WICS
WICS is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Springfield and western Central Illinois, with WICD operating as its eastern-market semi-satellite.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WICS is a television station licensed to Springfield, Illinois, and identified on air as NewsChannel 20. It serves the western portion of the Central Illinois television market and operates alongside WICD, channel 15 in Champaign–Urbana, which functions as a semi-satellite. The two stations share network and syndicated programming, website infrastructure, master-control functions, and most local newscasts, while WICD retains separate commercial inserts and legal identifications. Together they are generally treated as one ratings and regulatory unit. The station began broadcasting on September 17, 1953, under Plains Television Partners, a joint venture involving Transcontinental Properties and the H & E Balaban Corporation. In its early years, WICS carried programming from NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont, although NBC was its primary affiliation. Its Springfield signal had limited reach across the largely UHF Central Illinois market, so the owners developed an eastern extension strategy. WCHU began operating in Champaign in 1959 as a low-power satellite, and Plains Television acquired WDAN-TV in Danville in 1960, converting it into WICD. These operations were consolidated in 1967 into a full-power channel 15 station under the WICD call sign. WICS originally operated from the Leland Hotel in downtown Springfield before moving in 1964 to studios on East Cook Street in the city’s Eastside. Plains Television sold WICS to Guy Gannett Communications in 1986, while retaining WICD until 1994. The stations continued to operate as a regional network, sharing most programming while attempting to preserve local coverage in both halves of the market. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired the stations in 1999 as part of its purchase of most Guy Gannett stations. A proposed resale to Sunrise Television was blocked by Federal Communications Commission ownership rules, after the agency concluded that Sunrise’s ownership links could have created an impermissible duopoly with WAND. Sinclair ultimately retained the stations. WICS and WICD changed from NBC to ABC on September 5, 2005, swapping affiliations with WAND as part of a broader NBC–LIN affiliation arrangement. The change made WICS the ABC affiliate for Springfield and much of western Central Illinois, while WICD supplied comparable ABC service in the eastern portion of the market. The stations also became involved in shared-service and joint-sales arrangements with other area outlets, including Fox affiliates WRSP-TV and WCCU and CW affiliate WBUI. WICS provides or has provided production, sales, technical, and operational support for those stations. The WICS news operation has progressively shifted from separate station-based broadcasts toward centralized, market-wide programming. It produces newscasts for WICD and has supplied prime-time and morning programming for associated Fox stations. WICD ended its separate weekend newscasts in 2011 and largely discontinued its separate weekday local-news operation in 2015, with eastern Illinois coverage continuing through a reduced bureau and contributions from local journalists. WICS upgraded its local newscasts to high definition in 2012. The station has also carried Sinclair corporate initiatives, including the former one-minute political commentary feature The Point. Sinclair sold WICS and WICD to Rincon Broadcasting Group, led by Todd Parkin, in a transaction approved by the FCC on July 1, 2025, and completed on July 9, 2025. WICS remains an active ABC affiliate, broadcasting from Springfield with its transmitter west of Mechanicsburg in unincorporated Sangamon County.
History
WICS began broadcasting from Springfield on September 17, 1953. Its original owner, Plains Television Partners, was jointly controlled by Transcontinental Properties and the H & E Balaban Corporation. The station initially carried programs from all four major television networks then operating in the area, with NBC as its primary affiliation. It also provided secondary CBS and ABC programming because of limitations in the regional station lineup and the uneven reach of existing signals. The station’s early facilities were located at the Leland Hotel in downtown Springfield. In 1964, WICS moved to its current East Cook Street studio complex. Because UHF transmission technology then provided relatively limited coverage, WICS could not adequately serve the eastern half of the large East Central Illinois market. Plains Television addressed this problem by launching WCHU in Champaign as a low-power satellite in 1959 and acquiring WDAN-TV in Danville the following year, changing that station’s call sign to WICD. WCHU and WICD were consolidated in 1967 into a full-power channel 15 operation using the WICD identity. The resulting WICS–WICD arrangement created a regional network with shared programming and coordinated operations. WICS became an exclusive NBC affiliate by 1958. Plains Television sold WICS to Guy Gannett Communications in 1986, but did not sell WICD until 1994. During this period, the stations continued to share most network and syndicated content. The arrangement placed financial and operational pressure on WICD and at times raised the possibility that it would function almost entirely as a WICS satellite. Guy Gannett ultimately acquired WICD, restoring common ownership. Sinclair Broadcast Group bought most of Guy Gannett’s stations, including WICS and WICD, in 1999. Sinclair briefly proposed selling the stations to Sunrise Television, but the FCC rejected the transaction because Sunrise’s ownership relationships could have produced an impermissible overlap with WAND. Sinclair therefore retained the stations after ownership restrictions later became more permissive. On September 5, 2005, WICS and WICD moved from NBC to ABC in an affiliation swap with WAND. The stations subsequently expanded their operational relationships with other Central Illinois broadcasters. In 2012, Sinclair acquired the non-license assets of GOCOM Media stations WRSP/WCCU and WBUI and provided them with sales and other services through shared-service and joint-sales agreements. Those stations were eventually consolidated operationally with WICS and WICD facilities. WICS has increasingly served as the production hub for regional local news. It produces programming carried by WICD and has supplied prime-time and morning broadcasts for WRSP/WCCU. WICD ended separate weekend news in 2011 and separate weekday local newscasts in 2015, while continuing to contribute eastern-market reporting. WICS local news converted to high definition in 2012. In 2019, the station became the center of a public dispute after meteorologist Joe Crain was dismissed following criticism of Sinclair’s Code Red weather-alert policy. WICS completed the United States digital television transition on February 17, 2009, retaining virtual channel 20 while transmitting digitally on UHF channel 42. On July 9, 2025, ownership transferred from Sinclair to Rincon Broadcasting Group following FCC approval of the transaction. The station continues to operate as an ABC affiliate serving Springfield and western Central Illinois, with WICD serving the eastern side of the combined market.
