WMAQ-TV
Encyclopedia
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network
, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower
in the Streeterville
neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile
at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower. WMAQ-TV is a sister station to WSNS-TV
(channel 44), affiliated with the Spanish-language network Telemundo
; and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
The station signed on October 8, 1948, as WNBQ, the last of Chicago's four commercial VHF stations to launch, and the third of the five original NBC owned-and-operated stations, three weeks ahead of WNBK (now WKYC-TV
) in Cleveland
. 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 radio (670 AM, frequency now occupied by WSCR
), it did not change the TV station's call letters to WMAQ-TV until August 31, 1964. The calls of its sister radio station were initially assigned by the government, but went on to form the phrase "We Must Ask Questions," which the radio station took on as its motto in the 1920s.
WMAQ-TV originated several programs for the NBC television network from its studios in the Merchandise Mart
during the 1950s, including Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, featuring Burr Tillstrom
and Fran Allison
; Garroway at Large
, starring Dave Garroway
; and "Studs' Place," hosted by Studs Terkel
. Television critics referred to the broadcasts - often low-budget with few celebrity guests but a good deal of inventiveness - as examples of the "Chicago School of Television."
WMAQ-TV gained fame for its newscasts during the 1960s, anchored by Floyd Kalber
, John Palmer
, Jim Ruddle, and Jorie Lueloff, with weatherman Harry Volkman
(later of WBBM-TV
, WGN-TV
and WFLD
), sports reporter Johnny Morris, and commentator Len O'Connor. Though its role as a program provider to NBC diminished in the 1960s, WMAQ-TV gathered and distributed more than 200 feeds per month of news footage from overseas and the central United States to NBC News
.
In 1975, Jane Pauley
, later of NBC's Today Show, briefly co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. news with Kalber. Carol Marin
joined WMAQ-TV in 1978. Ron Magers
followed in 1981. Magers and Deborah Norville
(later host of Inside Edition
) co-anchored the station's hour-long 4:30 p.m. newscast during the 1980s, and Magers and Marin co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. newscast. On October 1, 1989, the station began broadcasting from new studios in the NBC Tower
, after vacating the Merchandise Mart
during the summer. WMAQ-TV's newscast ratings overtook those of WBBM-TV
in the 1980s, but the station could not dethrone ratings leader WLS-TV
during the period.
On February 26, 2004, WMAQ-TV garnered national attention when Katie Couric
, Al Roker
, and Lester Holt hosted the Today Show on Cityfront Plaza to debut the station's streetside studio. Named "Studio 5", it is the first of its kind in Chicago. The morning and evening newscasts are taped here, while the 10 o'clock news is taped at the studios in the tower.
On January 14, 2008, WMAQ-TV became the second television station in Chicago after WLS to broadcast news in high definition
, although most remote field footage remains in 16:9 widescreen standard definition.
WMAQ-TV also has a Mobile DTV feed of subchannel 5.2, labelled "NBCMobile", broadcasting at 1.83 Mbit/s.
As part of the analog television shutdown and digital conversion
, WMAQ-TV shut down its analog transmitter on June 12, 2009, and continued to broadcast its pre-transition digital channel 29. Digital television
receivers display WMAQ-TV's virtual channel
as 5 through the use of PSIP
.
NBC Weather Plus
ceased being broadcast nationally on December 1, 2008, but weather maps and traffic reports continued broadcasts as NBC Plus on channel 5.2. "Raw" coverage of various live events, including Barack Obama
's victory rally in Grant Park
and Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial has also been carried on channel 5.2 On November 1, 2010, WMAQ started airing NBC Chicago Nonstop
Channel, replacing NBC Plus.
From June 13 to July 12, 2009, WMAQ-TV simulcast
ed many of its newscasts as a contributor to WWME-CA's
analog lifeline service for the Chicago area, an "unprecedented" four-station partnership. The "lifeline" programming on analog Channel 23 included WMAQ's weekday morning news from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. and weeknights at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 6 a.m., 9 a.m. and weekend nights at 5 p.m along with WGN-TV
(Channel 9)'s 9 p.m. newscasts. The lifeline continued only as a simulcast of entertainment programming from WWME's sister station WCIU-TV
until January 2011, when it was switched to a simulcast of WCIU's The U Too subchannel.
Currently, WMAQ broadcasts a total of 26 hours of local news per week (with 4½ hours on weekdays and three hours each on Saturdays and Sundays). Unlike most NBC stations in the Central Time Zone
, WMAQ did not carry a newscast in the weekday midday time period until September 12, 2011, when it returned to the midday news business with a half-hour newscast called "NBC 5 News at Noon".
