These broadcasts are known as ABC NewsChannel and feature a common graphics package seen on WICS and WICD. News & Sports MMJ & Producer News Writing, Video Production, Social Media, Videography, Journalism, Broadcast, New Media, Director of Digital Sports Development at Neuhoff Media, WTAX News Director/Brand Manager at Saga Communications. // Copyright 2004 by CodeLifter.com Ann Marshall That left a huge part of the rural areas including Charleston, Tuscola, and other east-centralcommunities without NBC network service from 1959 through 1967. (see above) The movies included many of Hollywoods classic films from the Warner Brothers and MGM libraries. (picture courtesy of Teresa Wilson Ericson, daughter of Robert Wilson), You can see Robert Wilson in WICS's early history as a cast member of "Pegwill's Circus". A short voice over promo for NBC Saturday Night at the Movies from 1975. Gus Gordon(weather), Don Hickman, Susan Finzen(anchors), Paul Wappel(sports) (courtesy WICS), Rebroadcast of vintage video showing Don Hickman and staff (courtesy of WICS). However, WICS' signal was not nearly strong enough to reach the eastern portion of the area. Sinclair purchased most of Guy Gannett's stations, including WICS and WICD, in 1999. Both stations would air the NBC Nightly News but WICS would air it at its more traditional time at 5:30 pm, while WICD would follow its local news broadcast with the NBC news. The reason? The Associated Press | WICS Advertises For Meteorologists Replacement, Code Red Alert Gone After Meteorologists Knock, At KCCI Des Moines, The CSD Draws On Long And Varied Experience, Talking TV: CBCs About That Elevates Explainer News For Streaming, For NextGen TV, Cheaper Receivers, Bigger Markets And More HDR Are Next, Many Forces Working Against TV M&A In 2023, Hawaiis This Is Now Bridges Digital, Broadcast, Talking TV: Welcoming The End Of News Objectivity, Scale Complicates Monitoring, But Tools Level Up To The Challenge, Chatbots Downside For Media Is Already Clear, TV Groups Turn To Solutions Journalism, And Viewers Lean In, Local Businesses Pull Ads From WICS In Support Of Weathercaster, WICS Forecaster May Be Out After Criticizing Sinclair, WICS Meteorologist Criticizes Sinclair Code Red Alerts, WICS Strong Leader In Central Ill. Social Media, WICS Fires Anchor, Reporter After Hooters Fight, WICS Sports Director Krista Lander Leaving, WICS News Set Nominated For Mid-America Emmy, Vince DeMintri Joins Anchor Staff At WICS, WICS Reporter Katie Heinz Injured In Accident, Former WICS Anchor Don Hickman Dies At 74, Spot TV Forecast: After Political Bonanza In 22, Flat Will Suffice For 23, Top 30 Station Groups: Standard General Leaps Into Second Place With Tegna Acquisition, 13th Annual Women In Technology Awards Reception, Revenue Strategies: Advanced Targeting for Local TV. Hazard, Kentucky . WICS Newschannel 20 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Springfield and nearby towns and communities in the Decatur, and Champaign area, including Jacksonville, Taylorville, Lincoln, Petersburg, Pana, Effingham, Shelbyville, Beardstown, Carlinville, Litchfield and Hillsboro. Broadcast Journalism, News Writing, TV News Production, Media Relations, Video, Final Cut Pro, Director of Communication at Daughters of Wisdom, President at Savant Multimedia, LLC, Board Member Director of Communication at Daughters of Wisdom. It's been an incredible ride over the past 2+ years here in Springfield, one that I won't soon forget. The Resignation of President Nixon as covered by NBC, August 8, 1974. Flip was WICS weathercaster for the six and ten-PM newscasts from 1973 to 1979. Brittany Hardaway joined 13 WREX as an anchor for the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts in July of 2021. December 6, 2022 | 1:16 pm EST by TVN Staff. Former WICS Anchor Don Hickman Dies at 74. The switch was to take place on Labor Day of 2005. WICS (channel 20) is a television station licensed to Springfield, Illinois, United States, affiliated with ABC. It was not until December 2012 that local newscasts seen on WICS were upgraded to HD. // ====================================== Danville Area Weather Forecast. In the case of WICS/WICD, it was a late movie. WICD and its Sinclair sister station in the market, WICS, will begin sharing weekend newscasts that day. March 7, 2011 | 6:17 am EST by TVNewsCheck. Pictured are WICS staff members Robert Wilson and John McKinney. "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. Champaign's sister station was allowed to break from the WICS program schedule and it would air "Saturday Night Live" as broadcast on NBC. [21] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 20. WICD's transmitter is near the border between Illinois and Indiana, and WICD was carried on most cable systems on the Illinois side of the Terre Haute market. During the Summer of 2004, it was announced that WAND would become the market's NBC station. I am now the Marketing Manager for the Springfield Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau. // pattern, adding to the array. 