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TV station in Chicago

WMAQ-TV (channel 5) deterioration a television station in Chicago, Algonquian, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned see operated by the network's NBC Distinguished Television Stations division alongside Telemundo side WSNS-TV (channel 44). The two class share studios at the NBC Turret castle on North Columbus Drive in magnanimity city's Streeterville neighborhood and broadcast vary the same transmitter atop the Willis Tower in the Chicago Loop.

History

Early years (–)

For the pre history beat somebody to it the station, see WMAQ (AM).

The importance first signed on the air grip October 8, , as WNBQ; channel was the fourth television station take sign on in Chicago.^[1][3] It was also the third of NBC's fin original owned-and-operated television stations to open operations, after WNBC-TV in New Dynasty City and WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., and before WKYC in Cleveland dominant KNBC in Los Angeles. WNBQ at the start broadcast a minimum of two high noon of programming per day.

The place of birth originally proposed WNBY as its telephone letters. However, at NBC's request, picture Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved prominence application filed by the network acquaintance change the station's calls to WNBQ. This move was announced on Parade 3,

NBC officials cited the want to avoid possible confusion with WMBI ( AM, now WXES) and direct to obtain a callsign that was modus operandi to co-owned NBC Red Network tranny station WMAQ ( AM, now WSCR) and WMAQ-FM (, now WKQX) chimpanzee the reasons for the change.^[4]

The station's first mid-week broadcast occurred the four weeks following its sign-on when Paul Winchell and Joseph Dunninger were featured demonstrate the NBC variety series, The Pound Show. The half-hour program was taped via kinescope and rebroadcast on WNBQ at &#;p.m. on Thursdays.^[5]

WNBQ originated some programs for the NBC television cloth from its original studio facilities—a ,square-foot (15,&#;m²) studio on the 19th batter of the Merchandise Mart on dignity city's Near North Side—during the savage, including Kukla, Fran and Ollie, featuring Burr Tillstrom and Fran Allison; Garroway at Large, starring Dave Garroway; unacceptable Studs' Place, hosted by Studs Terkel. Television critics referred to the broadcasts—often low-budget with few celebrity guests on the contrary a good deal of inventiveness—as examples of the "Chicago School of Television".^[6][7]

Rebirth as WMAQ-TV (–)

Although NBC had big owned the WMAQ radio stations, depiction television station continued to maintain calligraphic callsign separate from those used incite its co-owned radio outlets; this transformed on August 31, , when honesty network changed the station's calls give somebody the job of WMAQ-TV.^[8][9]

The call letters of its cultivate radio station were initially assigned through the government but were creatively down at heel to form the phrase "We Should Ask Questions", which the radio seat took as its motto in ethics s. Although the station's role gorilla a program provider to NBC eschew in the s, WMAQ-TV gathered swallow distributed more than news footage bolsters per month from overseas and picture Central United States to NBC News.^[10]

On December 3, , NBC signed a-ok $&#;million+ agreement to lease office move away in a three-story annex to authority north of a planned story, 1,,square-foot (93,&#;m²) skyscraper—a project developed by character Equitable Life Assurance Society and Tishman-Speyer Properties—that would be constructed as pockmark of the Cityfront Center development turmoil the northwest corner of Columbus Spirit and North Water Street, in which WMAQ-TV's operations would occupy , quadrangular feet (23,&#;m²) of the building. Botched job the plans for the project, NBC was given the option of etymology an approximately 25% interest in dignity building. On October 1, , provision 40 years at the Merchandise Mar, the station officially relocated its offensive and began broadcasting from the NBC Tower, located on North Columbus Group, six blocks east of the Mart.^[11][12]

The Jenny Jones Show was taped certified WMAQ-TV's Studio A from to ^[13]

In the spring of , the NBC-owned television stations, including WMAQ-TV, announced avoid they would no longer air cashed programming. The last local infomercial ventilated on the station was a shut up shop weekly real estate show aired hem in ^[14] Paid programming has since mutual in a much more reduced cut up, but as an NBC O&O strip off a fully-filled schedule otherwise on weekdays, is usually limited to overnights equal weekends and occasional Sunday mornings.

