View source for WEWS-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Cleveland}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WEWS-TV
| city = Cleveland, Ohio
| logo = WEWS-TV logo (2021).svg
| logo_upright = .8
| branding = News 5
| digital = 15 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 5
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''5.1:''' [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|''For others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[E. W. Scripps Company]]
| licensee = Scripps Broadcasting Holdings [[LLC]]
| location = [[Cleveland]]–[[Akron, Ohio]]
| country = United States
| founded = {{start date and age|1946|7|18}}<ref>[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=86176 FCC History Cards for WEWS-TV]. [[Federal Communications Commission]].</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CP's granted for three new commercial video stations |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/46-OCR/1946-07-23-BC-OCR-Page-0088.pdf |periodical=[[Broadcasting - Telecasting]] |page=88 |date=July 22, 1946 |access-date=May 6, 2019 }}</ref>
| airdate = {{start date and age|1947|12|17|p=y|br=y}}
| callsign_meaning = [[Edward Willis Scripps]] (founder of the ''[[Cleveland Press]]'' and the E. W. Scripps Company)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 5 ([[VHF]], 1947–2009)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[CBS]] (1947–1955)|[[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] (secondary, 1947–1955)|[[NBC]] (secondary, 1957–1966)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|300.7|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 59441
| coordinates = {{Coord|41|22|26|N|81|43|3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{url|https://www.news5cleveland.com/}}
}}

'''WEWS-TV''' (channel 5) is a [[television station]] in [[Cleveland]], Ohio, United States, affiliated with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. It has been owned by the [[E. W. Scripps Company]] since its inception in 1946, making it one of three stations that have been built and signed on by Scripps (alongside company [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] [[WCPO-TV]] in [[Cincinnati]] and [[WMC-TV]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], the latter of which was sold in 1993). WEWS-TV's studios are located on Euclid Avenue (near [[Interstate 90 in Ohio|I-90]]) in [[Downtown Cleveland]], and its transmitter is located in suburban [[Parma, Ohio|Parma]].

==History==
[[File:WEWS Test Pattern.jpg|thumb|225px|WEWS' test pattern famously declared it to be the "FIRST in Cleveland."]]
The station first signed on the air on December 17, 1947,<ref name=stationhistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/newschannel5-s-first-60-years|title=NewsChannel5's first 60 years|publisher=WEWS-TV|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905182901/http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/newschannel5-s-first-60-years|archive-date=September 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> as the first television station in Ohio, and the 16th overall in the United States. The [[call signs in North America|call letters]] denote the initials of the parent company's founder, [[Edward Willis Scripps]]. The station is the oldest in Cleveland to maintain the same channel position (as an analog broadcaster), ownership and call letters since its sign-on. A few weeks before WEWS-TV's sign-on, Scripps launched WEWS-FM 102.1 (later occupied by [[WDOK]]) as an outlet for WEWS-TV personalities to gain on-air experience before the launch of the television station. Channel 5's first broadcast was of a Christmas pageant direct from Public Hall hosted by actor [[Jimmy Stewart]] and staged by the station's corporate cousin, ''[[The Cleveland Press]]''.<ref name="WEWS history">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=W3|title=WEWS (Channel 5)|access-date=September 2, 2015|publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]]|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History}}</ref> Its staff included capable producers Jim Breslin and Betty Cope, who would later become president of [[WVIZ]] (channel 25).

{{multiple image
 | direction = vertical
 | align = right
 | width   = 175
 | image1  = Circle 5 WEWS.png
 | caption1 = Classic "Circle 5" logo used from 1968 to 1998.
 | image2  = WEWS 2013 Logo.png
 | caption2 = Modified "Circle 5" logo used from 2009 to 2016.
}}

WEWS originally operated as a [[CBS]] affiliate, with secondary ABC and [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] affiliations; it shared the secondary ABC affiliation with WXEL-TV (now [[WJW-TV]], channel 8). WEWS lost the CBS affiliation to WJW-TV in 1955 after that station's then-owner, [[Storer Broadcasting]], used its influence with CBS to land the affiliation; ABC then became channel 5's primary network. The station later lost the DuMont affiliation when that network ceased operations in 1956. WEWS was also an affiliate of the short-lived [[Paramount Television Network]]; the station was one of the network's strongest affiliates, airing such Paramount programs as ''Time For Beany'',<ref name="TCT">{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/321642123 |newspaper=The Coshocton Tribune |date=February 10, 1953 |location=Coshocton, Ohio |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> ''Hollywood Reel'',<ref name="HR">{{cite news |title=Television Programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/7364512 |newspaper=East Liverpool Review |date=June 25, 1952 |location=East Liverpool, Ohio |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and ''Frosty Frolics''.<ref name="TEI">{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/3606416/ |newspaper=The Evening Independent |date=September 29, 1951 |location=Massillon, Ohio |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WEWS also aired two [[NBC]] programs, both of which had been preempted by [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Westinghouse]]-owned NBC affiliate KYW-TV (now WKYC): the network's evening newscast ''[[The Huntley-Brinkley Report]]'', during the [[1959–60 United States network television schedule|1959–1960 season]]; and ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', with hosts [[Jack Paar]] and later [[Johnny Carson]], from October 1957 to February 1966.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lones |first=Tim |url=https://clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/07/tonight-showa-cleveland-history.html |title=Cleveland Classic Media: And now, Heere's Cleveland!! A Tonight Show History |publisher=Clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com |date=July 29, 2011 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001165536/https://clevelandclassicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/07/tonight-showa-cleveland-history.html |archive-date=October 1, 2011}}</ref>

In 1977, WEWS-TV went before the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] for recording and broadcasting the entire [[human cannonball]] act of [[Hugo Zacchini]]. He performed his circus routine at the [[Geauga County Fair]] in [[Burton, Ohio]], and the station did not compensate him, as was required by [[Personality rights#United States|Ohio law]]. In ''[[Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.]]'', the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did not shield WEWS from liability from [[Common law copyright#State law copyright claims|common law copyright]] claims.<ref>{{cite web|author=White, Byron|author-link=Byron White|title=HUGO ZACCHINI, PETITIONER, V. SCRIPPS-HOWARD BROADCASTING COMPANY.|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/433/562|work=[[Legal Information Institute]]|publisher=[[Cornell Law School]]|date=June 28, 1977|access-date=April 27, 2014}}</ref>