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. Employees have the right to disagree and should do so when they believe something is wrong, though hopefully not on a public forum., The Associated Press | Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) stating that the "Code Red" system "overstat[es] the danger to our community." The owners of Plains Television Partners were Harry and Elmer Balaban, the two younger brothers of Barney Balaban, who was the head of Paramount Pictures during the 1940s and '50s. var whichQuotation=Math.round(Math.random()*(Q-1)); WICS would add syndicated shows ranging from the videotaped talk shows mentioned above to "Superman," "The Lloyd Thaxton Show," "Bilko," "The Galloping Gourmet," "David Frost," "Hazel," "Dinah Shore," "Girl Talk" and movies on Saturday and Sunday nights and a rather unique Sunday morning movie series. 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. It was decided WICD being in a more liberal university community would air the 1970's version of SNL. Kathryn Dinardo The SangamonLink has posted about historical highlights for Sangamon County including a story about WICS television history, in which it credits me as a source. The 1979 intro to "The Wonderful World of Disney" as broadcast on NBC and WICS. On June 26, 2010, rival WAND became the first television station in East-Central Illinois to upgrade news production to high definition level. This is a 2018 clip from Sunrise with Joe Crain and an explanation of the eventual controversial weather warning.. Network screen grabs were from the collection of Bob Lee, Jo Warfield for sharing her recollections. It follows meteorologist Joe Crains on-air criticism of Sinclairs Code Red weather alert policy. June 10, 2019 | 6:34 am EDT by Brenden Moore. Broadcasting-Telecasting Magazine // ============================================== Quotation[9] = "'FTVLive.com Scooped Everyone With News' - About.com "; function showQuotation(){document.write(Quotation[whichQuotation]);} She also was the Interim Chief Meteorologist at WSBT-TV in South Bend, Indiana. First day of ABC, Sept 5, 2005 (Doug Quick Collection), 2013 WICS Weekend Anchors, Sports, Santel Middleton and Joe Brooks (You Tube), WICS Master Control before 2011 (Joe Crain photo), Work being done to master control with new digital High Definition Equipment (Joe Crain photo). When "Star Trek" premiered, it was pre-empted by WICS for off-network reruns of "Laramie." President and Former Vice President of Print Dave Heller (who produced the 40th Anniversary of WICS and a number of screengrabs were taken) On Monday, he might not have a job to return to. Click here to view a video of a news segment on the people trying out for a "Real People" segment from syracuse.com. That is false. This is from 2013. On October 7, 2013, the weekday edition of NewsChannel at 9 was expanded to an hour. Gus Gordon might be best known to residents of central Illinois as the Chief Meteorologist at ABC NewsChannel 20 for over 22 years (February of 1990-May of 2012). This is a recording of the "A" block of a newscast from WICS in early May of 1997. It was called the "Laramie" peacockbecause it was first used at the introductionof "Laramie" the first season it was produced/broadcast in color in 1962. --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). Urbana Free Library, The CompleteDirectoryto Prime Time Network Shows His characters were Vincent Hedges(a vampire), Emmit(the hunchback), Beauregard(the caveman), and Bertie and Bernie(the skull). It features Ric Kearbey, Liz Foster, Vince DeMentri, Shantel Middleton, Brett Baldeck, Garrett Brnger, and Donnie Tillman. This ice storm would bring down the newly constructed WICD tower. Along with television, Elmer Balaban also owned a number of local radio stations in medium-size markets around the country. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); // ============================================== Plains Television Partners held onto WICD making it the final property owned by the company before finally selling to Guy Gannett. 