WGRZ

WGRZ

Buffalo, New York
Branding	Channel 2, 2 On Your Side, WGRZ (general) Channel 2 News (newscasts)
Slogan	On Your Side
Channels	Digital: 33 (UHF) Virtual: 2 (PSIP)
Subchannels	(see article)
Affiliations	NBC Antenna TV (DT2)
Owner	Gannett Company, Inc. (Multimedia Entertainment, Inc.)
First air date	August 14, 1954
Call letters' meaning	WGR (radio station) Z=2 (refers to virtual channel and former analog channel)
Former callsigns	WGR-TV (1954–1983) WGRZ-TV (1983–2009)
Former channel number(s)	2 (VHF analog, 1954-2009)
Former affiliations	ABC (1956–1958) DuMont (secondary, 1954–1955) RTV (DT2; 2009-2011)
Transmitter power	480 kW
Height	295 m
Facility ID	64547
Transmitter coordinates	42°43′6.6″N 78°33′47.2″W
Website	www.wgrz.com

WGRZ, virtual channel 2 (digital channel 33), is the NBC-affiliated television station in Buffalo, New York. The station is owned by the Gannett Company and maintains studios located at 259 Delaware Avenue in downtown Buffalo, with its transmitter located at 11530 Warner Hill Road in South Wales, New York. Syndicated programing on WGRZ includes The Doctors, Dr. Phil, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Entertainment Tonight, and omg! Insider.

Digital television

Channel	Name	Video	Format	Programming
2.1	WGRZ-HD	1080i	16:9	Main WGRZ programming / NBC
2.2	WGRZ-AT	480i	4:3	Antenna TV

WGRZ-DT2 was part of NBC Weather Plus until December 2008, when that network shut down, and aired a locally originated "Weather Plus" channel between that time and June 2009. The DT2 channel then switched to Universal Sports, which it carried through the end of 2011.

WGRZ ended analog broadcasts at 1:00 P.M. on June 12, 2009 and began a two-week analog night light operation. The station's digital signal remained on channel 33. However, digital television with PSIP capability display WGRZ's virtual channel as 2. WGRZ dropped the -TV suffix, like most Gannett stations just a week after the transition.

Retro Television Network was previously seen on WGRZ-DT3. The 2.3 channel was removed in September 2011 with no replacement in order to provide better picture quality to both the DT2 and the main WGRZ signal; the DT3 signal had never gained significant cable carriage and by that time, much of the programming was being duplicated by WBBZ-TV. Although the DT2 subchannel has achieved significant cable penetration dating to its time as a Weather Plus outlet, Universal Sports itself is scheduled to cease terrestrial broadcasting in January 2012 as part of Comcast's overhaul of the NBC Sports division and will be replaced by NBC Nonstop, which WGRZ will not carry. Instead, WGRZ-DT2 will return to classic programming, this time as an affiliate of Antenna TV, competing with WBBZ.

History

WGRZ-TV logo used from 1998 to October 29, 2011.

The station first signed on the air on August 14, 1954 as WGR-TV, owned by the WGR Corporation along with WGR-AM 550. It was an NBC affiliate sharing the 140 Barton Street studios of UHF outlet WBUF/Channel 17. In 1955, WBUF, which was silent at the time, was sold to NBC. In January 1956, WGR became an ABC affiliate after NBC moved its programming to WBUF. It was a bad move. All television reception at the time was via set top rabbit ears or roof top aerials. UHF television technology was in its infancy, and most people did not understand how to receive the signals, which are very different and subject to much greater degradations in strength than those of the other local stations, which transmitted on VHF.

WGR switched back to NBC in September 1958 after NBC shut down the money-bleeding WBUF (which eventually was revived as a public broadcaster; the license is currently held by channel 23 WNLO while the channel 17 space is currently occupied by WNED), although WGR continued to carry a secondary affiliation with ABC for another two months until WKBW-TV/Channel 7 signed on in November of that year. The abject failure of WBUF-TV in Buffalo actually gave UHF a bad name to the broadcasting industry and the viewing public, but served as a boon to WGR-TV locally. Viewers still wanted more choices, could easily receive the VHF channel 2 signal, and the station now had more syndicated and network program options. The station also carried programming from the now-defunct DuMont Television Network.