On May 23, 1994, as part of an overall deal in which network parent [[News Corporation]] also purchased a 20% equity interest in the group, [[New World Communications]] signed a long-term [[1994 United States broadcast TV realignment|affiliation agreement]] with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] to switch thirteen television stations that New World owned or was acquiring from a Big Three network, including WJW-TV, to Fox.<ref name=nytbusinessdigest>{{cite news|title=FOX WILL SIGN UP 12 NEW STATIONS; TAKES 8 FROM CBS|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4|author=Bill Carter|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 24, 1994|access-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fox Gains 12 Stations in New World Deal|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4230288.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011163409/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4230288.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2013|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|publisher=[[Hollinger International]]|date=May 23, 1994|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> The deal was motivated by the [[National Football League]] (NFL)'s awarding of the rights to the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC) television package to [[Fox NFL|Fox]] on December 18, 1993, in which the conference's broadcast television rights moved to the network effective with the [[1994 NFL season]], ending a 38-year relationship with [[NFL on CBS|CBS]].<ref>{{cite web|title=CBS, NBC Battle for AFC Rights // Fox Steals NFC Package|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135152/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4205316.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|publisher=Adler & Shaykin|date=December 18, 1993}}</ref> As Fox was seen at the time on lower-profile UHF station [[WOIO]] (channel 19), CBS immediately targeted WEWS, as well as sister station [[WXYZ-TV]] in Detroit as its new affiliates in those markets.<ref>{{cite news|title=Counterstrike: CBS targets Scripps|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15503685.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135127/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15503685.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|author=Steve McClellan|work=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|date=June 6, 1994|access-date=September 15, 2017}}</ref> On June 16, however, Scripps signed a long-term deal with ABC that would keep WEWS-TV and WXYZ-TV as affiliates of the network; Scripps also agreed to affiliate [[WMAR-TV]] in [[Baltimore]], [[KNXV-TV]] in [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], and [[WFTS-TV]] in [[Tampa]] with ABC in the deal.<ref>{{cite news|title=COMPANY NEWS; TV Stations Shift to ABC|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 17, 1994|access-date=October 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="nyt-abcpreemptscbs">{{cite news|title=ABC pre-empts CBS in Cleveland, Detroit.|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-06-20.pdf|author=Geoffrey Foisie|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=Cahners Business Information|via=American Radio History|date=June 20, 1994|access-date=December 2, 2018}}</ref>

===Dual network affiliates===
{{See also|WVPX-TV}}
From 1955 until December 31, 1996, WEWS held a distinction of being one of two primary ABC affiliates for the Cleveland market. [[WVPX-TV|WAKR-TV (channel&nbsp;49)]] began operations on June 7, 1953, as a primary ABC affiliate,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cullison|first=Art|date=May 24, 1953|title=WAKR-TV Signs With ABC|page=14-E|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44314672/wakrtv_signs_with_abc/|access-date=February 14, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> two years prior to WEWS joining the network. WAKR-TV's ties to ABC dated back to when radio adjunct [[WAKR]] signed on in 1940 as an [[Blue Network|NBC Blue/Blue Network]] affiliate and were incentivized by ABC's [[American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres|merger with United Paramount Theaters]].<ref name="Broadcasting Post-Thaw">{{Cite news|date=June 29, 1953|title=ROUNDUP OF POST-THAW TELEVISION: 80 STATIONS NOW IN BUSINESS|volume=44|page=72|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc.|issue=26|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1953/BC-1953-06-29.pdf|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=World Radio History}}</ref> For the network's part, they were engaged in a push to sign up as many affiliates as possible to compensate for NBC, CBS and Dumont having stronger affiliate bases.<ref name="WAKC ABC Choice">{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=September 8, 1991|title=Area TV viewers get an ABC choice|page=D2|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66446038/area-tv-viewers-get-an-abc-choice/|access-date=December 31, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

WAKR-TV's launch was delayed for several years: originally intended as a VHF license on a channel&nbsp;11 allocation assigned to Akron,<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 15, 1947|title=WAKR, WADC Seek Television License|page=21|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24210363/the_akron_beacon_journal/|access-date=February 5, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> that allocation was removed as a result of the FCC's 1952 ''Sixth Report and Order'' in favor of two [[UHF]] allocations, one of which was not considered operable at the time.<ref name="Roger Berk Profile2">{{Cite news|date=February 25, 1974|title=Profile: The low visibility of a highly involved broadcaster: Roger Berk|volume=86|page=73|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc.|issue=8|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1974/1974-02-25-BC.pdf|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=World Radio History}}</ref> The station largely lost money in its early years and relied on profits from WAKR to remain solvent<ref name="VHF For Akron">{{Cite news|last=Shippy|first=Dick|date=August 3, 1961|title=VHF For Akron?|page=34|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66755230/vhf-for-akron/|access-date=January 3, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> even after it moved from channel&nbsp;49 to channel&nbsp;23 in 1967.<ref name="WAKR Tower of Power">{{Cite news|date=December 1, 1967|title=NEW TOWER OF POWER (Advertisement)|page=B8|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39633956/the_akron_beacon_journal/|access-date=February 7, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The ABC-TV schedule began to be carried in pattern by WAKR-TV with minimal deviations starting with the [[1963–64 United States network television schedule|1963–64 television season]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 15, 1963|title=TV Treats of the Week|page=4F|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68022118/tv-treats-of-the-week/|access-date=January 19, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> and carried ''[[Good Morning America]]'' in its entirety for the market as WEWS opted out for ''[[The Morning Exchange]]'' at 8&nbsp;am, a distinction that ended in September 1994.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=R.D.|date=August 26, 1994|title='Morning Exchange' moving|page=D26|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66469184/morning-exchange-moving/|access-date=December 31, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> When founding owner Summit Radio/Group One Broadcasting sold off their radio assets in 1986, the TV station was renamed WAKC.<ref name="WAKC Meaning">{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=July 10, 1988|title=What's in a call letter? Legends, lore behind station names|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66116215/whats-in-a-call-letter-legends-lore/ B6], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66116299/whats-in-a-call-letter-legends-lore/ B7]|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66116178/whats-in-a-call-letter-legends-lore/|access-date=December 27, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

