WUTF-TV
A Worcester-licensed television station serving the Boston area as an affiliate of the Spanish-language UniMás network.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WUTF-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts, and serving the Boston television market. It broadcasts programming from UniMás, the Spanish-language network operated by TelevisaUnivision, while the station itself is owned by Entravision Communications. WUTF-TV’s studios are located on 4th Avenue in Needham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter facilities are also in Needham, on Cedar Street. The station’s history extends back to January 1, 1970, when it signed on as WSMW-TV, an English-language independent station associated with State Mutual Insurance Company of Worcester. In its early years, it carried a broad general-entertainment schedule consisting of older films, syndicated dramas and sitcoms, cartoons, religious programming, cooking shows, science-fiction series, and local productions. It also developed a substantial local sports identity, carrying Boston Celtics games, New England Patriots preseason coverage, college basketball and football, and the weekly candlepin-bowling program Bay State Bowling. A locally produced version of the Bozo franchise, Bozo’s Big Top, was another notable part of its early programming. During the 1970s and 1980s, the station’s identity changed repeatedly. It experimented with subscription television through the Preview service, eventually carrying Preview for most of the broadcast day in the early 1980s. After Hill Broadcasting acquired the station in late 1985, it became WHLL and returned to a full-time independent format. WHLL subsequently expanded its Boston-market ambitions, airing syndicated programs, selected programming declined by Boston network affiliates, international programs, cartoons, films, and religious shows. Spanish-language programming was introduced in 1992 through a part-time Telemundo affiliation. In 1993, the station became an affiliate of Univision and adopted the WUNI call sign; Spanish-language programming became full-time in 1995. Entravision Communications purchased the station in 2000. The station’s Spanish-language news history included the launch of Noticias Univision Nueva Inglaterra in 2003, a half-hour local newscast supported initially by a content-sharing relationship with New England Cable News and later by one with WBZ-TV. It also briefly produced Despierta Boston morning updates beginning in 2007, but those updates were discontinued in early 2009 amid economic pressures. WUTF-TV’s current identity resulted from a December 4, 2017, exchange of programming and call signs involving the station and the Univision-owned facility formerly associated with WUTF. In that realignment, Univision programming and the WUNI identity moved to the facility using digital channel 27 and virtual channel 66, while Entravision’s digital channel 29 and virtual channel 27 became the home of UniMás programming under the WUTF-TV call sign. The station therefore represents both a long-running Worcester broadcast facility and the modern UniMás service serving Spanish-speaking viewers across the Boston area.
History
WUTF-TV began broadcasting on January 1, 1970, as WSMW-TV, an independent station licensed to Worcester. Its original schedule combined syndicated entertainment with local programming. The station aired older Hollywood films, cartoons, religious programs, dramas, sitcoms, science-fiction series, and locally produced shows such as Cooking with Bernard. Its call letters reflected State Mutual Insurance Company, the Worcester-based corporate owner at launch. Sports were an important part of the station’s early identity. WSMW carried Boston Celtics games through the end of the 1971–72 NBA season and broadcast tape-delayed New England Patriots preseason games in 1970 and 1971. It also aired extensive college basketball and football coverage, particularly involving the College of the Holy Cross and Assumption College, with additional games involving Boston College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Bentley College. Play-by-play announcer Bob Fouracre and analyst Bob Cousy were associated with much of the basketball coverage, while Gino Cappelletti contributed to football broadcasts. Fouracre also hosted Bay State Bowling, a long-running candlepin-bowling program. In 1970, the station introduced Bozo’s Big Top, a local Bozo the Clown production featuring Tom Matzell as Bozo and Gene Sanocki as Professor Tweetyfoofer. The station began carrying the Preview subscription television service in 1980. Preview’s schedule expanded during the early 1980s, and on July 1, 1983, the station largely abandoned general entertainment in favor of subscription programming for most of the broadcast day. General programming was gradually restored, and Hill Broadcasting purchased the station in late 1985. The call sign then changed to WHLL, and the station dropped Preview entirely. WHLL returned to an independent general-entertainment format, initially emphasizing films, public-domain cartoons, drama programs, sitcoms, religious shows, and syndicated material. By the late 1980s it was marketing itself more directly to the Boston market and airing selected network programs declined by Boston stations, along with programs from the BBC and Australia’s Nine Network. Spanish-language broadcasting became central to the station’s later development. In 1992, WHLL added part-time Telemundo programming. After Jasas Corporation acquired the Hill Broadcasting stations in 1993, Spanish programming expanded, and the station became a Univision affiliate under the WUNI call sign. Spanish-language service became full-time in 1995. Entravision Communications acquired the station in 2000. WUNI developed local Spanish-language news programming in the 2000s. On April 1, 2003, it launched Noticias Univision Nueva Inglaterra, a half-hour evening newscast. Sara Suarez served as anchor and news director, with Angel Salcedo initially joining as co-anchor. After Salcedo’s departure, Carlos Ruben Zapata and later Eduardo Guerrero took part in the presenting lineup. The station initially received footage through a sharing agreement with New England Cable News; after that arrangement ended in 2005, it entered a content-sharing relationship with WBZ-TV. In April 2007, WUNI also introduced Despierta Boston, morning news updates carried during Despierta América. Economic difficulties led Entravision to end the updates in early 2009 and reduce parts of the news operation. The station experienced a major identity and facility realignment on December 4, 2017. WUNI’s call sign and Univision programming moved to the Univision-owned facility operating on digital channel 27 and virtual channel 66. Entravision’s digital channel 29 and virtual channel 27 facility adopted the WUTF-TV call sign and became the UniMás affiliate. The current WUTF-TV thus combines the physical broadcast lineage of the former Worcester independent station with its present role as an Entravision-operated UniMás outlet. Its over-the-air digital service uses virtual channel 27, while its studios and transmitter are located in Needham.
