WNEM-TV#Digital programming

On the week before May 5, 1952, Goodwill Stations, owner of WJR radio in Detroit, announced the intent of applying for four station licenses which would operate as a regional network—UHF channel 50 in Detroit, channel 11 in Toledo, Ohio, channel 12 in Flint and channel 5 in Bay City.{{cite news |title=Goodwill Plans |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1952/BC-1952-05-05.pdf |access-date=March 16, 2020 |work=Broadcasting * Telecasting |date=May 5, 1952 |pages=66 |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018173804/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1952/BC-1952-05-05.pdf |url-status=live }} WNEM-TV was founded by the Northeastern Michigan Corporation, hence the call letters, on February 16, 1954, as an NBC affiliate.{{cite web|title=WNEM-TV Channel 5 Bay City|url=http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/wnem.html|work=Station Listings|publisher=Michiguide.com|access-date=August 22, 2012|archive-date=April 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412220816/http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/wnem.html|url-status=dead}} Originally, its main studios were located on rented space at Bishop International Airport in Flint with auxiliary studios in its city of license, Bay City. In the 1960s, it moved its main studios to the transmitter site in Indiantown, after flirting with the idea of co-locating the television station on the WSAM tower in Saginaw.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fybush.com/site-20170127/|title=Site of the Week 1/27/2017: Northeast Michigan, August 2016|first=Scott|last=Fybush|date=January 27, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2017|archive-date=August 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827075238/https://www.fybush.com/site-20170127/|url-status=live}} During its first four years, WNEM-TV had a secondary affiliation with ABC sharing programming from that network with WKNX-TV (channel 57, now WEYI-TV channel 25) until 1958 when WJRT-TV signed-on and took that affiliation. WNEM-TV also aired programming from DuMont until that network dissolved in August 1956.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2023/07/dumont-television-network-why.html |title=The TV Ratings Guide: DuMont Television Network: Why an Innovative Broadcast Network Failed |access-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718000705/http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2023/07/dumont-television-network-why.html |url-status=live }}

Professional violinist James Gerity's Gerity Broadcasting bought the station in 1961 and sold it to the Meredith Corporation{{cite news|last=White|first=Sue|title=Memories of Saginaw's 'Beautiful Music' spark WGER 102.5 FM Historical Society|url=http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/03/memories_of_saginaws_beautiful.html|access-date=August 22, 2012|newspaper=The Saginaw News|date=March 6, 2011|archive-date=October 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013043646/http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/03/memories_of_saginaws_beautiful.html|url-status=live}} in 1969. The transition to Meredith was first announced in 1968, and was at that time, the first and only NBC affiliate owned by the company (a distinction later held by WSMV, until it was transferred to Gray).{{Cite news|date=October 14, 1968|title=Meredith to buy 5th VHF station|page=58|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/68-OCR/1968-10-14-BC-OCR-Page-0058.pdf|access-date=December 19, 2021|archive-date=December 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219020828/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/68-OCR/1968-10-14-BC-OCR-Page-0058.pdf|url-status=live}} In the mid-1980s, the station moved its primary studios to their current location in downtown Saginaw. The Becker Road studios would later be used for the Buena Vista campus of Delta College, though the complex still houses WNEM-TV's transmitter.

On January 16, 1995, WNEM-TV and WEYI swapped networks, and WNEM-TV became a CBS affiliate (announced June 30, 1994).{{cite news|title=Meredith Shifts Stations to CBS|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/30/business/the-media-business-meredith-shifts-stations-to-cbs.html|access-date=April 20, 2015|work=New York Times|date=June 30, 1994|page=6|archive-date=March 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307042616/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/30/business/the-media-business-meredith-shifts-stations-to-cbs.html|url-status=live}} The move came as part of the larger U.S. network affiliation switch that saw WNEM's sister station in Phoenix, KPHO-TV, take the CBS affiliation in that city after KSAZ-TV dropped the network in favor of Fox.