In 1959, WGR launched an FM radio station, WGR-FM 96.9 (now WGRF). Originally a simulcast of its AM radio sister, it began airing its own programming under the WGRQ call sign in 1973. Over the years, WGR Corporation bought several other radio and television stations across the country, including WNEP-TV in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, WHAM-TV in Rochester (the call letters of which Transcontinent would change to WROC-TV) and WDAF-AM/FM/TV in Kansas City, and eventually became known as Transcontinent Broadcasting. Transcontinent merged with Taft Broadcasting in 1964. During the 1960s, WGR-TV also operated a repeater station on VHF channel 6 in Jamestown, New York; this continued until the channel 2 transmitter was moved from Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo to the South Wales transmitter site, which greatly improved signal coverage into the population center of the mountainous Chautauqua region south of Buffalo.

In 1972, the station moved into its current Downtown Buffalo facility at 259 Delaware Avenue. On May 1, 1983, WGR added a Z to its callsign, thus becoming WGRZ. Less than two weeks later Taft Broadcasting and General Cinema Corporation (which operated the Coral Television division) completed the trade deal that was first announced in December 1982 in which Taft gave Channel 2 to General Cinema while in exchange Taft got Miami's WCIX (Taft held on to WGR-AM and WGRQ/WRLT until 1987, when both stations were sold to Rich Communications. The AM station is now owned by Entercom Communications, while its former FM sister is now owned by Cumulus Media).

In the years following the 1983 exchange deal, WGRZ changed hands several times. General Cinema exited the broadcasting business by selling Coral Television to WGRZ Acquisition Corp., a partnership between SJL Broadcast Management, TA Associates and Smith Broadcasting, for $56 million in 1986. Native Buffalonian and current Newport Television CEO Sandy DiPasquale also held an ownership stake in WGRZ (through his stake in Smith Broadcasting) at this time. Two years later, Tak Communications purchased WGRZ from the SJL-led group for $100 million in 1988. Less than four years later, Tak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991, and a group of creditors seized the company's assets in 1994. Argyle Television Holdings II, a broadcasting holding company formed by a group of managers who had recently left Argyle I after that company sold all of its stations to New World Communications, purchased the station (and then-sister KITV in Honolulu, Hawaii) from Tak's creditors for $91 million (on WGRZ's end) in 1995. Argyle II closed on WGRZ in April of that year, followed by KITV two months later.

WGRZ nearly lost its NBC affiliation in 1994 when NBC's parent company, General Electric, announced plans to purchase King World Productions, the then-owner of CBS affiliate WIVB-TV. Had it occurred, WIVB would have become an NBC owned-and-operated station. However, the deal never materialized, and WIVB was sold to the LIN TV Corporation (who entered into a long-term affiliation renewal with CBS for that station, currently set to expire at the end of 2014) instead (coincidentally, King World would eventually be acquired by CBS, who merged the company into CBS Television Distribution in 2007). However, they did lose the local rights to the Buffalo Bills to WIVB when the NFL on CBS returned in 1998 with the rights to the American Football Conference package.

Gannett acquired WGRZ and WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan from Argyle II in a 1996 swap deal with KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and WLWT in Cincinnati, Ohio going from Gannett to Argyle II. The deal— which was related to issues from cross-ownership rules related to Gannett's ownership of The Cincinnati Enquirer— closed in January 1997, seven months prior to Argyle II's merger with the broadcasting unit of the Hearst Corporation to form what then became Hearst-Argyle Television (which Hearst now wholly owns under a new name, Hearst Television).

