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WXXA-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Albany, New York, United States, serving the Capital District as an affiliate of the Fox network. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, it is operated under a shared services agreement (SSA) by Nexstar Media Group, owner of ABC affiliate WTEN (channel 10). The two stations share studios on Northern Boulevard in Albany's Bishop's Gate section; WXXA-TV's transmitter is located on the Helderberg Escarpment west of New Salem.

Key Information

WXXA-TV is the only commercial television station in Albany that has never changed its primary network affiliation or call letters.

History

[edit]

WXXA signed on July 30, 1982[2] and aired an analog signal on UHF channel 23. It was the Capital District's first independent station, as well as the first new commercial station to launch in the market since WTRI (channel 35), forerunner of WNYT (channel 13), launched 28 years earlier. The Capital District had a fairly long wait for an independent station, considering its size. On paper, it had been large enough to support an independent since the late 1960s. However, the Capital District is a fairly large market geographically, stretching across a large swath of east-central New York, as well as portions of southwestern Vermont and western Massachusetts. Much of this area is very mountainous, particularly in the northern portion. UHF stations have never covered large areas or rugged terrain very well. By the late 1970s, cable and satellite—then as now, a must for acceptable television in much of this market—had gained enough penetration for an independent to be viable.

A construction permit had been issued for channel 23 in the 1950s with the calls WPTR-TV; that permit was canceled in 1960. Rumors had previously abounded that NBC would move its programming to the new channel 23 after WRGB (channel 6) switched to CBS in 1981. However, the network ended up affiliating with WNYT.

The station was owned by Albany TV 23, Inc., a group of investors led by president and station manager Jim Boaz, Hollywood director Arthur Penn, and former FDIC director William Seidman. Through Penn, it was able to secure financing from movie production company Orion Pictures. WXXA was a typical general-entertainment independent airing cartoons, movies, sports, and first-run syndicated programs. The station also carried business news programming from the Financial News Network.

In July 1986, WXXA-TV agreed to become a charter affiliate of Fox,[3] which launched on October 9.[4] Initially, WXXA-TV still programmed itself as an independent, since Fox only aired one program (The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers) until April 1987 and even then would not present an entire week's worth of programming until the 1993–94 season. Shortly after Fox's launch, Albany TV 23 sold the station to Heritage Broadcasting Group (a Detroit-based company, unrelated to the similarly named Heritage Communications and Heritage Media, that was also in the process of acquiring WWTV in Cadillac, Michigan) for $10.1 million.[5][6] The station picked up programming from the Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN) block in 1993.[7]

In 1994, Heritage sold the station to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) for $25.5 million,[8] predating Clear Channel's sizable expansion of television assets in the Northeast in the following years. Clear Channel soon moved WXXA from its original studios on Central Avenue/NYS Route 5 in Albany (now a car dealership) to an expanded facility on Corporate Circle in Albany's Dunes section).

When UPN launched on January 16, 1995, WXXA aired programming from UPN off-hours on weekends. Cable viewers in virtually the entire market were also able to watch UPN in pattern on WSBK-TV in Boston, which had been available on cable in the area for decades.[9] WXXA's secondary affiliation ended in 1998, when UPN signed WYPX (channel 55) as its new secondary affiliate and low-powered WVBG-LP (channel 25) as a primary affiliate.[10] The network was picked up again by WXXA after Clear Channel, in partnership with Time Warner Cable, launched cable-only affiliate "WEDG-TV" in January 2000.[11] Eventually known on-air as "UPN 4" after its channel location, "WEDG" signed off in August 2003 concurrent with the sign-on of over-the-air UPN affiliate WNYA (channel 51), which was operated by WRGB.[12]

WXXA-DT began airing on VHF channel 7 on December 20, 2005. A combination of objections from analog co-channels WABC-TV (in New York City) and WWNY-TV (in Watertown), whose signals reach the fringes of the Albany area, was the primary reason for the late and delayed sign-on. On April 20, 2007, Clear Channel entered into an agreement to sell its entire television station group to Providence Equity Partners' Newport Television (the deal closed in March 2008).