The station has launched national careers for Pauley, Norville, CBS
sportscaster Greg Gumbel
, CNN Headline News
morning anchor Robin Meade, Maury Povich
, PBS
reporter Ray Suarez
, and The Insider
host Pat O'Brien
.
Since January 12, 2009, WMAQ and Fox affiliate WFLD
have shared a news chopper and the footage taken from it; this agreement has reportedly paved the way for a larger pooling effort between the two stations.
After years in second place behind WBBM-TV and, later, WLS-TV in the 10 p.m. news race, at the conclusion of the November 2009 Nielsen Ratings
sweeps period, WBBM-TV's 10 p.m. newscast overtook WMAQ-TV for second place for the first time in many years, largely due to the low ratings of the latter station's lead-in The Jay Leno Show
. WLS-TV continues to dominate the local newscast ratings in the Chicago media market. It has since regained second place at 10 p.m. although closer to third-place WBBM-TV than to WLS-TV. However in the November 2010 sweeps period, WMAQ's 10 p.m. newscast slipped back to third behind WBBM-TV in that time slot (and fourth among Chicago's late night newscasts) although WMAQ continues to run second in other time slots.
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
and WHDH-TV
in Boston.
Though Springer was once a two-term mayor of Cincinnati
before becoming a news anchor for that city's NBC affiliate WLWT
, his association with his infamous talk show
(which, until 2009, was 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 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 he resigned, feeling unhappy with the criticism he received.
Magers wound up at rival WLS-TV
, where he still is today. Marin joined rival WBBM-TV while contributing reports at CBS
before returning to WMAQ in 2004 as a special correspondent.
negotiated her exit with WMAQ, after being videotaped in a bikini with her two sons at the home of Craig Stebic; the video was obtained by rival station WBBM. Craig's wife Lisa
was missing and had not been found as of that date. The incident raised the issue whether Jacobson crossed a journalistic ethical line in being friendly with a subject of the story. Jacobson reported at WMAQ for the previous 10 years. The video of her at Craig Stebic's home was either taken by or given to WBBM-TV
, which has the entire six minute video on its website.
Weather team
Sports team
NOTE: Sports anchors cycle. There is not a set sports "anchoring" schedule.
Reporters
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower
NBC Tower
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States located at 454 North Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 1989, the 37-story building reaches a height of 627 feet...
in the Streeterville
Streeterville
Streeterville is a neighborhood in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States, north of the Chicago River in Cook County...
neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile
Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile, sometimes referred to as The Mag Mile, is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, that runs along a portion of Michigan Avenue extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side community area. The district is located adjacent to downtown; it is also one block...
at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower. WMAQ-TV is a sister station to WSNS-TV
WSNS-TV
WSNS-TV, channel 44, is an owned-and-operated station of the Spanish-language Telemundo network, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. This station is owned by NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of Telemundo...
(channel 44), affiliated with the Spanish-language network Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
; and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
History
See also WMAQ (AM) for pre-1948 history of the station.The station signed on October 8, 1948, as WNBQ, the last of Chicago's four commercial VHF stations to launch, and the third of the five original NBC owned-and-operated stations, three weeks ahead of WNBK (now WKYC-TV
WKYC-TV
WKYC, virtual channel 3 , is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by the Gannett Company. Its studio is located on the shores of Lake Erie, while its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio....
) in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. 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 radio (670 AM, frequency now occupied by WSCR
WSCR
WSCR is a sports radio station in the Chicago, Illinois radio market. The station is owned by CBS Radio and transmits on 670 kHz on the AM dial. Its transmitter is located just off Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, which is a western suburb of Chicago. It is known as "The Score," and has been on...
), it did not change the TV station's call letters to WMAQ-TV until August 31, 1964. The calls of its sister radio station were initially assigned by the government, but went on to form the phrase "We Must Ask Questions," which the radio station took on as its motto in the 1920s.
WMAQ-TV originated several programs for the NBC television network from its studios in the Merchandise Mart
Merchandise Mart
When opened in 1930, the Merchandise Mart or the Merch Mart, located in the Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, was the largest building in the world with of floor space. Previously owned by the Marshall Field family, the Mart centralized Chicago's wholesale goods business by consolidating vendors...
during the 1950s, including Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, featuring Burr Tillstrom
Burr Tillstrom
Franklin Burr Tillstrom was a puppeteer and the creator of Kukla, Fran and Ollie....
and Fran Allison
Fran Allison
Fran Allison was an American television and radio comedian, personality and singer. She is best known for her starring role on the weekday NBC-TV puppet show Kukla, Fran and Ollie, which ran from 1947 to 1957, occasionally returning to the air until the mid 1980s...
; Garroway at Large
Garroway at Large
Garroway at Large was an experimental musical variety show program with the host Dave Garroway in the Golden Age of Television. It was telecast at 10pm on Saturday on NBC from April 1949 to 1954. Garroway at Large aired with a full symphony orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini...
