WJZB-TV
|
Worcester, Massachusetts United States |
|
|---|---|
| Channels | Analog: 14 (UHF) |
| Owner | Salisbury Broadcasting (1953–1958) Springfield Television (1958–1969) Evans Broadcasting (1969) |
| First air date | December 1953 |
| Last air date | 1969 |
| Call letters' meaning |
W John Z. Buckley |
| Former callsigns | WWOR-TV (1953–1964) |
| Former affiliations |
Primary: Independent (1953–1955 and 1964–1969) silent (1955–1958) NBC (1958–1964; secondary, 1953–1955 and 1964–1969) Secondary: ABC (1953–1955) DuMont (1953–1955) |
WJZB-TV, UHF analog channel 14, was a television station located in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. The station existed from 1953 to 1969.
The station first signed on the air in December 1953 as WWOR-TV (no relation to the current New York City station that is licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey), operating as the second independent station in the Boston area. The station's transmitter was located on Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton. It also carried secondary affiliations with ABC and DuMont, and also cleared whatever NBC programs that WBZ-TV (channel 4, now a CBS owned-and-operated station) declined to air. Unfortunately, WWOR had signed on just after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened the UHF band for broadcasting use, and television manufacturers were not required to include UHF tuning capability (Congress later passed the All-Channel Receiver Act in 1961, with UHF tuners beginning to be included on all newer sets as a result of its implementation by 1964). Even with an expensive converter, WWOR's signal was marginal at best. No one was willing to advertise on a station that was barely viewable, and channel 14 went dark in 1955.
In 1958, WWOR's owners, Salisbury Broadcasting, merged with Springfield Television Corporation, owner of WWLP-TV in Springfield. The station returned to the air as a satellite of WWLP. It was only on the air for six hours a day to protect WBZ-TV. After six years, Springfield Television decided to turn channel 14 into a Boston-focused independent station once again, under new call letters, WJZB (named for WWLP staffer John Z. Buckley). In the 1960s, it began airing Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics games (from WHDH-TV in Boston), and also aired classic movies, syndicated sports programs, travelogues and other standard independent fare. It also retained a part-time NBC affiliation.
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