Behind the Scenes at Channel 13 in 1979

Our mission is to tell accurate, quality and insightful news stories at NewsChannel 13. While that hasn’t changed, the tools we use definitely have. Here’s a cool look at how we put a newscast together on one day in 1979.

[rbryjack]

A feature I put together back when I hosted First Edition... which was our Sunday lead-in to 60 Minutes. Brings back a lot of great memories... with a lot of great people.!

[calvertthedad]

This is priceless...well to me, because I'm in it, and it was my life 44 years ago. So many people who were colleagues are now gone. There were a lot of very smart, talented people there. Just saying. I got tingles when anchor Wilson Hall said "stay tuned for the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite." Thanks Rachel and the other folks who put this together. I forget this existed.

[bobkrause]

This is awesome. Brings back a lot of memories

[JimHawkwind]

I’ve discovered that Benita Zahn has left WNYT in 2021.

At the time, WNYT, then known as WAST, was affiliated with CBS, having swapped affiliates with WTEN, who are affiliated with ABC since 1978. WAST would swap affiliates with WRGB, getting their NBC affiliate.

This was when NBC, after spending the late 70s to the early 80s in the ratings basement, began making their comeback and eventually dominated the 1980s.

[Longetty]

7:21 11PM news producer Dan Forman also produced Howard Stern's Channel 9 show on WOR from '90 through '92

[radiodude]

WOW! This is something I wasnt sure still existed...video footage of Channel 13 prior to the WNYT relaunch. Its amazing just how far this station has come since this time.