, starring Dave Garroway
Dave Garroway
David Cunningham "Dave" Garroway was the founding host of NBC's Today from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing, relaxed, and relaxing style belied a battle with depression that may have contributed to the end of his days as a leading television personality—and, eventually, his life...
; and "Studs' Place," hosted by Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
. Television critics referred to the broadcasts - often low-budget with few celebrity guests but a good deal of inventiveness - as examples of the "Chicago School of Television."
WMAQ-TV gained fame for its newscasts during the 1960s, anchored by Floyd Kalber
Floyd Kalber
Floyd Kalber was a noted American television journalist and anchorman, nicknamed "The Big Tuna."Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he spent two years in the army during World War II and began his television career as KMTV-Omaha's first newscaster...
, John Palmer
John Palmer (TV journalist)
John Spencer Palmer is a former news correspondent for NBC News. He worked for the network over the course of 40 years, first from 1962 to 1990; and again from 1994 until his retirement in 2002...
, Jim Ruddle, and Jorie Lueloff, with weatherman Harry Volkman
Harry Volkman
Harry Volkman is a popular former meteorologist from Oklahoma and later Chicago, Illinois. He is known for being the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning....
(later of WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
, WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
and WFLD
WFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
), sports reporter Johnny Morris, and commentator Len O'Connor. Though its role as a program provider to NBC diminished in the 1960s, WMAQ-TV gathered and distributed more than 200 feeds per month of news footage from overseas and the central United States to NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
.
In 1975, Jane Pauley
Jane Pauley
Margaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
, later of NBC's Today Show, briefly co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. news with Kalber. Carol Marin
Carol Marin
Carol Marin is a television and print journalist based in Chicago, Illinois.She began her career in 1972 at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee working as a reporter, anchor, and assistant news director....
joined WMAQ-TV in 1978. Ron Magers
Ron Magers
Ron Magers is a weeknight anchor for WLS-TV, the ABC owned-and-operated station in Chicago, the city's number one station. He currently co-anchors the top-rated 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. broadcasts with Cheryl Burton and Kathy Brock, respectively...
followed in 1981. Magers and Deborah Norville
Deborah Norville
Deborah Norville is an American television broadcaster and journalist. Since 1995 she has been host of the syndicated American television program Inside Edition...
(later host of Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
) co-anchored the station's hour-long 4:30 p.m. newscast during the 1980s, and Magers and Marin co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. newscast. On October 1, 1989, the station began broadcasting from new studios in the NBC Tower
NBC Tower
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States located at 454 North Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 1989, the 37-story building reaches a height of 627 feet...
, after vacating the Merchandise Mart
Merchandise Mart
When opened in 1930, the Merchandise Mart or the Merch Mart, located in the Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, was the largest building in the world with of floor space. Previously owned by the Marshall Field family, the Mart centralized Chicago's wholesale goods business by consolidating vendors...
during the summer. WMAQ-TV's newscast ratings overtook those of WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in the 1980s, but the station could not dethrone ratings leader WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
during the period.
On February 26, 2004, WMAQ-TV garnered national attention when Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
, Al Roker
Al Roker
Albert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. is an American television meteorologist as well as an actor and book author. He is best known as being the weather anchor on NBC's Today. On Monday, July 20, 2009, he began co-hosting his new morning show, Wake Up with Al, on The Weather Channel, which airs weekdays...
, and Lester Holt hosted the Today Show on Cityfront Plaza to debut the station's streetside studio. Named "Studio 5", it is the first of its kind in Chicago. The morning and evening newscasts are taped here, while the 10 o'clock news is taped at the studios in the tower.
On January 14, 2008, WMAQ-TV became the second television station in Chicago after WLS to broadcast news in high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
, although most remote field footage remains in 16:9 widescreen standard definition.
Digital programming
| Channel | Video Display resolution The display resolution of a digital television or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube , flat panel or projection... |
Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 1080i 1080i 1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels... |
16:9 | Main WMAQ Programming / NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... |
| 5.2 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | NBC Chicago Nonstop NBC Chicago Nonstop NBC Chicago Nonstop is a 24-hour news and entertainment service on the secondary digital television subchannel of NBC's owned-and-operated station WMAQ-TV... |
| 5.3 | Universal Sports Universal Sports Universal Sports is an American television network that airs various sports, primarily those contested in the Olympic Games, including swimming, gymnastics, cycling, track and field, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding and triathlon.-Programming:... |
WMAQ-TV also has a Mobile DTV feed of subchannel 5.2, labelled "NBCMobile", broadcasting at 1.83 Mbit/s.
