WARM-TV

WNEP-TV

Company type	Television broadcaster
Industry	Broadcasting
Founded	1957 (as WNEP-TV)
Headquarters	Moosic, Pennsylvania , United States
Area served	Northeastern Pennsylvania
Owner	Tegna Inc.

WNEP-TV (channel 16) is a television broadcaster licensed to Scranton, Pennsylvania, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Northeastern Pennsylvania region. The station is owned by Tegna Inc. and operates from studios located on Montage Mountain Road in Moosic. Both WNEP-TV and PBS member WVIA-TV (channel 44) share transmission facilities through a channel-sharing agreement, utilizing WNEP-TV's spectrum via an antenna positioned at Penobscot Knob near Mountain Top.

Additionally, WNEP-TV runs a digital replacement translator on UHF channel 22, authorized to serve Waymart, with its transmitter sited in Forest City. This translator mitigates signal disruptions caused by wind turbines at the Waymart Wind Farm, operated by NextEra Energy Resources.

Origins of WILK-TV and WARM-TV

Initially, Northeastern Pennsylvania was served by two ABC affiliates: WILK-TV on channel 34, owned by WILK radio, which began operations in Wilkes-Barre on September 15, 1953; and WARM-TV on channel 16, licensed to Scranton and owned by future Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton along with WARM radio, which commenced broadcasting on February 9, 1954. During the late 1950s, WILK-TV briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network.

WILK sought to outperform local competitors by initiating broadcasts at 2 p.m. rather than the customary 3 p.m. Although engineers had prepared the signal by noon, it failed during their lunch break; they managed to restore it by 1:50 p.m., just ahead of the scheduled start.

Transmitting ABC's feed from New York City posed challenges before satellite technology was available. To address this, WILK installed a microwave relay tower in Effort, Pennsylvania—approximately east of Wilkes-Barre—that transmitted the network signal to the Penobscot Knob transmitter. When the New York feed failed, engineers often switched to a Philadelphia source from WFIL-TV (now ABC owned-and-operated station WPVI-TV).

Both stations operated at a loss during their early years due to ABC's comparatively weaker market standing versus NBC and CBS, yet they continued operations supported by established local radio ownership.

Consolidation and evolution

By 1955, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre were recognized as a unified television market. On October 17, 1957, WILK-TV and WARM-TV merged to form a single ABC affiliate serving Northeastern Pennsylvania. This consolidated station retained WILK-TV's license but broadcast on WARM-TV's channel 16 frequency to achieve broader and more cost-effective coverage across the mountainous terrain. Transcontinent Television Corporation of Buffalo acquired a majority 60% interest, with remaining shares held by the original WARM and WILK groups; William Scranton served as chairman. The newly formed station, licensed as WNEP-TV to Scranton, initially split its operations between studios in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton before relocating entirely to Avoca in 1962. The Penobscot Knob transmission site remained in use, while the former WARM-TV transmitter was later donated to PBS affiliate WVIA-TV.

The previous WILK-TV facility functioned as a satellite repeater until 1958; its channel 34 allocation was reassigned in 1962 to Binghamton, New York, for ABC affiliate WBJA-TV (now known as WIVT).

Despite increasing its power output to 1.5 million watts and extending coverage over fifteen counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, WNEP-TV faced challenges in ratings due to competition between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre audiences and affiliation with what was then ABC’s smallest network footprint. This situation made Scranton–Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania's smallest market fully served by all three major networks.

In 1964, Transcontinent exited broadcasting by selling WNEP-TV along with other properties to Taft Broadcasting. After Taft acquired Philadelphia independent station WIBF-TV (currently WTXF-TV) in 1969, it initially received an FCC waiver permitting ownership of both stations despite overlapping coverage areas. However, four years later the FCC reversed this decision, compelling Taft to divest channel 16. Subsequently, a consortium of WNEP employees and executives formed NEP Communications and purchased the station in late 1973.

