WGME-TV

This article is about the Portland, Maine television station. For other uses, see CBS 13.

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WGME-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire that is licensed to Portland. The station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 38 from a transmitter on Brown Hill west of Raymond. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station has studios on the corner of Washington Avenue and Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland. Syndicated programming on WGME includes: Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Dr. Oz, and Judge Judy.

Digital programming

Channel	Video	Aspect	Programming
13.1	720p	16:9	Main WGME-TV programming / CBS
13.2	480i	4:3	Dark

History

Its first broadcast was on May 16, 1954 as WGAN-TV, owned by Guy Gannett Communications along with WGAN-AM 560 and the Portland Press-Herald. When the radio station was sold in 1984, the WGAN call letters went with them. WGAN-TV then changed its call sign to the current "WGME-TV". It remained the flagship station of Guy Gannett Communications until the company sold most of its television stations, including WGME, to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1998. The 493.5-meter (1,619 foot) tall transmission tower of WGME, situated in Raymond, was built in 1959. It was, according to the 1999 Guinness Book of World Records, the world's tallest architectural structure in those days. It was surpassed by KFVS-TV's tower in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1960. However, it remained the tallest structure in Maine until the erection of WMTW's tower in 2002. This station ceased airing analog on February 17, 2009 and broadcasts digitally-only on channel 38. WGME recently updated their website to better represent their "More Local" motto. WGME.com was updated on November 10, 2011.

WGME recently rebranded itself as "CBS13," though its current CBS Mandate-compliant logo dates from 2009.

Retransmission Dispute with Time Warner Cable

WGME owner Sinclair Broadcast Group and Time Warner Cable were in a dispute over the terms of their retransmission consent agreement that expired on December 31, 2010. The agreement was extended to January 14, 2011 while the parties continued to negotiate. An agreement in principle to resolve the dispute followed shortly thereafter and was finalized in February 2011.

News operation

Appropriately for a station with roots in a newspaper, channel 13's newscasts dominated the ratings in Portland for many years. However, WCSH overtook WGME in 1989 and has dominated the ratings ever since. WGME produces 24.5 hours of produced news content on their CBS station during a seven-day period, weekdays and weekends (Daybreak, News 13 at Noon, Live at 5, Live at 5:30, News 13 at 6, News 13 at Eleven, and News 13 Weekend Edition 6PM and 11PM). WGME also produced 17 hours of produced news content for their partner station, WPFO FOX23 during a seven-day period, weekdays and weekends (Good Day Maine and News 13 on FOX at 10PM). WGME produces the most local news content in the Portland market spanning both WGME CBS 13 and WPFO FOX 23. Singularly though, if only taken into account the news programming on the CBS station, WGME would produce the least amount of local news content in the market.

The station has seen heavy turnover in on-air personalities, as do many stations in the Portland, Bangor, and Presque Isle markets, mainly in reporters. Currently, only one reporter has been there for nearly a decade, former Daybreak Anchor and full-time Reporter, now freelance part-time WGME reporter, Kate Barker. WGME's anchor talents have been a staple in the market though, even rivaling NBC affiliate WCSH. Former news team for Live at 5 and News 13 at 6, Kim Block and former Anchor Doug Rafferty were a heavy-hitting news team in the market from the mid-90's until the mid-2000s. Kim Block is the most recognized television journalist in both the Portland market and in the State of Maine/New Hampshire, winning various titles of excellence in broadcasting and women in broadcasting history. Block has been the Lead Anchor at WGME for over three decades, being at WGME since 1981. She recently celebrated her 31st year Anchoring at WGME in 2012. She began as a Reporter/Anchor, leading the station to various Emmys and AP awards over the years with her Anchoring of News 13 at Noon, News 13 Live at Five, and News 13 at 6, as well as being the station's primary medical/health reporter, and the segment producer of "Healthline", a call-in medical show lasting from 5PM-6:30PM, usually on Tuesday nights when the segment is advertised on the newscasts, showcasing an issue of concern for patients in Maine, interviewing medical doctors from area hospitals. Rafferty reduced his reporting hours, leaving the anchor desk for a behind-the-scene tech job at the station and providing reports for the station under the Daybreak segment, "Maine Outdoors" and the News 13 at 6 segment, "Doug's Discovery". Both segments were assisted with by Maine's L.L. Bean, a longtime sponsor of WGME programming (today, at the end of every newscast along with the copyright, the L.L. Bean logo is presented as the main sponsor of WGME's newscasts). He reduced his hours after suffering a stroke live on the air in the mid-2000s during a live cut-in of a syndicated program on the station prior to the Live at Five broadcast. He retired in 2012 to become the Public Relations and Education Head at the Maine State Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Other longtime Anchors include Gregg Lagerquist, who anchors News 13 at 6 with Kim Block, and News 13 at 11, as well as News 13 on FOX at 10PM weekdays, as well as Jeff Peterson. Longtime Meteorologist, now Chief, Charlie Lopresti has been with the station for a decade now, and a very recognizable and trusted face in the community, known for the most accurate forecast in Maine. The only meteorologist at the station who has been there since Lopresti was Daybreak Meteorologist Sarah Long, who has since retired in 2012, the same day as Former Anchor/Reporter Doug Rafferty. Rafferty, on his last day with the station, signed off with longtime Co-Anchor Kim Block on News 13 at 6, showcasing his career in Maine broadcasting and his most memorable report, flying with the Blue Angels before an airshow. He signed off live with Block that evening for the last time in his career.

