WICZ-TV
WICZ-TV is a Fox-affiliated television station serving Binghamton, New York, with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WICZ-TV is a commercial television station serving Binghamton, New York, and the surrounding Eastern Twin Tiers region. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 40 and is affiliated primarily with the Fox network, while also carrying MyNetworkTV programming on a secondary basis. Its studios are located on Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, and its transmission facilities are situated on Ingraham Hill Road in the town of Binghamton. The station began broadcasting on November 1, 1957, as WINR-TV. It was established by Gannett Company, which had acquired the construction permit for channel 40 together with WINR radio. The television station was part of a broader Binghamton newspaper-and-broadcasting combination that also included the Binghamton Press. At launch, WINR-TV was principally an NBC affiliate, although it also carried selected ABC programs because the market did not yet have a full-time ABC station. The station operated on UHF channel 40 and required local viewers to use equipment capable of receiving UHF signals, a technical issue that the newspaper addressed through consumer education. Gannett announced the sale of its Binghamton broadcasting interests in 1970 while retaining the Binghamton Press. Stainless, Inc., a company associated with broadcast-tower manufacturing, acquired the television station. After regulatory approval, the station adopted the WICZ-TV call sign on April 7, 1971. The letters were associated with company owner Henry Guzewicz. Later that year, the station moved to a taller transmission tower on Ingraham Hill, improving its broadcast facilities. WICZ-TV's most important programming change came in the 1990s. In November 1995, the station announced that it would end its long-standing NBC affiliation and join Fox when its NBC contract expired. The switch took effect on April 4, 1996. WICZ had already carried Fox Kids programming as a secondary service, and management presented the affiliation change as an opportunity to expand local news output. Before the change, Fox programming had been difficult to receive over the air in parts of the Binghamton area because nearby affiliates were located in Syracuse and Scranton and the region's terrain limited signal coverage. NBC programming temporarily reached local viewers through cable distribution of Elmira station WETM-TV before a new over-the-air NBC service was established in the market. During the late 1990s, the station added a secondary UPN affiliation. Northwest Broadcasting acquired the station in 1997 and later placed UPN programming on WBPN-LP, a separate low-power station, after acquiring that facility. WICZ-TV subsequently remained part of Northwest Broadcasting through several changes in the ownership of the group's wider station portfolio. A proposed 2013 sale to Mission Broadcasting, with operations expected to be handled by Nexstar, was canceled before completion. In 2019, Northwest Broadcasting became part of the broadcasting group assembled by Apollo Global Management. That group ultimately operated under the Cox Media Group name. Cox Media Group announced in 2022 that it would sell WICZ-TV and other stations to Imagicomm Communications; the transaction closed on August 1, 2022. In 2025, Imagicomm announced an agreement to sell the station to Deltavision Media, and the transaction was completed on August 15, 2025. WICZ-TV competes in local news with Binghamton stations including WBNG-TV and WIVT. It added a weeknight 6 p.m. newscast in 2009 to complement its established 10 p.m. Fox newscast. On August 19, 2012, it became the first station in the Binghamton market to produce local news in high definition, introducing updated graphics and a redesigned studio set. The station ended its analog service on April 16, 2009, retaining its digital signal on VHF channel 8 while continuing to use virtual channel 40.