On July 19, 2012, Newport Television announced the sale of 22 of its 27 stations to the Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Cox Media Group.[13] While most of WXXA-TV's New York State sisters were sold to Nexstar, that company opted not to buy channel 23; Sinclair could not purchase WXXA-TV because it already owned WRGB and CW affiliate WCWN (channel 45). While Nexstar and Sinclair passed on buying WXXA, the station eventually found a new owner on July 27, 2012, when Newport Television announced the sale of the station to Shield Media, LLC (owned by White Knight Broadcasting Vice President Sheldon Galloway) for $19.2 million. Shield then entered into a shared services agreement with Young Broadcasting, then-owners of WTEN.[14] The FCC granted the transaction on October 23,[15] and it was finalized on December 14.[16] After consummation of the sale, WXXA moved from its Corporate Circle facility into WTEN's studios on March 23, 2013.

On November 8, 2013, Media General shareholders approved the company's merger with New Young Broadcasting, which was completed on November 12.[17] The merged company kept the Media General name, and continued its agreements with Shield Media. More than two years later, on January 27, 2016, it was announced that the Nexstar Broadcasting Group would buy Media General for $4.6 billion. The operations of WXXA and outright ownership of WTEN became part of "Nexstar Media Group."[18] Upon the sale's closure on January 17, 2017, the deal reunited WXXA with its former Newport sister stations that were sold to Nexstar in 2012.

On August 21, 2020, it was announced that Mission Broadcasting would acquire WXXA.[19][20] The acquisition was completed on November 23.[21]

WXXA-DT2

[edit]

WXXA's second digital subchannel has had a number of affiliations over the years. In January 2007, Clear Channel launched a digital-only network known as The Variety Channel. The service aired classic television shows (similar to the Retro Television Network), auto showcase programming and various home improvement programs. The service was shut down on January 5, 2009, with WXXA switching over to Untamed Sports TV. This was followed by a switch on April 15, 2011, to the music video network TheCoolTV, which was then dropped sometime in 2012 for ZUUS Country. Finally on January 1, 2015, Shield leased the channel to Capital District Off-Track Betting for their internally originated network, Capital OTB TV.

News operation

[edit]
Further information: WTEN § News operation

On October 8, 1996, the station established a news department and began airing a nightly half-hour prime time newscast known as Fox News at 10. It was not the time slot's first show in the market, as WMHQ (now WCWN) launched a WNYT-produced broadcast earlier in the year; in 1998, that production was canceled due to a lack of support, leaving WXXA as the only outlet for a prime time show.

Filling a niche in local newscasts, its prime time broadcast was expanded on weeknights to an hour on September 4, 2000, and renamed Fox 23 News at 10. Upon launching the newscast, WXXA was successful in the time slot with high ratings and viewership, though it struggled in other timeslots competing directly with Albany's big three stations.

On January 10, 2000, the station took on the area's big three outlets for the first time with the launch of Fox 23 News at 6:30. This show offered a local alternative to the national news broadcasts seen in the time slot. This was followed on March 26, 2001, by another show weeknights at 6 p.m. that directly competed with the other stations.

A change in upper management led to a realignment of early weeknight shows with the 6:30 p.m. broadcast moving to 5 p.m. in September 2002 and an expansion to an hour. Fox 23 News at 6 would eventually be dropped on June 27, 2003, due to low ratings and a re-focus on the success of its flagship 10 p.m. show by putting a significant investment in its news operation beginning in late 2003. The biggest move was the signing of former WNYT news anchor John Gray. Additional resources and capabilities were added to the station behind the scenes as well as on-the-air.

On April 17, 2006, it was announced WNYA would begin airing an hour-long extension of WRGB's weekday morning show from 7 until 8. This action could be seen as a preemptive move by WRGB to fend off a challenge by WXXA, which had announced its own plans to launch a weekday morning newscast two weeks earlier. The actual launch of Fox 23 News Mornings occurred September 18, 2006, and it initially ran for three hours from 5 until 8. WRGB subsequently moved the sixty-minute extension of its morning show from WNYA to WCWN, and in 2008 began producing a 10 p.m. newscast for that station, giving WXXA its first challenger in the time slot in a decade. WXXA reduced its weekday morning broadcast to a two-hour format (from 6 until 8) in Summer 2009 due to low viewership.