As part of the analog television shutdown and digital conversion
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
, WMAQ-TV shut down its analog transmitter on June 12, 2009, and continued to broadcast its pre-transition digital channel 29. Digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
receivers display WMAQ-TV's virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
as 5 through the use of PSIP
Program and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
.
NBC Weather Plus
NBC Weather Plus
NBC Weather Plus was a 24-hour, commercially sponsored, weather-oriented broadcast/cable television network jointly owned by NBC Universal and the local affiliates of the NBC network. It debuted on November 15, 2004 and shut down on December 31, 2008...
ceased being broadcast nationally on December 1, 2008, but weather maps and traffic reports continued broadcasts as NBC Plus on channel 5.2. "Raw" coverage of various live events, including Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's victory rally in Grant Park
Grant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
and Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial has also been carried on channel 5.2 On November 1, 2010, WMAQ started airing NBC Chicago Nonstop
NBC Chicago Nonstop
NBC Chicago Nonstop is a 24-hour news and entertainment service on the secondary digital television subchannel of NBC's owned-and-operated station WMAQ-TV...
Channel, replacing NBC Plus.
From June 13 to July 12, 2009, WMAQ-TV simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ed many of its newscasts as a contributor to WWME-CA's
WWME-CA
WWME-CA is a class A station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Weigel Broadcasting, which also owns sister stations WCIU-TV and WMEU-CA. This station is the flagship of the Me-TV network. Me-TV is also broadcast on WCIU's digital subchannel 26.3....
analog lifeline service for the Chicago area, an "unprecedented" four-station partnership. The "lifeline" programming on analog Channel 23 included WMAQ's weekday morning news from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. and weeknights at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 6 a.m., 9 a.m. and weekend nights at 5 p.m along with WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
(Channel 9)'s 9 p.m. newscasts. The lifeline continued only as a simulcast of entertainment programming from WWME's sister station WCIU-TV
WCIU-TV
WCIU-TV is an independent television station located in Chicago, Illinois. It operates on UHF digital channel 27 and is Chicago's oldest UHF station, signing on the air in 1964. WCIU-TV is the flagship station of Weigel Broadcasting, a locally-based broadcaster which has owned the station since...
until January 2011, when it was switched to a simulcast of WCIU's The U Too subchannel.
News operation
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
, WMAQ did not carry a newscast in the weekday midday time period until September 12, 2011, when it returned to the midday news business with a half-hour newscast called "NBC 5 News at Noon".
The station has launched national careers for Pauley, Norville, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sportscaster Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
, CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
morning anchor Robin Meade, Maury Povich
Maury Povich
Maurice Richard "Maury" Povich is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts his self-titled talk show Maury.-Personal background:...
, PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
reporter Ray Suarez
Ray Suarez
Rafael Suarez, Jr. , known as Ray Suarez, is an American broadcast journalist. Suarez joined the PBS NewsHour in 1999 and became a senior correspondent for the evening news program on the PBS television network. He is also host of the international news and analysis public radio program America...
, and The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
host Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (television)
Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
.
Since January 12, 2009, WMAQ and Fox affiliate WFLD
WFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
have shared a news chopper and the footage taken from it; this agreement has reportedly paved the way for a larger pooling effort between the two stations.
After years in second place behind WBBM-TV and, later, WLS-TV in the 10 p.m. news race, at the conclusion of the November 2009 Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
sweeps period, WBBM-TV's 10 p.m. newscast overtook WMAQ-TV for second place for the first time in many years, largely due to the low ratings of the latter station's lead-in The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
. WLS-TV continues to dominate the local newscast ratings in the Chicago media market. It has since regained second place at 10 p.m. although closer to third-place WBBM-TV than to WLS-TV. However in the November 2010 sweeps period, WMAQ's 10 p.m. newscast slipped back to third behind WBBM-TV in that time slot (and fourth among Chicago's late night newscasts) although WMAQ continues to run second in other time slots.
Jerry Springer
WMAQ achieved notoriety in 1997 when the station, in an effort to boost its newscast ratings, hired Jerry SpringerJerry Springer
Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
as a commentator. At the same time, the station adopted a more tabloid news format by bringing in Joel Cheatwood
Joel Cheatwood
Joel Cheatwood is an American television executive best known for creating modern news formats which combine flashy presentation to make news more attractive for younger audiences....
. Previously, Cheatwood was known for establishing fast-paced tabloid newscasts at WSVN
WSVN
WSVN, channel 7, is a television station located in Miami, Florida, USA. WSVN is owned by Sunbeam Television, and is an affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company. The station has its studio facilities located in North Bay Village and transmitter based in north Miami-Dade County.WSVN operates a Key...
in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and WHDH-TV
WHDH-TV
WHDH, digital channel 42 , is an NBC-affiliated television station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest NBC station not owned by the network. Owned by Sunbeam Television, WHDH is a sister station to CW affiliate WLVI...
in Boston.
