Plains Television sold WICS to Guy Gannett Communications (no relation to the larger Gannett Company), in 1986 but held onto WICD until 1994. The ad from TV Guide above announced the reconstruction of the new tower which would bring WICD, Channel 15 to full power by the Summer of 1967. He received CableACE awards in 1989 and 1993, and was a New York . WICS owner Sinclair did not give her the chance to tell viewers goodbye. This is a special hour-long NBC News as broadcast from November 20, 1977. All of these stars were there before 1982. The situation with WICS/WICD wasunique when it came to Saturday Night Live. Facebook It seems that Saturday Night Live replaced a time period in which local stations previously programmed it to air movies and other syndicated programming. John Belushi who was with the show from 1975 to 1979, Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin were there from 1975-1980. When WICS moved from the former Leland Hotel studios, it moved into a large facility located at 2680 East Cook Street in Springfield. WICS News Anchors News anchors and reporters like Douglas Kimball would be replaced by Wayne Cox (formerly of WBLN), who would anchor through the 1960s to the 1970s. With the exception of the WCCU newscast, WICD no longer produces Champaign-specific local news. WICS, Sinclairs ABC affiliate in the Springfield-Decatur, Ill., had more than double the social media actions as its nearest media competitor in the past six months according to data from audience insight firm Shareablee. At one point in time, there had been a newscast weeknights at 5 that was simulcast on both outlets originating from Springfield.[4]. Although the WRSP/WCCU newscast features market wide coverage, including contributions from WICD reporters based in Champaign, there is a separate weeknight weather segment for WRSP and WCCU that was seen. HMTF was majority stockholder of the LIN TV Corporation, then-owner of WAND. // pattern, adding to the array. Quotation [13] = " '(FTVLive) is a Mad Blogger'- Piers Morgan" However, WICS was the only station uplinked by satellite providers due to contractual obligations, since it was considered the main station. Multimedia journalists based at WICD's Champaign studios still provide coverage of the eastern areas of the market. Static.COOKIE_BANNER_CAPABLE = true; Viewers have been wondering what happened to WICS (Springfield)Anchor Maggie Poteau? Springfield TV weatherman off air since slamming station's Code Red "corporate initiative" during broadcast", "Weatherman Calls Out Sinclair Broadcasting For The Terrible Storm Alert System They Make Him Use", "WICS meteorologist Joe Crain criticizes 'Code Red' alerts", https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190613/sinclair-meteorologist-joe-crain-let-go-from-wics, "Viewers displeased after weatherman Ric Kearbey announces he's leaving WICS", "Former WICS personality Ric Kearbey raising money for online weather site", "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WICS&oldid=1125953663, This page was last edited on 6 December 2022, at 19:36. Also, you'll learn more about that full-powered east central Illinois station at the WICD page (which is coming soon). On September 5, 2005, the two stations swapped affiliations with WAND and became ABC affiliates as part of a larger national deal between LIN and NBC that also involved WDTN in Dayton, Ohio (who swapped affiliations with WICS/WICD's Dayton sister station WKEF the year before). // ============================================== Flip was WICS weathercaster for the six and ten-PM newscasts from 1973 to 1979. WICS would often time preempt NBC for the airing of local origination programming during the prime time during the month following a rating period. The relationship of the two central Illinois NBC affiliates was so intertwined that it would be questionable that either one could continue to be successful without the other. Syndicated Programming The cars would be driven into the new WICS studio where up to four vehicles could be featured at one time! She's leaving WICS in Springfield, Ill. to join San Antonio NBC and Fox affiliates WOAI and KABB. WICD would follow with a play of its public affairs program Assignment 15.. Lemke has gone from The Weather Channel to the Chief Met at WICS in Springfield. It was sponsored by Railsplitters Lincoln-Mercury which would either do live or recorded commercials in the studio with featured vehicles both new and used. "He was an instant star," recalled Vann, who retired in 2019 after 42 years on television and now lives in Asheville, North Carolina. (YouTube), Newsteam, Douglas Kimball, Dale Coleman and Nick Alexander, TV Guide, Nick Charles formerly of WICS at CNN, CNN Screen Shot. The effort on WRSP/WCCU was further expanded on January 20, 2014, when WICS began producing a two-hour weekday morning show for the Fox affiliates. WICS would preempt NBC programming to air syndicated programs during prime time, in which the station could charge prime rates to more advertisers as there was more commercial time available during those syndicated shows. I have been in the midst of a big transition. Late Monday, WICS GM Rick Lipps said in a video posted to the stations website that Code Red, which may no longer be fitting, will be replaced with Weather Warn., The State Journal-Register | | The Saturday morning sign-on was at 6:30 am as well with the syndicated U.S. Later in the year, Sinclair signed the stations with ABC. Even as WCHU went on the air in 1960, plans were being made to bring a full-powered station to east central Illinois which would re-broadcast the signal of WICS and bring a city-grade signal to an even larger area than that of WCIA. The State Journal-Register | That resulted in many complaints by viewers and the eventual reversal of the pre-emption as well as WICS being one of the first stations to add "Star Trek" by off-network syndication. Decatur Area Weather Forecast. Mr. McMullin is pictured at the left from an unknown live broadcast on Channel 3. Some of the religious shows included Jimmy Swaggart, Herald of Truth and Faith for Today. Sometime in the 1960s, WICS began a tradition of airing a movie at 9:30 am. This page is here to encourage an open dialogue with our viewers and provide an online community where people can express themselves and interact with See more 134,949 people like this 234,742 people follow this http://www.newschannel20.com/ J.R. Evans Anchor Leaves Station without a Word (Thanks to Sinclair) October 28, 2016 / Scott Jones. Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Area MMJ/Reporter . We are pleased that as an [], February 27, 2017 | 6:55 am EST by TVNewsCheck. In 2012 WICS Anchor Jerry Lambert retired from the anchor desk. "Real People" was a reality-based variety show which gave a number of "real" people/groups their 15-minutes of fame in front of a national audience. "Real People" ran from 1979 to 1984 on NBC. They might have had a strange talent, demonstrated a stunt, had a peculiar occupation.I think you get the idea. March 7, 2011 | 6:17 am EST by TVNewsCheck. This is a 10 pm newscast from February 24, 2016. The Springfield State Journal-Register | Anchors Trey Paul - weekdays mornings and reporter (also reporter) Natalie Sparacio - weekday mornings Marianne Manko - weeknights at 5, 6, and 9 Vince DeMentri - weeknights at 5, 6, and 10 Liz Foster - weeknights at 10 Shantel Middleton - General Assignment/weekend anchor Kevilee Douglas - Illinois Central host Storm Team 20 . Joe Crain has been a meteorologist at WICS Springfield, Ill., for 15 years. "[13] Despite complaints and comments from viewers on the station's social media platforms,[14] letters to the editor and local talk radio shows, Sinclair continued to mandate its meteorologists to use the terminology. Most of the time it was to air more big dollar commercials during syndicated programming. The Urbana Courier Newspaper Scott Baer However, WCCU quickly moved its advertising sales operation from its location on South Neil Street/U.S. WCHU, Channel 33 in Champaign only broadcast a radius of about 15 miles from downtown Champaign. Anchors Jerry Lambert and Marianne Manko are featured with weathercaster Kelly Curran. Included with the change was a new set at the Springfield studios and updated Sinclair corporate graphics. At that time the station's call letters were changed to WHNB-TV. Brittany is no stranger to Illinois as she's worked at news stations in southern and central . He was 66. WICD (channel 15) in ChampaignUrbana operates as a semi-satellite of WICS. --from Gus Gordon's Linkedin profile, September 5, 2005, first day at being an ABC affiliate, Gus Gordon (Doug Quick Collection), August 2010, Gus Gordon (Doug Quick Collection). In 1963 Robert D. McMullin was listed as WCIA News Editor (News Director). In the early days, the WICS studios would allow for cars to be driven into the studios as well as for the many children's shows which included a studio audience as well as a panel of local kids. It wasn't purchased by Guy Gannett until 1994. WICS/WICD was to have switched to ABC at the beginning of the 200405 television season, but it was required to remain with NBC for another year, as its affiliation contract with the station did not expire until September 4 of the following year. He later would be at CNN for over 20 years and at WXIA in Atlanta before moving to a role in public relations and working for the United Way in Atlanta. Here is a complete directory of nearly every professional News Anchors nearby. (You Tube), Linda Ellerby doing an NBC News Update from 1977. He was 74. Springfield Area Weather Forecast. WICD and its Sinclair sister station in the market, WICS, will begin sharing weekend newscasts that day. Former WICS Anchor Don Hickman Dies at 74. The picture with WICS staff members was taken sometime in the last days of "The Virginian" or during the 1974-75 era of "Lucas Tanner" which aired on NBC. Most commercials were either done live or live on tape from the studios of WICS. It was decided WICD being in a more liberal university community would air the 1970's version of SNL. On December 31, 2012, the Sinclair Broadcast Group closed on the purchase of the non-license assets of GOCOM's three television stations, WRSP/WCCU and sister station WBUI for approximately $25.6 million. Eight Stations Launch NextGen TV In Champaign/Springfield-Decatur, Code Red Forecaster, WICS Resolve Differences. [1] However, it was a primary NBC affiliate. This facility would house the station for many years to come even after bringing the operations of the GoCom stations (WRSP, WCCU, and WBUI) into the fold in the 2010s. The low powered translatoron channel 75 in Mattoon probably didn't broadcast much more than a few miles from Mattoon. This was the 1965-66 Season Premiere Video produced for NBC Sales. It was felt by the management of the time that WICS would be better served by keeping the late movie and airing the local commercials. Quotation[0] = "'Mr. Pictured above are several graphics from the show along with Chevy Chase who was only there during the 1975-76 season, but he's probably one of the best-known alumni of the show. The syndicated version aired in the 6:30-7pm time weekday evening slot. It as done with a panel which included John Barbour, Sarah Percell, Byron Allen, Skip Stephenson, Bill Rafferty, Mark Russell, Fred Willard and even Peter Billingsley(of "Christmas Story"). Quotation [15] = " 'FTVLive Reported the Story First'- NY Times" The rest of the weekday schedule was filled with NBC programming, with a local newscast at 10 pm. September 19, 2012 | 3:34 pm EDT by TVNewsCheck, State Journal-Register | It's unknown why the Balaban's held onto the Champaign property. [5][6] While WICS and WICD operated separate news departments, there was a considerable amount of resource sharing between the two outlets, such as with video footage and personnel. The Illinois State Journal-Register Impeachment managers argued that Trump's speech on January 6 incited the deadly insurrection at the U. S. Capitol. That was in April of 1978. The switch ended up being one of the most confusing things to happen to local TV since the advent of cable TV. That left a huge part of the rural areas including Charleston, Tuscola, and other east-centralcommunities without NBC network service from 1959 through 1967. (The initiative, which Sinclair began implementing in 2018 and is similar to systems devised by other groups such as Gray Television through the stations it inherited from the now-defunct Raycom Media, is known by different names depending on the station, such as "Weather Warn" or as a "(weather branding) Alert Day".) 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