WTEN
WTEN is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Albany and New York's Capital District, with coverage extending into southwestern Vermont and western Massachusetts.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WTEN is a broadcast television station licensed to Albany, New York, and serving the broader Capital District, southwestern Vermont, and western Massachusetts. The station operates as an affiliate of the ABC network and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. Its studios are located on Northern Boulevard in Albany's Bishop's Gate section, alongside the operations of Fox affiliate WXXA-TV. WXXA is owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated by Nexstar through a shared services arrangement, making the two outlets closely integrated in their news and technical operations. WTEN transmits from the Helderberg Escarpment west of New Salem, a high-elevation site that helps its signal reach a large and geographically difficult market. The station began broadcasting in 1953 as WROW-TV on UHF channel 41. It was established by Hudson Valley Broadcasting Company, which also owned WROW radio. Early operations were conducted from a former religious retirement home near North Greenbush, and a temporary transmitter initially restricted the station's service area. Financial difficulties emerged within the first year, leading controlling shareholders to sell the operation in 1954 to a syndicate associated with broadcaster and author Lowell Thomas and his business partner Frank Smith. The station changed from ABC to CBS in 1955 and adopted the call sign WCDA in 1956. A short-lived satellite, WCDB, was launched to improve service in northern portions of the market. In 1957, Hudson Valley merged with Durham Broadcasting Enterprises, creating Capital Cities Television Corporation. That year WCDA moved from UHF to VHF channel 10 and adopted the WTEN call letters. The change significantly improved coverage in a mountainous region where UHF signals were comparatively limited. The transmitter was first moved west of Albany and later, after an FCC waiver, relocated to the Helderberg Escarpment near Voorheesville. The higher site gave WTEN coverage more comparable to that of established competitor WRGB. The station and WROW radio moved into new Northern Boulevard facilities in 1966, and WTEN remains based at that general location. Ownership changed several times. Capital Cities sold WTEN to Poole Broadcasting in 1971 as part of a divestiture required after Capital Cities expanded its broadcast holdings. Poole later sold the station to Knight-Ridder, whose ABC affiliation agreement led WTEN to exchange affiliations with WAST in October 1977, restoring ABC service to the station's original outlet. After Knight-Ridder left broadcasting, WTEN was acquired by Young Broadcasting in 1989. Young later merged with Media General in 2013, and Nexstar's acquisition of Media General was completed in 2017. WTEN introduced digital broadcasting in 2004 and offered high-definition programming from the beginning of its digital service. Its digital subchannels have carried several secondary networks, including Retro Television Network and later Live Well Network. The station also operates a substantial local-news organization. It has historically competed closely with WRGB and WNYT, generally occupying or contesting the second position in the Albany market. WTEN launched the market's first over-the-air weekday local newscast at 4 p.m. in 2009 and upgraded its newscasts to high definition in 2011. WTEN formerly operated WCDC-TV, a full-time satellite licensed to Adams, Massachusetts. WCDC extended the station's over-the-air reach toward western Massachusetts and southwestern Vermont while largely simulcasting WTEN. Declining over-the-air viewing and the federal spectrum incentive auction led Nexstar to discontinue WCDC. Storm damage forced it off the air on November 19, 2017, ahead of the planned December shutdown, and its license was surrendered in February 2018. The Mount Greylock transmission facility was subsequently sold to WAMC. WTEN continues as an active local television and digital-news brand under Nexstar ownership.
