WNYB
Encyclopedia
WNYB is a television station in the Buffalo, New York
(licensed
to Jamestown, New York
) market that runs Christian-oriented religious programming. Owned by Tri-State Christian Television
, WNYB broadcasts on digital channel
26 from a main transmitter at 9030 Center Road in Arkwright
and studios at 5775 Big Tree Road in Orchard Park. WNYB's signal is rebroadcast on signals in Buffalo (WBNF-CA, channel 15) and Rochester
(W42CO-D).
The Channel 26 license has been in existence since the 1960s, when it was utilized by an independent station called WNYP-TV circa 1966-1969. The station's majority shareholder was Lowell W. "Bud" Paxson
, who later co-founded the Home Shopping Network
. Shortly after becoming the first American station to ever affiliate with a Canadian TV network (CTV
, via relay of the CFTO-TV
Toronto off-air signal), affiliates of the "Big 3" U.S. networks threatened legal action, and the station went dark, a week after curtailing local news broadcasts and abruptly laying off staff.
The station had become notorious and almost legendary among Western New York's broadcast community of the day, for gaffes and programming mishaps. Strange things took place that some at the time thought was due to incompetence, or even employee sabotage. For instance, the station showed the same episode of The Aquanauts several times, every day at the same time, over a two week period. Also, the equipment used to pick up the CFTO off-air signal for the CTV network feed on occasion would relay the video from distant TV stations in Cadillac, Michigan
and Syracuse, New York
, instead of Toronto. Often, when CFTO video actually was being rebroadcast, the station switcher failed to drop the CFTO identification to display the WNYP call letters, which was considered a Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) violation. Inexplicably, the audio line from a Jamestown radio station could sometimes be heard in the background of the CTV programming.
Shortly before it went dark the station started to identify as "WJTV", when it quickly had to revert back to "WNYP" because the FCC denied permission for them to use those call letters. (Paxson later started the PAX TV network, now known as Ion Television, and owns WPXJ-TV
in the market.)
After going dark, the channel was used for much if the 1970's and '80's by a low power experimental Appalachian Television Service "translator" relay station (W26AA) of WNED-TV
from Buffalo, operated by the regional Board of Cooperative Educational Services
, which was able to originate local programming from studios in Fredonia
.
The license was re-issued to a new group years later, and Channel 26 signed on again on September 24, 1988 under the new calls WTJA. Part of the station's programming lineup duplicated those on the Buffalo stations. Much of the programming consisted of public domain material, and the station was virtually ignored by local advertisers. Buffalo area cable systems were unable to receive an adequate signal from the transmitter, and declined carriage on that basis. The "Grade B" signal coverage barely reached the southern Buffalo suburbs, and the station once again went dark in 1991, due to financial problems.
Grant Broadcasting
purchased the license in 1995. Rather than immediately putting the station back on the air, Grant negotiated with Tri-State Christian Television
, owner of WNYB Channel 49 (now WNYO
), for the Channel 49 position, in exchange for the Channel 26 position, cash and a new broadcasting facility. With a new 5 MegaWatt transmitter and tall tower in one of the highest hills of western New York State, channel 26 would change from having a very poor signal to one of the largest coverage areas in the U.S. Northeast, viewable from Erie, Pennsylvania
to the southwest suburbs of Toronto
, Ontario
.
Tri-State accepted, and on January 10, 1997, it took over the Channel 26 position, moving its religious programming and the WNYB call letters to the new channel. (Grant in turn took over Channel 49, which became WB
and now myNetworkTV
affiliate WNYO-TV
).
WNYB completed its transition to full-time digital broadcasting
in early May 2009. Its digital signal, which had been seen on channel 27, was moved back to channel 26 when the analog signal was turned off. As such, the station does not use a virtual channel
.
The station is especially seen on Time Warner Cable
channel 23 (not to be confused with WNLO-TV, which is a CW affiliate seen on cable channel 11).
WNYB is the least watched full-power station in the Buffalo market, behind the second-lowest, WBBZ-TV.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
(licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to Jamestown, New York
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
) market that runs Christian-oriented religious programming. Owned by Tri-State Christian Television
Tri-State Christian Television
Tri-State Christian Television is a network of eight religious television stations and their repeaters, mainly in the Midwest. TCT Network provides Christian programming such as teaching, preaching, family-based movies, music, documentaries, youth and children, live broadcasts and original content...
, WNYB broadcasts on digital channel
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
26 from a main transmitter at 9030 Center Road in Arkwright
Arkwright, New York
Arkwright is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, in the USA. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,126. The town is named after Richard Arkwright, the inventor of a spinning device....
and studios at 5775 Big Tree Road in Orchard Park. WNYB's signal is rebroadcast on signals in Buffalo (WBNF-CA, channel 15) and Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
(W42CO-D).
The Channel 26 license has been in existence since the 1960s, when it was utilized by an independent station called WNYP-TV circa 1966-1969. The station's majority shareholder was Lowell W. "Bud" Paxson
Bud Paxson
Lowell W. "Bud" Paxson is an American media executive.A native of Florida, Paxson began his career at a little 500 watt radio station in upstate New York, and later as the owner of a small AM radio station, WWQT 1470 AM, in Clearwater, Florida. There, in 1977, an advertiser had plenty of product...