Though Springer was once a two-term mayor of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
before becoming a news anchor for that city's NBC affiliate WLWT
WLWT
WLWT, virtual channel 5 , is an NBC-affiliated television station in Cincinnati, Ohio, the station is owned by Hearst Television...
, his association with his infamous talk show
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
(which, until 2009, was broadcast from WMAQ's NBC Tower
NBC Tower
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States located at 454 North Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 1989, the 37-story building reaches a height of 627 feet...
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 longtime anchor team, Carol Marin
Carol Marin
Carol Marin is a television and print journalist based in Chicago, Illinois.She began her career in 1972 at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee working as a reporter, anchor, and assistant news director....
and Ron Magers
Ron Magers
Ron Magers is a weeknight anchor for WLS-TV, the ABC owned-and-operated station in Chicago, the city's number one station. He currently co-anchors the top-rated 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. broadcasts with Cheryl Burton and Kathy Brock, respectively...
, 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 he resigned, feeling unhappy with the criticism he received.
Magers wound up at rival WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
, where he still is today. Marin joined rival WBBM-TV while contributing reports at CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
before returning to WMAQ in 2004 as a special correspondent.
Amy Jacobson
On July 10, 2007, Amy JacobsonAmy Jacobson
Amy Jacobson is a Chicago broadcaster who was a general assignment reporter for WMAQ-TV, the NBC television affiliate in Chicago, from 1996 to 2007, when she lost her job as part of a scandal involving a rival Chicago TV station's news cameras capturing footage of Jacobson clad in a bikini with...
negotiated her exit with WMAQ, after being videotaped in a bikini with her two sons at the home of Craig Stebic; the video was obtained by rival station WBBM. Craig's wife Lisa
Lisa Stebic
Lisa Michelle Stebic, née Ruttenberg is an American missing person. The mother of two has been missing from her home in Plainfield, Illinois since April 30, 2007. Stebic, 37, is five-feet, two-inches tall, 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes...
was missing and had not been found as of that date. The incident raised the issue whether Jacobson crossed a journalistic ethical line in being friendly with a subject of the story. Jacobson reported at WMAQ for the previous 10 years. The video of her at Craig Stebic's home was either taken by or given to WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
, which has the entire six minute video on its website.
Ratings
In the February 2011 Nielsen local news ratings, WMAQ ranked in third place overall in late news with a 5.5 rating share, dropping substantially from the 6.8 share it scored in February 2010 that was propelled by a lead-in from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. WMAQ had the second-lowest lead-in number among all news stations in the market with a 4.7 lead-in share (WGN-TV's primetime lead-in for its late newscast was the lowest, scoring a 2.2 rating lead-in, though its 9 p.m. newscast remained strong).Newscast titles
- NBC Newsroom Chicago with Chet Utley (1949-1959)
- NBC News Night Report (1959-1970)
- NewsFive (1970-1975)
- NewsCenter 5 (1975-1983)
- Channel 5 News (1983-1997)
- NewsChannel 5 (1997–1998)
- NBC 5 Chicago News (1998–2000 & 2011-Present)
- NBC 5 News (2000–2011)
News music packages
- NBC TV-Radio Newspulse (1974–1978)
- NewsCenter Theme (1978–1981)
- WMAQ 1981 News Theme (1981–1983)
- WMAQ 1983 News Theme (1983–1985)
- WMAQ 1985 News Theme (1985–1989)
- WMAQ 1989 News Theme (1989–1992)
- Newswire (1992–1997)
- WMAQ 1997 News Theme (1997–1999)
- Battery (1999–2000)
- The Tower (2000–present)
Current on-air staff
Anchors- Marion Brooks - weekdays at noon and 4:30 p.m.; also weeknight reporter and host of The Talk
- Rob Elgas - weekday mornings (4:30 a.m.-7 a.m.); also host of The Rundown
- Stefan Holt - weekend mornings; also general assignment reporter
- Dick JohnsonDick Johnson (reporter)Dick Johnson was the morning news co-anchor for NBC owned television station WMAQ-TV in Chicago and is currently a street reporter and a back-up weeknight anchor at WMAQ-TV....
- Sundays at 5 and 10 p.m.; also weekday reporter - Lisa Parker - Saturdays at 5 and 10 p.m.; also consumer and investigative reporter
- Allison RosatiAllison Rosati- Early life :Rosati was born in Dover, Delaware and grew up in Pine City, Minnesota. She attended Gustavus Adolphus College where she studied speech and communications. She graduated in 1985 and received cum laude....
- weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. - Rob StaffordRob StaffordRob Stafford is a Chicago television anchor and a former correspondent for NBC's Dateline NBC newsmagazine.- Early life and education :...
- weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. - Kim Vatis - weekend mornings; also general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor
Weather team
- Brant MillerBrant MillerBrant Miller is a meteorologist for NBC owned and operated television station WMAQ-TV in Chicago. At WMAQ-TV he is the meteorologist on NBC 5 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m and now at 4:30 p.m....
(NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weekdays at 4:30 and weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. - Andy Avalos (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekday mornings 4:30-7 a.m. - Alicia Roman (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekdays at noon - Cheryl Scott - Meteorologist; weekend mornings and weekend evenings at 5 and 10 p.m.
- Pete Sack (AMS Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; fill-in
Sports team
- Mike AdamleMike AdamleMichael David "Mike" Adamle is a sports personality and former National Football League player. He is best known as the co-host of American Gladiators series for seven years....
- sports anchor/reporter; also host of Sports Sunday - Paula Faris - sports anchor/reporter; also host of Sports Sunday (until December)
- Peggy Kusinski - sports anchor/reporter; "Chicago Beat"
NOTE: Sports anchors cycle. There is not a set sports "anchoring" schedule.
Reporters
- Mary Ann Ahern - political reporter
- Christian Farr - general assignment reporter; also fill-in anchor
- Steve HandelsmanSteve HandelsmanSteve Handelsman is National Correspondent for NBC's affiliate news service, NBC NewsChannel. His reports can be seen on many NBC stations, sometimes with him "tagging out" with the stations local ID, giving the impression he is a reporter for that station, while other times stating he is from...
- NBC Newschannel's national correspondent - Lauren Jiggetts - general assignment reporter
- Nesita Kwan - health and science reporter; also fill-in anchor
- Carol MarinCarol MarinCarol Marin is a television and print journalist based in Chicago, Illinois.She began her career in 1972 at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee working as a reporter, anchor, and assistant news director....
- political editor - Natalie Martinez - general assignment reporter
- Alex Perez - general assignment reporter; also fill-in anchor
- Anthony Ponce - general assignment reporter
- Matt Rodewald - weekday mornings traffic reporter
- Phil Rogers - general assignment reporter
- LeeAnn Trotter - entertainment reporter
- Charlie Wojciechowski - general assignment/technology reporter
- Sharon Wright - general assignment reporter
Former on-air staff
- Jackie BangeJackie BangeJackie Bange is the weekend anchor and reporter for CW affiliate and cable superstation WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. Bange has co-anchored the weekend edition of the station's primetime newscast WGN News at Nine with Robert Jordan since October 1995...
- weekend anchor/reporter (1990–1993, now at WGN-TVWGN-TVWGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
) - John ColemanJohn Coleman (meteorologist)John Coleman is an American TV weatherman noted, along with entrepreneur Frank Batten, for founding The Weather Channel. He presently works as an on-camera weather caster at KUSI-TV in San Diego but is no longer affiliated with The Weather Channel....
- meteorologist (1984–1990, now at KUSI-TVKUSI-TVKUSI-TV, virtual channel 51.1, is an independent television station based in San Diego, California. The station is owned and operated by Channel 51 of San Diego, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of McKinnon Broadcasting...
in San Diego) - Chet CoppockChet CoppockChet Coppock is an American Emmy award-winning radio broadcaster, television broadcaster and sports talk personality. Coppock publishes Daily Coppock videos and interviews on www.DailyCoppock.com, as well as an audio podcast called Coppock on Sports available on iTunes...
- sports anchor (1981–1984, currently at WMVP-AM) - Jim Cummins - reporter (1976–1978, later Southwest Bureau Chief at NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
, deceased) - Alex DreierAlex DreierAlex Dreier was an American news reporter and commentator who worked with NBC Radio during the 1940s, and later with the ABC Information Radio network in the 1960s and early '70s.-Early years and broadcasting:...
- news anchor (1960–1962) - Tom DugganTom DugganThomas Duggan Goss was an NBC and ABC radio and television commentator in Chicago and Los Angeles and a crusader against Chicago mob involvement in boxing and politics....
- sports reporter (1949–1953, deceased) - Roger EbertRoger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
- (?–?) - Mark GiangrecoMark GiangrecoMark Giangreco is the sports director and lead sports anchor for WLS-TV in Chicago, Illinois. Giangreco currently anchors the sports segment on ABC7 during the 5pm and 10pm newscasts. -Education and career:...
- sports anchor (1982–1993, now at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
) - Greg GumbelGreg GumbelGreg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
- sports anchor (1973–1981, now at CBS SportsCBS SportsCBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
) - Chuck HenryChuck HenryChuck Henry is a Los Angeles television personality and a newscaster with over 35 years of news experience. Henry can be seen co-anchoring the 5, 6 and 11 PM newscasts on KNBC-TV...
