About WCNY
Mission
As Central New York’s public communications organization, WCNY is committed to improving education, creating economic opportunities, and enhancing quality of life by telling our stories, serving our communities, and encouraging appreciation for diversity, partnership, and learning.
Vision
WCNY inspires the curious of all ages through educational programs and transformative experiences that open minds and spark change.
Values
- Integrity
- Quality
- Respect
- Diversity
- Service
Watch a Video Showcasing WCNY’s Mission & Impact on the Local Community:
History
WCNY was launched in 1965 and chartered by the New York State Department of Education as the Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York. WCNY is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, and a member-supported affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service.
WCNY was originally known as “The Education Station,” but has dramatically expanded its services throughout 19 counties over the past 50 years. What was once a single broadcast television channel has grown to include four digital channels, including a cable-only station. WCNY, Create, WORLD and PBS KIDS channels are available to more than 1.8 million people over-the-air or via cable, fiber, and satellite services.
At the same time, WCNY-FM has grown from a single classical music station to three digital stations. In addition to Classic FM, WCNY broadcasts Community FM, highlighting local people and local perspectives, as well as jazz and oldies on its HD stations. All three stations are also available for online streaming. Classic FM remains one of the nation’s few remaining locally programmed classical music stations, with expert hosts making all music programming decisions. Classic FM is also an NPR affiliate, offering hourly news broadcasts.
In 2013, WCNY moved its operations from its longtime home in Liverpool to a new, state-of-the-art Broadcast and Education Center on Syracuse’s Near Westside. The facility features two large television studios, where “Ivory Tower,” “On the Money,” “Cycle of Health,” “Behind the Woman,” “Reading Buddies,” “CONNECT NY,” and other local programs are recorded for high-definition broadcast. The building is also home to two new radio studios and 10 audio and video production suites, as well as Centralcast Master Control, a partnership of New York State PBS stations and WCNY, managed from the Centralcast command center at WCNY. Centralcast provides services for all nine PBS stations in New York, the state of New Jersey, WHYY in Philadelphia, PA, WTVI in Charlotte, NC, and PBS Hawaii, among others.
As part of its educational mission, WCNY in 2013 launched Enterprise America, a hands-on experiential learning center for middle and high school students, where they learn how to be entrepreneurs in a simulated city.
The 10,000-square-foot education center is a small city, complete with a city hall, a variety of businesses, and service companies. The students run the businesses, learn civic concepts, and explore careers based in STEM (science technology, engineering, and math), and prepare to become tomorrow’s workforce.
As Central New York’s public communications organization, WCNY is committed to improving education, creating economic opportunities, and enhancing quality of life by telling our stories, serving our communities, and encouraging appreciation for diversity, partnership, and learning. We’re committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining a talented workforce that is dedicated to that mission and giving back to a community that generously supports us.
WCNY offers a vibrant, challenging, and fast-paced workplace where teamwork and individual initiative are encouraged and valued. We promote an environment that welcomes different perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences, and we foster appreciation of that diversity and mutual respect among our staff.
WCNY is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Thank you for your interest in joining the WCNY team.
WCNY-TV/FM
415 W. Fayette St.
Syracuse, New York 13204
Office: 315.453.2424
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