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WHAM-TV, virtual channel 13 (VHF digital channel 9), is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Rochester, New York, United States. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group.

History[]

As WOKR-TV[]

The station signed-on at 4 p.m. on September 15, 1962 as WOKR (for "We're OK Rochester"). It has always been an ABC affiliate, and is the only commercial station in the area that has never changed its affiliation. It originally operated from studios located on South Clinton Avenue in Rochester.

The station's original local owner, Channel 13 of Rochester, Inc., was composed of the Flower City Television Corporation, the Rochester Educational Television Association, the Genesee Valley Television Company, Star TV, Inc., Community Broadcasting, Inc., Heritage Radio and Television Broadcasting Company, Main Broadcasting Company, Federal Broadcasting Systems, Citizens Television Corporation, Rochester Broadcasting, Inc., and Rochester Telecasters, Inc., all of whom were equal shareholders until March 1970, when Flower City bought out its partners.

In the 1970s, WOKR moved to its current studios in Henrietta, New York.

In 1976, Flower City Television was acquired by Metromedia.

In 1980, Metromeida sold WOKR-TV to Disney as one of the three founding stations of Disney's Buena Vista Broadcasting subsidiary along with WIXT-TV in Syracuse and WFTV in Orlando.

In 1990, WOKR-TV introduced what was the first TV weather storm chaser named "Flight Force StormTrakker" which was shared by sister stations WKBW-TV in Buffalo and WIXT in Syracuse.

In 1992, the station entered a long standing partnership with Six Flags Schuyler Lake starting with the opening of News Source 13 Live at Six Flags Schuyler Lake an exhibit where visitors can see a newscast be produced live. Weeknight 5PM and 6PM newscasts were broadcasted from the complex during the park's daily operating season.

In 1995, WOKR-TV was sold to Ackerley Group as part of a package deal with the other Buena Vista Broadcasting owned ABC affiliates in New York (except for WKBW-TV following Disney's phase out of their Buena Vista Broadcasting subsidiary.

As WHAM-TV[]

On January 10, 2005 at 1:42 in the morning, channel 13 signed off-the-air for the last time as WOKR and returned to the air at 4:59 that same day as WHAM-TV.

On November 16, 2006, Clear Channel announced its intention to sell off all of its television stations after the company was bought by private equity firms. On April 20, 2007, the company entered into an agreement to sell its entire television stations group to Newport Television.

On July 19, 2012, Newport Television announced the sale of 22 of its 27 stations to the Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Cox Media Group. WHAM-TV along with its New York sister stations were sold to Nexstar.

Newscast operations[]

Newscast titles[]

  • Channel 13 News Scope (1962-1975)
  • 13 Eyewitness News (1975-1986)
    • Good Morning Rochester from 13 Eyewitness News (1984-1986; early morning newscasts)
  • News Center 13 (1986-1990)
    • Night Center 13 (1986-1988; 11:00 PM newscasts)
    • Rochester's News Center 13 (1988-1990)
  • News Source 13 (1990-2005)
    • Rochester's News Source 13 (1990-1993)
  • 13 WHAM News (2005-2012)
  • ABC 13 WHAM News (2012-2019)
  • ABC 13 WHAM Eyewitness News (2019-present)

Newscast themes[]

  • Move Closer to Your World '72 (1978-1982, 1986-1995 newscast close)
  • Hello News - Gari Media (1982-1984)
  • ABC World News Tonight Synthesized Version - Score Production (1984-1990 newscast bumper and promo bed)
  • And You - Telesound (1984-1986 primary newscast theme)
  • Let the Children Play - The Miracles (1984-1993; newscast close, used for longer closings with credits)
  • Buena Vista Broadcasting News Package (AKA "WNEV News Theme") - Tuesday Productions (1986-1988)
  • News Series 2000 - Gari Media (1988-1993; primary newscast theme)
  • News Series 2001 - Gari Media (1990-1993; 5PM newscast theme)
  • KYW News Theme - Music Oasis (1992-1995 5 and 6PM newscast theme used for when reporting from News Source 13 Live at Six Flags Schuyler Lake and was used from 1993-1995 as the primary news theme)
  • Advantage - Gari Media (1995-2014)
  • Image News - Gari Media (2014-present)

Notable current on-air staff[]

  • Don Alhart

Notable former on-air staff[]

See also[]

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