WCIU-TV


WCIU-TV, virtual channel 26, is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, United States. It serves as the flagship television property of locally based Weigel Broadcasting, and is sister to independent outlet WMEU-CD and MeTV flagship WWME-CD, both fellow Weigel properties that are simulcast on WCIU's respective second and third digital subchannels. The three stations share studios on Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood; WCIU's transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower on South Wacker Drive in the Chicago Loop.

History

Early history

Founded by John J. Weigel, the station first signed on the air on February 6, 1964, and has been owned by Weigel Broadcasting since its inception. WCIU has spent much of its history carrying multi-ethnic entertainment programming. At its sign-on, channel 26 operated as an independent station. Local businessman Howard Shapiro, who founded appliance store chain C.E.T. with his brother Gene Shapiro, and held a minority interest in the station, took over Weigel Broadcasting and WCIU in 1966.
From the late 1960s until 1985, WCIU carried religious programs during the early morning hours. The station ran The Stock Market Observer—a business news block similar in format to the present-day cable channel CNBC—from about 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each weekday; the service broadcast from the trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, with WCIU originally maintaining studio facilities at the top floor of the Chicago Board of Trade Building on West Jackson Boulevard. After 5:00 p.m. each weekday, the station ran Spanish language entertainment programming—including controversial bullfighting matches—from the Spanish International Network. During the weekend, WCIU ran a blend of religious programs, Spanish language programs, paid programming and various other ethnically-oriented shows.
From 1966 to 1970, the station aired Kiddie A-Go-Go, a children's puppet and dance program which was hosted by Elaine Mulqueen. Several popular musical groups performed on the show, including The Four Seasons and New Colony Six. In 1970, channel 26 became the birthplace of the groundbreaking African American music program Soul Train, hosted by its creator Don Cornelius. The show later entered into national syndication and moved production to Los Angeles the following year, although WCIU continued to produce a local version of Soul Train exclusively for the Chicago market until 1976, initially and simultaneously with the Los Angeles-based version, with Cornelius himself as host, succeeded by Clinton Ghent, the main producer under Cornelius.
After WXXW —the second-to-last television station in the market that continued to broadcast in black-and-white—went dark in 1974, channel 26 remained the only television station in Chicago that still broadcast its programming in monochrome. Just prior to the Christmas season of 1974, the station installed and tested color transmission equipment, which broadcast on a low-power relay station located in Lincoln Park. In November 1974, the color and black-and-white signals traded transmitter facilities for the remainder of the holiday season; on December 31, 1974, the translator was taken offline as channel 26 started to broadcast in color full-time.
In the summer of 1985, the SIN affiliation moved to WSNS-TV ; WCIU, meanwhile, became affiliated part-time with NetSpan—which would eventually evolve into Telemundo—shortly thereafter. Later in the 1980s, Weigel Broadcasting expanded coverage of WCIU-TV to areas of western Illinois, northwest Indiana and southeastern Wisconsin through translator stations. In 1983, the station signed on W55AS to relay WCIU's programming into the Milwaukee market. In 1987, WCIU launched two additional translators, W33AR in Rockford, Illinois and W12BK in South Bend, Indiana.
On October 13, 1988, WSNS-TV announced that it would switch its affiliation to Telemundo after that station's affiliation agreement with Univision concluded on December 31; two months later on December 16, WCIU—whose contract with Telemundo was set to expire the following month—signed an affiliation agreement with Univision, returning the station to that network after two years. The two stations switched affiliations on January 10, 1989.