Programming

• 2 Your Home - housing show about renovation of homes throughout Western New York, formerly known as DIY Western New York
• Tee 2 Green - A golfing program hosted by Kevin Sylvester.
• WNY Living - A weekly Saturday morning lifestyle show hosted by Janet Snyder from Kiss 98.5. It highlights local attractions, upcoming events and businesses.
• The Healthy Zone - A weekday show hosted by Janet Snyder from Kiss 98.5 and Dr. Derek Alessi, which focuses on physical, emotional, and financial health and wellness. This show debuted in December 2010 and follows Channel 2 News Midday. The series has been placed on hiatus numerous times in its history.
• 2 Sides- Formerly a WECK radio show, The Bill O'Loughlin Show moved to WGRZ in May 2011. After a successful summer run in a Sunday late slot, it moved to weekdays at noon on September 6, 2011 to accommodate Sunday Night Football. Over the course of December 2011 and January 2012 The Bill O'Loughlin Show was revamped due to a decline in ratings and was renamed 2 Sides with Mazurek & Mychajliw. Kristy Mazurek joined as a co-host as part of the revamp, while O'Loughlin (who stayed on as Mazurek's co-host for about a month) departed the show and was replaced by former WGRZ reporter Stefan Mychajliw, who in turn left after a few months to pursue the position of Erie County Comptroller (he won that election in November 2012). As of November 2012 the program is hosted by Mazurek and former county executive Joel Giambra. Lydia Dominick contributes to the show with social media segments. By April 2013, Michael Caputo (best known as the campaign manager for Carl Paladino and David Bellavia's unsuccessful campaigns for governor and Congress, respectively) had taken over Giambra's seat as the resident Republican, and the show moved back to a weekly schedule, this time on Sunday afternoons.
• It's Academic - Hosted by Kevin O'Neill, the local version of the It's Academic quizbowl began in 2008 and returned in early 2013.
• Spiel the Wine - A self-described "wine-tasting show for people who don't know anything about wine," hosted by Kevin LoVullo. Originally scheduled to air on WBBZ-TV, WGRZ picked up the show after WBBZ had difficulties landing a local studio.
• In the Buff - A Sunday night sketch comedy show hosted by Rob Lederman (morning show co-host at WGRF) and Gary Puffpass (formerly a WGR host); it launched February 17, 2013.

Previous local programs include the talk show Your Today in WNY (2007–2008), the talk show Nearly Noon (hosted by Dan Neaverth, 1980s), a local version of Bowling for Dollars (hosted by Ed Kilgore, two runs—one in the 1970s and a second shorter run in 2008), and the classic television anthology series Lunchtime with the Classics (September 7, 2010 to September 6, 2011).

In 2000, WGRZ took over the live broadcast rights of the state lottery from its long-time home on WKBW-TV when that station's contract with the lottery ran out.

News operation

Channel 2 News open.

The station used the NewsCenter brand in the 1970s. The current brand, "Channel 2 News," dates to the 1980s and early 1990s. In the early 1990s, WGRZ used the "24 Hour News Source" format. From 2001 to 2003, WGRZ (as part of an NBC initiative, as well as an effort to preempt WNLO and WIVB's plans to launch their own 10 p.m. news) produced a 10 p.m. newscast for PAX TV affiliate WPXJ-TV. In 2006, WGRZ began producing a new 10 p.m. newscast for local WB (now MyNetworkTV) affiliate WNYO, known as 2 On Your Side Ten at 10 (formerly known as 2 News on 49 - 10 at 10, which originally featured ten minutes of news and the rest dedicated to sports).

WGRZ was the last of the three Buffalo television news outlets to produce a noon newscast, having launched it in February 2008. In June 2009, it dropped its noon newscast in favor of an 11:00 a.m. "midday" news, the first of its kind in the Buffalo market. Unlike most television stations, WGRZ takes an openly activist "watchdog journalism" approach to its news coverage, with its commitment to "Holding People In Power Accountable" and being "On Your Side." To do this, WGRZ has the largest staff in the Buffalo market with more general assignment/feature story reporters and sports reporters than either WIVB or WKBW.

As of February 17, 2010, WGRZ became the first Buffalo station to broadcast its newscasts in upconverted widescreen SD. Until October 29, 2011, their news video was produced entirely in 4:3 SD, which was then cropped to a 16:9 aspect ratio and upconverted to 1080i in the master control room, before HD graphics and pictures were added for broadcast. On January 7, 2011, WGRZ mentioned that they will be receiving a brand new news set during a short segment. During the 10 day construction period, one of their interview areas was used as a temporary news set.

WGRZ's new set debuted during Daybreak on January 17, 2011. The set which was designed for the transition to high definition newscasts now features extensive use of steel, glass and wood in combination with HD flat panel displays, blue lighting, and a background of several local landmarks. The landmarks are Buffalo City Hall, Niagara Falls, Erie Community College City Campus, and Old Erie County Hall. The new set complements the HD weather set that debuted in February 2010. After rival WKBW-TV upgraded its newscasts to true high definition in August 2011, WGRZ upgraded their newscasts to true high definition on October 29, 2011. WGRZ began to produce full HD field video for their news operation on October 29, 2011 making them the only Buffalo television station to offer its news programming in true HD.