Starting February 5, 2007, WGME began producing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast on Fox affiliate WPFO after establishing a news share agreement. Known on-air as News 13 on Fox, it is currently the only prime time broadcast in the market. In 2010, due to a revenue share agreement with the Fox station, WPFO, the station expanded the weeknight 10 o'clock broadcast to an hour and launched a two-hour long morning show on WPFO called Good Day Maine. WPFO pays WGME a fee along with a share of revenue realized from the newscast.

The station has entered into a news partnership with Maine Today Media, owner of its former newspaper sisters—the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel, and Maine Sunday Telegram. In addition to its main studios, WGME operates a Lewiston/Auburn Bureau on Main Street (across the street from WCSH's bureau). A second bureau is in Augusta near the Maine State House. News 13 also has a news partnership with the Lewiston/Auburn Sun Journal, using the source very frequently on evening broadcasts when there's news in the twin cities north of Portland. WGME also shares news gathering material with WPFO, the FOX affiliate in Portland, gaining WGME access to both CBS Newspath and FOX News video footage for use of all newscasts on both WPFO and on WGME. Taking full advantage of their partnership with other local non-TV media sources, WGME meteorologists provide the weather forecasts for the Portland Press Herald and the Maine Sunday Telegram, as well as for a variety of local radio stations in the Portland market. WGME also promotes upcoming stories for their "Live at 5" on radio stations such as WMGX and WJBQ. These radio promotion ads are done almost exclusively by Anchor Kim Block airing usually around 3PM in the afternoons on those radio stations.

WGME does not produce weekend morning newscasts, unlike the other NBC and ABC affiliates in the Portland market. Instead, they carry the CBS News produced "CBS This Morning: Saturday" on Saturday mornings, and the CBS News produced "Sunday Morning" program. The station has no plans to change this format.

In December 2011, WGME converted its broadcasts into full HD (including new slogans, graphics, music and a new set)

