WNYT
WNYT is a television station serving New York's Capital Region as an NBC affiliate.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WNYT is a television station licensed to Albany, New York, and serving the Albany–Schenectady–Troy metropolitan area and the wider Capital Region. The station operates on digital channel 12 and is identified in local broadcasting by its channel 13 branding. It is affiliated with NBC and is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, a privately held American broadcasting company. WNYT operates alongside WNYA, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming, under a local duopoly owned by Hubbard. The station began broadcasting on February 28, 1954, as WTRI on UHF channel 35. It was initially licensed to Schenectady and carried CBS programming on a secondary basis, while the established WRGB retained priority access to CBS network programs. WTRI entered a difficult market in which UHF stations faced technical and commercial disadvantages: many television sets could not receive UHF signals, and reception was generally weaker than on VHF. The station also competed with WROW-TV, another UHF outlet in the Capital District. These conditions contributed to WTRI leaving the air in January 1955 after losing its CBS affiliation. WTRI returned in 1956 as an ABC affiliate. Regulatory changes later authorized the reassignment of commercial channels in the region, and in 1959 the station moved to VHF channel 13 and adopted the call sign WAST. The move improved its technical position, although short-spacing restrictions designed to protect channel 13 in the New York City area limited the station's potential coverage toward the south. WAST remained a ratings underperformer for much of its early history and experienced repeated network changes. ABC moved to WTEN in 1977, after which WAST became a CBS affiliate. CBS moved to WRGB in 1981, and channel 13 then became an NBC affiliate. The 1981 affiliation change was accompanied by a major identity reset. Under Viacom ownership, the station adopted the WNYT call letters and received sustained investment in local news, facilities, and promotion. Its news operation improved from a distant third-place position to a stronger competitive standing during the 1980s and eventually reached first place in portions of the market. The expansion of cable television also helped mitigate some of the geographic limitations associated with the station's transmitter and historical channel allocation. In 1996, Viacom exchanged WNYT and Rochester station WHEC-TV to Hubbard Broadcasting for Florida station WTOG. WNYT has remained a Hubbard property since then. The station later completed the transition to digital television and consolidated transmission arrangements with other Albany-market broadcasters. Hubbard acquired WNYA in 2013, creating a two-station operation serving the same regional market. WNYT's business is centered on local television news, weather, sports, traffic, public-affairs coverage, syndicated programming, and NBC network content. It broadcasts approximately 36 hours of locally produced news each week. Its studios are located on North Pearl Street in Menands, using an Albany postal address, while its primary transmitter is located on the Helderberg Escarpment west of New Salem. The station's current role is that of a regional network affiliate combining national NBC programming with locally focused journalism and advertising services.
History
WNYT's history began in the period after the Federal Communications Commission expanded television channel availability and authorized additional UHF assignments. The station was established as WTRI on UHF channel 35 and began broadcasting on February 28, 1954. Its original license was associated with Schenectady, although the station sought to serve the broader Albany–Schenectady–Troy area. It initially operated from temporary facilities near its transmitter before receiving approval for permanent studios in Menands. WTRI's early commercial environment was challenging. WRGB, the region's established VHF station, had priority access to CBS programs, while WTRI operated as a secondary CBS outlet. WROW-TV, another UHF station, also competed for network programming and advertisers. UHF's technical limitations were especially significant in the 1950s because many households lacked television sets capable of receiving UHF signals. WTRI and its competitors therefore pressed regulators for improved channel assignments and better access to the market. The station's first network affiliation was short-lived. WROW-TV secured the CBS affiliation in late 1954, and WTRI went off the air on January 31, 1955. The dispute surrounding the affiliation change led to FCC proceedings concerning the ownership and network relationships connected with WROW-TV. WTRI returned the following year as an ABC affiliate, allowing it to re-enter the market while continuing to seek a more advantageous technical allocation. In 1959, channel 35 was reassigned to VHF channel 13, and the station adopted the WAST call sign. The new allocation improved its technical position but carried coverage restrictions caused by the need to protect a co-channel station serving the New York City area. WAST remained commercially weaker than its principal competitors for many years and changed affiliations twice in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ABC moved to WTEN in 1977, making WAST a CBS affiliate. CBS then moved to WRGB in 1981, after which channel 13 joined NBC. The NBC affiliation marked a strategic relaunch. Viacom, which had acquired the station during the period between the affiliation changes, changed the call letters to WNYT and invested in the station's image and news operation. The investment helped WNYT improve its local-news ratings during the 1980s, moving from third place toward stronger competition and eventually reaching the top of portions of the market. The spread of cable television further reduced the practical impact of WNYT's historical signal limitations by making local channels more consistently available across the region. Viacom sold WNYT to Hubbard Broadcasting in 1996 as part of a station exchange involving WHEC-TV and WTOG. Hubbard retained ownership thereafter. WNYT modernized its transmission operations during the digital television transition and later operated alongside WNYA after Hubbard acquired that station in 2013. The stations share facilities in Menands, while WNYT's main transmitter is located on the Helderberg Escarpment west of New Salem. Today, WNYT is a regional NBC affiliate whose principal output is locally produced journalism. Its schedule combines NBC network programs with local news, weather, traffic, sports, public-affairs content, syndicated programs, and digital video. The station produces approximately 36 hours of local news each week and serves viewers throughout the Capital Region.