File:Meredith_TV5_logo.svg

File:WNEM-DT2.svg

The day that WNEM-TV became a CBS affiliate, it also took on secondary affiliations with both UPN{{cite web|title=UPN Network Affiliates|url=https://www.parentstv.org/PTC/networks/UPNAFFILIATES.htm|work=parentstv.org|publisher=Parents Television Council|access-date=August 22, 2012|archive-date=February 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222043159/https://www.parentstv.org/PTC/networks/UPNAFFILIATES.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Michigan |url=http://www.upn.com/affiliates/michigan.html |work=Affiliate listings |publisher=UPN |access-date=August 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516152053/http://www.upn.com/affiliates/michigan.html |archive-date=May 16, 2006 }} and The WB and aired programming from the two networks late at night. The station relinquished the secondary WB affiliation in October 1999 to WEYI.{{cite web |title=WEYI-TV Channel 25 Saginaw |url=http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/weyi.html |work=Station Listings |publisher=michiguide.com |access-date=August 22, 2012 |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904170308/http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/weyi.html |url-status=live }} It dropped CBS' daytime soap opera Guiding Light in 1996 due to low ratings, which made it one of two CBS stations in the nation that did not carry the program for what would turn out to be its final 13 years (the other was KOVR in Sacramento, California). However, by 2007 the show was aired instead on My5 at 10 a.m., and stayed there for the rest of its run. WNEM now clears the entire CBS daytime lineup on its primary channel, having moved Guiding Light{{'}}s replacement Let's Make a Deal over from My5 in 2012. It currently airs at 10 a.m.

As of April 1, 2011, Comcast cable subscribers in Holly, Michigan, and surrounding areas recently had WNEM-TV replaced with Detroit's WWJ-TV as the main CBS network affiliate. My5 was also replaced with WMYD as the main MyNetworkTV affiliate. While Holly is much closer to Flint than Detroit ({{convert|15|mi|km|0|disp=sqbr}} compared to {{convert|45|mi|km|0|disp=sqbr}}), it is in the far northern portion of Oakland County, which is technically part of the Detroit television market.

On May 3, 2021, Gray Television announced it would acquire Meredith's Local Media stations for $2.7 billion. At the time, Gray owned WJRT-TV and as both stations rank among the top four in terms of total viewers, it intended to keep WNEM and sell WJRT to a third party.{{cite web|url=https://graytv.gcs-web.com/node/18171/pdf|title=Gray to acquire Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group in a $2.7 billion transaction|publisher=Gray Television|date=May 3, 2021|accessdate=May 3, 2021|archive-date=May 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503131508/https://graytv.gcs-web.com/node/18171/pdf|url-status=live}} On July 14, Gray announced it would sell WJRT to Allen Media Group, a subsidiary of Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios, which was in the process of also acquiring several Quincy Media stations through Gray until August 2, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/allen-media-group-pays-2470m-to-acquire-gray-television-e2-80-99s-wjrt-an-abc-affiliate-in-michigan/ar-AAMa25i|title=Allen Media Group Pays $70M To Acquire Gray Television's WJRT, An ABC Affiliate In Michigan|website=MSN Entertainment|date=July 14, 2021|accessdate=July 14, 2021|archive-date=July 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714205546/https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/allen-media-group-pays-2470m-to-acquire-gray-television-e2-80-99s-wjrt-an-abc-affiliate-in-michigan/ar-AAMa25i|url-status=live}} The acquisition was completed on December 1, a couple months after Gray divested WJRT.{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/01/2344524/0/en/GRAY-TELEVISION-CLOSES-ON-ACQUISITION-OF-MEREDITH-CORPORATION-S-LOCAL-MEDIA-GROUP.html |title=Gray Television Closes on Acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group |agency=Globe Newswire |publisher=Gray Television |date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=December 1, 2021 |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201211325/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/01/2344524/0/en/GRAY-TELEVISION-CLOSES-ON-ACQUISITION-OF-MEREDITH-CORPORATION-S-LOCAL-MEDIA-GROUP.html |url-status=live }}

