User:Andy Bugay/wmaq

WMAQ-TV, officially branded as NBC 5 Chicago, is the Midwestern flagship television station of the NBC television network in Chicago. Broadcasting from facilities at NBC Tower on North Columbus Drive and its Magnificent Mile street-level Studio 5 on North Michigan Avenue, the station transmits from the Sears Tower. It currently offers NBC Weather Plus on its digital subcarrier.

History
The station officially signed on October 8, 1948, as WNBQ, the third of five stations launched by NBC behind New York City and Washington, D.C., ahead of Cleveland (by ten months) and Los Angeles. Eight years later, it became the first station in the world to broadcast all of its programs in color. Though NBC had long owned WMAQ-AM, it did not change the TV station's call letters to match until 1964. 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 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 reporters Johnny Morris and Greg Gumbel, and commentator Len O'Connor. In 1975, Jane Pauley, later of NBC's Today Show, briefly co-anchored WMAQ-TV's 10 p.m. news with Kalber. The station operated from the Merchandise Mart before moving to the NBC Tower in 1989.

The station was not only a launching pad for Jane Pauley, but also for a few other personalities before they went national as well, including CBS sportsman Greg Gumbel, CNN Headline News morning anchor Robin Meade, Inside Edition host Deborah Norville, Maury Povich and The Insider host Pat O'Brien.

On January 14, 2008, WMAQ became the second television station in Chicago to broadcast their news in high definition. Studio 5 has not yet been converted, and currently all of the station's newscasts are broadcast from NBC Tower.

Jerry Springer
WMAQ achieved notoriety in 1997 when the station, in an effort to boost its newscast ratings, hired Jerry Springer as a commentator. At the same time, the station adopted a more tabloid news format by bringing in Joel Cheatwood. Previously, Cheatwood was known for establishing fast-paced tabloid newscasts at WSVN in Miami, Florida and WHDH in Boston, Massachusetts.

Though Springer was once a newscaster at WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio (another NBC affiliate), his association with his infamous talk show (which was, and is, broadcast from WMAQ's NBC Tower studios, and is now distributed by NBC Universal) led to the belief that the newscast was being dumbed down. There were a handful of Springer supporters; nevertheless, the incident triggered a lot of negative publicity, both locally and nationally. The station's well-respected longtime anchor team, Carol Marin and Ron Magers, resigned in protest. News broadcasts at that time originated from a studio that opened onto the station's newsroom. As Marin signed off her last newscast, station personnel stood en masse in the newsroom behind her in a symbolic show of support for her decision to resign. The station saw a drop in its ratings. Springer only made two commentaries before being let go, and station management later called his hiring a mistake.

Magers wound up at rival WLS-TV, where he still is today. Marin joined rival WBBM-TV while contributing reports at CBS before coming back to WMAQ in 2004 as a special correspondent.

Amy Jacobson
On July 10, 2007, Amy Jacobson negotiated her exit with WMAQ, after being videotaped in a bikini with her two sons at the home of Craig Stebic. 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 Chicago, which has the entire six minute video on their website.

Newscast branding

 * NBC News Night Report (1960s)
 * News Center 5 (1970s-Early 1980s)
 * Channel 5 News (Mid 1980s-1997)
 * News Channel 5 (1997-1998)
 * NBC 5 Chicago News (1998-2000)
 * NBC 5 News (2000-present)

Digital television
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Notable personalities
[[:===Current On-Air Talent=== NBC 5 Anchors
 * Marion Brooks, 4:30PM Weekday Anchor
 * Anna Davlantes, Weekends 5 & 10 PM Anchor
 * Rob Elgas, Weekend Morning Anchor Sat. 6-7, 9-10 AM  Sun. 8AM-9:30AM
 * Ellee Pai Hong, Weekend Morning Anchor Sat. 6-7, 9-10 AM  Sun. 8AM-9:30AM
 * Dick Johnson, Weekday Morning 4:30-7 AM Anchor
 * Zoraida Sambolin, Weekday Morning 4:30-7 AM Anchor
 * Allison Rosati, Weekday 5, 6, and 10PM Anchor
 * Warner Saunders,Weekday 5, 6, and 10PM Anchor
 * Rob Stafford, Weekends 5 & 10 PM Anchor
 * Bob Sirott, 4:30PM Weekday Anchor

