WAGM-TV

WAGM-TV is a full-power commercial television station licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, and serving Aroostook County and nearby communities in western New Brunswick. The station broadcasts on VHF channel 8 and is affiliated with CBS on its main service. Its digital operation also carries Fox and The CW Plus programming, giving the station a multi-network presence in one of the smallest and most geographically extensive television markets in the United States. WAGM is owned by Gray Media and operates alongside Gray's low-power NBC affiliate WWPI-CD. Both stations share facilities on Brewer Road in Presque Isle, while WAGM's transmitter is located on the northern portion of Mars Hill Mountain, near the region's wind turbines. WAGM began broadcasting on October 13, 1956, after construction of a facility costing approximately $250,000. It was established by Harold Glidden and the Aroostook Broadcasting Corporation in association with WAGM radio. The station initially operated as a CBS affiliate, later shifted to NBC as part of a broader relationship with Bangor station WABI-TV, and retained secondary programming from CBS and ABC. It returned to primary CBS affiliation in 1959. For many years, WAGM selected programs from all three major commercial networks, a practical arrangement for a remote market with limited local broadcast competition. As cable and satellite distribution expanded, the need for one station to carry several networks diminished. ABC programming was eliminated in 1998, and the final NBC program, Days of Our Lives, left the schedule in 2005. The station had an unusual relationship with Fox. During the 1990s, WAGM carried selected Fox programming, including National Football Conference games, at a time when the market lacked a dedicated Fox affiliate. This temporarily made WAGM one of the rare American stations to carry programming from CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. After CBS acquired the American Football Conference rights in 1998, Fox service for the area was supplied through Foxnet until WAGM launched a dedicated Fox digital service in 2006. Fox was initially placed on the station's primary digital position, with CBS moved to a secondary digital channel, but the arrangement was later reversed so CBS returned to the main channel and Fox occupied the second subchannel. WAGM's transmitter moved in 1999 to a substantially higher site on Mars Hill Mountain, improving reception across the large rural coverage area. Digital broadcasting began in the early 2000s, and the station completed the United States digital transition in June 2009 by ending its analog transmission and returning its digital signal to VHF channel 8 with greater power. A third digital service, The County's CW 8.3, launched in 2018. It replaced a long-running cable-only CW service that had originated as a WB 100+ channel in 1998. Local news is a central part of WAGM's identity. Its NewsSource 8 broadcasts have historically achieved exceptionally strong audience shares in the Aroostook County market. The station reports on local government, agriculture, schools, weather, sports, and cross-border issues, while also covering western New Brunswick. Its programming includes the Potato Picker's Special, a seasonal early-morning service providing information from area farms during the potato harvest. In November 2024, Gray Media replaced WAGM's locally produced weekday morning newscast with a simulcast of WABI-TV's Bangor morning program, while other WAGM newscasts continued to be produced in Presque Isle.

