WMAQ-TV
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| WMAQ-TV | |
|---|---|
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| Chicago, Illinois | |
| Branding | NBC5 Chicago |
| Channels | 5 (VHF) analog, 29 (UHF) digital |
| Affiliations | NBC
NBC Weather Plus (DT2) |
| Owner | NBC Universal |
| Founded | January 7, 1948 |
| Call letters meaning | We Must Ask Questions |
| Former callsigns | WNBQ (1948-1964) |
| Former affiliations | None |
| Transmitter Power | 20 kW/494 m (analog) 350 kW/508 m (digital) |
| Website | http://www.nbc5.com/ |
WMAQ-TV, officially branded as NBC5 Chicago, is an American television station in Chicago, Illinois owned and operated by NBC. Broadcasting from facilities at NBC Tower on North Columbus Drive and its Magnificent Mile street-level Studio 5 on North Michigan Avenue, the station transmits from the Sears Tower. WMAQ-TV call letters refers to a past slogan, "We Must Ask Questions." It currently offers NBC Weather Plus on its digital subcarrier.
Contents |
[edit] History
The station signed on January 7, 1948, as WNBQ. Eight years later, it became the first station in the world to broadcast all of its programs in color. Though NBC had long owned WMAQ-AM, it did not change the TV station's call letters to match until 1964.
WMAQ-TV gained fame for its newscasts during the 1960s, anchored by Floyd Kalber, with weatherman Harry Volkman (later of WBBM-TV, WGN-TV and WFLD), and commentator Len O'Connor. In 1975, Jane Pauley, later of NBC national news, briefly co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. news with Kalber. The station operated from the Merchandise Mart before moving to the NBC Tower in 1989.
The station was not only a launching pad for Jane Pauley, but also for a few other personalities before they went national as well, including CBS sportsman Greg Gumbel, CNN Headline News morning anchor Robin Meade, Inside Edition host Deborah Norville, and The Insider host Pat O'Brien.
[edit] Jerry Springer controversy
WMAQ achieved notoriety in 1997 when the station, in an effort to boost its newscast ratings, hired Jerry Springer as a commentator. At the same time, the station adopted a more tabloid news format by bringing in Joel Cheatwood. Previously, Cheatwood was known for establishing fast-paced tabloid newscasts at WSVN in Miami, Florida and WHDH in Boston, Massachusetts.
Though Springer was once a newscaster at WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio (another NBC affiliate), his association with his infamous talk show (which was, and is, broadcast from WMAQ's NBC Tower studios, and is now distributed by NBC Universal) led to the belief that the newscast was being dumbed down. There were a handful of Springer supporters; nevertheless, the incident triggered a lot of negative publicity, both locally and nationally. The station's well-respected longtime anchor team, Carol Marin and Ron Magers, resigned in protest. News broadcasts at that time originated from a studio that opened onto the station's newsroom. As Marin signed off her last newscast, station personnel stood en masse in the newsroom behind her in a symbolic show of support for her decision to resign. The station saw a drop in its ratings. Springer only made two commentaries before being let go, and station management later called his hiring a mistake.
Magers wound up at rival WLS-TV, where he still is today. Marin joined rival WBBM-TV while contributing reports at CBS before coming back to WMAQ in 2004 as a special correspondent.
[edit] Logos
 WNBQ logo with RCA logo |
 WMAQ-TV logo from 1964 to 1969 |
 WMAQ-TV logo from January 1, 1976 to January 25, 1986 (Channel 5 used the Proud N [11-feathered peacock merged with the N] from September, 1979 to January 25, 1986. Also a logo with a similar font was used July 25, 1992-November 1995) |
 The 11-feathered peacock after merging with the Proud N logo. |
 WMAQ-TV logo from January 26, 1986 to July 24, 1992 (used the 11-feathered peacock from January to May 1986) |
 WMAQ-TV logo from November 1995 to August 2000 |
 The Present NBC 5 logo, used since August of 2000 |
[edit] News
The station's radar is called "Live Doppler 5".
[edit] Newscasts
Monday thru Friday
- Barely Today - 4:30-5 a.m. (with an FM simulcast on WLUP 97.9 FM) [1] [2]
- NBC5 News Today - 5-7 a.m.
- NBC5 News at 4:30 p.m. - 4:30-5:00 p.m.
- NBC5 News at 5 p.m. - 5-5:30 p.m.
- NBC5 News at 6 p.m. - 6-6:30 p.m.