After nearly 40 years of continuous ownership by Summit/Group One, WAKC was sold to [[ValueVision]] in late 1993;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dyer|first=Bob|date=November 24, 1993|title=Channel 23 is going shopping|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44820322/channel-23-is-going-shopping-pt-2/ A14]|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44819737/channel-23-is-going-shopping/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> ABC immediately renewed their affiliation after the sale closed,<ref name="WAKC VVI Takeover">{{Cite news|date=April 19, 1994|title=ValueVision takes over WAKC|page=C1|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44808543/valuevision-takes-over-wakc/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> forcing the [[home shopping]] programmer into operating the station as a conventional network affiliate.<ref name="WAKC No Change Sale">{{Cite news|last=McEnaney|first=Maura|date=August 26, 1995|title=Sale won't change WAKC programs|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44803671/sale-wont-change-wakc-programs-pt-2/ A4]|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44803177/sale-wont-change-wakc-programs/|access-date=December 25, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Following consummation of a subsequent sale to Paxson Communications, the station's entire news department was fired outright on February 28, 1996,<ref name="WAKC News Ceases">{{Cite news|last1=Heldenfels|first1=R.D.|last2=Hoffman|first2=Steve|last3=Quinn|first3=Jim|last4=Hoiles|first4=Robert|date=February 29, 1996|title=WAKC Kills News: New owner pulls plug, fires at least 15, decision on resuming show is months away, ABC affiliation under review|page=A1|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|via=NewsBank}}</ref> and all ABC programming was dropped that December 31.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 27, 1996|title=Tuesday Evening/Wednesday Afternoon|pages=17–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69656253/first-day-of-scheduled-intv-programming/ 18]|work=The News-Messenger TV Week|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69656174/last-night-of-scheduled-abc-programming/|access-date=February 9, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Paxson ultimately used the renamed WVPX-TV as a charter affiliate for the Pax TV network—a direct antecedent of [[Ion Television]]—which launched on August 31, 1998.<ref name="WVPX Pax Begins">{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=R.D.|date=August 14, 1998|title=Family of TV channels about to increase|pages=C1–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66230276/family-of-tv-channels-about-to/ C2]|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Ridder]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66230189/family-of-tv-channels-about-to-increase/|access-date=December 28, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Due to Scripps' purchase of Paxson's successor company [[Ion Media]] in September 2020, WVPX was divested to Inyo Broadcast Holdings<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|date=December 16, 2020|title=Ion/Scripps' Fourth Amendment: TV Trio Not Going To INYO|url=https://www.rbr.com/ion-scripps-fourth-amendment-tv-trio-not-going-to-inyo/|access-date=January 3, 2021|website=Radio & Television Business Report|language=en-US}}</ref> but has retained affiliations with Ion and other digital subchannel networks operated by Scripps subsidiary [[Katz Broadcasting]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Watkins|first=Steve|date=January 19, 2021|title=Scripps lays off more than 100 in wake of acquisition|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/01/19/scripps-lays-off-more-than-100-in-wake-of-acquisit.html|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=[[Cincinnati Business Courier]]|publisher=[[American City Business Journals]]}}</ref>

Among WAKR-TV/WAKC's most notable alumni are two long-tenured WEWS staffers: Ted Henry, who began his career at WAKR-AM-TV as a reporter,<ref name="Ted Henry">{{Cite web|last=Henry|first=Ted|author-link=Ted Henry|date=April 29, 2009|title=People Always Ask Me....|url=https://tedhenryblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/more-more-more/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232421/https://tedhenryblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/more-more-more/|archive-date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 6, 2020|website=Ted's Blog|quote=This is something I discovered during my first serious job when I worked at WAKR TV and Radio in Akron.  I spent three years there and loved the fact that the sense of discovery with my job changed every day as the news would change.}}
* {{cite web|title=Henry's career|url=http://www.spoke.com/people/ted-henry-3e1429c09e597c100386afea|access-date=February 6, 2020|publisher=Spoke|archive-date=February 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232423/http://www.spoke.com/people/ted-henry-3e1429c09e597c100386afea|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Mark Johnson, who worked at WAKC as a weatherman prior to joining WEWS in 1993 as a [[meteorologist]].<ref name="WAKC Fade to Black">{{Cite news|last=Heldenfels|first=Rich|date=February 26, 2016|title=A fade to black|page=A1–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44303364/a_fade_to_black_pt_2/ A4]|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Black Press]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44302831/a_fade_to_black/|access-date=February 14, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

==Programming==
===Syndicated and network===
WEWS carried the 90-minute ABC premiere of ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' on December 1, 1975. On December 3, it started ''Edge'' at 10&nbsp;a.m. on a one-day [[broadcast delay|delay]], and then later pushed up to 10:30 to make way for the national syndication of the talk show ''[[Donahue (TV series)|Donahue]]''. ''Edge'' was dropped in April 1977 when ABC expanded ''[[All My Children]]'' to one hour and revised the daytime lineup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edgehomepage.com/station-clearances.html|title = Station Clearances}}</ref>

