WGME-TV

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WGME-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire that is licensed to Portland. The station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 38 from a transmitter on Brown Hill west of Raymond. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station has studios on the corner of Washington Avenue and Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland. Syndicated programming on WGME includes: Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Dr. Oz, and Judge Judy.

Digital programming

Channel	Video	Aspect	Programming
13.1	1080i	16:9	Main WGME-TV programming / CBS
13.2	480i	4:3	TheCoolTV

History

Its first broadcast was on May 16, 1954 under the call sign of WGAN-TV. It was owned by Guy Gannett Communications along with WGAN-AM 560 and the Portland Press-Herald. When the radio station was sold in 1984, the WGAN call letters went with them. WGAN-TV then changed its call sign to the current "WGME-TV". It remained the flagship station of Guy Gannett Communications until the company sold most of its television stations, including WGME, to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1998. The 493.5-meter (1,619 foot) tall transmission tower of WGME, situated in Raymond, was built in 1959. It was, according to the 1999 Guinness Book of World Records, the world's tallest architectural structure in those days. It was surpassed by KFVS-TV's tower in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1960. However, it remained the tallest structure in Maine until the erection of WMTW's tower in 2002. This station ceased airing analog on February 17, 2009 and broadcasts digitally-only on channel 38. WGME recently updated their website to better represent their "More Local" motto. WGME.com was updated on November 10th, 2011. They also are now using CBS13 in all of their on air promos.

Retransmission Dispute with Time Warner Cable

WGME owner Sinclair Broadcast Group and Time Warner Cable are in a dispute over the terms of their retransmission consent agreement that expired on December 31, 2010. The agreement was extended to January 14, 2011 while the parties continued to negotiate. An agreement in principle to resolve the dispute followed shortly thereafter and was finalized in February 2011.

News operation

File:Wgme open.png

Its nightly 11 o'clock open.

Channel 13's newscasts dominated the ratings in Portland for many years. However, WCSH overtook WGME in 1989 and dominated the ratings ever since.

Starting February 5, 2007, WGME began producing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast on Fox affiliate WPFO after establishing a news share agreement. Known on-air as News 13 on Fox, it is currently the only prime time broadcast in the market. In 2010, due to a revenue share agreement with the Fox station, WPFO, the station expanded the weeknight 10 o'clock broadcast to an hour and launched a two-hour long morning show on WPFO called Good Day Maine. WPFO pays WGME a fee along with a share of revenue realized from the newscast.

The station has entered into a news partnership with Maine Today Media, owner of its former newspaper sisters-- Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel, and Maine Sunday Telegram. In addition to its main studios, WGME operates a Lewiston Auburn Bureau on Main Street (across the street from WCSH's bureau). A second bureau is in Augusta near the Maine State House.

The High Definition Transition

WGME began broadcasting in 1080i High Definition on December 18th, 2011 with a new set designed by Devlin Design Group. The newscasts also premiered a new graphics package, though opting to keep the standard Sinclair grey and black lower third. All other graphics were changed to a new, high-tech Sinclair standard package. Only two Sinclair stations (WZTV and WGME) use this new package. WGME's new High Definition set includes two video display monitors on either end of the set for anchor stand up reporting, a 12 monitor video wall which can display 3 video feeds (2x2 each), 2 videos feeds (2x3 each), one large panoramic video feed (2x6 which they use for a graphic of the Portland skyline), or 12 individual video feeds (one per monitor). WGME also has a small anchor desk at the video wall for their Fox 23 broadcasts, "Good Day Maine" and "News 13 on Fox" at 10PM. Their main anchor desk is larger than the Fox 23 anchor desk, though includes a similar style of a light box base with wood carved around it, as well as over the light box. The anchor desk includes a large monitor behind the anchors which shows a skyline image of Portland, ME, or during weather tosses, the "News 13" logo with clouds behind it in blue and red colors. The entire set includes an array of light panels and light boxes. Behind the anchors on top of the light boxes are square black panels that zig-zag behind the anchor TV monitor. The set includes a wood style from a brand native to Maine. The weather office is now open and fully visible to the viewers. The weather office is to the viewer's right, which includes a similar sized desk as to the Fox 23 anchor desk, for the meteorologist to open and close weathercasts with. Behind the desk includes 9 computers to operate the weather graphics and forecasting system which are on a raised platform so that viewers can see the station's other meteorologists working on severe weather reports live. Above these computers are another four monitors which can either broadcast a single video feed (1x4) for a panoramic view of the Portland Skyline, or can be individually manipulated to show weather graphics above the meteorologist. The set also includes a larger green screen to the viewer's right of the weather set.