The High Definition Transition

WGME began broadcasting in 720p High Definition on December 18, 2011 with a new set designed by Devlin Design Group. The newscasts also premiered a new graphics package, though opting to keep the standard Sinclair grey and black lower third. All other graphics were changed to a new, high-tech Sinclair standard package. Only two Sinclair stations (WZTV and WGME) use this new package. WGME's new High Definition set includes two video display monitors on either end of the set for anchor stand up reporting, a 12 monitor video wall which can display 3 video feeds (2x2 each), 2 videos feeds (2x3 each), one large panoramic video feed (2x6 which they use for a graphic of the Portland skyline), or 12 individual video feeds (one per monitor). WGME also has a small anchor desk at the video wall for their Fox 23 broadcasts, "Good Day Maine" and "News 13 on Fox" at 10PM. Their main anchor desk is larger than the Fox 23 anchor desk, though includes a similar style of a light box base with wood carved around it, as well as over the light box. The anchor desk includes a large monitor behind the anchors which shows a skyline image of Portland, ME, or during weather tosses, the "News 13" logo with clouds behind it in blue and red colors. The entire set includes an array of light panels and light boxes. Behind the anchors on top of the light boxes are square black panels that zig-zag behind the anchor TV monitor. The set includes a wood style from a brand native to Maine. The weather office is now open and fully visible to the viewers. The weather office is to the viewer's right, which includes a similar sized desk as to the Fox 23 anchor desk, for the meteorologist to open and close weathercasts with. Behind the desk includes 9 computers to operate the weather graphics and forecasting system which are on a raised platform so that viewers can see the station's other meteorologists working on severe weather reports live. Above these computers are another four monitors which can either broadcast a single video feed (1x4) for a panoramic view of the Portland Skyline, or can be individually manipulated to show weather graphics above the meteorologist. The set also includes a larger green screen to the viewer's right of the weather set.

Graphics have been heavily changed due to the release of HD newscasts on the station, including transitions from one graphic to another, or one video clip to another. Shows open with a large "Coming Up" graphic that spins and below the lettering shows a video panel with an L-Shape graphic (text below the video clip and glass panels moving up and down to the left of the video feed). This graphic is seen on WGME's HD commercials for upcoming newscasts as well, though instead using the opening logo as the WGME logo (and similarly the "Good Day Maine" logo on Fox 23 commercials). This graphic is followed by a new HD open that shows the Portland Head Light (either during the day or during the evening depending on which broadcast) with the text lines "News 13" and "Now in High Definition", and brings viewers to a shot of downtown Portland with a variety of buildings behind the WGME logo, and then shows the broadcast's on-air anchors (Although these new openers do show the meteorologist of each broadcast, sports anchors have not been yet shown in the opening—although both sports anchors do appear on the nightly broadcasts.) Behind the anchors in the opening are large "13" logos rotating with a 3D CBS Eye logo, which is also seen in the Portland Skyline graphics, behind the lighthouse and 13 logo in the opening as well. After the anchors are shown, the WGME 13 logo is shown floating in the Portland harbor with the skyline in 3D behind it with the reflection of the logo in the animated water, with the voice over saying "This is News 13 (insert newscast name)" and then a light flash transition to the anchor desk. A longer lower third graphic is used with an updated 3rd bar in red with a line going through it. During live shots, the "Live" text box on the lower third has a light flare going across the top of the box. During "News 13 Daybreak" broadcasts, a newly updated ticker is shown, new to any Sinclair stations. During the morning broadcast a new logo is presented "CBS 13 News HD", with the "News" text pushed over to allow the text line "HD". Transitions during all broadcasts include for video clips zooming in, rather than a fade out as used before, and for graphics a slide to the right. WGME has also updated their anchor graphics from a glass slider on either the left or right hand side of the anchors to simple glass panels moving up and down with an updated black graphic box. The generic backgrounds to display information also received a tune up with dotted lines moving towards the outer screen on the left, arrows going across the bottom of the screen, and lines shown throughout the background. It also includes several light flares. They have not changed their map graphics and still use either Bing Maps, or their own system's generic green and blue road maps. When weather is presented, they open with the show's open of "Your Weather Authority Forecast" and then show the meteorologist. A similar open is used during sports presentations. Sports graphics have been updated as well (During each sportscast, a cornucopia of sports balls float behind the Portland skyline).

WGME's weather department recently changed their slogan from "Storm Team 13" to "Your Weather Authority—News 13", seen in the upper left hand corner of every weather graphic. This change occurred right before airing in HD on December 18. Above the weather set, during anchor/weather tosses, viewers can still see a panel that says "Storm Team 13". No word yet on when or if that panel will change to accompany the new branding. WGME's weather system, "Doppler HD" was presented in broadcasts during August 2008, but was shown by the station in Standard Definition. After December 18, the station now shows the system in full HD. Often, the meteorologists use 4 monitors of the 12 monitor video wall to present a quick forecast at the start of each newscast.