In 1969, the station gained some national attention for airing only the first half of ''[[Turn-On]]'', because they stated it did not return to the show after the first commercial break, which guest host [[Tim Conway]] said was after "15 minutes"<ref name="ap19750706">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sIYsAAAAIBAJ&pg=7282%2C886685 | title=Comedian Tim Conway Will Join 'The Carol Burnett Show' As Regular Member | date=July 6, 1975 | access-date=April 19, 2011 | agency=Associated Press}}</ref> but the station claimed had happened after 10 minutes.<ref name="Turn-On Yelps">{{Cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Gee|date=February 7, 1969|title=Laugh-In Copy Turns-On Yelps|page=59|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]|publisher=[[Cox Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76320049/laugh-in-copy-turns-on-yelps/|access-date=April 23, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The rest of the time slot was the emergency procedure, a black screen with live organ music that had not been used in over 20 years.<ref name="conway">{{cite video|people= Conway, Tim |title= PIONEERS OF TELEVISION: Tim Conway on "Turn-On" (#104) |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWvQ0zjjNjc |medium=Web |publisher= [[Public Broadcasting Service]] |access-date= February 23, 2009}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> The station's spokesman claimed that the station's [[Switchboard operator|switchboard]] was "lit up" with protest calls, and general manager Donald Perris derided ''Turn-On'' as being "in excessive poor taste."<ref name="Turn-On WAKR">{{Cite news|last=Shippy|first=Dick|date=February 6, 1969|title=WEWS Drops It: 'Turn-On' Quickly Turned Off|page=A-2|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|publisher=[[Knight Newspapers]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76319225/turn-on-quickly-turned-off/|access-date=April 23, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Perris sent to ABC president [[Elton Rule]]{{r|Turn-On WAKR}} an angry [[Telegraphy|telegram]]: "If your naughty little boys have to write dirty words on the walls, please don't use our walls. ''Turn-On'' is turned off, as far as WEWS is concerned."<ref name="ap19690208">{{cite news|date=February 8, 1969|title=Stations Turn Off 'Turn On'|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oDVWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3738,1405503|access-date=April 19, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=February 6, 1969 |title=WEWS-TV Turns Off 'Turn-On' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/148415301/ |work=[[The Plain Dealer]] |location=Cleveland, Ohio, United States |access-date=May 30, 2024}}</ref>

In 2004, all the Scripps-owned ABC stations preempted a showing of ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 12, 2004|title='Saving Private Ryan' canceled|url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/saving-private-ryan-canceled/article_7de9ef30-d926-55c2-a5cc-8f94d5229743.html|access-date=September 28, 2021|website=News-Herald|language=en-US}}</ref>

On May 23, 2010, WEWS-TV's broadcast of the series finale of ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'' was almost completely interrupted and rendered unwatchable by a number of technical difficulties with the station's digital signal. This caused numerous viewer complaints, leading the station to issue numerous apologies both on-air and on its website.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2010/05/cleveland-lost-fans-outraged-after-technical-issues-ruin-the-finale/1|title=Cleveland 'Lost' fans outraged after technical issues ruin the finale|website=USA Today}}</ref>

From the mid-1980s until 2011, WEWS was the Cleveland outlet for popular syndicated programs such as ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'', ''[[Wheel of Fortune (American game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]'', ''[[Jeopardy!]]'', and ''Live with Regis and Kathie Lee/Kelly'', and throughout that time frame, there was little change in the daytime lineup, as those programs consistently drew good ratings.

In 2011, [[Oprah Winfrey]] ended her show after a successful 25-year run. To fill the void, WEWS put ''[[The Dr. Oz Show]]'' (an ''Oprah'' spin-off hosted by Cleveland native [[Dr. Mehmet Oz]]), which was airing at 10&nbsp;am, in the 4 p.m. time slot.,<ref>{{cite web|title=WXYZ, WEWS Take 'Dr. Oz' Prescription|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/43084/wxyz-wews-take-dr-oz-prescription|website=TVNewsCheck.com|date=June 17, 2010|publisher=Kevin Downey|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> and in subsequent years aired various other programs in that slot until settling in with a 4 p.m. newscast in fall 2018. (''Dr. Oz'' ended up moving to WJW until the show ended its run in 2022 due to Oz's commitments to running for the [[2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania|United States Senate]].)

On September 14, 2012, the station dropped both ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!'' after airing both shows for almost three decades, replacing them with ''The List'' and ''[[Let's Ask America]]'', two more internally produced shows from Scripps. The reason behind the removal of the two hit game shows was because Scripps was looking to stray away from shows that carried a high cost to air on their stations, and instead air shows where Scripps was able to control advertisement, and as a result, are much cheaper to air on their stations. Both game shows ended up moving to WOIO.

''Let's Ask America'' would eventually be canceled in 2015, and WEWS would replace it with the long running celebrity gossip program ''[[Access Hollywood]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy replaced on NewsChannel5 at 7 p.m. by The List, Let's Ask America|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainment/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-newschannel5-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|website=newsnet5.com|publisher=Tina Kaufmann|access-date=November 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113044036/http://www.newsnet5.com/entertainment/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-newschannel5-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy replaced on WFTS at 7 p.m. by The List, Let's Ask America|url=http://www.abcactionnews.com/entertainment/television/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-wfts-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|website=abcactionnews.com|publisher=Tina Kaufmann|access-date=November 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113043148/http://www.abcactionnews.com/entertainment/television/wheel-of-fortune-jeopardy-replaced-on-wfts-at-7-pm-by-the-list-lets-ask-america|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The station also acquired [[Katie Couric]]'s [[Katie (talk show)|new talk show]] and placed it at 3 p.m. following ''General Hospital''{{'}}s shift to 2&nbsp;pm, a move that many other ABC affiliates also made.  Couric's show would be canceled two years later, and WEWS has aired various other syndicated programs in that time slot ever since.<ref>{{cite web|title=Katie Couric, Steve Harvey bring new shows to daytime: Fall TV 2012|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2012/09/katie_couric_steve_harvey_bring_new_shows_to_daytime_fall_tv_2012.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 2, 2012|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Harvey's talk show and 'Dr. Oz' switching stations: Fall TV preview 2014|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2014/09/steve_harveys_talk_show_and_dr_oz_switching_stations_fall_tv_preview_2014.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 4, 2014|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Stephen Colbert has people talking about his talk show: Fall TV Preview 2015|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2015/09/stephen_colbert_has_people_talking_about_his_talk_show_fall_tv_preview_2015.html|website=The Plain Dealer|date=September 5, 2015|publisher=Mark Dawidziak|access-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref> At present, only the program now known as ''[[Live with Kelly and Mark]]'' continues to air on channel 5 from the original stable of hit syndicated shows.