History
WICZ-TV began broadcasting in Binghamton, New York, on November 1, 1957, under the call sign WINR-TV. The station was created after Gannett Company acquired a construction permit for UHF channel 40 along with WINR radio. Gannett's Binghamton holdings also included the Binghamton Press, making the new television station part of a local newspaper-and-broadcasting combination. Because UHF reception was not yet universal, the newspaper used its circulation to explain the equipment and antenna requirements needed to receive the new service. At sign-on, WINR-TV was primarily affiliated with NBC. It also carried some ABC programming because Binghamton lacked a full-time ABC affiliate until the launch of WBJA-TV, now WIVT, in 1962. In 1970, Gannett announced that it would dispose of its Binghamton broadcasting properties while keeping the newspaper. Stainless, Inc., a broadcast-tower manufacturer, acquired the television station. The sale was approved in 1971, and the station changed its call letters to WICZ-TV on April 7 of that year. The new call sign was associated with owner Henry Guzewicz. Later in 1971, the station moved to an approximately 870-foot tower on Ingraham Hill, replacing its earlier shared transmitter location. WICZ-TV remained an NBC affiliate for several decades, but its competitive and programming role changed substantially in the mid-1990s. The station had already carried Fox Kids as a secondary service. In November 1995, it announced that it would leave NBC for Fox when its NBC contract expired. The affiliation switch occurred on April 4, 1996. Management cited the potential to expand local news as one reason for the change. At the time, Fox's nearest over-the-air affiliates were in Syracuse and Scranton, and mountainous terrain limited their reception in Binghamton. The market therefore had received much Fox programming through cable systems, Foxnet, or distant stations. NBC programming was temporarily distributed through cable via Elmira's WETM-TV until an NBC service returned to the market through WBGH. In the late 1990s, WICZ-TV also carried UPN programming. Northwest Broadcasting acquired the station in 1997 in a reported $17 million transaction involving Stainless broadcasting properties. Northwest later separated the UPN service from WICZ by placing it on WBPN-LP, a low-power station it acquired and renamed. WICZ-TV continued as the principal Fox station in the Binghamton market. A proposed 2013 acquisition by Mission Broadcasting would have placed the station's operations under Nexstar Broadcasting Group and made WICZ-TV a sister station to WIVT and WBGH-CA. The parties withdrew the license-assignment application in March 2015, and the transaction did not proceed. In 2019, Northwest Broadcasting became part of the station portfolio assembled by Apollo Global Management. The resulting broadcast group operated as Cox Media Group after Apollo combined the relevant television, radio, and advertising assets. Cox Media Group announced in March 2022 that it would sell WICZ-TV and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications, an affiliate associated with the parent company of the INSP cable network. The $488 million transaction closed on August 1, 2022. In April 2025, Imagicomm announced an agreement to sell WICZ-TV to Deltavision Media. The sale was completed on August 15, 2025, making Deltavision the station's current owner. The station's local news operation has historically competed most directly with WBNG-TV, while WIVT has generally occupied a weaker position in the local newscast ratings. WICZ added a half-hour weeknight 6 p.m. newscast on Memorial Day in 2009, complementing its 10 p.m. Fox newscast. On August 19, 2012, it became the first Binghamton television station to produce local news in high definition, accompanied by refreshed graphics and a new set. WICZ-TV discontinued analog broadcasting on April 16, 2009. Its digital transmission continued on VHF channel 8 while the station retained virtual channel 40.
- 2025
Deltavision Media becomes owner
[1]Deltavision Media completes its acquisition of WICZ-TV on August 15.
- 2022
Imagicomm Communications completes acquisition
[1]The sale of WICZ-TV and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications closes on August 1.
- 2019
Northwest Broadcasting enters the Cox Media Group portfolio
[1]Apollo's broadcasting acquisitions result in Northwest Broadcasting becoming part of the group operating under the Cox Media Group name.
- 2015
Mission Broadcasting transaction is canceled
[1]The proposed sale to Mission Broadcasting is abandoned after the license-assignment filing is withdrawn.
- 2012
Local news moves to high definition
[1]WICZ-TV upgrades local news production to high definition and refreshes its visual presentation.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]WICZ-TV shuts down its analog channel 40 signal on April 16 and continues digitally on VHF channel 8 using virtual channel 40.
- 2009
6 p.m. local newscast launches
[1]The station adds a weeknight 6 p.m. newscast to strengthen its local news schedule.
- 1997
Northwest Broadcasting acquires the station
[1]Northwest Broadcasting purchases WICZ-TV from Stainless Broadcasting in a transaction reported at $17 million.
