outside the company's Southern U.S. base. During its early decades, WUTR also reached portions of the Watertown market through translators in Watertown and Massena. Those translator operations ended after a separate full-power station began operating on the Watertown allotment in 1988. WUTR experienced periods of stronger local-news performance in the late 1980s and the mid-1990s, when it attempted to challenge WKTV for local audiences. Ownership changed repeatedly after the death of Roy Park in 1993. The remaining Park assets were sold to Media General in 1996, which divested WUTR in 1997 to the Ackerley Group. Ackerley organized its New York properties under a regional Central New York Station Group. Clear Channel Communications acquired Ackerley in a transaction announced in 2001 and completed in 2002. Clear Channel subsequently reduced WUTR's local-news resources and sold the station to Mission Broadcasting, a Nexstar-related owner, in 2004. Under Mission ownership, Nexstar assumed operational responsibility for WUTR and consolidated it with WFXV and WPNY-LD. The station converted to digital-only broadcasting in March 2009. WUTR later launched a renewed local-news operation, WUTR Eyewitness News, in September 2011. The service was produced for the three-station group and was broadcast in high definition. WUTR also began carrying selected WSYR-TV morning-news programming in 2023, reflecting Nexstar's broader operational relationship among its Central New York stations. WUTR remains a local broadcast outlet focused on network programming, regional news, weather, sports, syndicated content, and digital distribution. Its local-news schedule is comparatively limited: the station carries an 11 p.m. newscast and selected morning programming, while it has not announced noon, afternoon, or weekend newscasts. Its brand is therefore positioned as a network-affiliated local television service rather than as a large standalone news organization.

WUTR began operation on February 28, 1970, in Utica, New York. It was established by Roy H. Park Communications as the market's second television station. Park had sought CBS programming, but CBS rejected the proposal after opposition from WHEN-TV in Syracuse, which argued that a Utica station affiliated with CBS would threaten its established market position. WUTR consequently joined ABC and displaced WKTV as the local ABC affiliate. It was the only ABC station in the Park group and the only Park television station outside the company's Southern U.S. operating base. For much of the period before the late 1980s, WUTR also served parts of the Watertown area through translator facilities in Watertown and Massena. These operations were discontinued after WFYF, later known as WWTI, began full-power broadcasting in 1988. WUTR periodically competed with WKTV for local-news viewers and recorded some of its strongest audience performance during the late 1980s and the mid-1990s. After Roy Park died in 1993, the ownership structure of Park Communications changed. Gary Knapp acquired much of the group and later sold the remaining assets to Media General in 1996. Media General divested WUTR in 1997 because it was among the smaller Park stations and the group's only station in the Northeast. The buyer was the Ackerley Group, which also owned ABC affiliate WIXT in Syracuse. Ackerley developed a regional Central New York Station Group intended to coordinate its upstate New York broadcast properties. Clear Channel Communications announced its acquisition of Ackerley in October 2001 and completed the transaction in 2002. Clear Channel faced concentration concerns because of its radio holdings in the Utica market. It reduced WUTR's local-news resources and redirected some production capacity to other stations. Weekday morning and weekend newscasts ended in June 2002, and the remaining weeknight operation was discontinued in August 2003. During the remainder of Clear Channel's ownership, WUTR relied partly on news simulcasts from WIXT, with limited Utica-area coverage. Clear Channel announced the sale of WUTR to Mission Broadcasting in December 2003, and the transaction closed on April 1, 2004. Nexstar Broadcasting Group, which operated nearby WFXV and WPNY, took responsibility for WUTR under local marketing and joint-sales arrangements. The stations were eventually consolidated at facilities on Smith Hill Road in Deerfield. WUTR completed its transition to digital-only broadcasting on March 16, 2009. A retransmission dispute briefly produced an unusual distribution change in December 2010. Time Warner Cable substituted WUTR for WVNY, the Burlington–Plattsburgh area's regular ABC affiliate, while the dispute remained unresolved. Once the dispute ended, the normal station line-up was restored. In 2011, Nexstar and Mission announced a substantial investment in a combined news operation for WUTR, WFXV, and WPNY. WUTR Eyewitness News launched on September 12, 2011, using high-definition production. The station later added an audio simulcast of its 6 p.m. newscast on WIBX radio and, in April 2023, began carrying early-morning WSYR-TV news hours. WUTR continues to operate as an ABC affiliate for the Utica–Rome and Mohawk Valley market. Its current identity combines network programming, local news, weather, syndicated programming, and multicast services. Local-news output remains narrower than that of many ABC affiliates, with no announced noon, afternoon, or weekend editions.