Under NEP Communications’ management, news director Elden Hale implemented a regional branding strategy identifying the station as serving "Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania," which expanded coverage of underserved areas and introduced the region’s first news helicopter. This approach propelled WNEP to first place in local ratings by November 1976 and restored dominance by 1978 alongside ABC’s national rise. Aside from a brief ratings decline behind WBRE-TV in the mid-1990s, it has maintained leading viewership since then. NEP also developed an ancillary remote production company alongside WNEP-TV.

In 1985, The New York Times Company purchased the station. By 1989, WNEP relocated to state-of-the-art studios in Moosic designed similarly but larger than those of Times’ Huntsville station. NEP Communications retained its production division as NEP Broadcasting, delivering remote broadcast services for major events such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and Academy Awards while operating a studio facility in New York City.

On January 4, 2007, The Times Company divested its television group—including WNEP—to Oak Hill Capital Partners for $575 million; Oak Hill formed Local TV LLC as the holding entity.

On July 1, 2013, Local TV announced its acquisition by Tribune Company for $2.75 billion; Tribune also owns The Morning Call newspaper based in Allentown within the Philadelphia market. Due to FCC regulations prohibiting common ownership of newspapers and television stations within one market area, Tribune transferred ownership of WNEP-TV to Dreamcatcher Broadcasting—controlled by former Tribune executive Ed Wilson—while retaining operational control via a shared services agreement that included an option for future reacquisition. The transaction closed on December 27, 2013.

Tribune later revealed plans to spin off its newspaper division—including The Morning Call—into Tribune Publishing Company during 2014; this separation was completed in August that year. Tribune has yet to announce any intentions regarding reacquisition or full ownership of WNEP-TV from Dreamcatcher.

Collapse of Analog Broadcast Tower

On December 16, 2007, WNEP-TV's analog transmission tower located on Penobscot Knob gave way under the strain of extreme ice accumulation, strong winds, and heavy snowfall. This event resulted in the destruction of the transmitter building, though fortunately, no injuries occurred. The collapse also took down the FM antenna and transmitter for WCLH, which shared the same structure. Although the digital broadcast on channel 49 was briefly disrupted, service was promptly restored. Cable and satellite transmissions were back online within the same day. By January 1, 2008, WNEP-TV had partially reinstated its analog over-the-air broadcast using a nearby American Tower that housed antennas for WNEP-DT and WOLF-TV/DT.

The falling guy wires from WNEP-TV’s tower inflicted damage on the adjacent WVIA-TV tower by shearing off its upper section. This incident temporarily knocked WVIA-TV's analog channel 44 off the air until backup systems were engaged. The antenna for WVIA-FM remained unaffected by the collapse. Additionally, power outages occurred at CBS affiliate WYOU (channel 22) and NBC affiliate WBRE-TV (channel 28), resulting in short-term interruptions.

WNEP had initially targeted June 12, 2009, to begin operations from a new tower; however, delays in antenna delivery postponed full functionality until later that year. On December 5, 2009, to prevent interference with Telemundo-owned station WWSI in Atlantic City, New Jersey, WNEP transitioned from channel 49 to channel 50.

Following a partial collapse and electrical fire that destroyed WVIA's transmitter facility on February 15, 2010, WNEP temporarily reactivated its channel 49 transmission with FCC authorization to assist WVIA-TV’s broadcast restoration efforts.

Failed Acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group

On May 8, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group—which had operated Fox affiliate WOLF-TV, CW affiliate WSWB, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WQMY since 2014—announced an agreement to acquire Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus $2.7 billion in debt assumption. However, Sinclair’s existing shared services agreements (SSAs) within the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre market created regulatory conflicts because both WNEP and WOLF ranked among the top four stations locally, and FCC rules limited ownership of multiple full-power stations in a single market. Sinclair CEO Christopher Ripley identified Scranton–Wilkes-Barre as one of three key markets where divestitures would be necessary to comply with regulations.

To resolve these concerns, on April 24, 2018, Sinclair revealed plans to sell non-license assets of WOLF-TV, WQMY, and WSWB—as well as eight other stations—to Standard Media Group, a broadcasting entity established by private equity firm Standard General, for $441.1 million. Sinclair exercised options designed to enable Standard Media’s acquisition while adhering to FCC ownership restrictions.

