WWOR EMI Service
Encyclopedia
WWOR EMI Service was a New York City
-based American
superstation
for Secaucus, NJ-licensed WWOR-TV
Channel 9, uplinked from Syracuse, New York to satellite by Eastern Microwave, Inc., who later sold the satellite distribution rights to Advance Entertainment Corporation, which was owned by Advance Publications
, a Syracuse-based company that also owned various newspaper, broadcasting and cable properties. In the Metro New York City area, the Superstation was not available on cable but was available to satellite viewers. The exception to this took place on February 26, 1993 after the World Trade Center bombing, when the local WWOR's transmitter was knocked out for the day. Cable companies in the metro New York area used the Superstation feed as a substitute until the transmitter was back on.
to cable systems located in markets immediately surrounding the New York City metropolitan area, reaching as far west as Buffalo, NY and as far south as Philadelphia, PA, as well as throughout New England. In April 1979, Eastern began to uplink the signal for satellite and cable subscribers nationwide, joining WGN-TV
in Chicago
and WTBS (now WPCH-TV) in Atlanta as a Superstation
. For 11 years afterwards, the national WOR-TV/WWOR-TV signal was the same exact signal that was seen in the New York area.
Telethon, the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, and a select few shows that weren't claimed as exclusive to any market. This caused confusion among WWOR's cable viewers outside of the metropolitan New York area, as simulcast hours were left unaltered, leaving in promos for shows that were not airing on the national feed due to the SyndEx law.
When Channel 9 became a UPN
affiliate in 1995, the network shows were also covered up. Thus, while New York City viewers got Star Trek: Voyager
, cable viewers throughout the rest of the country got Hazel
reruns. This was due to Paramount (although Chris-Craft owned the station) using SyndEx to keep the UPN shows off the national WWOR feed, although rival Superstation WGN (now WGN America) showed The WB network programming on their national feed until nationwide terrestrial coverage was deemed sufficient in 1999. In mid-1996, EMI sold satellite distribution rights to WWOR and WSBK
Boston
to AEC. On January 1, 1997, AEC discontinued the feed, selling WWOR's old spot to The Discovery Channel for the then-six month old Animal Planet
, which Advance still presently owns in part.
still carries the New York feed of WWOR in both the local package in New York and the Superstation Package across the country, except in markets where the MyNetworkTV
affiliate is using the SyndEx law to black out WWOR from coming into the market in any form.
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...
-based American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
superstation
Superstation
Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. In its most precise meaning, a superstation is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as "A television broadcast station, other than a network station, licensed by the FCC that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite...
for Secaucus, NJ-licensed 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...
Channel 9, uplinked from Syracuse, New York to satellite by Eastern Microwave, Inc., who later sold the satellite distribution rights to Advance Entertainment Corporation, which was owned by Advance Publications
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family...
, a Syracuse-based company that also owned various newspaper, broadcasting and cable properties. In the Metro New York City area, the Superstation was not available on cable but was available to satellite viewers. The exception to this took place on February 26, 1993 after the World Trade Center bombing, when the local WWOR's transmitter was knocked out for the day. Cable companies in the metro New York area used the Superstation feed as a substitute until the transmitter was back on.
1965 to January 1990
In 1965, Eastern Microwave began to relay the signal for WOR-TV Channel 9 in New York via microwaveMicrowave transmission
Microwave transmission refers to the technology of transmitting information or power by the use of radio waves whose wavelengths are conveniently measured in small numbers of centimeters; these are called microwaves. This part of the radio spectrum ranges across frequencies of roughly...
to cable systems located in markets immediately surrounding the New York City metropolitan area, reaching as far west as Buffalo, NY and as far south as Philadelphia, PA, as well as throughout New England. In April 1979, Eastern began to uplink the signal for satellite and cable subscribers nationwide, joining WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and WTBS (now WPCH-TV) in Atlanta as a Superstation
Superstation
Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. In its most precise meaning, a superstation is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as "A television broadcast station, other than a network station, licensed by the FCC that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite...
. For 11 years afterwards, the national WOR-TV/WWOR-TV signal was the same exact signal that was seen in the New York area.
SyndEx
In 1989, a new law known as the "Syndication Exclusivity Rights rule," also known as "SyndEx", was passed. This law meant that whenever a local TV station has the exclusive rights to air a syndicated program, it must be blacked out on any out-of-market stations that were carried by the local cable companies. After the law was passed, EMI purchased the rights to programs that no stations claimed exclusive rights to, and on January 1, 1990, a special national feed was launched for cable and satellite subscribers outside of the New York City market. Most of WWOR's syndicated programs that they had the rights to show in New York City were covered up by the alternate programming on the national version, save for sports, newscasts, the overnight Shop at Home program, the annual United Cerebral PalsyUnited Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy is an international nonprofit charitable organization consisting of a network of affiliates. UCP is a leading service provider and advocate for adults and children with disabilities, including cerebral palsy...
Telethon, the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, and a select few shows that weren't claimed as exclusive to any market. This caused confusion among WWOR's cable viewers outside of the metropolitan New York area, as simulcast hours were left unaltered, leaving in promos for shows that were not airing on the national feed due to the SyndEx law.
When Channel 9 became a UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate in 1995, the network shows were also covered up. Thus, while New York City viewers got Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, cable viewers throughout the rest of the country got Hazel
Hazel (TV series)
Hazel is a Screen Gems television series about a fictional live-in maid named Hazel Burke and her employers, the Baxters. The five-season, 154-episode series aired in primetime from September 1961 until April 1966...
reruns. This was due to Paramount (although Chris-Craft owned the station) using SyndEx to keep the UPN shows off the national WWOR feed, although rival Superstation WGN (now WGN America) showed The WB network programming on their national feed until nationwide terrestrial coverage was deemed sufficient in 1999. In mid-1996, EMI sold satellite distribution rights to WWOR and WSBK
WSBK-TV
WSBK-TV is a MyNetworkTV television station for eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire that is licensed to Boston. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter along the Needham and Wellesley town line southwest of the MA 9 and I-95 / MA 128...
Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to AEC. On January 1, 1997, AEC discontinued the feed, selling WWOR's old spot to The Discovery Channel for the then-six month old Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
, which Advance still presently owns in part.
Reversion to New York feed
Due to the outcry of satellite dish owners who missed WWOR, the station was returned to the satellite on a different transponder by National Programming Service, LLC less than a week after AEC's discontinuation. The national feed was once again the same feed that New York viewers saw, complete with all of the syndicated programming and UPN intact, due to the station now only being distributed outside of New York to satellite dish owners. This feed was discontinued in 1999 in favor of Pax, but Dish NetworkDish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
still carries the New York feed of WWOR in both the local package in New York and the Superstation Package across the country, except in markets where the MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate is using the SyndEx law to black out WWOR from coming into the market in any form.