WRGB

'WRGB' is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Capital District of New York State and Western New England. Licensed to Schenectady, the station broadcasts an analog signal on VHF channel 6 and a digital signal on UHF channel 39. WRGB's transmitter is located at the tower farm in the Helderberg Mountains in New Scotland. The station is owned by Freedom Communications as part of a duopoly with the area's CW affiliate WCWN. The two stations share studios that are located on Balltown Road in Niskayuna.
WRGB's audio signal can be heard on 87.7 FM in most areas the video signal can be received (and some that it cannot). This is because of the electromagnetic field effect which puts the audio signal of channel 6 at the location of 87.75 MHz with tuners getting the signal at 87.7 FM. This is true for all channel 6 television stations in the United States.

Contents

History

1928 to 1942

1942 to Present

WRGB-DT

WNYA and WCWN Involvement

Programming

News Operation

Newscast Titles

Weather Coverage

News Team

Past Station Personnel

Administration

Trivia

References

External Links

History

1928 to 1942

WRGB claims to be the world's first television station. It traces its roots to an experimental station founded on January 13, 1928 from the General Electric facility under the call letters 'W2XB' on channel 4. It was popularly known as "WGY Television" after its sister radio station. In 1939, it began sharing programs with W2XBS (forerunner of WNBC-TV) in New York City, becoming NBC's first television affiliate. That link would last for 42 years.
The station's original branding was "WGY", after its sister radio station, broadcasting on 790 kHz from a 380-meter antenna. The station also broadcasted on the frequency of 379.5 mHz, with 24 vertical lines of resolution and 21 frames per second. Its call-sign was changed to 'W2XAD' rather quickly in 1928 and moved to 31.4 mHz. Towards December of 1928, the station would receive yet another change and upgrade with its call letters becoming 'W2XAF', keeping its frequency, frame rate, and vertical lines.
Later on, the station received a further upgrade to broadcast 48 lines at 20 frames per second, with the call sign of 'W2XB' on 2.1-2.2 mHz.
On February 26, 1942, W2XB received a commercial license as WRGB, the fourth in the nation and only the second one outside of New York City. By then, it was operating on the VHF band with modern 525-line resolution and FM sound on a frequency of 66 to 72 mHz (then known as Channel 3, but redesignated Channel 4 after the Second World War).

1942 to Present

Several years later, WRGB took on secondary affiliations with the three other networks in operation (CBS, ABC, and DuMont). In 1954, it moved from Channel 4 to its current position on channel 6 to alleviate interference from WNBC-TV (then known as WRCA-TV) and Boston's WBZ-TV, and increased its radiated power approximately fourfold to 93,000 watts. WRGB dropped its secondary affiliations when WCDA (today's WTEN) and WTRI (today's WNYT) took the CBS and ABC affiliations respectively.
WRGB produced two of the longest-running locally-produced programs in television history: a quiz show called ''Answers Please'' and a bowling program entitled ''TV Tournament Time''. After the cancellation of both by the late-1980s, WRGB's local programming has been variable and erratic ranging from a local home shopping show to a weekly video countdown done with Top 40 stations WFLY and (later) WKKF.
On September 28, 1981, WRGB swapped affiliations with WAST (now WNYT) and became a CBS affiliate. Two years later, 55 years of General Electric ownership ended when it sold WRGB to Unicom Inc., a unit of Forstmann Little. Only three years later, Unicom sold WRGB to its current owner, Freedom Communications. The next year, WRGB was awarded the "Broadcast Pioneers Golden Mike Award" and shortly thereafter was awarded a "Presidential Citation" by Ronald Reagan.
WRGB changed its on-air name to "CBS 6" in October of 2004 after decades of being known as either "TV 6" or "Channel 6".

