for the most part, wivt has been a non-factor in the local newscast race in binghamton. it has spent most of its history as the third station in what was at one point essentially a two-station market (since it did not sign-on until november 1962). the outlet reaped virtually no benefit when the area's long-time nbc affiliate wicz switched to fox in 1996. immediately after taking control, the ackerley group significantly upgraded wivt's news department with the ability to share resources with wixt's well-respected news department in syracuse as well as the company's other television properties in upstate new york.