View source for WHEC-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Rochester, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2011}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WHEC-TV
| city                   =
| logo                   = WHEC logo 2024.svg
| logo_size              = 180px
| image                  = Whec dt2.png
| image_size             = 150px
| branding               = News 10 NBC
| digital                = 10 ([[VHF]])
| virtual                = 10
| subchannels            = 
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''10.1:''' [[NBC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| network                = 
| founded                = {{start date and age|1953|3|11}}<ref>"For the record–Actions of the FCC–New TV stations–Decisions." ''[[Broadcasting - Telecasting]]'', March 23, 1953, pp. 99-100. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-23-OCR-Page-0099.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-23-OCR-Page-0100.pdf]</ref>
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1953|11|1|p=y}}
| last_airdate           = 
| location               = [[Rochester, New York]]
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = Hickson Electric Company (founders of WHEC radio)
| former_callsigns       = WVET-TV (shared operation, 1953–1961)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 10 (VHF, 1953–2009)|'''Digital:''' 58 ([[UHF]], 2002–2009)}}
| owner                  = [[Hubbard Broadcasting]]
| licensee               = WHEC-TV, [[LLC]]
| sister_stations        = 
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[CBS]] (1953–1989)|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1953–1962)|[[Overmyer Network|United]] (secondary, 1967)<ref>{{cite news|title=Democrat and Chronicle Rochester, NY May 8, 1967 p. 8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36239902/democrat_and_chronicle/|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=May 8, 1967 |page=8 }}</ref>}}
| erp                    = 18.1 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|153|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 70041
| coordinates            = {{nowrap|{{coord|43|8|8.3|N|77|35|1.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.whec.com/}} 
}}

'''WHEC-TV''' (channel 10) is a [[television station]] in [[Rochester, New York]], United States, affiliated with [[NBC]]. Owned by [[Hubbard Broadcasting]], the station maintains studios on [[New York State Route 96|East Avenue]] in [[Downtown Rochester]] and a transmitter on Pinnacle Hill in [[Brighton, Monroe County, New York|Brighton]].

==History==
[[File:WHEC_station_ID,_1979.png|thumb|Logo used by WHEC from 1979 to 1995 in its original form. The lines outside the "10" were removed in 1987; the lines inside the "10" were reduced to five in 1993.]]
In March 1953, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) awarded the [[Construction permit#Broadcasting|construction permit]] of Rochester's second VHF station to two local firms who competed for the open channel. In what was the first arrangement of its kind, the [[Gannett Company]], then the Rochester-based publisher of the ''[[Democrat and Chronicle]]'' and the ''[[Rochester Times-Union|Times-Union]]'' and owners of [[CBS Radio Network]] affiliate WHEC (1460 AM, now [[WHIC]]); and the Veterans Broadcasting Company, owners of WVET radio (1280 AM, now [[WHTK (AM)|WHTK]]), were granted shared operation of channel 10; the two separately owned stations would use the same [[broadcast license]] and transmitter, but broadcast from separate studios.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 13, 1953 |title=2d television outlet by next fall promised as FCC allots Channel 10 to WHEC, WVET on sharing basis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/135408030/ |work=[[Democrat and Chronicle]] |location=Rochester, New York |access-date=April 28, 2019 }}</ref><ref>"Record 29 new TV grants puts FCC at end of 'A' and 'B' priorities." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', March 16, 1953, pp. 42, 46, 48, 50. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-16-OCR-Page-0042.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-16-OCR-Page-0046.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-16-OCR-Page-0048.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-03-16-OCR-Page-0050.pdf]</ref>

Both stations–Veterans-owned WVET-TV, based at the Central Trust Building; and Gannett-owned WHEC-TV, with studios at the Rochester Savings Bank building, both in downtown Rochester–commenced operations on November 1, 1953.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=November 2, 1953 |title=New TV programs go on air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/135601785/ |work=Democrat and Chronicle |location=Rochester, New York |access-date=April 28, 2019 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-11-02-OCR-Page-0064.pdf "Eight stations, 5 VHF, 3 UHF, begin commercial operation."] ''[[Broadcasting - Telecasting]]'', November 2, 1953, pg. 64.</ref> The combined channel 10 operation carried a primary affiliation with the [[CBS Television Network]], and also carried [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] programs on a secondary basis.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 9, 1953 |title=2d TV station to join 2 networks |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/135544610/ |work=[[Democrat and Chronicle]] |location=Rochester, New York |access-date=April 28, 2019 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-10-26-OCR-Page-0075.pdf WHEC-TV/WVET-TV advertisement.] ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', October 26, 1953, pg. 75.</ref> The WHEC stations moved from the Bank of Rochester building to WHEC-TV's present location, on East Avenue, in May 1958.