WRGB-DT

In September of 2003, WRGB signed on its digital signal (WRGB-DT) located on UHF channel 39. Like its analog counterpart, WRGB-DT was the first full-market digital signal to sign on in the market. The signal consists of the following:

★ WRGB-DT1 (6.1): WRGB's main digital signal

★ ''WRGB-DT2 (6.2): WNYA (see Note)
★ ''

★ WRGB-DT3 (6.3): A live feed of the station's live "Instant Doppler 6" radar. This feed is preempted in cases when WRGB airs additional games of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Note
★ : During WRGB's joint sales agreement (JSA) with WNYA, that station was offered on WRGB-DT2 (6.2). This was done because WNYA does not have a digital signal of its own. Current television listings continue to show that this arrangement still exists, eventhough the JSA expired in February of 2007. [1]

WNYA and WCWN Involvement

In April of 2003, WRGB signed a joint sales agreement with the area's fledgling UPN affiliate WNYA several months prior to that station's sign-on in September. Under the agreement, WRGB handled advertising sales for WNYA and shared sundicated programming with the station. Also included were two forays of WRGB newscasts airing on WNYA (originally repeats then an hour-long extension to their weekday morning newscast). The agreement, originally set to expire at the end of August 2006, it was extended to expire at the end of 2008 but was then terminated in February of 2007. Since September 5 2006, WNYA has been the area's MyNetworkTV affiliate.
On June 19 2006, Freedom Communications announced the purchase of current CW affiliate WCWN from Tribune Broadcasting for $17 million. This purchase was finalized on December 6 2006, giving the Capital Region market its first duopoly. Until the end of the JSA with WNYA, WRGB had control of three stations in the market. WRGB's hour-long weekday morning newscast extension was moved to WCWN at the start of 2007.
Reports have circulated about WRGB launching a 10 PM newscast on WCWN, however the moving of a second run of ''Dr. Phil'' to the 10 PM timeslot on WCWN may have put those plans on hold.
WCWN might take on the responsibility of airing CBS programs when WRGB is not able to such as in a news-related emergency. WCWN aired WRGB's 11 PM newscast during CBS's coverage of NCAA March Madness Basketball.
During past airings of the annual ''Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon'', WNYA has taken on the responsibility of airing WRGB's local and network lineup. This role has shifted to WCWN. That station also airs CBS' coverage of the U.S. Open Tennis Championship.

Programming

Outside of news, WRGB is the home base for Art "Mr. Food" Ginsburg whose syndicated cooking segment airs across the US usually during midday newscasts. [2] In the mid-1990s, WRGB was the springboard for Glens Falls native Rachael Ray who debuted her "30-Minute Meals" segments on the station.
Syndicated programming on WRGB includes: ''Inside Edition'', ''Live with Regis and Kelly'', ''Dr. Phil'', ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'', and ''The King of Queens''.

News Operation

For many years, WRGB had the leading newscast in the Capital Region, anchored for many years by the venerable Ernie Tetrault (who was immortalized in the 1992 film Sneakers, directed by one-time WRGB intern Phil Alden Robinson). After Tetrault's retirement in 1993, the station was quickly eclipsed by WNYT and for several years in the mid-1990s fell to third place. For the most part, the station has stabilized to a steady #2, though for a period in the early 2000s it fell back to #3.
Currently, WRGB delays the weeknight broadcast of the ''CBS Evening News'' until 7 PM in favor of an extra half-hour of local news.

Newscast Titles

★ ''The Esso News Report'' (1940-54)

★ ''Television 6 Reports'' (1954-60)

★ ''TV-6 News'' (1960-1974)

★ ''NewsCenter 6'' (1974 until January 25 1998)

★ ''Channel 6 News'' (January 26 1998 until September 30, 2004)

★ ''CBS6 News'' (October 1 2004 to the present)