- 2025
Rincon Broadcasting Group takes ownership
[1]The FCC approves the sale of WICS and WICD to Rincon Broadcasting Group on July 1; the transaction closes July 9.
- 2015
WICD weekday news is centralized
[1]Separate WICD weekday newscasts end, with WICS-produced market-wide broadcasts taking their place.
- 2012
Local news moves to high definition
[1]WICS upgrades its local newscasts and studio presentation to high definition.
- 2011
Weekend news becomes simulcast
[1]WICD stops producing separate weekend newscasts and begins carrying WICS-produced broadcasts.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]WICS ends analog broadcasting and continues with digital transmission on channel 42 using virtual channel 20.
- 2005
WICS becomes an ABC affiliate
[1]WICS and WICD exchange affiliations with WAND and begin carrying ABC programming.
- 1999
Sinclair acquires the stations
[1]Sinclair Broadcast Group purchases WICS and WICD in its acquisition of most Guy Gannett stations.
- 1994
Guy Gannett acquires WICD
[1]WICS and WICD return to common ownership under Guy Gannett.
- 1986
Guy Gannett acquires WICS
[1]Plains Television sells WICS to Guy Gannett Communications while retaining WICD for several more years.
- 1967
WICD becomes a full-power regional partner
[1]WCHU and WICD are consolidated into a full-power channel 15 station operating under the WICD call sign.
Products and positioning
A regional ABC television news and entertainment service centered on Springfield, with coordinated coverage across western and eastern Central Illinois through WICS and WICD.
Television station · 1953
WICS broadcast service
The station’s core offering is free, over-the-air ABC-affiliated television for Springfield and western Central Illinois. Its schedule combines ABC network programming, syndicated programs, local news, weather, sports coverage, public-affairs content, and station-produced promotional material. The station broadcasts from Springfield and uses virtual channel 20.
Local news brand
NewsChannel 20
NewsChannel 20 is the principal local-news identity associated with WICS. Its programming provides news, weather, traffic, sports, and community reporting for the Springfield-centered market and is also used in coordinated broadcasts carried by WICD. The operation has increasingly emphasized shared, market-wide production rather than fully separate Springfield and Champaign news departments.
Regional newscast · 2011
ABC NewsChannel
ABC NewsChannel is a shared news presentation used for WICS and WICD broadcasts. It reflects the stations’ combined-market operating model, with Springfield production supplemented by reporting from the eastern portion of Central Illinois.
Morning news program · 2014
Good Day Illinois
Good Day Illinois is a weekday morning program produced by WICS for the area’s Fox affiliates. The two-hour broadcast provides a local alternative to national morning television and extends WICS’s production role beyond its own ABC service.
Controversies
2019
Joe Crain dismissal and Code Red weather-alert controversy
WICS meteorologist Joe Crain was dismissed after criticizing Sinclair’s policy requiring weather-producing stations to use Code Red terminology for designated severe-weather threats. Viewers, local commentators, and Senator Dick Durbin objected that the system could overstate risks and create unnecessary alarm. Sinclair continued the policy and advertised for a replacement meteorologist.
Brand decisions
2025
Sale to Rincon Broadcasting GroupM&ABackground
Sinclair announced the sale of WICS, WICD, and three other stations to Rincon Broadcasting Group, led by Todd Parkin.
Action taken
The FCC approved the transaction on July 1, and Rincon completed the acquisition on July 9.
Aftermath
WICS and WICD became Rincon-owned television stations while continuing their established ABC-affiliate and shared-market operations.
2015
End WICD’s separate weekday local newscastsStrategyBackground
Sinclair sought greater operational integration across WICS and WICD while retaining reporting coverage in eastern Central Illinois.
Action taken
WICD stopped producing separate weekday newscasts after April 3, replacing them with WICS-produced broadcasts and a smaller eastern Illinois reporting bureau.
Aftermath
WICS became the principal news-production center for the combined market. WCCU separately introduced a Champaign-focused prime-time newscast.
2011
Centralize weekend news productionStrategyBackground
WICS and WICD shared substantial personnel and video resources, and the stations were increasingly operated as one ratings unit.
Action taken
WICD ended its separate weekend newscasts and simulcast WICS-produced broadcasts.
Aftermath
The change expanded the market-wide news model and reduced duplicated production between the two stations.
2005
Switch from NBC to ABCStrategyBackground
WICS and WICD had long been associated with NBC, while WAND carried ABC in the same regional market. A broader affiliation arrangement involving LIN and NBC led to an exchange of network affiliations.
Action taken
WICS and WICD became ABC affiliates on September 5, 2005, after their existing NBC agreement expired.
Aftermath
The stations became the ABC service for Springfield and much of Central Illinois, while WAND assumed NBC affiliation.
Recent events
Sinclair stations receive 28 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards[2]
Reported:
Sinclair Broadcast Group said 18 of its news stations and partner stations were honored with a total of 28 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for journalism.
Sources2 sources
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