Local TV history was made on Sunday night, April 22, 1990. Rochester’s first 10 p.m. newscast “News5 Rochester – the Ten O’Clock Report” debuted on Greater Rochester Cablevision’s WGRC-TV5, one of the first local newscasts shown only on a cable provider.
The first faces on air that night were news anchors Leigh Ann Carlson and Doug Lezette, meteorologist Sam Evans and Bill Pucko with sports.
Of the original 20-plus employees, six remain with the station which has gone through several name changes over the years:
In 1992, the news station moved from cable channel 5 to its present location on cable channel 9. The station’s name changed at that time to GRC 9, also known as 9News.
By July 4, 1995, the station expanded to producing newscasts 24/7 and the name changed to R News.
On August 25, 2009, the newsroom became known as YNN Rochester.
In December 2013, we became TWC News.
Over the years the station has garnered many industry awards including the Cable ACE awards, RTDNA Murrow awards, NY Emmy awards, NY Associated Press awards and the Telly award.
We have created several annual traditions including televising live: the city of Rochester’s fireworks displays for Independence Day and New Year’s Eve, the Lilac Parade, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, State of the County address and State of the City address.
Those charter employees still on staff are photographers Helen Moore and Tim Keegan, video producer Bob Gosney, reporter Mike Hedeen, Operations Manager Anne Meagher and News Director Ed Buttaccio.
The 10 p.m. news on April 22, 2015, will be produced in memory of two individuals who worked on the newscast in those first years, former production crew member Renee Julian and former News Director Pete Dobrovitz.
In 25 years, our Rochester newsroom has been led by two news directors – Pete Dobrovitz, 1990-97 and Ed Buttaccio 1997-present.
We look forward to serving the communities of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes for years to come.