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{{Short description|TV station in Cleveland}}
{{Infobox_Broadcast |
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
call_letters = WEWS-TV|
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
station_logo = ]|
{{Infobox television station
station_slogan = ''On Your Side'' <small>(news)</small><br>''Start Here'' <small>(primary general)</small><br>''First in Cleveland... First in Ohio'' <small>(secondary general)</small>|
| callsign = WEWS-TV
station_branding = Channel 5 <small>(general)</small><br>NewsChannel 5 <small>(newscasts)</small>|
| city = Cleveland, Ohio
digital = 15 (])<br>]: 5 (])||
| logo = WEWS-TV logo (2021).svg
subchannels = 5.1 ]|
| logo_upright = .8
founded = |
| branding = News 5
airdate = December 17, 1947|
| digital = 15 (])
location = ]|
| virtual = 5
callsign_meaning = '''E'''dward '''W'''illis '''S'''cripps<br>(founder of the '']'')|
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''5.1:''' ]|''For others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
owner = ]|
licensee = Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company| | owner = ]
| licensee = Scripps Broadcasting Holdings ]
former_affiliations = ] (1948–1955)<br>] (secondary, 1948-1956)|
| location = ]–]
former_channel_numbers = ]:<br>5 (], 1947-2009)|
| country = United States
effective_radiated_power = 870 ] (digital)|
| founded = {{start date and age|1946|7|18}}<ref>. ].</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CP's granted for three new commercial video stations |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/46-OCR/1946-07-23-BC-OCR-Page-0088.pdf |periodical=] |page=88 |date=July 22, 1946 |access-date=May 6, 2019 }}</ref>
HAAT = 285 m (digital)|
| airdate = {{start date and age|1947|12|17|p=y|br=y}}
facility_id = 59441|
| callsign_meaning = ] (founder of the '']'' and the E. W. Scripps Company)
coordinates = {{coord|41|22|26|N|81|43|4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}|
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 5 (], 1947–2009)}}
homepage = |
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|] (1947–1955)|] (secondary, 1947–1955)|] (secondary, 1957–1966)}}
| erp = 1,000 ]
| haat = {{convert|300.7|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 59441
| coordinates = {{Coord|41|22|26|N|81|43|3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = ]
| website = {{url|https://www.news5cleveland.com/}}
}} }}
'''WEWS-TV''', channel 5, is a television station in ]. WEWS has been owned by the ] since its inception, and is an affiliate of the ] television network. WEWS' studios are located on ] in downtown Cleveland, and its transmitter located in ].


'''WEWS-TV''' (channel 5) is a ] in ], United States, affiliated with ]. It has been owned by the ] since its inception in 1946, making it one of three stations that have been built and signed on by Scripps (alongside company ] ] in ] and ] in ], the latter of which was sold in 1993). WEWS-TV's studios are located on Euclid Avenue (near ]) in ], and its transmitter is located in suburban ].
== History ==
] through the 1970s. ]]
WEWS first went on the air on December 17, 1947,<ref name=stationhistory> </ref> as the first licensed television station in ]. The call letters denote the initials of the parent company's founder, ]. The station is the oldest in Cleveland to maintain the same channel position (as an analog broadcaster) ownership and call letters since its sign-on.


==History==
A few weeks before, Scripps launched WEWS-FM (102.1&nbsp;MHz., now ]) as an outlet for WEWS television personalities to gain on-air experience before the launch of the television station. Channel 5's first broadcast was of a Christmas pageant run by the station's corporate cousin, '']''.<ref name=stationhistory/> In short order, WEWS became the most modern television station in America. Its staff included capable producers ] and ], who would later become president of ].
]
The station first signed on the air on December 17, 1947,<ref name=stationhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/newschannel5-s-first-60-years|title=NewsChannel5's first 60 years|publisher=WEWS-TV|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905182901/http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/newschannel5-s-first-60-years|archive-date=September 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> as the first television station in Ohio, and the 16th overall in the United States. The ] denote the initials of the parent company's founder, ]. The station is the oldest in Cleveland to maintain the same channel position (as an analog broadcaster), ownership and call letters since its sign-on. A few weeks before WEWS-TV's sign-on, Scripps launched WEWS-FM 102.1 (the frequency is now occupied by ]) as an outlet for WEWS-TV personalities to gain on-air experience before the launch of the television station. Channel 5's first broadcast was of a Christmas pageant run by the station's corporate cousin, '']''.<ref name="WEWS history">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=W3|title=WEWS (Channel 5)|access-date=September 2, 2015|publisher=]|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History}}</ref> Its staff included capable producers Jim Breslin and Betty Cope, who would later become president of ] (channel 25).


{{multiple image
In October 1948, WEWS, still Cleveland's only television station, broadcast the ] games played in Cleveland between the ] and the ].<ref name=stationhistory/> The telecasts were fed to stations throughout the Midwest.
| direction = vertical
| align = right
| width = 175
| image1 = Circle 5 WEWS.png
| caption1 = Classic "Circle 5" logo used from 1968 to 1998.
| image2 = WEWS 2013 Logo.png
| caption2 = Modified "Circle 5" logo used from 2009 to 2016.
}}


WEWS was originally a ] affiliate with secondary ABC and ] affiliations, but it lost the CBS affiliation to ] (channel 8) in 1955 after that station's then-owner, ], used its influence with CBS to land the affiliation. It lost the DuMont affiliation when DuMont ceased operations in 1956. WEWS was also an affiliate of the short-lived ]; the station was one of the network's strongest affiliates, airing such Paramount programs as ''Time For Beany'',<ref name="TCT">{{cite news|date=1953-02-10|work=The Coshocton Tribune|pages=4|accessdate=26 November 2009|location=Coshocton, OH}}</ref> ''Hollywood Reel'',<ref name="HR">{{cite news|title=Television Programs|date=1952-06-25|work=East Liverpool Review|pages=12|accessdate=27 November 2009|location=East Liverpool, OH}}</ref> and ''Frosty Frolics''.<ref name="TEI">{{cite news|date=1951-09-29|work=The Evening Independent|pages=11|accessdate=30 November 2009|location=Massillon, OH}}</ref> WEWS originally operated as a ] affiliate, with secondary ABC and ] affiliations; it shared the secondary ABC affiliation with WXEL-TV (now ], channel 8). WEWS lost the CBS affiliation to WJW-TV in 1955 after that station's then-owner, ], used its influence with CBS to land the affiliation; ABC then became channel 5's primary network. The station later lost the DuMont affiliation when that network ceased operations in 1956. WEWS was also an affiliate of the short-lived ]; the station was one of the network's strongest affiliates, airing such Paramount programs as ''Time For Beany'',<ref name="TCT">{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/321642123 |newspaper=The Coshocton Tribune |date=February 10, 1953 |location=Coshocton, Ohio |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> ''Hollywood Reel'',<ref name="HR">{{cite news |title=Television Programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/7364512 |newspaper=East Liverpool Review |date=June 25, 1952 |location=East Liverpool, Ohio |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and ''Frosty Frolics''.<ref name="TEI">{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/3606416/ |newspaper=The Evening Independent |date=September 29, 1951 |location=Massillon, Ohio |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WEWS also aired two ] programs, both of which had been preempted by ]-owned NBC affiliate KYW-TV (now WKYC): the network's evening newscast '']'', during the ]; and '']'', with hosts ] and later ], from October 1957 to February 1966.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lones |first=Tim |url=http://clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/07/tonight-showa-cleveland-history.html |title=Cleveland Classic Media: And now, Heere's Cleveland!! A Tonight Show History |publisher=Clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com |date=July 29, 2011 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001165536/https://clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/07/tonight-showa-cleveland-history.html |archive-date=October 1, 2011}}</ref>


In 1977, WEWS-TV went before the ] for recording and broadcasting the entire ] act of ]. He performed his circus routine at the ] in ], and the station did not compensate him, as was required by ]. In '']'', the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did not shield WEWS from liability from ] claims.<ref>{{cite web|author=White, Byron|author-link=Byron White|title=HUGO ZACCHINI, PETITIONER, V. SCRIPPS-HOWARD BROADCASTING COMPANY.|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/433/562|work=]|publisher=]|date=June 28, 1977|access-date=April 27, 2014}}</ref>
WEWS also aired one ] program, '']'', during this time as well. It was preempted by ]-owned NBC affiliate KYW-TV (now ]), and WEWS cleared it live until 1965.


On May 23, 1994, as part of an overall deal in which network parent ] also purchased a 20% equity interest in the group, ] signed a long-term ] with ] to switch thirteen television stations that New World owned or was acquiring from a Big Three network, including WJW-TV, to Fox.<ref name=nytbusinessdigest>{{cite news|title=FOX WILL SIGN UP 12 NEW STATIONS; TAKES 8 FROM CBS|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4|author=Bill Carter|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 24, 1994|access-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fox Gains 12 Stations in New World Deal|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4230288.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011163409/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4230288.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2013|newspaper=]|publisher=]|date=May 23, 1994|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> The deal was motivated by the ] (NFL)'s awarding of the rights to the ] (NFC) television package to ] on December 18, 1993, in which the conference's broadcast television rights moved to the network effective with the ], ending a 38-year relationship with ].<ref>{{cite web|title=CBS, NBC Battle for AFC Rights // Fox Steals NFC Package|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135152/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|newspaper=]|publisher=Adler & Shaykin|date=December 18, 1993}}</ref> As Fox was seen at the time on lower-profile UHF station ] (channel 19), CBS immediately targeted WEWS, as well as sister station ] in Detroit as its new affiliates in those markets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Counterstrike: CBS targets Scripps|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15503685.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135127/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15503685.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|author=Steve McClellan|work=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|date=June 6, 1994|access-date=September 15, 2017}}</ref> On June 16, however, Scripps signed a long-term deal with ABC that would keep WEWS-TV and WXYZ-TV as affiliates of the network; Scripps also agreed to affiliate ] in ], ] in ], and ] in ] with ABC in the deal.<ref>{{cite news|title=COMPANY NEWS; TV Stations Shift to ABC|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 17, 1994|access-date=October 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="nyt-abcpreemptscbs">{{cite news|title=ABC pre-empts CBS in Cleveland, Detroit.|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-06-20.pdf|author=Geoffrey Foisie|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|date=June 20, 1994|access-date=December 2, 2018}}</ref>
=== Local programming ===
In its early days as an ABC affiliate, the station had to produce its own shows in the afternoon, as ABC offered very little network programming in that daypart. WEWS would carry on that tradition for many years.


