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WWLP
Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts
Branding	22 News
Slogan	Working for You
Channels	Analog: 22 (UHF) Digital: 11 (VHF)
Translators	28 (UHF) WFXQ-CA Holyoke
Affiliations	NBC
Owner	LIN TV (WWLP Broadcasting, LLC)
Founded	March 17, 1953 (on channel 61, moved to channel 22 in 1955)
Call letters meaning	William L. Putnam (founder and longtime owner)
Former affiliations	none
Transmitter Power	3,390 kW (analog) 10 kW (digital)
Height	268 m (analog) 247 m (digital)
Facility ID	6868
Transmitter Coordinates	43°5′5″N, 72°42′14″W
Website	wwlp.com

WWLP is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Massachusetts. Licensed to Springfield, the station broadcasts an analog signal on UHF channel 22 and a digital signal on VHF channel 11. WWLP's transmitter is located on Provin Mountain in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam. Owned by LIN TV, the station is sister to WFXQ-CA, a full-time rebroadcaster. The two stations share studios that are located at Broadcast Center in Chicopee. WWLP is known on-air as "22 News".

The stations's syndicated programming includes: Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Judge Judy, and Friends.

Contents 1 History 2 News Operation 3 News Team 4 Previous Staff 5 Administration 6 External Links

WWLP-TV began broadcasting on March 17, 1953. The station was located on channel 61 and was founded by William L. Putnam and his company, Springfield Television. The station's studios was located in Feeding Hills. WWLP had the distinction of being one of the first UHF television stations in the United States as well as being Massachusetts' oldest television station outside of Boston. WWLP switched from channel 61 to channel 22 on July 2, 1955.

Springfield was designated as a "UHF island" because it was too close to Boston, Hartford/New Haven and the Capital District for VHF service. In 1957, WRLP-TV channel 32 in Greenfield signed on as a full-time satellite of WWLP serving the northern portion of the market (including Brattleboro (VT) and Keene (NH)) where WWLP's signal was marginal due to the area's rugged terrain. In 1958, Putnam bought WWOR-TV (no relation to the current New York station) a defunct station on channel 14 in Worcester and returned it to the air as another full-time satellite of WWLP. However, that station only aired six hours a day. WWOR later changed its calls to WJZB-TV. Both stations eventually became independent but later went off the air (WJZB went dark in 1969 followed by WRLP in 1978). The WRLP transmitter was shipped to Salt Lake City (UT) almost immediately in order to launch independent station KSTU on UHF channel 20 (now a Fox affiliate on channel 13, operating under a different license).

After three decades, Putnam decided to retire from broadcasting by selling his company and its three stations (WWLP and KSTU, plus WKEF in Dayton, OH) to Adams Communications in 1984. Adams ran into financial trouble and began breaking up the Springfield Television group in 1987 with the sale of KSTU to MWT Ltd. Adams sold WKEF to KT Communications in 1989 before selling WWLP to Paul Brisette (a former Adams Vice President) in 1991.

However, Brisette himself ran into trouble and sold all of his stations to Benedek Broadcasting in 1996. LIN TV acquired WWLP in 2000 by swapping KAKE-TV in Wichita (KS) and WOWT-TV in Omaha (NE) to Benedek. This was a result of Chronicle Broadcasting, which owned the latter two, being liquidated. The sale could be seen as the ultimate undoing for Benedek, which in 2002 declared bankruptcy and sold most of their stations (including WOWT and KAKE) to Gray Television.

Back in early-2000, the station's studios and offices moved from their original home in Feeding Hills to their current home in Chicopee. However, its transmitter was not moved. Shortly after the change, then-pending owner LIN TV constructed an addition at WWLP's new studios which became a master control hub for their stations in the Northeast. At this location, room for future expansion was made in the event LIN TV expanded their Northeast properties. LIN TV stations that have master control located at the Chicopee facilities include: WTNH, WCTX, WPRI-TV, and WNAC-TV.

The station was known for producing As Schools Match Wits, one of the longest running high school quiz programs in the United States. The program first came on the air in October of 1961. In September of 2006, the show was canceled because it, combined with the network shows, sold more advertising than FCC regulations allow. The show returned to the air in January of 2007, but on the area's PBS affiliate WGBY-TV and based at Westfield State College.

