WMBD-TV

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WMBD-TV
Peoria, Illinois
Branding	WMBD NewsChannel 31
Slogan	Making a Difference for You
Channels	31 (UHF) analog, 30 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	CBS (since 1958)
Owner	Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Founded	1958
Call letters meaning	World's Most Beautiful Drive (referring to Peoria's Grandview Drive overlooking the Illinois River)
Former affiliations	None
Website	http://www.wmbd.com/

WMBD-TV, channel 31, is the CBS affiliate in Peoria, Illinois. It is the first Peoria station to broadcast local color television, the last to broadcast digital television, and the only commercial television station with its studio and offices still in the city itself.

Contents 1 Ownership 2 History 2.1 Logos 3 Programming 3.1 Station names 3.2 Slogans 3.3 News themes 4 Personalities 4.1 Current 4.2 Former 5 Location 6 External links

[edit] Ownership

WMBD-TV has been co-owned with WCIA (TV) in Champaign, Illinois for decades. Along with WCFN in Springfield, Illinois, they are now owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group. WMBD-TV also operates WYZZ-TV.

[edit] History

WMBD-TV first signed on the air on January 1, 1958. The original owners were Charles Caley and John Fetzer of WMBD, Inc., and it was co-owned with WMBD radio (AM 1470 and 99.3 FM, now WPBG). The stations were sold to Midwest Television Inc. of Champaign, Illinois; owners of WCIA in 1960 for $1.85 million.

In 1999, WMBD-TV was split from its radio sisters when Midwest Television divested its Illinois stations, selling TV stations WMBD-TV, WCFN Springfield, and WCIA Champaign to Nexstar Broadcasting Group and the two Peoria radio stations to Peoria-onwed JMP Media LLC (a subsidiary of California-based Triad Broadcasting).

[edit] Logos

WMBD-TV Logo, circa 1991 to 1997

Current WMBD-TV logo

[edit] Programming

WMBD's newscast airs weekdays at noon, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 10:00 PM. The morning show, WMBD This Morning, airs from 5:30 AM to 7:45 AM from Monday to Friday. The station also produces a 9pm newscast for WYZZ-TV.

In addition to sharing news items with WCIA, WMBD-TV has also carried some original WCIA programs:

• At the Hop (1950s-1960s): with John Coleman and later with Ed Mason
• Dialing for Dollars (1960s-1970s)
• Nightmare Theater (1958-1962)
• The Bruce Weber Show

[edit] Station names

• "Action News 31" (1960s-1970s)
• "31 News Alive" (1970s-1980s)
• "NewsCenter 31" (1980s-90s)
• "News 31" (early to mid-1990s)
• "WMBD News" (mid 1990s)
• "CBS 31 News" (1997 to 2003)
• "NewsChannel 31 News" (2003-present)

[edit] Slogans

• "The Best News of All" (Did use CBS' "Get Ready" campaign and montage in 1989) (1980s-1990s)
• "Your News Authority" (Did use CBS' "The Look of America is CBS" campaign and montage in the early 1990s) (1990s)
• "Specifically Designed for Busy People (Like You)" (Did use "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls for a montage in 1997) (1990s)
• "The One and Only" (Did air a montage featuring the news team with the song "You're The One That I Want" from the film Grease) (1990s)
• "Bottom Line, Better News" (Did use CBS' "Its All Here" montage in 2002 also) (2001-2003)
• "Making A Difference For You" (2003-present)

[edit] News themes

• "Move Closer To Your World" Mayoham Music 1972-1975
• "Wall to Wall News" Stephen Arnold Music 1991-1992
• "Newsleader" Stephen Arnold Music 1992-1996
• "Counterpoint" Stephen Arnold Music 1996-1999
• "One World" Stephen Arnold Music 1999-2001
• "Overture" Stephen Arnold Music 2001-present

[edit] Personalities

[edit] Current

Stephanie Brown Katie Burcham Catherine Cambra Chuck Collins Rob Coons Brad Harding Megan Johnson Will Koch Bob Larson Bret LaMoine

Brent Lonteen Lisa Miller Amy Paul Kurt Pegler Trisha Skidmore Rachel Stein Josh Stone Steve Trainor

[edit] Former

Karen Adams John Alois Diane Barber Orrin Benjamin Julie Broski Cheryl Burton Rene Charles John Coleman Chris Curtis Faith Daniels Jenifer Daniels Liza Danver Donna Davis Annette Eulitt Anne Ferry Nancy Flagg Dave Freeman Yvonne Greer Kate Habecker (later Kenny) Kristyn Hartman Don Hein Wayne Herman Bob Jamieson Jim Jensen Tom Kelly Kimberly LaBurda

Sally Larvick Carol LeBeau Mike McClellan Krystal Morris Paul Moyer Aimee Nuzzo Paige Perich L.P. Phillips Laura Trendle Polus Joe Rex Chuck Rogers Jane Rogers Rachel Ryan Justin Sacher Randy Salerno Martin Savidge Donna Schultze Bob Starr Kari Stewart Howard Sudberry Dan Swaney Lisa Sylvester Darcy Thomas Dorothy Tucker Jay Verner

[edit] Location

WMBD-TV's transmitters are located in rural East Peoria. Its studio and office is:

WMBD-TV

3131 N. University St.

Peoria IL 61604

Phone: 1-309-688-3131

[edit] External links

• WMBD homepage
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WMBD-TV
• Unoffical WMBD-TV 31 Fan Blog