, who later co-founded the Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network or HSN began in 1977 as a 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network televised via cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in the Philippines. HSN can also be shopped online at hsn.com...
. Shortly after becoming the first American station to ever affiliate with a Canadian TV network (CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, via relay of the CFTO-TV
CFTO-TV
CFTO-DT, broadcast on channel 9 and cable 8, is a television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, owned by Bell Media. Currently branded as CTV Toronto, it is the flagship station of the CTV Television Network, and was one of the charter members of the network when it was launched in 1961. It...
Toronto off-air signal), affiliates of the "Big 3" U.S. networks threatened legal action, and the station went dark, a week after curtailing local news broadcasts and abruptly laying off staff.
The station had become notorious and almost legendary among Western New York's broadcast community of the day, for gaffes and programming mishaps. Strange things took place that some at the time thought was due to incompetence, or even employee sabotage. For instance, the station showed the same episode of The Aquanauts several times, every day at the same time, over a two week period. Also, the equipment used to pick up the CFTO off-air signal for the CTV network feed on occasion would relay the video from distant TV stations in Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
and Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, instead of Toronto. Often, when CFTO video actually was being rebroadcast, the station switcher failed to drop the CFTO identification to display the WNYP call letters, which was considered a Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) violation. Inexplicably, the audio line from a Jamestown radio station could sometimes be heard in the background of the CTV programming.
Shortly before it went dark the station started to identify as "WJTV", when it quickly had to revert back to "WNYP" because the FCC denied permission for them to use those call letters. (Paxson later started the PAX TV network, now known as Ion Television, and owns WPXJ-TV
WPXJ-TV
WPXJ-TV is the Ion Television affiliate in the Buffalo, New York market, but can also be seen in the Rochester market and is licensed to Batavia. The station is owned by Ion Media Networks , acting as an owned-and-operated station of the group's Ion Television network, and airs programming on...
in the market.)
After going dark, the channel was used for much if the 1970's and '80's by a low power experimental Appalachian Television Service "translator" relay station (W26AA) of WNED-TV
WNED-TV
WNED-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public televisionstation in Buffalo, New York. Owned by the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, it broadcasts on digital channel 43 from studios in downtown Buffalo and a transmitter located in Grand Island, New York...
from Buffalo, operated by the regional Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Board of Cooperative Educational Services
In 1948, the New York State Legislature created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to provide school districts with a program of shared educational services.-History:...
, which was able to originate local programming from studios in Fredonia
Fredonia, New York
Fredonia is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 11,068 as of 2009.The Village of Fredonia is in the Town of Pomfret south of Lake Erie...
.
The license was re-issued to a new group years later, and Channel 26 signed on again on September 24, 1988 under the new calls WTJA. Part of the station's programming lineup duplicated those on the Buffalo stations. Much of the programming consisted of public domain material, and the station was virtually ignored by local advertisers. Buffalo area cable systems were unable to receive an adequate signal from the transmitter, and declined carriage on that basis. The "Grade B" signal coverage barely reached the southern Buffalo suburbs, and the station once again went dark in 1991, due to financial problems.
Grant Broadcasting
Grant Broadcasting System II
Based in Roanoke, Virginia, Grant Broadcasting System II is an owner of various television stations in the United States....
purchased the license in 1995. Rather than immediately putting the station back on the air, Grant negotiated with Tri-State Christian Television
Tri-State Christian Television
Tri-State Christian Television is a network of eight religious television stations and their repeaters, mainly in the Midwest. TCT Network provides Christian programming such as teaching, preaching, family-based movies, music, documentaries, youth and children, live broadcasts and original content...
, owner of WNYB Channel 49 (now WNYO
WNYO-TV
WNYO-TV is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station in Buffalo, New York, serving the western region of New York state. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 49 from a transmitter at Ironwood Golf Course in Bennington's Cowlesville section. The station can also be seen...
), for the Channel 49 position, in exchange for the Channel 26 position, cash and a new broadcasting facility. With a new 5 MegaWatt transmitter and tall tower in one of the highest hills of western New York State, channel 26 would change from having a very poor signal to one of the largest coverage areas in the U.S. Northeast, viewable from Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
to the southwest suburbs of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Tri-State accepted, and on January 10, 1997, it took over the Channel 26 position, moving its religious programming and the WNYB call letters to the new channel. (Grant in turn took over Channel 49, which became WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
and now myNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate WNYO-TV
WNYO-TV
WNYO-TV is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station in Buffalo, New York, serving the western region of New York state. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 49 from a transmitter at Ironwood Golf Course in Bennington's Cowlesville section. The station can also be seen...
).
WNYB completed its transition to full-time digital broadcasting
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
in early May 2009. Its digital signal, which had been seen on channel 27, was moved back to channel 26 when the analog signal was turned off. As such, the station does not use a virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
.
The station is especially seen on Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
channel 23 (not to be confused with WNLO-TV, which is a CW affiliate seen on cable channel 11).
WNYB is the least watched full-power station in the Buffalo market, behind the second-lowest, WBBZ-TV.