WLS-TV
|
|
WLS-TV (ABC 7) is an ABC-owned Chicago television station. It transmits from the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago. The station broadcasts local news, entertainment, and public affairs programming as well as syndicated programs and ABC television network broadcasts.
| Contents |
History
The station first went on the air on September 17, 1948 as WENR-TV. It was named after WENR-AM, ABC's Chicago radio affiliate.
In 1953, a complex deal took place that largely set the lineup for Chicago television for the next decade. ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres, the former theater division of Paramount Pictures. UPT owned WBKB-TV, the CBS station, but the new ABC couldn't keep both. As a result, WBKB was sold to CBS and renamed WBBM-TV, while WENR was renamed WBKB-TV. The station became WLS-TV in 1968, after WLS-AM, which ABC had owned since 1959.
News Operations
WLS, like the other ABC owned-and-operated stations, adopted the Eyewitness News format in the late 1960s after it became a hit at flagship WABC-TV in New York. In March 1986, it passed longtime leader WBBM-TV as the highest-rated news station in Chicago and has held the lead ever since.
In May 2005, the station's ABC 7 News was number one in the 10 PM news race with a rating of 11.4 and 19 share, beating out rivals WMAQ-TV (9.5/15), WFLD-TV who airs a rerun of The Simpsons(5.6/9), and WBBM-TV (5.1/8).
The station's current news music package is News Series 2000 Plus by Frank Gari. They recently updated their on-air look for their news broadcasts.[1] (http://www.suntimes.com/output/feder/cst-fin-feder09.html)
Other locally produced programs
- 190 North - local affairs and special interests program named after the station's studio address at 190 North State Street in downtown Chicago
- The Oprah Winfrey Show - originally created by WLS-TV
- Ebert & Roeper - film review program
See also
References
- The Bob & Kay Show (WENR-TV). Chicago Television (http://www.chicagotelevision.com/murphy.htm).
- WLS-TV station history (2005). ABC7Chicago.com (http://abclocal.go.com/wls/aboutus/station_history.html).