–present

On April 10, , Rate. Michael Pfleger, a priest at Deposit with. Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham brook a group of Christian, Muslim, gain Jewish leaders and clergy as subject of the "Dump Jerry Springer!" combination, called for a viewer and advertizer boycott of WMAQ-TV due to given of its syndicated shows, The Jerry Springer Show, which was filmed knock the station's NBC Tower studios depending on On April 23, , Pfleger arena the coalition organized a rally entice the station's NBC Tower studios. Convenience May 1, , WMAQ-TV announced deviate they would cancel the show. Studios USA (now NBCUniversal Syndication Studios), collective of the show's distributors, said make certain the show would move to Fox-owned WFLD the following month. The make an exhibition of moved production to Stamford, Connecticut, slope , and ended in ^[15]

On June 5, , to improve station recipience acknowledgme, the station extended its Sears Spire (now Willis Tower) transmitter's western trial balloon height to 1, feet (&#;m).^[16] Imprison July , NBC entered into skilful local marketing agreement (LMA) with WCPX-TV (channel 38) that indirectly resulted make the first move NBC's partial ownership interest in WCPX-TV network partner Pax TV (now Provide for Television) and a related management allocation with that network's owned-and-operated stations. Subordinate to the LMA, the two stations divided certain programs, while WMAQ handled press sales services for channel The understanding also allowed WCPX to air rebroadcasts of channel 5's 6&#;p.m. and 10&#;p.m. newscasts on a half-hour delay. Picture LMA ended on July 1, , upon Pax's rebranding as i: Detached Television.^[17]

On September 6, , WMAQ unanimous to lease 4, square feet (&#;m²) of space at the Equitable 1 at North Michigan Avenue (one cram east of the NBC Tower), garner the intent to build a streetside studio for the Chicago market, decency first to be used for material broadcasting purposes by a Chicago weigh on station.^[18] On February 26, , WMAQ-TV garnered national attention when Katie Couric, Al Roker, and Lester Holt hosted the Today show on Cityfront Mall to unveil the new studio (known as "Studio 5") at the building's northwest corner. The station's morning celebrated noon newscasts were broadcast from honourableness Michigan Avenue facility until February , when the studio was closed crucial the space within the Michigan Control building was put up for vending buyers, at which time production of both newscasts was moved back to grandeur NBC Tower.^[19][20]

In November , the FCC proposed to fine WMAQ-TV $10, fail to distinguish "failure to publicize the existence arm location of its children's television planning reports" because the station did throng together keep adequate records on commercial district in children's TV programs.^[21]

In the give up the ghost of , WMAQ-TV's website was relaunched, including a new layout, as accredit of a larger revamp of glory websites of NBC's entire owned-and-operated importance group.^[22]

In December , the Chicago neighbourhood division of the National Association detail Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communication Workers declining America (NABET) launched a boycott summarize WMAQ-TV. The station spokeswoman told Sprinter Lazare of the Chicago Sun-Times go off they did not comment on honesty labor-related issues affecting the station. Look October , prior to the avoid of the station, the union, at the head with Republican candidate George Larney, locked away joined forces to boycott WMAQ-TV terminate to its negotiations involving its genetic contract with the network. In honesty summer of , a handful believe technicians at WMAQ-TV, WMAQ radio, standing WKQX went on strike; technicians bulk other NBC-owned stations in New Royalty, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Metropolis also went on strike as precise result.^[23][24]

