View source for WICZ-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Binghamton, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WICZ-TV
| city                   =
| logo                   = WICZ logo 2018.svg
| logo_size              = 225px
| image                  = My8 Binghamton Logo 20070522.png
| image_size             = 100px
| branding               = {{ubl|Fox 40|My 8 (40.2)}}
| digital                = 7 ([[VHF]])
| virtual                = 40
| subchannels            = 
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''40.1:''' [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]|'''40.2:''' [[MyNetworkTV]]|'''40.3:''' [[Ion Television]]}}
| network                = 
| owner                  = {{ubl|[[Imagicomm Communications]]|''(sale to Deltavision Media pending{{r|rbr-saletodeltavision}})''}}
| licensee               = Imagicomm Binghamton, [[LLC]]
| location               = [[Binghamton, New York]]
| country                = United States
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1957|11|1|p=y}}
| last_airdate           = 
| callsign_meaning       = Henry Guzewicz (former owner)
| sister_stations        = 
| former_callsigns       = WINR-TV (1957–1971)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 40 ([[UHF]], 1957–2009)|'''Digital:''' 8 (VHF, until 2020)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[NBC]] (1957–1996)|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1957–1962)|[[UPN]] (secondary, {{circa|1999}}–2000)}}
| erp                    = 28 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|372.9|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 62210
| coordinates            = {{coord|42|3|22|N|75|56|38|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.wicz.com/}} 
}}

'''WICZ-TV''' (channel 40) is a [[television station]] in [[Binghamton, New York]], United States, affiliated with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] and [[MyNetworkTV]]. Owned by [[Imagicomm Communications]], the station has studios on Vestal Parkway East ([[NY 434]]) in [[Vestal, New York|Vestal]], and its transmitter is located on [[Ingraham Hill]] Road in the [[Binghamton (town), New York|town of Binghamton]].

==History==
The station signed on November 1, 1957, as WINR-TV, the area's second television station, and aired an analog signal on [[UHF]] channel 40. The station was originally owned by the then-[[Rochester, New York|Rochester]]-based [[Gannett Company]], which purchased the station's [[Construction permit#Broadcasting|construction permit]] along with [[NBC Radio Network]] affiliate [[WINR]] (680 AM) in January of that year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Press to buy WINR, push UHF television plans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253872679 |work=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=November 16, 1956 |page=3 |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Press TV, radio bid is approved |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253588251 |work=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=January 10, 1957 |page=1 |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Press operating WINR, plans TV debut by July 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253588302 |work=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=January 11, 1957 |page=3 |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=FCC OKs UHF here, Elmira threat seen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253593072 |work=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=September 30, 1954 |page=3 |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WINR granted ch. 40 at Binghamton, N.Y. |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/54-OCR/1954-10-04-BC-OCR-Page-0054.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting - Telecasting |page=54 |date=October 4, 1954 |access-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> The WINR stations were part of a [[Concentration of media ownership|newspaper-broadcast combination]] owned by Gannett in Binghamton, operating alongside the ''[[Binghamton Press]]''. Upon its purchase of WINR, the ''Press'' went to work towards completing the construction of channel 40, and used its pages to educate readers on how to receive the new UHF signal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Million-watt TV station by July 1 is Press goal (pt. 1) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253588349 |work=The Sunday Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=January 13, 1957 |page=1A |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Million-watt TV station by July 1 is Press goal (pt. 2)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253588352 |work=The Sunday Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=January 13, 1957 |page=3A |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=WINR Radio-TV to get offices, studios in new building |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/253588251 |work=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=March 13, 1957 |page=27 |access-date=June 16, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref> At its sign-on, WINR-TV was primarily an [[NBC television]] affiliate, though it also carried some [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] programming before WBJA-TV (channel 34, now [[WIVT]]) went on the air in 1962.<ref name=b-winrstart>{{cite news|title=WINR-TV Goes on Air Friday|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1957/1957-11-04-BC.pdf|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|date=November 4, 1957|page=82}}</ref>