History
WTEN's origins date to October 14, 1953, when Hudson Valley Broadcasting Company launched WROW-TV on UHF channel 41. The station shared ownership and facilities with WROW radio and initially operated from a former retirement home for nuns near North Greenbush. A temporary transmitter in Herkimer limited early coverage, although a full-power transmitter and permanent tower were installed within months. The station was originally affiliated with ABC, but its first year was financially difficult and the business approached bankruptcy. In November 1954, controlling interest passed to a New York syndicate led by broadcaster and author Lowell Thomas and his manager Frank Smith. Smith became company president, and the station switched to CBS in February 1955. The call sign changed to WCDA in 1956, reflecting the Capital District and Albany. A companion UHF outlet, WCDB, began operation from Hagaman to serve northern parts of the market that the main signal did not adequately reach. WCDB left the air in 1957 after improvements to WCDA's transmitter made the satellite unnecessary. In December 1957, Hudson Valley merged with Durham Broadcasting Enterprises, owner of WTVD in North Carolina, forming Capital Cities Television Corporation, the predecessor of Capital Cities Communications. The same period brought the station's most important technical transition. WCDA moved to VHF channel 10 and adopted the WTEN call letters. The move recognized the region's mountainous terrain, where VHF transmission generally provided more effective wide-area coverage than UHF. The first channel-10 transmitter site, near Vail Mills, did not adequately serve Albany itself and also required coordination to protect stations in Rochester and Providence. In 1963, the FCC authorized a move to Voorheesville, near Albany, placing the transmitter on the Helderberg Escarpment. The elevated location produced a much stronger regional signal and helped WTEN compete with WRGB. WTEN and WROW moved to new Northern Boulevard facilities in 1966. The original North Greenbush studio was destroyed by arson that year, and the former transmitter was donated to WRPI radio. Capital Cities sold WTEN to Poole Broadcasting in 1971 because of ownership-limit concerns after Capital Cities acquired additional broadcast properties. Poole sold WTEN to Knight-Ridder in the late 1970s. Before that transaction closed, Knight-Ridder arranged an ABC affiliation agreement, and WTEN exchanged affiliations with WAST on October 23, 1977. This restored ABC to the station that had originally carried the network. Knight-Ridder exited broadcasting in 1989, selling WTEN and WKRN-TV to Young Broadcasting. During Young's ownership, the station faced financial pressure alongside its parent. Ten positions were eliminated in January 2008. Young was removed from Nasdaq in early 2009 after failing to satisfy listing requirements and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the following month. Although a station auction was planned, it was canceled. WTEN continued operating while its ownership reorganized. The station expanded its digital presence in the 2000s. It began digital transmission on UHF channel 26 in 2004 with high-definition programming and introduced Retro Television Network on a third digital subchannel in 2007. A later group programming arrangement moved the subchannel service to ABC's Live Well Network in 2012. WTEN also strengthened its local-news operation, launching an over-the-air weekday 4 p.m. newscast in 2009 and moving its newscasts to high definition in 2011. In 2012, Shield Media agreed to acquire Fox affiliate WXXA-TV and entered into a shared services agreement under which WTEN would operate the station. The transaction was approved by the FCC and completed in March 2013. WXXA closed its separate Albany studios and moved into WTEN's facility; its reporting staff was integrated with WTEN's. Young Broadcasting merged with Media General in November 2013. Nexstar announced its acquisition of Media General in 2016, and the transaction closed on January 17, 2017, placing WTEN within Nexstar Media Group. WTEN's former satellite WCDC-TV had a separate history. It began in 1954 as WMGT on channel 74 from Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, later moving to channel 19. After a transmitter failure and ownership changes, it returned as WCDC and ultimately became a full-time simulcast of WTEN. Its analog service ended in 2009, while digital transmission continued until 2017. Nexstar received $34,558,086 through the FCC spectrum incentive auction in exchange for taking WCDC off the air. A damaged transmission line ended service on November 19, 2017, and the license was surrendered in February 2018. WAMC later acquired the Mount Greylock tower and transmitter facility. WTEN remains an active ABC affiliate and local-news operation serving the Albany-centered region.
- 2018
WCDC license surrendered
[1]The former satellite's license is surrendered after its 2017 shutdown.
- 2017
Nexstar ownership begins
[1]Nexstar completes its acquisition of Media General, bringing WTEN into Nexstar's portfolio.