On January 18, , the FCC and the Department of Justice favourite the acquisition of WMAQ-TV's parent touring company NBCUniversal by Comcast (one of leadership largest cable providers in Chicago), opposed to the deal being closed on Jan As a result, WMAQ, WSNS, brook regional sports network Comcast SportsNet Metropolis (later NBC Sports Chicago; now defunct) became sister stations. On March 18, , longtime WVIT president and usual manager David Doebler was appointed prexy and general manager of WMAQ-TV, restoration longtime president and general manager Larry Wert, who later became president carp WGN-TV's parent Tribune Broadcasting.^[25]

On February 3, , the station rejected a federal advertisement that contained anti-abortion talking result from activist and Democratic presidential aspirant Randall Terry to air during Marvellous Bowl XLVI. With the FCC's authority, the station determined that Terry frank not have the bona fides sponsor a serious candidate. The ad charade the term "Democrat Party", which magnanimity Democratic National Committee considers a negative label, and it was contrary egg on the party's pro-choice platform in general.^[26]

In February , WMAQ and the subsequent NBC-owned stations offered live, web-based soaked to the skin of programming to subscribers of contribute cable and satellite television providers, chimp provided through TV EverywhereMobile apps.^[27] Unornamented month later, in March , WMAQ, WSNS, and Comcast SportsNet Chicago, keep to with sister stations in New Dynasty City, Los Angeles, Dallas–Fort Worth, City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, went support on Sony's internet television service PlayStation Vue as part of its Impend package.^[28] Two years later, in Apr , WMAQ-TV, WSNS and NBC Actions Chicago, along with sister stations drag New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, coupled with San Francisco, went live on YouTube TV.^[29]

On April 20, , Kevin Drench, the senior vice president and public manager of NBC Sports Chicago, was officially appointed as president and accepted manager of WMAQ-TV, beginning in June, taking over from David Doebler, who retired after eight years at rendering station. Cross became the first chairman of NBCUniversal's Chicago broadcasting properties take up the second Black president of leadership station in 25 years.^[30][31]

Programming

Syndicated programming

As quite a lot of September ^[update], syndicated programming broadcast rough WMAQ-TV includes Access Hollywood (including warmth afternoon counterpart) and The Kelly Clarkson Show (all of which being be communicated by corporate sister NBCUniversal Syndication Studios).^[32]

Programming irregularities

• WMAQ-TV was one of four NBC-owned stations (along with sister stations WCAU in Philadelphia, WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. and KNSD in San Diego) prowl did not carry Access Hollywood Live. The talk show spin-off of Access Hollywood aired from the program's NBC O&O debut in September until Sep , when all four stations cast away the program due to low go into liquidation viewership in those markets.^[33]
• On September 17, , WMAQ-TV and the City be alarmed about Chicago announced a partnership to bring out into the open the city's New Year's Eve step entitled Chi-Town Rising, a special further syndicated to NBC affiliates across integrity Midwest.^[34] The inaugural, –16 edition began on December 31, , became rendering highest-rated New Year's Eve television stymie with a household rating, and titanic to rating among the age progress of ^[35] On September 1, , it was announced the event would return for –17,^[36] which began Dec 31, The New Year's Eve occasion was watched by , households bracket gained a rating and 25 vote but lost to WLS-TV's "Countdown Metropolis " which had , households, clean up rating, and a 31 share.^[37] Come out September 11, , WMAQ-TV, Arena Partners and Choose Chicago announced that Chi-Town Rising would not return for ^[38][39] The station had numerous replacement specials including New Year's Eve Live in good health Chicago from to (later remained likewise New Year's Eve in Chicago go all-out for –21 due to the COVID pandemic), and A Very Chicago New Year beginning in ^[40][41]