Despite these arrangements, on July 18, 2018, the FCC directed an administrative law judge to review the Sinclair–Tribune merger due to "serious concerns" regarding Sinclair’s transparency about its divestiture intentions. Consequently, Tribune terminated the merger agreement on August 9 and initiated a breach of contract lawsuit against Sinclair. The lawsuit cited prolonged regulatory negotiations by Sinclair, refusal to divest conflicting stations adequately, and efforts to retain control over divested assets through affiliated entities. Following this fallout, Tribune sought alternative merger partners.

Acquisition by Nexstar Media Group and Subsequent Sale to Tegna Inc.

On December 3, 2018, Nexstar Media Group, headquartered in Irving, Texas, which has owned NBC affiliate WBRE-TV since 1997 and managed CBS affiliate WYOU-TV under a shared services agreement with Mission Broadcasting since 1998, declared its intent to purchase Tribune Media's assets for $6.4 billion, combining cash and debt. Due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules that restrict ownership to two stations per market and forbid owning two or more of the top four stations in the same market, Nexstar was unable to acquire WNEP either directly or indirectly. To comply with these regulations, Nexstar was required to divest either WNEP or both WBRE and WYOU separately; otherwise, the existing grandfathered local marketing agreement (LMA) would be voided. On January 31, 2019, Nexstar revealed plans to sell WNEP along with Norfolk, Virginia’s WTKR and WGNT to independent third parties to resolve these regulatory conflicts.

Subsequently, on March 20, 2019, Tegna Inc., based in McLean, Virginia, announced it would acquire WNEP from Nexstar following the completion of the merger. This transaction was part of a $1.32 billion agreement that involved selling nineteen stations operated by Nexstar and Tribune to Tegna and the E. W. Scripps Company. The deal included Harrisburg’s sister station WPMT, marking Tegna’s entry into Pennsylvania’s television markets. The FCC granted approval for the sale on September 16, 2019, with the transaction closing three days later.

Local programming

WNEP has traditionally focused on producing original content rather than relying heavily on syndicated programming. Among its most memorable productions was the children’s program The Land of Hatchy Milatchy, which featured hosts such as Miss Judy who engaged directly with the audience. This show even inspired a scene in the television series The Office. Another notable local production was Uncle Ted's Ghoul School, which had Bill O'Reilly working as a writer during the mid-1970s. Additionally, WNEP created localized versions of popular shows like Bowling for Dollars and Dialing for Dollars.

Presently, WNEP produces two locally originated programs: Pennsylvania Outdoor Life, which centers on hunting and fishing topics and airs Sundays at 11 a.m., and Home & Backyard, which covers home improvement, cooking, and gardening themes, broadcasting Saturdays at 10 a.m. The station also actively participates in community events such as the former MDA Labor Day Telethon and Scranton’s annual Santa Parade.

News operation

Branded as Newswatch 16, WNEP’s local newscasts have consistently ranked among the top-rated broadcasts nationwide, dominating northeastern Pennsylvania for nearly four decades. According to Nielsen ratings, its viewership surpasses that of all other local stations combined. In 2000, its weekday morning audience share reached between 50% and 60%. Long-serving on-air talent included Chief Meteorologist Tom Clark (1981–2016) and anchor Marisa Burke (1984–2016).

WNEP airs a total of 41 hours of local news weekly, comprising approximately six and a half hours each weekday along with weekend editions. Unique features include a scale model train set displayed on the weather deck and an interactive viewer segment titled Talkback 16. Over time, the station expanded its news schedule by adding a noon newscast in 1981 and introducing a 5 p.m. newscast in 1987.

Beginning in 1991, WNEP produced a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for Fox affiliate WOLF-TV; this continued after Fox affiliation moved to channel 56 under the title Fox 56 News at 10. The station also operates "WNEP 2" on its secondary digital subchannel and cable providers, featuring Antenna TV programming alongside local content.

