Founded in 1953 by William L. Putnam, WWLP came into being to offer a dedicated television voice to the people of Western Massachusetts. The idea sparked when Putnam realized that the rugged terrain of the Pioneer Valley was completely blocking television signals coming from larger cities like Boston, and he decided to build a local station so his community wouldn't be left in the dark regarding news and programming. The station grew significantly over the decades, and the network continues to operate today under the ownership of the major broadcasting company Nexstar Media Group. Today, 22 News WWLP is based in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is mainly focused on local news for the Western Massachusetts region. They have made a name for themselves among locals looking for comprehensive updates on state and regional politics, community entertainment, severe New England winter weather, and dedicated sports coverage that features local high school athletics alongside major regional teams. One interesting fact: A unique fact about WWLP is its incredibly risky, trailblazing start in the television industry. When founder William L. Putnam launched the station in 1953, he utilized UHF (Ultra High Frequency) broadcasting—which was so new that most televisions at the time didn't even have dials to tune into it! Viewers literally had to buy special converter boxes for their TVs just to watch the channel, making WWLP one of the very first successful UHF stations in the entire United States.