WPIX

WPIX, branded PIX 11, is a long-running commercial television station licensed to New York City and serving the New York metropolitan area. It is affiliated with The CW and is widely regarded as the network’s de facto flagship station because of its large market and prominent position in the New York television landscape. The station is owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar Media Group under a local marketing agreement. Nexstar is also the corporate parent of The CW. WPIX’s studios and offices remain in the Daily News Building on East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, a location associated with the station since its launch. Its over-the-air transmission facilities are located at the Empire State Building, following the destruction of its former World Trade Center transmitter facilities in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. WPIX began broadcasting on June 15, 1948, as New York City’s fifth television station and its second independent station. Its call letters were derived from the New York Daily News slogan “New York’s Picture Newspaper.” The station was initially connected to the Daily News through WPIX, Incorporated, while the newspaper’s partial corporate parent was the Tribune Company. Tribune ultimately acquired WPIX outright in 1991. In its independent era, WPIX built a broad general-entertainment schedule around films, syndicated reruns, children’s shows, public-affairs programming, religious programs and sports. Its long association with New York Yankees baseball, which ran from 1951 through 1998, helped make the station a familiar part of regional popular culture. The station developed a particularly strong identity through locally produced children’s programming and distinctive movie presentation. Hosts including Joe Bolton, Jack McCarthy, Bill Britten as Bozo the Clown, and other performers became recognizable local personalities. WPIX also aired Magic Garden from 1972 to 1984 and experimented with TV PIXX, an interactive video-game segment that allowed children to control games by telephone during commercial breaks. Its film schedule included studio releases, British imports and holiday favorites. The annual Thanksgiving presentation of March of the Wooden Soldiers, seasonal broadcasts of The Yule Log and Christmas Eve coverage of Midnight Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral became enduring station traditions. During the early 1990s, its month-long Shocktober horror-film programming further reinforced its entertainment identity. WPIX expanded beyond the local market in 1978 when it was uplinked to satellite and distributed as a regional superstation. Although much of its wider United States distribution later declined as cable systems favored other superstation feeds, WPIX continued to reach viewers through satellite and cable systems in the United States and Canada. It also began 24-hour programming in 1980. After a ratings decline in the late 1980s, management under general manager Michael Eigner helped restore the station’s competitive position. WPIX became the exclusive New York broadcaster of the New York City Marathon in 1994, strengthening its local-event profile. WPIX entered network affiliation for the first time in 1995, joining The WB at that network’s launch because of Tribune’s ownership relationship with The WB. The station gradually shifted toward network and syndicated daytime programming, while retaining news, films and local event coverage. In 2006, The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, and WPIX became one of the new network’s original affiliates. The station adopted CW 11 branding before moving to PIX 11 in 2008, while continuing to use variations of its familiar Circle 11 visual identity. The September 11 attacks were a major operational and historical turning point. WPIX’s World Trade Center transmission facilities were destroyed, and station engineer Steven A. Jacobson was killed. WPIX temporarily used alternate transmission arrangements, including W64AA, before moving its primary transmission facilities to the Empire State Building. Its helicopter coverage of the attacks and their aftermath became part of the extensive television record used by investigators studying the World Trade Center collapse. Today, WPIX combines CW network programming with local news, syndicated content, special events, weather and community-oriented programming. Its value rests on a combination of New York market reach, a recognizable local brand, longstanding seasonal traditions, and distribution beyond the immediate broadcast area. WPIX is one of the largest stations operated by Nexstar by population served and remains an important outlet in the New York television market.

WPIX signed on June 15, 1948, under the ownership structure associated with the New York Daily News. Its call sign reflected the newspaper’s “Picture Newspaper” slogan, and its early programming followed the model of a large-market independent station: films, syndicated series, children’s entertainment, public affairs, religious programs and sports. The station’s New York identity was reinforced by its presence in the Daily News Building and by locally produced personalities and programs. During its first decades, WPIX became especially recognized for children’s shows hosted by figures such as Joe Bolton and Jack McCarthy, a local Bozo the Clown program, and other variety and cartoon presentations. Magic Garden ran on the station from 1972 to 1984, while TV PIXX in the late 1970s and early 1980s experimented with telephone-controlled video-game participation. Movies were another central feature. WPIX cultivated an unusually broad library and promoted itself as New York’s Movie Station. Seasonal programming, including The Yule Log, the Thanksgiving broadcast of March of the Wooden Soldiers and Christmas Eve Midnight Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, became recurring traditions. WPIX’s distribution expanded materially in 1978, when it became a satellite-fed superstation available through cable systems in the United States. It later retained substantial distribution in Canada and continued limited satellite availability in the United States. The station moved to a 24-hour schedule in 1980. After a ratings downturn in the late 1980s, a management change involving Michael Eigner preceded a gradual improvement. WPIX obtained the exclusive New York City Marathon broadcast in 1994 and used the event to introduce a new visual identity. Tribune’s relationship with The WB led WPIX to become a charter affiliate when that network launched in January 1995. The station initially retained much of its independent-style schedule, but network and syndicated daytime programming became increasingly important later in the decade. In 2006, The WB was replaced by The CW, and WPIX joined the new network. It initially branded as CW 11 and later returned to a PIX 11 identity in December 2008. The September 11, 2001 attacks destroyed WPIX’s World Trade Center transmitter facilities and killed station engineer Steven A. Jacobson. The station’s satellite feed froze on an image from the damaged transmission site while engineers arranged alternate transmission facilities. WPIX later established its main transmission operation at the Empire State Building. Its helicopter reporting provided important live images during the attacks and aftermath. Tribune’s corporate history also affected WPIX. The Tribune Company was taken private in a transaction led by Sam Zell in 2007 and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008 before emerging in 2012 under creditor ownership. WPIX remained a major New York station through these changes. Mission Broadcasting later became its owner, while Nexstar operated it under a local marketing agreement. The station continues to combine CW programming, local news, syndicated entertainment, special events and heritage seasonal broadcasts, with distribution across the New York metropolitan area and through cable and satellite systems in the United States and Canada.