On February 28, 2013, WGME's weather department rolled out new graphics to their Weather Central forecasting system, as part of a new graphics package from Sinclair Broadcasting, their parent company. It is slowly being introduced on other Sinclair stations.

WGME operates out of their Portland studio, but also operates two bureaus in Auburn, serving the Lewiston/Auburn area of the Portland market, and in Augusta, near the State House. In recent years WGME has begun stationing one or two reporters in these areas, usually reporting every evening from these cities. WGME has gone live several times in the past from their corner set in their Auburn studio, as well as from their Augusta studio set on Live at 5 and News 13 at 6. These bureaus are not used on Sinclair produced programs on WPFO, such as Good Day Maine or News 13 on FOX at 10PM. Currently, WGME has reporter Brad Rogers stationed in either one of their bureaus. Brad Rogers usually serves as the State House/Political reporter, frequently being introduced by WGME Anchor Gregg Laggerquist.

Newscast titles

• The Maine Report (1954-1963)
• NewsBeat (1963-1974)
• News 13 (1974-1991)
• News 13 First News (1989-1991; weekday afternoons 5:30 PM broadcast)
• NewsChannel 13 (1991–1999)
• Maine's Evening News (1991-1994; nightly 6 PM broadcast)
• Maine's Nightcast (1991-1992; nightly 11 PM broadcast)
• Maine's 11 @ 11 (1993-1996; nightly 11 PM broadcast—where WGME was among the first to offer a capsule view of the day's news/sports/weather within the first 11 minutes of each broadcast)
• News 13 (1999–present)
• News 13's Daybreak (1999–present)
• News 13 at Noon (1999-present)
• News 13 Live At 5PM (& At 5:30 PM) (1999–present)
• News 13 at 6PM (1999-present)
• News 13 at 11PM (1999–present)
• News 13 at 7/The Political Edge (2007-2008, Now a segment on News 13 Live at 5PM and News 13 at 6PM)
• News 13 on Fox 23 at 10 (2007-present; WPFO) /News 13 at 10, Maine's 10 PM News (alternate titles)
• Good Day Maine (April 2010 – present; WPFO)

Station slogans

• "The Tall-Tower Station" (1959-?)
• "13 Country" (1970s-early 1980s)
• "Reach For The Stars On Channel 13" (1981-1982; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
• "Hello Maine, Channel 13 Loves You" (early-mid-1980s, used during period station used Frank Gari's "Hello News"; later said "...WGME 13 Loves You")
• "What Maine's All About" (1989-1990)
• "The Look Of Portland Is Channel 13" (1991-1992; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
• "This is Your News" (1999–2004, used during period station used Frank Gari's "This is Your News")
• "Breaking News. Breaking Weather. Breaking Stories." (2004–2011)
• "News 13 at 11, Southern Maine's Most Watched 11 O'Clock Newscast." (2009–present)
• "Storm Team 13's Got You Covered!" (Winter 2010–present, News 13's Storm Team 13 Weather commercials)
• "More Local—The Way News Should Be." (Feb. 9th, 2011-December 18, 2011)
• "Your Maine Source (For News)" (December 18, 2011 – present)
• "News 13—Your Weather Authority" (December 18, 2011 – present)
• "News 13-Your Maine Source For Hurricane Sandy Coverage" (Late Oct/Early Nov 2012)

News Team

Anchors

• Jennifer Lynch - Daybreak Anchor from 5 - 7, Good Day Maine Anchor on FOX from 7 - 9
  • Producer and Reporter for "Maine In A Minute" segments
• Jeff Peterson - Daybreak Anchor from 5 - 7, Weeknight Anchor at 5 and 5:30
  • Producer and Reporter for "Sports In A Minute" and "Maine In A Minute" segments
• Jon Chrisos - Good Day Maine Anchor on FOX from 7 - 9
  • Producer and Reporter for "Waste Watch" and "On Your Side" segments
• Kim Block - Weekdays at Noon, Weeknights at 5 and 6
  • Producer and Reporter for "Healthline" segments
• Adrienne Stein - Weeknights at 5:30 and 11, Weeknight Anchor for News 13 on FOX from 10 - 11
  • General News Reports on nightly newscasts
• Gregg Lagerquist - Weeknights at 6 and 11, Weeknight Anchor for News 13 on FOX from 10 - 11
  • Producer and Reporter for "The Political Edge" segments and specials
• Jana Barnello - Weekend Evenings at 6 and 11 (times vary), Weekend Anchor for News 13 on FOX from 10 - 11
  • General Assignment Reporter

