WTNH history

WTNH first went on the air on June 15, 1948 as WNHC-TV, originally broadcasting on channel 6.

When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Sixth Report and Order ended the four-year freeze on television license awards in 1952, it also reorganized station allocations to alleviate interference issues.

WNHC-TV shared some CBS programming with New Britain's WKNB-TV (Channel 30, now WVIT) until 1955, since WKNB's signal was not strong enough to cover New Haven, Connecticut at the time. As a result, WNHC-TV changed frequencies and moved to channel 8 in December 1953.

WNHC-TV shared some CBS programming with New Britain's WKNB-TV (channel 30, now NBC owned-and-operated station WVIT) until 1955, since WKNB's signal was not strong enough to cover New Haven at the time.

In 1956, the WNHC stations were purchased by Philadelphia-based Triangle Publications.

Under Triangle ownership the WNHC stations moved to a new studio facility, on College Street in downtown New Haven, around 1960.

Triangle was forced to sell its broadcast outlets in 1970 after then-Pennsylvania Governor Milton J. Shapp complained the company had used its Pennsylvania stations in a smear campaign against him.

Triangle was forced to sell its television stations in 1971 after then-Pennsylvania Governor Milton J. Shapp complained the company had used its Pennsylvania stations in a smear campaign against him.

On March 19, 1985, Capital Cities announced its intention to buy ABC in a deal that would stun the broadcast industry.

Capital Cities bought ABC in 1986 in a deal that stunned the broadcast industry.

Cook Inlet sold WTNH to LIN Television in 1994.

For over a quarter century, the station used the Action News format made famous at former Philadelphia sister station WFIL-TV (now WPVI-TV), even using the same "Move Closer to Your World" music and graphics packages as WPVI. It rebranded as NewsChannel 8 in 1996.

In 2001, LIN TV bought WCTX outright.

In 2005, WCTX began simulcasting the second hour of WTNH's weekday morning show (at 6) followed by a third hour from 7 to 8 a.m. that was seen exclusively on WCTX, except for simulcast Good Morning America cut-ins on WTNH. The second hour was eventually dropped for an unknown reason.

On May 18, 2007, the company announced that it was exploring strategic alternatives that could have resulted in the sale of the company.

The 7 a.m. hour received competition on March 3, 2008 when WTIC launched its own weekday morning show.

On October 4, 2010, WTNH became the third station in the market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.

WCTX's newscasts also made the transition, while Connecticut Style made the transition in 2011.

Graziano, 48, was general manager of WTIC-TV (Fox 61) in Hartford and publisher of The Courant before he left in 2013 to take the job of president and general manager at WPIX-TV in New York City.

On March 21, 2014, Media General announced that it would purchase LIN Media and its stations, including WTNH and WCTX, in a $1.6 billion merger.

On September 8, 2015, Media General announced that it would acquire the Meredith Corporation for $2.4 billion, with the combined group to be renamed Meredith Media General if the sale had been finalized.

However, on January 27, 2016, Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Media General, resulting in the termination of Meredith's acquisition by Media General.

In 2020, there were more boating accidents in Connecticut— 54 —but fewer deaths, three, according to the Coast Guard’s annual Recreational Boating Statistics report.The Courant

A deadly mix for Connecticut boaters: Distractions, alcohol and no life jacketIn 2021, the Coast Guard reported 43 boating accidents and seven deaths in Connecticut.