Gannett announced on July 30, 1970, that it would sell its Binghamton broadcasting interests, while retaining the ''Binghamton Press''. [[Broadcast tower]] manufacturer Stainless, Inc. acquired WINR-TV as part of this divestiture.<ref>{{cite news |title=WINR-TV, radio stations are sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/255610129 |work=The Evening Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=July 30, 1970 |page=9B |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=b-saletostainless>{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-03-08-BC.pdf|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|date=March 8, 1971|page=37}}</ref> Upon receiving approval of the sale, the station changed its call letters to the current WICZ-TV (for company owner Henry Guzewicz) on April 7, 1971.<ref>{{cite news |title=WINR-TV to change call letters after sale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/254825035 |work=The Evening Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=February 25, 1971 |page=1B |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Channel 40 call letters shift Wednesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/255536131 |work=The Evening Press |location=Binghamton, NY |publication-date=April 3, 1971 |page=6B |access-date=June 13, 2020 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=b-winrtowicz>{{cite news|title=For the Record|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-01-11-BC.pdf|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|date=January 11, 1971|page=60}}</ref><ref name=tsotw-wiczmeaning>{{cite web|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=Binghamton's Ingraham Hill Revisited|url=http://www.fybush.com/sites/2004/site-041203.html|date=December 3, 2004|work=Tower Site of the Week|access-date=December 20, 2015}}</ref> That fall, the station moved to an {{convert|870|ft|m|sp=us|adj=on}} tower on Ingraham Hill;<ref name=b-wicznewtower>{{cite news|title=More muscle for WICZ-TV|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-10-11-BC.pdf|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|date=October 11, 1971|page=54}}</ref> it had previously shared a transmitter location with WINR radio.<ref name=tsotw-wiczmeaning/>

In November 1995, WICZ-TV announced it would be dropping its NBC affiliation and [[1994 United States broadcast television realignment|switching to Fox]]; the station stated that the switch would allow it to expand its news programming.<ref name=v-wicznbctofox>{{cite news|last1=Flint|first1=Joe|title=Fox Lures WICZ From Peacock Nest|url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/fox-lures-wicz-from-peacock-nest-99123838/|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 26, 1995}}</ref> WICZ already had a secondary affiliation with Fox to carry [[Fox Kids]],<ref name=v-wicznbctofox/> which resulted in the station beginning to preempt much of NBC's programming (especially its [[Soap opera#Daytime serials on television|daytime soap operas]]). Prior to the station's affiliation with Fox, the network's two closest over-the-air affiliates were Syracuse affiliate [[WSYT]] and [[Scranton]] affiliate [[WSWB|WOLF-TV]], neither of which had a strong signal to cover the city of Binghamton proper owing to the area's rugged terrain. The majority of Fox's programming was only available on cable via [[Foxnet]], WOLF-TV, or [[New York City]] [[owned-and-operated station]] [[WNYW]], depending on the location.<ref name=v-wicznbctofox/> The affiliation change took place April 4, 1996, after WICZ's contract with NBC expired.<ref name=v-wicznbctofox/> NBC programming was then seen on cable via a localized version of [[Elmira, New York|Elmira]]'s [[WETM-TV]];<ref name=aa-wetmcableversion>{{cite news|last1=Ross|first1=Chuck|title=TV STATION HOOKS UP WITH CABLE OUTLET; NEW YORK'S WETM CRAFTS LOCAL MARKETING AGREEMENT|url=http://adage.com/article/news/tv-station-hooks-cable-outlet-york-s-wetm-crafts-local-marketing-agreement/79467/|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Advertising Age]]|date=April 22, 1996}}</ref> the network regained an over-the-air affiliate in Binghamton a year later when WETM's owners, [[Smith Media|Smith Broadcasting]], purchased WBGH-LP (channel 8, now [[WBGH-CD]] channel 20) and made it a semi-satellite of WETM.<ref name=nerw-wbghsmith>{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Fire at WVIP|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970911.html|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=North East RadioWatch|date=September 11, 1997}}</ref>

