WBBM is Chicago's CBS station. The station is channel 2 on basic television and is commonly known as CBS 2 as a result. A publicly-traded company, CBS Corp., owns the station. WBBM provides a fully-digital signal and operates a website that provides a local community calendar for the greater Chicago area in addition to recaps of local news, weather and sports. CBS also owns the WBBM news talk radio station and an AM radio sports talk station.
WMAQ is Chicagoland's NBC station and appears as channel 5 with basic television service. The station has earned the nickname NBC 5 among Chicagoans. The station's signal is fully digital, and users who have digital cable television service can receive two additional television stations from WMAQ. The first is NBC Weather Plus, which provides all-day coverage of local and national weather, and the second is Universal Sports. WMAQ is one of 10 television stations in the United States owned by NBC Universal Inc., a subsidiary of General Electric Co.
WLS serves as Chicago's ABC network station. Disney-ABC Television owns and operates the station. On basic television listings, WLS is channel 7, and the station is commonly called ABC7. The channel's daily news shows held the number one ranking for viewership as of October 2010 and had been in first position since 1986, according to the station's website. With a fully digital signal, the station offers a high-definition home and health channel called "Live Well" and a 24-hour weather station for digital subscribers.
WGN is an affiliate of the CW television network. Tribune Broadcasting Co. owns the station, which is channel 9 on basic television. The station's call letters come from its first slogan, "World's Greatest Network." The station first aired on April 5, 1948. In 1995, WGN became the first television station in Chicago to have its own website. The station transitioned to digital in 2008 and offers a high-definition station in addition to its standard channel.
WTTW is a member of the Public Broadcasting System and owned by the non-profit organization Window to the World Communications. The station takes its call-sign letters from the initials of the organization. WTTW is station 11 on the Chicago line-up. The station broadcast its first program on Sept. 6, 1955. As a public station, WTTW doesn't show commercials or sell advertising time. It receives its funding from individual and corporate donations.
WFLD is the local affiliate for the FOX television network, which also directly owns the station. The station is channel 32 and is commonly referred to as "Fox Chicago." WFLD transmits its signal in full digital power. On its website, the station offers on-demand versions of many of its programs that users can stream and watch live.