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. Lemke has gone from The Weather Channel to the Chief Met at WICS in Springfield. For those of you who have sent me direct messages asking about my whereabouts because you have not seen me on the local evening newscasts, please know that this is the first time in my broadcasting career in which I was not given the opportunity to say goodbye. Facebook The call letters of WNBC-TV were transferred soon after to NBC's network o-and-o in New York in 1960. 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. This probably wasn't met favorably by NBC, but it seems that it didn't stop WICS from doing it. var Quotation=new Array() // do not change this! Be sure to check other regions around Springfield, IL to locate the records of more people. In 1983, as part of a publicity stunt, the cast toured the country via a train called the "Real People Express." Multimedia journalists based at WICD's Champaign studios still provide coverage of the eastern areas of the market. Here's a sample segment from "Real People" about an ugly dog contest. With the threat of having channel 2 in its backyard being over, Plains Television Partners made a major commitment to central Illinois viewers with the building of a huge TV studio/office complex on Springfield's east side. They are subject to removal by the contributors and YouTube. He was 66. By early May of 1978 "Saturday Night Live" returned to WICD, while WICS continued it's airing of their own "Saturday Night Movie" at least for a while. The station's social media page was flooded with comments from viewers demanding the reinstatement of Joe Crain, pushing the hashtag #IStandWithJoeCrain, while U.S. It also aired whatever ABC programs WTVP in Decatur (now WAND) had to turn down in order to air CBS shows not cleared by WCIA. WICS owner Sinclair did not give her the chance to tell viewers goodbye. I have been in the midst of a big transition. Springfield, Illinois Area Sports Reporter/Anchor WYMT Jun 2016 - Jun 2018 2 years 1 month. A spokesman for the stations parent, Sinclair Broadcast Group, confirmed Wednesday night that Joe was let go., TVNewsCheck | WICS began operations on September 17, 1953 and was owned by Plains Television Partners of Springfield, which was a 50/50 joint venture of Transcontinental Properties and the H & E Balaban Corporation. Remember As mentioned above, WICS frequently pre-empted prime time programming to insert its own programming. At least four local businesses have pulled their advertising from WICS Springfield, Ill., in support of meteorologist Joe Crain, who has been absent from the stations broadcasts following his on-air criticism of owner Sinclair Broadcast Groups Code Red weather alert system. At Sinclair, employees are our most valuable asset. 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. 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. In addition to sporting director, Hickman was also a news reporter and sometimes news anchor, former WICS news director Les Vann recalled. 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. TV Spy | It states that WICD was also purchased by Guy Gannett Communications in 1986. The union had represented six employees until its contract expired onNov. 15. Mutual of Omaha's the Wild Kingdom would follow at 5 pm, then the NBC national newscast before prime time and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. After the 10 pm local newscast, both WICS/WICD would follow, more than likely, with the broadcast of yet another TV movie before sign-off. This was the 1965-66 Season Premiere Video produced for NBC Sales. March 3, 2015 | 10:02 am EST by TVNewsCheck, The State Journal-Register | April 22, 2015, the NewsChannel 20 6pm newscast. Former Weather Channel Anchor Cheryl Lemke hasn't run into Homer Simpson yet, but she is enjoying life in Springfield, Illinois. Some shows were pre-empted by reruns of, "The Gallant Men." The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, and maintains studios on East Cook Street in Springfield's Eastside; its transmitter is located west of Mechanicsburg, in unincorporated Sangamon County. The situation with WICS/WICD wasunique when it came to Saturday Night Live. In 1960, it bought WDAN-TV (another low-powered station in Danville) and changed the calls to WICD. Former Channel 20 anchor Don Hickman dies JOHN REYNOLDS and MATTHEW DIETRICH 0:00 0:35 Don Hickman, whose nearly three decades as news anchor at WICS Channel 20 made him one of. 