===Dual network affiliates===
Among the local programming offered during the 1950s and 1960s was news analysis from ], children's programming featuring the "Uncle Jake" character played by Gene Carroll and the "]" character played by ], and exercise programs with ].
{{See also|WVPX-TV}}
From 1955 until December 31, 1996, WEWS held a distinction of being one of two primary ABC affiliates for the Cleveland market. ] began operations on June 7, 1953, as a primary ABC affiliate,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cullison|first=Art|date=May 24, 1953|title=WAKR-TV Signs With ABC|page=14-E|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44314672/wakrtv_signs_with_abc/|access-date=February 14, 2020|via=]}}</ref> two years prior to WEWS joining the network. WAKR-TV's ties to ABC dated back to when radio adjunct ] signed on in 1940 as an ] affiliate and were incentivized by ABC's ].<ref name="Broadcasting Post-Thaw">{{Cite news|date=June 29, 1953|title=ROUNDUP OF POST-THAW TELEVISION: 80 STATIONS NOW IN BUSINESS|volume=44|page=72|work=]|publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc.|issue=26|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1953/BC-1953-06-29.pdf|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=World Radio History}}</ref> For the network's part, they were engaged in a push to sign up as many affiliates as possible to compensate for NBC, CBS and Dumont having stronger affiliate bases.<ref name="WAKC ABC Choice">{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=September 8, 1991|title=Area TV viewers get an ABC choice|page=D2|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66446038/area-tv-viewers-get-an-abc-choice/|access-date=December 31, 2020|via=]}}</ref>


WAKR-TV's launch was delayed for several years: originally intended as a VHF license on a channel&nbsp;11 allocation assigned to Akron,<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 15, 1947|title=WAKR, WADC Seek Television License|page=21|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24210363/the_akron_beacon_journal/|access-date=February 5, 2020|via=]}}</ref> that allocation was removed as a result of the FCC's 1952 ''Sixth Report and Order'' in favor of two ] allocations, one of which was not considered operable at the time.<ref name="Roger Berk Profile2">{{Cite news|date=February 25, 1974|title=Profile: The low visibility of a highly involved broadcaster: Roger Berk|volume=86|page=73|work=]|publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc.|issue=8|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1974/1974-02-25-BC.pdf|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=World Radio History}}</ref> The station largely lost money in its early years and relied on profits from WAKR to remain solvent<ref name="VHF For Akron">{{Cite news|last=Shippy|first=Dick|date=August 3, 1961|title=VHF For Akron?|page=34|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66755230/vhf-for-akron/|access-date=January 3, 2021|via=]}}</ref> even after it moved from channel&nbsp;49 to channel&nbsp;23 in 1967.<ref name="WAKR Tower of Power">{{Cite news|date=December 1, 1967|title=NEW TOWER OF POWER (Advertisement)|page=B8|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39633956/the_akron_beacon_journal/|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=]}}</ref> The ABC-TV schedule began to be carried in pattern by WAKR-TV with minimal deviations starting with the ]<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 15, 1963|title=TV Treats of the Week|page=4F|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68022118/tv-treats-of-the-week/|access-date=January 19, 2021|via=]}}</ref> and carried '']'' in its entirety for the market as WEWS opted out for '']'' at 8&nbsp;am, a distinction that ended in September 1994.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=R.D.|date=August 26, 1994|title='Morning Exchange' moving|page=D26|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66469184/morning-exchange-moving/|access-date=December 31, 2020|via=]}}</ref> When founding owner Summit Radio/Group One Broadcasting sold off their radio assets in 1986, the TV station was renamed WAKC.<ref name="WAKC Meaning">{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=July 10, 1988|title=What's in a call letter? Legends, lore behind station names|pages=B1, , |work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66116178/whats-in-a-call-letter-legends-lore/|access-date=December 27, 2020|via=]}}</ref>
Alice Weston had the one of first live television cooking shows, and Barbara Plummer was "Miss Barbara" for a generation of young viewers on the local version of '']''. The most popular show was the Gene Carroll show which began in the 1950s and ran well into the 1970s. The program aired every Sunday at noon. The show showcased the local talent of Cleveland area.<ref name=stationhistory/>


After nearly 40 years of continuous ownership by Summit/Group One, WAKC was sold to ] in late 1993;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=November 24, 1993|title=Channel 23 is going shopping|pages=A1, |work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44819737/channel-23-is-going-shopping/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=]}}</ref> ABC immediately renewed their affiliation after the sale closed,<ref name="WAKC VVI Takeover">{{Cite news|date=April 19, 1994|title=ValueVision takes over WAKC|page=C1|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44808543/valuevision-takes-over-wakc/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=]}}</ref> forcing the ] programmer into operating the station as a conventional network affiliate.<ref name="WAKC No Change Sale">{{Cite news|last=McEnaney|first=Maura|date=August 26, 1995|title=Sale won't change WAKC programs|pages=A1, |work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44803177/sale-wont-change-wakc-programs/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=]}}</ref> Following consummation of a subsequent sale to Paxson Communications, the station's entire news department was fired outright on February 28, 1996,<ref name="WAKC News Ceases">{{Cite news|last1=Heldenfels|first1=R.D.|last2=Hoffman|first2=Steve|last3=Quinn|first3=Jim|last4=Hoiles|first4=Robert|date=February 29, 1996|title=WAKC Kills News: New owner pulls plug, fires at least 15, decision on resuming show is months away, ABC affiliation under review|page=A1|work=]|publisher=]|via=NewsBank}}</ref> and all ABC programming was dropped that December 31.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 27, 1996|title=Tuesday Evening/Wednesday Afternoon|pages=17–|work=The News-Messenger TV Week|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69656174/last-night-of-scheduled-abc-programming/|access-date=February 9, 2021|via=]}}</ref> Paxson ultimately used the renamed WVPX-TV as a charter affiliate for the Pax TV network—a direct antecedent of ]—which launched on August 31, 1998.<ref name="WVPX Pax Begins">{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=R.D.|date=August 14, 1998|title=Family of TV channels about to increase|pages=C1–|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66230189/family-of-tv-channels-about-to-increase/|access-date=December 28, 2020|via=]}}</ref> Due to Scripps' purchase of Paxson's successor company ] in September 2020, WVPX was divested to Inyo Broadcast Holdings<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|date=December 16, 2020|title=Ion/Scripps' Fourth Amendment: TV Trio Not Going To INYO|url=https://www.rbr.com/ion-scripps-fourth-amendment-tv-trio-not-going-to-inyo/|access-date=January 3, 2021|website=Radio & Television Business Report|language=en-US}}</ref> but has retained affiliations with Ion and other digital subchannel networks operated by Scripps subsidiary ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Watkins|first=Steve|date=January 19, 2021|title=Scripps lays off more than 100 in wake of acquisition|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/01/19/scripps-lays-off-more-than-100-in-wake-of-acquisit.html|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=]|publisher=]}}</ref>
WEWS also offered a 90-minute afternoon variety show ''The One O'Clock Club'' weekdays hosted by Fuldheim and Bill Gordon.<ref name=stationhistory/> The program was so popular that competitor KYW-TV was prompted to organize a competing variety show which was the beginning of '']''.


Among WAKR-TV/WAKC's most notable alumni are two long-tenured WEWS staffers: Ted Henry, who began his career at WAKR-AM-TV as a reporter,<ref name="Ted Henry">{{Cite web|last=Henry|first=Ted|author-link=Ted Henry|date=April 29, 2009|title=People Always Ask Me....|url=https://tedhenryblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/more-more-more/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232421/https://tedhenryblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/more-more-more/|archive-date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 6, 2020|website=Ted's Blog|quote=This is something I discovered during my first serious job when I worked at WAKR TV and Radio in Akron. I spent three years there and loved the fact that the sense of discovery with my job changed every day as the news would change.}}
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, WEWS produced several programs that enjoyed national exposure through ]. The first program was '']''. Considered by some to be one of the most significant early rock and roll TV variety shows, ''Upbeat'' featured a live audience, a group of dancers and live (or lip-synched) performances by the big names of the era.<ref name=stationhistory/>
* {{cite web|title=Henry's career|url=http://www.spoke.com/people/ted-henry-3e1429c09e597c100386afea|access-date=February 6, 2020|publisher=Spoke}}</ref> and Mark Johnson, who worked at WAKC as a weatherman prior to joining WEWS in 1993 as a ].<ref name="WAKC Fade to Black">{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=Rich|date=February 26, 2016|title=A fade to black|page=A1–|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44302831/a_fade_to_black/|access-date=February 14, 2020|via=]}}</ref>


==Programming==
Artists who appeared on ''Upbeat'' included ], the ], ], ] and ], among others. In fact, Redding's final appearance ever came on the show on December 9, 1967. The next afternoon, his twin-engine airplane crashed in the icy waters of ] in ], killing all but one of the eight passengers on board.
===Syndicated and network===
WEWS carried the 90-minute ABC premiere of '']'' on December 1, 1975. On December 3, it started ''Edge'' at 10&nbsp;a.m. on a one-day ], and then later pushed up to 10:30 to make way for the national syndication of the talk show '']''. ''Edge'' was dropped in April 1977 when ABC expanded '']'' to one hour and revised the daytime lineup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edgehomepage.com/station-clearances.html|title = Station Clearances}}</ref>


In 1969, the station gained some national attention for airing only the first half of '']'', because they stated it did not return to the show after the first commercial break, which guest host ] said was after "15 minutes"<ref name="ap19750706">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sIYsAAAAIBAJ&pg=7282%2C886685 | title=Comedian Tim Conway Will Join 'The Carol Burnett Show' As Regular Member | date=July 6, 1975 | access-date=April 19, 2011 | agency=Associated Press}}</ref> but the station claimed had happened after 10 minutes.<ref name="Turn-On Yelps">{{Cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Gee|date=February 7, 1969|title=Laugh-In Copy Turns-On Yelps|page=59|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76320049/laugh-in-copy-turns-on-yelps/|access-date=April 23, 2021|via=]}}</ref> The rest of the time slot was the emergency procedure, a black screen with live organ music that had not been used in over 20 years.<ref name="conway">{{cite video|people= Conway, Tim |title= PIONEERS OF TELEVISION: Tim Conway on "Turn-On" (#104) |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWvQ0zjjNjc |medium=Web |publisher= ] |access-date= February 23, 2009}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> The station's spokesman claimed that the station's ] was "lit up" with protest calls, and general manager Donald Perris derided ''Turn-On'' as being "in excessive poor taste."<ref name="Turn-On WAKR">{{Cite news|last=Shippy|first=Dick|date=February 6, 1969|title=WEWS Drops It: 'Turn-On' Quickly Turned Off|page=A-2|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76319225/turn-on-quickly-turned-off/|access-date=April 23, 2021|via=]}}</ref> Perris sent to ABC president ]{{r|Turn-On WAKR}} an angry ]: "If your naughty little boys have to write dirty words on the walls, please don't use our walls. ''Turn-On'' is turned off, as far as WEWS is concerned."<ref name="ap19690208">{{cite news|date=February 8, 1969|title=Stations Turn Off 'Turn On'|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oDVWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3738,1405503|access-date=April 19, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=February 6, 1969 |title=WEWS-TV Turns Off 'Turn-On' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/148415301/ |work=] |location=Cleveland, Ohio, United States |access-date=May 30, 2024}}</ref>
The program began locally as ''The Big 5 Show'', and the name was changed to ''Upbeat'' when it went national, altogether running from 1964 to 1971. Among the hosts for this program was Don Webster, who later doubled as the station's lead weather forecaster. At its peak, ''Upbeat'' was seen in over 100 television markets.


In 2004, all the Scripps-owned ABC stations preempted a showing of '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 12, 2004|title='Saving Private Ryan' canceled|url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/saving-private-ryan-canceled/article_7de9ef30-d926-55c2-a5cc-8f94d5229743.html|access-date=September 28, 2021|website=News-Herald|language=en-US}}</ref>
Another program seen throughout the country was ''Polka Varieties'', an hour-long program of ].<ref name=stationhistory/> ''Polka Varieties'' ran locally on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 2:00 from 1956 into the early 1980s, and was syndicated during its later years to 30 television markets. The program featured various popular bands that played ], ], ] and ]-style music. "America's Polka King", ], was the original band to perform on the show. Other bands included Richie Vadnal, George Staiduhar, Markic-Zagger, and Hank Haller. Original host Tom Fletcher was replaced by Paul Wilcox, whose presence became an indelible part of the show. Uttering the well-known show-opening phrase, "From America's Polka Capital of Cleveland, Ohio, this is Polka Varieties, now in its ___ year on the air!" were several famous voices associated with the station over the years, including Court Stanton, Ralph Gunderman, and David Mark.