Weather Coverage

As with its heritage of being the first station in the Capital Region, WRGB has had several firsts in the weather field given the unpredictable weather of the northeast. In February of 1996, WRGB became the first Capital Region station to put forecasts on the world wide web with the launch of their website.
The Mechanicville Tornado Outbreak of 1998 led to further developments in the station's weather coverage. WRGB won an Emmy award for Chief Meteorologist Steve Lapointe's near-nonstop work over two days which made sure there were no fatalities in the otherwise devastating tornadoes.
In May of 1999, the station (at the behest of LaPointe) started "WeatherNet6" which allows viewers of the station to submit weather observations around the area. The public is allowed to report anything from current conditions to snowfall totals.
In 2000, the station became the first in the market to offer a station-owned weather radar as they installed "Instant Doppler 6" next to WRGB's studios. WRGB held this exclusive distinction until 2004 when WNYT set up their own live radar. WTEN and WXXA-TV also updated their radar outputs to so-called "live" capabilities. They do not, however, own their own radars. Instead, each of those stations decided to re-brand the live NOAA National Weather Service NEXRAD Level II radar data as their own. Data is used from 4 regional NWS doppler radar sites in Albany, Binghamton, Montague, and Upton. This government data is also used on WRGB (known on-air as "WeatherScan Radar"), and is not proprietary to any one station.
Ironically, WRGB was the last station in the Albany market to have a degree-holding meteorologist on their staff, not doing so until Freedom's purchase of the station, several years after WTEN and WNYT did.

News Team

'Anchors'

★ Ed O'Brien - weekday mornings on WRGB and WCWN

★ Liz Bishop - weekdays at Noon, 5, and 5:30 PM

★ Jerry Gretzinger - weeknights at 5 and 5:30 PM (also Money Editor)

★ Michelle Smith - weeknights at 6, 6:30 and 11 PM (also education reporter)

★ Greg Floyd - weeknights at 6, 6:30, and 11 PM (also reporter)

★ TBD - weekend mornings

★ Marci Natale - weekend evenings (also weeknight reporter)
'Meteorologists'

★ Steve LaPointe (CBM certified) - Chief seen weeknights

★ Tom Mailey - weekday mornings on WRGB and WCWN (also Monday and Tuesday at Noon)

★ Mike Augustyniak - Wednesday through Friday at Noon (also weekend evenings)

★ Mike Tamas - weekend mornings (also fill-in)
'Sports'

★ Doug Sherman - Director seen weeknights at 6, 6:30, and 11 PM

★ Tim Mack - weekend evenings
'Reporters'

★ Mary Beth Wenger - weekday Berkshire County reporter

★ Craig Smith - evenings

★ Dan Dinicola - weeknight news feature, commentary, and entertainment reporter

★ Ken Screven - weekdays (also head of "Albany Bureau")

★ Michelle Marsh - investigative reporter

★ Morgan Hook - political reporter

★ Nicole Forige - weekday mornings on WRGB and WCWN

★ Rene Marsh - investigative reporter

Past Station Personnel

★ Marty Aarons (Replacement for Ernie Tetrault, lasted less than a year before being fired in 1994. Later held anchor positions at WGRZ in Buffalo and WROC in Rochester)

★ Jack Aernecke (5 and 5:30 PM anchor, also Money Editor; retired)

★ Garrett Argianas (Weekend meteorologist during early 2000s, now with WVIT in New Britain/Hartford, Connecticut)

★ Dick Beach (1931-1997, longtime reporter for WRGB TV and WGY radio)

★ Kelly (Cass) Boland, (Weekend meteorologist, and later promoted to mornings from 1993-2000, now a key weekend meteorologist at The Weather Channel) She originally started out as a "Weathercaster" at WRGB before becoming a full-fledged meteorologist while at the station.

★ Jim Brennan (Sports anchor for most of the 1980s, left to anchor at WTEN, now host of the regional PBS program "New York Week in Review")

★ John Cessarich (Chief meteorologist from 1987 to 1991, now chief meteorologist at WYFF in Greenville, South Carolina)

★ Dr. Alan Chartock (Controversial director of WAMC, was a political analyst until dropped in 1994 at which point he went to WNYT)

★ Ed Dague (Reporter and later co-anchor from 1969-83, left for WNYT and was the catalyst for that station's current dominance)

★ Fred Dicker (Political analyst, better known as the Albany based state editor of the New York Post. Also hosts a daily radio program on WROW)

★ John Discepolo (Weekend sports anchor from 1996-99, now weekday morning sports anchor at WCBS in New York City)

★ Bill Duffy (Political analyst from 1969 to his sudden death in 1987; father of former News Director Beau Duffy (resigned 6/22/07) (and, in turn, father-in-law of Special Projects Producer Michelle Nicoll-Duffy))