On November 15, 1961, the split-channel, shared-time arrangement ended as Veterans sold its half of channel 10 to Gannett. Veterans subsequently acquired its own, fully owned station, [[WROC-TV]] (then on channel 5) from Transcontinent Broadcasting. The completion of the deal made WHEC-TV the sole occupant of the channel 10 frequency in Rochester.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-08-07-BC-OCR-Page-0088.pdf "FCC okays $30 million in station sales."] ''Broadcasting'', August 7, 1961, pg. 90.</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-11-20-BC-OCR-Page-0091.pdf "TV sharetimers split in Rochester deal."] ''Broadcasting'', November 20, 1961, pg. 91.</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-12-18-BC-OCR-Page-0061.pdf WHEC-TV advertisement.] ''Broadcasting'', December 18, 1961, pg. 61.</ref> The following year WHEC-TV became a full-time CBS affiliate, as the ABC affiliation moved to newly signed-on WOKR (channel 13, now [[WHAM-TV]]). In 1966, channel 10 was one of the founding members of the "Love Network" that aired the ''[[Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon]]'' every [[Labor Day]] until 2012, when it moved from first-run syndication to ABC as a short-form telecast and was renamed the ''MDA Show of Strength'', and ended in 2014 when [[Muscular Dystrophy Association|MDA]] discontinued the event on May 1, 2015. WHEC-TV was the creator of the "cut-ins" that local stations insert into the national telethon, a concept that later since spread across the country.

Gannett split up its radio/TV holdings in 1971 when WHEC radio was sold to Sande Broadcasting, a locally based group (the station is now known as [[WHIC]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=Gannett broadcast roster down to WHEC-TV |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/71-OCR/1971-11-29-BC-OCR-Page-0056.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=64 |date=November 29, 1971 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> Channel 10 was allowed to retain the WHEC-TV call letters and would remain as the Gannett Company's lone broadcast holding until 1979 when Gannett sold the station in the wake of its purchase of [[Combined Communications]].<ref>"Gannett goes from mostly newspapers to multiple media in one big deal." ''Broadcasting'', May 15, 1978, pp. 26-27. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-05-15-BC-OCR-Page-0026.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-05-15-BC-OCR-Page-0027.pdf]</ref><ref>"FCC clears biggest deal ever." ''Broadcasting'', June 11, 1979, pp. 19-20. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/1979-06-11-BC-OCR-Page-0019.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/1979-06-11-BC-OCR-Page-0019.pdf]</ref> Gannett feared the FCC, who several years earlier decided to eliminate several small-market [[Concentration of media ownership|print/broadcast ownership combinations]], would force it to sell either the television station or the newspaper. Gannett netted a handsome return on its purchase of WHEC radio in 1932. It retained both the ''Democrat and Chronicle'' and the ''Times-Union'', the latter of which was merged into the former in 1997. Gannett continues to publish the ''Democrat and Chronicle'' as of 2020, though the company relocated its headquarters from Rochester to the [[Northern Virginia]] suburbs of [[Washington, D.C.]] in 1985.