- anchor (1979–1982, now at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles) - Ron HunterRon HunterRon Hunter is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach of the Georgia State Panthers.-Coaching career:...
- anchor (1975–1978) - Amy JacobsonAmy JacobsonAmy Jacobson is a Chicago broadcaster who was a general assignment reporter for WMAQ-TV, the NBC television affiliate in Chicago, from 1996 to 2007, when she lost her job as part of a scandal involving a rival Chicago TV station's news cameras capturing footage of Jacobson clad in a bikini with...
- reporter (1996–2007) - Walter JacobsonWalter JacobsonWalter David Jacobson is a Chicago television news personality and current anchor of the 6 p.m. news on WBBM-TV. He had been working at WBBM-TV since February 2010 once again doing Walter Jacobson's Perspective twice a week on the 10 O'Clock News prior to being promoted to anchoring the 6 p.m...
- anchor/reporter (1971–1973, later at WFLD-TV, now at WBBM-TVWBBM-TVWBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
) - Floyd KalberFloyd KalberFloyd Kalber was a noted American television journalist and anchorman, nicknamed "The Big Tuna."Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he spent two years in the army during World War II and began his television career as KMTV-Omaha's first newscaster...
- legendary anchor (1960–1976, deceased) - Jon KelleyJon KelleyJon Kelley is an award winning American sports journalist, author, producer, and television personality. Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kelley played four seasons as a running back for the University of Nebraska before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism...
- sports reporter (1991–1998, later at ExtraExtra (TV series)Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
, now at KNTV-TV in San Francisco) - Don LemonDon LemonDon Lemon is a reporter for CNN and news anchor on the prime-time weekend version of CNN Newsroom, based in Atlanta.-Life and career :Lemon was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
- anchorman/reporter (2003–2005, now with CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
world headquarters in Atlanta) - Ron MagersRon MagersRon Magers is a weeknight anchor for WLS-TV, the ABC owned-and-operated station in Chicago, the city's number one station. He currently co-anchors the top-rated 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. broadcasts with Cheryl Burton and Kathy Brock, respectively...
- longtime anchor (1981–1997, now at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
) - Robin Meade - anchor/reporter (1994–2001, now at HLNHLNHLN can refer to*HLN , a cable network formerly known as Headline News*The IATA airport code for Helena Regional Airport*The Horizon League Network—see Horizon League#Horizon League Network*The shorthand notation of Phenolphthalein...
) - Erin MoriartyErin MoriartyErin F. Moriarty is an American television news reporter and correspondent.Moriarty attended Upper Arlington High School in Columbus, Ohio, and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Ohio State University...
- consumer reporter (1983–1986, now at CBS NewsCBS NewsCBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
) - Johnny MorrisJohnny Morris (football player)Johnny Edward Morris is a former American football running back/wide receiver in the National Football League. He spent his entire ten year career with the Chicago Bears, and is the franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards with 5,059. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara...
- sports anchor (1968–1975) - Rich NewbergRich NewbergRich Newberg is the Senior Correspondent for News 4 Buffalo, WIVB-TV. He joined the CBS affiliate in 1978 as a weekend anchorman, having remained in Buffalo ever since. Newberg later became an anchor for the five and 11 p.m. newscasts...
- investigative reporter (1975–1978, now at WIVB-TVWIVB-TVWIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
in Buffalo) - Deborah NorvilleDeborah NorvilleDeborah Norville is an American television broadcaster and journalist. Since 1995 she has been host of the syndicated American television program Inside Edition...
- reporter/anchor (1982–1986, now host of Inside EditionInside EditionInside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
) - Pat O'BrienPat O'Brien (television)Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
- anchor/reporter (?–?) - Jane PauleyJane PauleyMargaret Jane Pauley is an American television journalist, and has been involved in news reporting since 1975...
- anchor/reporter (1975–1976) - Maury PovichMaury PovichMaurice Richard "Maury" Povich is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts his self-titled talk show Maury.-Personal background:...
- anchor (1976–1977) - Cindy PreszlerCindy PreszlerCindy Preszler is a television weathercaster who is currently the chief meteorologist at KSDK-TV 5, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri. She is one of four female chief meteorologists that are currently on Gannett-owned NBC affiliates. In addition, Patty Souza of ABC affiliate KXTV in...
- meteorologist (1997–1998, currently at KSDK-TV in St. Louis) - Carol Anne RiddellCarol Anne RiddellCarol Anne Riddell was the education reporter and co-anchor of the News 4 New York at 6pm newscast on Sundays for WNBC-TV in New York.Riddell chiefly covered children and education—in 2004, she launched "Family Matters," a weekly segment that focused on family and parenting issues. Riddell joined...
