WWTI
WWTI is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Watertown and northern New York, with a CW Plus service on its second digital subchannel.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WWTI is a commercial television station serving Watertown, New York, and surrounding communities in the North Country. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 50 and is affiliated with ABC on its primary service. Its second digital subchannel carries The CW Plus. WWTI is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates as a semi-satellite of WSYR-TV, Nexstar's ABC affiliate in Syracuse. It carries most of WSYR's local newscasts and selected syndicated programming, while retaining its own station identifications, advertising inserts, website, and some programming decisions. The station began broadcasting on January 3, 1988, under the call sign WFYF. Its launch gave Watertown a third full-power television outlet, following WWNY-TV and WNPE-TV, now WPBS-TV. Before WFYF signed on, the market's ABC programming had been supplied secondarily by WWNY and by Syracuse's WIXT-TV, now WSYR-TV. At launch, WFYF also operated a translator serving the Massena area and initially carried secondary NBC and Fox programming in cooperation with WWNY. Those arrangements reflected the limited network distribution and smaller-market economics of northern New York broadcasting during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The original ownership partnership encountered financial difficulties and entered bankruptcy. In 1990, Robert Smith of Smith Broadcasting acquired the station, and the WWTI call sign was adopted on September 14 of that year. During the 1990s, the station experimented with local news while continuing to rely on network and syndicated programming. In 2000, the station's repeaters were separated from WWTI and developed into WNYF, a group of Fox affiliates ultimately owned by United Communications. That same year, the Ackerley Group acquired WWTI, reuniting it with WUTR, a former corporate relative in Utica. Clear Channel Communications assumed control after acquiring Ackerley in 2001. The station began digital broadcasting on July 30, 2003. Its local-news operation remained comparatively small and struggled to challenge the long-dominant WWNY-TV. A two-hour weekday morning program, Daybreak, launched in 2002 as a regional production from sister station WIXT in Syracuse. WWTI's nightly NewsWatch 50 broadcasts were discontinued in 2004, and the station later relied on shorter news updates and weather segments. Newport Television, which acquired Clear Channel's television assets, closed WWTI's local news department on June 5, 2009, as part of broad cost reductions. WWTI subsequently moved toward a semi-satellite model, simulcasting WSYR newscasts and using the ABC 50 identity. Newport sold WWTI to Nexstar Broadcasting Group in a transaction completed on December 3, 2012. The deal again linked WWTI with WUTR and other stations operated within Nexstar's broader regional structure. In 2018, WWTI moved from its longtime Stateway Plaza facility to the Top of the Square Plaza in downtown Watertown. Master control and certain internal functions are handled through Nexstar-related facilities outside the immediate market, while the station continues to provide local commercial television service and North Country-oriented digital content.
History
WWTI began broadcasting on January 3, 1988, as WFYF, using an analog UHF channel 50 signal from facilities at Stateway Plaza in Watertown. The station was established to add a full-power television outlet to a market previously served primarily by WWNY-TV and WNPE-TV, now WPBS-TV. Before WFYF's launch, ABC programming in the area had been carried secondarily by WWNY and by Syracuse station WIXT-TV, the predecessor of WSYR-TV. The original ownership group included general manager David James Alteri and investors Steven Fox and Richard Kimball. The partnership later entered bankruptcy, and Robert Smith of Smith Broadcasting acquired the station in 1990. The WWTI call sign was adopted on September 14 of that year. In its early years, WWTI carried ABC programming as its principal affiliation while also sharing secondary NBC and Fox programming with WWNY. It operated a repeater serving the Massena area, although the distribution of network signals in the St. Lawrence River Valley subsequently changed as other stations developed translators. In 1998, WWTI entered an arrangement with Time Warner Cable to provide WBWT, a cable-only WB affiliate. The service was later promoted as Watertown's WB 14. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006, WWTI converted the service into a second digital subchannel carrying The CW Plus. The new WWTI-DT2 service gave over-the-air viewers access to CW programming, while the cable operation continued to serve local subscribers. The subchannel later moved to high-definition transmission in 2012. The station changed ownership several times. The Ackerley Group acquired WWTI in 2000, reuniting it with WUTR in Utica, and Clear Channel Communications assumed control after purchasing Ackerley in 2001. During this period, WWTI increasingly relied on centralized production and regional resources. It began digital transmission in 2003. A locally oriented weekday morning program, Daybreak, premiered in 2002, but much of its content was produced at WIXT in Syracuse and supplemented with brief Watertown updates. WWNY-TV remained the dominant local news station, and WWTI's attempts to maintain a competing newsroom were limited. Its first news effort ended in 1991, and a second attempt launched four years later. The nightly NewsWatch 50 broadcasts were canceled in 2004, after which the station used shorter hourly updates and weather segments. A weekday feature called 5 at 5 was introduced in December 2006. Newport Television, which acquired Clear Channel's television assets, closed the remaining WWTI news department on June 5, 2009, during a broad round of companywide reductions. After the newsroom closure, WWTI adopted a more explicit semi-satellite relationship with WSYR-TV. It began carrying WSYR's weekday morning and evening newscasts in September 2009, along with the NewsChannel 9 Eleven broadcast and weekend news and weather segments. WSYR also supplied North Country weather material and most of the regular news content, while WWTI retained its own advertising, station branding, web presence, and occasional local contributions. For a period, the station was branded ABC 50 rather than NewsWatch 50. Newport announced the sale of WWTI and other stations to Nexstar Broadcasting Group in 2012, with the transaction closing on December 3. The purchase again connected WWTI with WUTR and related stations in Nexstar's regional operating structure. Nexstar later became the station's owner following the broader corporate evolution of the company. On April 23, 2018, WWTI moved from Stateway Plaza to Top of the Square Plaza in downtown Watertown. The station continues to operate as a Watertown ABC affiliate with The CW Plus on WWTI-DT2 and centralized operational support through Nexstar-related facilities.
- 2018
Downtown facility opens
[1]WWTI relocates from Stateway Plaza to Top of the Square Plaza in downtown Watertown on April 23.
- 2012
Nexstar acquisition closes
[1]Nexstar Broadcasting Group completes its purchase of WWTI from Newport Television on December 3.
- 2012
CW subchannel moves to HD
[1]WWTI-DT2 begins broadcasting its CW Plus service in high definition on August 17.
- 2009
Local newsroom closes
[1]Newport Television shuts down WWTI's locally based news department, after which the station increases its reliance on WSYR-produced newscasts.
- 2006
WWTI-DT2 becomes a CW Plus outlet
[1]The former WBWT service transitions to an official WWTI digital subchannel carrying The CW Plus.
- 2004
NewsWatch 50 nightly broadcasts end
[1]The station discontinues its nightly local newscasts and moves toward shorter recurring updates.
- 2003
Digital signal launches
[1]WWTI begins digital broadcasting on UHF channel 21 on July 30.
- 2002
Daybreak begins
[1]WWTI starts carrying a two-hour weekday morning program produced regionally by WIXT in Syracuse.
- 2001
Clear Channel takes control
[1]Clear Channel assumes ownership through its acquisition of the Ackerley Group.
- 2000
Ackerley acquires WWTI
[1]The purchase places WWTI in the same broader group as WUTR and reconnects the station with its former corporate association.
Products and positioning
A local commercial television outlet for Watertown and northern New York, combining ABC network service with regional news, weather, advertising, and a CW Plus digital-subchannel offering. Since the closure of its standalone newsroom, WWTI has primarily positioned itself as a semi-satellite of Syracuse-based WSYR-TV.
ABC television affiliate · 1988
WWTI channel 50
WWTI's primary broadcast service carries ABC network programming for Watertown and the surrounding North Country. It also carries syndicated programming, station promotions, local commercial advertising, weather information, and selected news content. In its current operating model, much of the local-news schedule is supplied by Syracuse-based WSYR-TV, while WWTI retains local station identification and advertising capacity.
CW Plus digital subchannel · 2006
WWTI-DT2
WWTI-DT2 is the station's second digital service and carries programming from The CW Plus. It developed from WBWT, a cable-exclusive WB service created with Time Warner Cable in 1998. The subchannel began operating as an official WWTI digital service when The CW launched in 2006 and upgraded to high-definition transmission in 2012.
