WNYW

WNYW, branded as Fox 5 New York, is a television station serving the New York City metropolitan area on channel 5. It is owned and operated by Fox Television Stations, a division of Fox Corporation, and functions as the flagship station of the Fox broadcast network. WNYW is operated alongside WWOR-TV, the Fox-owned MyNetworkTV flagship licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey. The two stations share facilities at the Fox Television Center on East 67th Street in Manhattan's Lenox Hill neighborhood, while WNYW's current primary transmission facilities are located at One World Trade Center. The station's history reaches back to experimental broadcasts established by television manufacturer Allen B. DuMont. After operating experimentally under the W2XVT and W2XWV call signs, it received a commercial license on May 2, 1944, becoming WABD. The call letters reflected DuMont's initials. It initially broadcast on VHF channel 4 before moving to channel 5 in December 1945. WABD became the flagship of the DuMont Television Network, one of the earliest licensed commercial television networks in the United States, and moved in 1954 to DuMont's new Tele-Centre on East 67th Street, the building that remains the station's home in substantially transformed corporate form. When the DuMont network ceased regular operations in the mid-1950s, WABD continued as an independent station. Its ownership passed through DuMont Broadcasting and Metropolitan Broadcasting before John Kluge's company was renamed Metromedia in 1961. In 1958 the station adopted the call sign WNEW-TV, aligning it with its New York radio sister stations. During the Metromedia period, channel 5 developed a strong independent-station identity. It carried syndicated movies, cartoons, sitcoms, dramas, public-affairs programs, cultural programming and local news. Its locally produced children's programs included The Sandy Becker Show, The Sonny Fox Show and Wonderama. WNEW-TV also originated the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon in 1966 and served as the flagship for its early regional expansion. Metromedia's station group was acquired by News Corporation in 1985 as part of the foundation for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The purchase closed in 1986, and WNEW-TV changed its call sign to WNYW on March 7 of that year. Fox launched on October 9, 1986, with WNYW among its principal owned-and-operated stations. Because Fox initially programmed only limited portions of the week, WNYW retained much of its established independent-station schedule for several years. The network reached a full seven-night schedule in 1993, after which WNYW increasingly became a conventional network-owned station while continuing to emphasize locally produced news. The Fox era produced several durable local and nationally distributed programs. A Current Affair began as a WNYW newsmagazine in 1986, was soon shared with other Fox-owned stations and entered national syndication in 1988. Good Day New York debuted in 1988 as a local morning news and information program and became a long-running component of the station's schedule. WNYW's regional superstation distribution declined as more Northeastern markets obtained their own Fox affiliates. WNYW's transmission facilities were destroyed on September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center towers were attacked. The station temporarily returned to transmission from the Empire State Building, its earlier principal transmitter location. Its transmitter later moved back to the rebuilt One World Trade Center. In 2001, Fox's acquisition of BHC Communications created common ownership of WNYW and WWOR-TV. The stations subsequently consolidated significant operations, although WWOR's licensing and New Jersey-related regulatory obligations affected proposals to move all of its operations to Manhattan. Corporate ownership changed again when News Corporation separated its publishing assets from its entertainment and broadcasting assets in 2013. WNYW became part of 21st Century Fox…