NBC 5 Reporters
 * Mary Ann Ahern, General Assignment Reporter
 * Renee Ferguson, Investigative Reporter
 * Nesita Kwan, Health Reporter, also Fill-in anchor
 * Carol Marin, Political Editor (formerly longtime Anchor and Investigative Reporter)
 * Natalie Martinez, General Assignment Reporter
 * Lauren Jiggetts, General Assignment Reporter
 * Art Norman, Feature Reporter, also Fill-in anchor, technology reporter, and iCast at lunch host.
 * Lisa Parker, Investigative Reporter: Target 5
 * Alex Perez, General Assignment Reporter
 * Anthony Ponce, General Assignment Reporter
 * Phil Rogers, General Assignment Reporter (formerly with WBBM-AM)
 * LeeAnn Trotter, Entertainment Reporter (former Weekday Morning Traffic Anchor)
 * Lisa Tutman, General Assignment Reporter
 * Kim Vatis, General Assignment Reporter
 * Charlie Wojciechowski, Technology Reporter and general assignment reporter
 * Sharon Wright, General Assignment Reporter

NBC 5 Weather Meteorologists
 * Brant Miller (AMS Seal of Approval), Chief Meteorologist, seen weekdays at 4:30, 5, 6 & 10PM
 * Andy Avalos, Weekday Morning Meteorologist, seen from 4:30-7AM and also for news and weather breaks during Today
 * Pete Sack, Meteorologist (Fill in metorologist)

Sports Anchors/Reporters Ryan Baker and Paula Faris are co-anchors of NBC 5 Sports Sunday at 10:30pm on Sundays. Ryan Baker, during Bears season, anchors Bears Game Day Live at 10:30am Sundays and Bears Game Night Live at 10:45pm. During Bears season Sports Sunday is reduced to 10:30-10:45pm to allow time for Bears Game Night Live.
 * Ryan Baker, Weekdays/Weekends
 * Paula Faris, Weekdays/Weekends
 * Peggy Kusinski, Weekdays/Weekends, also Chicago Bears Beat Reporter
 * Bruce Wolf, Weekdays/Weekends
 * Mike Adamle Weekdays/Weekends

