WHEC-TV

WHEC-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Rochester, New York, and identified on air as News10NBC. It broadcasts on virtual channel 10 and is affiliated with the NBC television network. The station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and operates from studios on East Avenue in downtown Rochester, with its primary transmission facilities on Pinnacle Hill in the Brighton area. The station began broadcasting on November 1, 1953, through an unusual shared-use arrangement involving two separately owned Rochester television operations. Gannett, which then owned Rochester radio station WHEC and the Democrat and Chronicle and Times-Union newspapers, shared the channel 10 license and transmitter with Veterans Broadcasting Company, owner of WVET radio. Gannett's operation used the WHEC-TV call letters, while Veterans operated WVET-TV. Both stations maintained separate studios but divided use of the same VHF channel. Veterans sold its interest to Gannett in 1961, ending the shared-time arrangement and making WHEC-TV the sole occupant of channel 10. The station became a full-time CBS affiliate in 1962 after ABC programming moved to the newly launched WOKR, now WHAM-TV. During its CBS years, WHEC-TV developed a notable community-oriented role through its participation in the Love Network, the group of stations that carried the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. WHEC-TV was credited with originating local telethon cut-ins, a format later adopted by stations elsewhere. Gannett sold the station in 1979 after acquiring Combined Communications and facing regulatory concerns about concentrated newspaper and broadcast ownership. The purchaser was an investment group led by Ragan Henry. The transaction was historically significant because it made WHEC-TV the first VHF network-affiliated station in the United States to be wholly owned by an African-American-led group. That ownership lasted only a few years; in 1983, the station was exchanged with the original Viacom for radio assets. Under Viacom, WHEC-TV changed network affiliation from CBS to NBC. The switch was announced in 1989 and took effect on August 13 of that year, replacing WROC-TV as Rochester's NBC station. Factors included WROC-TV's weak performance and frequent preemption of NBC programming, along with NBC's strong national ratings during the period. The affiliation change remains the only network affiliation swap among Rochester's major commercial stations described in the station's history. Following Viacom's acquisition of Paramount Pictures, WHEC-TV became part of the Paramount Stations Group. In 1996, Viacom and Paramount traded WHEC-TV and WNYT in Albany to Hubbard Broadcasting for WTOG in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hubbard has owned the station since that transaction. WHEC-TV remains an NBC affiliate and has built its public identity around local news, weather, sports, community reporting, and NBC network programming. The station operates a substantial local news department under the News10NBC brand. Its newsroom has received both regional and national recognition, including a New York Emmy Award for best newscast in 2018 and a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in the same year. WHEC-TV also maintains a digital presence through its website and online news products. Its digital television service began under special temporary authority in 2002, and the station completed the federally mandated transition from analog broadcasting in 2009, ultimately moving its digital signal to VHF channel 10.

WHEC-TV traces its origins to Rochester's expansion of television service in the early 1950s. In March 1953, the Federal Communications Commission awarded a construction permit for the city's second VHF television channel to two local broadcasting interests. Gannett, publisher of Rochester's major newspapers and owner of WHEC radio, shared the authorization with Veterans Broadcasting Company, which owned WVET radio. Rather than issue separate full-time channel assignments, the arrangement placed two independently operated stations on the same channel and transmitter. Both operations launched on November 1, 1953. Veterans' WVET-TV operated from the Central Trust Building, while Gannett's WHEC-TV used studios in the Rochester Savings Bank building. The combined service initially carried CBS as its principal network and ABC programs on a secondary basis. In May 1958, the WHEC operations moved to the East Avenue facility that became the station's long-term home. The shared arrangement ended in November 1961, when Veterans sold its interest in channel 10 to Gannett. Veterans later acquired WROC-TV, while WHEC-TV became the sole station using channel 10. In 1962, the station became a full-time CBS affiliate after ABC moved to WOKR. WHEC-TV also became an important participant in the Love Network, a national group of local stations carrying the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Its locally inserted telethon segments helped popularize the cut-in format, in which local presenters and appeals were integrated into a nationally distributed broadcast. Gannett separated its radio and television holdings in 1971, selling WHEC radio while retaining the television station's call letters. The company sold WHEC-TV in 1979 after its acquisition of Combined Communications raised concerns about newspaper and television cross-ownership. The buyer was a group led by Ragan Henry. The transaction was notable in U.S. broadcasting history because it created the first wholly African-American-owned VHF network affiliate. The Henry group's ownership was brief, however, and the station was exchanged to Viacom in 1983 for radio stations in Memphis and Oakland. The Viacom period brought a major programming change. On April 6, 1989, WHEC-TV announced that it would leave CBS for NBC. The change was driven partly by WROC-TV's performance and its repeated preemption of NBC programs, as well as by NBC's strong national position at the time. WHEC-TV's CBS affiliation ended on August 12, and NBC programming began on August 13. WROC-TV subsequently became a CBS affiliate. This was the only major network affiliation exchange among Rochester's commercial stations noted in the station's history. Viacom's acquisition of Paramount Pictures later brought WHEC-TV into the Paramount Stations Group. In June 1996, Viacom and Paramount agreed to trade WHEC-TV and Albany sister station WNYT to Hubbard Broadcasting for WTOG in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hubbard has remained the station's owner since then. The station has continued as an NBC affiliate serving Rochester and nearby communities. WHEC-TV's modern identity centers on News10NBC, its local news operation, alongside NBC network programming, weather, traffic, sports, and public-service content. The newsroom produces more than 33 hours of locally originated newscasts in a typical week, according to the station's documented profile. Its work received a New York Emmy and a National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2018. The station entered digital broadcasting on September 27, 2002, under special temporary authority. It ended regular analog service on VHF channel 10 on June 12, 2009, when full-power U.S. television stations completed the federally mandated analog-to-digital transition. Its digital assignment subsequently moved from UHF channel 58 to the station's traditional VHF channel 10. WHEC-TV has also historically appeared on cable systems in parts of Ontario, although Rochester stations lost or changed much of that Canadian distribution as relay systems were discontinued and Buffalo or Detroit stations replaced them.