On April 23, 2012, WGRZ and Investigative Post announced a partnership in which Investigative Post will co-produce investigations, interviews and other news segments that focus on various issues in government around the Western New York Area. In addition, WGRZ and Investigative Post will co-brand a website dedicated to shared content. As a result of this partnership, former Buffalo News reporter Jim Haney and former Patch reporter Dan Telvock are now contributors to WGRZ. They conduct interviews on Daybreak Sunday, produce weekly news segments with Investigative Post content, and make periodic appearances during other newscasts. The partnership with Investigative Post did not eliminate WGRZ's staff; it added additional resources for investigative reporting.

On August 6, 2012, WGRZ expanded their weekday morning newscast by adding a half-hour to the start of the program at 4:30 a.m. Then on September 10, 2012, WGRZ announced the expansion of its Saturday morning by adding an hour from 6-7 a.m., and then moving what became the second hour of the show from ahead one hour to 9 a.m.

On April 8, 2013, WGRZ dropped their "Ten at 10" format and reverted back to producing a traditional newscast at 10 p.m. The 10 p.m. that the station produced for WNYO moved to that station's Fox-affiliated sister station WUTV (which had the distinction of being the largest Fox station by market size to not offer any news programming.) The move was due to MyNetworkTV's weak programming lead-in on WNYO. As part of this arrangement, the WGRZ-produced 10 p.m. news expanded from a weeknight-only newscast to airing seven nights a week. A rebroadcast of the 6 a.m. hour of WGRZ's morning newscast was added on WNYO-TV in the interim with plans for the rebroadcast to eventually switch to WUTV as well.

Storm Team 2 Weather

"Storm Team 2" is WGRZ's weather team, which currently features a staff of three meteorologists and two weather anchors. All meteorologists and weather anchors (except Maria Genero) have an AMS or NWA broadcast seal. WGRZ is the only broadcast station in Western New York to operate an in-house weather radar from its broadcast tower in South Wales, New York. This is branded as "Live Precision Doppler 2" (formerly known as "Live Doppler 2000" prior to 2000). Live Precision Doppler 2 radar has street-level mapping and storm-tracking capabilities.

In February 2010, WGRZ unveiled a new weather set. Changes with the new set include HD flat panel displays, improved lighting, and graphics and technology upgrades which would be phased in throughout Spring 2010. Storm Team 2 Interactive Radar was introduced in February 2010 as an enhancement to the main website.

Starting April 15, 2010, the upgraded "Storm Team 2" weather graphics, radar system, and weather alert systems debuted on air. The new systems include: WSI TruVu MAX for standard graphics, WSI TruVu TITAN for Live Precision Doppler 2, and WSI TruVu Alert for weather alerts. All radar and graphics systems are now in full High Definition (the first Buffalo station to have High Definition systems on-air; WKBW followed in November 2010; WIVB followed in February 2012) and provide enhanced capabilities compared to previous systems used.

On May 3, 2010 during daybreak, Precision Doppler 2 was shown in 3D for the first time in showing storms going through the Buffalo area. The Live Lightning indicator was also introduced. WGRZ is the second station in Buffalo to have these capabilities; WIVB was the first in 2007. Also, the new weather crawl system called "Storm Team 2 Alert" debuted. Enhanced features include the ability to display both county maps and doppler radar with any warnings being issued.

The Storm Team 2 Weather app was introduced in July 2010 providing new mobile capabilities.

Ratings

WGRZ satellite truck

Aside from a brief period in the 1970s when lead anchor Ron Hunter led WGR-TV's newscasts to the top of the Nielsen Ratings, WGRZ was historically the third-place station in the Buffalo market through most of the 20th century. It trailed usual market leader WKBW-TV and heritage station WBEN-TV, later WIVB. Both WGRZ and WIVB benefited from WKBW's decline in the late 1990s; WGRZ had the further advantage of investment from Gannett, a major nationwide multimedia company (something WKBW had when it was owned by Capital Cities Communications, which had sold channel 7 in the early 1990s).

WGRZ's newscasts, which have performed a strong second in recent years to rival WIVB, has begun to challenge WIVB's dominance in news ratings, specifically in the 5 and 5:30 p.m. newscasts according to Nielsen's May 2007 sweeps data. By July 2007, WGRZ's morning show, Daybreak, was soundly beating WIVB's morning show in the ratings. Channel 2's 11 p.m. newscasts have also returned to the #1 position, and have among the highest-rated in the entire United States. However, in the May 2009 sweeps, WGRZ lost significant ground to WIVB and a resurgent WKBW, and fell to a distant second, closer to third-place WKBW than it was to WIVB.

