I have been in the midst of a big transition. For those of you who have sent me direct messages asking about my whereabouts because you have not seen me on the local evening newscasts, please know that this is the first time in my broadcasting career in which I was not given the opportunity to say goodbye. I deeply regret that. A link to the page for WICS is here, just click on the button above. Quotation[7] = "'FTVLive Delivers some of the TV World's Biggest Scoops' - Tonawanda News "; Springfield TV weatherman off air since slamming station's Code Red "corporate initiative" during broadcast", "Weatherman Calls Out Sinclair Broadcasting For The Terrible Storm Alert System They Make Him Use", "WICS meteorologist Joe Crain criticizes 'Code Red' alerts", https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190613/sinclair-meteorologist-joe-crain-let-go-from-wics, "Viewers displeased after weatherman Ric Kearbey announces he's leaving WICS", "Former WICS personality Ric Kearbey raising money for online weather site", "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WICS&oldid=1125953663, This page was last edited on 6 December 2022, at 19:36. It was sponsored by Railsplitters Lincoln-Mercury which would either do live or recorded commercials in the studio with featured vehicles both new and used. A 25-time Regional Emmy Award-winning anchor/reporter, and Regional Edward R. Murrow Excellence in Writing Award winner, with nearly 40 years of broadcast news experience. Although the WRSP/WCCU newscast features market wide coverage, including contributions from WICD reporters based in Champaign, there is a separate weeknight weather segment for WRSP and WCCU that was seen. It was owned by Plains Television Partners and was a low-powered full-time satellite of Springfield's WICS. TV Guide (1954-1959) from the Doug Quick Collection It was felt by the management of the time that WICS would be better served by keeping the late movie and airing the local commercials. He would remain as WCIA's News Director until 1967. This is a complete newscast from August 1999 with Don Hickman and Susan Finzen. That was in April of 1978. Off-network shows were syndicated in 30-minute versions and in central Illinois appeared on WMBD-TV, Peoria as well as sister station WCIA in Champaign. Pictured above are several graphics from the show along with Chevy Chase who was only there during the 1975-76 season, but he's probably one of the best-known alumni of the show. With the eventual relaxation of ownership limits, Sinclair soon took the stations off the market and retained them. The switch was to take place on Labor Day of 2005. Late Monday, WICS GM Rick Lipps said in a video posted to the stations website that Code Red, which may no longer be fitting, will be replaced with Weather Warn., The State Journal-Register | Blocks NBC affil WAND came in second. December 21, 2011 | 2:42 pm EST by TVNewsCheck, State Journal-Register | She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Iowa State, and in 2006, was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from Iowa State University. Decatur Public Library On October 7, 2013, the weekday edition of NewsChannel at 9 was expanded to an hour. // ============================================== Effingham Area Weather Forecast. During the Summer of 2004, it was announced that WAND would become the market's NBC station. Some shows were pre-empted by reruns of, "The Gallant Men." The History of WICS, Channel 20, Springfield, IL. var Quotation=new Array() // do not change this! (YouTube). All of these stars were there before 1982. Before the high-def conversion, here is the 6 pm Newscast from WICS, Channel 20 from July 7, 2011. The Urbana Courier Newspaper By Justin Carter. March 3, 2015 | 10:02 am EST by TVNewsCheck, The State Journal-Register | It's unknown why the Balaban's held onto the Champaign property. A short voice over promo for NBC Saturday Night at the Movies from 1975. Eight Stations Launch NextGen TV In Champaign/Springfield-Decatur, Code Red Forecaster, WICS Resolve Differences. Both WRSP/WCCU and WBUI were initially operated from separate facilities from WICS/WICD. Like the other stations in the market, WICS made the complete change over to color during the 1960s. Some of the religious shows included Jimmy Swaggart, Herald of Truth and Faith for Today. Sometime in the 1960s, WICS began a tradition of airing a movie at 9:30 am. He was 74. It features Elizabeth Wooley, Jerry Lambert, and reporter Catie Sheehan. Until October 13, 2014, WICD's separate weekday newscasts at its Champaign headquarters were not included in the upgrade because that set lacked high definition cameras. Social Media, Promotions, Multimedia, Non-linear Editing, Camera Operation, Voice Over, Creative Director at Illinois Department of Agriculture, Director at Staley Family Foundation, Talent at Television Commercials, Stay at Home Mom at My House. A link to the page for WICS is here, just click on the button above. Copyright 2023 NewsCheckMedia LLC, 238 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096 | 610-649-7989, DMA 85 (CHAMPAIGN-SPRINGFIELD-DECATUR, IL), DMA 84 (CHAMPAIGN-SPRINGFIELD-DECATUR, ILL.), DMA 83 (CHAMPAIGN-SPRINGFIELD-DECATUR, IL), DMA 82 (CHAMPAIGN-SPRINGFIELD-DECATUR, IL). The SangamonLink has posted about historical highlights for Sangamon County including a story about WICS television history, in which it credits me as a source. This facility would house the station for many years to come even after bringing the operations of the GoCom stations (WRSP, WCCU, and WBUI) into the fold in the 2010s. In 1983, as part of a publicity stunt, the cast toured the country via a train called the "Real People Express." WCIA 3 Severe Weather Center. Us @2023 FTVLive LLC On November 17, 2010, WICS became available to Dish Network customers in Terre Haute, Indiana as the ABC affiliate since the market lacked an affiliate of its own. [5][6] While WICS and WICD operated separate news departments, there was a considerable amount of resource sharing between the two outlets, such as with video footage and personnel. Quotation[2] = "'The story first broke on FTVLive.com' - AP"; December 22, 2015 / Scott Jones. Hickman was an anchor at the ABC-affiliate from 1972 until his retirement in 2001. Don Hickman, who was an anchor at WICS in Springfield for 29 years, died of natural causes Saturday. Flip was WICS weathercaster for the six and ten-PM newscasts from 1973 to 1979. Brittany Hardaway joined 13 WREX as an anchor for the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts in July of 2021. Meanwhile, WICD in Danville broadcast a signal of about 30 miles from Danville. Traveled on assignment . Quotation[10] = "'The statement from New York-based NBC was in response to a report on the FTVLive' - Bloomberg"; I hope you can understand why I was unable to share the information sooner. However, WICS was the only station uplinked by satellite providers due to contractual obligations, since it was considered the main station. The station's social media page was flooded with comments from viewers demanding the reinstatement of Joe Crain, pushing the hashtag #IStandWithJoeCrain, while U.S. HMTF was majority stockholder of the LIN TV Corporation, then-owner of WAND. Please note that the schedule for WICD and WICS were virtually identical. Fred Hickman, an influential sports broadcaster who became one of the early stars of CNN as host of "CNN Sports Tonight," has died. Joe Crain She also co-anchored FOX40 Live Morning. Learn how and when to remove this template message, transition from analog to digital broadcasts, "Doug Quick On Line, Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum", http://wics.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_8401.shtml, "WICD to share weekend newscasts with WICS", "WICS Springfield (Ill.) to Produce WICD News", "A TV meteorologist objected to management's 'code red' orders. Don Hickman, former WICS Springfield News Channel 20 anchor, recalls his childhood in Tennessee, adolescent years, introduction to broadcasting via radio, switch to television and many of the events he covered during his career: the Civil Rights Movement, the JFK and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, and the Vietnam War. As a result, a nightly prime time newscast began airing on those two stations that was jointly produced by WICS/WICD. John Belushi who was with the show from 1975 to 1979, Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin were there from. var Q = Quotation.length; In modern times it also serves as the operations hub for several other Sinclair stations as well. This popular horror movie feature was produced at WQAD, Channel 8 in Moline, Illinois, and was syndicated to KCRG-TV(Cedar Rapids, Iowa), along with WEEK-TV(Peoria), and across central Illinois on WICS and WICD. The cars would be driven into the new WICS studio where up to four vehicles could be featured at one time! Known as NewsChannel at 9 on Fox Illinois, it aired for a half-hour from a modified set at WICS' Springfield studios featuring unique duratrans indicating the Fox-branded show. In June 2019, Sinclair fired Joe Crain, a weekday morning meteorologist who had been with WICS since 2006,[7] for speaking out on-air during the June 5 edition of NewsChannel 20 Sunrise against a group mandate to Sinclair's news-producing stations to denote threats of severe thunderstorm activity through "Code Red" alerts, regardless of the severity of the event being forecast, stating that the system was "created by, likely, a journalism school graduate," rather than a professional meteorologist. It as done with a panel which included John Barbour, Sarah Percell, Byron Allen, Skip Stephenson, Bill Rafferty, Mark Russell, Fred Willard and even Peter Billingsley(of "Christmas Story"). (picture courtesy of Teresa Wilson Ericson, daughter of Robert Wilson) They are subject to removal by the contributors and YouTube. Now Crain is officially out of a job. The weekend edition of the prime time news will continue to be a market-wide simulcast on WRSP and WCCU. WICS-TV Jun 2018 - Feb 2020 1 year 9 months. On September 11, 2006, a news share agreement was established with WRSP/WCCU (then separately controlled). Multimedia journalists based at WICD's Champaign studios still provide coverage of the eastern areas of the market. