WSBK-TV

WSBK-TV, virtual channel 38, is an independent television station serving Boston, Massachusetts, and the wider New England region. The station is owned by CBS News and Stations and operates alongside CBS affiliate WBZ-TV. Its studios are located on Soldiers Field Road in Boston's Allston–Brighton section, while its transmitter is situated on Cedar Street in Needham, Massachusetts, at a tower site shared by several Boston-area television stations. The station began broadcasting on October 12, 1964, under the call sign WIHS-TV. It was licensed to the Boston Catholic Television Center and initially combined religious and educational programs with syndicated entertainment, films, and selected programming that Boston network affiliates declined to air. Its schedule also included broadcasts of Catholic Mass, short local news segments, and some college sports. The station's early sports portfolio included Boston Celtics games, although the limited reach of UHF broadcasting made sports distribution difficult during its first years. Storer Broadcasting acquired the station in 1966. The call letters were subsequently changed to WSBK-TV, reflecting Storer's stock-market symbol, SBK. Under Storer, the station received significant technical investment and developed a stronger general-entertainment identity. Its most important early breakthrough came in 1967, when it obtained rights to televise Boston Bruins games. The Bruins' success in the late 1960s and 1970s, particularly during the Bobby Orr era, made WSBK one of the most prominent independent stations in the United States and helped stimulate demand for UHF television reception in the Boston market. WSBK added Boston Red Sox television rights in 1975 and carried substantial portions of the team's schedule for many years. It also eventually became a regular outlet for Boston Celtics road games. Sports programming gave the station a distinctive regional identity and supported its expansion beyond Boston through cable systems across New England. In the late 1980s, WSBK entered national superstation distribution, with its Red Sox and Bruins telecasts serving as important attractions. Stronger federal syndication-exclusivity rules in the early 1990s, however, led cable providers to drop or restrict many distant independent signals, reducing WSBK's reach outside its core region. The station remains available on selected cable and satellite systems, including a limited Dish Network superstation package for eligible subscribers. Outside sports, WSBK built its brand around syndicated sitcoms, dramas, cartoons, older films, and locally presented movie packages. Its programming history included shows such as Perry Mason, The Andy Griffith Show, Cheers, M*A*S*H, and Frasier, as well as Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. A long-running relationship with Columbia Pictures gave the station local broadcast access to Three Stooges shorts. WSBK's annual New Year's Eve Three Stooges marathon became a well-known Boston television tradition, continuing until 2021. The station also developed The Movie Loft, a movie presentation format hosted by Dana Hersey that used informal interstitial commentary and became associated with WSBK's presentation of vintage and, at times, less-edited feature films. WSBK's ownership changed several times after the Storer era. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired the station and other Storer properties in 1985. Ownership later passed through Gillett Communications and SCI Television; SCI's financial problems and 1993 Chapter 11 bankruptcy led to a group sale to New World Communications. The station later became associated with Paramount's broadcasting interests and, after a UPN affiliation period, returned to an independent format. Today WSBK-TV operates as an independent station within the CBS News and Stations portfolio, with the MyTV38 identity used for its programming and audience-facing presentation. Its enduring positioning combines Boston and New England sports heritage with syndicated entertainment, classic television, films, and local promotional content.