The new owners of channel 10, made U.S. television history: WHEC-TV became the first VHF, network-affiliated station to be purchased and wholly owned by an [[African-American]] group, led by investor Ragan Henry.<ref>"Deal under way for the first black VHF TV." ''Broadcasting'', August 28, 1978, pp. 30-31. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-08-28-BC-OCR-Page-0030.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-08-28-BC-OCR-Page-0031.pdf]</ref> Despite the historical connotation, the Henry-led group's stewardship of WHEC-TV would be short-lived. In 1983, the Henry group traded channel 10 to [[Viacom (1952–2006)|the original Viacom]] in exchange for a pair of radio stations, [[WDIA]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and KDIA (now [[KMKY (AM)|KMKY]]) in [[Oakland]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Changing hands–Proposed. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/83-OCR/BC-1983-07-25-OCR-Page-0086.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=86 |date=July 25, 1983 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref>

Under Viacom ownership, channel 10 took part in another trade—this one the first (and only) network affiliation switch in Rochester. On April 6, 1989, WHEC-TV announced that it would join the NBC network, replacing WROC-TV (now on channel 8) in the Peacock Network's roster. This move was the result of WROC-TV's poor performance and constant preemptions of NBC network programming (NBC was very intolerant of preemptions at this time).<ref>{{Cite episode |title=11:00 PM Report |series=News Team 10 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AlcaTWoavs?t=458  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/-AlcaTWoavs| archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=June 13, 2020 |station=WHEC-TV |location=Rochester, NY |date=April 6, 1989 |minutes=07:38 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>Dorland, Charles, and Mary Lynne Vellinga. "Channel 10 dropping CBS in switch to top-ranked NBC." ''Democrat and Chronicle'', April 7, 1989, pp. 1A, 7A. Accessed April 29, 2019. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/137306933][https://www.newspapers.com/image/137306972]</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=In brief |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/89-OCR/BC-1989-04-10-OCR-Page-0096.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=96 |date=April 10, 1989 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> The swap brought channel 10 in-line with sister stations [[WNYT (TV)|WNYT]] in [[Albany, New York|Albany]] and [[WVIT]] in [[New Britain, Connecticut]], which had recently renewed their NBC relationships. In addition, NBC's strong prime time programming—NBC was the most-watched network at the time, while CBS was in a distant third near the midpoint of the [[Laurence Tisch]] era—was another major factor. WROC-TV began airing Saturday morning programs and some daytime programs from CBS shortly after WHEC-TV announced its intent to affiliate with NBC, but the network switch did not take effect until August 13, 1989, which was the day after WHEC-TV's affiliation contract with CBS expired.<ref>Dorland, Charles. "WROC-TV, WHEC-TV switch network links on Aug. 13." ''Democrat and Chronicle'', June 6, 1989, pp. 1C, 7A. Accessed April 29, 2019. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/137325541][https://www.newspapers.com/image/137325562]</ref>

Viacom purchased [[Paramount Pictures]] in 1994, placing its five-station group (WHEC-TV, WNYT, WVIT, [[KMOV]] in [[St. Louis]], and [[KSLA-TV]] in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]]) under common ownership with the [[Paramount Stations Group]];<ref>Foisie, Geoffrey, and Christopher Stern. "Viacom, Paramount say 'I do.'" ''Broadcasting and Cable'', September 20, 1993, pp. 14-16. Accessed January 8, 2019. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0014.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0015.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0016.pdf]</ref><ref>Foisie, Geoffrey. "At long last: Viacom Paramount." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', February 21, 1994, pp. 7, 10, 14. Accessed January 8, 2019. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0007.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0010.pdf][http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0014.pdf]</ref> the two groups were formally consolidated in December 1995.<ref name="v-viacompsg">{{cite news |last1=Flint |first1=Joe |title=Viacom Group Merged Under Par's Cassara |url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/viacom-group-merged-under-par-s-cassara-99123610/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 18, 1995}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, the merged company decided to divest itself of all of its major network affiliates to focus on stations that carried its then-upstart United Paramount Network ([[UPN]]).<ref>Zier, Julie A., and Steve McClellan. "Minority-led group eyes Viacom stations." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', November 7, 1994, pp. 6. Accessed January 8, 2019. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-11-07-Page-0006.pdf]</ref> In June 1996, Viacom/Paramount agreed to trade WHEC-TV and WNYT to [[Hubbard Broadcasting]] in return for UPN affiliate [[WTOG]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]]; WVIT wound up being purchased outright by NBC.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rathburn |first=Elizabeth A. |title=Station swaps highlight week in trading. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-06-17-OCR-Page-0013.pdf| periodical=Broadcasting and Cable |page=13 |date=June 17, 1996 |access-date=January 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rathburn |first=Elizabeth A. |title=Changing hands: Viacom, Hubbard agree to swap. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-08-19-OCR-Page-0038.pdf| periodical=Broadcasting and Cable |page=38 |date=August 19, 1996 |access-date=January 12, 2019}}</ref>

==News operation==
WHEC-DT airs more than 33 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with {{frac|5|1|2}} hours each weekday and three hours each on Saturdays and Sundays).