Stainless, whose holdings by this point included its tower manufacturing business, WICZ-TV, and [[KTVZ]] in [[Bend, Oregon]], was sold to [[Northwest Broadcasting]] for $17 million in 1997.<ref name=pi-northweststainless>{{cite news|last1=Kanaley|first1=Reid|title=Digital TV: It's A High-Tower Act|url=http://articles.philly.com/1997-05-18/business/25564732_1_analog-tv-sets-digital-broadcasts-new-towers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919152520/http://articles.philly.com/1997-05-18/business/25564732_1_analog-tv-sets-digital-broadcasts-new-towers|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 19, 2015|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=May 18, 1997|quote=…Stainless, which owns UHF stations in Binghamton, N.Y., and Bend, Ore., is being sold to a Detroit-based partnership, Northwest Broadcasting, said Stainless counsel James J. Heffernan of Plymouth Meeting. He said the deal is worth $17 million.}}</ref><ref name=b&c-northweststainless>{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1997/BC-1997-05-19.pdf|access-date=December 4, 2015|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=May 19, 1997|page=38}}</ref> Though Northwest would sell the Stainless tower company to SpectraSite Holdings in 1999,<ref name=sec-stainlesssale>{{cite web|title=SpectraSite Holdings, Inc. Form 8-K|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1072048/0001010192-00-000009.txt|publisher=[[Securities and Exchange Commission]]|access-date=December 4, 2015|format=TXT|date=January 21, 2000}}</ref> it would still own WICZ under the Stainless Broadcasting name. During the late 1990s, WICZ added a secondary affiliation with [[UPN]];<ref name=upn-upnonwicz>{{cite web|title=UPN Affiliate Stations (New York)|url=http://www.upn.com/affiliates/hmaffny.htm|website=[[UPN|UPN.com]]|access-date=December 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508052248/http://www.upn.com/affiliates/hmaffny.htm|archive-date=May 8, 1999}}</ref> in 2000, Northwest bought W10CO (channel 10), changed its call letters to [[WBPN-LP]], and moved UPN programming there.<ref name=bpsb-wbpnlaunch>{{cite news|last1=Kucinski|first1=Carla|title=New Tier TV station bulks up with pro wrestling|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/440458566|access-date=December 20, 2015|work=[[Press & Sun-Bulletin]]|date=August 17, 2000|page=B8}} (preview of subscription content)</ref>

On September 16, 2013, it was announced that [[Mission Broadcasting]] would acquire WICZ-TV and WBPN-LP from Stainless Broadcasting. Upon the deal's completion, the stations' operations would have been taken over by [[Nexstar Broadcasting Group]], making them sister stations to WIVT and WBGH-CA.<ref name=b&c-saletonexstar>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Michael|title=Nexstar to Acquire Citadel's Iowa Stations for $88 Million|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/495521-Nexstar_to_Acquire_Citadel_s_Iowa_Stations_for_88_Million.php|access-date=September 16, 2013|newspaper=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=September 16, 2013}}</ref> Stainless withdrew the license assignment application on March 18, 2015, following the deal's cancellation.<ref name=fcc-wicznomission>{{cite web|last1=Corbett|first1=Dennis P.|title=Re: Withdrawal of File Nos. BALCDT-20130927A11G, BALTVL-20130927AHH, and BAPDTL-20130927AH1|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=57176|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=March 24, 2015|format=PDF|date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>

In February 2019, [[Reuters]] reported that [[Apollo Global Management]] had agreed to acquire the entirety of Brian Brady's television portfolio, which it intended to merge with [[Cox Media Group]] (which Apollo is acquiring at the same time) and stations spun off from [[Nexstar Media Group]]'s purchase of [[Tribune Broadcasting]], once the purchases were approved by the FCC.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/10/reuters-america-exclusive-apollo-nears-3-billion-deal-to-buy-cox-tv-stations-sources.html "EXCLUSIVE-Apollo nears $3 billion deal to buy Cox TV stations -sources"] from [[CNBC]] (February 10, 2019)</ref> In March 2019 filings with the FCC, Apollo confirmed that its newly-formed broadcasting group, Terrier Media, would acquire Northwest Broadcasting, with Brian Brady holding an unspecified minority interest in Terrier.<ref name="tvnc-saletoterrier">{{cite news |last1=Jessell |first1=Harry A. |title=Cox TV Valued At $3.1 Billion In Apollo Acquisition |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/231448/cox-tv-valued-3-1-billion-apollo-acquisition/ |access-date=March 6, 2019 |work=TV News Check |date=March 6, 2019}}</ref> In June 2019, it was announced that Terrier Media would instead operate as Cox Media Group, as Apollo had reached a deal to also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses.<ref name="rbr-radiosaletoapollo">{{cite news |last1=Jacobson |first1=Adam |title=It's Official: Cox Radio, Gamut, CoxReps Going To Apollo |url=https://www.rbr.com/cox-media-group-radio-apollo/ |access-date=June 26, 2019 |work=Radio & Television Business Report |date=June 26, 2019}}</ref> The transaction was completed on December 17.<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cox-enterprises-announces-close-of-cox-media-group-sale-to-affiliates-of-apollo-global-management-300976507.html "Cox Enterprises Announces Close of Cox Media Group Sale to Affiliates of Apollo Global Management"], prnewswire.com, December 17, 2019, Retrieved December 17, 2019.</ref>