On May 18, 2007, LIN TV announced that it was exploring strategic alternatives including the sale of the company.

WWLP has traditionally had the most-watched newscasts in the market. This has been achieved by beating the area's ABC affiliate WGGB-TV in the ratings (most of the time) since both stations went on the air. There have been some brief periods in which WGGB was on top and there have also been extended periods in which the stations were basically neck-and-neck with WWLP having a slight edge. However, WWLP has consistently outpaced WGGB ever since Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired that station in 1998 with a sizable margin in WWLP's favor for most shows. WGGB has recently become locally owned, so this may or may not change.

The long-term ratings ramifications of the area's CBS affiliate WSHM-LP, which started to produce local newscasts in late-2005, remain to be seen. To this point, however, the traditional ratings pecking order has not changed.

Along with its main studios, WWLP operates two news bureaus. The "Hampshire County Bureau" is located in Northampton while the "Franklin County Bureau" is located in Greenfield.

WHDH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston, shares its resources with WWLP for news coverage of Eastern Massachusetts.

WWLP operates its own weather radar that is located at the transmitter site. In addition, the station uses live NOAA National Weather Service radar data from several regional sites. The regional radars are presented on-screen in newscasts under the name ""ESP Live Doppler" (with "ESP" meaning Exclusive Storm Prediction).

Anchors

• Jackie Brousseau - weekday mornings
  • reporter
• Rich Tettemer - weekday mornings and Noon
• Dan Elias - weeknights at 5 PM
• Veronica Cintron - weeknights at 5 and 6 PM
  • reporter
• Barry Kriger - weeknights at 5:30, 6, and 11 PM
• Jaclyn Cashman - weeknights at 5:30 PM
• Kala Rama - weekend mornings
  • reporter
• Lynn Barry - weekend evenings
  • reporter

22 News Storm Team Meteorologists

• Brian Lapis (NWA Seal of Approval) - weeknights
• Rick Sluben - weekday mornings and Noon
• Shiri Spear - weekend mornings
  • "22 News Green Team" segment reporter
• Adam Strzempko - weekend evenings

Sports

• TBD - Monday and Tuesdays at 6 and 11 PM
• Ryan Walsh - Wednesday through Sundays at 6 and 11 PM

Reporters

• Sy Becker - entertainment
  • movie critic
• Nancy Dell - health
  • registered dietician
• Jade Rivera - "Hampshire County Bureau"
• Anthony DiLorenzo - "Franklin County Bureau"
• Julie Tremmel
• Alexis Miller
• Jackie Clark

Former Anchors

• Marianne Ward, No longer working in Television.
• Lydia Kulbida, WNYT
• Kathryn Kirby, Went to WVIT before leaving television.
• Latoyia Foster (Edwards), NECN
• Jerry Gretzinger, Retired
• Shirley Chan, WFXT
• Sonia Baghdady, WTNH
• Kristen Triggs, Teaching.
• Brenda Garton, Communications Professor - Western New England College - Springfield, MA
• Chelsea Sobel, News 12 Connecticut.
• Beth Carroll, NHPTV (Via WGGB )
• Dan Jaehnig, WJAR
• Dave Madsen, WGGB
• Steve Lacy, WCVB
• Kristen Saloomey, Went to WHEC , unknown now.
• Pauline Chiou, CBS News
• Kevin Kelly, Went to WKEF, WSPA, WPTF, among others. Now at WGHP, Greensboro, NC
• Michelle Smith, WRGB
• Keith Silver, Communications Professor - American International College - Springfield, MA

Former Reporters

• Elyce Kirchner, WLNE
• Lori Lipkin, Returned to Florida
• Danielle Pepe, Went to WBBH, Now unknown
• Ellen Cheng, Los Angeles, California Asian News Network
• John Moroney, NECN
• Maggie Poteaux, Went to WATE, Now unknown
• Patti Smith-Barrett, Went to WPIX, Now unknown.
• Drew Bailey, Washington D.C.
• Anita Wilson, Left television to pursue other interests.
• Jeff Seeley, Freelance: MSG, Fox Sports, NESN, YES Network...
• Myrna Maloney, Left television to pursue other interests.
• Morgan Hook, WRGB
• Donna Savarese,
• Dion Lim, KMBC
• Craig Smith, WRGB