Former On-Air Talent

 * Linda Alvarez - reporter (1973-1977, now at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles)
 * Jackie Bange - weekend anchor/reporter (1990-1993, now at WGN-TV)
 * Derrick Blakely - weekend anchor/reporter (1987-2003, now at WBBM-TV)
 * Darrian Chapman - sports anchor/reporter  (2000-2004, deceased)
 * John Coleman - meteorologist (1984-1990, now at KUSI-TV in San Diego)
 * Chet Coppock - sports anchor (1981-1984, currently at WMVP-AM)
 * Don Craig - anchor (1976-1978)
 * Jim Cummins - reporter (1976-1978, now Southwest Bureau Chief at NBC News)
 * Darryl David - business reporter/weekend anchor (1987-1989)
 * Jill Dougherty - reporter (1980-1983, now at CNN in Washington, D.C.)
 * Tom Duggan - sports reporter (1949 - 1953), deceased.
 * Ysabel Duron - reporter (1986-1990, now at KRON-TV in San Francisco)
 * Joan Esposito - anchor/reporter (1989-1999)
 * Russ Ewing - investigative reporter (1967-1981 and 1998-2001)
 * Ona Fletcher - reporter (1997-1999)
 * Robin George - reporter/fill-in anchor (1990-2000)
 * Mark Giangreco - sports anchor (1982-1993, now at WLS-TV)
 * Sylvia Gomez - reporter (1992-1994)
 * Roberta Gonzales - weather anchor (1990-1996, now at KPIX-TV in San Francisco)
 * Greg Gumbel - sports anchor (1973-1981, now at CBS Sports)
 * Chuck Henry - anchor (1979-1982, now at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles)
 * Cindy Hernandez - reporter (1994-1997)
 * Ron Hunter - anchor (1975-1978), deceased.
 * Walter Jacobson anchor/reporter (1971-1973)
 * Amy Jacobson - reporter (1996-2007)
 * Floyd Kalber - legendary anchor (1960-1976), deceased
 * Dick Kay - political reporter/commentator/host of City Desk (1968-2006, the longest serving reporter at WMAQ)
 * Jon Kelley - sports reporter (1991-1998, now with Extra)
 * Don Lemon - anchorman/reporter (2003-2005, now with CNN world headquarters in Atlanta)
 * Ron Magers - longtime anchor (1981-1997, now at WLS-TV)
 * John Mason - reporter (1995-1997, now at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis)
 * Marlene McClinton - weekend anchor/reporter (1985-1987)
 * Robin Meade - anchor/reporter (1994-2001, now at CNN Headline News)
 * Al Meltzer - sports anchor/reporter (1977-1978)
 * Byron Miranda - weather anchor (1998-2002)
 * Erin Moriarty - consumer reporter (1983-1986, now at CBS News)
 * Jeannie Morris - sports reporter (1970-1973 and 1974-75)
 * Johnny Morris - sports anchor (1968-1975)
 * Mary Murnane - weekend anchor/reporter (1985-1990)
 * Rich Newberg - investigative reporter (1975-1978, now at WIVB-TV in Buffalo)
 * Deborah Norville - reporter/anchor (1982-1986, now host of Inside Edition)
 * Pat O'Brien - anchor/reporter (now host of The Insider).
 * Roger O'Neil - reporter (now an NBC News correspondent)
 * Anita Padilla- weekend morning anchor/reporter (1997-2007, now at WFLD-TV)
 * Jane Pauley - anchor/reporter (1975-1976)
 * Maury Povich - anchor (1976-1977)
 * Cindy Preszler - meteorologist (1997-1998, currently at KSDK-TV in St. Louis)
 * Norma Quarles - reporter (1977-1978)
 * Gene Randall - anchor/reporter (1976-1980)
 * Carol Anne Riddell - reporter (1990-1992, now at WNBC-TV in New York)
 * Max Robinson - anchor (1984-1985), deceased
 * Jim Ruddle - anchor (1967-1986)
 * Rick Sallinger - reporter (1986-1990, now at KCNC-TV in Denver)
 * Rich Samuels - reporter (1974-1991, now runs a website on Chicago broadcasting
 * Dave Savini - investigative reporter (1993-2004, now at WBBM-TV)
 * Mark Schanowski - sports anchor/reporter (1998-2005, now at Comcast Sportsnet Chicago)
 * Alan Sealls - meteorologist (1997-1999, now at WKRG-TV in Mobile, Alabama)
 * Tom Shaer - sports reporter/anchor (1989-2001)
 * Don Shane - sports anchor/reporter (1980-1983, now at WXYZ-TV in Detroit)
 * Carole Simpson - weekend anchor/reporter (1970-1974)
 * Sondra Solarte - traffic reporter (2001-2005, now at WFLD-TV)
 * Tammie Souza - meteorologist (2000-2006, now at WFLD-TV, sister of KXTV meteorologist Patty Souza)
 * Mark Suppelsa - anchor/investigative reporter (1993-2003, now at WFLD-TV)
 * Jerry Taft - weather anchor (1977-1984, now at WLS-TV)
 * Martha Teichner - reporter (1976-1977, now at CBS News)
 * Jim Tilmon - weather anchor and aviation reporter (1972-1994, now at WBBM-TV)
 * Harry Volkman - weather anchor (1959-1967)
 * Phil Walters - anchor/reporter (1967-1976 and 1997-2000, deceased)
 * Tim Weigel - sports anchor (1975-1977, deceased)
 * Roy Weissinger - weekend anchor/reporter (1984-1987)
 * Linda Yu - anchor/reporter (1979-1984, now at WLS-TV)
 * Ginger Zee - now at "Good Morning America"
 * Bill Zwecker - movie critic (1993-2000, now at WBBM-TV)
 * Darren Kramer (Now at WTNH-TV which is the ABC affiliate for the entire state of Connecticut)

References in popular culture
In director Spike Lee's 1986 film She's Gotta Have It, the character Greer Childers is seen wearing a WMAQ tee shirt.