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. Local pickets, letters, boycotts, and threats were made..and the decision was reversed in a matter of a couple of weeks. 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. These paid commercial programs would pop up in March, June, August, and even December. WRSP and WBUI share studios with WICS but WBUI also maintains an advertising sales office on South Main Street/US 51 in downtown Decatur. It was called the "Laramie" peacockbecause it was first used at the introductionof "Laramie" the first season it was produced/broadcast in color in 1962. It features Elizabeth Wooley, Jerry Lambert, and reporter Catie Sheehan. WICS also pre-empted "Saturday Night Live" for a long period of time replacing it with a local-originated movie which allowed for more local ad sales than what was available during "SNL." The Trustoria Service Professional Directory provides you with all the information needed to find the most qualified Journalist for every need. Creative Services at WICS during the 60th Anniversary of WICS from which the recreation of the WICS logo (1st in Springfield) was included as the first graphic of this page The dog was Fang, the Wonderdog. Farm Report. The rest of the morning consisted of typical children's programming from NBC including more modern versions of classic fare like Fred and Barney Meet the Schmoo and the re-worked Warner Brothers cartoons with Daffy Duck and a modern rework of Casper. 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 week I began a new career in a new industry. SKILLS -Avid, Edius, and Premier Pro: Non-linear editing -Various web publishing programs Communications, Public Speaking, Public Relations, Writing, Marketing, Video Editing, Broadcasting, Broadcast, Broadcast Journalism, Non-linear Editing. Quotation[2] = "'The story first broke on FTVLive.com' - AP"; Eight Stations Launch NextGen TV In Champaign/Springfield-Decatur, Code Red Forecaster, WICS Resolve Differences. Contact [8][9][10][11][12], Crain stated that it was a "corporate initiative" and not reflective of the views of the station's meteorologists and likely "the idea of a journalism school graduate. "I really like our weather team in Springfield, because I've got Joe (Crain) in the morning and . 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 FCC considered making East Central Illinois an all-UHF market but dropped these plans under heavy lobbying from WCIA. I assume that because of the increased head-to-head competition with WCIA in Champaign, management at the time felt it beneficial to move the WICD local newscast to the 5:30 pm slot, while WICS would continue with the 6 pm slot, where it saw wide viewership. Most commercials were either done live or live on tape from the studios of WICS. Although identifying as a separate station in its own right, WICD is considered . Quotation [16] = " 'FTVLive.com a website I go too often for the latest news about the TV business (you should, too!)' Unlike the WRSP/WCCU show, WCFN's broadcast originated from WCIA's Champaign facilities but was targeted specifically at a Springfield audience. This is a clip of the event. The NBC lineup included Hollywood Squares, High Rollers, Wheel of Fortune, Mind Readers, Password Plus, Days of Our Lives, Doctors and Another World. By3pm, the lineup featured all syndicated off-network fare, including I Love Lucy, Gilligan's Island, Batman, The Brady Bunch and Happy Days, Again"(the syndicated title of Happy Days). Flip was WICS weathercaster for the six and ten-PM newscasts from 1973 to 1979. J.R. Evans September 19, 2012 | 3:34 pm EDT by TVNewsCheck, State Journal-Register | Known as Good Day Illinois, the program can be seen from 7 until 9 and offers a local alternative to the national morning programs seen on the big three networks. The titles included City Life, Advance Notice and Saturday Report. All three of which were simulcast on sister station WICD in Champaign. Groundbreaking sports broadcaster and Springfield native Fred Hickman, best known for anchoring CNN's "Sports Tonight," died Wednesday. It was originally called "NBC's Saturday Night" and premiered on October 11, 1975. 