On May 23, 2010, WEWS-TV's broadcast of the series finale of '']'' was almost completely interrupted and rendered unwatchable by a number of technical difficulties with the station's digital signal. This caused numerous viewer complaints, leading the station to issue numerous apologies both on-air and on its website.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2010/05/cleveland-lost-fans-outraged-after-technical-issues-ruin-the-finale/1|title=Cleveland 'Lost' fans outraged after technical issues ruin the finale|website=USA Today}}</ref>
Syndicated to several markets was the program "Black On Black," which examined issues of importance to Black communities.


From the mid-1980s until 2011, WEWS was the Cleveland outlet for popular syndicated programs such as '']'', '']'', '']'', and ''Live with Regis and Kathie Lee/Kelly'', and throughout that time frame, there was little change in the daytime lineup, as those programs consistently drew good ratings.
In 1970, WEWS became the broadcast rights holder of the ]'s ]. Channel 5's partnership with the team continued until 1973, when the Cavaliers moved to then-independent station ] (channel 43).


In 2011, ] ended her show after a successful 25-year run. To fill the void, WEWS put '']'' (an ''Oprah'' spin-off hosted by Cleveland native ]), which was airing at 10&nbsp;am, in the 4 p.m. time slot.,<ref>{{cite web|title=WXYZ, WEWS Take 'Dr. Oz' Prescription|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/43084/wxyz-wews-take-dr-oz-prescription|website=TVNewsCheck.com|date=June 17, 2010|publisher=Kevin Downey|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> and in subsequent years aired various other programs in that slot until settling in with a 4 p.m. newscast in fall 2018. (''Dr. Oz'' ended up moving to WJW until the show ended its run in 2022 due to Oz's commitments to running for the ].)
WEWS is the Cleveland market carrier of the ] and its signature game show ].


On September 14, 2012, the station dropped both ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!'' after airing both shows for almost three decades, replacing them with ''The List'' and '']'', two more internally produced shows from Scripps. The reason behind the removal of the two hit game shows was because Scripps was looking to stray away from shows that carried a high cost to air on their stations, and instead air shows where Scripps was able to control advertisement, and as a result, are much cheaper to air on their stations. Both game shows ended up moving to WOIO.
=== WEWS vs. WAKR/WAKC ===


''Let's Ask America'' would eventually be canceled in 2015, and WEWS would replace it with the long running celebrity gossip program '']''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy replaced on NewsChannel5 at 7 p.m. by The List, Let's Ask America|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainment/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-newschannel5-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|website=newsnet5.com|publisher=Tina Kaufmann|access-date=November 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113044036/http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainment/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-newschannel5-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy replaced on WFTS at 7 p.m. by The List, Let's Ask America|url=http://www.abcactionnews.com/entertainment/television/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-wfts-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|website=abcactionnews.com|publisher=Tina Kaufmann|access-date=November 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113043148/http://www.abcactionnews.com/entertainment/television/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-wfts-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The station also acquired ]'s ] and placed it at 3 p.m. following ''General Hospital''{{'}}s shift to 2&nbsp;pm, a move that many other ABC affiliates also made. Couric's show would be canceled two years later, and WEWS has aired various other syndicated programs in that time slot ever since.<ref>{{cite web|title=Katie Couric, Steve Harvey bring new shows to daytime: Fall TV 2012|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2012/09/katie_couric_steve_harvey_bring_new_shows_to_daytime_fall_tv_2012.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 2, 2012|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Harvey's talk show and 'Dr. Oz' switching stations: Fall TV preview 2014|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2014/09/steve_harveys_talk_show_and_dr_oz_switching_stations_fall_tv_preview_2014.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 4, 2014|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Stephen Colbert has people talking about his talk show: Fall TV Preview 2015|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2015/09/stephen_colbert_has_people_talking_about_his_talk_show_fall_tv_preview_2015.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 5, 2015|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref> At present, only the program now known as '']'' continues to air on channel 5 from the original stable of hit syndicated shows.
At one time, the Cleveland/Akron market had two ABC affiliates: in addition to WEWS, WAKR-TV served viewers in Akron and ] who could not receive a clear signal from WEWS. WAKR was founded in 1953, six years after WEWS, and was stuck with a less-desirable UHF signal instead of a VHF signal following the FCC's realignment of television allocations in the Midwest. WAKR-TV gained an ABC affiliation as the network could not clear its full schedule on its then-primary station in Cleveland, WXEL (as WJW-TV was known then), and retained it after ABC moved its full-time to WEWS in 1955. As ABC soon became on equal footing with CBS and NBC in the late 1960s, this did cause cannibalization of ratings and made WEWS brass angry; they did not want to compete with another station showing the same programming.


===Local programming===
The E.W. Scripps Company, the owners of WEWS, would always petition ABC's decision to allow both stations to carry the same programming. In the 1960s, ABC allowed WEWS to broadcast the better shows, leaving WAKR-TV with the less popular shows and second-rate syndicated programs. Meanwhile, WAKR-TV would air ABC shows that WEWS would preempt for movies or other assorted programming, and cleared the entire ABC schedule.
In its early days as an ABC affiliate, the station produced its own shows in the afternoon, as ABC offered little daytime network programming. Among the local programs offered during the 1950s and 1960s included news analysis from ], ] featuring the "Uncle Jake" character played by Gene Carroll and the "]" character played by ], and exercise programs with ]. Alice Weston had one of the first live television cooking shows, and Barbara Plummer was "Miss Barbara" for a generation of young viewers on the local version of '']''. The most popular show was ''The Gene Carroll Show'', a program that showcased Cleveland area talent which aired Sundays at noon beginning in 1948 and ran well into the 1970s.<ref name="WEWS history"/> WEWS also offered a 90-minute afternoon variety show ''The One O'Clock Club'' weekdays hosted by Fuldheim and Bill Gordon.<ref name=stationhistory/> The program was so popular that competitor KYW-TV was prompted to organize a competing variety show which was the beginning of '']''.


During the late 1960s and early 1970s, WEWS produced several programs that eventually entered into national ]. The first program was '']''. Considered by some to be one of the most significant early rock-and-roll variety television shows, ''Upbeat'' featured a live audience, a group of dancers and lip-synched (but occasionally live) performances by popular acts of the era.<ref name = "DW profile">{{Cite web|url=https://www.clevelandseniors.com/people/donwebster.htm|title=Don Webster - Cleveland Weatherman and Upbeat show host &#124; Cleveland Seniors Profile|website=clevelandseniors.com}}</ref> The program began locally as ''The Big 5 Show'', and the name was changed to ''Upbeat'' when it went national, altogether running from 1964 to 1971. Among the program's hosts was ], who later doubled as the station's lead weather forecaster. At its peak, ''Upbeat'' was seen in over 100 television markets. Artists who appeared on ''Upbeat'' included ], ], ], ], ] and ]. In fact, Redding's final appearance ever came on the show's December 9, 1967, episode. The next afternoon, his twin-engine airplane crashed in the icy waters of ] in ], killing all but one of the eight passengers on board.
It was the popularity and financial success of WAKR-TV's ] that kept the TV station afloat, which was severed when the radio stations were spun off and WAKR became WAKC. Into the 1990s, while WEWS carried first-run programming like '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']'', WAKC was left with '']'', '']'', '']'' and infomercials in the ]. In addition, WAKC's newscasts struggled in ratings even in Akron, often being beaten by WEWS.


Another show seen throughout the country was ''Polka Varieties'', an hour-long ] program<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xuiju|title=Polka Variety - September Waltz - video Dailymotion|date=December 23, 2006|website=Dailymotion}}</ref> that ran locally on Sundays at 1 p.m. from 1956 into the early 1980s, and was syndicated during its later years to 30 television markets. The program featured various popular bands that played ], ], ] and ]n-style music. "America's Polka King", ], was the original band to perform on the show. Other bands included Richie Vadnal, George Staiduhar, Markic-Zagger, and Hank Haller. Original host Tom Fletcher was replaced by Paul Wilcox, whose presence became an indelible part of the show. Uttering the well-known show-opening phrase, "From America's Polka Capital of Cleveland, Ohio, this is ''Polka Varieties'', now in its ___ year on the air!" were several famous voices associated with the station over the years, including Cort Stanton, Ralph Gunderman, and David Mark. ''Black on Black'', which examined issues of importance to African American communities, was syndicated to several markets.
The feud ended in May 1996, when WAKC canceled its news operation after being purchased by ] and dropped all ABC programming in December 1996 to air infomercials and religious programming under the ] call letters. It would become northeast Ohio's outlet for the Pax TV network, which is now ].


From the early 1970s until July 1, 2011, WEWS was Cleveland's television outlet for the ]. On June 2, 2011, NBC affiliate ] (channel 3) announced that the station had acquired the rights to air the lottery drawings, as well as its Saturday night game show '']''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/192237/45/WKYC-is-new-Ohio-Lottery-partner-will-air-drawings |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919123937/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/192237/45/WKYC-is-new-Ohio-Lottery-partner-will-air-drawings |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |title=WKYC is new Ohio Lottery partner, will air drawings |publisher=wkyc.com |access-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref> After two years on channel 3, WEWS re-assumed the local television lottery rights on July 1, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Heldenfels |first=Rich |url=http://www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles/the-heldenfiles-online-1.258385/ohio-lottery-returning-to-wews-1.406810 |title=Lottery Returning to WEWS – Heldenfiles |publisher=Ohio |date=June 18, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013}}</ref>
Despite this, WAKR/WAKC also became a "farm station" of sorts; its' most notable alumni was Ted Henry prior to his long association with WEWS.


=== ''The Morning Exchange'' === ===''The Morning Exchange''===
{{main|The Morning Exchange}} {{Main|The Morning Exchange}}
One program in particular, ''The Morning Exchange'', which ran from 1972 until 1999, changed the face of morning television. It was the first morning show to utilize a "living room" set, and the first to establish the now familiar concept of news and weather at the top and bottom of the hour. During its peak in the 1970s, nearly 70 percent of all television sets in Cleveland were tuned to the program. The format also served as a basis for ABC's '']''.<ref name=stationhistory/> One program in particular, ''The Morning Exchange'', which ran from 1972 to 1999, changed the face of ]. It was the first morning show to use a "living room" set, and the first to establish the now familiar concept of news and weather updates at the top and bottom of the hour. During its peak in the 1970s, nearly 70% of all television households in Cleveland were tuned to the program. The format also served as a template for ABC's '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-the-morning-exchanged-debuted-42-years-ago|title=MX anniversary – News Net 5.com}}</ref>


From 1975 to 1978, WEWS completely preempted both ''AM America'' and ''Good Morning America'' in favor of continuing with ''The Morning Exchange'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 5, 1975 |title=What's Doing In Daytime |pages=104 |work=]}}</ref> and from 1978 to 1994, the station aired only the first hour of ''Good Morning America'', before cutting to ''The Morning Exchange'', but it was changed by the end of 1994.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heldenfels |first=R.J. |date=August 26, 1994 |title='Morning Exchange' moving |pages=72 |work=] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-morning-exchan/66469184/ |access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref>
== Digital television ==
After the ] took place on June 12, 2009, WEWS-TV continued to broadcast digital broadcasts on its pre-transition channel number, 15. However, through the use of ], digital television receivers still display the station's ] as 5.