The first construction permit associated with Boston's channel 38 was granted in 1955 to Ajax Enterprises, an organization headed by Herbert Mayer. The original proposal did not reach operation: its planned transmitter in Melrose was never built, and the Federal Communications Commission later revoked the permit and deleted the proposed call sign. The station that became WSBK-TV began broadcasting on October 12, 1964, as WIHS-TV. It was licensed to the Boston Catholic Television Center and used a hybrid schedule. Religious services, Catholic educational programs, and daily Mass occupied part of the schedule, while syndicated shows, movies, selected network programs rejected by Boston affiliates, and short local news segments filled other periods. Sports were present from the beginning, including selected Boston Celtics games and college hockey and basketball. Storer Broadcasting purchased the station in 1966. The new owner changed the call letters to WSBK-TV, drawing them from Storer's New York Stock Exchange symbol, SBK. General manager Bill Flynn oversaw an early technical improvement program that included investment in color cameras and a color mobile production unit. Storer also shifted the station toward a stronger independent general-entertainment model. Sports became WSBK's defining competitive advantage. In 1967, the station won Boston Bruins rights from WKBG-TV. The Bruins' rise to prominence, led in part by Bobby Orr, turned the telecasts into a major audience draw. For much of the period from 1970 through 1984, WSBK carried most Bruins regular-season games and playoff games not selected for network broadcast. Storer later owned the team for part of the 1970s, further linking the station to the club. WSBK began carrying Boston Red Sox games in 1975. During different periods it televised large portions of the team's schedule, including roughly 90 to 110 games annually in the early years of the relationship and smaller packages in later periods. The Red Sox relationship lasted through 1995 and returned for a shorter run from 2003 to 2005. WSBK also carried selected Celtics games before becoming a more regular outlet for Celtics road games in the 1990s. The station's non-sports programming developed around inexpensive syndicated series, vintage films, cartoons, and locally recognizable presenters. Its library included classic situation comedies and dramas, while Warner Bros. animated shorts supplied children's programming. A long-term local-rights agreement for Three Stooges shorts made the comedy team a particularly important part of the station's identity. WSBK's annual New Year's Eve marathon eventually became a Boston tradition. The station also used the Willie Whistle character for children's programming and developed The Movie Loft, hosted by Dana Hersey, as an informal presentation vehicle for films. By the 1970s, WSBK was widely carried on New England cable systems and reached some communities outside the region. In the late 1980s, Eastern Microwave distributed its signal as a national superstation. The station's sports inventory, especially Red Sox games, was central to that expansion. The reach was never as extensive as that of the largest American superstations, and stricter FCC syndication-exclusivity rules in the early 1990s created additional restrictions. Cable operators increasingly had to black out or remove distant signals when local stations claimed protection for duplicated syndicated programming. WSBK's corporate ownership changed repeatedly. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired the station with much of the Storer group in 1985. It later became part of Gillett Communications and then SCI Television. SCI's financial difficulties culminated in a Chapter 11 filing in 1993, after which WSBK was included in a sale to New World Communications. The station subsequently became part of Paramount's television interests and was affiliated with UPN for a period before returning to independent programming. Today WSBK-TV is owned by CBS News and Stations and is operated alongside WBZ-TV. Its public-facing MyTV38 identity supports an independent schedule of syndicated entertainment and other programming, while its distribution remains centered on Boston and New England. The station's historical importance rests on its role in popularizing UHF television in Boston, its unusually strong sports franchise relationships, and its durable association with classic entertainment and locally presented film programming.

• 2021

  Annual Three Stooges marathon tradition ends

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station's long-running New Year's Eve Three Stooges marathon concludes.

• 1993

  SCI bankruptcy leads to a New World sale

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSBK is transferred to New World Communications following SCI Television's Chapter 11 filing.

• 1985

  Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquires WSBK

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSBK changes ownership as part of KKR's acquisition of most Storer television stations.

• 1980

  National superstation distribution expands

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Eastern Microwave begins distributing WSBK's signal beyond New England.

• 1975

  Boston Red Sox rights are acquired

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSBK starts a major period of Red Sox coverage and becomes an important regional sports broadcaster.

• 1972

  Three Stooges local programming begins

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A Columbia Pictures agreement gives WSBK local broadcast rights to Three Stooges shorts, which become a signature attraction.

• 1967

  Boston Bruins telecasts begin

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WSBK secures Bruins rights, helping transform the station into a major independent sports outlet.

• 1966

  Storer Broadcasting acquires the station

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Storer purchases WIHS-TV, upgrades its facilities, and changes the call sign to WSBK-TV.