Return to full-time independence

In 1993, Univision asked WCIU to drop all of its English-language programming, including Stock Market Observer, and carry the network's programming full-time. WCIU refused, which led Univision to purchase then-English language independent station WGBO-TV from Combined Broadcasting for $35 million on January 10, 1994, with the intent of moving its programming there the following January. That summer, Howard Shapiro hired Neal Sabin—former program director at WPWR-TV —as WCIU's vice president and general manager, who decided to remake WCIU into a general entertainment independent station. Univision assumed ownership of WGBO in August 1994, but was forced to run that station as an independent station for five months afterward as WCIU's affiliation contract with Univision did not expire until the end of the year. On December 31, 1994, WCIU switched to an English language general entertainment format full-time and rebranded as "The U". In the spring of 1995, WCIU and low-powered sister station W23AT moved their operations from the Chicago Board of Trade building into a studio facility at 30 North Halsted Street in Chicago's Near West Side community.
Upon the conversion, channel 26 picked up most of WGBO's syndicated programming inventory, along with newly purchased shows that were not carried by any of the other Chicago stations; it also moved its remaining ethnic programming to WFBT. Channel 26's programming began to feature mostly classic sitcoms and drama series. The station also revived the horror/sci-fi movie showcase Svengoolie, which had previously run in the market on WFLD in two different incarnations between 1973 and that station's conversion into a Fox owned-and-operated station in 1986; Rich Koz—who reprised the role he previously played in WFLD's Son of Svengoolie for WCIU's revival of the showcase—also co-hosted the station's New Year's Eve relaunch celebration on December 31, 1994, alongside controversial talk show host Morton Downey Jr. and served as one of the "U'z Guys," a group of hosts for various blocks of the station's programming. Initially, the station continued to run the Stock Market Observer from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and entertainment programming in all other weekday timeslots and throughout much of the broadcast day on weekends. WCIU then added a weekday block of children's programs from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. in March 1995.
On February 19, 1995, WCIU signed a multi-year agreement with The WB to carry the network's children's program block, Kids' WB, upon its debut on September 9, 1995. The WB's primary affiliate in the market, WGN-TV, opted not to carry the block and continued to run its morning newscast and an afternoon sitcom block in the time slots where Kids' WB would normally air on other WB affiliates. The agreement also allowed WCIU to carry WB prime time programming in the event that WGN-TV chose to pre-empt it in order to air Cubs, White Sox and Bulls evening games.
In order to make room for the Kids' WB block, the full Stock Market Observer broadcast moved to WFBT-CA, on September 9. The weekday business news programming was then reduced to a 3½-hour block from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., a move panned by some viewers; although it cited that Weigel had "no intention of killing" the program, Sabin cited the program's niche format and limited ratings and revenue for the block's shift to WFBT, in order for channel 26 to carry more profitable entertainment programming. In 2000, the program was rebranded as "WebFN", a joint venture between Weigel and Bridge Information Systems."WebFN" would eventually feature several anchors formerly employed with WMAQ radio after that station was replaced by sports talk outlet WSCR in 2000.
By the late 1990s, WCIU began adding more recent sitcoms; the station began to add more syndicated first-run talk and reality shows onto its daytime lineup in 2000. In September 2002, WCIU dropped the afternoon children's block, reducing children's programming to the morning hours. In September 2004, the station dropped the Kids' WB weekday and Saturday blocks, which moved to WGN-TV, resulting in that station clearing the entire WB network schedule for the first time. Classic sitcoms gradually disappeared from WCIU's schedule between 2001 and 2004. Early in 2005, the business news format was scaled back to include only the existing syndicated program First Business, which Weigel had assumed production responsibilities for in 2003 after WebFN went bankrupt. That program continued until the end of 2014 under Weigel ownership, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange took over responsibilities for the program as Business First AM; it continues to air in Chicago on CN100 and the Total Living Network.

Switch to The CW

On April 18, 2019, Weigel Broadcasting signed an agreement with CBS Corporation through which WCIU-TV would take over as The CW's Chicago-area affiliate on September 1, replacing WPWR-TV, which had been carrying the network's programming since September 1, 2016. To accommodate the CW prime time lineup, WCIU moved its evening lineup of syndicated programs to WMEU-CD/WCIU-DT2. WMEU-CD/WCIU-DT2, which has been known as "The U Too", took the branding of "The U" on September 1. The new "The U" will also become the new home of the major high school sports championships of the Illinois High School Association. Channel 26 is the third station in Chicago to affiliate with The CW, after WGN-TV and WPWR-TV. Weigel already had experience running a CW affiliate, as it owns WCWW-LD in the adjacent South Bend, Indiana market.
Like WPWR, WCIU carries its main channel at 720p, below The CW's default 1080i resolution, due to running several standard definition subchannels, along with The U in 720p.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP Short NameProgramming
26.1720pCW26Main WCIU-TV programming / The CW
26.2720pThe USimulcast of WMEU-CD
26.3480iMeTVSimulcast of WWME-CD
26.4480iH&IHeroes & Icons
26.5480iBounceBounce TV
26.6480iDecadesDecades