- 2017
WUTF-TV becomes a UniMás affiliate
[1]A call-sign and programming exchange places UniMás on Entravision’s channel 29 facility under the WUTF-TV identity.
- 2009
Morning updates are discontinued
[1]Economic pressures lead Entravision to end Despierta Boston and reduce elements of the station’s news operation.
- 2009
Digital television transition
[1]The station ends analog broadcasting under the United States full-power television transition and continues digitally on channel 29 with virtual channel 27.
- 2007
Despierta Boston updates begin
[1]The station starts producing morning news updates during Despierta América.
- 2003
Noticias Univision Nueva Inglaterra launches
[1]WUNI begins airing a half-hour local Spanish-language evening newscast.
- 2000
Entravision acquires the station
[1]Entravision Communications purchases the station.
- 1995
Spanish service becomes full-time
[1]WUNI completes its transition to full-time Spanish-language broadcasting.
- 1993
Station becomes WUNI and joins Univision
[1]The station becomes a Univision affiliate and adopts the WUNI call sign.
- 1992
Spanish-language programming is introduced
[1]WHLL begins carrying part-time Telemundo programming.
- 1985
Hill Broadcasting acquisition and WHLL relaunch
[1]Hill Broadcasting acquires the station, changes its call sign to WHLL, and restores a full-time independent format.
Products and positioning
A Spanish-language broadcast outlet serving the Boston-area Hispanic audience as a local UniMás affiliate, with a Worcester license and Needham transmission facilities.
Spanish-language television network affiliate · 2017
UniMás Boston
WUTF-TV’s principal current service is the UniMás network feed, providing Spanish-language entertainment, sports, movies, series, and other network programming to viewers in the Boston and Worcester area. The station distributes the service through its digital broadcast signal and through participating television providers.
Local television news · 2003
Noticias Univision Nueva Inglaterra
A local Spanish-language evening newscast produced for the related WUNI service beginning in 2003. The program used external news-content relationships, first with New England Cable News and later with WBZ-TV, and featured anchors including Sara Suarez and other presenters.
Local television news updates · 2007
Despierta Boston
Short local news updates produced during the morning program Despierta América. The service began in 2007 and was discontinued in early 2009 as part of cost reductions.
Brand decisions
2017
Call-sign and network realignmentStrategyBackground
A multi-market realignment involved the Entravision and Univision-owned facilities serving the Boston market.
Action taken
The WUNI identity and Univision programming moved to the channel 27 facility, while Entravision’s channel 29 facility adopted WUTF-TV and began carrying UniMás.
Aftermath
WUTF-TV became the market’s Entravision-operated UniMás affiliate, broadcasting on virtual channel 27.
1993
Transition to Univision affiliationStrategyBackground
After adding part-time Spanish-language programming in 1992, the station sought a stronger Spanish-language identity.
Action taken
The station became a Univision affiliate and changed its call sign from WHLL to WUNI.
Aftermath
Spanish-language programming expanded to a full-time schedule by 1995 and became the station’s defining format.
1983
Expansion of Preview subscription programmingStrategyBackground
The station had been carrying Preview during evening hours and progressively expanded the subscription service during the early 1980s.
Action taken
On July 1, 1983, WSMW-TV dropped most entertainment programming and carried Preview for approximately 21 hours per day, retaining limited religious and public-affairs programming.
Aftermath
The subscription-heavy format was later reduced, and the station ultimately returned to general entertainment after Hill Broadcasting acquired it in 1985.
Recent events
- 2017
WUNI and WUTF exchange call signs and programming[1]
Product generation
A multi-market realignment moved Univision programming and the WUNI identity to the Univision-owned channel 27 facility, while Entravision’s channel 29 facility adopted WUTF-TV and became a UniMás affiliate.
- 2011
WUNI dropped by Rhode Island cable provider during retransmission dispute[1]
Pricing · Other
Full Channel TV, now known as i3 Broadband, removed WUNI from its systems and substituted Univision’s national feed after negotiations over carriage terms failed. The dispute involved Entravision’s reported demand for a substantial increase in retransmission compensation.
Sources2 sources
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