Weigel Broadcasting
Encyclopedia
Weigel Broadcasting is an American
locally based television broadcasting company. The company is based in downtown Chicago
, Illinois
, alongside its flagship station WCIU-TV
(Channel 26), at the apt address of 26 North Halsted Street
in the Greektown
neighborhood.
Over the years, the company began to acquire and also launch new stations in the adjacent markets of Milwaukee
and South Bend, Indiana
, at first by placing WCIU translators in those markets to gain a foothold in each market, before programming the stations independently. Weigel would end up an unexpected benefactor of the Fox affiliate switches of 1994
, as their full-power independent station WDJT-TV
in Milwaukee ended up with the CBS affiliation late that year, while WBND-LP
became the home of ABC programming in South Bend the next year when the original stations of the networks in each market switched to Fox
.
Also in that same year, WCIU dropped the Spanish-language Univision
network and became Chicago's only true full-power independent station when WGN
and WPWR
joined The WB
and UPN
networks respectively, while WGBO became a Univision O&O, allowing the station to pursue sports rights and syndicated programming not previously available and giving WCIU some strength in the market.
In July 2008, Weigel announced the creation of This TV
, a national subchannel network, operated as a joint venture of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
and Weigel.
In early August 2008, Weigel Broadcasting agreed to sell all three of its South Bend stations, WBND-LP
, WCWW-LP
and WMYS-LP
, to Schurz Communications
, the longtime owner of the local CBS affiliate WSBT-TV
, for undisclosed terms. However, in the absence of action by the Federal Communications Commission
, the deal was called off in August 2009.
Weigel Broadcasting is launching You and Me This Morning, a program that features entertainment news.
At the end of 2009, Broadcasting & Cable
gave Weigel Broadcasting its first annual Multi-Platform Broadcaster of the Year award. The company makes efficient use of digital TV's multicast capabilities, with one main channel and four subchannels for WCIU
in Chicago, and Me-TV and This TV on subchannels nationwide.
On November 22, 2010, Weigel announced that they would take the Me-TV concept national and compete fully with RTV
and Antenna TV
, while complementing its successful sister network This TV
.
On December 1, 2010, WCIU dropped their FBT foreign broadcasting digital subchannel (with some of that programming eventually to be moved to Polnet Communications
' WPVN-CA
) and is currently airing a simulcast of WCIU-TV on WCIU digital subchannel 26.2. The new digital subchannel, The U Too, was officially launched on January 5, 2011. The new digital network will be airing on WCIU digital subchannel 26.2, replacing Me-TV, which moved to WCIU digital subchannel 26.3 on December 15, 2010, and mainly consists of other purchased programming without room on the main WCIU schedule, second runs of WCIU programming or programming burned off
due to low ratings.
On January 4, 2011, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Weigel Broadcasting have announced plans to distribute Me-TV nationwide.
for licensing purposes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
locally based television broadcasting company. The company is based in downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, alongside its flagship 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...
(Channel 26), at the apt address of 26 North Halsted Street
Halsted Street
Halsted Street is a major north-south street in the American city of Chicago, Illinois.-Location:In Chicago's grid system, Halsted street marks 800 West, one mile west of State Street, from Grace Street in Lakeview south to the city limits at the Little Calumet River in West Pullman...
in the Greektown
Greektown, Chicago
Greektown is a dining and nightlife district on the Near West Side of the American city of Chicago, Illinois. It is one of many neighborhoods that make up the Near West Side community area, and is popular with tourists and Chicago residents alike....
neighborhood.
History
The company was founded by Chicago broadcasting veteran John Weigel, whose career dated back to the 1930s. With $1,000 of his own money, and another $1,000 from his attorney, Daniel J. McCarthy, Weigel bought the broadcasting license for what became the first UHF television station in the Chicago area. WCIU signed on the air on February 6, 1964.Over the years, the company began to acquire and also launch new stations in the adjacent markets of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
and South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, at first by placing WCIU translators in those markets to gain a foothold in each market, before programming the stations independently. Weigel would end up an unexpected benefactor of the Fox affiliate switches of 1994
Fox affiliate switches of 1994
The United States television network affiliate switches of 1994 were a series of events resulting from a multi-million dollar deal between Fox Broadcasting Company, known commonly as Fox, and New World Communications, an owner of several VHF television stations affiliated with major networks,...