Graphics have been heavily changed due to the release of HD newscasts on the station, including transitions from one graphic to another, or one video clip to another. Shows open with a large "Coming Up" graphic that spins and below the lettering shows a video panel with an L-Shape graphic (text below the video clip and glass panels moving up and down to the left of the video feed). This graphic is seen on WGME's HD commercials for upcoming newscasts as well, though instead using the opening logo as the WGME logo (and similarly the "Good Day Maine" logo on Fox 23 commercials). This graphic is followed by a new HD open that shows the Portland Head Light (either during the day or during the evening depending on which broadcast) with the text lines "News 13" and "Now in High Definition", and brings viewers to a shot of downtown Portland with a variety of buildings behind the WGME logo, and then shows the broadcast's on-air anchors (Although these new openers do show the meteorologist of each broadcast, sports anchors have not been yet shown in the opening—although both sports anchors do appear on the nightly broadcasts.). Behind the anchors in the opening are large "13" logos rotating with a 3D CBS Eye logo, which is also seen in the Portland Skyline graphics, behind the lighthouse and 13 logo in the opening as well. After the anchors are shown, the WGME 13 logo is shown floating in the Portland harbor with the skyline in 3D behind it with the reflection of the logo in the animated water, with the voice over saying "This is News 13 (insert newscast name)" and then a light flash transition to the anchor desk. A longer lower third graphic is used with an updated 3rd bar in red with a line going through it. During live shots, the "Live" text box on the lower third has a light flare going across the top of the box. During "News 13 Daybreak" broadcasts, a newly updated ticker is shown, new to any Sinclair stations. During the morning broadcast a new logo is presented "CBS 13 News HD", with the "News" text pushed over to allow the text line "HD". Transitions during all broadcasts include for video clips a zooming in, rather than a fade out as used before, and for graphics a slide to the right. WGME has also updated their anchor graphics from a glass slider on either the left or right hand side of the anchors to simple glass panels moving up and down with an updated black graphic box. The generic backgrounds to display information also received a tune up with dotted lines moving towards the outer screen on the left, arrows going across the bottom of the screen, and lines shown throughout the background. It also includes several light flares. They have not changed their map graphics and still use either Bing Maps, or their own system's generic green and blue road maps. When weather is presented, they open with the show's open of "Your Weather Authority Forecast" and then show the meteorologist. A similar open is used during sports presentations. Sports graphics have been updated as well (During each sportscast, a cornucopia of sports balls float behind the Portland skyline).

WGME"s weather department recently changed their slogan from "Storm Team 13" to "Your Weather Authority—News 13", seen in the upper left hand corner of every weather graphic. This change occurred right before airing in HD on December 18th. Above the weather set, during anchor/weather tosses, viewers can still see a panel that says "Storm Team 13". No word yet on when or if that panel will change to accompany the new branding. WGME's weather system, "Doppler HD" was presented in broadcasts during August 2008, but was shown by the station in Standard Definition. After December 18th, the station now shows the system in full HD. "Daybreak" meteorologists Sarah Long and Craig Miller use 4 monitors of the 12 monitor video wall to present a quick morning forecast at 5AM and 6AM at the beginning of the "News 13 Daybreak" broadcasts.

Newscast titles

• NewsBeat (1960s-1970s)
• News 13 (1970s-1991)
• News 13 First News (1989-1991; weekday afternoons 5:30 PM broadcast)
• NewsChannel 13 (1991–1999)
• Maine's Evening News (1991-1994; nightly 6 PM broadcast)
• Maine's Nightcast (1991-1992; nightly 11 PM broadcast)
• Maine's 11 @ 11 (1993-1996; nightly 11 PM broadcast—where WGME was among the first to offer a capsule view of the day's news/sports/weather within the first 11 minutes of each broadcast)
• News 13 (1999–present)
• News 13's Daybreak (1999-present)
• News 13 at Noon (1999-present)
• News 13 Live At 5PM (& At 5:30 PM) (1999-present)
• News 13 at 6PM (1999-present)
• News 13 at 11PM (1999-present)
• News 13 at 7/The Political Edge (2007-2008, Now a segment on News 13 Live at 5PM and News 13 at 6PM)
• News 13 on Fox 23 at 10 (2007-present; WPFO) /News 13 at 10, Maine's 10 PM News (alternate titles)
• Good Day Maine (April 2010-present; WPFO)