Former Meteorologists

• John Quill, Deceased
• Bruce Avery, WRHU-FM
• Evan Rubin (Andrews), KDFW
• Nick Morganelli, Freelancing at NECN
• Steve Caporizzo, WTEN
• John DiPasquale, WTVH, Syracuse
• Darren Sweeney, WFSB
• Todd Gross, KTVX

Former Sports Anchors

• Rich Tettemer, Morning News Anchor WWLP
• Jamie Podworski, Physical Education Teacher/Coach at Agawam High School
• Steve Roulier, Advertising and Publicity Coordinator at Western New England College
• Morgan Hook, Reporter WWLP, Now WRGB
• Bob Rumbold, WTIC-TV
• Nikki Monsilovich, Left television to pursue other interests.
• Jason Osborne, Attorney; USAF; Rank: Captain. Litigation Specialist - Air Force Legal Operations Agency (AFLOA); Arlington, VA.
• Rich Cappola WTIC-TV
• John Deutzman, Reporter at WNYW
• Bill Rasmussen, Founder of ESPN
• Rollie Jacobs

• Bill Pepin - General Manager
• John Baran - Station Manager
• Mike Garreffi - News Director
• Anna Giza - Promotions Manager
• Dave Cote - Chief Engineer
• David Miller - LIN TV HUB Operations Manager
• Carl Miller - Sales Manager

• WWLP "22 News"
• NBC
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WWLP

v • d • e Broadcast television in the Springfield / Holyoke market  (Nielsen DMA #109)
WWLP 22 / WFXQ-CA 28 (NBC) - WGGB 40 (ABC) - WHTX 43 (UNI) - WGBY 57 (PBS) - WDMR-LP 65 (TEL) - WSHM-LP 67 (CBS) Out-of-market stations serving / available in Springfield / Holyoke WCDC 19 (ABC, Adams) - WEDH 24 (PBS / CPTV, Hartford) - WNYA 51 (MNTV, Pittsfield) - WCTX 59 (MNTV, New Haven) - WTIC 61 (FOX, Hartford) Defunct stations WRLP 32 (NBC / IND) Local and regional Cable television channels CN8 - NECN - NESN - CSN New England - WSBK (Ind, Boston) - "WBQT" 16 (The CW)
See also Broadcast television in the Albany and Hartford / New Haven markets

v • d • e NBC Network Affiliates in the state of Massachusetts
WHDH 7 (Boston) - WWLP 22 (Springfield)
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, PBS and Other stations in Massachusetts

v • d • e LIN TV Corporation
Corporate Staff: Gary R. Chapman (President & CEO) · Vincent L. Sadusky · Greg Schmidt · Scott Blumenthal · Edward L. Munson, Jr. · William S. Banowsky · Peter S. Brodsky · Royal W. Carson, III · Dr. William H. Cunningham · Randall S. Fojtasek · Wilma H. Jordan · Michael A. Pausic ABC Network Affiliates: WOTV · WTNH CBS Network Affiliates: KRQE / KBIM / KREZ · WANE · WISH · WIVB · WLFI · WPRI · WTHI Fox Network Affiliates: KASA · WALA · WLUK · WNAC3 · WUPW · WVBT NBC Network Affiliates: KNSD1 · KXAN · KXAS1 · WAVY · WDTN · WOOD · WWLP The CW Network Affiliates: KNIN2 · KNVA3 · WBPG · WNLO · WWHO My Network TV Affiliates: KNVA3 · WCTX · WNAC3 · WNDY · WXSP Other stations: KBOP (Independent)1a · KBVO (TeleFutura) · WFXQ-CA4 · WIIH (Univision) 1Co-owned with NBC Universal in a joint venture (76% owned by NBC, 24% owned by LIN). KNSD also includes a repeater used for rebroadcast of Entravision's KBNT-CA. 1aOwned by Commercial Broadcasting Corp., and operated by the NBC / LIN joint ventutre (see note 1) 2Co-owned with Banks Broadcasting in a joint venture (50/50); however, LIN does not control the station. 3LIN operates these stations under a local marketing agreement. 4Is currently a repeater for NBC affiliate WWLP. Future is uncertain at this time.
Annual Revenue: $443.5 million USD · Employees: 2,414 (full time) · Stock Symbol: NYSE: TVL · Website: www.lintv.com