Subchannels

In July 2008, Weigel Broadcasting announced the creation of This TV, a national subchannel network operated as a joint venture between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Weigel. This TV officially launched with WCIU as its flagship station on November 1, 2008. This TV moved to the third digital subchannel of WGN-TV on November 1, 2013, as a result of the May 13, 2013 announcement that WGN owner Tribune Broadcasting would acquire Weigel's 50% ownership interest in This TV. Bounce TV began to occupy This TV's former subchannel, moving from WWME 23.2 to WCIU 26.5.
On December 1, 2010, WCIU dropped its ethnic programming service FBT on digital subchannel 26.6 and replaced it a simulcast of the station's main channel. Two weeks later on December 15, the 26.6 subchannel was dropped and its programming was shifted to digital channel 26.2 where it continued to simulcast most of WCIU's main programming. In addition, PSIP channel 48.1 was discontinued while 23.1 reverted to being the virtual channel number for WWME-CA.
On January 4, 2011, MGM and Weigel Broadcasting announced plans to turn the MeTV format that originated on sister station WWME-CA into a national network. The national MeTV service launched on WWME and WCIU digital subchannel 26.3 on December 15, 2010.
The following day on January 5, digital subchannel 26.2 was relaunched with its own general entertainment format, branded as "The U Too". The service features some time-shifted programming from WCIU's main channel, including some syndicated programs not seen in the Chicago market prior to the format conversion. It also broadcast a handful of DePaul Blue Demons and other basketball games from the "old" Big East Conference; "The U Too" currently serves as the over-the-air broadcaster of WNBA games from the Chicago Sky and AHL hockey games from the Chicago Wolves. From January 10, 2011 to September 2013, The U Too subchannel was also simulcast on the analog signal of WWME-CA until The U Too began broadcasting in high definition on WMEU-CD channel 48.1. Currently, WWME-CA's analog signal simulcasts Heroes & Icons as aired on digital subchannel 26.4.

Analog-to-digital conversion

On June 12, 2009, the date of the federally mandated switch from analog to digital television for full-power stations, WCIU-TV shut down its analog signal. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 27. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers are displaying WCIU-TV's virtual channel as 26.
From June 13, 2009 to January 9, 2011, WCIU-TV's main programming was simulcast on sister station WWME-CA to provide a nightlight service as the low-power station continued to operate an analog signal. From June 13 to July 12, 2009, the station ran newscasts from WMAQ-TV and WGN-TV for viewers that either were not ready for the digital transition or had problems receiving WGN and WMAQ's signals after the June 12 digital transition. WWME-CA continues to operate an analog signal on UHF channel 23, which is currently affiliated with sister network Heroes & Icons.

Programming

Syndicated programs broadcast on WCIU-TV include Tamron Hall, Judge Jerry, The Steve Wilkos Show and 2 Broke Girls, and the station serves as the Chicago affiliate for Gray Television's Sunday morning talk show Full Court Press with Greta van Susteren. WCIU-TV serves as the flagship station for Judge Mathis, which is taped in Chicago at the NBC Tower. WCIU-DT2/WMEU-CD carries the Litton Entertainment-syndicated block Go Time on Saturday morning to comply with FCC educational programming requirements, through a group distribution deal with Weigel Broadcasting's stations; the main signal carries One Magnificent Morning from the CW for their E/I fulfillment.

Local programming

The station has broadcast many locally produced programs over the years; among them include Ultrascope, Ted and the Angel. The Homework Show, U Dance with B96, Stooge-A-Palooza, Soul Train, The Bob Lewandowski Show,, Outdoor Sportsman, Stock Market Observer, WebFN, Kiddie-A-Go-Go, Western Theatre with Two Ton Baker, Marty Faye Show, The Chicago Party, Eddie Korosa's Polka Party and First Business.
Current local programs seen on WCIU include the horror/sci-fi film showcase Svengoolie, religious program Rock of Ages and the children's program Green Screen Adventures.