1. 2018News operation wins regional and national awards

   The newsroom receives a New York Emmy for best newscast and a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.

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2. 2009Completes analog-to-digital transition

   The station ends regular analog broadcasting and relocates its digital service to VHF channel 10.

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3. 2002Digital signal begins

   WHEC-TV's digital signal signs on under special temporary authority.

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4. 1996Hubbard Broadcasting ownership begins

   Hubbard acquires WHEC-TV in a trade with Viacom and Paramount.

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5. 1989Switches from CBS to NBC

   WHEC-TV becomes an NBC affiliate on August 13 after its CBS contract expires.

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6. 1983Acquired by Viacom

   The Henry-led ownership group exchanges WHEC-TV to the original Viacom for radio assets.

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7. 1979Sold by Gannett

   Gannett sells the station amid broader ownership and regulatory considerations.

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8. 1966Joins the Love Network

   WHEC-TV becomes one of the founding stations carrying the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and helps develop local telethon cut-ins.

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9. 1962Becomes a full-time CBS affiliate

   ABC programming moves to WOKR, leaving WHEC-TV with a full-time CBS affiliation.

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10. 1961Shared-time arrangement ends

    Gannett acquires Veterans Broadcasting's interest, making WHEC-TV the sole channel 10 operation.

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11. 1958WHEC operations move to East Avenue

    The WHEC television operation relocates from the Rochester Savings Bank building to its East Avenue studios.

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12. 1953Shared channel 10 service launches

    WHEC-TV and WVET-TV begin broadcasting on November 1 under a shared-license and shared-transmitter arrangement.

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A Rochester-area network television station positioned around local journalism, weather, community relevance, and NBC network programming. Its News10NBC identity emphasizes regional news coverage and service to viewers in the Finger Lakes market.

• News10NBCLocal television news

  WHEC-TV's principal local-news brand, covering Rochester and the surrounding region through regularly scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, investigative work, weather, traffic, sports, and community stories. The operation produces more than 33 hours of locally originated news in a typical week and has received both New York Emmy and National Edward R. Murrow recognition.

• NBC network serviceNetwork television programming1989

  WHEC-TV's network affiliation provides Rochester-area viewers with NBC national programming, including entertainment, news, sports, and special events. The station has carried NBC programming since August 13, 1989, when it replaced WROC-TV as the market's NBC affiliate.

• WHEC-TV digital broadcast serviceDigital terrestrial television2002

  The station's over-the-air digital service began in 2002 and became the sole regular broadcast service after the U.S. analog shutdown in 2009. Its digital transmission moved from pre-transition UHF channel 58 to VHF channel 10, preserving the station's familiar channel identity.

• 1966Love Network and Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon

  Rochester, New York

  WHEC-TV joined the Love Network, a coalition of local stations carrying the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. The station also developed locally produced cut-ins inserted into the nationally distributed event.

  Outcome. The local cut-in model became an influential format for other stations. WHEC-TV continued participating until the telethon's later format changes and eventual discontinuation.

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• 2009Completes conversion to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  The United States required full-power television stations to end regular analog service on June 12, 2009.

  What changed. WHEC-TV ended analog broadcasting on VHF channel 10 and moved its digital signal from UHF channel 58 to VHF channel 10.

  Aftermath. The station retained its familiar channel identity while operating as a digital terrestrial broadcaster.

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• 1989Changes network affiliation from CBS to NBCStrategy

  WROC-TV's weak performance and frequent NBC program preemptions, together with NBC's strong national ratings, created conditions for a Rochester affiliation change.

  What changed. WHEC-TV announced the switch on April 6 and began carrying NBC on August 13, replacing WROC-TV.

  Aftermath. WROC-TV moved toward CBS programming, while WHEC-TV established the NBC affiliation it continues to hold.

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• 1982Preempts a live NFL game for a recorded high-school championshipOther

  On November 21, 1982, general manager Steven Kronquest chose to air a prerecorded local high-school football championship instead of CBS's live New York Giants–Washington Redskins game.

  What changed. WHEC-TV replaced the network's live NFL broadcast in its schedule. Rival WOKR later aired the game with authorization from CBS and the NFL.

  Aftermath. The decision angered viewers, particularly Giants fans, and reportedly cost the station approximately $3,600. It was a prominent programming controversy but is not characterized here as a scandal.

  • WOKR-TV — The competing ABC affiliate aired the Giants–Redskins game after obtaining permission from CBS and the NFL.
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• 2018WHEC-TV receives major newscast honors

  The station's news operation won a New York Emmy for best newscast and a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.

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• 1996Hubbard Broadcasting acquires WHEC-TV

  Viacom and Paramount transferred WHEC-TV and WNYT to Hubbard Broadcasting in a station trade involving WTOG in Florida.

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• 1989WHEC-TV becomes Rochester's NBC affiliate

  The station announced a move from CBS to NBC, with the new affiliation beginning on August 13, 1989.

  Leadership change
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• 1961Gannett takes sole control of channel 10

  Veterans Broadcasting sold its half of the shared channel 10 operation to Gannett, ending the split-channel arrangement.

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• 1953WHEC-TV begins broadcasting through a shared channel 10 operation

  WHEC-TV and Veterans Broadcasting's WVET-TV began operating on Rochester's channel 10 under a shared license and transmitter arrangement.

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1. WHEC-TV
2. WHEC-TV official website