• 2008

  PIX 11 brand introduced

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes its on-air identity from CW 11 to PIX 11.

• 2006

  The CW affiliation starts

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX becomes one of The CW’s original affiliates after The WB and UPN are replaced.

• 2001

  Transmission moves after September 11

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  After its World Trade Center facilities are destroyed, WPIX establishes transmission from the Empire State Building.

• 1995

  The WB affiliation starts

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX joins The WB at the network’s launch, ending its era as a purely independent station.

• 1994

  New York City Marathon rights acquired

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX becomes the exclusive New York City broadcaster of the marathon for a five-year period.

• 1980

  24-hour schedule begins

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins operating around the clock.

• 1978

  Superstation distribution begins

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX is uplinked to satellite and becomes available to cable audiences outside the New York market.

• 1966

  The Yule Log debuts

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX introduces its fireplace film accompanied by Christmas music, later reviving the tradition in 2001.

• 1951

  New York Yankees coverage begins

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX begins a long-running relationship with New York Yankees baseball, continuing through 1998.

• 1948

  WPIX signs on

  [1]WPIXen.wikipedia.org

  WPIX begins broadcasting on June 15 as New York City’s fifth television station and second independent station.

A heritage New York television station combining local news and community relevance with CW network programming, syndicated entertainment, seasonal traditions and broad regional distribution.

• Local news

  PIX 11 News

  WPIX’s local-news offering covers New York City and the surrounding metropolitan region through scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather, traffic and community features. The news operation is a principal part of the station’s current identity alongside CW programming.

• Seasonal television programming · 1966

  The Yule Log

  A holiday presentation built around a continuous fireplace image and Christmas music. First introduced by WPIX in 1966, it became one of the station’s best-known traditions, was revived in 2001 after viewer demand, and has also been carried by other Tribune-related outlets.

• Network television · 2006

  CW network programming

  WPIX carries programming from The CW, including the network’s scheduled entertainment content. The affiliation began with The CW’s launch in 2006 after WPIX had previously been a charter affiliate of The WB.

• Television distribution · 1978

  Regional superstation feed

  WPIX’s signal has been distributed beyond the New York market through cable and satellite systems. It became a satellite superstation in 1978 and continues to have carriage in Canada and limited broader distribution in the United States.

• Sports broadcasting · 1951

  New York Yankees broadcasts

  A historic sports-broadcasting franchise that made WPIX a familiar station for New York baseball audiences. WPIX carried Yankees games from 1951 through 1998, helping establish its regional cultural profile.

• 2001The Yule Log revival

  United States · Canada

  WPIX restored The Yule Log after viewer requests, returning a well-known holiday property to its schedule and later enabling wider distribution through related television outlets and online streaming.

  Outcome. The revived presentation remained a recurring seasonal feature.

  Source
• 1990Shocktober

  New York metropolitan area

  A month-long programming concept centered on horror and thriller films, reinforcing WPIX’s reputation for distinctive movie scheduling and becoming a cult favorite among local viewers.

  Outcome. The seasonal block became associated with WPIX’s independent-station era.

  Source

• 2008

  Adopt the PIX 11 identityStrategy

  Background

  After using WB 11 and CW 11 identities, WPIX sought to emphasize its historic call letters and New York heritage.

  Action taken

  The station changed its primary branding to PIX 11 and modernized elements of the Circle 11 logo.

  Aftermath

  PIX 11 became the station’s continuing consumer-facing brand.

  Source

• 2006

  Join The CWStrategy

  Background

  The WB and UPN were combined into a new network created by Warner Bros. and CBS.

  Action taken

  WPIX signed on as an original CW affiliate and transitioned its branding to CW 11.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation has remained central to the station’s identity, with later branding changes restoring the PIX 11 name.

  Source

• 2001

  Relocate transmission facilitiesOther

  Background

  The September 11 attacks destroyed WPIX’s World Trade Center antenna and associated transmission infrastructure.

  Action taken

  The station used temporary transmission arrangements and subsequently transmitted from the Empire State Building.

  Aftermath

  The Empire State Building became WPIX’s primary transmission site.

  Source

• 1995

  Join The WB as a charter affiliateStrategy

  Background

  Tribune helped establish The WB and signed most of its independent stations to the new network.

  Action taken

  WPIX added The WB to its schedule while retaining selected films, syndicated programming and local news.

  Aftermath

  The move gave WPIX its first network affiliation and gradually increased the role of network and syndicated programming.

  Source

1. 1WPIXen.wikipedia.org
2. 2PIX11 official websitepix11.com