A final addition to newscast offerings on WXXA occurred June 29, 2009, when it launched a half-hour broadcast weeknights at 11 following a national trend by other Fox affiliates. Although Fox 23 News at 10 has remained popular with viewers, its weekday morning show and Fox 23 News at 11 continued to struggle in the ratings against long running newscasts on competing stations. Fox 23 News at 5 (seen on weeknights) was eventually cut to a half-hour for that same reason. In 2012, Fox 23 News A.M. was moved to the 7 to 9 time slot. WXXA was the last remaining news department in the Capital District that continued to broadcast local news in 4:3 standard definition, and it never upgraded to high definition or 16:9 widescreen during the time that the newscasts were produced in-house.

With the consolidation of WXXA with WTEN, the ABC affiliate took over production of channel 23's newscasts. The two stations' reporting staffs were merged immediately following Shield Media's purchase of WXXA was completed.[22] On January 24, 2013, WXXA discontinued its weeknight 5 and 11 p.m. newscasts, in order to focus more on the morning and 10 p.m. newscasts; in an announcement on its Facebook page; the station redirected viewers of the canceled newscasts to the WTEN newscasts in those time slots. The weekday morning (7–9 a.m.) and nightly 10 p.m. newscasts, which do not compete against WTEN's newscasts, remain on the station.[23][24]

On March 23, the consolidation was completed when all newscasts began originating from WTEN's studios produced in high definition. WXXA simulcasts WTEN's weekday morning show from 6 to 7 a.m. From 7 to 9 a.m., WTEN produces a newscast for WXXA as a local complement to Good Morning America. During weather forecasts, the station features live NOAA National Weather Service NEXRAD weather radar data from four regional sites including one locally on Woodstock Road south of East Berne.

Technical information

[edit]
WXXA's coverage area (primary in dark red, secondary in light pink).

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WXXA-TV[25]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
23.1 720p 16:9 WXXA-HD Fox
23.2 480i WXXA-OT Capital OTB TV
23.3 WXXA-GR Grit
23.4 Rewind Rewind TV
23.5 Crime True Crime Network

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WXXA-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 23, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 7, using virtual channel 23.[26] During the 2019 digital television repack, WXXA moved from VHF channel 7 to channel 8.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WXXA-TV

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WXXA-TV, 23 (VHF digital channel 8), is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to , , serving the Capital District area. Owned by , Inc., the station is operated under local marketing and agreements by , Inc., which provides news programming through its co-owned ABC affiliate WTEN (channel 10). WXXA-TV first signed on July 30, 1982, as the Capital Region's inaugural , initially broadcasting syndicated programming such as classic sitcoms and movies before joining the Fox network in 1986, which added primetime shows and sports coverage to its lineup. The station's launch represented a significant expansion of local television options in upstate New York, with an initial investment of $3 million in programming to fill its schedule. Over the decades, WXXA has maintained a focus on , , and community events, producing content in partnership with WTEN since December 2012, including morning, evening, and late-night newscasts. Its studios are located at 341 Northern Boulevard in Albany, alongside WTEN, while its transmitter is situated in the Helderberg Escarpment. WXXA-TV reaches approximately 576,000 households across 14 counties in the region, emphasizing popular syndicated programs such as court shows and sitcom reruns alongside network fare. The station has been involved in community initiatives, such as telethons for the Center for Disabilities and the Coats for Kids drive, underscoring its role in local engagement. As of 2024, it continues to operate as a key broadcaster in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy designated market area, the 62nd-largest in the United States.

History

Launch and early operations

WXXA-TV was founded by Albany TV 23, Inc., a group of local investors, and signed on the air for the first time on July 30, 1982, as the Capital District's inaugural independent television station. The station broadcast an analog signal on UHF channel 23 from a transmitter on the Helderberg Escarpment west of , filling a gap in the market previously dominated by network affiliates. Led by its first general manager, Jim Boaz, who brought startup experience from , the station aimed to provide diverse entertainment options to viewers in Albany, Schenectady, and . Initial operations were based out of modest studios located on Central Avenue (New York State Route 5) in Albany, which have since been repurposed as a . Programming emphasized general entertainment, featuring a mix of classic syndicated series such as , , , and , alongside a library exceeding 2,000 movies to attract family audiences. Under programming director Melanie Gerig, the lineup was assembled rapidly, incorporating cartoons, off-network reruns, and occasional local content to build viewership without relying on network schedules. The station faced significant early challenges in a competitive landscape dominated by established outlets like (CBS), WTEN (ABC), and WAST (NBC), which held strong ratings shares. Limited access to video tape and syndication resources meant programming decisions were often made , with the team developing schedules to secure affordable content. Despite these hurdles, WXXA achieved key milestones, including its debut broadcast that introduced independent viewing to the region and gradual audience growth, though initial ratings remained modest as the station worked to establish its identity.

