Wheeling, W.Va. (WTRF) – From telephones to television, the technology we use has changed drastically over the last century.
WTRF is about to celebrate our 70th Anniversary this month, and over those 7 decades the technology we use to bring you the best news coverage in the Ohio Valley has seen some massive improvements.
WTRF began broadcasting in the black-and-white era. In July of 1959, the station installed a new Vidicon camera, bringing cleaner, sharper image quality to its films and slides.
Then, during the following October, WTRF took a big leap by purchasing a video tape machine, which enabled the taping of its local shows to check for things like accuracy and production details.
July of ’63 marked the completion of one of the tallest towers in the area. Standing a whopping 750 feet tall on the top of Kirkwood Heights, the tower gave TV7’s signal the ability to reach northeast to Pittsburgh, to Westin in the south, and Marietta and Parkersburg to the southeast.
WTRF Channel 7 would go on to become the Ohio Valley’s first full-color station, with new movie projectors, cameras, and video tape machines.
In 1969, WTRF moved into a new one-million-dollar complex at 96 16th Street in downtown Wheeling, where we remain today. December of 1981 would see a massive technological upgrade with the installation of a 7-meter receiving satellite dish.
WTRF 7NEWS is continuing its march through the 21st century, building a brand new, state-of-the-art set in 2022. It features more tools than ever before to bring the Ohio Valley the best news coverage from across the region and the world.
