One month later, NBC signed a long-term affiliation deal with Outlet Communications. Outlet had a longstanding relationship with NBC; it owned two of the network's strongest affiliates, company flagship WJAR-TV in Providence, Rhode Island and WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio. As part of the deal, NBC agreed to move its Triangle affiliation to WNCN when the network's contract with incumbent affiliate WRDC (channel 28) ran out in the fall. As part of the deal, channel 17 immediately began to run NBC programs that were preempted by WRDC. Since WRDC delayed UPN fare to air on Friday and Saturday nights instead of NBC's weaker prime time lineup, WNCN became the NBC affiliate for the market two nights of the week.