WLS TV ABC Network

WLS TV is owned and operated by the American Broadcasting Corporation which is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Channel. Officially known as ABC7 Chicago, this television channel broadcasts from the Sears Tower.

At the time of its inception on September 17, 1948 this television station was named WENR-TV and post ABCs Chicago radio affiliate as WENR-AM. It was in 1968 that WENR-TV was re-christened as WLS-TV. Since this television station is a sister station of Oprah, it is not licensed to telecast the popular program Live with Regis and Kelly produced by WABC-TV.

WLS-TV is also a popular news channel. In the late 1960s this ABC owned channel remodeled its news telecast format and adopted the Eyewitness News format like several other affiliate channels of the American Broadcasting Corporation. From the late 1960s to the early 1980s Joel Daly served as newsreader in this channel. The newscast on this channel gained popularity and beat WMAQ-TV in the ratings to become the top-rated newscast in America till the 1980s through the 1970s.

WLS-TV slipped down to the third position in 1983 due to some internal problems like anchor shuffle and stereotyped telecasts. It failed to live up to the changing expectations of the viewers. In order to regain its former position of superiority important changes were made.

Dennis Swanson became the General Manager of the WLS-TV and the designation of News Director was offered to Bill Applegate. An updated format of Eyewitness News was conceptualized and implemented by Frank Gari as and it went on air as News Series 2000.
Dennis Swansons unrelenting efforts and unique vision helped WLS-TV regain its former position of glory. Ophrah Winfrey, the anchor of The Ophrah Winfrey Show was hired by Swanson. He was also instrumental in appointing John Drury who was an anchor of renown and had formerly worked with WBBM and WGN-TV.

During the 1980s and the 1990s John Drury made a strong association with Mary Ann Childers and together they made a popular team along with Steve Deshler and Tim Weigel. It was in 1986 that WLS-TV beat the other ABC owned and operated television stations and regained the topmost position.

Currently the newscast of WLS-TV is telecast as ABC7 News. Stacey Baca, Ron Magers, Roz Varon , Sylvia Perez, Linda Yu are some of the news anchors of ABC7 News. The weather team comprises Mark Bishop, Phil Schwarz, Jerry Taft, Tracy Butle and Mike Caplan. The ABC7 reporters include Evelyn Holmes, Dough Banks, Michelle Alegria, Leah Hope. Some of the popular programs telecast on this channel are The Chicago Huddle, Chicagoing, 190 North, At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper and the popular Ophrah Winfrey Show. WLS TV