WPIX

{{Infobox broadcast}} may refer to:

• Template:Infobox broadcasting network
• Template:Infobox television channel
• Template:Infobox television station

WPIX's logo from 1974 to 1976 and then from 1986 to 1995, which closely resembles the World Trade Center

WPIX (WB 11) in New York City is the flagship station of the the WB. Before joining the WB, WPIX was one of the leading independent stations in the country.

File:11 alive.jpg

WPIX 11 Alive, used from 1976 to 1986

WPIX's call letters come not just from the station being a TV outlet, but from the newspaper that founded it, the New York Daily News ("New York's Picture Newspaper"). Both were owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX was co-owned with the Daily News until 1991, when Robert Maxwell bought the newspaper from Tribune.

Soon after it signed on, WPIX became the television home of the New York Yankees. In the 1960s, WPIX, like the other two major independents in New York--WOR-TV and WNEW-TV--struggled to gain better programming. By the early 1970s, WPIX was the clear number-two independent station in the city, behind WNEW. It offered a wide variety of programming including cartoons, off network sitcoms, drama shows, movies, and Yankees baseball. It used the nickname 11 Alive from 1976 to 1986.

From June 1980 until 1990, WPIX produced a national newscast, Independent Network News, for independent stations across the country. The program was anchored by the same air staff that produced "Action News" on WPIX—Pat Harper, Steve Bosh and Bill Jorgensen. The local newscast was the first by an independent station to win a New York Emmy Award for outstanding newscast.

WPIX became an even stronger station after WNEW joined Fox as WNYW-TV. It became the area leader in children's programming. In the 1990's the station continued its growth in acquiring strong off network programs as well as first run talk shows. In January 1995, WPIX became the flagship of the new WB.

As children's programming began to fade from broadcast television, WPIX dropped the morning cartoon block in 2000 in favor of the WB11 Morning News. They continue to have afternoon cartoons from WB known as Kids WB, but this will probably be discontinued early in 2006.

On September 11, 2001, the transmitter facilities of WPIX as well as six other New York City television stations and several radio stations were destroyed when two hijacked airplanes crashed into and destroyed the World Trade Center towers. (See September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.) WPIX's broadcast eerily froze on the last image received from the WTC mast - the North Tower just as it started to collapse; the image remained on the screen for much of the day until WPIX was able to set up alternate transmission facilities.

WPIX-FM (101.9) was co-owned with WPIX for over 30 years. WPIX-FM was famous for not being able to settle on a format for any real length of time and was derisively nicknamed "The format of the month station" by many in the New York City radio industry and general public. In 1982 though they picked up an Adult Contemporary format and did well with it until about 1986. By 1988 WPIX-FM had very low ratings and became a Smooth jazz station WQCD. The radio station is now WQCD, "CD101.9".

In the late 1990's CD 101.9 was sold by Tribune to Emmis Communications.

WPIX was the broadcast home of the Yankees until 1999 (even as most of the Yankees' games moved to cable), when WNYW took over. In 1999, WB11 became the broadcast home of the New York Mets.

The station is seen via satellite in the U. S. on the Dish Network.

However, they are the largest Tribune-owned station (in terms of market-size) not to yet offer an early evening nor a midday newscast.

External links

• WB11.com
• Photos of WPIX's news set