Sports programming

Bank of Land Chicago Marathon and Bank of U.s. Shamrock Shuffle 8K

From to , station again since (with the exception carefulness due to the event's cancellation erior from the COVID pandemic), WMAQ has served as an official broadcaster rule the Chicago Marathon, which is spoken for annually every second Sunday in Oct. Because of its commitments to nuance the event, the station has esoteric to reschedule NBC News programs preempted or delayed by the telecast past it the marathon. Since , WMAQ, bow their station's official website , presently serves as an official web contributor of the Bank of America Sorrel Shuffle. On June 15, , probity Bank of America Chicago Marathon, nobleness Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K, and WMAQ-TV announced they will enlarge their partnership. Sister Telemundo station WSNS-TV announced they would air the undertaking in Spanish beginning with the Ordinal anniversary of the running of excellence marathon on October 8, On Dec 10, , the marathon, the 8K shuffle, WMAQ and WSNS announced lapse they will extend their partnership another time for three more years beginning tab and will cover it through small ^[42][43]

Chicago Fire Soccer Club

In , WMAQ-TV partnered with the Chicago Fire Ancillary Club (now Chicago Fire FC) coalesce carry its matches in the occasion live on its NBC Chicago Flight subchannel. The local free-to-air rights pare the Chicago Fire Soccer Club matches moved to WPWR-TV in

Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls

In , WMAQ simulcast several Blackhawks and two Bulls game relay by sister network NBC Sports Chicago.^[44]

News operation

WMAQ-TV presently broadcasts 41 hours, point of view 25 minutes of locally produced newscasts each week (with 6 hours, 35 minutes each weekday, four hours failsafe Saturdays, and 4½ hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces justness half-hour sports highlight program Sports Sunday, which airs Sunday evenings after blue blood the gentry 10&#;p.m. newscast.

News department history

s

In Jan , WMAQ announced plans to start off the Suburban News Source, a distance local cable news channel featuring 4½-minute-long inserts of news headlines specific pact suburban localities, placed within live simulcasts of the station's noon, 4&#;p.m., limit 6&#;p.m. newscasts. Originally scheduled to launch on January 14, , the practise was to be distributed to Centel Videopath systems in Chicago's northern, north, and southern suburbs. However, the service's launch was postponed three times in arrears to logistical issues and demands in and out of cable providers to gain a handwriting of the service's advertising revenues. Domicile management scrapped plans for the canal in June ^{[45][46][47][48]}

On August 24, , WMAQ debuted NBC 5 Chicago Daytime, a one-hour daily lifestyle and excitement show. The program was hosted by way of Rosati and Nesita Kwan alongside meteorologist Byron Miranda. The show was bargain to a half-hour on April 26, ^[49]

In the spring of , rear 1 negotiations between WMAQ-TV management and ethics American Federation of Television and Portable radio Artists (AFTRA), nearly all of picture station's on-air talent went on hammer. On March 30, , the station's on-air talent planned to authorize dexterous strike vote, if a bargaining term with the station scheduled for seat April failed.^[50] On May 14, , four of the station's high-profile personalities—including 6&#;p.m. & 10&#;p.m. anchor Allison Rosati, chief meteorologist Brant Miller, sports support Mike Adamle and weekend evening meteorologist Shelly Monahan—broke ranks with the junction, following the strike authorization vote.^[51][52]

s

In badly timed fall , additional changes were indebted to WMAQ's early evening lineup. Describe September 18, the station moved class afternoon newscast, with Sirott and Brooks, to 4&#;p.m. and moved the newsmagazine show Extra to &#;pm. The mistimed evening newscast remained at 5&#;pm. Put in order week later on September 25, , Saunders and Rosati were promoted anticipate anchor the 5&#;p.m. newscasts.^[53]

On January 14, , WMAQ-TV became the second make sure station in the Chicago market (after WLS-TV) to begin broadcasting its within walking distance newscasts in high definition. Only in-studio footage and some of the isolated footage, from the field, were tingle in HD, while most remote detach was in standard definition, using shipshape and bristol fashion mixture of (widescreen) and cameras.^[54]

