WISC-TV

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WISC-TV (digital channel 50 or PSIP virtual channel 3) is the CBS affiliate television station for Madison, Wisconsin. The station is the flagship of Madison-based Morgan Murphy Media, and has been affiliated with CBS since its launch on June 24, 1956. The station airs regular local and CBS programming on digital channel 3.1 and also operates TVW, a MyNetworkTV affiliate, on digital channel 3.2 (which is also carried on local cable TV and DIRECTV in the Madison market).

History

WISC-TV first took to the airwaves on June 24, 1956, taking over Madison's CBS affiliation from WKOW-TV (which retained ABC affiliation). During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network.[1] Despite being the state's second largest market, Madison was a "doughnut" where there could only be one VHF license due to being sandwiched between Milwaukee to the east, Wausau and Green Bay to the north, Chicago and Rockford to the south, and La Crosse/Eau Claire to the west. Having the market's only VHF signal gave channel 3 a distinct advantage over its UHF competitors, WKOW and WMTV. Until cable arrived in Madison in the 1980s, WISC was the only local station that provided a clear signal to most of the market. Not surprisingly, it has been the market leader for most of its history. There is also a low power VHF signal in the market occupying analog channel 8 W08CK.

From its early days in broadcasting through the 1970s, the station ID'd as "WISC-TV, Channel 3—Madison. Wisconsin's Leadership Station." Jerry Deane was a very popular news presenter. William "Bill" Dyke was an on-air talent in the early 1960s before he eventually became mayor of Madison.

From 1995 to 1999, WISC-TV carried select UPN programming during overnight hours, before the launch of a separate UPN station in the market, WHPN. UPN returned in 2002 on WISC's cable/digital subchannel, "UPN 14"; that channel now carries MyNetworkTV.

WISC-TV commemorated its 50th anniversary in June 2006, which merited a congratulatory mention by David Letterman on his Late Show broadcast of June 22, 2006 (its first program, he quipped, was "Good Morning, Cheddar").

At 12:30 p.m. on February 17, 2009, WISC-TV converted all regular programming to its digital signal on channel 50, or PSIP virtual channel 3.1. The analog channel 3 continued to serve as a "nightlight," broadcasting a loop of digital transition information and instructions in addition to any local news programming and emergency information, until signing off for good the final week of March 2009.

Programming

WISC-TV airs a mix of local programming, newscasts, and syndicated shows (among them Dr Phil, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Entertainment Tonight). WISC usually airs the full CBS program schedule, though pre-emptions to overnight hours have occurred in the past due to local specials and Wisconsin Badgers sports broadcasts (WISC was home to Badger broadcasts on ESPN Plus before the syndicator's relationship with the Big Ten Conference ended in 2007).

TVW

WISC-TV's digital subchannel, 3.2, is known as "tvw," and carries the MyNetworkTV schedule, syndicated programs and off-network reruns, as well as News 3 at 9 on tvw, a prime-time newscast produced by WISC-TV. TVW also serves as a backup channel for programming that is pre-empted on WISC. The channel is carried on Charter Communications cable channel 14, where it originally launched in 1998 as a WB affiliate.

Newscasts

In addition to its normal morning, midday, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, WISC airs "News 3 Live at Five," which is largely devoted to non-headline news and features that focus on the community and the people of Madison, Dane County, and southern Wisconsin. In April 2011, WISC began offering free on demand segments of their newscasts on the Roku digital video player.[2]

On October 26, 2008, WISC-TV began producing all its newscasts in total high-definition, becoming the first commercial TV station in Wisconsin to do so.[3] The station had produced occasional news features in HD since the beginning of 2008.

News staff

Current on-air staff

Anchors

  • Sarah Carlson - weeknights at 10 p.m.
  • Andy Choi - Sundays at 5:30 and 10 p.m., and weeknights at 9 p.m. (on TVW); also weekday reporter
  • Charlotte Deleste - weekday mornings
  • Eric Franke - weeknights at 6 and 10 p.m.; formerly sports director from 1999-2005
  • Maria Guerrero - Saturdays at 6, weekends at 6 and 10 p.m.; also weekday reporter
  • Mark Koehn - weekdays at noon, and weeknights at 5 p.m.
  • Susan Siman - weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
  • Rob Starbuck - weekday mornings

Weather team

  • Gary Cannalte (AMS Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 (on TVW) and 10 p.m.
  • Bob Lesh - weather anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5:30, and weekends at 9 (on TVW) and 10 p.m.
  • Haddie McLean - meteorologist; weekday mornings and noon
  • Karin Swanson - meteorologist; fill-in

Sports team

  • Jay Wilson - sports director; weeknights at 6, 9 (on TVW) and 10 p.m.
  • Matt Queen - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5:30, and weekends and 10 p.m.
  • Emily Kumlien - fill-in sports anchor/reporter

Reporters

  • Jessica Arp - political reporter
  • Marc Lovicott - general assignment reporter
  • David Douglas - general assignment reporter
  • Margo Spann - Rock County reporter
  • Theo Keith - general assignment reporter
  • Steve Van Dinter - "Gadget Guy" technology reporter; seen Tuesdays
  • Neil Heinen - host of "For the Record"; also WISC/Madison Magazine editorial director

Former on-air staff

References

  1. ^ "Require Prime Evening Time for NTA Films" ([dead link]), Boxoffice: 13, November 10, 1956{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ WISC Debuts Local News Channel on Roku Digital Video Player Retrieved April 15, 2011
  3. ^ "WISC-TV To Air Newscasts In HD", October 20, 2008 announcement from the WISC-TV website

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WISC-TV&oldid=447155745"