==Logos and imaging== ===Sports programming===
WEWS-TV has a long history of covering Cleveland sports teams both produced in-house by the station or through ]. From ] to present, channel 5 is the official station for the NFL's ], airing all non-network preseason games as well as year-round team centered programming.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/wews-named-official-broadcast-tv-and-digital-partner-of-the-cleveland-browns-starting-in-2015 |title=WEWS to become Cleveland Browns TV partner - News Net 5.com |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121182619/http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/wews-named-official-broadcast-tv-and-digital-partner-of-the-cleveland-browns-starting-in-2015 |archive-date=November 21, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="WEWS Sports">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/newschannel-5-cleveland-browns-unveil-new-programming-sunday-march-8th|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930231341/http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/newschannel-5-cleveland-browns-unveil-new-programming-sunday-march-8th|url-status=dead|title=WEWS Browns Programming - News Net 5.com|archivedate=September 30, 2015}}</ref>
{{main|Catch 5}}


WEWS has aired two ] ] during the station's existence: it broadcast the ]' home games in the ] against the ], as well as the ] in which the ] lost to the ]. During the 1995 World Series, the local broadcast was split with WKYC-TV due to the ABC/]-shared ].{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}} WEWS also aired select Indians games as part of ] from ] to ].
===Logos===
From sometime in 1968 until 1998, WEWS' logo was known as the ''Circle 5'', a variant of the ] associated mainly with the original five ABC ] stations (such as ] in ], now owned by E.W. Scripps). The only real change to the logo came in 1995, when it was slightly tilted to the right. Initially sister station ] in ] also used the same logo, but they too recently{{when}} have modified theirs from the original.


All ] games that air through ] are aired on channel 5; the team's ] victory (which gave the city its first major sports championship in ]) aired on WEWS-TV.
In 1970, the station commissioned musician and jingler ] to create a promotional campaign song. ''Catch 5'', as it was known, caught on in Cleveland. The ''Catch 5'' promo was first used to highlight the then-new John Hambrick/Dave Patterson anchor team on ''Eyewitness News''<ref> Accessed May 25, 2009.</ref>.


===News operation===
WEWS kept ''Catch 5'' as its official slogan until 1977. The station then transitioned towards a localized version of ABC network campaigns and Gari's "]" campaign ("Hello Cleveland") for its on-air imaging, and as the theme for ''Live on Five''. By the mid-1980s, only the ''Eyewitness News'' broadcasts kept the ''Catch 5'' theme music. In 1986, WEWS dropped the ''Catch 5'' musical theme altogether and adopted another Gari music package, "Good News". Finally, in 1987, the "Hello" news theme and image campaign were dropped and replaced with an upbeat version of "Good News".
WEWS presently broadcasts {{frac|39|1|2}} hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with {{frac|6|1|2}} hours each weekday, four hours on Saturdays and three hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the sports highlight and discussion program ''News 5 Sports Sunday'', which airs Sunday nights following its 11&nbsp;p.m. newscast.


====Early news coverage====
While WEWS was positioned on-air as either "TV5" or "Channel 5" up until 1990, the "Newschannel 5" branding was initially interchanged with "WEWS Channel 5" before eventually being extended to all broadcasting dayparts, including daytime and prime-time.
WEWS started covering news events soon after it went on air. The winter after it signed on, Cleveland experienced a ], and for the first time WEWS had provided extended coverage for hours. During the early and mid-1950s, channel 5's first newscasts and weather reports were delivered by Tom Field. In 1959, Dorothy Fuldheim—who had been with the station before it even first signed on—began to formulate her own newscast. Fuldheim centered her newscast around her interviews, a general overview of the news, and her commentaries (the very opinionated Fuldheim frequently inserted her own opinions about the stories). Fuldheim was the first female in the United States to have her own television news analysis program.


====''Eyewitness News''====
In January 2007, to coincide with their debut of high-definition newscasts, WEWS returned to a slightly modified, more angular version of the old ''Circle 5'' <ref></ref> and started using Frank Gari's ''ABC News'' theme music on its newscasts, promos in a manner similar to ]-owned stations. By September 2008, the ABC logo was gradually integrated onto the "Circle 5" first on occasional promos (including a harmonization of ABC's "Start Here" campaign), then with all newscast opens on March 2009, and with the on-screen 'bug' on April 20, 2009. Unlike the ABC O&O stations, WEWS embeds the ABC logo to the right of the "Circle #" logo and not the left, a distinction shared by ] ], ] ], and ] ]. A few ABC stations like Philadelphia's ] identify themselves as 6ABC not ABC6. WEWS uses the 5ABC look.
27-year-old ] took over as lead anchor on WEWS' evening newscasts on Christmas Day in 1967, with Fuldheim staying on as a commentator. Don Webster presented the weather and ] was the sports anchor. In 1968, WEWS changed the format of its newscasts slightly to a version of '']''. In 1970, Dave Patterson joined Hambrick on the early newscast and then became co-anchor on the 11&nbsp;p.m. newscast in 1971. ], who joined WEWS in 1972 as a behind-the-scenes producer, got his start on the air later in 1975 as a weekend weatherman. In later years, Henry would admit that he, not knowing the slightest thing about forecasting, basically copied his forecasts from a Detroit radio station.<ref name = "Henry retires">{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |title=Cleveland's Ted Henry reflects on 40 years in broadcasting |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2009/05/clevelands_ted_henry_reflects.html |work=] |date=May 17, 2009 |access-date=May 19, 2009 }} Prior to joining WEWS, Henry worked on-air at several stations in Canton, Akron and Youngstown, and also as a weatherman at ].</ref>


That same year, Bill Jacocks—said to be Cleveland's first full-time African-American anchorman<ref>Feran, T, Heldenfels, R.D.: "Cleveland TV Memories", mem# 364, Gray & Company, Publishers 1999</ref>—joined WEWS. Jacocks started as assistant public affairs director, and became weekend anchor in January 1975. For a solid decade (until 1985) Jacocks remained the one constant weekend anchor while many co-anchors came and went. Among those doing their first Cleveland co-anchor stints with Jacocks were ] and ] (both of whom, coincidentally, would later anchor together at rival WJW).
By late May 2009, the station still refers to its' newscasts as "Newschannel 5" but on-air promos and other imaging outside of newscasts will refer to the station as "Channel 5."


Hambrick and Patterson continued to anchor the newscasts together until Hambrick left for ] in Los Angeles in 1975. At that time, Ted Henry became the weekend anchor, and then a year later in 1976, co-anchor on the weekday evening newscasts with Patterson. Henry continued as the lead anchor until his retirement on May 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |title=Ted Henry, longtime local anchor, to retire |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/04/longtime_local_anchor_ted_henr.html |work=] |date=April 23, 2009 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427082831/http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/04/longtime_local_anchor_ted_henr.html |archive-date=April 27, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This era marked the start of dominance for the WEWS news programs that lasted until well into the 1980s. In 1977, weekend co-anchor Tim Taylor left WEWS to become a weeknight anchor at WJW-TV. Fuldheim's role decreased as she only presented her interviews and commentaries, but still appeared on the air three times a day until retiring in July 1984 at the age of 91.
===Imaging===
In addition to the Catch 5 campaign, WEWS also had several customized versions of the ABC campaigns from the 1970s and 1980s, as well as other localized campaigns.


WEWS was the first Cleveland TV station to use a news helicopter, introducing "Chopper 5" in 1978. At the time, a cameraman sat partially outside the helicopter door to film the story being covered. TV 5 has used helicopters (on and off) ever since, including the current "Air Tracker 5"—which was introduced in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-classic-wews-chopper-5-promos|title=Video Vault: Classic WEWS Chopper 5 promos|date=February 1, 2016|website=News 5 Cleveland WEWS}}</ref>
== Newscasts ==
WEWS started covering news events soon after it went on air. The winter after it went on air, Cleveland experienced a blizzard, and for the first time WEWS had extended coverage for hours. During the early and mid-1950s, channel 5's first newscasts and weather reports were delivered by Tom Field.


The WEWS news department underwent another major change in 1982. Previously, the 5–6 p.m. slot was occupied by ''The Afternoon Exchange'', the afternoon companion to ''The Morning Exchange''.<ref name = "WS HOF" /> That year, the program adopted a new format, and was renamed ''Live on Five''. The broadcast was originally hosted by Wilma Smith and Don Webster, and retained many elements from ''The Afternoon Exchange'', such as interviews, movie reviews, health reports, and some cooking segments. Added to the mix were news updates from Ted Henry.
In 1959 Dorothy Fuldheim, who had been with the station before it even went on air, began to formulate her own newscast in response to the new 30-minute newscast on KYW-TV, the first half-hour newscast in the country.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} Fuldheim utterly hated hard-hitting newscasts such as the one KYW-TV had created.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} Instead, she centered her newscast around her interviews, a general overview of the news, and her commentaries (the very opinionated Fuldheim frequently inserted her own opinions about the stories). Fuldheim was the first female in the United States to have her own television news analysis program.


In 1985, longtime sports director Gib Shanley—who attained national notoriety six years earlier when he burned an ] live on the air during a sportscast in the wake of the ]—left the station, and was replaced by ], who became a noted sportscaster in his own right.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-sportscaster-gib-shanley-burns-iranian-flag-during-newscast |title=Shanley burns flag – News Net 5.com |access-date=August 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903062009/http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-sportscaster-gib-shanley-burns-iranian-flag-during-newscast |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Twenty-seven year-old ] took over as lead anchor on WEWS' evening newscasts on ] in December 1967, with Fuldheim staying on as a commentator. Don Webster presented the weather and ] was the sports anchor. In 1968, WEWS changed the format of its newscasts slightly to a version of '']''. In 1970, Dave Patterson joined Hambrick on the early newscast and then became co-anchor on the 11:00 p.m. newscast in 1971. ], who joined WEWS in 1972 as a behind-the-scenes producer, got his start on the air later in 1975 as a weekend weatherman. (In later years, Henry would admit that he, not knowing the slightest about forecasting, simply made up the forecast every day<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Cleveland's Ted Henry reflects on 40 years in broadcasting |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2009/05/clevelands_ted_henry_reflects.html |work=] |publisher= |date=2009-05-17 |accessdate=2009-05-19 }} Prior to joining WEWS, Henry worked on-air at several stations in Canton, Akron and Youngstown, and also as a weatherman at ].</ref>.