In the November 2009 sweeps, WGRZ was one of many NBC affiliates to fall victim to the so-called "Leno Effect" (referring to NBC's airing of The Jay Leno Show, which leads into the late-night newscasts of NBC affiliates including WGRZ): As in many of the affected markets, WGRZ's 11 p.m. newscast fell to a distant third, behind both WIVB and WKBW (although WGRZ's weekday morning news show regained the lead over WIVB's morning show, thanks in large part to the return of John Beard to the Buffalo market). With NBC moving Leno back to late-night in February 2010, WGRZ rebounded to a much closer second place behind WIVB in the July 2010 sweeps; however, WGRZ lost ground with Daybreak, once again falling behind WIVB. In early 2011, Daybreak has regained its #1 morning show status.

As of the November 2011 sweeps, WGRZ's Daybreak remained #1 for all morning shows. For the first time, WGRZ became the #1 newscast at 5, 5:30pm, and 6pm, placing rival WIVB in close second place for this timeslot. Also, broadcasts of Today and NBC Nightly News remained #1 in their timeslots. WGRZ remained in second place for the 10pm and 11pm shows.

In the February 2012 sweeps, WGRZ remained a dominant #1 for all morning shows. Also, WGRZ has become even more dominant as the #1 newscast at 5, 5:30, and 6pm which placed rival WIVB in a more distant second place for this timeslot. Today and NBC Nightly News maintained their #1 ranking. Although WGRZ remains in second place for their 10pm and 11pm shows, they have narrowed rival WIVB's lead for these shows.

In the February 2013 sweeps, WGRZ dominates as the #1 station for all morning shows, having widened its lead by 24 percent. This is in large part due to the addition of Melissa Holmes as the new co-anchor of Daybreak. Daybreak now has almost the same number of viewers that rivals WIVB and WKBW have combined for their morning shows. Also, WGRZ further increased its lead as the #1 newscast for their 5, 5:30, and 6pm shows. Only the 10pm and 11pm newscasts during the week trail WIVB in viewership. WGRZ dominates as the #1 station on weekends for newscast viewership.

All three Buffalo stations have been among the highest rated local stations in the country and they are fiercely competitive.

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

• The Niagara News Report (1954-1959)
• WGR-TV News (1959-1965)
• The Sixth Hour Report/The Eleventh Hour Report (1965-1971)
• TV-2 NewsCenter (1971-1976)
• NewsCenter 2 (1976-1989)
• Channel 2 News (1989–present)

Station slogans

• "First in Color on the Niagara Frontier" (early 1960s)
• "Buffalo's Leading News Station" (1970s)
• "Working Harder to Be Buffalo's Best" (1980s)
• "Your 24-Hour News Station" (1989–early 1990s)
• "It Takes 2" (1995–1999)
• "On Your Side" (1999–present; primary news slogan)
• "Western New York's Information Center" (2008–2010; secondary news slogan)
• "Turn to 2" (2009–2010; general slogan)
• "NBC in Western New York" (used on station identification)
• "No One But 2." (2010–2011)
• "Not HD. HD, On Your Side." (October 2011–March 2012); secondary news slogan and station identification used with HD debut
• "Your Voice. Your Choice." (November 2012–March 2013); secondary news slogan used with promos)
• "This is Home." (January 2013–present; station identification used at all Gannett stations with new graphics and music rollout)

News music packages

• WGR News
• Part Of Your Life
• NewsCenter Theme
• We Know What Matters
• Broadcast News
• We're 4 New York
• Image News
• Gannett News Music Package
• This Is Home (as of March 2013)

News team

Current on-air staff (as of April 2013)

Anchors

• Scott Levin - weeknights First at Five, 5:30, 6, 10 (rotating basis on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Maryalice Demler - weeknights at 5:30, 6, 10 (rotating basis on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• John Beard - weekday mornings on Daybreak
• Melissa Holmes - weekday mornings on Daybreak and weeknights First at Five; also general assignment reporter
• Mary Friona - weekdays on Midday (11 a.m.); also general assignment reporter and host of "As Seen On TV" segments
• Michael Wooten - weekend mornings on Daybreak; also general assignment reporter
• Ron Plants - weekends at 6, 10 (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.

