WNYT-TV, LLC, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Venture Technologies Group, LLC to acquire the broadcast assets of WNYA-TV, the My Network affiliate serving the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York market (#58).

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. of St. Paul, MN, which has a long and successful history in broadcasting, is the owner of WNYT-TV, Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s NBC affiliate.  WNYT-TV Vice President and General Manager, Steve Baboulis, said, “We are pleased to be adding WNYA’s programming to the services we currently provide in New York State’s Capital Region.  We will work hard to enhance the good work WNYA has done in our market, and we look forward to this exciting opportunity.”

As part of this transaction, Venture Technologies and WNYT-TV also have entered into a Joint Sales Agreement, under which WNYT will provide sales services for WNYA.  

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (AP) - A poll shows New York voters nearly evenly divided on natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing.
    
The Siena Research Institute poll released Monday says voters statewide were split 40-40 percent when asked if the Department of Environmental Conservation should lift a 4 ½-year-old moratorium on fracking. The remaining 20 percent had no opinion. In the Southern Tier region where drilling would most likely start, the poll showed 48 percent opposed and 47 percent favored lifting the ban.
    
The poll found opponents of fracking were far more passionate in their positions than supporters were.
    
The agency has a Feb. 27 deadline to complete fracking regulations or let them expire.
    
The telephone poll conducted Jan. 27-31 surveyed 1,154 registered voters and has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The New York State Thruway Authority is planning 234 layoffs to help shore up its finances, but no toll increases are planned.
    
Thruway spokesman Dan Weiller says the layoffs of full-time workers will be in all regions, including the Albany headquarters. The authority employs 29,068 workers.
    
Weiller says no toll increases of any type are planned.
    
The layoffs are expected to save $20 million. The authority's total is budget is $977 million.
    
Weiller says Wednesday the job cuts aren't linked the rejection of a toll increase for truckers last year.
    
The authority is run by appointees of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but is legally independent of state government. It operates the statewide toll highway and New York's canal system.