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    Current Conditions in Peoria:
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    WIND HUMIDITY
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    67°     		MON

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  • We Hear You 
    Shorter School Day

    Do you agree with District 150's decision to shorten the school day?
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  • Community Calendar 
    «- May 2008 -»
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  • The History Behind WMBD 
    "This is WMBD on the World's Most Beautiful Drive at Peoria, Illinois."  With those words on February 14, 1927, the station began its history of broadcasting under those call letters. Enos Kahler was the speaker, the site was his own living room and the equipment consisted of a generator, transmitter, and microphone that he himself had built.

    From that early beginning WMBD occupied quarters on the second floor of what is now the downtown First National Bank Building and in the historic old Majestic Theatre - well-known in bygone vaudeville days. The building, with its many floors ranging from sub-basement to small loft rooms, was an interesting, intriguing setting for the stations. Live entertainment performances took place in the large studio there and included singers, a 16-piece band, a studio pipe organ,     and two grand pianos. Weekly auditions were held for announcers, dramatists and comedians. Among the live presentations were Farmer Bill's specialties, the Saturday Night Barn Dances...and the reading of the Sunday funnies.

    Because of downtown development taking place in the 1970's, it became necessary for WMBD to move once again. After tremendous effort in transforming an empty warehouse-type structure to that of a viable broadcasting unit, WMBD moved to its present location at 3131 North University in June, 1977, still remaining Peoria's only commercial television station to actually have studios in the city itself.

    WMBD-TV's first sign-on was January 1, 1958; in the early 1960's it was the first local station to broadcast color television. It became the area's first stereo television station in September, 1988.

    In 1999 WMBD-TV and our sister station in Champaign WCIA-TV were purchased by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group based in Texas.  In 2002 Nexstar and The Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into a Leased Management Agreement for WMBD to operate WYZZ-TV, the Fox affiliate for Central Illinois. 

    Through the years, WMBD has been a stopping-off place for many of the great names in broadcasting. Some of those names are Jack Brickhouse, Jim Jensen, John Coleman, Vince Lloyd, Carol LeBeau, Sally Larvick, Bruce Asbury, Bob Starr, Bob Jamieson, Tom Kelly, Faith Daniels, Bob Buck, Mark Holtz, Jack Quinlan, Martin Savage and Susan Parks.

  • Station Address 
    WMBD WYZZ TV
    3131 N. University
    Peoria, IL  61604
    (309) 688-3131

    Bloom-Normal News/Sales
    2714 E. Lincoln
    Bloomington, IL  61701
    Sales (309) 661-4343
    News (309) 827-3791

  • WMBD/WYZZ Sales Staff 
    Peoria Sales Team
    Peoria Team Manager
    Nik Adams - 686-9486

    Debbie Bart - 686-9482
    Bret Johnson - 686-9415
    Autumn Pollard - 686-9479
    Cindy Tinker - 686-9435
    Cyndi Yeargain - 686-9417
    Rick Lusiak - 686-9416

    Bloomington Normal Sales Team
    Bloomington Team Manager
    Curt Bolak     664-9411

    Dave Scott   664-9409
    Ray Rybarczyk   664-9430
    Delores Mast   664-9417
    Dee Beisel   664-9408

    Internet Sales Director
    Paul Zarvell - 686-9438

  • The CBS Eye 
    On Oct. 17, 1951, CBS unveiled its new logo, the CBS Eye -- which was destined to become an American icon, recognized and respected around the world, and one of the best crafted, most identifiable and most successful corporate symbols in history. Click here to read more about its history...

  • Meet the WMBD 31 Team 
    Take a moment to meet WMBD 31's team.  Click here to learn more about the people who are "Taking Action for You!" . . .


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