On March 29, 2022, Cox Media Group announced it would sell WICZ-TV and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications, an affiliate of the parent company of the [[INSP (TV channel)|INSP]] cable channel, for $488 million;<ref name="coxsales2022">{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/222357/cox-breaks-up-combined-radio-tv-cluster-in-tulsa-as-part-of-twelve-market-divestiture/|title=Cox Breaks Up Combined Radio/TV Cluster In Tulsa As Part Of Twelve Market Divestiture|first=Lance|last=Venta|work=RadioInsight|date=March 30, 2022|accessdate=March 30, 2022}}</ref> the sale was completed on August 1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/cox-media-group-insp-close-deal-for-sale-of-cox-tv-stations-to-imagicomm|title=Cox Media Group, INSP Close Deal for Sale of Cox TV Stations to Imagicomm
|first=George|last=Winslow|website=TVTechnology|date=August 1, 2022|accessdate=August 2, 2022}}</ref> On April 8, 2025, Imagicomm announced that WICZ-TV would be acquired by Webb Collums' Deltavision Media.<ref name="rbr-saletodeltavision">{{cite web|url=https://rbr.com/imagicomm-finds-a-buyer-for-remaining-properties/|title=Imagicomm Finds A Buyer For Remaining Properties|first=Adam|last=Jacobson|website=Radio & Television Business Report|accessdate=April 10, 2025|date=April 8, 2025}}</ref>

==News operation==
[[File:Wicz news 2013.png|thumb|right|News logo from August 2012 to December 2017.]]
Since switching networks, WICZ has consistently maintained lower viewership than rival [[CBS]] outlet [[WBNG-TV]] and remains ranked at second, but that gap has closed slightly in recent years. The big three affiliate has always been a [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]] powerhouse in Binghamton. For the most part, WIVT has always been a non-factor in the local newscast race. The ABC outlet has spent most of its history as the third station in what was originally a two-station market (since WIVT did not sign-on until November 1962) and virtually gained no benefit when WICZ joined Fox.

On [[Memorial Day]] in 2009, in an attempt to increase its presence against WBNG, WICZ added a thirty-minute newscast weeknights at 6 joining their flagship nightly prime time broadcast at 10. WBNG already established a weeknight newscast in the prime time slot airing on its [[The CW|CW]] second [[digital subchannel]]. The prime time newscast on WBNG-DT2 would eventually be expanded to weekends at some point in time.

On June 5, 2009, there was an increase in viewership on WICZ (and to a larger extent on WBNG) when WIVT announced its plans to consolidate news operations with WETM-TV in Elmira. WIVT eventually began simulcasting some of WETM's newscasts featuring regional weather coverage but not a full news focus of the Eastern Twin Tiers region. A separate, taped newscast specifically covering the Binghamton area was subsequently brought back to WIVT on June 28. On August 19, 2012, WICZ became the [[media market|market]]'s first television station to upgrade local news production to high definition level. The transition included a new on-air look with state-of-the-art graphics and updated set design.

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WICZ-TV<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WICZ|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WICZ|website=[[RabbitEars]]|accessdate=April 10, 2025}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.1 
| [[1080i]]  || rowspan=3| [[16:9]] || WICZ-HD || [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.2 
| [[720p]] || WBPN-DT || [[MyNetworkTV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.3 
| [[480i]] || ION || [[Ion Television]]
|-
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WICZ-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 40, on April 16, 2009. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition [[VHF]] channel 8, using [[virtual channel]] 40.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|https://www.wicz.com/}}
*[http://www.my8binghamton.com/ WICZ-DT2 website]

{{Binghamton TV}}
{{Fox New York}}
{{ION New York}}
{{Imagicomm}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wicz-Tv}}
[[Category:1957 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Fox Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Imagicomm Communications]]
[[Category:Ion Television affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1957]]
[[Category:Television stations in Binghamton, New York|ICZ-TV]]