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The rest of the weekday schedule was filled with NBC programming, with a local newscast at 10 pm. Sinclair purchased most of Guy Gannett's stations, including WICS and WICD, in 1999. Hickman was a CNN original one of the first faces seen . The low powered translatoron channel 75 in Mattoon probably didn't broadcast much more than a few miles from Mattoon. Ann Marshall Dee Dee Gatton BREAKING: Crews battle two-alarm fire at south Charlotte apartment complex Dee Dee Gatton First at Four Anchor, Investigative Reporter Charlotte, NC Prior to coming to Charlotte, Dee Dee was the evening anchor/special projects reporter at WICS-WRSP in Springfield, Illinois. Meanwhile, WICS would struggle with the technical limitations of WCHU and WICD. A website has all the details about the "Acri Creature Feature", On Sunday mornings when other TV stations were offering religious or public affairs programming, WICS and WICD were giving us the "Sunday Morning Movie." You can see Robert Wilson in WICS's early history as a cast member of "Pegwill's Circus", 1972 Chuck Acri host of the Acri Creature Feature, picture from Houseofthejitters.com, 1972 Chuck Acri and characters from the Acri Creature Feature, picture from Houseofthejitters.com, 1972 Acri Creature Feature, picture from Houseofthejitters.com, Acri Creature Feature Brittany is no stranger to Illinois as she's worked at news stations in southern and central . It as done with a panel which included John Barbour, Sarah Percell, Byron Allen, Skip Stephenson, Bill Rafferty, Mark Russell, Fred Willard and even Peter Billingsley(of "Christmas Story"). In addition to sporting director, Hickman was also a news reporter and sometimes news anchor, former WICS news director Les Vann recalled. The Illinois State Journal-Register Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (HMTF), an investment firm controlled by then-Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks, owned a large block of Sunrise stock. WICS would air paid religious programs by a professional evangelist, as well as paid info-commercials on behalf of charitable organizations. List of news presenters by nationality American news anchors. YouTube videos are the property of the individual copyright holders and only posted for their historical significance. // Free for all; but please leave in this header. March 7, 2011 | 6:17 am EST by TVNewsCheck. WICS Advertises For Meteorologists Replacement, Code Red Alert Gone After Meteorologists Knock, At KCCI Des Moines, The CSD Draws On Long And Varied Experience, Talking TV: CBCs About That Elevates Explainer News For Streaming, For NextGen TV, Cheaper Receivers, Bigger Markets And More HDR Are Next, Many Forces Working Against TV M&A In 2023, Hawaiis This Is Now Bridges Digital, Broadcast, Talking TV: Welcoming The End Of News Objectivity, Scale Complicates Monitoring, But Tools Level Up To The Challenge, Chatbots Downside For Media Is Already Clear, TV Groups Turn To Solutions Journalism, And Viewers Lean In, Local Businesses Pull Ads From WICS In Support Of Weathercaster, WICS Forecaster May Be Out After Criticizing Sinclair, WICS Meteorologist Criticizes Sinclair Code Red Alerts, WICS Strong Leader In Central Ill. Social Media, WICS Fires Anchor, Reporter After Hooters Fight, WICS Sports Director Krista Lander Leaving, WICS News Set Nominated For Mid-America Emmy, Vince DeMintri Joins Anchor Staff At WICS, WICS Reporter Katie Heinz Injured In Accident, Former WICS Anchor Don Hickman Dies At 74, Spot TV Forecast: After Political Bonanza In 22, Flat Will Suffice For 23, Top 30 Station Groups: Standard General Leaps Into Second Place With Tegna Acquisition, 13th Annual Women In Technology Awards Reception, Revenue Strategies: Advanced Targeting for Local TV. The syndicated block was followed by a flip-flop of local news and network news on WICS and sister station WICD. YouTube videos are the property of the individual copyright holders and only posted for their historical significance. --from Gus Gordon's Linkedin profile, September 5, 2005, first day at being an ABC affiliate, Gus Gordon (Doug Quick Collection), August 2010, Gus Gordon (Doug Quick Collection). Although WICD maintains its own studios on South Country Fair Drive in downtown Champaign, master control and most internal operations are based at WICS' facilities. He later would be at CNN for over 20 years and at WXIA in Atlanta before moving to a role in public relations and working for the United Way in Atlanta. June 10, 2019 | 6:34 am EDT by Brenden Moore. The Trustoria Service Professional Directory provides you with all the information needed to find the most qualified Journalist for every need. Here was a TV Guide entry for just such a pre-emption. The Decatur Herald-Review Newspaper It may cost him his job", "Where is Joe Crain? This change took effect after the final WICD-produced newscast aired on April 3. Quotation[0] = "'Mr. It was not until December 2012 that local newscasts seen on WICS were upgraded to HD. 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