Little to no records are held regarding the station's early programming. The few that were remembered are Chester the Clown, Hoss 'n' Stuff, Mr. Hot Dog, "Captain Muddy" hosting Popeye cartoons, Adventure Patrol and the "Jumping Cowboy."{{cite book|last1=Hollis|first1=Tim|title=Hi There, Boys and Girls!: America's Local Children's TV Shows|date=2001|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|page=152|isbn=9781604738193|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6UWlOQfdQ64C&q=Frank+Cady+Bozo&pg=PA152|access-date=November 26, 2014|archive-date=April 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425145437/https://books.google.com/books?id=6UWlOQfdQ64C&q=Frank+Cady+Bozo&pg=PA152|url-status=live}}

At launch, the station hired Chet Rogoza as an announcer and drafted as the Chester the Clown host. Chester only being a puppet controlled by Rogoza. Harold Stone joined the show as the puppet master for Mr. Shaakestail, Bard disciple dog late in the shows run, which ended in the early 1960s.

Hoss 'n' Stuff featured a puppet horse played by Jim Adams and the mailman Stuff played by Chuck Waters. Stuff would visit Hoss at the fence for a comedic interchange with Stuff being the straight man.

Mr. Hot Dog originated as an ad featuring Jim Peyton as the logo character of the restaurant chain of the same name. Quickly, the character had its own Saturday morning program with the added puppet character of Daddy Cool with a long wiener-shaped nose.

From 1958 to 1968, Chuck Waters as "Captain Muddy" of the S.S. Mudhole hosted the Popeye cartoons. Adventure Patrol was hosted by station manager Tom Mathews with little else known about the show. A transfer from the Cadillac–Traverse City market, the station had a Western show featuring Kenny Roberts, the "Jumping Cowboy."

WNEM-TV televises regional and national sports from CBS Sports. Local sports include games of the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans men's basketball teams (via the College Basketball on CBS contract), and Detroit Lions home games against AFC opponents (via the NFL on CBS contract). The station is also an affiliate of the Detroit Lions Television Network which airs preseason games. Channel 5 has also televised three home games of the local Ontario Hockey League team the Saginaw Spirit.{{when|date=September 2011}} By 2007, WNEM picked up Detroit Pistons games outside of the network agreements for My5 TV. In February 2007, WNEM picked up 17 Detroit Tigers games through Fox Sports Detroit's Tigers regional TV network primarily for My5 TV.{{cite news|last1=Pullen|first1=Doug|title=Some Tiger games to air on My 5 TV|url=http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2007/02/some_tiger_games_to_air_on_my.html|access-date=April 20, 2015|work=The Flint Journal|publisher=Mlive Media Group|date=February 20, 2007|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305145053/http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2007/02/some_tiger_games_to_air_on_my.html|url-status=live}}

In 2025, WNEM announced a 15-game broadcast agreement with the Great Lakes Loons, the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Games air on both WNEM and WNEM+.{{cite news|title=WNEM to Broadcast 15 Loons Games in 2025|url=https://www.milb.com/news/wnem-to-broadcast-15-loons-games-in-2025|access-date=April 13, 2025|publisher=Great Lakes Loons|date=April 3, 2025}}

As of December 2021, WNEM presently broadcasts {{frac|35|1|2}} hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with six hours each weekday, three hours on Saturdays, and {{frac|2|1|2}} hours on Sundays), and produces an additional 10 hours of newscasts for its MyNetworkTV subchannel (with two hours each weekday).

In addition to its main facilities, the station operates a Genesee County Bureau at the Wade Trim Building on Saginaw Street in Downtown Flint. This had been located in Mundy Township's Gateway Center until October 2008.{{cite news|last1=Burden|first1=Melissa|title=Wade Trim Building open to public; more news on downtown expected next week|url=http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/business/index.ssf/2008/10/wade_trim_building_open_to_pub.html|access-date=April 20, 2015|work=Flint Journal|publisher=Mlive Media Group|date=October 7, 2008|archive-date=October 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018173805/https://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/business/2008/10/wade_trim_building_open_to_pub.html|url-status=live}} WNEM-TV operates their own weather radar, known as "First Warn 5 Pinpoint Doppler Radar", on the eastern side of MBS International Airport which is also streamed live on its website.