WNYW originated in the experimental television work of Allen B. DuMont. The station operated under experimental call signs in Passaic, New Jersey, and Manhattan before receiving a commercial license on May 2, 1944, as WABD. It was among the earliest commercial television stations in New York and one of the oldest continuously operating commercial television stations in the United States. The station moved from VHF channel 4 to channel 5 in December 1945 and became the New York flagship of the DuMont Television Network. In 1954, WABD moved into DuMont's Tele-Centre on East 67th Street in Manhattan. The facility, later called the Metromedia TeleCenter and eventually the Fox Television Center, has remained central to the station's identity. DuMont's network operations declined as NBC and CBS secured dominant affiliations and advertising positions in major markets. After the network wound down in 1955, WABD continued as an independent station under DuMont Broadcasting. The station changed ownership and identity during the late 1950s. DuMont Broadcasting became Metropolitan Broadcasting, and John Kluge acquired control. In September 1958, WABD became WNEW-TV, matching its call letters to the station's New York radio affiliates. Metropolitan Broadcasting adopted the Metromedia name in 1961. Under Metromedia, channel 5 became one of the strongest independent stations in the country and was distributed on cable systems across portions of the northeastern United States. WNEW-TV's programming during this period combined local production with syndicated entertainment. The station became known for children's programs such as The Sandy Becker Show, The Sonny Fox Show and Wonderama, as well as public-affairs, cultural and news programs. In 1966 it originated the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. The telethon expanded through a group of northeastern stations known as the Love Network, with WNEW-TV serving as its original flagship. The station also developed a significant local-news presence, including a nightly 10 p.m. newscast and programs such as Midday Live, PM Magazine and public-affairs broadcasts. News Corporation announced its acquisition of Metromedia's independent stations in 1985. The transaction provided the station group that would form the backbone of the Fox Broadcasting Company. After the purchase closed, WNEW-TV changed its call sign to WNYW on March 7, 1986. Fox launched later that year. Since Fox initially offered programming on only selected evenings, WNYW continued to carry a large amount of inherited syndicated programming, including films, cartoons, sitcoms and dramas. Fox completed its expansion to a seven-night schedule in 1993. WNYW contributed several important programs to Fox's early station strategy. A Current Affair began locally in 1986 and was subsequently distributed among Fox-owned stations before entering national syndication. Good Day New York, introduced in 1988, established a durable local morning-news format. As other northeastern stations became Fox affiliates, WNYW's former regional superstation reach diminished, although the station retained its central role in the New York market. Fox acquired BHC Communications in 2001, bringing WWOR-TV under common ownership with WNYW. The stations shared resources, but proposals to move WWOR's entire operation from New Jersey to Manhattan encountered political and regulatory resistance related to the terms of its broadcast license. In 2018, after regulatory changes and renewal of WWOR's license, Fox sold WWOR's former Secaucus studio property and consolidated the stations' operations at the Fox Television Center. The station experienced a major technical disruption on September 11, 2001, when its World Trade Center transmission facilities were destroyed. WNYW resumed transmission from the Empire State Building, which had hosted its transmitter before the station moved to the World Trade Center. The transmitter later returned to the rebuilt One World Trade Center. Digital operations expanded in the 2000s. WNYW was the first Fox-owned station to introduce a website on Fox Interactive Media's MyFox platform, offering additional video, blogs, photo galleries and community features. The MyFox platform was later outsourced and eventually discontinued as a brand. Corporate ownership moved from News Corporation to 21st Century Fox in 2013 and then to Fox Corporation in 2019. WNYW continues to operate as Fox's New York flagship, producing local news and distributing Fox network programming from Manhattan.

1. 2019Becomes part of Fox Corporation

   Following the separation of Fox's remaining broadcast and cable assets, WNYW became part of Fox Corporation.

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2. 2001WWOR-TV becomes a sister station

   Fox's acquisition of BHC Communications brought WWOR-TV under common ownership with WNYW.

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3. 2001Transmission facilities destroyed on September 11

   WNYW's World Trade Center transmitter was destroyed, requiring temporary transmission from the Empire State Building.

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4. 1988Good Day New York launches

   WNYW replaced weekday cartoons with the local morning program Good Day New York.

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5. 1986Joins the Fox network

   The station became WNYW and joined the Fox Broadcasting Company at its launch.

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6. 1966Originates the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon

   WNEW-TV originated the charity telethon and initially served as its flagship station.

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7. 1961Metromedia identity established

   Metropolitan Broadcasting adopted the Metromedia corporate identity as its station group expanded.

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8. 1958Call sign changes to WNEW-TV

   The station adopted WNEW-TV to align with its New York radio sister stations.

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9. 1955Continues as an independent station

   After DuMont ended regular network operations, WABD continued broadcasting as an independent.

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10. 1954Moves to the DuMont Tele-Centre

    The station moved to the newly built Tele-Centre on East 67th Street in Manhattan.

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11. 1946Becomes a DuMont network flagship

    WABD became the New York flagship of the DuMont Television Network.

