WGEM's signal is multiplexed. On WGEM-DT2, Comcast channel 6, US Cable channel 16, and Mediacom channel 18 is the area's CWaffiliate. This station gets all of its programming from The CW Plus. On WGEM-DT3, Mediacom channel 2, US Cable channel 12, and Comcast channel 18 is the area's Fox affiliate. This can also be seen in high definition on Comcast digital channel 383 and Mediacom digital channel 802. Syndicated programming on WGEM-DT3 includes: The Insider, Family Guy, Friends, and Everybody Loves Raymond.
Channel
Programming
10.1
main WGEM programming / NBC HD
10.2
WGEM-DT2 "Tri-States CW"
10.3
WGEM-DT3 "WGEM Fox"
History
The station signed on for the first time on July 5, 1953. WGEM has always been an NBC affiliate, but maintained a secondary ABC affiliation between 1953 and 1969 as well as from 1971 until the mid-1990s, shared with CBS affiliate KHQA-TV during the 1960s. WJJY-TV inJacksonville, Illinois was the primary ABC affiliate for Quincy between 1969 and 1971; when WJJY went bankrupt and shut down, WGEM resumed carrying a few ABC shows. The station also had a secondary affiliation with Fox between 1990 and 1994. It is one of the few and longest operating television stations in the country, outside of network owned-and-operated stations that has had the same call letters, owner, channel number, and primary network affiliation throughout its history.
Since the mid to late-1990s, WGEM has not mentioned its channel number on-air, instead choosing to be identified by its call letters. WGEM's broadcasts have been digital-only since February 17, 2009.[1]
News operation
WGEM once produced a weeknight 9 o'clock newscast for the Fox channel called CGEM News at 9. It debuted in April 2006 but was canceled in March 2007. The broadcast was anchored by Jake Miller with Chief Meteorologist Rich Cain and Sports Director Ben Marth. At one point in time, WGEM-DT2 simulcast WGEM-FM's weekday morning show, WGEM Sunrise: Radio Edition, from 7 to 9. Today it re-airs two WGEM-produced weekly public affair shows, City Desk and WGEM News This Week, along with two other locally-produced programs:Northland Adventures and WGEM Academic Challenge. In addition to its main studios, the station operates a bureau on South Randolph Street in Macomb, Illinois. The main channel does not air early evening news on weekends. Like all CW Plus affiliates in the Central Time Zone, WGEM-DT2 airs the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz on weekdays from 5 to 8.
Newscast titles
The sign in front of WGEM's bureau.
3-Star Edition (1953–1961)
WGEM News (1961–1967 & 1998–present)
The Sixth Hour Report / The Eleventh Hour Report (1967–1974)