From 1984 until its retirement in 2009, WNEP was unique among regional broadcasters for operating its own news helicopter named "Skycam 16". The station also broadcasts Pennsylvania Lottery nighttime drawings live every evening.

In March 2009, WNEP extended its weekday morning news block on WNEP 2 from one hour to two hours (7 to 9 a.m.) and upgraded its broadcasts to a widescreen 720p format—the first in the region to do so. In September of that year, a new 4 p.m. newscast was introduced. After losing the contract to produce WOLF’s 10 p.m. news in January 2010, WNEP began airing a competing newscast on WNEP 2.

In February 2011, WNEP unveiled an HD-capable set and launched high-definition newscasts starting with the 6 p.m. broadcast in July—the first HD local news offering in the market. By September that year, the 4 p.m. newscast expanded into a full hour.

Since 1994, WNEP has used an updated rendition of Al Ham's "Move Closer to Your World" theme song arranged by Cliff Schwarz. Following Tegna's acquisition, viewers campaigned to preserve this theme instead of adopting Tegna's proprietary "C Clarity" theme music. In March 2020, while adopting Tegna's standardized graphics package, WNEP retained the Schwarz arrangement of "Move Closer to Your World," balancing modernization efforts with brand heritage preservation.

Distinguished Former On-Air Personnel

• Bill O'Reilly – correspondent during the 1970s
• Dan Patrick – correspondent in the 1970s

Appearances in Popular Media

A live segment conducted by WNEP reporter Sofia Ojeda at the 2014 Wayne County Fair propelled 5-year-old Noah Ritter to viral fame across social media platforms. Subsequently, WNEP's footage was transformed into a musical piece titled "Apparently" by The Gregory Brothers.

On HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, John Oliver spotlighted audience discussions regarding WNEP’s miniature train display featured on its weather deck. Oliver constructed a more expansive model train set incorporating exaggerated regional landmarks, which he later donated to Scranton’s Electric City Trolley Museum in 2017.

Digital Subchannels

<section begin=subs />

WNEP-TV and WVIA-TV Subchannel Lineup

Station	Channel	Resolution	Aspect Ratio	Identifier	Content
WNEP-TV	16.1	720p	16:9	WNEP-TV	ABC
	16.2	480i		WNEP2	Antenna TV
WVIA-TV	44.1	720p		WVIA-HD	PBS
	44.2	480i		PBSKids	PBS Kids
	44.3			Create	Create

<section end=subs /> Beginning January 1, 2011, WNEP became an initial affiliate of Antenna TV, broadcasting the network on its digital subchannel 16.2, succeeding RTV.

Transition from Analog to Digital

On June 12, 2009, WNEP-TV discontinued its analog transmission on UHF channel 16 in adherence to the federal directive requiring all full-power U.S. stations to shift to digital broadcasts. Its digital programming persisted on UHF channel 49 (pre-transition), maintaining virtual channel designation as 16.

Translator Stations

Covering one of the most expansive and mountainous regions east of the Mississippi River, WNEP utilizes a broad translator network to guarantee signal accessibility across challenging landscapes. WVIA-owned stations W20EI-D and W29EU-D relay the complete WNEP/WVIA multiplex.

• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Allentown–Bethlehem (Philadelphia market)
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Clarks Summit
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Clarks Summit
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Mansfield (Elmira, NY market)
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Mansfield (Elmira, NY market)
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Pottsville
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Towanda
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Towanda
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Towanda
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Waymart
• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility Williamsport

Previously Operated Translator

• Template:FCC-LMS-Facility State College (Johnstown–Altoona market)

Coverage Outside Primary Market

WNEP was available through cable providers in the Lehigh Valley until January 2013; however, it was removed following the area's reassignment to the Philadelphia market due to syndication exclusivity issues with WPVI. Currently, numerous viewers in Lehigh Valley access WNEP via its Allentown translator station. In New York State, WNEP is accessible on Charter Spectrum within Highland Lake, Sullivan County, which falls under the New York City market area.