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12. 1945Moves to channel 5

    WABD moved from channel 4 to VHF channel 5, the frequency it continues to use.

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13. 1944Commercial license issued as WABD

    The station received a commercial license and began operating as WABD, using call letters associated with Allen B. DuMont.

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A major metropolitan broadcast station positioned as Fox's New York City flagship, combining network programming with locally produced news, weather, traffic and community-oriented content.

• Fox 5 NewsLocal television news

  WNYW's local news operation provides reporting, live coverage, weather, traffic and public-interest journalism for New York City and surrounding communities. It is a central part of the station's identity as Fox's flagship New York outlet.

• Good Day New YorkMorning news and information1988

  Introduced in 1988, Good Day New York is WNYW's long-running locally produced morning program. Its format combines news, interviews, weather, traffic, entertainment and community features.

• A Current AffairNews magazine1986

  A Current Affair began as a WNYW local newsmagazine in 1986. Its tabloid-oriented format was subsequently shared with other Fox-owned stations and entered national syndication in 1988 before ending its original run in 1996.

• Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day TelethonCharity telethon1966

  WNYW originated the telethon in 1966 and produced local portions while serving as the initial flagship of the expanding Love Network. The program later moved to WWOR-TV and subsequently changed formats and network distribution.

• 2018Consolidation of WNYW and WWOR operationsStrategy

  After the FCC's repeal of the main studio rule and renewal of WWOR's license, Fox revisited the physical organization of its New York stations.

  What changed. Fox sold WWOR's former Secaucus studio property and consolidated the stations' operations at the Fox Television Center.

  Aftermath. WNYW's Manhattan facility became the principal shared operating center for the two Fox-owned stations.

  Sale price of former WWOR studio property. $4.05 million (2018)

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• 2010Resolution of the Cablevision carriage disputeOther

  News Corporation and Cablevision disagreed over the terms for carrying WNYW, WWOR-TV and several Fox-owned cable networks.

  What changed. News Corporation temporarily withdrew the stations and channels from Cablevision systems in the New York market.

  Aftermath. The signals were restored on October 30, 2010, after the companies reached a new carriage agreement.

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• 2001Creation of the WNYW-WWOR duopolyM&A

  Fox acquired BHC Communications, whose holdings included WWOR-TV, a former New York rival of WNYW.

  What changed. Fox placed WNYW and WWOR under common ownership and began coordinating selected operations.

  Aftermath. The stations remained separately licensed but later consolidated significant operations at the Fox Television Center in Manhattan.

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• 1986Transition from independent station to Fox flagshipStrategy

  News Corporation acquired Metromedia's independent stations to create the initial owned-station base for the Fox Broadcasting Company.

  What changed. WNEW-TV changed its call sign to WNYW and joined Fox when the network launched, while initially retaining much of its syndicated schedule because Fox supplied limited programming.

  Aftermath. WNYW became Fox's flagship New York station and gradually shifted toward a full network-owned-station schedule as Fox expanded its programming.

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• 2019WNYW moves into Fox Corporation

  After News Corporation's 2013 separation and the 2019 completion of Disney's acquisition of selected 21st Century Fox assets, WNYW became part of the newly established Fox Corporation.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2010WNYW and Cablevision signals are temporarily withdrawn

  News Corporation removed WNYW, WWOR-TV and several affiliated cable channels from Cablevision systems in the New York market during a carriage-fee dispute. The signals returned after the parties reached a new agreement.

  PricingOther
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• 2001WNYW transmitter destroyed in the September 11 attacks

  The station's World Trade Center transmission facilities were destroyed during the September 11 attacks. WNYW temporarily transmitted from the Empire State Building before later returning to a rebuilt World Trade Center facility.

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• 2001Fox creates common ownership of WNYW and WWOR-TV

  Fox's acquisition of BHC Communications brought WWOR-TV under common ownership with WNYW, creating a New York-area television duopoly.

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• 1986WNYW becomes a Fox network flagship

  Following News Corporation's acquisition of Metromedia's television stations, WNEW-TV changed its call sign to WNYW and became one of the founding owned-and-operated stations of the Fox Broadcasting Company.

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1. WNYW