WAGM-TV was established to provide commercial television service to northern Maine, a remote region whose communities had limited access to local broadcast outlets. Ground was broken for the station's facility in June 1956, and WAGM-TV signed on October 13 of that year from Presque Isle on VHF channel 8. The original owner was Harold Glidden's Aroostook Broadcasting Corporation, which also operated WAGM radio. The first television affiliation was CBS. In 1957, Glidden sold Aroostook Broadcasting to Community Broadcasting System, a company associated with former Maine governor Horace Hildreth and Bangor broadcaster WABI. WAGM subsequently shifted its primary affiliation to NBC, while continuing to carry selected CBS and ABC programs. The station returned to primary CBS affiliation in 1959, but its schedule continued to draw programming from multiple major networks. This was a practical response to the market's rural geography and the absence of separate local affiliates for every network. Community Broadcasting System merged with Journal Publications in 1971, creating Diversified Communications. WAGM-TV remained part of that ownership group until 1984, when it was sold to NEP Communications. Although NEP later sold its Pennsylvania station WNEP-TV to The New York Times Company, it retained WAGM under the NEPSK, Inc. licensee name. Ownership later included Tom Shelburne, Peter Kozloski, and Norman Johnston; Kozloski became the station's sole owner in 1991 while retaining the NEPSK identity. During the 1980s and 1990s, WAGM gradually reduced its reliance on secondary network affiliations. Cable and satellite services made distant network programming more accessible to Aroostook County viewers, and broadcasters in New Brunswick also reached parts of the market. WAGM dropped ABC programming entirely in 1998 and ended its remaining NBC programming in 2005. The station had also carried selected UPN programs during late-night and weekend periods from 1995 until the network's 2006 merger with The WB to create The CW. Fox's acquisition of National Football Conference football rights in 1994 produced an unusual local arrangement. Because the Presque Isle market did not yet have a regular Fox affiliate, WAGM aired Fox football while continuing to provide CBS, NBC, and ABC selections. The arrangement ended after CBS acquired AFC rights in 1998. Foxnet then supplied Fox programming to the region until WAGM created a digital Fox service in 2006. The station improved its technical coverage by moving its transmitter in 1999 from the vicinity of its studios to a higher site on Mars Hill Mountain. Its first digital signal began operating in the early 2000s, with the precise launch date described differently in available station and regulatory references. For the June 2009 digital transition, WAGM shut down its analog channel 8 and previous digital channel 16 transmission and began broadcasting a more powerful digital signal on channel 8. WAGM launched its Fox digital service in September 2006, initially placing Fox on the primary digital position and moving CBS to a secondary channel. By approximately 2017, CBS had returned to the main channel and Fox occupied digital channel 8.2 in high definition. The station expanded its network portfolio again in September 2018 when WAGM-DT3 launched as The County's CW 8.3. This service replaced a cable-only WB/CW channel that had served Presque Isle since 1998. Local journalism has remained the station's principal differentiator. NewsSource 8 covers Aroostook County, an area larger than many U.S. states' combined local jurisdictions, as well as weather and selected news from western New Brunswick. The station has regularly achieved very high local-news audience shares. Agriculture is reflected in the long-running Potato Picker's Special, which provides seasonal harvest information during the region's potato-picking period. WAGM has also maintained a strong local sports presence; longtime sports journalist Rene Cloukey retired in November 2024 after four decades at the station. Gray Television acquired WAGM in 2015 for $10.25 million, making it Gray's first station in the northeastern United States. Gray subsequently announced the acquisition of WABI-TV in Bangor in 2017, reuniting WAGM with a station connected to its earlier ownership history and enabling resource sharing. In November 2024, Gray replaced WAGM's locally produced weekday morning newscast with a simulcast from WABI, while retaining local production for the station's other news programs. WAGM continues to operate as a CBS affiliate with Fox and CW Plus digital services.

1. 2024Weekday morning news production is consolidated

   WAGM replaces its locally produced weekday morning newscast with a simulcast from WABI-TV.

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2. 2018CW Plus moves to WAGM digital television

   The County's CW 8.3 launches as the market's over-the-air CW Plus service.

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3. 2015Gray Television acquires WAGM-TV

   Gray completes its acquisition of WAGM for $10.25 million.

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4. 2009Digital transition is completed

   WAGM ends analog transmission and begins its more powerful post-transition digital service on channel 8.

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5. 2006Dedicated Fox digital service launches

   WAGM launches a Fox service as Foxnet ends in the market.

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6. 2005Remaining NBC programming ends

   The final NBC program carried by WAGM, Days of Our Lives, leaves the schedule.

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7. 1999Transmitter moves to Mars Hill Mountain

   The transmitter is relocated to a higher site, materially improving signal coverage.

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8. 1998ABC programming ends

   WAGM drops its remaining ABC programming as network distribution becomes more widely available through cable and satellite.

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9. 1991Peter Kozloski assumes full ownership

   Kozloski becomes the station's sole owner under the NEPSK, Inc. licensee name.

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10. 1984WAGM-TV is sold to NEP Communications

    Diversified Communications sells the station to NEP Communications.

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11. 1971Diversified Communications is formed

    Community Broadcasting System merges with Journal Publications, forming Diversified Communications.

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12. 1959Primary CBS affiliation returns

    WAGM returns to primary CBS status after a period in which NBC was its principal affiliation.

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13. 1957Ownership changes to Community Broadcasting System

    Aroostook Broadcasting Corporation is sold to Community Broadcasting System, associated with Horace Hildreth and WABI-TV.

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14. 1956WAGM-TV begins broadcasting

    The station signs on October 13 from Presque Isle as a CBS affiliate on VHF channel 8.

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A locally focused, multi-network broadcast station serving the geographically broad and rural Aroostook County market, with strong emphasis on local news, weather, agriculture, sports, and community information.