, as their full-power independent station WDJT-TV
WDJT-TV
WDJT-TV, channel 58, is the CBS-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin broadcasting on UHF digital channel 46, that displays WDJT's virtual channel as its former analog channel assignment of 58 via PSIP...
in Milwaukee ended up with the CBS affiliation late that year, while WBND-LP
WBND-LP
WBND-LP, channel 57, is the ABC-affiliated television station serving the South Bend, Indiana designated market area. The station is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting. The station broadcasts a low-power digital signal on UHF channel 49, using its analog channel assignment of channel 57 as...
became the home of ABC programming in South Bend the next year when the original stations of the networks in each market switched to Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
.
Also in that same year, WCIU dropped the Spanish-language Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
network and became Chicago's only true full-power independent station when WGN
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 WPWR
WPWR-TV
WPWR-TV, channel 50, is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Gary, Indiana, and serving the Chicago, Illinois area. WPWR-TV is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network outlet WFLD-TV...
joined The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
and UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
networks respectively, while WGBO became a Univision O&O, allowing the station to pursue sports rights and syndicated programming not previously available and giving WCIU some strength in the market.
In July 2008, Weigel announced the creation of This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
, a national subchannel network, operated as a joint venture of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and Weigel.
In early August 2008, Weigel Broadcasting agreed to sell all three of its South Bend stations, WBND-LP
WBND-LP
WBND-LP, channel 57, is the ABC-affiliated television station serving the South Bend, Indiana designated market area. The station is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting. The station broadcasts a low-power digital signal on UHF channel 49, using its analog channel assignment of channel 57 as...
, WCWW-LP
WCWW-LP
WCWW-LD is the low-powered CW network affiliate in South Bend, Indiana. It is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, who also owns South Bend's ABC affiliate WBND, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYS...
and WMYS-LP
WMYS-LP
WMYS redirects here. For the Indianapolis radio station formerly known as WMYS, see WXNT.WMYS-LD is a digital low power-TV station on channel 23 which maps via PSIP to virtual channel 69 in South Bend. Previously, channel 69 was South Bend's WB affliliate, which then moved to sister station WMWB-LP...
, to Schurz Communications
Schurz Communications
Schurz Communications is a South Bend, Indiana-based radio, television, cable tv and newspaper media group.-Cable Television Systems:*Antietam Cable, Hagerstown, Maryland *Advanced Cable Communications, Coral Springs, Florida...
, the longtime owner of the local CBS affiliate WSBT-TV
WSBT-TV
WSBT-TV, channel 22 is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. WSBT is the flagship television station of Schurz Communications, and is an affiliate of the CBS television network. It's studios are located in Mishawaka. Its transmitter is located in South Bend.-Early broadcasting:WSBT-TV first...
, for undisclosed terms. However, in the absence of action by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, the deal was called off in August 2009.
Weigel Broadcasting is launching You and Me This Morning, a program that features entertainment news.
At the end of 2009, Broadcasting & Cable
Broadcasting & Cable
Broadcasting & Cable magazine is a television industry trade magazine published by NewBay Media. Previous names included Broadcasting/Telecasting, Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising, and Broadcasting...
gave Weigel Broadcasting its first annual Multi-Platform Broadcaster of the Year award. The company makes efficient use of digital TV's multicast capabilities, with one main channel and four subchannels for WCIU
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...
in Chicago, and Me-TV and This TV on subchannels nationwide.
On November 22, 2010, Weigel announced that they would take the Me-TV concept national and compete fully with RTV
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
and Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
, while complementing its successful sister network This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
.
On December 1, 2010, WCIU dropped their FBT foreign broadcasting digital subchannel (with some of that programming eventually to be moved to Polnet Communications
Polnet Communications
Polnet Communications, Ltd. is a Chicago, Illinois-based company that owns 8 AM radio stations in the United States. Many stations run Polish language or other multicultural programming...
' WPVN-CA
WPVN-CA
WPVN-CD is a Class A Digital television station that is licensed to Aurora, Illinois and serves the Chicago area, and is owned by ethnic broadcaster Polnet Communications...
