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Friday, August 23, 2024

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Cable 13

Screenshot of logo. Courtesy Syracuse Nostalgia.

 I was given several items to sell (all of which pertaining to this business are now sold) by a former presenter/employee of Cable 13, which was on Syracuse CableSystems/Cooke CableVision/Adelphia Cable in the City of Syracuse (covered earlier) and NewChannels in the Suburbs (both absorbed by Time Warner Cable in the mid-to-late '90s and the rest of Adelphia in 2006). Not to be confused with the local public access channel, which I think was on channel 7 in those days (before there was even an internet, let alone a YouTube or TikTok). This couldn't be over the air back then because of ABC 13 WOKR in Rochester (now WHAM), NewsChannel 13 WNYT (NBC) in Albany, and possibly (even though it's further away than PBS flagship WNET in New York) CTV 13 CJOH in Ottawa, ONT (with a repeater of CTV 6 in Cornwall or Deseronto under CRTC regulations and closer to the North Country on US soil), although a short-lived low-power station, WNNY-LP 13.1 was registered with the FCC in more recent memory, but the licence was cancelled since the station never even went on the air. I found the logo by screenshot-ting an embarrassing, low-budget promo on YouTube. From what I can remember, there would be sports, kids shows, teen shows, local sports (high school and college), technology, and public affairs. As cable became more diversified, the scope of channel 13 changed, and would become TWC Sports for CNY (becoming Spectrum by 2016). There was one show called Life Without Shame, which came up on Facebook. Much else has faded into obscurity, but Cable 13 has a unique place in Syracuse TV history.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

MyNetworkTV in Miami and Boston

 

Bay State Capital Region fantasy logo

MyNetworkTV was founded in 2006 by Fox after the merger of the WB and UPN formed the CW (now owned by Nexstar) in order to fill the vacuum. Today, it's more of a syndication service much like its sister network in early days. Ironically, two of the largest DMAs on the east coast no longer have a MyNetworkTV affiliate of their own. It could be that it never had high ratings to begin with, exacerbated by the rise in streaming services. Even smaller markets still have it. It depends more on reruns now and stopped having original shows such as English-language telenovelas (Latin American style soaps) and wrestling, which moved to cable.

In Boston, WSBK 38 went back to their indie roots once more (formerly on cable well into UPN days when some other areas had yet to get theirs until SyndEx made 38 useless). Non-network rival WHDH 7 could either have their main channel be the affiliate, or put it on .3.

In Miami and Ft Lauderdale, WBFS 33 could make a late switch. It's one the biggest markets in the South, of course. Then, you wonder if any small towns are missing out.

South Florida affiliate logo