Reporters

• Beth Jones - Morning Reporter, General Assignment Reporter
• Brooke Buford - General Assignment Reporter, Multimedia Journalist
• Brad Rogers - General Assignment Reporter
• Marissa Bodnar - General Assignment Reporter
• Katherine Underwood - General Assignment Reporter
• Jana Barnello - General Assignment Reporter
• Steve Roldan - General Assignment Reporter
• Kate Barker - Freelance reporter

Sports

• Dave Eid - Director seen Weeknights at 6, 10(FOX), and 11
• Evans Boston - Weekend sports anchor at 6, 10(FOX), and 11
• Adam Kaufman - Fill-in (freelance)
• Joe Palmieri - Fill-in (freelance)

Storm Team Weather Authority Meteorologists

• Craig Miller (AMS Seal of Approval) - Daybreak, Good Day Maine, and Noon Meteorologist
• Charlie Lopresti (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist, Weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6, 10(FOX), and 11
• Steve Roldan (AMS Seal of Approval) - Weekend Meteorologist at 6 and 11 (times vary), 10(FOX)
  • General Assignment Reporter
• Tom Chisholm - Freelance meteorologist (fills in for all shifts)
• Dave Epstein- Fill-in (freelance)

Photojournalists

• Jim Bowne- Senior Photojournalist
• Scott Episcopo- Photojournalist
• Jack Amrock- Photojournalist
• David Hill- Photojournalist
• Mike Hartford- Chief Photojournalist
• Brian Bechard- Photojournalist
• David Dane- Photojournalist
• Bill Barton- Photojournalist

News Partners from WGAN-AM 560

• Paul Allen - WGAN Trafficwatch
• Ken Altshuler - WGAN Morning News and weekday morning commentary, The Political Edge commentator
• Mike Violette - WGAN Morning News and weekday morning commentary, The Political Edge commentator

