| Ishpeming/Marquette, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| Branding | ABC 10 (general) ABC 10 News NOW CW 5 (on DT2) |
| Channels | Digital: 10 (VHF) & WBKP-DT 5.2 (VHF) |
| Subchannels | 10.1 ABC 10.2 The CW |
| Owner | Marks Radio Group (Lake Superior Community Broadcasting Corporation) |
| First air date | January 2, 2003 |
| Call letters' meaning | Beautiful Upper Peninsula |
| Sister station(s) | WBKP |
| Former channel number(s) | 10 (VHF analog, 2003-2009) |
| Transmitter power | 9 kW 6.4 kW (WBKP-DT2) |
| Height | 230 m 301 m (WBKP-DT2) |
| Facility ID | 59281 76001 (WBKP-DT2) |
| Transmitter coordinates | (WBKP-DT2) |
WBUP is the ABC-affiliated television station for Michigan's Central Upper Peninsula licensed to Ishpeming. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter in Humboldt Township. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 10 and in high definition on digital channel 780. Owned by the Marks Radio Group, WBUP is sister to CW affiliate WBKP and the two share studios on Ash Street in Ishpeming. Syndicated programming on WBUP includes Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Entertainment Tonight, and The Insider among others. It can also be seen on WBKP's second digital subchannel (VHF channel 5.2) from a transmitter on Tolonen Hill in Atlantic Mine.
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In August 1997, the area's original ABC affiliate WBKP launched repeater station W28BX on channel 28 in Marquette to cover the city proper. Since this low-powered over-the-air signal was very weak, it could only be picked up in Marquette and Negaunee. In Spring 2003, WBKP replaced the low-powered repeater with full-time satellite WBUP. This aired a full-powered analog signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter southeast of Republic in Marquette County.
At this point, WBUP and WBKP took the on-air branding "ABC 5&10". Eventually, WBUP's transmitter was moved to the tower of PBS affiliate WNMU in Ely Township and then to its current location in Humboldt Township. In January 2004, the Scanlan family sold WBUP/WBKP and WBKB-TV to Lake Superior Community Broadcasting which is a company owned by Stephan Marks of Maryland. In July 2007, the two stations split with WBKP becoming a CW affiliate as part of The CW Plus while WBUP remained with ABC.
Since it was granted an original construction permit after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997, this station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. Instead around June 12, 2009 (which was the end of the digital television conversion period for full-service stations), WBUP turned-off its analog signal and turned on its digital signal though a "flash-cut". It then began offering a standard definition simulcast of WBKP on a new second digital subchannel in order to expand its reach.
WBUP is the one of two sources for local newscasts in the area, since WFRV semi-satellite WJMN-TV offers brief Upper Peninsula-specific news and weather updates produced at facilities in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Despite that, WLUC has held the number one spot in Nielson ratings by a wide margin for its entire existence. WBUP maintains a smaller local news operation compared with that station and most other big three outlets. In March 2002, an initial attempt to take on WLUC with a news department of its own was shut down due to low ratings and budget cuts.
Shortly after Stephan Marks acquired WBUP/WBKP, a second attempt at airing newscasts was launched. This time, shows known as UGN News (with "UGN" meaning "Upper Great <Lakes> News <Network>") were simulcasted on WBKB in Alpena. The broadcasts featured regional news and weather coverage from the entire Upper and Northern Lower Peninsulas. In 2006, UGN News was re-focused to the Upper Peninsula and only originated from WBUP/WBKP. At some point after becoming a separate station and taking over primary news production, WBUP re-branded its newscasts to ABC 10 News NOW.
Currently, this station produces local news weeknights at 5:30, 10 (on WBKP), and 11. In December 2007, WBUP began producing the market's first prime time newscast on WBKP. Known as CW 5 News NOW at 10, this can be seen on weeknights for thirty minutes. As of September 8, 2009, the show competes with another one airing at the same time on Fox affiliate WLUC-DT2. Although WBUP does not have a meteorologist on its staff, the station subscribes to AccuWeather allowing the news anchor to give a brief forecast. It also shares resources with The Mining Journal in Marquette.
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