====''News Channel 5''====
In that same year, Bill Jacocks, said to be Cleveland's first regularly scheduled ] anchorman,<ref> Feran, T, Heldenfels, R.D.: "Cleveland TV Memories", mem# 364, Gray & Company, Publishers 1999</ref> joined WEWS. Jacocks started as assistant public affairs director, and became weekend anchor in January 1975. For a solid decade (until 1985) Jacocks remained the one constant weekend anchor while many co-anchors came and went. Among those doing their first Cleveland co-anchor stints with Jacocks were ] and ].
In 1991, WEWS dropped the long-standing ''Eyewitness News'' branding, adopting ''News Channel 5'' as a universal branding for newscasts and station promotion. The new branding helped emphasize a format developed by the station the year prior, when WEWS positioned itself as "Cleveland's (Live) 24 Hour NewsSource". Providing news headlines to viewers at times when the station was not carrying regularly scheduled, long-form newscasts, the "24-Hour News Source" concept saw WEWS produce news updates running 30 seconds in length at or near the top of each hour and brief weather updates every half-hour during local commercial break inserts within syndicated and ABC network programs, in addition to the existing half-hourly updates it aired during ''Good Morning America''. The concept would be adopted by network-affiliated television stations in other markets during the early 1990s, as a convenient means for stations to provide news coverage when syndicated or network programming aired. WEWS discontinued production of these hourly updates in 1998.<ref name = "WEWS history" />


In 1994, longtime anchor Wilma Smith left the station to sign with rival WJW-TV.<ref name = "WS HOF">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressclubcleveland.com/general-news.aspx?newsid=126|title=The Press Club of Cleveland &#124; Serving and honoring communications professionals since 1887 - General News|website=pressclubcleveland.com}}</ref> The same year, longtime sports director Nev Chandler died of cancer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/vault-wews-sports-icon-nev-chandler-who-called-games-for-indians-cavs-and-browns-died-20-years-ago |title=Chandler remembered – News Net 5.com |access-date=August 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903060752/http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/vault-wews-sports-icon-nev-chandler-who-called-games-for-indians-cavs-and-browns-died-20-years-ago |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Hambrick and Pattersoncontinued to anchor the newscasts together until Hambrick left for ] in 1975. At that time, Ted Henry became the weekend anchor, and then a year later in 1976, co-anchor on the weekday evening newscasts with Patterson. Henry continued as the lead anchor until his retirement on May 20, 2009<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Ted Henry, longtime local anchor, to retire |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/04/longtime_local_anchor_ted_henr.html |work=] |publisher= |date=2009-04-23 |accessdate=2009-04-24 }}</ref>.


1995 saw a modification to the long-running "Circle 5", tilting it at an angle. At this time, a major promotional campaign was launched for the station, "Give Me 5", as it faced competition from WJW (then-recently having switched to Fox), WKYC (rebuilding themselves after years of being used as NBC's farm team), and WOIO (which had just launched their own news department, in partnership with WUAB). This included a two-minute promotional video featuring ], ] and ], along with numerous athletes, as well as both station personalities and ABC personalities from Cleveland. ] produced the promo, as well as a comprehensive music package for the station's newscasts and other programming.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 29, 2019|title=Legendary R&B singer James Ingram sang in promotional video for News 5 in 1995|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/legendary-r-b-singer-james-ingram-sang-in-promotional-video-for-news-5-in-1995|access-date=July 17, 2020|publisher=WEWS|language=en}}</ref>
This era marked the start of dominance for the WEWS news programs that lasted until well into the 1980s. In 1977 weekend co-anchor Tim Taylor left WEWS for weeknight anchor duties at WJW-TV. Fuldheim’s role decreased as she only presented her interviews and commentaries, but still appeared on the air three times every day until retiring in July 1984 at the age of 91.


===="On Your Side" era====
WEWS's news department underwent another major change in 1982. Previously, the 5-6 p.m. spot was occupied by ''The Afternoon Exchange'', the afternoon companion to ''The Morning Exchange''. That year, the program adopted a new format, and was renamed to ''Live on Five''. The broadcast was originally hosted by Wilma Smith and Don Webster, and retained many elements from ''The Afternoon Exchange'', such as interviews, movie reviews, health reports, and some cooking segments. Added to the mix were news updates from Ted Henry.
In 1998, WEWS adopted "On Your Side" as its slogan (which it currently still uses). More noticeable, however, was the discontinuance of the station's longtime "Circle 5" logo. That year, WEWS also became the first television station in Cleveland to launch a website—NewsNet5. In 1999, longtime station weather forecaster Don Webster retired from the station after 35 years.<ref name = "DW profile" /> In 2000, longtime sports anchor/sports director ] left to become an announcer for the Cleveland Indians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=cle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310152329/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=cle|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2007|title=Indians broadcasters – Indians.com}}</ref>


On January 7, 2007, WEWS became the third Cleveland television station to begin broadcasting newscasts in ]. At present, all locally produced portions of the station's newscasts, including live remote field footage, are presented in HD. It was also around this time that channel 5 introduced the modified version of the classic "Circle 5" logo that was used until 2016. Sister station WPTV also uses the classic "Circle 5" logo. On May 21, 2009, Ted Henry retired as the primary news anchor at channel 5, after holding the post for 33 years. Henry is the longest serving news anchor in Cleveland television history.<ref name = "Henry retires" />
=== Evolution of the news department ===


In November 2010, WEWS became the first Cleveland television station to follow a growing national trend in starting its weekday morning newscasts at 4:30 a.m.
]
As WJW's news programs became more and more successful during the 1980s,{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} (as well as CBS having better ratings than ABC during most of the 1980s) channel 5 began facing competition for the first time in years. According to Ted Henry,{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} towards the end of the 1980s, management felt that the station could produce a better newscast and overcome WJW by using a format other than ''Eyewitness News''. An outside source was brought in and concurred that the station could do a better job in news production by adapting a new format. The analysis added that the ''Eyewitness News'' format gave nothing to viewers which suggested that its news was any better than the other stations'.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} With this in mind, WEWS began developing a format which would involve the production of full newscasts at the regular time slots, and in addition, mini-newscasts at the top of every hour, even overnight. This concept was dubbed "The ]" as a way to suggest that WEWS was better than other stations since it produced a newscast every hour. In 1990, the new format was put into place and the station began identifying itself as "NewsChannel 5" (a title it shares with ]).


====''News 5'' era====
]
On September 26, 2016, the station retired the ''NewsChannel 5'' name for its newscasts, becoming simply ''News 5''. At the same time, the station began using a graphic identity similar to that of British television network ] (which used a similar logo from February 2011 to February 2016).
From 1990 until 1993, WEWS and WJW continued battling for the top rated spot. In 1993, WEWS launched a successful campaign called "Together" which reminded viewers of the station's commitment to Cleveland through news and programming since its 1947 launch and that that same commitment was present today. The campaign also slightly toned down the newscasts by making them less hard-hitting (and more family-friendly, as ABC had been seen as a "family network" in the early to mid '90s). As a result, WEWS once again emerged as the market leader in news.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} In 1994, WJW became a ] affiliate and adopted a more hard-hitting format for its newscasts, going with Fox's "edgier" reputation and style, leading to many of its viewers changing channels to WEWS.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} Meanwhile, WKYC-TV and ] (channel 19, the new ] affiliate) failed to present much substantial competition at all. However, WJW soon began regaining viewers due to the fact that it was able to produce longer local newscasts since Fox had less programming than the other networks. In response, WEWS began promoting its news division as "The most-watched news team in Ohio" in hope that the ] would keep viewers tuned to its newscasts. In 1997, WEWS began to lose more viewers,{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} this time to WKYC, when former WUAB anchor Romona Robinson moved to WKYC. At this time WEWS discontinued its hourly “24 Hour NewsSource” updates.


In 2017, longtime WEWS anchors ] and Lee Jordan both announced their retirements from the station. Bibb had served as an anchor/reporter at the station since 1995 (coming over from WKYC where he had spent 16 years previous), while Jordan started at WEWS in 1987 as a co-host of '']'' before becoming an evening news anchor in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/tv/leon-bibb-and-lee-jordan-retiring-from-cleveland-s-wews-channel-5-1.779447 |title=Bibb and Jordan retiring from WEWS - Ohio.com (Akron Beacon Journal) |access-date=July 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728034618/http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/tv/leon-bibb-and-lee-jordan-retiring-from-cleveland-s-wews-channel-5-1.779447 |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> To honor their tenures at the station, WEWS renamed their newsroom the Leon Bibb Newsroom, and their main studio the Lee Jordan News Studio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RobPowersTV/status/891470232195407873|title=Bibb & Jordan honored - Rob Powers' Twitter page}}</ref>
]
To try to prevent more viewers from leaving, WEWS got a new set and a new newsroom in 1998 and adopted "On Your Side" as its slogan (which it currently still uses). More noticeable, however, was the dropping of the station's longtime ''Circle 5'' logo. That year, WEWS also became the first TV station in Cleveland to launch a website .


On June 26, 2023, following the cancellation of ''The List'', WEWS began airing ''The Debrief'', a nightly newscast airing at 7 p.m. originating from and simulcast on ]—a sister network of WEWS, as part of a plan by Scripps to integrate Scripps News programming on their main network affiliates as a way to promote Scripps News and increase the network's exposure.<ref name="News">{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/scripps-local-stations-now-airing-scripps-news-national-focused-content/|title=Scripps Local Stations Now Airing Scripps News National-Focused Content|first=Mark|last=Miller|date=June 27, 2023|website=TV News Check}}</ref> Scripps News ceased operations as a linear channel on November 16, 2024, and with that ''The Debrief'' was canceled, and a new local 7 p.m. newscast debuted on November 18, 2024.
WEWS won many well deserved national awards between 2000 and 2004. The station boldly replaced prime time programs with town hall meetings,and was credited with saving steel mills and local hosptials. Strong reporters made a mark on the community, including Jodi Brooks and Joe Pagonakis. Many of the talented "difference makers" brought in during that era remain on staff, including Duane Pohlman and Ron Regan.


====Honors====
While WEWS built on its outstanding news legacy in the early 2000s,winning most primary ratings races, revenue issues dogged the station. Commercial-heavy newscasts and prime time lacking news promotion took a toll. At the same time ABC prime lead ins fell into last place. As a result the station's 11 PM newscast ended a 4 year run at number one, and lost by a share point to WOIO. The trend continued in late news for the next several years.
Two plaques outside the WEWS building commemorate the station's historical contributions. The Ohio Historical Society placed a marker right outside TV 5's building, specifically noting Dorothy Fuldheim's career at the station.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?%2F1812 |title=Dorothy Fuldheim marker - Ohio Historical Society |access-date=January 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215223538/http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?%2F1812 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The second marker (located on the wall leading up to the front door of the station) is from the ], honoring the station (along with producer Herman Spero and host Don Webster) as being the home of the popular music series ''Upbeat!'' and that program's contributions to Rock and Roll's history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2016/06/vintage_cleveland_upbeat_pushe.html|title=Vintage Cleveland: 'Upbeat' showcased top music acts of 1960s|date=June 9, 2016|website=cleveland}}</ref>


====Notable current on-air staff====
]
* ] – anchor


====Notable alumni====
On January 7, 2007, WEWS began broadcasting newscasts in ], becoming the third Cleveland television station to do so. On December 17, 2007, channel 5 reached a major milestone—the station celebrated its sixtieth anniversary on the air.
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ]
* ] (now at ] as senior reporter and commentator)
* ]
* ]
* ] (later at ] in Chicago)
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] (later at ])
* ] (later at ])
* ]
* ] (later at ])
* ]
* ]


{{div col end}}
In the February 2008 sweeps period, WEWS' noon newscast placed first in its timeslot, while its afternoon and evening newscasts finished in second place. Its 11 p.m. newscast finished second in its timeslot (and third among all late-night newscasts). Mornings were a different story, however: WEWS finished in last place at 5 a.m. (behind even perennial morning basement dweller WOIO) and in third place at 6 a.m.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie E |last=Washington |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Channel 8's morning shows win big in February sweeps |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/julie_washington/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1206779560229150.xml&coll=2 |work=] |publisher= |date=2008-03-30 |accessdate=2008-05-12 }}</ref>


