TW3 (Albany, NY)
Encyclopedia
TW3 is a is a Cable television
broadcast on Time Warner Cable
systems in the Capital District
of New York
and that area's suburbs including Saratoga County
, the southern Adirondack
region, the Mohawk Valley
, and most of Berkshire County, Massachusetts
.
TW3 was formed in October 2002 as the improved successor to Time Warner 9, a similar station that was succeeded on the Time Warner lineup by sister station Capital News 9
and taking over the channel 3 position which had been pay-per-view previews. On most of Time Warner's Albany-area systems, TW3 occupies the channel 3 position though there are several exceptions, namely former Adelphia systems or systems where an "actual" channel 3 (WCAX Burlington, Vermont
or WFSB
Hartford, Connecticut
) has that channel position. Those systems are:
TW3 also serves as the Albany-affiliate of the SUNY
-owned New York Network, the Educational-access television programming of which airs mostly during daytime hours though their Regents review specials often end up in primetime.
hockey, and Union College
men's hockey. Regionally and beyond, TW3 is the Albany affiliate for ESPN Plus
coverage of Big East football and basketball as well as America East Conference
network coverage alongside their UAlbany rights. New Jersey Nets
games which are seen on WWOR
in New York City
air on TW3 as well. It also airs New York Yankees
games that do not air on ESPN
or are not picked up by WXXA from New York City based channel WWOR-TV
.
Outside of the Albany area, some TW3 sports programming is simulcast or rebroadcast on Time Warner Cable Sports.
systems in the market) until 2002. Originally, the channel was primarily a barker channel for the then-new services of digital cable and Road Runner
plus a clearinghouse for overflow sports programming, most notably WWOR-produced New York Mets
games. After Time Warner purchased the former TCI
systems in Schenectady
and Amsterdam in 1999, it evolved into a showcase for Time Warner's own programming as well as a home for local sports programming. Time Warner 9 was also the home for New York Yankees games in 1999 and from 2000 until 2002 aired a replay of WRGB
's 6:00 p.m. newscast at 6:30 p.m., the success of which was a catalyst for the establishment of its replacement, Capital News 9
.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
broadcast on Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
systems in the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and that area's suburbs including Saratoga County
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
, the southern Adirondack
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
region, the Mohawk Valley
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
, and most of Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
.
TW3 was formed in October 2002 as the improved successor to Time Warner 9, a similar station that was succeeded on the Time Warner lineup by sister station Capital News 9
Capital News 9
YNN Capital Region is a 24-hour cable news television channel on Time Warner Cable in New York's Capital District and an affiliate of Your News Now. The channel debuted on October 11, 2002 as Capital News 9, nearly a year after originally planned due to various delays in infrastructure and staffing...
and taking over the channel 3 position which had been pay-per-view previews. On most of Time Warner's Albany-area systems, TW3 occupies the channel 3 position though there are several exceptions, namely former Adelphia systems or systems where an "actual" channel 3 (WCAX Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
or WFSB
WFSB
'WFSB, channel 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the Meredith Corporation. WFSB's studios and offices are located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and its broadcast transmitter is based on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut. Syndicated...
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
) has that channel position. Those systems are:
- Pittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
: Channel 11 - Ticonderoga, New YorkTiconderoga, New YorkTiconderoga is a town in Essex County, New York, USA. The population was 5,167 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the Mohawk tekontaró:ken, meaning "it is at the junction of two waterways"....
(Port HenryPort Henry, New YorkPort Henry is a village in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,152 at the 2000 census.The Village of Port Henry lies on the east side of the Town of Moriah and is approximately one hour's drive south of Plattsburgh...
/Crown PointCrown Point, New YorkCrown Point is a town in Essex County, New York, USA. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a direct translation of the original French name, "Point au Chevalure."...
) and Schroon Lake, New York: Channel 14 - North Adams, MassachusettsNorth Adams, MassachusettsNorth Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
(ex-Adelphia): Channel 21 - Canajoharie, New YorkCanajoharie, New YorkCanajoharie, New York may refer to:* Canajoharie , New York* Canajoharie , New York...
, Queensbury, New YorkQueensbury, New YorkQueensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
, and Lee, MassachusettsLee, MassachusettsLee is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, metropolitan statistical area. The population was 5,943 which was determined in the 2010 census. Lee, which includes the villages of South and East Lee, is part of the Berkshires resort...
(LenoxLenox, MassachusettsLenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
/Great BarringtonGreat Barrington, MassachusettsGreat Barrington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. Both a summer resort and home to Ski Butternut, Great Barrington includes the villages of Van...
) (all ex-Adelphia): Channel 96
Programming
Much of TW3's programming is locally originated. The more notable series produced for the station are as follows:- A simulcast of WAMCWAMCWAMC is a public radio network headquartered in Albany, New York. As of April, 2011, the network comprised 11 transmitters and 11 translators. The organization's legal name is "WAMC" and it is also known as "WAMC Public Radio" or "WAMC Northeast Public Radio Network."In addition, the station...
's "The Round Table" (Weekdays 9:00 AM–12:00 PM) - Saints Alive: A magazine show profiling Siena CollegeSiena CollegeSiena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
athletics, hosted by Capital News 9 sports director Damian Andrew. - Hoop Games: A magazine show on University at Albany men's and women's basketball, hosted by UAlbany broadcaster and WNYT sports director Rodger Wyland.