- 2013
WNYA joins the Hubbard Capital Region operation
[1]Hubbard acquires WNYA, creating a local duopoly with WNYT.
- 1996
Hubbard Broadcasting ownership begins
[1]Hubbard acquires WNYT from Viacom in a station exchange.
- 1981
NBC affiliation and WNYT rebrand
[1]Channel 13 becomes an NBC affiliate and adopts the WNYT call letters under Viacom ownership.
- 1977
WAST becomes a CBS affiliate
[1]The station changes networks after ABC transfers its affiliation to WTEN.
- 1959
Move to VHF channel 13
[1]The station moves to channel 13 and changes its call sign to WAST.
- 1956
Return as an ABC station
[1]WTRI resumes broadcasting with ABC affiliation.
- 1955
First shutdown
[1]WTRI leaves the air after WROW-TV takes over CBS programming.
- 1954
WTRI launches on channel 35
[1]The station begins broadcasting as WTRI from a UHF facility near Troy, initially serving the Albany–Schenectady–Troy area.
Products and positioning
A locally focused NBC network affiliate serving Albany and New York's Capital Region, with emphasis on regional news, weather, public affairs, and community coverage.
Local television journalism
WNYT Local News
WNYT's local news operation covers events, government, crime, education, business, community affairs, and other topics across Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and surrounding parts of New York's Capital Region. Newscasts are distributed through broadcast television and the station's digital channels.
Network television · 1981
NBC Network Programming
As an NBC affiliate, WNYT carries national NBC news, entertainment, sports, and special-event programming, supplemented by station-produced local content and market-specific scheduling.
Broadcast information service
Regional Weather and Traffic
Weather and traffic reporting are central parts of WNYT's local-service proposition. Coverage is tailored to the Capital Region and supports both routine forecasts and severe-weather or travel-related updates.
Digital media
Digital News and Video
WNYT extends its broadcast reporting through online articles, video clips, alerts, and other digital publishing. These services allow the station to distribute breaking news and local information outside scheduled television newscasts.
Brand decisions
2013
Acquisition of WNYAM&ABackground
Hubbard expanded its presence in the Albany television market.
Action taken
Hubbard acquired WNYA, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming.
Aftermath
WNYT and WNYA began operating as a local duopoly with shared facilities in Menands.
1996
Station exchange with Hubbard BroadcastingM&ABackground
Viacom reorganized parts of its station portfolio through an exchange involving WNYT, WHEC-TV, and WTOG.
Action taken
Viacom transferred WNYT and WHEC-TV to Hubbard Broadcasting in return for WTOG in Florida.
Aftermath
WNYT became part of Hubbard Broadcasting and remained under that ownership thereafter.
1981
Rebrand around NBC affiliationStrategyBackground
Channel 13 had experienced repeated network changes and had historically struggled to compete with the market's stronger stations.
Action taken
Viacom moved the station to NBC, changed its call sign from WAST to WNYT, and invested in the station's image and local-news operation.
Aftermath
The station improved its local-news competitiveness during the 1980s and established the identity it continues to use.
Sources2 sources
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