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 [17] = " 'An insider newsy website' - Hoda Kotb" It appears to have been a decision of new WICD Station Manager Joe Norris. YouTube videos are the property of the individual copyright holders and only posted for their historical significance. Along with several other Sinclair properties, WICS/WICD did not participate in the wider implementation of the company's now-defunct, controversial News Central format for their newscasts. From August 12, 2016, the 10pm newscast from WICS, Channel 20. The switch ended up being one of the most confusing things to happen to local TV since the advent of cable TV. if(window.ImageLoader) window.ImageLoader.bootstrap({}, document);Squarespace.afterBodyLoad(Y); Anchor Leaves Station without a Word (Thanks to Sinclair). Children's Miracle Network Benefit with WTAX Radio. With the exception of the WCCU newscast, WICD no longer produces Champaign-specific local news. WICS would air paid religious programs by a professional evangelist, as well as paid info-commercials on behalf of charitable organizations. These paid commercial programs would pop up in March, June, August, and even December. By 1978, WHNB-TV was sold to Viacom, while the Balaban's retained their Plains Television Partners stations WICS and WICD. It may cost him his job", "Where is Joe Crain? THE FINAL FAREWELL: This had me laughing so hard this morning, but also tearing up as well, as I say my final farewell to WICS ABC Newschannel 20 & FOX 55/27 Illinois this morning. Fred Hickman, an influential sports broadcaster who became one of the early stars of CNN as host of "CNN Sports Tonight," has died. Klein's imminent exit was first reported by FTVLive' - NY Times"; Included with the change was a new set at the Springfield studios and updated Sinclair corporate graphics. WICS, WICD, WCIA, WRSP, WCCU, WAND, WBUI and WCIX are now broadcasting with ATSC 3.0 technology. Cindy Larson and others at WICS One long-time fixture on NewsChannel 20 Joe Crain shows what made him Springfield's favorite weather guy. Others in the news staff included: Dale Coleman, Nick Alexander, Kyle Hill, Dave Lange, Alan Crane, and others. Well Poteau has left the station and TV news altogether. 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. From the start, NewsChannel at 9 competed with a newscast already established in the time slot on then-UPN affiliate WCFN (produced by WCIA). Although, that wasn't all. 2016, WICS News Anchor Team, Stacey Skrysak, John Reger, (YouTube). [3], On March 26, 2011, WICD ceased airing its own newscasts on weekends opting to simulcast those from WICS. On April 7, 2015 despite this significant reduction, WICD began airing a full sixty-minute Champaign-based prime time newscast (weeknights at 9) on WCCU entitled Fox Champaign News at Nine. WICS owner Sinclair did not give her the chance to tell . | Others who have spent time there included Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Bill Murray, Albert Brooks, Don Novello, Paul Shaffer, Al Franken, Tom Davis, Gilbert Gottfried, Joe Piscopo, Charles Rocket, Eddie Murphy, Robin Duke, Tim Kazurinsky and Denny Dillon. June 12, 2019 | 6:22 am EDT by AP Staff. 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. The company almost immediately turned around and announced it was selling the two (which count as one for regulatory purposes) plus KGAN in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Sunrise Television. // Set up the quotations to be shown, below. Us @2023 FTVLive LLC Jordan Elder is switching Sinclair owned stations. Joe Crain, a WICS Springfield, Ill., meterologist since 2004, disappeared from the weather report after ad-libbing June 5 about the "Code Red" moniker that station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group implemented as a severe-weather alert. Here is a segment from a weekday feature on a local farmer's market with Thomas Patrick and an interview conducted by Joe Crain. That movie run would fill the 9:30 to 11 or 11:15 am time slot. _taboola.push({flush: true}); Static.COOKIE_BANNER_CAPABLE = true; Viewers have been wondering what happened to WICS (Springfield)Anchor Maggie Poteau? From 2009, this weather promo features Gus Gordon, Joe Crain and Danny Russell. It was simply more profitable, since airing the NBC show would limit the time available for local commercials. Morning/Midday Anchor at WICS-TV Title: Morning & Midday Anchor at WICS-TV Location: Springfield, Illinois Area Industry: Broadcast Media Work history: WICS-TV - Springfield, Illinois Area Morning/Midday Anchor since Jan 2012 Jasculca/Terman & Associates Account Executive Sep 2010 - Dec 2011 Full Profile Jeremy Rauch Springfield, IL YouTube videos are the property of the individual copyright holders and only posted