Former Staff

• Giovanna Bechard: former reporter, left on 9/28/2012, now Communications Director at the Maine Education Association.
• Diana Ichton: former morning anchor and News 13: ON YOUR SIDE Segment Producer & Reporter, left on 7/26/2012 to become senior account executive with Kemp Goldberg Partners.
• Sarah Long: former meteorologist on Daybreak and Good Day Maine, retired from broadcasting on 3/30/2012 to go into sporting goods store business with her husband, also commercial spokeswoman for Maine State Credit Union.
• Doug Rafferty: former reporter/anchor, retired from broadcasting on 3/30/2012 to become PR AND Education Director at Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
• Catherine Parrotta: former Weekend Anchor at 6 & 11 pm and Weekend Anchor on FOX at 10 pm; also reporter, now reporter at WFXT-TV Boston
• Doug Ray: former Good Day Maine anchor / reporter
• Ashley Palumbo: former reporter
• Anne McNamara: former reporter/substitute anchor, now at WAVY-TV in Hampton Roads, VA
• Erin Ovalle : former Daybreak and Good Day Maine (FOX) co-anchor, now with WMTW anchoring "News 8 This Morning".
• Kiley Bennett, former anchor/reporter May 2002-September 30, 2010, later features reporter for Outside Television and commercial spokeswoman for Electricity Maine.
• Steve Adamson: former weeknight meteorologist, now weekend meteorologist at WXIA in Atlanta, GA
• Steve Andrews, now an investigative reporter at WFLA (and father of Erin Andrews)
• Emily Apel: former reporter, now anchor/reporter KION-TV in Salinas, CA
• Jeff Barnd: former co-anchor, to WLVI Boston, now anchor WBFF Baltimore.
• Barbara Barr: former weekend sports anchor/reporter (1998–2004), now reporter at WGAL, Harrisburg, PA
• Vivian Bean: former weekday morning co-anchor, now stay at home mother
• Bruce Berlinger: former Chief co-anchor 1978-1989, also did kids interest features
• Julene Britt: former general assignment and sports reporter, late 1990s/early 2000s
• Crystal Canney: former reporter, now president of Canney Communications
• Tom Caron: former sports anchor/reporter, to NESN
• Lucas Colavecchio: former reporter/anchor, now executive producer for HuB Studios in Sarasota, Florida.
• Lisa Colbert: former weathercaster, now weathercaster at WSYX
• Terry Cole: former General Manager 2006-2009, now General Manager at WEAR and WFGX
• Doug Cook: former reporter, later an anchor & reporter at WMTW, and currently director of communications at Bowdoin College
• Paul Cousins: meteorologist
• Kathy Curran: former investigative reporter late 1990s, now a reporter at WBZ (1999-)
• Brad Day: weekend meteorologist, late 1990s
• Paul Dellegatto: former meteorologist, 1985–86, now chief meteorologist at WTVT in Tampa
• Frank Fixaris: former sports anchor 1967-1992, was a sports radio talk co-host; deceased 2006.
• Dianna Fletcher: former daybreak anchor/reporter, now media/p.r. consultant Fletcher Media.
• Chris Francis: former sports anchor/reporter (1996–1998)
• Lisa Gilbert: former sports anchor/reporter (1993–1996)
• Thom Hallock: former reporter, now an anchor at WPTZ in Plattsburgh, NY
• Gordie Hershiser: former sports director, mid-1990s
• John Hopperstad - weekdays at noon and 7, now working in Seattle
• Felicia Knight: former anchor and political reporter, former press secretary for Sen. Susan Collins, former communications director at the National Endowment for the Arts, currently CEO of Knight Vision International
• Wayne Mahar: former Chief Meteorologist, now Chief Meteorologist at WSTM-TV in Syracuse, NY
• Harry Marble: former anchor, died 1982
• Marnie MacLean: former anchor & reporter, now a reporter at NECN
• Thom McGair: former reporter/substitute anchor was last at WLVI-TV Boston
• Jennifer Miller: former weekend/fill-in anchor & reporter, retired.
• Sayoko Murase: former daybreak anchor, now anchor with ETF Channel/BNK Invest
• Andy Nebel: former producer/reporter, now making video and creative strategy at The Andy Nebel Company, Inc. Chicago and being dad to Elizabeth Nebel
• Bob O'Wril: former weatherman & host of the MDA telethon. Died 1979.
• Adam Pellerin: former weekend sports anchor/reporter, was a reporter at WFXT in Boston, now anchor/reporter at NESN.
• Barbara Quill: former reporter & anchor (1973–1984)
• Max Riseman: former weekend meteorologist (2005–2007), now providing radio forecasts on WHOM and MPBN.
• Mark Rosenthal: former chief meteorologist (2005–2006)
• Josh Judge: former weekend meteorologist, now meteorologist for WMUR-TV in Manchester, NH.
• Jennifer Sabih: former reporter/weekend anchor, later reporter with KCBS/KCAL Los Angeles and CBS Newspath.
• Steve Schwaid: former news director, now News Director and Vice President at WTXF in Philadelphia.
• Dave Silverbrand: former anchor & "Dave's People" reporter, now living in Eureka, CA
• Amy Sinclair—former reporter who mainly did light feature and interest stories (1995-05/24/2007); now at New England Cable News
• Mindi Ramsey: former anchor/reporter, now weekday morning/noon anchor for WNEP in Scranton, PA.
• Jeremy Reiner: former meteorologist, now a meteorologist at WHDH in Boston.
• Dave Santoro: former weekend/Daybreak meteorologist who became Chief Meteorologist in 1999, now a math teacher
• Joe Venuti: former meteorologist, now part-time meteorologist at WCVB in Boston.
• Ron Wolfe: former News Director (1999-2002)
• Matt Zidle: former Daybreak & Noon meteorologist, now at WMTW in a similar capacity with Shannon Moss and Erin Ovalle.
• Robb Atkinson: former News Director, now Senior Director of Sales and Affiliate Relations CNN

External links

• WGME.com (Official Website)
• WGME mobile
• WPFO "Fox 23"
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