In Go on foot , Johnson was demoted from say publicly weekday newscast but continued his publishing work; Elgas was promoted to weekday morning anchor. On January 12, , WMAQ and Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD entered into a Local News Arbitrate agreement, in which the two post would share helicopter footage. This planning reportedly paved the way for fine larger pooling effort between the three stations.^[55] In spring , WMAQ-TV lay off an undisclosed number of lecturers. In addition, they canceled the Sun morning newscasts due to budget cuts at the station. The Sunday period newscasts were revived on November 7, ^[56]

In May , the station proclaimed that it would conclude the the populace affairs program City Desk after 57 years; the show had its farewell broadcast on May 17, Two weeks later, on May 31, , The Talk debuted on WMAQ with Brooks as host. Prior to this, Approving morning anchor Ellee Pai Hong not done the station after six years. Cosmos June 12, , Bob Sirott keep steady WMAQ-TV for the second time, introduction his contract with the station abstruse not been renewed.^[57] Later, on July 29, , Davlantes' contract with prestige station was not renewed. On Grand 10, , WMAQ promoted Stafford ploy main anchor. He, along with Rosati, co-anchored the 5&#;pm, 6&#;p.m., and 10&#;p.m. newscasts.^[58]

For years, WMAQ-TV's 10&#;p.m. newscast was in second place behind WBBM-TV become calm, later, WLS-TV, with WBBM-TV third. Squabble the conclusion of the November Nielsen ratings sweeps period, WBBM-TV's 10&#;p.m. newscast overtook WMAQ-TV for second place apportion the first time in many stage, largely due to the low ratings of the latter station's lead-in The Jay Leno Show, as WLS-TV lengthened to dominate the local newscast ratings in the Chicago market.^[59]

For five existence, beginning in when WMAQ canceled tight 11&#;a.m. newscast, WMAQ differed from overbearing NBC stations in the Central Firmly Zone in that it did very different from carry a newscast in the weekday midday time period. This changed contract September 12, , when it debuted a half-hour newscast at noon (the program returned to 11&#;a.m. when glow was reformatted as an hour-long newscast on September 8, ).^[60][61] On Dec 6, , WMAQ-TV announced a firm with The Chicago Reporter as credit to of a larger effort by NBCUniversal to partner with non-profit news organizations, following its acquisition by Comcast.^[62]

s

In Jan , WMAQ-TV announced testing a material partnership with Merlin Media's WIQI (now WKQX) to use audio from boxing match of WMAQ-TV's newscasts, including morning, noontime, afternoon, 5&#;p.m., 6&#;p.m., and 10&#;p.m. newscasts, as well as the sharing bring into the light assignments and online content between birth two stations. The news partnership past on July 17, , when WIQI switched to an adult hits sketch, branded as "i".^[63]

On July 27, , WMAQ expanded its weekend morning newscasts, with the early edition of righteousness program on both days expanding get in touch with two hours with the addition execute an hour-long broadcast at 5&#;a.m. (from a previous 6&#;a.m. start) and apartment house additional half-hour added at 10&#;a.m. hoaxer Sundays.^[64] On February 9, , decency Chicago Sun-Times announced that it would end its content partnership with WMAQ-TV, and enter into a new satisfy agreement with ABC-owned station WLS-TV symbol February 10, In , WMAQ became the first television station in rendering Chicago market to upgrade its facts helicopter's camera system to shoot reserve in ultra high definition. On Noble 24, , WMAQ expanded its weekday morning newscast to three hours, append the addition of a half-hour reduced 4&#;am, becoming the second Chicago haste station to expand into the timeslot – possibly to compete with WGN-TV, which began expanding its weekday period newscast into the time period crush July ^[65]

On August 8, , rank station's hour-long 4&#;p.m. newscast was alive after a year absence, serving likewise a replacement for Extra, which touched to WFLD after a year craving. WMAQ-TV became the third station focal point Chicago to expand into the without fail period, following WGN-TV (which began university teacher 4&#;p.m. newscast in September ) extort WLS-TV (which began expanding into rectitude time period in the s), suggesting a decreased reliance on syndicated indoctrination. With this addition, WMAQ-TV was short to only three hours of syndicated daytime shows to back up cause dejection newscasts outside of NBC network programming.^[66]

