WWLP began broadcasting on March 17, 1953, one month before rival WGGB-TV (then known as WHYN-TV). The station aired an analog signal on UHF channel 61 and was an NBC affiliate from the start. At its sign-on, WWLP had the distinction of being one of the first UHF television stations in the United States after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened the UHF band as well as Massachusetts' oldest station outside of Boston. It was founded by William L. Putnam and his company, Springfield Television.
1955–1961
LOGO MISSING
WWLP switched frequencies to UHF channel 22 on July 2, 1955. The previous analog allotment would remain unused until the second WTIC-TV signed on from Hartford in 1984.
1961–1966
SVG NEEDED
In 1957, WRLP in Greenfield signed on as a full-time satellite of WWLP. WRLP served the northern portion of the Pioneer Valley market, where WWLP's signal was marginal at best due to the area's rugged and mountainous terrain. From a transmitter on Gunn Mountain in Winchester, New Hampshire (one of the highest points in the region), WRLP could also be seen in Springfield as well, creating a strong combined signal with over 50 percent overlap.
WRLP and WJZB eventually went off the air due to financial difficulties, with WJZB going dark in 1969 followed by WRLP in 1978. Almost immediately after WRLP left the air, its transmitter was shipped to Salt Lake City, Utah in order to launch KSTU, an independent sister station on UHF channel 20. That station eventually became a Fox affiliate on analog VHF channel 13 operating under a different owner.
1966–1971
SVG NEEDED
1971–1976
SVG NEEDED
1976–1984
SVG NEEDED
1984–present
1984–1995
1995–2001
SVG NEEDED
1995–2006 (secondary), 2001–2006 (primary)
SVG NEEDED
WWLP weather logo (1998–2001)
WWLP weather logo (2001–2006)
WWLP's 1995–1996 logo used as part of NBC's The Year to Be on NBC campaign
1Owns a 75% stake of the network, the other 12.5% stake is co-owned between Paramount Skydance Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery. 2Joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery, in which Nexstar owns 31% while Warner Bros. Discovery owns the remaining 69%. 3Nexstar operates these stations owned by Mission Broadcasting. 4Nexstar operates this station owned by Cunningham Broadcasting. 5Nexstar operates this station owned by White Knight Broadcasting through an SSA. 6Nexstar operates this station owned by Vaughan Media. 7Predecessor company of LIN Media. 8Nexstar operates this station owned by Londen Media Group. 9Nexstar operates this station owned by Gray Media through an SSA. 10Nexstar operates this station owned by American Spirit Media through an SSA. 11The station is yet to be sold to a third party as a condition of the Nexstar-Tegna merger. 12Co-owned by Cox Communications.
Notes Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and territory, and based on the station's city of license or Designated Market Area. +Station carries CW programming on a digital subchannel, via The CW Plus. +1Local CW Plus affiliate operates as cable-only channel. 1Local CW affiliate carries only sports programming.
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