- NBC5 News at 10 p.m. - 10-10:35 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays
- NBC5 News Today - 6-7 a.m. (Saturday & Sunday)
- NBC5 News Today - 9-10 a.m. (Saturday)
- NBC5 News Today - 8-9:30 a.m. (Sunday)
- NBC5 News at 5 p.m. - 5-5:30 p.m.
- NBC5 News at 10 p.m. - 10-10:30 p.m.
Other Local Programs
- City Desk - 9:30-10:00am (Sunday)
- Sports Sunday - 10:35-11:05pm (Sunday)
[edit] Personalities
[edit] Anchors
- Marion Brooks - Weekdays at 4:30 p.m.
- Anna Davlantes - Weekend evenings
- Rob Elgas - Weekend mornings
- Ellee Pai Hong - Weekday mornings
- Dick Johnson - Weekday mornings
- Zoraida Sambolin - Weekend mornings (also Special Assignment Reporter and Fill-in News Anchor for Telemundo Chicago)
- Allison Rosati - Weekdays 5, 6, and 10 p.m.
- Warner Saunders - Weekdays 5, 6, and 10 p.m.
- Bob Sirott - Weekdays at 4:30 p.m.
- Bruce Wolf - Barely Today and Weekday mornings (also handles traffic and sports)
[edit] Reporters
- Mary Ann Ahern
- Renee Ferguson - Investigative Reporter
- Amy Jacobson
- Nesita Kwan - Health Reporter (also Fill-in anchor)
- Carol Marin - Political Editor (formerly longtime Anchor and Investigative Reporter)
- Natalie Martinez
- Lauren Jiggetts
- Art Norman - Feature Reporter (also Fill-in anchor)
- Anita Padilla
- Lisa Parker - Investigative Reporter: Target 5
- Alex Perez
- Phil Rogers (formerly with WBBM-AM)
- LeeAnn Trotter - Entertainment Reporter (former Weekday Morning Traffic Anchor)
- Lisa Tutman
- Kim Vatis
- Charlie Wojciechowski - Technology Reporter
- Sharon Wright
[edit] Weather Team
- Andy Avalos - Weekday mornings, 4:30 to 7 a.m. (also news and weather breaks during 'Today')
- Brant Miller - Weeknights, 4:30, 5, 6 & 10 p.m.
- Pete Sack - Fill-in
- Ginger Zee - Weekends
[edit] Sports Team
- Ryan Baker - Weekdays/Weekends (also co-hosts Sports Sunday)
- Mike Adamle- Weekdays/Weekends (freelance)
- Paula Faris- Weekdays/Weekends
- Peggy Kusinski- Weekdays/ Weekends, Chicago Bears Beat Reporter
- Bruce Wolf - Weekday mornings
[edit] Past Personalities
- Linda Alvarez - reporter (1973-1977, now at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles)
- Jackie Bange - weekend anchor/reporter (1990-1993, now at WGN-TV)
- Derrick Blakely - weekend anchor/reporter (1987-2003, now at WBBM-TV)
- John Coleman - meteorologist (1984-1990, now at KUSI-TV in San Diego)
- Chet Coppock - sports anchor (1981-1984, currently at WMVP-AM)
- Don Craig - anchor (1976-1978)
- Jim Cummins - reporter (1976-1978, now Southwest Bureau Chief at NBC News)
- Darryl David - business reporter/weekeknd anchor (1987-1989)
- Jill Dougherty - reporter (1980-1983, now at CNN in Washington, D.C.)