Sports programming

On July 8, 1999, WGN-TV and WCIU-TV entered into a programming arrangement involving sports coverage, which allowed channel 26 to carry select Chicago Bulls basketball and White Sox baseball games, and a handful of Cubs baseball games that are produced by and contracted to air on WGN-TV, due to that station's network affiliation contracts that limit the number of programming preemptions that WGN-TV is allowed on an annual basis, and rights restrictions enforced by the NBA which limited the number of Bulls telecasts aired on WGN's national superstation feed WGN America—prior to that channel's removal of WGN-produced programs upon its conversion into a basic cable channel in December 2014—to fifteen games per season.
Sports broadcasts on WCIU were previously branded under the "BullsNet", "CubsNet" and "SoxNet" banners until 2010, when they were rebranded under the umbrella title WGN Sports on The U. In 2011, all White Sox, Bulls and Cubs games televised on WCIU began to be syndicated to local stations in central Illinois and Iowa through the "WGN Sports Network" service. Prior to this, select Bulls games aired by WCIU and WGN had been simulcast to many of these same stations. In April 2006, WCIU began broadcasting White Sox, Cubs and Bulls home games in high definition, with away games following suit in April 2008. In February 2015, Weigel Broadcasting discontinued its agreement with Tribune Broadcasting to carry Cubs and White Sox telecasts produced by WGN, so as to not have the game broadcasts conflict with the WLS-TV-produced primetime newscast on WCIU.
From 2010 until 2016, WCIU has served as a local over-the-air broadcaster of NFL games involving the Chicago Bears that are televised by ESPN's Monday Night Football. WLS-TV, WCIU's news partner, is an owned-and-operated station of ABC, but has chosen to exercise its right of first refusal to carry MNF games, deferring most games aired since 2010 in order to air Dancing with the Stars during that program's fall season. It also carried a Cubs game in lieu of WLS-TV in mid-September 2019, as ABC unexpectedly scheduled the sixth-season finale of Bachelor in Paradise for the same evening. This will no longer be an issue to any Chicago broadcast station in 2020 with the move of all Chicago professional sports locally to NBC Sports Chicago and Marquee Sports Network.

Newscasts

Alongside the Stock Market Observer, WCIU's first standalone local news programming effort debuted in 1968, when it launched a half-hour weeknight 10:00 p.m. newscast titled A Black's View of the News, a program focusing on news relevant to Chicago's African American community and commentary. The program—which served as a launching pad for eventual Soul Train host Don Cornelius—was canceled in 1982.
In September 2009, WCIU debuted You and Me This Morning, a weekday morning program featuring a broad mix of entertainment news, lifestyle features and weather forecasts. The program—which effectively maintains a lighter format, which does not incorporate conventional general news segments—originally aired in the form of locally produced inserts of varying length interspersed within what otherwise was a three-hour block of syndicated programming on WCIU and classic television series on WWME-CA from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Although it trails behind the WGN Morning News on WGN-TV and Good Day Chicago on WFLD in the ratings, viewership for the program has increased since its debut; in particular, its ratings doubled from an average of 40,000 viewers in May 2012 to 73,000 in May 2014. You & Me This Morning expanded into a full three-hour program on September 8, 2014.
On December 14, 2014, WCIU entered into a news share agreement with ABC owned-and-operated station WLS-TV to produce a weeknight-only 7:00 p.m. newscast for channel 26. Titled ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 7:00 on The U, the program debuted on January 12, 2015 as the third prime time newscast among the Chicago market's commercial television stations, behind the longer established in-house 9:00 p.m. newscasts on WGN-TV and Fox owned-and-operated station WFLD. With the news share agreement, WLS-TV became the fifth ABC-owned station to produce a newscast for a separately owned station in its home market. On July 29, 2019, WCIU-TV and WLS-TV jointly announced that the newscast would end on August 30, a move related to WCIU's affiliation with The CW.
On June 14, 2017, WCIU announced that it would launch The Jam, a new morning show that would replace You and Me This Morning in the 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. timeslot that summer at a date to be determined. The program—which the station's head of programming and creative, Steve Bailey, described would "promise to be bold and unfiltered"—will feature a mix of local and national news headlines, entertainment and pop culture news, and weather forecasts. The program's concept is based in part on The Daily Buzz, a syndicated morning news program that ran from 2002 to 2015, which Bailey had previously worked as the program's vice president of marketing and promotions.

Notable former on-air staff