) and is currently airing a simulcast of WCIU-TV on WCIU digital subchannel 26.2. The new digital subchannel, The U Too, was officially launched on January 5, 2011. The new digital network will be airing on WCIU digital subchannel 26.2, replacing Me-TV, which moved to WCIU digital subchannel 26.3 on December 15, 2010, and mainly consists of other purchased programming without room on the main WCIU schedule, second runs of WCIU programming or programming burned off
Burning off
Burning off is the low-profile airing of otherwise-abandoned unaired television programs, usually by scheduling in far less important time slots or on less important sister stations...
due to low ratings.
On January 4, 2011, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Weigel Broadcasting have announced plans to distribute Me-TV nationwide.
Stations owned by Weigel Broadcasting
Most of the stations are categorized into separate limited partnershipsLimited partnership
A limited partnership is a form of partnership similar to a general partnership, except that in addition to one or more general partners , there are one or more limited partners . It is a partnership in which only one partner is required to be a general partner.The GPs are, in all major respects,...
for licensing purposes.
| Current DMA# | Market | Station-Channel-(Digital) | Current Affiliation | Official Licensee |
| 3. | Chicago, Illinois | 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... 26 (26.11, 27) |
Independent | "WCIU-TV Limited Partnership" |
| The U Too (26.21) | Independent | "WCIU-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| WWME-CA 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.... 23 (26.31, 394) |
Me-TV national feed | "Channel 23 Limited Partnership" | ||
| WMEU-CA WMEU-CA WMEU-CA is a class A station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Weigel Broadcasting, which also owns sister stations WCIU-TV and WWME-CA. The station is an extension of WWME's classic programming format, and brands as "MeToo"... 48 (26.41, 32) |
MeToo (locally programmed) | "WCIU-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| This TV This TV This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies.... (26.51) |
MGM and Cookie Jar programming | "WCIU-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| 132. | Rockford, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated... |
WFBN-LP 33 (35) | Independent | Weigel Broadcasting Company |
| 34. | Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the... |
WMLW-CA WMLW-CA WMLW-CA, channel 41 , is a LPTV independent television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its transmitter is located in Milwaukee's Lincoln Park... 41 (13, 58.22) |
Independent | "Channel 41/63 Limited Partnership" |
| WBME-TV 49 (48) | Me-TV national feed | "TV-49, Inc." | ||
| WDJT-TV WDJT-TV WDJT-TV, channel 58, is the CBS-affiliated television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin broadcasting on UHF digital channel 46, that displays WDJT's virtual channel as its former analog channel assignment of 58 via PSIP... 58 (46) |
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... |
"WDJT-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| This TV This TV This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies.... (58.32) |
MGM and Cookie Jar programming | "WDJT-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| Shorewest TV (58.4) | Real estate listings and programming from Milwaukee-area real estate Real estate In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or... agency Shorewest Realtors |
"WDJT-TV Limited Partnership" (time-lease by Shorewest Realtors) |
||
| WYTU-LD 63 (17, 49.43, 5) | 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.... |
"Channel 41/63 Limited Partnership" | ||
| 89. | South Bend, Indiana South Bend, Indiana The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663... |
WCWW-LP WCWW-LP WCWW-LD is the low-powered CW network affiliate in South Bend, Indiana. It is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, who also owns South Bend's ABC affiliate WBND, and MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYS... 25 (27) |
CW The CW Television Network The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB... |
"WCWW-TV Limited Partnership" |
| This TV This TV This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies.... (25.2) |
MGM and Cookie Jar programming | "WCWW-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| WBND-LP WBND-LP WBND-LP, channel 57, is the ABC-affiliated television station serving the South Bend, Indiana designated market area. The station is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting. The station broadcasts a low-power digital signal on UHF channel 49, using its analog channel assignment of channel 57 as... 57 (49) |
ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
"WBND-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| Me-TV (57.2) | Independent | "WBND-TV Limited Partnership" | ||
| WMYS-LP WMYS-LP WMYS redirects here. For the Indianapolis radio station formerly known as WMYS, see WXNT.WMYS-LD is a digital low power-TV station on channel 23 which maps via PSIP to virtual channel 69 in South Bend. Previously, channel 69 was South Bend's WB affliliate, which then moved to sister station WMWB-LP... 69 (23) |
MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation... |
Weigel Broadcasting Company |
External links
- WCIU official page, contains corporate information
- The U Too website
- Me TV Network website
- This TV website
- John Weigel - Man of UHF