==Technical information==
WEWS has agreements with ABC News and ABC-TV affiliates for breaking news. WEWS has used video and stories from sister ABC stations like ], ], and ]. Example of this, Southern California Wildfires, WEWS will use feeds from KABC. When ] hit Houston, WEWS used feeds from ].
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is ]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WEWS-TV<ref name="rei">{{cite web |title=Digital TV Market Listing for WEWS |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEWS#station |access-date=July 19, 2017 |website=] |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.1
| ] || rowspan="6" | ] || WEWS-HD || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.2
| rowspan="5" | ] || MYSTERY || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.3
| LAFF || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.4
| IONPLUS || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.5
| HSN || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.6
| QVC || ]
|}


On May 26, 2011, it was announced that WEWS (along with other Scripps stations around the country) had signed a deal to carry the ] on their ]. the network began to be carried on digital subchannel 5.2 on September 5, 2011. The subchannel is also currently available on select northeast Ohio cable providers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/entertainment/television/wews-to-launch-live-well-network-on-5-2-digital-subchannel |title=WEWS to launch 'Live Well Network' on 5.2 digital subchannel |publisher=Newsnet5.com |date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818180652/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/entertainment/television/wews-to-launch-live-well-network-on-5-2-digital-subchannel |archive-date=August 18, 2012 }}</ref>
===News/Station Presentation===
====Newscast Titles====
*''TV-5 Eyewitness News'' (1967-1990)
*''NewsChannel 5'' (1990-present)


Live Well Network announced they would be going off the air in April 2015, and as a result 5.2 switched to the classic TV network ] at 10 a.m. on April 8.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/cozi-tv-charlies-angels-murder-she-wrote-the-bionic-woman-among-new-offering-on-52 |title=Cozi TV and Laff TV coming to 5.2 |access-date=April 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408004819/http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/cozi-tv-charlies-angels-murder-she-wrote-the-bionic-woman-among-new-offering-on-52 |archive-date=April 8, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The comedy network ] debuted on the newly activated 5.3 subchannel a week later. 5.3 was activated on April 7 and ran continuous promos for the network's launch prior to the official premiere date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/18/abc-scripps-to-carry-new-broadcast-network-dedicated-to-comedy/351686/|title=ABC, Scripps to Carry New Broadcast Network Dedicated to Comedy - Ratings &#124; TVbytheNumbers.Zap2it.com|date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118215348/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/18/abc-scripps-to-carry-new-broadcast-network-dedicated-to-comedy/351686/ |archive-date=January 18, 2015 }}</ref> On April 14, 2017, WEWS discontinued COZI on 5.2 and replaced it with ].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dawidziak|first1=Mark|title=WEWS replaces Cozi TV programming with Grit on 5.2 channel|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2017/04/wews_replaces_cozi_tv_programming_with_grit_on_52_channel.html|access-date=July 19, 2017|work=The Plain Dealer|date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> On November 16, 2024, ] replaced Grit on 5.2.
====Station Slogans====
*''First in Ohio, First In Cleveland'' (1947-1990 and 2009-present)
*'']'' (1970-1986)
*''Still The One'' (1977-1979 and 1979-1980; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''We're The One'' (1978-1979; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''Hello Cleveland, TV-5 loves you.'' (1979-1991; used during period station used Frank Gari's '']'')
*''You and Me, and TV-5'' (1980-1981; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''Now is the Time, TV-5 is the Place'' (1981-1982; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''Ohio's News Channel'' (1981-1990; news slogan)
*''Come On Along with TV-5'' (1982-1983; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''That Special Feeling on TV-5'' (1983-1984; localized version of ABC campaign)
*''Cleveland's Live 24-Hour News Source'' (1990-1994; news slogan)
*''Together, We're Making a Difference'' (1993-1994; image campaign)
*''Give Me Five'' (1994-1998)
*''On Your Side'' (1998-present)
*''Start Here'' (2008-present; localized version of ABC campaign)


On March 1, 2021, 5.5 was activated, airing ] programming. A year and a half later in September 2022, 5.6 was activated, airing ] programming.
{{inc-video}}


===Analog-to-digital conversion===
==Cable coverage in Canada==
WEWS-TV shut down its analog signal, over ] channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States ] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 15,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> using ] 5.
The station is readily available over-the-air to ], ], and ], and was once one of the three stations from Cleveland carried on local cable in those three locations (The others being WKYC-TV and WJW-TV, until 2000 when ] displaced ] as the cable provider for ] WEWS was also on cable in ], carried until December 1969 by the London Cable TV system (now Rogers) in most of London, and until 1977 by the Maclean-Hunter system (also now Rogers) in the southwest third of the city; LCTV replaced the station with fellow ABC affiliate ] from ].


==References==
On October 16, 2009, the ] had notified readers that digital subchannels of the Detroit and Toledo stations would be added, while the Cleveland stations (such as WEWS-TV) and some Toledo stations would have to be dropped from the listings to make room for them, starting with the next issue of the TV Times, released ]. The only Cleveland local station remaining in the Windsor-area TV Times is WUAB.
{{Reflist}}


==Personalities== ==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.news5cleveland.com/}}
===Current On-Air Talent===
(as of December 2009)<br>
'''Current Anchors'''
*''']'''* - weekdays at 5 p.m.
*'''Tracy Carloss''' - weekends
*'''Kimberly Gill''' - weekday mornings
*'''Danita Harris''' - weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.
*'''Lee Jordan'''* - weekdays at noon and 5 p.m.
*'''Pete Kenworthy''' - weekday mornings

'''Reporters'''
*'''Lorna Barrett''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Joy Benedict''' - consumer reporter
*'''Alicia Booth''' - health reporter
*'''Dan Haggerty''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Patty Harken''' - traffic reporter
*'''Curtis Jackson''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Bob Jones''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Paul Kiska''' - news/sports reporter, fill-in news/sports anchor
*'''John Kosich'''* - general assignment reporter
*'''Debora Lee''' - education reporter
*'''Marielle Lue''' - general assignment reporter
*'''John Matarese''' - consumer reporter (based at WCPO in Cincinatti)
*'''Jim O'Brien''' - entertainment reporter/movie critic
*'''Joe Pagonakis''' - "Troubleshooter" consumer reporter
*'''Duane Pohlman'''* - chief investigative reporter
*'''Ron Regan''' - investigative reporter
*'''Alicia Scicolone''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Cristin Severance''' - ] Cleveland bureau reporter (embedded at WEWS)

''(*) - Serving as a co-anchor of the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts, on a rotating basis following the retirement of longtime anchor Ted Henry until a new permanent anchor is named.''

'''Power of 5 Weather Team'''*
*'''Mark Johnson''' (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist/NWA Seals of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights
*'''Jason Nicholas''' (] ]/] Seals of Approval) - weekday mornings and noon
*'''Eileen McShea''' - weekend evenings

''(*) - WEWS' weather team also provides forecasts for ] and ] Radio.''

'''Sports Team'''
*'''Andy Baskin''' - Sports Director; weeknights
*'''Terry Brooks''' - Sports Anchor; weekends
*'''Jack "The Breeze" O'Breza''' - high school football analyst
*''']''' - football analyst
*''']''' - basketball analyst

===Notable alumni===
{|
|- valign ="top"
|width=250px|
*''']'''
*'''Marge Banks'''
*'''Katherine Boyd'''
*'''Jodi Brooks'''
*'''Chris Caswell'''
*'''John Chandler'''
*'''Nev Chandler'''
*''']'''
*'''Jenny Crimm'''
*'''Kathy Davis'''
*'''Jenny Dean'''
*'''Connie Dieken'''
*'''Dan Dobrowolski'''
*'''Don Dunwell'''
*'''Alice Edwards'''
*'''Jim McElroy'''
*''']'''
*'''Tom Field'''
*''']'''
*'''Ed Gallek'''
*'''Ana Garcia'''
*'''Tony Gaskins'''
*'''Bill "Smoochie" Gordon'''
*'''Jeff Gravely'''
*'''Fred Griffith'''
*'''Ralph Gunderman'''
*''']'''
|width=250px|
*'''Ted Hart
*''']'''
*''']'''
*'''Michelle Holden'''
*'''Shane Hollett'''
*'''Jim Hooley'''
*'''Susanne Horgan'''
*'''Bill Jacocks'''
*'''Jan Jones'''
*''']'''
*'''Mark Koontz'''
*'''Angie Lau'''
*'''Jon Loufman'''
*'''Carolina Leid'''
*'''Jack Marschall'''
*'''Dawn Meadows'''
*'''Lou Maglio'''
*'''Dan Maly'''
*'''David Mark'''
*'''Jeff Maynor'''
*'''Carole Meekins'''
*'''Tom Merriman'''
*'''Chris Miller'''
*'''David Moss'''
*'''Paige Palmer'''
*'''Dave Patterson'''
*'''Tappy Phillips'''
|width=250px|
*'''Michelle Relerford'''
*'''Liz Richards'''
*'''Sue Ann Robak'''
*'''Vince Robinson'''
*'''Joel Rose'''
*''']'''
*'''Michael Settonni'''
*''']'''
*'''Adam Shapiro'''
*'''Rebecca Shaw'''
*'''Bill Sheil'''
*'''Stefani "Sissy" Schaefer'''
*'''Trisha Skidmore'''
*'''Court Stanton'''
*''']'''
*'''Bob Stevens'''
*'''Tonya Strong'''
*'''Brad Sussman'''
*'''Robin Swoboda'''
*'''Tom Tasselmyer'''
*''']'''
*''']'''
*'''Don Webster'''
*'''Roy Weissinger'''
*'''Paul Wilcox'''
*'''Steve Wolford'''
*'''Bill "Yunkman" Younkin'''
|}

== See also ==
* ]
* ]

== External links ==
*
* {{TVQ|WEWS-TV}}
*

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


{{Cleveland TV}} {{Cleveland TV}}
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Latest revision as of 20:02, 16 December 2024

TV station in Cleveland

WEWS-TV
CityCleveland, Ohio
Channels
BrandingNews 5
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
FoundedJuly 18, 1946; 78 years ago (1946-07-18)
First air dateDecember 17, 1947
(77 years ago) (1947-12-17)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 5 (VHF, 1947–2009)
Former affiliations
  • CBS (1947–1955)
  • DuMont (secondary, 1947–1955)
  • NBC (secondary, 1957–1966)
Call sign meaningEdward Willis Scripps (founder of the Cleveland Press and the E. W. Scripps Company)
Technical information
Licensing authorityFCC
Facility ID59441
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT300.7 m (986.5 ft)
Transmitter coordinates41°22′26″N 81°43′3″W / 41.37389°N 81.71750°W / 41.37389; -81.71750
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.news5cleveland.com

WEWS-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with ABC. It has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception in 1946, making it one of three stations that have been built and signed on by Scripps (alongside company flagship WCPO-TV in Cincinnati and WMC-TV in Memphis, the latter of which was sold in 1993). WEWS-TV's studios are located on Euclid Avenue (near I-90) in Downtown Cleveland, and its transmitter is located in suburban Parma.

History

WEWS' test pattern famously declared it to be the "FIRST in Cleveland."