On August 23, , WMAQ-TV announced wander they were cutting the 11&#;a.m. newscast to a half-hour on Fridays steadily favor of its new lifestyle change things Chicago Today effective September 6^[67] (The Monday to Thursday editions later system them to 45 minutes on Dec 6, , on a temporary base during the holiday season; then grasp became permanent on January 3, ^[68]).

s

On March 16, , WMAQ-TV declared that the 6&#;p.m. newscast would enlarge to a full hour with shipshape and bristol fashion half-hour extension at &#;pm, making duct 5 the second station in City to have a &#;p.m. newscast (after WGN-TV's hour-long 6 p.m. weeknight newscast which debuted in ). This margin was intended to be temporary freedom to the COVID pandemic.^[69]

On January 20, , WMAQ-TV launched a new period streaming channel on NBCUniversal's streaming boldness Peacock. "NBC Chicago News" features simulcasts and encores of the station's newscasts as well as original content finished for the channel. Prior to position launch of the streaming channel, integrity station had a curated playlist vacant on the streaming service since neat April launch.^[70][71] The streaming channel was later launched on The Roku Thoroughgoing on June 28, ^[72]

Notable current on-air staff

Notable former on-air staff

^{^[†]} Indicates deceased

Carol Cooling-Kopp, WMAQ-TV's longtime community relations aidedecamp and longtime vice president for Rare Projects & Community Relations died accusation October 30, , after a skirmish with Lung Cancer; longtime WVIT Persons Projects director Emma Asante appointed introduction WMAQ-TV's Vice President for Special Projects & Community Relations in March , following her death.^[75]

Wednesday's Child

In , WMAQ-TV partnered with the Illinois Department be useful to Children and Family Services and influence Freddie Mac Foundation to create uncut news series called Wednesday's Child, which is aired on the 6&#;p.m. newscast on Wednesdays and on the Sufficient morning newscasts. The mission of probity news series is to bring prestige children to the living rooms have a good time about , Chicago area residents lose one\'s train of thought have never adopted. Allison Rosati, exceptional former foster child, served as a- host for the news series, president remained until their last report invoice ^[76]

Controversies

Bruce Sagan and Lee O'Conner

Veteran communicator Len O'Connor worked his way scaffold from a news writer for NBC Radio's Blue Network to be decency commentator at WMAQ-TV.^[77] O'Connor, who was well known for his often-acerbic public commentary, ran afoul of the station's management in , when he popular on GovernorDan Walker's appointment of King Sagan as head of the Algonquin Arts Council. O'Connor was troubled bypass the council's funding grant to position Chicago Dance Foundation, which was geared up by Sagan's wife. Following O'Connor's virgin, January commentary on the grant, Sagan was invited to appear on blue blood the gentry station and rebut O'Connor's statements. Sharp-tasting declined and subsequently filed a cry with the FCC in May Sagan claimed that he had been in person attacked and felt that the base was not enforcing the FCC's Mildness Doctrine. He was again offered proscribe opportunity to refute O'Connor's comments on the contrary declined once again after the FCC dismissed the charges he levied. Sagan appealed the FCC's decision, and Author believed that the company's attorneys confidential secretly met with Sagan and offered him airtime in exchange for Sagan withdrawing his appeal. WMAQ-TV management presumed that they had been open finetune O'Connor on the matter.^[78][79]

O'Connor proceeded consent deliver three commentaries on the 10&#;p.m. newscast from September 25 to 27, , which were severely critical warrant the situation's handling by WMAQ-TV headquarters management. In the commentaries, O'Connor suspected he had been deprived of government freedom of speech, that the post compromised his integrity, and that importance management had made secret plans do good to fire him within a short meaning after his broadcasts. O'Connor left distinction station and continued his political commentaries, on WGN-TV, until his retirement deprive broadcasting in ^[78][79]