- Ysabel Duron - reporter (1986-1990, now at KRON-TV in San Francisco)
- Joan Esposito - anchor/reporter (1989-1999)
- Russ Ewing - investigative reporter (1967-1981 and 1998-2001)
- Robin George - reporter/fill-in anchor (1990-2000)
- Mark Giangreco - sports anchor (1982-1993, now at WLS-TV)
- Sylvia Gomez - reporter (1992-1994)
- Roberta Gonzales - weather anchor (1990-1996, now at KPIX-TV in San Francisco)
- Greg Gumbel - sports anchor (1973-1981, now at CBS Sports)
- Chuck Henry - anchor (1979-1982, now at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles)
- Cindy Hernandez - reporter (1994-1997)
- Ron Hunter - anchor (1975-1978)
- Walter Jacobson anchor/reporter (1971-1973)
- Floyd Kalber - legendary anchor (1960-1976, deceased)
- Dick Kay - political reporter/commentator/host of City Desk (1968-2006, the longest serving reporter at WMAQ)
- Jon Kelley - sports reporter (1991-1998, now with Extra)
- Ron Magers - longtime anchor (1981-1997, now at WLS-TV)
- Marlene McClinton - weekend anchor/reporter (1984-1987)
- Robin Meade - anchor/reporter (1994-2001, now at CNN Headline News)
- Al Meltzer - sports anchor/reporter (1977-1978)
- Byron Miranda - weather anchor (1998-2002)
- Erin Moriarty - consumer reporter (1983-1986, now at CBS News)
- Jeannie Morris - sports reporter (1970-1973 and 1974-75)
- Johnny Morris - sports anchor (1968-1975)
- Mary Murnane - weekend anchor/reporter (1985-1990)
- Rich Newberg - investigative reporter (1975-1978, now at WIVB-TV in Buffalo)
- Deborah Norville - reporter/anchor (1982-1986, now host of Inside Edition)
- Pat O'Brien - anchor/reporter
- Roger O'Neil - reporter (now an NBC News correspondent)
- Jane Pauley - anchor/reporter (1975-1976)
- Maury Povich - anchor (1976-1977)
- Cindy Preszler - meteorologist (1997-1998, currently at KSDK-TV in St. Louis)
- Norma Quarles - reporter (1977-1978)
- Gene Randall - anchor/reporter (1976-1980)
- Carol Anne Riddell - reporter (1990-1992, now at WNBC-TV in New York)
- Max Robinson - anchor (1984-1985, deceased)
- Jim Ruddle - anchor (1968-1986)
- Rick Sallinger - reporter (1986-1990, now at KCNC-TV in Denver)
- Rich Samuels - reporter (1974-1991, now runs a website on Chicago broadcasting [3]
- Dave Savini - investigative reporter (1993-2004, now at WBBM-TV)
- Mark Schanowski - sports anchor/reporter (1998-2005, now at Comcast Sportsnet Chicago)
- Alan Sealls - meteorologist (1997-1999, now at WKRG-TV in Mobile, Alabama)
- Tom Shaer - sports reporter/anchor (1989-2001)
- Don Shane - sports anchor/reporter (1980-1983, now at WXYZ-TV in Detroit)
- Carole Simpson - weekend anchor/reporter (1970-1974)
- Tammie Souza - meteorologist (2000-2006, now at WFLD-TV, sister of KXTV meteorologist Patty Souza)
- Mark Suppelsa - anchor/investigative reporter (1993-2003, now at WFLD-TV)
- Jerry Taft - weather anchor (1977-1984, now at WLS-TV)
- Martha Teichner - reporter (1976-1977, now at CBS News)
- Jim Tilmon - weather anchor and aviation reporter (1972-1994, now at WBBM-TV)
- Harry Volkman - weather anchor (1959-1967)
- Phil Walters - anchor/reporter (1967-1976 and 1997-2000, deceased)
- Tim Weigel - sports anchor (1975-1977, deceased)
- Roy Weissinger - weekend anchor/reporter (1984-1987)
- Linda Yu - anchor/reporter (1979-1984, now at WLS-TV)
- Bill Zwecker - movie critic (1993-2000, now at WBBM-TV)
[edit] Trivia
In director Spike Lee's 1986 film She's Gotta Have It, the character Greer Childs is seen wearing a WMAQ tee shirt.
[edit] References
- Johnson, Steve (July/August 1997). How Low Can TV News Go?. Columbia Journalism Review.
- Broadcasting in Chicago: 1921-1989
- WNBQ/WMAQ-TV history
[edit] External links
- WMAQ-TV NBC 5 Web Site
- WMAQ Wireless
- WMAQ General Information at NBC5.com
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WMAQ-TV
- Aerial photo of WMAQ-TV transmitter from Google Local
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WBBM 2 (CBS) - W04CQ 4 (Silent) - WMAQ 5 (NBC) - WLS 7 (ABC) - WGN 9 (The CW, The Tube on DT2) - WTTW 11 (PBS, Create on DT3) - WOCK-CA 13 (Azteca América) - W13BQ 13 (DW) - W18AT 18 / W54BK 54 (LeSEA) - WYCC 20 (PBS) - W64CQ 22 (TBN) - WWME-CA 23 (Ind) - WHVI-LP 24 (LeSEA) - WCIU 26 (Ind) - WSPY-LP 30 (A1) - WFLD 32 (Fox) - WEDE-CA 34 (Ind) - WWTO 35 (TBN) - WCPX 38 (ION) - WOCH-CA 41 (Ind) - WSNS 44 (TEL) - WFBT-CA 48 (Ind) - WPWR 50 (MNTV) - W54BE 54 (Edu. Ind) - WLFM-LP 55 (Ind) - WYIN 56 (PBS) - WXFT 60 (TFT) - WCHU-LP 61 (MTV3) - WJYS 62 (Ind) - WGBO 66 (UNI) |
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