Station slogans

• "The Tall-Tower Station" (1959-?)
• "13 Country" (1970s-early 1980s)
• "Reach For The Stars On Channel 13" (1981-1982; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
• "Hello Maine, Channel 13 Loves You" (early-mid 1980s, used during period station used Frank Gari's "Hello News"; later said "...WGME 13 Loves You")
• "What Maine's All About" (1989-1990)
• "The Look Of Portland Is Channel 13" (1991-1992; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
• "This is Your News" (1999–2004, used during period station used Frank Gari's "This is Your News")
• "Breaking News. Breaking Weather. Breaking Stories." (2004–2011)
• "News 13 at 11, Southern Maine's Most Watched 11 O'Clock Newscast." (2009-present)
• "Storm Team 13's Got You Covered!" (Winter 2010-present, News 13's Storm Team 13 Weather commercials)
• "More Local—The Way News Should Be." (Feb. 9th, 2011-December 18, 2011)
• "Your Maine Source (For News)" (December 18, 2011-present)
• "Storm Team 13—Your Weather Authority" (December 18, 2011-present)

News team

Anchors

• Jeff Peterson - Daybreak Anchor (4:55 - 7AM), weeknights at 5 and 5:30
• Diana Ichton - Daybreak Anchor (4:55 - 7AM) (Co-Anchors Good Day Maine from 7:00 - 9:00am)
  • News 13: ON YOUR SIDE Segment Producer & Reporter
• Jon Chrisos - (Co-Anchors Good Day Maine from 7:00 - 9:00am), Fill In Daybreak and Noon anchor
  • reporter
• Kim Block - weekdays at Noon, 5, 6
  • medical/health reporter
  • "Healthline" Anchor & Segment Producer
  • "Around The Block" Segment Producer (based on healthy living topics, titled after presenter/anchor, Kim Block)
• Gregg Lagerquist - weeknights at 6 and 11 (Weeknight co-anchor on WPFO News 13 on FOX 10 PM)
  • Political Anchor - Vote 2010 Segment Producer (5-5:30PM Fill-In Anchor)
• Adrienne Stein - weeknights at 5:30 & 11 (Weeknight co-anchor on WPFO News 13 on FOX 10 PM)

Storm Team 13 Meteorologists

• Charlie Lopresti (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief seen weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, & 11 (Weeknights on WPFO News 13 on FOX at 10 PM)
• Sarah Long (AMS Seal of Approval) - Daybreak (4:55AM - 7AM) and Monday through Wednesday at Noon/CBS Early Show Weather Breaks
  • Good Day Maine Meteorologist - WPFO - 7-9AM
• Craig Miller - Weekends at 6 & 11 (Weekends on WPFO News 13 on FOX at 10)
  • Thursday and Friday at noon and CBS Early Show Weather Breaks (also main substitute meteorologist)
• David Epstein - weekend fill-in
• Tom Chisholm—fill-in forecaster

Sports

• Dave Eid - Director seen weeknights at 6 and 11 (Weeknight Sports Anchor on WPFO News 13 on FOX 10 PM)
• Evans Boston - weekend sports anchor at 6 & 11 (Weekend Sports Anchor on WPFO News 13 on FOX 10 PM)
  • Fill-in Reporter
• John Brickley - fill-in
• Adam Kaufman - fill-in

Reporters

• Giovanna Bechard - Weeknight General (Reporter Weeknights on WPFO News 13 on FOX at 10 PM)
  • Fill-in Anchor/Political Reporter
• Catherine Parrotta - Weeknight General
• Brad Rogers - Weeknight General
• Steve Roldan - Top Stories/General
  • Fill-in Anchor/Meteorologist
• Jennifer Lynch - Daybreak reporter
  • Fill-in Daybreak and Good Day Maine anchor
• Beth Jones - General Reporter (Daybreak and Weeknights)
• Doug Rafferty - Special Reports
  • "Maine Outdoors" & "Doug's Discoveries" Host/Segment Producer
• Kate Barker - Fill-in Reporter

• Scott Episkapo - photojournalist/general

News Partners from WGAN-AM 560

• Ken Altshuler - WGAN Morning News and weekday morning commentary
  • Political Edge commentator
• Mike Violette - WGAN Morning News and weekday morning commentary
  • Political Edge commentator
• Erik Van Den Bossche - WGAN Trafficwatch
• Ben Bozeman - WGAN Trafficwatch (fill in)