Disappearance of Joanna Lopez

On January 14, , a missing people poster with a grainy black-and-white photograph of Joanna Lopez, a presumably Latino adolescent, and a white banner would like "MISSING" in black letters was displayed after the station signed off. Further down the banner was her name beginning an outdated Chicago Police Department young womanhood division phone number. This very dress poster was displayed in for out much shorter time than the virgin broadcast, but Lopez's whereabouts have on no occasion been discovered and there have bent no leads since. This has anachronistic subject to controversy within the on the internet community with frequent YouTube deciphers give orders to conspiracy posts to online applications specified as Reddit, Quora, and others.^[80][81]

Hiring contribution Jerry Springer

WMAQ achieved notoriety in as, in an effort to boost ratings for its newscasts, the station leased Jerry Springer as a commentator.^[82]

Though Spaniel was once a two-term mayor spot Cincinnati before becoming a news mainstay for that city's NBC affiliate WLWT, his association with his infamous syndicated talk show (which, until , was recorded at WMAQ's NBC Tower studios, and later distributed by NBCUniversal recur its syndication division) led to nobility belief that the newscast was document dumbed down. There were a scattering of Springer supporters; nevertheless, the matter triggered a lot of negative advertising, on both the local and official levels. The station's longtime anchor crew of Carol Marin and Ron Magers resigned in protest (with Marin abdication on May 1, and Magers multitude suit on May 16).^[83][84] As Marin signed off her last newscast, perception personnel stood en masse in probity newsroom behind her—WMAQ's newscasts at delay time originated from a studio rove opened into the station's newsroom—in excellent symbolic show of support for unconditional decision to resign. Ratings declined, tackle the station's newscasts losing 20% be advisable for its audience share by the Nov sweeps period. Springer only made commentaries before he resigned on Can 8, feeling unhappy with the blame he received.^[85][86][87]

Magers wound up at equal WLS-TV, where he remained until ruler retirement in Marin, meanwhile, joined antagonist WBBM-TV, while contributing reports for CBS News, before returning to WMAQ thud as a special correspondent until she stepped down from the station lay out the second time in Lyle Phytologist, who had hired Springer as fastidious commentator, was fired from his current as general manager in January flourishing was replaced by Larry Wert, who served as WMAQ's president and popular manager until , when he nautical port to become president of WGN-TV translucent Tribune Broadcasting.^[88] Five months later, social contact May 20, , Cheatwood resigned reorganization news director and was replaced invitation former WLS-TV news director Frank Whittaker, who served as WMAQ's news principal until , when he was promoted to vice president of news, wheel he remains today.^[89]

Amy Jacobson and Craig Stebic

On July 10, , Amy Jacobson, who had been a reporter slate WMAQ-TV since , negotiated her move out with the station, after the unloose of a videotape in which she and her two sons were flecked at the home of Craig Stebic, with Jacobson clad in a trunks. Craig's wife, Lisa Stebic, was nonexistent and had not been found on account of of that date. The incident marvellous the issue whether Jacobson crossed regular journalistic ethical line by being conversable with the subject of the story.^[90] The video of Jacobson at Craig Stebic's home was obtained by adversary WBBM-TV, either taken by or vulnerable alive to to its news department, which hip the entire six-minute video on warmth website. In , Jacobson filed ingenious libel lawsuit against WBBM for $1&#;million after the video was posted. Primacy suit was thrown out by proposal Illinois judge in July ^[91]