- MastermindsMasterminds (Quiz Bowl)MasterMinds is an academic Quiz Bowl Public-access television program active in Upstate New York. There are currently four regions multiple sets of leagues for the different areas of New York State: the Albany Leagues, Buffalo Leagues, Rochester Leagues, and the recent additions of the Syracuse...
: A College BowlCollege BowlCollege Bowl was a format of college-level quizbowl run and operated by College Bowl Company, Incorporated. It had a format similar to the current NAQT format. College Bowl first aired on US radio stations in 1953, and aired on US television from 1959 to 1970...
formatted quiz show produced in conjunction with BOCESBocesBoces is the second album by Mercury Rev, released in 1993. The band has explained the title as being inspired by the name of the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services in New York State, a vocational school system in the band's home state....
. - Tech Valley Report: A local business program focusing on the technology sector, produced in part with the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce.
- In & Around Our Towns: A series of insertials that profile aspects of area towns which also airs as a monthly program.
- Capital Tonight: TW3 airs replays of the week-in-review version of the Capital News 9-produced nightly political program. This arrangement dates back to when the show was a weekly program.
TW3 also serves as the Albany-affiliate of the SUNY
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
-owned New York Network, the Educational-access television programming of which airs mostly during daytime hours though their Regents review specials often end up in primetime.
Sports Coverage
TW3 produces and airs a sizeable slate of local sports coverage including high school athletics (football, basketball, baseball, and lacrosse), UAlbany and Siena athletics, Albany River RatsAlbany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :...
hockey, and Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
men's hockey. Regionally and beyond, TW3 is the Albany affiliate for ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
coverage of Big East football and basketball as well as America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
network coverage alongside their UAlbany rights. New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
games which are seen on WWOR
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
air on TW3 as well. It also airs New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
games that do not air on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
or are not picked up by WXXA from New York City based channel WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
.
Outside of the Albany area, some TW3 sports programming is simulcast or rebroadcast on Time Warner Cable Sports.
Preemptions
The station picks up several preempted programs from local broadcast stations that are unable to air them:- In 2005 and 2006, CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's Labor DayLabor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
coverage of U.S. Open TennisU.S. Open (tennis)The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
aired on TW3 when the WRGB-controlled WNYAWNYAWNYA is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the Capital District of New York State and Western New England. Licensed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, WNYA broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter northwest of New Salem, New York, along with a...
was unable to clear it due to new syndication debuts on that date. - Limited WMHTWMHT (TV)WMHT is the call sign for a television station and radio station in Schenectady, New York owned and operated by WMHT Educational Telecommunications A non-profit corporation...
programming (namely The NewsHour with Jim LehrerThe NewsHour with Jim LehrerPBS NewsHour is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. The show is produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, a company co-owned by former anchors Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil, and Liberty Media, which owns a 65% stake in the...
) airs on TW3 at times when WMHT conducts their yearly auctions. - A small amount of New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
games that usually would air on WXXAWXXA-TVWXXA-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Upstate New York's Capital District and Western New England. Licensed to Albany, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter southwest of New Scotland's Voorheesville section. The station can also be seen...
(also originating from WWOR) air on TW3 in the cases of the FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network airing either original programming or preseason NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
football.
Time Warner 9
The predecessor to TW3, Time Warner 9, was on the air from 1997 (when Time Warner purchased the CVI and CablevisionCablevision (US)
Cablevision Systems Corporation is an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It is the 8th largest cable provider in the USA, with most customers residing in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and parts of Pennsylvania...
systems in the market) until 2002. Originally, the channel was primarily a barker channel for the then-new services of digital cable and Road Runner
Road Runner (ISP)
Road Runner High Speed Online is a US Internet service provider which provides cable Internet service over DOCSIS-compatible modems. A division of Time Warner Cable, it also contracts its service to other cable providers, often in competition with ISPs owned by local telephone...
plus a clearinghouse for overflow sports programming, most notably WWOR-produced New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
games. After Time Warner purchased the former TCI
TCI
-Medicine:*Transient Cerebral Ischaemic attack, see Transient ischemic attack*Tricyclic antidepressant medication*Target Controlled Infusion, a method for controlling intravenous infusions.-Psychology:*Theme-Centered Interaction, a method of psychotherapy by Dr...
systems in Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
and Amsterdam in 1999, it evolved into a showcase for Time Warner's own programming as well as a home for local sports programming. Time Warner 9 was also the home for New York Yankees games in 1999 and from 2000 until 2002 aired a replay of WRGB
WRGB
WRGB, channel 6, is a television station located in Schenectady, New York, USA. WRGB is owned by Freedom Communications, and is the CBS affiliate for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy television market...
's 6:00 p.m. newscast at 6:30 p.m., the success of which was a catalyst for the establishment of its replacement, Capital News 9
Capital News 9
YNN Capital Region is a 24-hour cable news television channel on Time Warner Cable in New York's Capital District and an affiliate of Your News Now. The channel debuted on October 11, 2002 as Capital News 9, nearly a year after originally planned due to various delays in infrastructure and staffing...
.