Fox affiliation and expansion

In July 1986, Heritage Broadcasting Group acquired WXXA-TV for $10.1 million from its previous owners, positioning the station for a pivotal shift in its broadcasting strategy. Shortly thereafter, WXXA became a charter affiliate of the , with the network launching on October 9, 1986. The affiliation debuted with Fox's initial offering, The Late Show Starring , but the station largely maintained its independent programming schedule in the early months due to the network's limited content. As Fox developed its prime-time lineup starting in April 1987, WXXA integrated key shows such as , , and later , which attracted younger demographics and broadened the station's appeal beyond syndicated reruns and movies. This shift enhanced WXXA's programming diversity, moving it from a general entertainment independent to a network-affiliated outlet with nationally recognized content. The affiliation's impact intensified in 1994 when secured broadcast rights, enabling WXXA to air games as the Capital District's flagship station and establishing it as a major sports broadcaster. During the late and , the affiliation drove operational growth, including facility upgrades to support expanded programming and production needs. In , WXXA relocated to a larger studio complex at 28 Corporate Circle in Albany, accommodating increased staff and technical requirements for network feeds and local . These developments solidified WXXA's market positioning as the preeminent non-Big Three station in the Capital District, rivaling established ABC, , and affiliates in viewership and relevance.

Ownership changes

In 1986, Heritage Broadcasting Group acquired WXXA-TV from its original owners for $10.1 million, marking the station's first major ownership transition and providing capital for operational expansions in the competitive Albany market. Under Heritage's management, the station focused on strengthening its independent programming slate, which improved its local visibility but faced challenges from rising affiliation costs in the late . Heritage sold WXXA to Clear Channel Communications in December 1994 for $25.5 million, integrating the station into a larger portfolio that enhanced through cross-promotional synergies with Clear Channel's radio assets. This ownership shift led to visible investments in facilities and staffing, boosting the station's production capabilities and during the mid-1990s Fox affiliation era. Clear Channel's strategy emphasized cost efficiencies, which stabilized operations amid industry deregulation but foreshadowed broader divestitures as the company refocused on radio. In March 2008, Clear Channel divested its television holdings, including WXXA, to Partners in a $1.1 billion deal forming Newport Television; WXXA was part of a 56-station package acquired to capitalize on affiliate revenues. Newport's ownership introduced immediate staffing reductions, with at least a dozen positions eliminated shortly after the close, reflecting efforts to streamline costs in a post-merger environment strained by the . These changes prioritized financial recovery but limited local content investments, contributing to operational challenges through the early 2010s. Newport sold WXXA to Shield Media LLC in 2012 for $19.5 million, transitioning the station to a smaller operator focused on regional broadcasting. Almost immediately, Shield entered a agreement (SSA) with Young Broadcasting, owner of ABC affiliate WTEN, effective in early 2013; this arrangement consolidated studios on Northern Boulevard in Albany and merged news operations, reducing overhead but resulting in layoffs including meteorologists and reporters. The SSA improved financial viability by sharing resources, though it centralized management and diminished WXXA's independent decision-making. Nexstar Media Group's 2016 acquisition of , which owned WTEN, extended the SSA to Nexstar oversight, further integrating WXXA's operations with its for enhanced efficiency and . In November 2020, acquired WXXA from Shield Media, maintaining the existing SSA with Nexstar and ensuring continuity in staffing and programming without significant disruptions. This shift supported long-term amid industry consolidation, with no major ownership changes reported through 2025.