- 1996
Fox affiliation begins
[1]WICZ-TV ends its NBC affiliation and becomes a Fox affiliate on April 4.
- 1971
The station becomes WICZ-TV
[1]After Stainless, Inc. acquires the station, WINR-TV changes its call letters to WICZ-TV on April 7.
Products and positioning
A local commercial television station positioned as the Binghamton area's Fox affiliate, combining national network entertainment and sports programming with locally produced news, weather, and community coverage.
Network television affiliation · 1996
WICZ-TV Fox affiliation
The station's principal programming service carries Fox network content, including entertainment and other network programming, for viewers in the Binghamton television market. WICZ-TV adopted the Fox affiliation on April 4, 1996, replacing its previous NBC affiliation.
Local television news · 2009
WICZ-TV local news
WICZ-TV produces local news, weather, and related coverage for Binghamton and the Eastern Twin Tiers. Its schedule includes a weeknight 6 p.m. newscast and a 10 p.m. prime-time newscast associated with its Fox service. The local news operation moved to high-definition production in 2012.
Network television affiliation
MyNetworkTV secondary service
WICZ-TV carries MyNetworkTV programming as a secondary affiliation. The station previously carried UPN programming during the late 1990s before that programming was moved to WBPN-LP.
Broadcast transmission · 2009
Digital broadcast service
Following the 2009 analog shutdown, WICZ-TV continued its digital transmission on VHF channel 8 while retaining virtual channel 40. The station's signal is multiplexed for digital broadcast distribution.
Brand decisions
2025
Sell the station to Deltavision MediaM&ABackground
Imagicomm Communications announced a transaction to transfer ownership of WICZ-TV to Deltavision Media.
Action taken
Deltavision Media completed the acquisition on August 15, 2025.
Aftermath
Deltavision Media became the station's current owner.
2022
Sell the station to Imagicomm CommunicationsM&ABackground
Cox Media Group decided to divest WICZ-TV and a wider group of broadcast stations.
Action taken
Cox Media Group announced the sale of WICZ-TV and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications and completed the transaction on August 1.
Aftermath
WICZ-TV left the Cox Media Group portfolio and became part of Imagicomm Communications.
Reported transaction value for WICZ-TV and 17 other stations. $488 million (Announced March 29, 2022; completed August 1, 2022)
2013
Proposed sale to Mission BroadcastingM&ABackground
Stainless Broadcasting sought to sell WICZ-TV and WBPN-LP to Mission Broadcasting, with expected operational integration by Nexstar.
Action taken
The parties pursued a license-assignment application, but Stainless withdrew it on March 18, 2015, after the transaction was canceled.
Aftermath
WICZ-TV remained with Stainless Broadcasting and Northwest Broadcasting rather than entering the proposed Nexstar-operated group.
2012
Upgrade local news to high definitionGeneration changeBackground
Local television stations were modernizing production and on-air presentation as high-definition broadcasting became standard.
Action taken
WICZ-TV converted local news production to high definition and introduced new graphics and a redesigned set.
Aftermath
The station became the first television station in the Binghamton market identified as having a high-definition local news operation.
2009
Add a weeknight 6 p.m. newscastProduct launchBackground
The station sought to strengthen its local news presence against established Binghamton competitors.
Action taken
WICZ-TV launched a 30-minute weeknight 6 p.m. newscast in addition to its 10 p.m. broadcast.
Aftermath
The change expanded the station's daily local-news schedule.
1995
Replace NBC affiliation with Fox affiliationStrategyBackground
WICZ-TV already carried Fox Kids programming and stated that a full Fox affiliation would provide a stronger programming position while supporting expanded local news.
Action taken
The station announced the change in November 1995 and switched from NBC to Fox on April 4, 1996.
Aftermath
WICZ-TV became the Binghamton area's Fox affiliate, while NBC programming temporarily reached viewers through cable distribution of WETM-TV until a new local NBC service was established.
Sources2 sources
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