===Local programming===
In its early days as an ABC affiliate, the station produced its own shows in the afternoon, as ABC offered little daytime network programming. Among the local programs offered during the 1950s and 1960s included news analysis from [[Dorothy Fuldheim]], [[children's television series|children's programs]] featuring the "Uncle Jake" character played by Gene Carroll and the "[[Captain Penny]]" character played by [[Ron Penfound]], and exercise programs with [[Paige Palmer]]. Alice Weston had one of the first live television cooking shows, and Barbara Plummer was "Miss Barbara" for a generation of young viewers on the local version of ''[[Romper Room]]''. The most popular show was ''The Gene Carroll Show'', a program that showcased Cleveland area talent which aired Sundays at noon beginning in 1948 and ran well into the 1970s.<ref name="WEWS history"/> WEWS also offered a 90-minute afternoon variety show ''The One O'Clock Club'' weekdays hosted by Fuldheim and Bill Gordon.<ref name=stationhistory/> The program was so popular that competitor KYW-TV was prompted to organize a competing variety show which was the beginning of ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]''.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, WEWS produced several programs that eventually entered into national [[broadcast syndication|syndication]]. The first program was ''[[Upbeat (TV program)|Upbeat]]''. Considered by some to be one of the most significant early rock-and-roll variety television shows, ''Upbeat'' featured a live audience, a group of dancers and lip-synched (but occasionally live) performances by popular acts of the era.<ref name = "DW profile">{{Cite web|url=https://www.clevelandseniors.com/people/donwebster.htm|title=Don Webster - Cleveland Weatherman and Upbeat show host &#124; Cleveland Seniors Profile|website=clevelandseniors.com}}</ref> The program began locally as ''The Big 5 Show'', and the name was changed to ''Upbeat'' when it went national, altogether running from 1964 to 1971. Among the program's hosts was [[Don Webster (media personality)|Don Webster]], who later doubled as the station's lead weather forecaster. At its peak, ''Upbeat'' was seen in over 100 television markets. Artists who appeared on ''Upbeat'' included [[Aretha Franklin]], [[The Beatles]], [[The Supremes]], [[Simon and Garfunkel]], [[Otis Redding]] and [[Stevie Wonder]]. In fact, Redding's final appearance ever came on the show's December 9, 1967, episode. The next afternoon, his twin-engine airplane crashed in the icy waters of [[Lake Monona]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]], killing all but one of the eight passengers on board.

Another show seen throughout the country was ''Polka Varieties'', an hour-long [[polka music]] program<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xuiju|title=Polka Variety - September Waltz - video Dailymotion|date=December 23, 2006|website=Dailymotion}}</ref> that ran locally on Sundays at 1 p.m. from 1956 into the early 1980s, and was syndicated during its later years to 30 television markets. The program featured various popular bands that played [[Slovenian-style polka]], [[Culture of Poland|Polish]], [[Italian culture|Italian]] and [[Bohemia]]n-style music. "America's Polka King", [[Frank Yankovic]], was the original band to perform on the show. Other bands included Richie Vadnal, George Staiduhar, Markic-Zagger, and Hank Haller. Original host Tom Fletcher was replaced by Paul Wilcox, whose presence became an indelible part of the show. Uttering the well-known show-opening phrase, "From America's Polka Capital of Cleveland, Ohio, this is ''Polka Varieties'', now in its ___ year on the air!" were several famous voices associated with the station over the years, including Cort Stanton, Ralph Gunderman, and David Mark. ''Black on Black'', which examined issues of importance to African American communities, was syndicated to several markets.

From the early 1970s until July 1, 2011, WEWS was Cleveland's television outlet for the [[Ohio Lottery]]. On June 2, 2011, NBC affiliate [[WKYC]] (channel 3) announced that the station had acquired the rights to air the lottery drawings, as well as its Saturday night game show ''[[Cash Explosion]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/192237/45/WKYC-is-new-Ohio-Lottery-partner-will-air-drawings |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919123937/http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/192237/45/WKYC-is-new-Ohio-Lottery-partner-will-air-drawings |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |title=WKYC is new Ohio Lottery partner, will air drawings |publisher=wkyc.com |access-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref> After two years on channel 3, WEWS re-assumed the local television lottery rights on July 1, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Heldenfels |first=Rich |url=http://www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles/the-heldenfiles-online-1.258385/ohio-lottery-returning-to-wews-1.406810 |title=Lottery Returning to WEWS – Heldenfiles |publisher=Ohio |date=June 18, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013}}</ref>

===''The Morning Exchange''===
{{Main|The Morning Exchange}}
One program in particular, ''The Morning Exchange'', which ran from 1972 to 1999, changed the face of [[breakfast television#United States|morning television]]. It was the first morning show to use a "living room" set, and the first to establish the now familiar concept of news and weather updates at the top and bottom of the hour. During its peak in the 1970s, nearly 70% of all television households in Cleveland were tuned to the program. The format also served as a template for ABC's ''[[Good Morning America]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-the-morning-exchanged-debuted-42-years-ago|title=MX anniversary – News Net 5.com}}</ref>

From 1975 to 1978, WEWS completely preempted both ''AM America'' and ''Good Morning America'' in favor of continuing with ''The Morning Exchange'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 5, 1975 |title=What's Doing In Daytime |pages=104 |work=[[The Akron Beacon Journal]]}}</ref> and from 1978 to 1994, the station aired only the first hour of ''Good Morning America'', before cutting to ''The Morning Exchange'', but it was changed by the end of 1994.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heldenfels |first=R.J. |date=August 26, 1994 |title='Morning Exchange' moving |pages=72 |work=[[The Akron Beacon Journal]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-morning-exchan/66469184/ |access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref>