News Partners from WVII 7 Bangor

• Cindy Michaels - Daybreak's 'News from Around the State' segment

Former Staff

Doug Ray: former Good Day Maine anchor / reporter
Ashley Palumbo: former reporter  
Anne McNamara: former reporter/substitute anchor, now at WAVY-TV in Hampton Roads, VA
Erin Ovalle : former Daybreak and Good Day Maine (WPFO) co-anchor, now with WMTW anchoring "News 8 This Morning".
Kiley Bennett, former anchor/reporter May 2002-September 30, 2010, later features reporter for Outside Television and commercial spokeswoman for Electricity Maine.
Steve Adamson: former weeknight meteorologist, now weekend meteorologist at WXIA in Atlanta, GA
Emily Apel: former reporter, now anchor/reporter KION-TV in Salinas, CA
Jeff Barnd: former co-anchor, to WLVI Boston, now anchor WBFF Baltimore. 
Barbara Barr: former weekend sports anchor/reporter (1998–2004), now reporter at WGAL, Harrisburg, PABold text
Vivian Bean: former weekday morning co-anchor, now stay at home mother
Bruce Berlinger: former Chief co-anchor 1978-1989, also did kids interest features
Julene Britt: former general assignment and sports reporter, late 1990s/early 2000s
Crystal Canney: former reporter, now president of Canney Communications
Tom Caron: former sports anchor/reporter, to NESN
Lucas Colavecchio: former reporter/anchor, now executive producer for HuB Studios in Sarasota, Florida.
Lisa Colbert: former weathercaster, now weathercaster at WSYX
Terry Cole: former General Manager 2006-2009, now General Manager at WEAR and WFGX
Doug Cook: former reporter, later an anchor & reporter at WMTW, and currently director of communications at Bowdoin College
Paul Cousins: meteorologist
Kathy Curran: former investigative reporter late 1990s, now a reporter at WBZ (1999-)
Brad Day: weekend meteorologist, late 1990s
Paul Dellegatto: former meteorologist, 1985–86, now chief meteorologist at WTVT in Tampa
Frank Fixaris: former sports anchor 1967-1992, was a sports radio talk co-host; deceased 2006.
Dianna Fletcher: former daybreak anchor/reporter, now media/p.r. consultant Fletcher Media.
Chris Francis: former sports anchor/reporter (1996–1998)
Lisa Gilbert: former sports anchor/reporter (1993–1996)
Thom Hallock: former reporter, now an anchor at WPTZ in Plattsburgh, NY
Gordie Hershiser: former sports director, mid 1990s
John Hopperstad - weekdays at noon and 7, now working in Seattle
Felicia Knight: former anchor, worked at WABI-TV (Bangor, ME) during the 1980s
Wayne Mahar: former Chief Meteorologist, now Chief Meteorologist at WSTM-TV in Syracuse, NY
Harry Marble: former anchor, died 1982
Marnie MacLean: former anchor & reporter, now a reporter at NECN
Thom McGair: former reporter/substitute anchor was last at WLVI-TV Boston
Jennifer Miller: former weekend/fill-in anchor & reporter, retired.
Sayoko Murase: former daybreak anchor, now with BNK Invest
Bob O'Wril: former weatherman & host of the MDA telethon. Died 1979.
Adam Pellerin: former weekend sports anchor/reporter, now a reporter at WFXT in Boston.
Barbara Quill: former reporter & anchor (1973–1984)
Max Riseman: former weekend meteorologist (2005–2007), now providing radio forecasts on WHOM and MPBN.
Mark Rosenthal: former chief meteorologist (2005–2006)
Josh Judge: former weekend meteorologist, now meteorologist for WMUR-TV in Manchester, NH.
Jennifer Sabih: former reporter/weekend anchor, now reporter with CBS Newspath.
Steve Schwaid: former news director, now News Director and Vice President at WTXF in Philadelphia.
Dave Silverbrand: former anchor & "Dave's People" reporter, now living in Eureka, CA
Amy Sinclair—former reporter who mainly did light feature and interest stories (1995-05/24/2007); now at New England Cable News
Mindi Ramsey: former anchor/reporter, now weekday morning/noon anchor for WNEP in Scranton, PA.
Jeremy Reiner: former meteorologist, now a meteorologist at WHDH in Boston.
Dave Santoro: former weekend/Daybreak meteorologist who became Chief Meteorologist in 1999, now a math teacher
Joe Venuti: former meteorologist, now part-time meteorologist at WCVB in Boston.
Ron Wolfe: former News Director (1999-2002)
Matt Zidle: former Daybreak & Noon meteorologist, now at WMTW in a similar capacity with Shannon Moss and Erin Ovalle.

Kid Correspondents

This is a segment featured on Daybreak. "News 13 brings you school kids from around the state of Maine who take you inside their school to show you why they think it is special."

External links

• WGME-TV
• WGME mobile
• WPFO "Fox 23"
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