WNEM broadcasts news at 4:30, 5, 6 and 9 a.m., noon, 5, 5:30, 6 and 11 p.m.{{cite news|last1=Dodson|first1=Andrew|title=WNEM TV5 anchor Katie O'Mara takes leave of absence due to blood disease|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/02/wnem_tv_5_anchor_katie_omara_t.html|access-date=February 19, 2015|work=Bay City Times|publisher=Mlive Media Group|date=February 13, 2015|archive-date=February 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220005717/http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/02/wnem_tv_5_anchor_katie_omara_t.html|url-status=live}} On weekends, they broadcast a morning show at 8 a.m. Saturday and a two-hour show at 7 a.m. on Sunday. Weekend evenings includes local news in the 6 p.m. hour and an 11 p.m. broadcast. While on WNEM-TV 5 Plus, its news department has an hour-long news at 10 p.m. every day of the week{{cite news|last1=Dodson|first1=Andrew|date=March 26, 2015|title=WNEM TV 5 newscast on Fox 66 being replaced by WEYI 25 starting battle for 10 p.m.|work=Bay City Times|publisher=Mlive Media Group|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/03/wnem_tv_5_10_pm_newscast_movin.html|access-date=April 20, 2015|archive-date=November 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126054959/http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2015/03/wnem_tv_5_10_pm_newscast_movin.html|url-status=live}} plus a 7 p.m. half-hour on weeknights.{{cite news|title=WNEM Program Schedule|url=http://www.wnem.com/category/213205/program|access-date=January 31, 2017|work=WNEM|publisher=Meredith|date=January 31, 2017|archive-date=January 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126171739/http://www.wnem.com/category/213205/program|url-status=live}}

WNEM-TV produced news segments for then-sister radio station WNEM (1250 AM); this ended after Meredith donated the station to Ave Maria Communications, which adopted a Catholic radio format.{{Cite news |last=Jordan |first=Heather |date=May 30, 2013 |title=WNEM, Channel 5 gives 1250-AM radio station to Ave Maria Communications for Catholic programming |language=en |work=MLive |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/2013/05/wnem_tv_5_gives_1250_am_radio.html |access-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604150554/https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/2013/05/wnem_tv_5_gives_1250_am_radio.html |url-status=live }} WSGW 790 AM in Saginaw now rebroadcasts the 6 p.m. news. WNEM-TV 5 Plus previously rebroadcast the main channel's weeknight 6 o'clock newscast at 7, but this has since been replaced by a live newscast at 7.

In 2006, WNEM-TV entered into a news share agreement with Fox affiliate WSMH for their existing nightly prime time broadcast at 10 on that station. This came about after that station's owner, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, shut down its News Central operation as well as WSMH's news department. Originally entitled TV 5 News at 10 on Fox 66, the WNEM-TV-produced program recently added new graphics and was renamed Fox 66 News at 10. On Monday nights during the newscast, the "Fugitive Files" segment aired. On April 27, 2015, WSMH dropped WNEM's hour-long 10 p.m. news from their primary channel in favor of a new 10 p.m. show produced by the now Sinclair-managed WEYI, while WNEM moved that program to its WNEM-TV 5 Plus subchannel.

In August 2009, the station began carrying obituaries following its weekday morning, noon and 6 p.m. shows. This service began after local major newspapers in the region including The Bay City Times, The Saginaw News, and The Flint Journal reduced publication to three times a week in June 2009.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2009/03/flint_journal_to_publish_3days.html |title=Flint Journal to publish 3 days a week |date=March 24, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229210121/https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2009/03/flint_journal_to_publish_3days.html |url-status=live }} At first, a free service when it was launched, WNEM-TV began charging $100 per obituary in September 2009. As of October 19, 2009, over 700 obituaries appeared on the channel and its website, obitmichigan.com.{{cite news|last=Steinberg|first=Brian|title=Local TV Garners Revenue From Obituaries|url=http://adage.com/article/media/advertising-local-tv-garners-revenue-obituaries/139747/|access-date=August 22, 2012|newspaper=adage.com|date=October 19, 2009|archive-date=February 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221063457/http://adage.com/article/media/advertising-local-tv-garners-revenue-obituaries/139747/|url-status=live}} WNEM-TV became the second television in both Michigan and the United States, after WJBK, to air obituaries on a daily basis.