Digital subchannel history

WXXA-TV launched its first , WXXA-DT2, in 2008, initially affiliating it with to provide the syndication service's programming of scripted dramas and reality shows to the Capital District market. This move aligned with many affiliates adding as a secondary network on subchannels following its 2006 debut, allowing stations to utilize unused digital spectrum for additional content revenue. The affiliation lasted until 2015, when 's declining viability led to its replacement amid broader shifts in programming. Post-2015, WXXA-DT2 and subsequent subchannels underwent several programming changes to diversify offerings and capitalize on niche audiences. In 2016, the station introduced Grit on a subchannel (later designated 23.3), featuring classic Western films and series to appeal to older demographics interested in action-oriented content. This followed Grit's national launch in 2014 by Katz Television Group and its expansion to digital subchannels across multiple broadcasters. By 2021, debuted on 23.4, broadcasting 1980s and 1990s sitcoms like Family Matters and Full House as part of Nexstar Media Group's strategy to repurpose spectrum with nostalgic programming reaching over 50 million homes. was added on 23.5 around the same period, delivering documentary-style crime stories to complement the lineup with investigative content. In recent years, WXXA introduced Capital OTB TV on 23.2, a local channel dedicated to live coverage, replays, and betting analysis from New York tracks like Saratoga and Belmont, produced in partnership with the Capital District Regional Corporation. This subchannel enhances regional engagement by providing specialized sports content not available on national networks. These affiliations reflect Nexstar's broader portfolio strategy, where subchannels are leveraged to monetize bandwidth through targeted networks like Grit and , generating ad revenue while filling gaps left by major broadcasters' consolidation.

News and programming

News operation

WXXA-TV launched its news department on October 8, 1996, with a half-hour newscast at 10 p.m. branded as at 10, marking the station's entry into local after years as an independent and then Fox affiliate without in-house news production. This initial offering filled a niche for late-evening local coverage in the Capital District, competing against established network affiliates. By the early 2000s, WXXA expanded its news programming beyond the 10 p.m. slot, adding a weekday 6 p.m. newscast in January 2000 and extending the show to a full hour by September of that year; morning newscasts followed in September 2006, initially airing from 5 to 8 a.m. as Fox 23 News Mornings. These additions aimed to capture a broader during key viewing periods, including extensions to 11 p.m. in 2009. In December 2013, WXXA consolidated its news operations with WTEN under a agreement, relocating production to WTEN's studios at 341 Northern in Albany and merging reporting staffs into a unified . This arrangement, operated by , allowed for shared resources while maintaining distinct branding for WXXA's newscasts, though it resulted in staff reductions including layoffs in and reporting roles. As of 2025, WXXA broadcasts all newscasts in high definition, produced by the joint WTEN/WXXA team under News Director Ryan Mott. The schedule includes Fox 23 News in the morning from 7 to 9 a.m. weekdays ( and extended from WTEN's offerings), evenings at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays, and weekend editions at 10 p.m. with additional morning and noon options. This lineup emphasizes local stories from the 14-county , covering over 1.3 million residents. Key personnel include veteran anchor John Gray, who handles evening broadcasts; morning anchors Giuliana Bruno and Cassie Hudson; chief meteorologist Christina Erne; recent addition senior meteorologist Alyssa Caroprese, who joined in March 2025 after a decade at competitor ; and reporters such as Jordan Due and Rob Lindenmuth, focusing on investigative and community beats. The operation has earned acclaim for community engagement, including annual telethons for The Center for Disability Services, though specific ratings data highlights its competitive 10 p.m. slot historically leading the market in early years post-launch.

Syndicated and local programming

WXXA-TV's syndicated programming in 2025 features a mix of popular sitcom reruns, talk shows, and court programs, primarily airing in daytime and late-night slots to complement its Fox affiliation. Key offerings include reruns of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Modern Family, and The Goldbergs, which fill morning and afternoon blocks, alongside game shows like Jeopardy! and court series such as Judge Judy, Judge Mathis, and The People's Court. Entertainment news and true crime content, including TMZ and The First 48, rounds out the off-network lineup, providing viewers with accessible, repeat-viewing fare. Local programming on WXXA emphasizes and regional sports, with coverage of Albany-area high school athletics, such as football games between teams like CBA and Saratoga Springs, and University at Albany contests. These broadcasts highlight local talent and events, often integrated into weekend afternoons or special slots. The station also produces occasional community specials focusing on initiatives, like support for local nonprofits and cultural events, fostering ties with Albany viewers. As a Fox affiliate, WXXA carries the network's full prime-time schedule, including animated staples like (Season 37), Bob’s Burgers (Season 16), and , alongside dramas such as (Season 2) and unscripted series like Hell’s Kitchen (Season 24). Sports obligations include NFL games on Sundays and on Fridays and Saturdays, with local commercial insertions during these high-profile events. Following the digital expansion, the station has evolved its daytime and late-night blocks to incorporate more syndicated content, optimizing the 24-hour format for broader audience retention while maintaining Fox's evening dominance.

