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| WGME-TV | |
|---|---|
| Callsign | WGME-TV |
| City | Portland, Maine |
| Branding | CBS 13 |
| Digital | 20 (UHF) |
| Virtual | 13 |
| Affiliations | CBS, MyNetworkTV |
| Country | United States |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Airdate | July 25, 1954 |
| Callsign meaning | "We're Gannett's Maine" (historical) |
| Owner | Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Licensee | WGME Licensee, LLC |
| Sister stations | WMTW, WPFO |
| Former channel numbers | analog: 13 (VHF, 1954–2009) |
| Erp | 1,000 kW |
| Haat | 539 m |
| Facility id | 8616 |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
WGME-TV is a television station licensed to Portland, Maine, serving the Portland–Auburn market as the CBS network affiliate on virtual channel 13. The station provides local news, syndicated programming, sports, and network schedules, operating alongside regional broadcasters and competing media outlets in New England. Over decades the station has undergone ownership changes, technical transitions to digital broadcasting, and adjustments to programming to meet shifts in audience and corporate strategy.
The station began broadcasting in 1954 amid a competitive regional landscape featuring WCSH-TV, WGAN, WMTW, and other New England broadcasters. Early affiliations and network agreements tied the station to national programming from the Columbia Broadcasting System while also carrying regional feeds from syndicated distributors and local production houses. During the 1960s and 1970s the station navigated market shifts influenced by ownership by media companies connected to entities such as Guy Gannett Publications and later through sales involving broadcasters with ties to Scripps-Howard-era executives. Transition to color broadcasting, adoption of videotape technology, and expansion of news bureaus paralleled developments at stations like WCVB-TV and WBZ-TV. The late 20th century saw consolidation in broadcasting; acquisitions and corporate restructurings traced paths similar to transactions involving Sinclair Broadcast Group, Media General, and regional consolidators. The federally mandated digital television transition in 2009 marked a technical milestone, aligning the station with industry-wide changes driven by the Federal Communications Commission spectrum policies.
Primary network programming originates from CBS with prime-time dramas, daytime talk series, sports telecasts from NFL on CBS and events such as the U.S. Open (golf), supplemented by syndicated series, movies, and lifestyle blocks sourced through national syndicators. Late-night and weekend schedules include syndicated talk and reality formats similar to offerings on peer stations such as WPIX and WNYW. The station has historically produced local public affairs programs and locally focused magazine shows comparable to productions at WCVB-TV and WBZ-TV, and has carried regional collegiate athletics involving teams from institutions like the University of Maine and events under the NCAA umbrella. Preemptions and scheduling adjustments have occurred in coordination with network sports rights and local advertising commitments, echoing patterns seen at affiliates across the United States.
The newsroom provides multiple daily newscasts, including morning, noon, early evening, and late newscasts, competing with operations at WCSH-TV and WMTW. Coverage priorities include local government in municipalities such as Portland (Maine), breaking weather events tied to Nor'easters, maritime incidents in the Gulf of Maine, and regional politics involving the Maine Legislature and statewide offices. The station has staffed reporters and anchors with backgrounds at regional outlets including Bangor Daily News and wire services like Associated Press. Technological upgrades have introduced high-definition broadcasts, remote live trucks, microwave and satellite feeds, and use of social media platforms maintained alongside partners such as YouTube and Twitter (X). Investigative segments have drawn comparisons to work by investigative units at WABC-TV and WCBS-TV; such reporting has won local journalism recognitions and nomination considerations from organizations like the Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
Analog operations on VHF channel 13 ceased with the 2009 digital transition; digital transmission occurs on UHF channel 20 using PSIP to display virtual channel 13. The station's transmitter facilities are sited to provide coverage across the Portland–Auburn market, with effective radiated power and height above average terrain engineered under Federal Communications Commission authorizations. Multiplexed subchannels have carried secondary networks and multicast content similar to carriage patterns of Telemundo and diginets such as MeTV and Court TV Mystery on other affiliates; bandwidth allocation supports 720p or 1080i primary streams depending on network and station decisions. Participation in spectrum auctions and channel repacking processes paralleled actions by broadcasters represented in filings with the FCC and coordination with regional stations including WMTW and WVII-TV.
Corporate ownership has transitioned through regional media groups and national broadcast conglomerates, reflecting trends in mergers and acquisitions involving companies like Guy Gannett, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and other entities active in local television consolidation. Corporate decisions on staffing, advertising sales, retransmission consent negotiations with multichannel video programming distributors, and affiliation contracts with CBS Corporation shape operational strategy. Legal and regulatory interactions have involved filings with the Federal Communications Commission and compliance with broadcast standards overseen by bodies including National Association of Broadcasters member guidelines.
The station participates in community initiatives including charity drives tied to organizations such as United Way, civic partnerships with the Portland Press Herald and local chambers of commerce, and public-service campaigns for emergency preparedness associated with Maine Emergency Management Agency. Controversies over editorial decisions, on-air errors, personnel changes, or retransmission consent disputes have mirrored industry-wide disputes experienced at stations like WJBK and KTVU; critics and advocacy groups, including press freedom organizations and local watchdogs, have publicly responded to specific incidents. Station-sponsored events have included voter forums, school partnerships, and coverage collaborations with academic institutions such as the University of Southern Maine.
Category:Television stations in Maine Category:CBS network affiliates