• 1964

  WIHS-TV signs on

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The operating station begins broadcasting on October 12 with religious, educational, syndicated, film, news, and sports programming.

• 1955

  Initial channel 38 construction permit is granted

  [1]WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A permit for Boston channel 38 is issued to Ajax Enterprises, but the proposed station is never built and the permit is later revoked.

Independent local television station combining Boston sports, syndicated entertainment, classic films, legacy library programming, and regional audience service.

• Broadcast television · 1964

  Local television service

  WSBK-TV provides an over-the-air television service for Boston and surrounding communities. Its independent schedule is assembled outside the traditional major-network affiliate model and has historically combined syndicated entertainment, films, sports, promotional features, and selected local content.

• Sports broadcasting · 1964

  Boston sports telecasts

  Sports programming was central to WSBK's rise. The station carried large packages of Boston Bruins games, substantial Boston Red Sox schedules during multiple periods, and selected Boston Celtics games. These rights made WSBK a prominent regional broadcaster and supported its wider cable distribution.

• Film presentation

  The Movie Loft

  The Movie Loft was WSBK's locally presented film format hosted by Dana Hersey. Rather than using a formal theater presentation, the program placed the host in a relaxed setting and used interstitial commentary around syndicated movies, including vintage titles and films presented with relatively limited editing.

• Classic comedy programming · 1972

  Three Stooges programming

  WSBK's local rights to Three Stooges shorts produced a durable programming franchise. The shorts moved between weekday and weekend slots over the years, while the station's New Year's Eve marathon became a recognizable Boston viewing tradition before ending in 2021.

• Station brand

  MyTV38

  MyTV38 is the audience-facing identity used for WSBK's independent programming and online presence. It connects the station with its Boston broadcast channel while operating within the broader CBS-owned station portfolio.

• 1993

  Sale to New World Communications after SCI bankruptcyM&A

  Background

  SCI Television experienced financial difficulties and entered Chapter 11 proceedings.

  Action taken

  WSBK was included in a group transaction transferring SCI stations to New World Communications.

  Aftermath

  The transaction ended the SCI ownership period and preceded later changes in WSBK's affiliation and corporate ownership.

  Source

• 1990

  Response to strengthened syndication-exclusivity rulesStrategy

  Background

  FCC rules expanded local station protection against duplicated syndicated programming carried by distant signals.

  Action taken

  Cable distributors were required to black out or remove protected programming, limiting the practical distribution of WSBK outside its core market.

  Aftermath

  WSBK lost much of the reach it had achieved as a New England and national superstation.

  Source

• 1975

  Launch of Boston Red Sox television coverageProduct launch

  Background

  WSBK was expanding its role as a regional independent station and sought sports properties with strong local loyalty.

  Action taken

  The station acquired Red Sox television rights and carried extensive portions of the team's schedule.

  Aftermath

  Red Sox programming strengthened WSBK's audience and later supported its out-of-market superstation distribution.

  Source

• 1967

  Launch of regular Boston Bruins coverageProduct launch

  Background

  The station was competing for attention in a market where UHF reception remained less widespread than VHF reception.

  Action taken

  WSBK obtained Boston Bruins broadcast rights and built a substantial schedule around the team.

  Aftermath

  The Bruins' success increased viewership, encouraged UHF antenna adoption, and gave WSBK a durable regional sports identity.

  Source

• 1966

  Shift toward a stronger independent entertainment and sports modelStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the station, Storer Broadcasting sought to improve its technical capabilities and competitive position in Boston's developing UHF market.

  Action taken

  The owner invested in color production equipment, changed the call sign to WSBK-TV, and pursued stronger syndicated and sports programming.

  Aftermath

  The strategy helped establish WSBK as one of the leading independent stations in the United States.

  Source

1. 1WSBK-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WSBK-TV official MyTV38 pageboston.cbslocal.com