Technical information

Subchannels

WXXA-TV broadcasts five digital subchannels as of November 2025, utilizing its allocated VHF channel 8 physical frequency to transmit a multiplexed signal that delivers the Fox network's main programming alongside specialized multicast networks. The primary channel airs in high definition, while the secondary subchannels operate in standard definition to optimize bandwidth allocation. These subchannels provide diverse content ranging from live horse racing to classic television and true crime documentaries, catering to niche audiences in the Capital District. The subchannels are detailed in the following table, including their virtual channel numbers, affiliations, formats, resolutions, aspect ratios, and launch dates on WXXA-TV:
Virtual ChannelAffiliation/FormatResolutionAspect RatioLaunch Date on WXXA-TV
23.1 (main HD feed)16:9Digital launch in 2006
23.2Capital OTB TV ()4:3January 2015
23.3Grit (Westerns)16:9April 1, 2023
23.4Shop LC ()16:9As of 2025
23.5 (crime documentaries)16:9July 27, 2020
Grit was introduced on 23.3 in 2023, replacing a prior affiliation. Subchannel 23.4 previously carried until sometime prior to November 2025, when it switched to Shop LC. Viewers can access these subchannels over-the-air (OTA) using an antenna tuned to virtual channel 23, receivable within the station's signal coverage area spanning approximately 50 miles from the transmitter in the Helderberg Escarpment. On cable systems, carriage varies by provider; for example, subscribers in the Albany area receive them on channels such as 1250 for 23.2, 1251 for 23.3, and similar sequential numbers for the others, often requiring digital tuning. Satellite providers like and also carry the subchannels in their local packages, though availability may depend on agreements.

Broadcast facilities and signal

WXXA-TV maintains its broadcast operations from shared studio facilities with sister station WTEN at 341 Northern Boulevard in Albany, New York, a consolidation that took effect in 2013 following a shared services agreement between their respective owners. The station's transmitter is situated on the Helderberg Escarpment in the Helderberg Mountains west of New Salem, at coordinates 42°37′31.3″N 74°0′36.7″W. WXXA-TV operates on virtual channel 23, with its physical RF channel 8 following the 2019 broadcast spectrum repack; it transmits with an of 22 kW and a of 437.2 meters (1,434 feet), utilizing a THA-04 . The signal provides over-the-air coverage to the Capital District of New York, encompassing the Albany-Schenectady-Troy designated market area (DMA), ranked as the 62nd-largest television market in the United States as of the 2024-2025 season. It is also distributed via cable systems such as and satellite providers including and throughout the region.

Digital transition

WXXA-TV began on VHF channel 7 prior to the national transition, operating initially at low power as it constructed its full-power facilities in compliance with FCC requirements. On , 2009, the station terminated its on UHF channel 23 at midnight EDT, aligning with the federally mandated end of full-power analog transmissions across the to free for public safety and other uses. Immediately following the analog shutdown, WXXA-TV activated full-power digital operations on channel 7, delivering enhanced video and audio quality to viewers with digital-capable equipment. The transition required over-the-air viewers without digital TVs to use converter boxes, supported by the NTIA's $40 coupon program, which helped approximately 23 million households prepare nationwide; in the Albany market, the shift proceeded smoothly without widespread reported outages. As part of the FCC's 2016-2017 incentive auction and subsequent spectrum to reallocate 84 MHz of UHF spectrum for , WXXA-TV was reassigned from RF channel 7 to channel 8. Placed in —the final group of transitioning stations—the station coordinated with the FCC to complete construction and testing, moving to the new on June 4, 2020, ahead of the July 3 deadline. Over-the-air viewers needed to rescan their sets to restore access, with the FCC providing reimbursement for eligible repacking costs exceeding $1 billion across all stations.

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  40. https://www.rabbitears.info/tvq.php?request=items&call=WXXA-TV
  41. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=11970
  42. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=11970
  43. https://www.nexstar.tv/stations/wxxa-d3/
  44. https://www.fcc.gov/general/digital-television
  45. https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2008/one-year-2009-digital-tv-transition-commerce-secretary-gutierrez-highlights-tv
  46. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/dtv-transition-consumer-guide-archive
  47. https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/incentive-auctions/transition-schedule
  48. https://www.news10.com/top-stories/wxxa-fox23-switched-to-new-over-the-air-signal/
  49. https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/FCC-changing-frequency-of-two-local-TV-stations-15368688.php
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