WBES-TV
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | September 29, 1953 in Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Defunct | December 19, 1953 |
| Headquarters | Buffalo , United States |
Area served | Western New York |
WBES-TV was among the pioneering UHF television broadcasters in Buffalo, New York, under the ownership of the Buffalo-Niagara Television Corporation.
History
Broadcasting on UHF channel 59 from its location within the Hotel Lafayette in Buffalo, WBES-TV held the distinction of being Western New York’s second UHF station and the third television outlet overall. The station commenced transmissions on September 29, 1953, but discontinued service on December 19 of the same year, hindered by both technical challenges and financial constraints. The channel 59 allocation was never reassigned to another broadcaster in the Buffalo area.
A significant figure among WBES-TV’s on-air staff was Tom Jolls, who at that time was a radio host at Lockport’s WUSJ. He later transitioned back to television with WBEN-TV (currently WIVB-TV) and went on to serve as a meteorologist at WKBW-TV for 24 years.
After WBES-TV shut down, Buffalo’s television landscape included WBEN-TV alongside UHF rival WBUF-TV (channel 17). Furthermore, WGR-TV (channel 2) launched on August 14, 1954, making use of the broadcast tower previously operated by WBES-TV.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Television stations in Buffalo, New York
- Television channels and stations established in 1953
- 1953 disestablishments in New York (state)
- 1953 establishments in New York (state)
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 1953
- Defunct television stations in New York (state)