===Sports programming===
WEWS-TV has a long history of covering Cleveland sports teams both produced in-house by the station or through [[ESPN on ABC|ABC's network coverage]]. From [[2015 Cleveland Browns season|2015]] to present, channel 5 is the official station for the NFL's [[Cleveland Browns]], airing all non-network preseason games as well as year-round team centered programming.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/wews-named-official-broadcast-tv-and-digital-partner-of-the-cleveland-browns-starting-in-2015 |title=WEWS to become Cleveland Browns TV partner - News Net 5.com |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121182619/http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/wews-named-official-broadcast-tv-and-digital-partner-of-the-cleveland-browns-starting-in-2015 |archive-date=November 21, 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref name="WEWS Sports">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/newschannel-5-cleveland-browns-unveil-new-programming-sunday-march-8th|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930231341/http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/browns/newschannel-5-cleveland-browns-unveil-new-programming-sunday-march-8th|url-status=dead|title=WEWS Browns Programming - News Net 5.com|archivedate=September 30, 2015}}</ref>

WEWS has aired two [[MLB]] [[World Series]] during the station's existence: it broadcast the [[Cleveland Indians]]' home games in the [[1948 World Series]] against the [[Boston Braves]], as well as the odd-numbered games of the [[1995 World Series]], in which the [[1995 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] lost to the [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] in five games; ABC and NBC (and thus WKYC) alternated games covered as part of ''[[The Baseball Network]]'' that season. WEWS also aired select Indians games as part of [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC's MLB broadcast contract]] from [[1976 Cleveland Indians season|1976]] to [[1989 Cleveland Indians season|1989]].

All [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] games that air through [[NBA on ABC|ABC's NBA broadcast rights]] are aired on channel 5; the team's [[2016 NBA Finals]] victory (which gave the city its first major sports championship in [[Cleveland sports curse|52 years]]) aired on WEWS-TV, as well as their Finals appearances in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]], [[2015 NBA Finals|2015]], [[2017 NBA Finals|2017]], and [[2018 NBA Finals|2018]].

===News operation===
WEWS presently broadcasts {{frac|39|1|2}} hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with {{frac|6|1|2}} hours each weekday, four hours on Saturdays and three hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the sports highlight and discussion program ''News 5 Sports Sunday'', which airs Sunday nights following its 11&nbsp;p.m. newscast.

====Early news coverage====
WEWS started covering news events soon after it went on air. The winter after it signed on, Cleveland experienced a [[blizzard]], and for the first time WEWS had provided extended coverage for hours. During the early and mid-1950s, channel 5's first newscasts and weather reports were delivered by Tom Field. In 1959, Dorothy Fuldheim—who had been with the station before it even first signed on—began to formulate her own newscast. Fuldheim centered her newscast around her interviews, a general overview of the news, and her commentaries (the very opinionated Fuldheim frequently inserted her own opinions about the stories). Fuldheim was the first female in the United States to have her own television news analysis program.

====''Eyewitness News''====
27-year-old [[John Hambrick]] took over as lead anchor on WEWS' evening newscasts on Christmas Day in 1967, with Fuldheim staying on as a commentator. Don Webster presented the weather and [[Gib Shanley]] was the sports anchor. In 1968, WEWS changed the format of its newscasts slightly to a version of ''[[Eyewitness News]]''. In 1970, Dave Patterson joined Hambrick on the early newscast and then became co-anchor on the 11&nbsp;p.m. newscast in 1971. [[Ted Henry]], who joined WEWS in 1972 as a behind-the-scenes producer, got his start on the air later in 1975 as a weekend weatherman. In later years, Henry would admit that he, not knowing the slightest thing about forecasting, basically copied his forecasts from a Detroit radio station.<ref name = "Henry retires">{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |title=Cleveland's Ted Henry reflects on 40 years in broadcasting |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2009/05/clevelands_ted_henry_reflects.html |work=[[The Plain Dealer]] |date=May 17, 2009 |access-date=May 19, 2009 }} Prior to joining WEWS, Henry worked on-air at several stations in Canton, Akron and Youngstown, and also as a weatherman at [[WAKR-TV]].</ref>

That same year, Bill Jacocks—said to be Cleveland's first full-time African-American anchorman<ref>Feran, T, Heldenfels, R.D.: "Cleveland TV Memories", mem# 364, Gray & Company, Publishers 1999</ref>—joined WEWS. Jacocks started as assistant public affairs director, and became weekend anchor in January 1975. For a solid decade (until 1985) Jacocks remained the one constant weekend anchor while many co-anchors came and went. Among those doing their first Cleveland co-anchor stints with Jacocks were [[Tim Taylor (newscaster)|Tim Taylor]] and [[Wilma Smith (newscaster)|Wilma Smith]] (both of whom, coincidentally, would later anchor together at rival WJW).

Hambrick and Patterson continued to anchor the newscasts together until Hambrick left for [[KABC-TV]] in Los Angeles in 1975. At that time, Ted Henry became the weekend anchor, and then a year later in 1976, co-anchor on the weekday evening newscasts with Patterson. Henry continued as the lead anchor until his retirement on May 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie E. |last=Washington |title=Ted Henry, longtime local anchor, to retire |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/04/longtime_local_anchor_ted_henr.html |work=[[The Plain Dealer]] |date=April 23, 2009 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427082831/http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/04/longtime_local_anchor_ted_henr.html |archive-date=April 27, 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> This era marked the start of dominance for the WEWS news programs that lasted until well into the 1980s. In 1977, weekend co-anchor Tim Taylor left WEWS to become a weeknight anchor at WJW-TV. Fuldheim's role decreased as she only presented her interviews and commentaries, but still appeared on the air three times a day until retiring in July 1984 at the age of 91.