Local news brand
NewsWatch 50
NewsWatch 50 was WWTI's principal local-news identity during the period when the station maintained a locally based newsroom. Its nightly newscasts ended in 2004, and the remaining local news department was closed in 2009. The branding was later replaced by ABC 50 as WWTI shifted toward WSYR-produced simulcasts and shorter local updates.
Regional morning newscast · 2002
Daybreak
Daybreak was a two-hour weekday morning broadcast introduced in 2002. Produced by WIXT in Syracuse from a secondary studio set, it was shared with other stations in the corporate group and included brief Watertown-focused updates alongside regional news and weather. The program reflected WWTI's increasing use of centralized production rather than a large independent newsroom.
Brand decisions
2018
Relocation to downtown WatertownStrategyBackground
WWTI had operated for many years from Stateway Plaza.
Action taken
The station moved its facilities to Top of the Square Plaza in downtown Watertown on April 23.
Aftermath
The relocation placed the station in a more central downtown location while its centralized master-control and support arrangements continued.
2012
Sale from Newport Television to NexstarM&ABackground
Newport Television announced the sale of twelve stations, including WWTI, to Nexstar Broadcasting Group.
Action taken
Nexstar completed the acquisition on December 3 and integrated WWTI into its regional station structure.
Aftermath
The transaction reunited WWTI with WUTR and related stations connected to Nexstar's operating network.
2009
Shift from an independent newsroom to a semi-satellite modelStrategyBackground
WWTI had struggled to compete with the long-established and highly rated WWNY-TV, while Newport Television implemented broad cost reductions across its stations.
Action taken
The station closed its local news department, reduced its locally produced news output, adopted the ABC 50 identity, and began carrying WSYR-TV's morning, evening, and late-night newscasts.
Aftermath
WWTI continued serving the market with local advertising, station operations, digital content, and occasional local contributions, but most regular news production came from WSYR.
2006
Launch of WWTI-DT2 as a CW Plus serviceProduct launchBackground
The WB and UPN were being replaced by the combined CW network, and the existing cable-only WBWT service needed a new network affiliation.
Action taken
WWTI created a second digital subchannel to provide CW Plus programming to viewers who did not receive the former cable-only outlet.
Aftermath
The digital service became the station's continuing CW outlet and later adopted high-definition transmission.
Recent events
- 2018
WWTI moves to downtown Watertown[1]
Other
On April 23, WWTI relocated from Stateway Plaza to Top of the Square Plaza in downtown Watertown.
- 2012
Nexstar completes acquisition of WWTI[1]
M&A
Nexstar Broadcasting Group completed its purchase of WWTI from Newport Television on December 3.
- 2012
WWTI-DT2 upgrades CW service to high definition[1]
Product generation
The station's second digital subchannel began carrying its CW Plus service in high definition on August 17.
- 2009
Newport Television closes WWTI local news department[1]
Leadership change
Broad cost reductions led to the shutdown of WWTI's locally based news department on June 5. The station subsequently relied more heavily on WSYR-produced newscasts and updates.
- 2003
WWTI begins digital broadcasting[1]
Product launch
The station launched its digital signal on UHF channel 21 on July 30.
- 2001
Clear Channel assumes control through Ackerley acquisition[1]
M&A
Clear Channel Communications took control of WWTI after completing its acquisition of Ackerley.
- 2000
Ackerley acquires WWTI[1]
M&A
The Ackerley Group purchased WWTI, reuniting it with WUTR and placing it within a broader Upstate New York television cluster.
- 1998
Cable-only WB service launches in Watertown[1]
Product launch
WWTI and Time Warner Cable established WBWT, a cable-exclusive WB affiliate later branded as Watertown's WB 14.
- 1990
Station adopts WWTI call sign after ownership change[1]
Other
Following financial problems under its initial partnership and a sale to Smith Broadcasting's Robert Smith, the station changed its call sign to WWTI on September 14.
- 1988
WWTI signs on as WFYF[1]
Other
The Watertown station began broadcasting on January 3 under the WFYF call sign as an ABC affiliate on UHF channel 50.
Sources2 sources
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