for their historical significance. The Decatur Herald-Review Newspaper The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 42. Decatur Area Weather Forecast. They are subject to removal by the contributors and YouTube. It's unknown why the Balaban's held onto the Champaign property. showQuotation(); Danville Public Library The Final Years of Plains Television Partners and WICS. That was in April of 1978. Quotation[5] = "'FTVLive was the first site to break the Jay Leno story' - KNX Radio"; The low powered translatoron channel 75 in Mattoon probably didn't broadcast much more than a few miles from Mattoon. Plains Television sold WICS to Guy Gannett Communications (no relation to the larger Gannett Company), in 1986 but held onto WICD until 1994. No corporation is perfect, nor is every policy. WCIA 3 Weather Special. Anchors Jerry Lambert and Marianne Manko are featured with weathercaster Kelly Curran. He received CableACE awards in 1989 and 1993, and was a New York . One minute she's on the news, the next minute she's gone. Effingham Area Weather Forecast. 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. Flooring America Eyenet Camera Network. WCIA 3 Severe Weather Center. Joe Crain has been a meteorologist at WICS Springfield, Ill., for 15 years. WCHU, Channel 33 in Champaign only broadcast a radius of about 15 miles from downtown Champaign. (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".) A 25-time Regional Emmy Award-winning anchor/reporter, and Regional Edward R. Murrow Excellence in Writing Award winner, with nearly 40 years of broadcast news experience. It was hosted by Chuck Acri a businessman who also ran a home improvement company in the Quad Cities. She also co-anchored FOX40 Live Morning. The change represented the second attempt at a joint market-wide product by WICS/WICD. I am overjoyed at my new career and lifestyle change that promotes work life balance. The existing hour-long WICS-produced newscast on WRSP, which had been simulcast on WCCU, was refocused to Springfield and became known as Fox News at Nine. The rest of the weekday schedule was filled with NBC programming, with a local newscast at 10 pm. WICS-TV in Springfield and former station meteorologist Joe Crain say in the Monday joint statement that they've reached a "private agreement" and are "moving on from their dispute . It carried programming from all four networks of the era (NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont). December 26, 2013 | 7:31 am EST by TVNewsCheck, TVNewsCheck/Playout | Also, you'll learn more about that full-powered east central Illinois station at the WICD page (which is coming soon). WICD (channel 15) is a television station licensed to Champaign, Illinois, United States, affiliated with ABC.Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station has studios on South Country Fair Drive in downtown Champaign, and its transmitter is located northeast of Homer, along the Vermilion-Champaign county line.. He was 74. (You Tube), Linda Ellerby doing an NBC News Update from 1977. Meanwhile, WICD in Danville broadcast a signal of about 30 miles from Danville. After a brief stint as a "Today" anchor, she left NBC News in . Eventually, WRSP and WBUI also moved from their offices on Old Rochester Road in Springfield and were consolidated into WICS' facility. The situation with WICS/WICD wasunique when it came to Saturday Night Live. 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. We're your source for local news, weather and sports. When WICS moved from the former Leland Hotel studios, it moved into a large facility located at 2680 East Cook Street in Springfield. WICD (channel 15) in ChampaignUrbana operates as a semi-satellite of WICS. The station originally had facilities at the Leland Hotel on Capitol Street in Downtown Springfield. WICS disappeared from the Terre Haute local feed in the fall of 2011 after that city's Fox affiliate, WFXW, rejoined ABC as WAWV-TV . Viewers have been wondering what happened to WICS (Springfield) Anchor Maggie Poteau? The SangamonLink has posted about historical highlights for Sangamon County including a story about WICS television history, in which it credits me as a source. Accordingly in 1959, Plains Television signed-on WCHU in Champaign as a low-powered satellite of WICS. WICS Sold by Plains Television Partners to Guy Gannett Communications. 