• 2023

  WSYR-TV morning-news simulcast added

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  WUTR adds the 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. portions of WSYR-TV's morning newscast.

• 2016

  Multicast affiliation expansion

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar announces an arrangement involving Escape, Laff, Grit, and Bounce programming for stations including WUTR.

• 2015

  Radio audio simulcast begins

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  The audio of WUTR's 6 p.m. newscast begins airing on WIBX.

• 2011

  Eyewitness News launches

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  A combined high-definition news operation for WUTR, WFXV, and WPNY begins, including WUTR's late-evening newscast.

• 2009

  Digital transition

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  WUTR becomes a digital-only television station on March 16.

• 2004

  Mission Broadcasting ownership begins

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  Mission Broadcasting completes its acquisition of WUTR, with Nexstar taking over station operations.

• 1997

  Ackerley Group acquires WUTR

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  Media General divests WUTR to the Ackerley Group, which places it within a developing Central New York station strategy.

• 1988

  Watertown translator service ends

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  WUTR's translator operations in Watertown and Massena end after a full-power station begins operating on the Watertown allotment.

• 1970

  WUTR signs on

  [1]WUTRen.wikipedia.org

  WUTR begins broadcasting on channel 20 as the second television station in the Utica market and takes the market's ABC affiliation.

A local ABC network affiliate serving the Utica–Rome and Mohawk Valley television market, combining network entertainment with locally produced news and information.

• Broadcast television affiliation · 1970

  ABC network service

  WUTR's core offering is ABC network programming delivered over the station's channel 20 broadcast service. The affiliation has defined the station since its launch in 1970, when WUTR assumed ABC service from WKTV for the Utica market.

• Local television news · 2011

  WUTR Eyewitness News

  WUTR Eyewitness News is the station's local-news identity. The current operation emerged from a combined news department serving WUTR and its sister stations, launched in 2011 with high-definition production. WUTR carries late-evening local news and selected morning programming, with a schedule that does not include announced noon, afternoon, or weekend editions.

• News simulcast · 2023

  WSYR-TV morning-news simulcast

  Beginning in 2023, WUTR added simulcasts of the 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. hours of WSYR-TV's morning newscast, extending the station's early-morning news offering through Nexstar's regional operating relationship.

• 2011

  Investment in a combined local-news operationProduct launch

  Background

  Following Mission Broadcasting's acquisition and Nexstar's operational control, the station group sought to restore locally produced news for WUTR and its sister stations.

  Action taken

  The group announced an investment in staff and equipment and launched WUTR Eyewitness News in high definition.

  Aftermath

  WUTR resumed a branded local-news service, centered on late-evening programming and shared production resources.

  Announced investment. $1 million announced investment (2011)

  Source

• 2009

  Conversion to digital-only broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  The station prepared for the United States television industry’s transition away from analog transmission.

  Action taken

  WUTR ended analog broadcasting and continued as a digital-only station on March 16.

  Aftermath

  The station continued its broadcast service using digital transmission.

  Source

• 2002

  Reduction of locally produced newsStrategy

  Background

  After Clear Channel acquired Ackerley, market-concentration concerns and resource allocation decisions affected WUTR's local-news operation.

  Action taken

  The station ended weekday morning and weekend newscasts in June and discontinued its remaining weeknight newscasts in August 2003, relying in part on programming from WIXT.

  Aftermath

  WUTR had a substantially smaller local-news presence until the Mission/Nexstar group launched a new combined news operation in 2011.

  Source

1. 1WUTRen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WUTR official websitecnyhomepage.com