The station first signed on the air on December 17, 1947, as the first television station in Ohio, and the 16th overall in the United States. The call letters denote the initials of the parent company's founder, Edward Willis Scripps. The station is the oldest in Cleveland to maintain the same channel position (as an analog broadcaster), ownership and call letters since its sign-on. A few weeks before WEWS-TV's sign-on, Scripps launched WEWS-FM 102.1 (the frequency is now occupied by WDOK) as an outlet for WEWS-TV personalities to gain on-air experience before the launch of the television station. Channel 5's first broadcast was of a Christmas pageant run by the station's corporate cousin, The Cleveland Press. Its staff included capable producers Jim Breslin and Betty Cope, who would later become president of WVIZ (channel 25).

Classic "Circle 5" logo used from 1968 to 1998.Modified "Circle 5" logo used from 2009 to 2016.

WEWS originally operated as a CBS affiliate, with secondary ABC and DuMont affiliations; it shared the secondary ABC affiliation with WXEL-TV (now WJW-TV, channel 8). WEWS lost the CBS affiliation to WJW-TV in 1955 after that station's then-owner, Storer Broadcasting, used its influence with CBS to land the affiliation; ABC then became channel 5's primary network. The station later lost the DuMont affiliation when that network ceased operations in 1956. WEWS was also an affiliate of the short-lived Paramount Television Network; the station was one of the network's strongest affiliates, airing such Paramount programs as Time For Beany, Hollywood Reel, and Frosty Frolics. WEWS also aired two NBC programs, both of which had been preempted by Westinghouse-owned NBC affiliate KYW-TV (now WKYC): the network's evening newscast The Huntley-Brinkley Report, during the 1959–1960 season; and The Tonight Show, with hosts Jack Paar and later Johnny Carson, from October 1957 to February 1966.

In 1977, WEWS-TV went before the U.S. Supreme Court for recording and broadcasting the entire human cannonball act of Hugo Zacchini. He performed his circus routine at the Geauga County Fair in Burton, Ohio, and the station did not compensate him, as was required by Ohio law. In Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did not shield WEWS from liability from common law copyright claims.

On May 23, 1994, as part of an overall deal in which network parent News Corporation also purchased a 20% equity interest in the group, New World Communications signed a long-term affiliation agreement with Fox to switch thirteen television stations that New World owned or was acquiring from a Big Three network, including WJW-TV, to Fox. The deal was motivated by the National Football League (NFL)'s awarding of the rights to the National Football Conference (NFC) television package to Fox on December 18, 1993, in which the conference's broadcast television rights moved to the network effective with the 1994 NFL season, ending a 38-year relationship with CBS. As Fox was seen at the time on lower-profile UHF station WOIO (channel 19), CBS immediately targeted WEWS, as well as sister station WXYZ-TV in Detroit as its new affiliates in those markets. On June 16, however, Scripps signed a long-term deal with ABC that would keep WEWS-TV and WXYZ-TV as affiliates of the network; Scripps also agreed to affiliate WMAR-TV in Baltimore, KNXV-TV in Phoenix, and WFTS-TV in Tampa with ABC in the deal.

Dual network affiliates

See also: WVPX-TV

From 1955 until December 31, 1996, WEWS held a distinction of being one of two primary ABC affiliates for the Cleveland market. WAKR-TV (channel 49) began operations on June 7, 1953, as a primary ABC affiliate, two years prior to WEWS joining the network. WAKR-TV's ties to ABC dated back to when radio adjunct WAKR signed on in 1940 as an NBC Blue/Blue Network affiliate and were incentivized by ABC's merger with United Paramount Theaters. For the network's part, they were engaged in a push to sign up as many affiliates as possible to compensate for NBC, CBS and Dumont having stronger affiliate bases.

WAKR-TV's launch was delayed for several years: originally intended as a VHF license on a channel 11 allocation assigned to Akron, that allocation was removed as a result of the FCC's 1952 Sixth Report and Order in favor of two UHF allocations, one of which was not considered operable at the time. The station largely lost money in its early years and relied on profits from WAKR to remain solvent even after it moved from channel 49 to channel 23 in 1967. The ABC-TV schedule began to be carried in pattern by WAKR-TV with minimal deviations starting with the 1963–64 television season and carried Good Morning America in its entirety for the market as WEWS opted out for The Morning Exchange at 8 am, a distinction that ended in September 1994. When founding owner Summit Radio/Group One Broadcasting sold off their radio assets in 1986, the TV station was renamed WAKC.

After nearly 40 years of continuous ownership by Summit/Group One, WAKC was sold to ValueVision in late 1993; ABC immediately renewed their affiliation after the sale closed, forcing the home shopping programmer into operating the station as a conventional network affiliate. Following consummation of a subsequent sale to Paxson Communications, the station's entire news department was fired outright on February 28, 1996, and all ABC programming was dropped that December 31. Paxson ultimately used the renamed WVPX-TV as a charter affiliate for the Pax TV network—a direct antecedent of Ion Television—which launched on August 31, 1998. Due to Scripps' purchase of Paxson's successor company Ion Media in September 2020, WVPX was divested to Inyo Broadcast Holdings but has retained affiliations with Ion and other digital subchannel networks operated by Scripps subsidiary Katz Broadcasting.

Among WAKR-TV/WAKC's most notable alumni are two long-tenured WEWS staffers: Ted Henry, who began his career at WAKR-AM-TV as a reporter, and Mark Johnson, who worked at WAKC as a weatherman prior to joining WEWS in 1993 as a meteorologist.

Programming

Syndicated and network

WEWS carried the 90-minute ABC premiere of The Edge of Night on December 1, 1975. On December 3, it started Edge at 10 a.m. on a one-day delay, and then later pushed up to 10:30 to make way for the national syndication of the talk show Donahue. Edge was dropped in April 1977 when ABC expanded All My Children to one hour and revised the daytime lineup.

In 1969, the station gained some national attention for airing only the first half of Turn-On, because they stated it did not return to the show after the first commercial break, which guest host Tim Conway said was after "15 minutes" but the station claimed had happened after 10 minutes. The rest of the time slot was the emergency procedure, a black screen with live organ music that had not been used in over 20 years. The station's spokesman claimed that the station's switchboard was "lit up" with protest calls, and general manager Donald Perris derided Turn-On as being "in excessive poor taste." Perris sent to ABC president Elton Rule an angry telegram: "If your naughty little boys have to write dirty words on the walls, please don't use our walls. Turn-On is turned off, as far as WEWS is concerned."

In 2004, all the Scripps-owned ABC stations preempted a showing of Saving Private Ryan.

On May 23, 2010, WEWS-TV's broadcast of the series finale of Lost was almost completely interrupted and rendered unwatchable by a number of technical difficulties with the station's digital signal. This caused numerous viewer complaints, leading the station to issue numerous apologies both on-air and on its website.

From the mid-1980s until 2011, WEWS was the Cleveland outlet for popular syndicated programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee/Kelly, and throughout that time frame, there was little change in the daytime lineup, as those programs consistently drew good ratings.

In 2011, Oprah Winfrey ended her show after a successful 25-year run. To fill the void, WEWS put The Dr. Oz Show (an Oprah spin-off hosted by Cleveland native Dr. Mehmet Oz), which was airing at 10 am, in the 4 p.m. time slot., and in subsequent years aired various other programs in that slot until settling in with a 4 p.m. newscast in fall 2018. (Dr. Oz ended up moving to WJW until the show ended its run in 2022 due to Oz's commitments to running for the United States Senate.)

On September 14, 2012, the station dropped both Wheel and Jeopardy! after airing both shows for almost three decades, replacing them with The List and Let's Ask America, two more internally produced shows from Scripps. The reason behind the removal of the two hit game shows was because Scripps was looking to stray away from shows that carried a high cost to air on their stations, and instead air shows where Scripps was able to control advertisement, and as a result, are much cheaper to air on their stations. Both game shows ended up moving to WOIO.

Let's Ask America would eventually be canceled in 2015, and WEWS would replace it with the long running celebrity gossip program Access Hollywood. The station also acquired Katie Couric's new talk show and placed it at 3 p.m. following General Hospital's shift to 2 pm, a move that many other ABC affiliates also made. Couric's show would be canceled two years later, and WEWS has aired various other syndicated programs in that time slot ever since. At present, only the program now known as Live with Kelly and Mark continues to air on channel 5 from the original stable of hit syndicated shows.

Local programming

In its early days as an ABC affiliate, the station produced its own shows in the afternoon, as ABC offered little daytime network programming. Among the local programs offered during the 1950s and 1960s included news analysis from Dorothy Fuldheim, children's programs featuring the "Uncle Jake" character played by Gene Carroll and the "Captain Penny" character played by Ron Penfound, and exercise programs with Paige Palmer. Alice Weston had one of the first live television cooking shows, and Barbara Plummer was "Miss Barbara" for a generation of young viewers on the local version of Romper Room. The most popular show was The Gene Carroll Show, a program that showcased Cleveland area talent which aired Sundays at noon beginning in 1948 and ran well into the 1970s. WEWS also offered a 90-minute afternoon variety show The One O'Clock Club weekdays hosted by Fuldheim and Bill Gordon. The program was so popular that competitor KYW-TV was prompted to organize a competing variety show which was the beginning of The Mike Douglas Show.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, WEWS produced several programs that eventually entered into national syndication. The first program was Upbeat. Considered by some to be one of the most significant early rock-and-roll variety television shows, Upbeat featured a live audience, a group of dancers and lip-synched (but occasionally live) performances by popular acts of the era. The program began locally as The Big 5 Show, and the name was changed to Upbeat when it went national, altogether running from 1964 to 1971. Among the program's hosts was Don Webster, who later doubled as the station's lead weather forecaster. At its peak, Upbeat was seen in over 100 television markets. Artists who appeared on Upbeat included Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, The Supremes, Simon and Garfunkel, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. In fact, Redding's final appearance ever came on the show's December 9, 1967, episode. The next afternoon, his twin-engine airplane crashed in the icy waters of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin, killing all but one of the eight passengers on board.

Another show seen throughout the country was Polka Varieties, an hour-long polka music program that ran locally on Sundays at 1 p.m. from 1956 into the early 1980s, and was syndicated during its later years to 30 television markets. The program featured various popular bands that played Slovenian-style polka, Polish, Italian and Bohemian-style music. "America's Polka King", Frank Yankovic, was the original band to perform on the show. Other bands included Richie Vadnal, George Staiduhar, Markic-Zagger, and Hank Haller. Original host Tom Fletcher was replaced by Paul Wilcox, whose presence became an indelible part of the show. Uttering the well-known show-opening phrase, "From America's Polka Capital of Cleveland, Ohio, this is Polka Varieties, now in its ___ year on the air!" were several famous voices associated with the station over the years, including Cort Stanton, Ralph Gunderman, and David Mark. Black on Black, which examined issues of importance to African American communities, was syndicated to several markets.

From the early 1970s until July 1, 2011, WEWS was Cleveland's television outlet for the Ohio Lottery. On June 2, 2011, NBC affiliate WKYC (channel 3) announced that the station had acquired the rights to air the lottery drawings, as well as its Saturday night game show Cash Explosion. After two years on channel 3, WEWS re-assumed the local television lottery rights on July 1, 2013.