WEWS was the first Cleveland TV station to use a news helicopter, introducing "Chopper 5" in 1978. At the time, a cameraman sat partially outside the helicopter door to film the story being covered. TV 5 has used helicopters (on and off) ever since, including the current "Air Tracker 5"—which was introduced in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-classic-wews-chopper-5-promos|title=Video Vault: Classic WEWS Chopper 5 promos|date=February 1, 2016|website=News 5 Cleveland WEWS}}</ref>

The WEWS news department underwent another major change in 1982. Previously, the 5–6 p.m. slot was occupied by ''The Afternoon Exchange'', the afternoon companion to ''The Morning Exchange''.<ref name = "WS HOF" /> That year, the program adopted a new format, and was renamed ''Live on Five''. The broadcast was originally hosted by Wilma Smith and Don Webster, and retained many elements from ''The Afternoon Exchange'', such as interviews, movie reviews, health reports, and some cooking segments. Added to the mix were news updates from Ted Henry.

In 1985, longtime sports director Gib Shanley—who attained national notoriety six years earlier when he burned an [[Iranian flag]] live on the air during a sportscast in the wake of the [[Iran hostage crisis]]—left the station, and was replaced by [[Nev Chandler]], who became a noted sportscaster in his own right.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-sportscaster-gib-shanley-burns-iranian-flag-during-newscast |title=Shanley burns flag – News Net 5.com |access-date=August 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903062009/http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/video-vault-sportscaster-gib-shanley-burns-iranian-flag-during-newscast |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

====''News Channel 5''====
In 1991, WEWS dropped the long-standing ''Eyewitness News'' branding, adopting ''News Channel 5'' as a universal branding for newscasts and station promotion. The new branding helped emphasize a format developed by the station the year prior, when WEWS positioned itself as "Cleveland's (Live) 24 Hour NewsSource". Providing news headlines to viewers at times when the station was not carrying regularly scheduled, long-form newscasts, the "24-Hour News Source" concept saw WEWS produce news updates running 30 seconds in length at or near the top of each hour and brief weather updates every half-hour during local commercial break inserts within syndicated and ABC network programs, in addition to the existing half-hourly updates it aired during ''Good Morning America''. The concept would be adopted by network-affiliated television stations in other markets during the early 1990s, as a convenient means for stations to provide news coverage when syndicated or network programming aired. WEWS discontinued production of these hourly updates in 1998.<ref name = "WEWS history" />

In 1994, longtime anchor Wilma Smith left the station to sign with rival WJW-TV.<ref name = "WS HOF">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressclubcleveland.com/general-news.aspx?newsid=126|title=The Press Club of Cleveland &#124; Serving and honoring communications professionals since 1887 - General News|website=pressclubcleveland.com}}</ref> The same year, longtime sports director Nev Chandler died of cancer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/vault-wews-sports-icon-nev-chandler-who-called-games-for-indians-cavs-and-browns-died-20-years-ago |title=Chandler remembered – News Net 5.com |access-date=August 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903060752/http://www.newsnet5.com/news/news-archives/vault-wews-sports-icon-nev-chandler-who-called-games-for-indians-cavs-and-browns-died-20-years-ago |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

1995 saw a modification to the long-running "Circle 5", tilting it at an angle. At this time, a major promotional campaign was launched for the station, "Give Me 5", as it faced competition from WJW (then-recently having switched to Fox), WKYC (rebuilding themselves after years of being used as NBC's farm team), and WOIO (which had just launched their own news department, in partnership with WUAB). This included a two-minute promotional video featuring [[James Ingram]], [[Carly Simon]] and [[Andrea McArdle]], along with numerous athletes, as well as both station personalities and ABC personalities from Cleveland. [[Edd Kalehoff]] produced the promo, as well as a comprehensive music package for the station's newscasts and other programming.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 29, 2019|title=Legendary R&B singer James Ingram sang in promotional video for News 5 in 1995|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/legendary-r-b-singer-james-ingram-sang-in-promotional-video-for-news-5-in-1995|access-date=July 17, 2020|publisher=WEWS|language=en}}</ref>

===="On Your Side" era====
In 1998, WEWS adopted "On Your Side" as its slogan (which it currently still uses). More noticeable, however, was the discontinuance of the station's longtime "Circle 5" logo. That year, WEWS also became the first television station in Cleveland to launch a website—NewsNet5. In 1999, longtime station weather forecaster Don Webster retired from the station after 35 years.<ref name = "DW profile" /> In 2000, longtime sports anchor/sports director [[Matt Underwood]] left to become an announcer for the Cleveland Indians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=cle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310152329/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=cle|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2007|title=Indians broadcasters – Indians.com}}</ref>

On January 7, 2007, WEWS became the third Cleveland television station to begin broadcasting newscasts in [[High-definition television|high-definition]]. At present, all locally produced portions of the station's newscasts, including live remote field footage, are presented in HD. It was also around this time that channel 5 introduced the modified version of the classic "Circle 5" logo that was used until 2016. Sister station WPTV also uses the classic "Circle 5" logo. On May 21, 2009, Ted Henry retired as the primary news anchor at channel 5, after holding the post for 33 years. Henry is the longest serving news anchor in Cleveland television history.<ref name = "Henry retires" />

In November 2010, WEWS became the first Cleveland television station to follow a growing national trend in starting its weekday morning newscasts at 4:30 a.m.

====''News 5'' era====
On September 26, 2016, the station retired the ''NewsChannel 5'' name for its newscasts, becoming simply ''News 5''. At the same time, the station began using a graphic identity similar to that of British television network [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] (which used a similar logo from February 2011 to February 2016).