Storm Team 2 Weather

• Kevin O'Connell (AMS Seal of Approval) - chief weather anchor; weeknights First at Five, 5:30, 6, 10 (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Andy Parker (AMS Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings on Daybreak and Midday (11 a.m.)
• Maria Genero - weather anchor; weekend mornings on Daybreak
• Jennifer Stanonis (NWA Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekends at 6, 10 (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Mary Beth Wrobel (AMS Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; fill-in

Toyota Sports Desk [2]

• Adam Benigni - sports anchor; Monday-Friday at 6 p.m., 10 p.m. (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Jonah Javad - sports anchor; Saturday-Sunday at 10 p.m. (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Stu Boyar - sports anchor; Saturday-Sunday at 10 p.m. (on WUTV) and 11 p.m.
• Dick Gallagher - high school sports contributor

Reporters

• Rich Kellman - special assignment senior correspondent
• Kelly Dudzik - general assignment reporter; fill-in anchor
• Jeff Preval - general assignment reporter
• Aaron Saykin - general assignment reporter; fill-in anchor
• Heather Ly - general assignment reporter; fill-in anchor
• Kevin O'Neill - "Celebrate Western New York" feature reporter
• Matt Granite - Web and "Ways 2 Save" consumer reporter; consumer reports also seen on sister station WKYC in Cleveland
• Jackie Albarella - "2 The Garden" feature reporter; seen Saturday mornings on Daybreak
• Terry Belke - photojournalist; also "2 The Outdoors" feature reporter, seen Saturday mornings on Daybreak
• Dooley O'Rourke - photojournalist and feature reporter

The Investigators (Partnership with Investigative Post)

• Dave McKinley - investigative reporter
• Claudine Ewing - investigative reporter; also fill-in anchor
• Scott Brown - investigative reporter
• Jim Haney - political investigative reporter (from Investigative Post)
• Dan Telvock - environmental investigative reporter (from Investigative Post)

Local program hosts

• Kristy Mazurek - host of 2 Sides
• Lydia Dominick - social media contributor for 2 Sides; also feature reporter
• Kevin LoVullo - host of Spiel the Wine
• Janet Snyder - co-host of "The Healthy Zone"; Kiss 98.5 radio host
• Derek Alessi, Ph.D. - co-host of "The Healthy Zone"; owner of Alessi Fitness

Notable former on-air staff

• Susan Candiotti - reporter; now at CNN
• Nick Clooney - anchor (1994)
• Bill Mazer - sports anchor from 1954 until he left for WNBC-AM in 1964.
• Josh Mora - sports anchor (1996-1998); now working for Full Sail University
• Danny Neaverth - host of Nearly Noon with Dan Neaverth (retired)
• Gary Papa - sports anchor (left in 1981; went to WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, died in 2009)
• Allison Rosati - anchor; now at WMAQ-TV in Chicago
• Ernie Warlick - sports anchor (1960s); former Buffalo Bills tight end
• Ed Kilgore - sports director (1973-2013); now working for East Resources which is owned by Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula

Logo

In the 1960s, the station used two cartoon elves, named Earis and Iris, as part of its logo. In 1983, to coincide with the new call letters WGRZ, the "futuristic" logo consisted of two lines, making an outline of the number two. In 1988, the station's logo consisted of simply a large number "2" in a common Avant Garde font, with a yellow triangle over blue added in the early 1990s. In the mid-1990s, the logo changed to a blue-on-red box with the bottom reading WGRZ-TV Buffalo. The NBC logo is placed to the left of the numeral "2"; however, "NBC" is not mentioned in the station's on-air brand (which is simply "Channel 2"). With the upgrade of its newscasts to high definition on October 29, 2011, the station introduced an updated version of the logo. This was determined by viewer voting on the station's website.

Additional facts

According to the Baseball Hall of Shame book series by Joe and Al Zullo, WGR-TV did not complete the telecast of the game between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 26, 1981. The station went to an Army training film as scheduled at 5 p.m. that afternoon. As a result, local baseball fans missed Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan's record fifth no-hitter.

WGRZ was one of the founding members of the "Love Network" that carried the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon; now renamed the MDA Show of Strength, WGRZ carries the telethon to this day. WGRZ also carries its own "Kids Escaping Drugs" telethon.

External links

• WGRZ.com - Official Website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WGRZ
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WGRZ-TV