- 2013
WXXA shared-services operation begins
[1]WTEN assumes operational responsibility for WXXA and combines newsroom resources.
- 2009
Local 4 p.m. newscast launches
[1]WTEN introduces the Albany market's first over-the-air weekday local newscast at 4 p.m.
- 2004
Digital service begins
[1]WTEN signs on its digital signal and provides high-definition programming.
- 1977
ABC affiliation restored
[1]WTEN swaps affiliations with WAST and returns to ABC.
- 1963
Transmitter moves to the Helderberg Escarpment
[1]An FCC-approved transmitter relocation improves service to Albany and the surrounding mountainous market.
- 1957
Move to channel 10 and adoption of WTEN call letters
[1]The station moves from UHF to VHF channel 10 and becomes WTEN.
- 1956
WCDA call sign adopted
[1]The station changes its call letters and launches short-lived satellite WCDB.
- 1955
Affiliation changes to CBS
[1]The station switches from ABC to CBS after a change in controlling ownership.
Products and positioning
A legacy Albany-market ABC affiliate combining local news, weather, traffic, network entertainment, and digital journalism for a geographically broad and highly competitive television market.
Local television news
WTEN News 10
WTEN's core local-news service covers Albany and the Capital District through scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reporting, weather, traffic, and regional features. Its newsroom also supports news production associated with sister Fox affiliate WXXA under the shared-services arrangement.
Digital media
WTEN digital news
The station's website and related digital channels extend its local television journalism into web publishing, video, weather information, traffic updates, and live or on-demand news content.
Broadcast television · 2007
Digital subchannels
WTEN has used digital multicast capacity for secondary programming networks, including Retro Television Network beginning in 2007 and ABC's Live Well Network under a later group arrangement.
Brand decisions
2017
Discontinue WCDC-TV after the spectrum auctionOtherBackground
Nexstar cited declining over-the-air viewership and participated in the FCC spectrum incentive auction involving WTEN's former full-time satellite WCDC-TV.
Action taken
Nexstar accepted an auction payment and planned to end WCDC transmission. Storm damage to the transmission line forced the station off the air on November 19, 2017, before the planned December 1 shutdown.
Aftermath
Nexstar surrendered the WCDC license in February 2018. The Mount Greylock transmission facility was later sold to WAMC.
FCC spectrum incentive auction award. 34558086 (2017)
2013
Operate WXXA-TV under a shared-services agreementStrategyBackground
Shield Media acquired Albany Fox affiliate WXXA-TV from Newport Television and arranged for Young Broadcasting, WTEN's owner at the time, to provide operational services.
Action taken
WTEN took over operational and newsroom functions for WXXA. WXXA moved from its separate studio into WTEN's Albany facility, while selected Fox newscasts were retained.
Aftermath
The stations' reporting staffs were consolidated, creating a more integrated local-news operation.
Recent events
- 2017
Nexstar completes Media General acquisition[1]
M&A
WTEN becomes part of Nexstar after Nexstar completes its acquisition of Media General.
- 2017
WCDC-TV ends transmission[1]
Other · Regulation
WTEN's former full-time satellite stops broadcasting after storm damage and Nexstar's decision to discontinue the service following the spectrum auction.
- 2013
WTEN integrates operations with WXXA-TV[1]
M&A
After Shield Media acquires WXXA, the Fox affiliate moves its operations into WTEN's facilities and the stations combine reporting resources.
- 2004
WTEN launches digital broadcasting[1]
Product launch
The station begins digital transmission and provides high-definition service from the start of its digital operation.
- 1977
WTEN returns to ABC affiliation[1]
Other
Following Knight-Ridder's affiliation agreement with ABC, WTEN exchanges affiliations with WAST and resumes its original network relationship.
- 1953
WTEN begins broadcasting as WROW-TV[1]
Other
The station signs on in October as an ABC-affiliated UHF outlet serving the Albany area.
Sources2 sources
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