In 2017, longtime WEWS anchors [[Leon Bibb (newscaster)|Leon Bibb]] and Lee Jordan both announced their retirements from the station. Bibb had served as an anchor/reporter at the station since 1995 (coming over from WKYC where he had spent 16 years previous), while Jordan started at WEWS in 1987 as a co-host of ''[[The Morning Exchange]]'' before becoming an evening news anchor in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/tv/leon-bibb-and-lee-jordan-retiring-from-cleveland-s-wews-channel-5-1.779447 |title=Bibb and Jordan retiring from WEWS - Ohio.com (Akron Beacon Journal) |access-date=July 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728034618/http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/tv/leon-bibb-and-lee-jordan-retiring-from-cleveland-s-wews-channel-5-1.779447 |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> To honor their tenures at the station, WEWS renamed their newsroom the Leon Bibb Newsroom, and their main studio the Lee Jordan News Studio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RobPowersTV/status/891470232195407873|title=Bibb & Jordan honored - Rob Powers' Twitter page}}</ref>

On June 26, 2023, following the cancellation of ''The List'', WEWS began airing ''The Debrief'', a nightly newscast airing at 7 p.m. originating from and simulcast on [[Scripps News]]—a sister network of WEWS, as part of a plan by Scripps to integrate Scripps News programming on their main network affiliates as a way to promote Scripps News and increase the network's exposure.<ref name="News">{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/scripps-local-stations-now-airing-scripps-news-national-focused-content/|title=Scripps Local Stations Now Airing Scripps News National-Focused Content|first=Mark|last=Miller|date=June 27, 2023|website=TV News Check}}</ref>  Scripps News ceased operations as a linear channel on November 16, 2024, and with that ''The Debrief'' was canceled, and a new local 7 p.m. newscast debuted on November 18, 2024.

====Honors====
Two plaques outside the WEWS building commemorate the station's historical contributions.  The Ohio Historical Society placed a marker right outside TV 5's building, specifically noting Dorothy Fuldheim's career at the station.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?%2F1812 |title=Dorothy Fuldheim marker - Ohio Historical Society |access-date=January 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215223538/http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?%2F1812 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>  The second marker (located on the wall leading up to the front door of the station) is from the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]], honoring the station (along with producer Herman Spero and host Don Webster) as being the home of the popular music series ''Upbeat!'' and that program's contributions to Rock and Roll's history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2016/06/vintage_cleveland_upbeat_pushe.html|title=Vintage Cleveland: 'Upbeat' showcased top music acts of 1960s|date=June 9, 2016|website=cleveland}}</ref>

====Notable current on-air staff====
* [[Rob Powers]] – anchor

====Notable alumni====
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Ernie Anderson]]
* [[Leon Bibb (newscaster)|Leon Bibb]]
* [[Nev Chandler]]
* [[Liz Claman]]
* [[Joel Daly]]
* [[Dick Feagler]]
* [[Dorothy Fuldheim]]
* [[John Hambrick]]
* [[Ted Henry]]
* [[Chris Hernandez]]
* [[Bill Jorgensen]]
* [[Paige Palmer]]
* [[Michael Reghi]]
* [[Michael Settonni]]
* [[Gib Shanley]]
* [[Wilma Smith (newscaster)|Wilma Smith]]
* [[Robin Swoboda]]
* [[Tim Taylor (newscaster)|Tim Taylor]]
* [[Matt Underwood]]
* [[Don Webster (media personality)|Don Webster]]

{{div col end}}

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WEWS-TV<ref name="rei">{{cite web |title=Digital TV Market Listing for WEWS |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WEWS#station |access-date=July 19, 2017 |website=[[RabbitEars.info]] |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.1
| [[720p]] || rowspan="6" | [[16:9]] || WEWS-HD || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.2
| rowspan="5" | [[480i]] || GRIT || [[Grit (TV network)|Grit]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.3
| LAFF || [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.4
| IONPLUS || [[Ion Plus]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.5
| HSN || [[HSN]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 5.6
| QVC || [[QVC]]
|}

On May 26, 2011, it was announced that WEWS (along with other Scripps stations around the country) had signed a deal to carry the [[Live Well Network]] on their [[digital subchannels]]. the network began to be carried on digital subchannel 5.2 on September 5, 2011. The subchannel is also currently available on select northeast Ohio cable providers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/entertainment/television/wews-to-launch-live-well-network-on-5-2-digital-subchannel |title=WEWS to launch 'Live Well Network' on 5.2 digital subchannel |publisher=Newsnet5.com |date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818180652/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/entertainment/television/wews-to-launch-live-well-network-on-5-2-digital-subchannel |archive-date=August 18, 2012 }}</ref>

Live Well Network announced they would be going off the air in April 2015, and as a result 5.2 switched to the classic TV network [[Cozi TV]] at 10 a.m. on April 8.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/cozi-tv-charlies-angels-murder-she-wrote-the-bionic-woman-among-new-offering-on-52 |title=Cozi TV and Laff TV coming to 5.2 |access-date=April 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408004819/http://www.newsnet5.com/about-us/cozi-tv-charlies-angels-murder-she-wrote-the-bionic-woman-among-new-offering-on-52 |archive-date=April 8, 2015 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The comedy network [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]] debuted on the newly activated 5.3 subchannel a week later. 5.3 was activated on April 7 and ran continuous promos for the network's launch prior to the official premiere date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/18/abc-scripps-to-carry-new-broadcast-network-dedicated-to-comedy/351686/|title=ABC, Scripps to Carry New Broadcast Network Dedicated to Comedy - Ratings|date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118215348/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/18/abc-scripps-to-carry-new-broadcast-network-dedicated-to-comedy/351686/ |archive-date=January 18, 2015 }}</ref>  On April 14, 2017, WEWS discontinued COZI on 5.2 and replaced it with [[Grit (TV network)|Grit]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dawidziak|first1=Mark|title=WEWS replaces Cozi TV programming with Grit on 5.2 channel|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2017/04/wews_replaces_cozi_tv_programming_with_grit_on_52_channel.html|access-date=July 19, 2017|work=The Plain Dealer|date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> On November 16, 2024, [[Ion Mystery]] replaced Grit on 5.2, which reverted back a few months later on January 7, 2025.

On March 1, 2021, 5.5 was activated, airing [[HSN]] programming. A year and a half later in September 2022, 5.6 was activated, airing [[QVC]] programming.

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WEWS-TV shut down its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 5, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 15,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 5.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.news5cleveland.com/}}

{{Cleveland TV}}
{{ABC Ohio}}
{{EWS CORP}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wews-Tv}}
[[Category:1947 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:E. W. Scripps Company television stations]]
[[Category:Grit (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Historic Rock and Roll Landmarks]]
[[Category:Laff (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1947]]
[[Category:Television stations in Cleveland|EWS-TV]]