The WHEC news team won the New York [[Emmy Award]] for best newscast in April 2018 and the National Edward R. Murrow award for Best Newscast in June 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Greeley|first=Paul|date=June 22, 2018|title=WHEC Earns National Murrow For Best Newscast|url=https://marketshare.tvnewscheck.com/2018/06/22/whec-earns-national-murrow-for-best-newscast/|website=Marketshare|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Notable former on-air staff===
*[[Rich Funke]] – reporter/anchor (1974–2012). Served as Republican 55th District [[New York State Senator]] (2015–2020).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.greecepost.com/article/20120621/News/306219952 |title=Rich Funke, veteran news anchor, retiring from WHEC - News - Greece Post - Greece, NY |access-date=October 25, 2014 |archive-date=October 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025221011/http://www.greecepost.com/article/20120621/News/306219952 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Steve Scully]] – anchor, reporter (1980s). Now with [[C-SPAN]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.journalismjobs.com/steve_scully.cfm|title=Interview with Steve Scully, C-SPAN -- December 2004|publisher=journalismjobs.com|access-date=May 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507191214/http://www.journalismjobs.com/steve_scully.cfm|archive-date=May 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Controversy==
On November 21, 1982, WHEC-TV was the subject of a controversial decision when then-general manager Steven Kronquest decided to air a pre-recorded [[high school football]] championship game on the station instead of the [[1982 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]–[[1982 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] [[NFL]] game that was televised live by [[NFL on CBS|CBS]]. The decision angered many Giants fans in the region and cost the station around $3,600. However, the game would air that day on rival station and ABC affiliate WOKR with permission from CBS and the NFL.<ref>{{YouTube|id=myUg2t-Z5tA|title=The DUMBEST BROADCAST in CBS HISTORY {{!}} Redskins @ Giants (1982)}}</ref>

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WHEC-TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WHEC#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WHEC|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=October 29, 2024}}</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" | 10.1 
| [[1080i]] || [[16:9]] || NBC HD || [[NBC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.2 
| rowspan=6| [[480i]] || rowspan=3| [[4:3]] || MeTV || [[MeTV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.3 
| StartTV || [[Start TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.4 
| ION|| [[Ion Television]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.5 
| rowspan=3|16:9 || H & I|| [[Heroes & Icons]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.6 
| Grit|| [[Grit (TV network)|Grit]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 10.7 
| Defy|| [[Ion Plus]]
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WHEC-TV's digital signal on [[UHF]] channel 58 signed-on September 27, 2002, under a [[special temporary authority]]. 

WHEC-TV ended regular programming on its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 10, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 58, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to its analog-era VHF channel 10.<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>

==Coverage in Canada==
For many years, WHEC-TV was one of three Rochester area stations offered on cable in the [[Ottawa]]–[[Gatineau]] and [[Eastern Ontario]] regions. The Rochester area stations were replaced with [[Detroit]] stations when the microwave relay system that provided these signals was discontinued. WHEC-TV and other Rochester stations were available on cable in several communities along the north shore of [[Lake Ontario]] such as [[Belleville, Ontario|Belleville]] and [[Cobourg, Ontario]]. All Rochester affiliates with the exception of [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[WUHF]] (channel 31) were replaced with [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] stations in January 2009.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Rochester TV}}
{{Buffalo TV}}
{{Elmira TV}}
{{Syracuse TV}}
{{NBC New York}}
{{Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation}}
[[Category:1953 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Ion Plus affiliates]]
[[Category:Heroes & Icons affiliates]]
[[Category:Hubbard Broadcasting]]
[[Category:Ion Television affiliates]]
[[Category:MeTV affiliates]]
[[Category:NBC affiliates]]
[[Category:Paramount Stations Group]]
[[Category:Start TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1953]]
[[Category:Television stations in Rochester, New York|HEC-TV]]