★ Tracy Egan (Now at WTEN, served two separate stints at WRGB, first as a reporter in the mid 1970s then as lead co-anchor from 1986-91)

★ Neal Estano (Chief meteorologist in two separate stints in the 1990s, now at WBAL-TV in Baltimore)

★ John Graney (Long time Capital District sports talk radio host, was the main sports anchor for a time during the 1990s. Now at WROW radio in Albany)

★ Steve Hammes (Weekend weathercaster and automotive editor from 1994 to 1999, continues to host and produce his auto-review franchise "Drive Time" for Yahoo! Autos and Autobytel, Inc. as well as hosting TWTV's "Car Show."

★ Brad Holbrook (Evening co-anchor from 1998 to 2001, now host of BusinessWeek TV)

★ Shawn Killenger(Morning feature reporter from 2000-2001, later was a contestant on )

★ Kyle Kraska (Now main sports reporter at KFMB-TV in San Diego, got his start at WRGB in the early 1990s)

★ Doug Lezette (Original weekend morning anchor, reporter, and later assistant News Director, now head anchor and news director at WSHM in Springfield, Massachusetts)

★ Al Lombardo (Sports anchor during the 1980s, also hosted a sports talk radio show)

★ Bob McNamara (Sports reporter from 1966-81, known as the one-time "Dean" of Capital District sports, and the only person to hold on-air position at all three of Albany's VHF stations)

★ Joe Pagliarulo (Evening co-anchor from 2002 to 2005, now morning host at WOAI radio in San Antonio)

★ Sue Nigra 1998-2006 (Most recently Noon/5:00 p.m. anchor and health reporter; her arrival to the station from WTEN was the focus of a key lawsuit on non-compete clauses)

★ Paul Palmer 1985-1993 (News, Sports reporter) Now Producer with ESPN.

★ Mary Caroline Powers (Reporter during the 1970s, then co-anchored the Noon news on WTEN. Later worked in public television and as an editor at the Saratogian newspaper)

★ Earle Pudney (1911-1998, pioneer in Albany area broadcasting, hosted variety programs on WRGB TV and WGY radio from the 1940s to the 1960s)

★ Ric Renner (Sports director from 1994-96, now host of "Southwest Sports Report" on Fox Sports Net Southwest)

★ Judy Sanders (Feature and political reporter from 1979 to 2006)

★ Scott Stevens (Webmaster of the conspiracy website WeatherWars, was fired by WRGB in 1995 after having fabricated his credentials)

★ Ernie Tetrault (Main anchor for 42 years, 1951-93, a mark which will probably never be matched; now known as a commercial pitchman for many businesses in the Albany area)

★ Howard Tupper (1913-1986, longtime weatherman and host of the long running Sunday morning bowling show TV Tournament Time, known for his catch phrase "Hi, small fry")

★ Tim Welch (Weatherman during the 1980s, followed Howard Tupper and preceded John Cessarich)

Administration

★ Matt Sames - General Sales Manager

★ Bob Hewitt - National Sales Manager

★ Corey Ausfeld - Local Sales Manager
'Account Executives'

★ Guy Cooper

★ Melanie Costa

★ Karen Lane

★ Tracy Davis

★ Don Evans

★ Steve Paris

★ Marie Moynihan

★ Doug Haight

★ Eric Schneider

★ Karen Mackey Evans

Trivia

★ Ernie Tetrault, WRGB's long-time anchor, can be seen anchoring a newscast in the 1992 film ''Sneakers''. Phil Alden Robinson, the film's director, once worked at the station as an intern. ^[1]

★ The final episode of ''The Last Newhart'' (Episode: #8.24 shown on May 21 1990) ran for 30 seconds longer than the typical episode. WRGB was the only CBS affiliate that did not get an announcement from the network. Halfway through the concluding joke in the episode, the WRGB's control room cut to a male local anchor. As was typical at the time, he was to read teasers for that night's 11 PM newscast but he was visibly surprised at his own face appearing on the monitor since he was watching the end of the episode as well.

References

1. Trivia for Sneakers (1992)

External Links

★ Station Website

★ WRGB Wireless

★ WCWN Website

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