- reporter (1990–1992, now at WNBC-TV in New York) - Max RobinsonMax RobinsonMax Robinson was an American broadcast journalist, and ABC News World News Tonight co-anchor. He was the first African American broadcast network news anchor in the United States and one of the first television journalists to die of AIDS...
- anchor (1984–1985, deceased) - Warner SaundersWarner SaundersWarner Saunders was the 10 PM co-anchor for WMAQ-TV in Chicago. Saunders' primary co-anchor in the NBC 5 evening newscasts was Allison Rosati. A Chicago native, Saunders holds a bachelors degree from Xavier University and a Masters degree from Northeastern Illinois University...
- anchor/reporter (1980–2009) - Mark SchanowskiMark SchanowskiMark Schanowski is an American sportscaster. He currently works for Comcast Sportsnet in Chicago, appearing in the Chicago Bulls' pre- and post-game shows as well as the SportsNite program. He had worked as a sports anchor at WMAQ-TV until 2005....
- sports anchor/reporter (1998–2005, now at Comcast Sportsnet ChicagoCSN ChicagoComcast SportsNet Chicago is a member of the Comcast SportsNet network of regional sports networks that covers local sports teams in the Chicago area.-Background:CSN Chicago is jointly owned by NBCUniversal , the family of J...
) - Carole SimpsonCarole SimpsonCarole Simpson is a broadcast journalist, news anchor, and author- Biography :Simpson, a graduate of the University of Michigan, began her career on radio at WCFL in Chicago, Illinois. She moved to television at Chicago's WMAQ and onto NBC News in 1974, becoming the first African-American woman...
- weekend anchor/reporter (1970-1974) - Bob SirottBob SirottRobert Michael "Bob" Sirott , is a Chicago broadcaster who currently is one of the two principal news anchors at WFLD-TV in Chicago and is a radio host at WGN-AM.- Early life and education :...
- anchor/reporter (1989–1993, later at WFLD-TV, WTTW-TV and 2006-2009, now back at WFLD-TV) - Tammie SouzaTammie SouzaTammara J. "Tammie" Souza is a multiple Chicago/Midwest Emmy winning meteorologist, working at WFLD in Chicago, Illinois.-Personal life:Souza was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in San Diego, California. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from San Diego State University, and...
- meteorologist (2000–2006, later at WFLD-TV and WTSP-TV in Tampa, now back at WFLD-TV) - Amy StoneAmy StoneAmy Stone is a former American television personality.Stone was born in Brunswick, Maine and raised in Michigan. She graduated from University of Michigan in 1989 with degrees in communications and film. Stone began her career as a producer at WDIV-TV in June 1989...
- (?–?) - Ray SuarezRay SuarezRafael Suarez, Jr. , known as Ray Suarez, is an American broadcast journalist. Suarez joined the PBS NewsHour in 1999 and became a senior correspondent for the evening news program on the PBS television network. He is also host of the international news and analysis public radio program America...
- reporter (1986–1993 now a Senior Correspondent at the PBS NewsHour) - Mark SuppelsaMark SuppelsaMark Eugene Suppelsa is a journalist, who presently works as an anchor an reporter for WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. Suppelsa currently serves as the co-anchor of the "WGN Evening News" from 5-6 p.m. with Lourdes Duarte and the station's long-running primetime newscast "WGN News at Nine" with Micah...
- anchor/investigative reporter (1993–2003, later at WFLD-TV, now at WGN-TVWGN-TVWGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
) - Jerry TaftJerry TaftJerry Taft is the chief meteorologist for WLS-TV in Chicago.A veteran of the United States Air Force, Taft earned a Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
- weather anchor (1977–1984, now at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
) - Harry VolkmanHarry VolkmanHarry Volkman is a popular former meteorologist from Oklahoma and later Chicago, Illinois. He is known for being the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning....
- weather anchor (1959–1967, later at WBBM-TVWBBM-TVWBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
and WFLD-TV) - Tim WeigelTim WeigelJohn Timothy Weigel , known professionally as Tim Weigel, was a Chicago broadcaster who spent most of his career as a television sports anchor and reporter.- Early life and education :...
- sports anchor (1975–1977 later at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
and WBBM-TVWBBM-TVWBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
, deceased) - Linda YuLinda YuLinda Yu is a news anchor for WLS-TV in Chicago. At ABC7, she anchors the 11am newscast with Sylvia Perez and the 4pm newscast with Alan Krashesky. Linda first joined the station in 1984 after five years with rival NBC O & O WMAQ-TV...
- anchor/reporter (1979–1984, now at WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
)