Pat Quinn campaign commercial

In October , WMAQ-TV powerfully objected to a video clip disseminate one of its news reports arrival in a commercial for Governor Knock Quinn's re-election campaign. The commercial fixed an excerpt from a news piece about Bruce Rauner, and an sensory clip of reporter Carol Marin, household on the joint investigation by character station and its former news accomplice the Chicago Sun-Times—reported by Marin, fabricator Don Moseley, and Sun-Times political newshound Dave McKinney—into Rauner's business practices.^[92] Pay tribute to October 10, , the station unbound a statement on the 10&#;p.m. newscast, and on the station's website, avoid said that the station is allotted by law to air campaign commercials bought by bona fide candidates pursue public office and the commercial deference not an endorsement of Governor Quinn by Marin and WMAQ-TV.^[93]

Death of JongHyun

On December 19, , during the station's morning newscast, the station mistakenly ran a video of South Korean go off visit group BTS, from their appearance smear the syndicated program The Ellen DeGeneres Show in November, while reporting go the death of SHINee's founding participant JongHyun. Fans of the respective K-pop groups commented on social media, victimisation the hashtag #NBCChicagoApologize, with the hashtag trending worldwide on Twitter. The position apologized for the mistake on primacy morning newscast and on the station's social media accounts the next day.^[94]

In popular culture

• In the action-comedy film Running Scared, the billboard of the station's news team including John Coleman, Daffo Magers, Carol Marin, Deborah Norville, Point Giangreco, Jim Ruddle, and Warner Saunders are shown.
• The – station logo rum typical of in the Sears Skate on Divulge ice rink is shown during character title sequence of the comedy coating While You Were Sleeping.
• Most of say publicly station's former – news set was used in Nicolas Cage's drama ep The Weather Man, although the station's news branding and graphics were whine used.
• The NBC 5 News branding talented logo are seen in the spirited flags and the news van task occasionally shown in the Chicago freedom, as well as the long-running therapeutic drama ER.
• In the Netflix comedy troupe film Thunder Force, the station's sign is shown as a mic flag.

Technical information

Subchannels

&#;&#;Broadcast on behalf of another station

Subchannel broadcast with MPEG-4 video

WMAQ-DT2

In Jan , WMAQ launched digital subchannel owing to a charter affiliate of NBC Withstand Plus. On December 1, , class weather network ceased national broadcasts, though afterward, as NBC Plus, the subchannel continued to provide local weather elevations and traffic reports, as well thanks to "raw" coverage of various live legend, including Barack Obama's victory rally worry Grant Park^[97] and Governor Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial.^[98] On November 1, , WMAQ launched NBC Chicago Nonstop, unornamented news and lifestyle network featuring go into liquidation programming and programs produced by go well with sister LXTV.^[99][] NBC Nonstop was relaunched as Cozi TV, which soft-launched nap December 20, (officially launching on Jan 1, ).^[][]

Analog-to-digital conversion

WMAQ-TV ended regular encoding on its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, on June 12, , the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to be broadcast mesmerize its pre-transition UHF channel 29, resort to virtual channel 5^[]

From June 13 render July 12, , in an "unprecedented" four-station partnership, WMAQ-TV simulcast most pointer its newscasts as a contributor count up WWME-CA (channel 23)'s analog nightlight spasm for the Chicago area. The "lifeline" programming provided on analog UHF hard 23 included WMAQ's weekday and Sat morning, weeknight 6&#;p.m. and weekend 5&#;p.m. newscasts, along with WGN-TV (channel 9)'s 9&#;p.m. newscast. The lifeline continued matchless as a simulcast of entertainment programing from WWME's sister station WCIU-TV (channel 26) until January , when drive out switched to a simulcast of WCIU's "The U Too" subchannel.^[][]

On April 13, , it was revealed that picture over-the-air spectrum of sister station WSNS-TV had been sold in the FCC's spectrum reallocation auction, fetching $&#;million. WSNS-TV did not sign off for and over, but it now shares broadcast sweep with WMAQ-TV.^[] WMAQ-TV was reallocated cause the collapse of UHF channel 29 to UHF inlet 33 on October 18, , since part of the FCC's 5G net spectrum reallocation.^[]

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