• WAGM-TV CBSBroadcast television network affiliate1956

  The station's primary service carries the full CBS schedule, local NewsSource 8 newscasts, weather, sports, public-affairs material, and community programming for Presque Isle and surrounding Aroostook County. CBS returned to the station's principal affiliation in 1959 and remains the core of WAGM's broadcast identity.

• WAGM Fox 8Digital broadcast subchannel2006

  WAGM's Fox service launched in 2006 to replace Foxnet in the Presque Isle market. It carries Fox network programming and local news, including a prime-time news format introduced with the service. After several channel-placement changes, Fox operates on digital subchannel 8.2.

• The County's CW 8.3Digital broadcast subchannel2018

  This digital subchannel carries The CW Plus feed, including network and syndicated programming intended for smaller markets. WAGM handles local advertising and promotion. It launched in 2018 after the market's earlier CW service had operated solely as a cable channel.

• NewsSource 8Local news service

  NewsSource 8 is WAGM's local news brand, covering Aroostook County and selected western New Brunswick stories. Its output includes local reporting, weather, sports, and community information. The station's newscasts have historically ranked among the highest-rated local news programs in the United States by market share.

• Potato Picker's SpecialAgricultural information program

  A seasonal program associated with the Aroostook County potato harvest. Broadcast during the fall picking period, it provides information from local farms and has aired on WAGM's radio or television services for more than five decades.

• 2024Consolidation of weekday morning news productionStrategy

  Gray Media operated WAGM in Presque Isle and WABI-TV in Bangor, creating an opportunity to share some news programming and resources.

  What changed. Gray discontinued WAGM's locally produced weekday morning newscast and substituted a simulcast of WABI's morning broadcast.

  Aftermath. WAGM retained local production for its other newscasts, but its weekday morning news became a shared regional product.

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• 2018Launch of The County's CW 8.3Product launch

  The market's CW programming had previously been available through a cable-only channel that originated as a WB 100+ service in 1998.

  What changed. WAGM launched a third digital subchannel carrying The CW Plus on September 10, 2018.

  Aftermath. The CW gained an over-the-air presence in the market under the brand The County's CW 8.3, while the earlier cable service was replaced.

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• 2015Sale to Gray TelevisionM&A

  WAGM had been independently controlled under the NEPSK ownership structure since Peter Kozloski assumed full ownership in 1991.

  What changed. Gray Television agreed to acquire WAGM-TV for $10.25 million; the sale closed on July 1, 2015, after FCC approval.

  Aftermath. WAGM became Gray's first television station in the northeastern United States and joined a larger broadcast group.

  Acquisition price. 10250000 USD (2015 transaction)

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• 2009Transition from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  The United States television industry was moving to mandatory digital transmission, requiring full-power stations to discontinue analog operations.

  What changed. WAGM ended its analog channel 8 transmission at midnight on June 12, 2009, and began a higher-power digital channel 8 service the following day.

  Aftermath. The station retained channel 8 for digital viewing while improving the technical reach of its service.

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• 2006Launch of a dedicated Fox digital serviceProduct launch

  The Presque Isle market had depended on Foxnet because it lacked a regular Fox affiliate. Foxnet was scheduled to end service in Maine, creating a need for a local Fox outlet.

  What changed. WAGM launched Fox programming digitally on September 12, 2006, while moving CBS programming to a secondary digital channel.

  Aftermath. The market received a local Fox service, and Fox later settled on digital channel 8.2 after CBS returned to the main channel.

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• 2025Rogers Cable drops WAGM-TV in northwestern New Brunswick

  Rogers Cable removed WAGM-TV from service in several northwestern New Brunswick communities, ending a long period of cable distribution in parts of Canada.

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• 2024WAGM ends locally produced weekday morning newscast

  Gray Media eliminated WAGM's locally produced weekday morning program and substituted a simulcast from Gray-owned WABI-TV in Bangor. Other WAGM newscasts remained locally produced.

  Leadership change
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• 2018The County's CW 8.3 launches

  WAGM launched a terrestrial digital subchannel carrying The CW Plus, replacing the market's previous cable-only CW service.

  Product launch
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• 2017Gray Television announces purchase of WABI-TV

  Gray announced plans to acquire Bangor station WABI-TV, creating an ownership relationship with WAGM and offering opportunities to share news-gathering and other resources.

  M&A
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• 2015WAGM-TV is sold to Gray Television

  Gray Television agreed to acquire WAGM-TV for $10.25 million. The transaction closed on July 1, 2015, after regulatory approval.

  M&A
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1. WAGM-TV