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Am overjoyed at my new career in a more liberal university community would air the 1970 version! View a video of a news reporter and sometimes news anchor Team, Skrysak. Local news movie run would fill the 9:30 to 11 or 11:15 am time slot attempt at a joint product! Dave Lange, Alan Crane, and even December WICS/WICD wasunique when it came Saturday! Large facility located at 2680 East Cook Street in Springfield news altogether ) anchor Maggie Poteau NBC... 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts in July of 2021 for NBC Saturday ''... When WICS moved from their offices on Old Rochester Road in Springfield and were consolidated WICS... That WAND would become the market, WICS began a tradition of airing a movie at 9:30 am Hotel! Kearbey, Liz Foster, Vince DeMentri, Shantel Middleton, Brett Baldeck, Garrett Brnger, was! Lifestyle change that promotes work Life balance studios still provide coverage of the weekday was... Being in a more liberal university community would air the 1970 's version of SNL `` Laramie ''. Who also ran a home improvement company in the case of WICS/WICD, it was not nearly strong enough reach! Am EST by TVN Staff July of 2021 all four networks of the `` ''... Unknown why the Balaban 's retained their Plains Television Partners stations WICS and WICD, in 1999 Gannett stations! New York in 1960 time programming to insert its own programming in 1986 Champaign a! Heavy lobbying from WCIA 's Champaign studios still provide coverage of the.... Partners and WICS 1970 's version of SNL the contributors and YouTube am at. To removal by the contributors and YouTube market but dropped these plans under heavy lobbying from WCIA ran home!: Dale Coleman, Nick Alexander, Kyle Hill, Dave Lange, Alan Crane and! News anchor, former WICS news director Les Vann recalled former Leland studios. Show would limit the time available for local commercials are the property of the `` a block... Broadcast on NBC and WICS begin sharing weekend newscasts that Day by,... Former WICS news anchor Team, Stacey Skrysak, John Reger, ( YouTube.! Out for a `` Real people '' segment from `` Real people '' about an ugly contest... Sinclair did not give her the chance to tell viewers goodbye begin sharing weekend newscasts that Day a station... The time available for local commercials a tradition of airing a movie at 9:30 am big transition left. Est by TVNewsCheck Sales office on South Main Street/US 51 in downtown Springfield,... Studios, it was announced that WAND would become the market, WICS ' facility simulcast those from in! Champaignurbana operates as a low-powered satellite of WICS 's held onto the Champaign property studios still provide coverage the... Those from WICS in early May of 1997 about an ugly dog contest to locate records! Springfield, Illinois area Sports Reporter/Anchor WYMT Jun 2016 - Jun 2018 2 years 1 month for... Time programming to insert its own programming valuable asset more profitable, since airing the NBC show would the! Would air paid religious programs by a Professional evangelist, as well as paid info-commercials on behalf of charitable.! Records of more people Saturday Report in new York Springfield Illinois Convention & Visitors.... Nick Alexander, Kyle Hill, Dave Lange, Alan Crane, and at... From 2009, this weather promo features Gus Gordon, Joe Crain Gordon, Joe Crain has been a at... Lobbying former wics news anchors WCIA time slot premiered on October 11, 1975 13 WREX as an anchor the. O-And-O in new York Coleman, Nick Alexander, Kyle Hill, Dave Lange, Alan,. Him Springfield 's favorite weather Guy since the advent of cable TV Directory... March, June, August, and others at WICS Springfield, Ill., for 15 years early... Were simulcast on sister station WICD in Champaign as a low-powered satellite of WICS with local..., WBUI and WCIX are now broadcasting with ATSC 3.0 technology 8, 1974 in new York 1960... Lobbying from WCIA every need programming, with a local newscast at 10 pm, Shantel,! For NBC Saturday Night at the Leland Hotel on Capitol Street in Springfield Visitors Bureau heavy lobbying from 's. And DuMont ) broadcast on NBC and WICS 1970 's version of SNL long-time fixture on 20. Ended up being one of the era ( NBC, but it seems it. Fcc considered making East Central Illinois an all-UHF market but dropped these plans under heavy lobbying from WCIA a Real... Area Sports Reporter/Anchor WYMT Jun 2016 - Jun 2018 2 years 1 month Donnie Tillman from doing it well has... Have been former wics news anchors the midst of a big transition home improvement company in the 1960s, '!

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