The Morning Exchange

Main article: The Morning Exchange

One program in particular, The Morning Exchange, which ran from 1972 to 1999, changed the face of morning television. It was the first morning show to use a "living room" set, and the first to establish the now familiar concept of news and weather updates at the top and bottom of the hour. During its peak in the 1970s, nearly 70% of all television households in Cleveland were tuned to the program. The format also served as a template for ABC's Good Morning America.

From 1975 to 1978, WEWS completely preempted both AM America and Good Morning America in favor of continuing with The Morning Exchange, and from 1978 to 1994, the station aired only the first hour of Good Morning America, before cutting to The Morning Exchange, but it was changed by the end of 1994.

Sports programming

WEWS-TV has a long history of covering Cleveland sports teams both produced in-house by the station or through ABC's network coverage. From 2015 to present, channel 5 is the official station for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, airing all non-network preseason games as well as year-round team centered programming.

WEWS has aired two MLB World Series during the station's existence: it broadcast the Cleveland Indians' home games in the 1948 World Series against the Boston Braves, as well as the 1995 World Series in which the Indians lost to the Atlanta Braves. During the 1995 World Series, the local broadcast was split with WKYC-TV due to the ABC/NBC-shared Baseball Network. WEWS also aired select Indians games as part of ABC's MLB broadcast contract from 1976 to 1989.

All Cleveland Cavaliers games that air through ABC's NBA broadcast rights are aired on channel 5; the team's 2016 NBA Finals victory (which gave the city its first major sports championship in 52 years) aired on WEWS-TV.

News operation

WEWS presently broadcasts 39+1⁄2 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 6+1⁄2 hours each weekday, four hours on Saturdays and three hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the sports highlight and discussion program News 5 Sports Sunday, which airs Sunday nights following its 11 p.m. newscast.

Early news coverage

WEWS started covering news events soon after it went on air. The winter after it signed on, Cleveland experienced a blizzard, and for the first time WEWS had provided extended coverage for hours. During the early and mid-1950s, channel 5's first newscasts and weather reports were delivered by Tom Field. In 1959, Dorothy Fuldheim—who had been with the station before it even first signed on—began to formulate her own newscast. Fuldheim centered her newscast around her interviews, a general overview of the news, and her commentaries (the very opinionated Fuldheim frequently inserted her own opinions about the stories). Fuldheim was the first female in the United States to have her own television news analysis program.

Eyewitness News

27-year-old John Hambrick took over as lead anchor on WEWS' evening newscasts on Christmas Day in 1967, with Fuldheim staying on as a commentator. Don Webster presented the weather and Gib Shanley was the sports anchor. In 1968, WEWS changed the format of its newscasts slightly to a version of Eyewitness News. In 1970, Dave Patterson joined Hambrick on the early newscast and then became co-anchor on the 11 p.m. newscast in 1971. Ted Henry, who joined WEWS in 1972 as a behind-the-scenes producer, got his start on the air later in 1975 as a weekend weatherman. In later years, Henry would admit that he, not knowing the slightest thing about forecasting, basically copied his forecasts from a Detroit radio station.

That same year, Bill Jacocks—said to be Cleveland's first full-time African-American anchorman—joined WEWS. Jacocks started as assistant public affairs director, and became weekend anchor in January 1975. For a solid decade (until 1985) Jacocks remained the one constant weekend anchor while many co-anchors came and went. Among those doing their first Cleveland co-anchor stints with Jacocks were Tim Taylor and Wilma Smith (both of whom, coincidentally, would later anchor together at rival WJW).

Hambrick and Patterson continued to anchor the newscasts together until Hambrick left for KABC-TV in Los Angeles in 1975. At that time, Ted Henry became the weekend anchor, and then a year later in 1976, co-anchor on the weekday evening newscasts with Patterson. Henry continued as the lead anchor until his retirement on May 20, 2009. This era marked the start of dominance for the WEWS news programs that lasted until well into the 1980s. In 1977, weekend co-anchor Tim Taylor left WEWS to become a weeknight anchor at WJW-TV. Fuldheim's role decreased as she only presented her interviews and commentaries, but still appeared on the air three times a day until retiring in July 1984 at the age of 91.

WEWS was the first Cleveland TV station to use a news helicopter, introducing "Chopper 5" in 1978. At the time, a cameraman sat partially outside the helicopter door to film the story being covered. TV 5 has used helicopters (on and off) ever since, including the current "Air Tracker 5"—which was introduced in 2016.

The WEWS news department underwent another major change in 1982. Previously, the 5–6 p.m. slot was occupied by The Afternoon Exchange, the afternoon companion to The Morning Exchange. That year, the program adopted a new format, and was renamed Live on Five. The broadcast was originally hosted by Wilma Smith and Don Webster, and retained many elements from The Afternoon Exchange, such as interviews, movie reviews, health reports, and some cooking segments. Added to the mix were news updates from Ted Henry.

In 1985, longtime sports director Gib Shanley—who attained national notoriety six years earlier when he burned an Iranian flag live on the air during a sportscast in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis—left the station, and was replaced by Nev Chandler, who became a noted sportscaster in his own right.

News Channel 5

In 1991, WEWS dropped the long-standing Eyewitness News branding, adopting News Channel 5 as a universal branding for newscasts and station promotion. The new branding helped emphasize a format developed by the station the year prior, when WEWS positioned itself as "Cleveland's (Live) 24 Hour NewsSource". Providing news headlines to viewers at times when the station was not carrying regularly scheduled, long-form newscasts, the "24-Hour News Source" concept saw WEWS produce news updates running 30 seconds in length at or near the top of each hour and brief weather updates every half-hour during local commercial break inserts within syndicated and ABC network programs, in addition to the existing half-hourly updates it aired during Good Morning America. The concept would be adopted by network-affiliated television stations in other markets during the early 1990s, as a convenient means for stations to provide news coverage when syndicated or network programming aired. WEWS discontinued production of these hourly updates in 1998.

In 1994, longtime anchor Wilma Smith left the station to sign with rival WJW-TV. The same year, longtime sports director Nev Chandler died of cancer.

1995 saw a modification to the long-running "Circle 5", tilting it at an angle. At this time, a major promotional campaign was launched for the station, "Give Me 5", as it faced competition from WJW (then-recently having switched to Fox), WKYC (rebuilding themselves after years of being used as NBC's farm team), and WOIO (which had just launched their own news department, in partnership with WUAB). This included a two-minute promotional video featuring James Ingram, Carly Simon and Andrea McArdle, along with numerous athletes, as well as both station personalities and ABC personalities from Cleveland. Edd Kalehoff produced the promo, as well as a comprehensive music package for the station's newscasts and other programming.

"On Your Side" era

In 1998, WEWS adopted "On Your Side" as its slogan (which it currently still uses). More noticeable, however, was the discontinuance of the station's longtime "Circle 5" logo. That year, WEWS also became the first television station in Cleveland to launch a website—NewsNet5. In 1999, longtime station weather forecaster Don Webster retired from the station after 35 years. In 2000, longtime sports anchor/sports director Matt Underwood left to become an announcer for the Cleveland Indians.

On January 7, 2007, WEWS became the third Cleveland television station to begin broadcasting newscasts in high-definition. At present, all locally produced portions of the station's newscasts, including live remote field footage, are presented in HD. It was also around this time that channel 5 introduced the modified version of the classic "Circle 5" logo that was used until 2016. Sister station WPTV also uses the classic "Circle 5" logo. On May 21, 2009, Ted Henry retired as the primary news anchor at channel 5, after holding the post for 33 years. Henry is the longest serving news anchor in Cleveland television history.

In November 2010, WEWS became the first Cleveland television station to follow a growing national trend in starting its weekday morning newscasts at 4:30 a.m.

News 5 era

On September 26, 2016, the station retired the NewsChannel 5 name for its newscasts, becoming simply News 5. At the same time, the station began using a graphic identity similar to that of British television network Channel 5 (which used a similar logo from February 2011 to February 2016).

In 2017, longtime WEWS anchors Leon Bibb and Lee Jordan both announced their retirements from the station. Bibb had served as an anchor/reporter at the station since 1995 (coming over from WKYC where he had spent 16 years previous), while Jordan started at WEWS in 1987 as a co-host of The Morning Exchange before becoming an evening news anchor in 1993. To honor their tenures at the station, WEWS renamed their newsroom the Leon Bibb Newsroom, and their main studio the Lee Jordan News Studio.

On June 26, 2023, following the cancellation of The List, WEWS began airing The Debrief, a nightly newscast airing at 7 p.m. originating from and simulcast on Scripps News—a sister network of WEWS, as part of a plan by Scripps to integrate Scripps News programming on their main network affiliates as a way to promote Scripps News and increase the network's exposure. Scripps News ceased operations as a linear channel on November 16, 2024, and with that The Debrief was canceled, and a new local 7 p.m. newscast debuted on November 18, 2024.

Honors

Two plaques outside the WEWS building commemorate the station's historical contributions. The Ohio Historical Society placed a marker right outside TV 5's building, specifically noting Dorothy Fuldheim's career at the station. The second marker (located on the wall leading up to the front door of the station) is from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring the station (along with producer Herman Spero and host Don Webster) as being the home of the popular music series Upbeat! and that program's contributions to Rock and Roll's history.

Notable current on-air staff

Notable alumni

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WEWS-TV
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
5.1 720p 16:9 WEWS-HD ABC
5.2 480i MYSTERY Ion Mystery
5.3 LAFF Laff
5.4 IONPLUS Ion Plus
5.5 HSN HSN
5.6 QVC QVC

On May 26, 2011, it was announced that WEWS (along with other Scripps stations around the country) had signed a deal to carry the Live Well Network on their digital subchannels. the network began to be carried on digital subchannel 5.2 on September 5, 2011. The subchannel is also currently available on select northeast Ohio cable providers.

Live Well Network announced they would be going off the air in April 2015, and as a result 5.2 switched to the classic TV network Cozi TV at 10 a.m. on April 8. The comedy network Laff debuted on the newly activated 5.3 subchannel a week later. 5.3 was activated on April 7 and ran continuous promos for the network's launch prior to the official premiere date. On April 14, 2017, WEWS discontinued COZI on 5.2 and replaced it with Grit. On November 16, 2024, Ion Mystery replaced Grit on 5.2.

On March 1, 2021, 5.5 was activated, airing HSN programming. A year and a half later in September 2022, 5.6 was activated, airing QVC programming.

Analog-to-digital conversion

WEWS-TV shut down 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 continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 15, using virtual channel 5.

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External links

Broadcast television in Northeast Ohio
This region includes the following cities: Cleveland
Akron
Canton
Ashtabula
Mansfield
Sandusky
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
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Ohio broadcast television
Cincinnati
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Columbus
Dayton
Lima
Marietta, OH/Parkersburg, WV
Steubenville, OH/Wheeling, WV
Toledo
Youngstown
Zanesville
See also
List of mass media in Cleveland
ABC network affiliates licensed to and serving the state of Ohio
Primary*
Secondary**
  • WCHS-TV 8 (Charleston–Huntington, WV/Portsmouth, OH)
  • WPTA 21 (Fort Wayne, IN/Defiance, OH)
  • WTRF-DT 7.3 (Wheeling, WV/Steubenville, OH)
(*) – indicates station is in one of Ohio's primary TV markets
(**) – indicates station is in an out-of-state TV market, but reaches a small portion of Ohio
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Fox
Ion
MyNetworkTV
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PBS
Other stations in Ohio
E. W. Scripps Company
sorted by primary channel network affiliations
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