On November 21, 2011, WNEM-TV aired allegations of sexual abuse against U.S. Representative Dale Kildee that were criticized as politically motivated and a breach of journalistic ethics. An attorney for the station said that the broadcast was protected as it involved a public official and that no actual malice was intended.{{cite news|last1=Lessenberry|first1=Jack|date=November 25, 2011|title=Decades-old claims against Kildee don't hold up|work=Toledo Blade|url=http://www.toledoblade.com/JackLessenberry/2011/11/25/Decades-old-claims-against-Kildee-don-t-hold-up.html|access-date=November 28, 2011|archive-date=November 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127212804/http://www.toledoblade.com/JackLessenberry/2011/11/25/Decades-old-claims-against-Kildee-don-t-hold-up.html|url-status=live}}

• Pat Harvey – now at KCBS/KCAL

File:Saginaw, MI skyline as seen from the Bearinger Building.jpg

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Around May 2008, WNEM launched a cable channel carrying MyNetworkTV (branded as "My 5") along with broadcasts of Detroit Pistons games. It would later be added to its DT2 subchannel. WNEM-TV changed its branding to "WNEM-TV5 Plus" on July 30, 2018.{{cite web|date=July 12, 2018|title=WNEM My 5 TV to Become WNEM TV 5 Plus|url=http://www.lmgcorporate.com/wnem/news/Press%20Release-WNEM-TV5%20PLUS-final.pdf|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727171610/http://www.lmgcorporate.com/wnem/news/Press%20Release-WNEM-TV5%20PLUS-final.pdf|url-status=usurped}}

In March 2015, WNEM launched a third subchannel carrying Cozi TV.{{cite news|date=March 23, 2015|title=Cozi TV Diginet Adds Eight Stations|work=TV News Check|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83934/cozi-tv-diginet-adds-eight-stations?ref=search|access-date=April 26, 2016|archive-date=August 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819191901/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/83934/cozi-tv-diginet-adds-eight-stations?ref=search|url-status=live}} A fourth subchannel carrying Ion Television, was launched in April 2017.{{cite news|date=March 28, 2017|title=How to find ION TV|language=en|work=wnem.com|publisher=WNEM|url=http://www.wnem.com/story/35013758/how-to-find-ion-tv|access-date=April 12, 2017|archive-date=April 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413070737/http://www.wnem.com/story/35013758/how-to-find-ion-tv|url-status=live}}

WNEM-TV ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 22,{{cite web|title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|archive-date=August 29, 2013|access-date=March 24, 2012}}{{Cite web|title=FCC.gov - Appendix B: All Full Power Television Stations by DMA, Indicating Those Terminating Analog Service on or before February 17, 2009|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf|access-date=February 12, 2009|archive-date=October 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018111148/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf|url-status=live}} using virtual channel 5. WNEM-TV remained on-the-air for a short period afterward with a nightlight slide with phone numbers and information about the switch.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.wnem.com/}}
• [http://obitmichigan.com/ obitmichigan.com]

{{Flint-Saginaw-Bay City TV}}

{{CBS Michigan}}

{{MNTV Michigan}}

{{ION Michigan}}

{{Gray TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wnem-Tv}}

Category:1954 establishments in Michigan

Category:CBS affiliates

Category:Court TV affiliates

Category:Cozi TV affiliates

Category:Former Meredith Corporation subsidiaries

Category:Gray Media

Category:Ion Television affiliates

Category:MyNetworkTV affiliates

Category:Television channels and stations established in 1954

NEM-TV