WMBD-TV is a CBS–affiliated television station licensed to Peoria, Illinois, United States and serving the North-Central Illinois television market. It broadcasts a high definitiondigital signal on UHF channel 30 (or virtual channel 31 via PSIP) from a transmitter on Pinecrest Drive in East Peoria, a section of Groveland Township, Tazewell County. The station is owned by the Nexstar Media Group, which also operates Bloomington-licensed Fox affiliate WYZZ-TV (channel 43) under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with owner Cunningham Broadcasting. The two stations share studio facilities on North University Street in Peoria.
The station signed on January 1, 1958 as the third television outlet in the Peoria market after WEEK-TV (channel 25) and WTVH (channel 19, formally WHOI). Airing an analog signal on UHF channel 31, it was originally owned by John Fetzer along with WMBD radio (AM 1470 and FM 93.3, now WPBG). All three stations took their calls from a local legend that PresidentTheodore Roosevelt once described Grandview Drive (original home of WMBD radio) as “the World’s Most Beautiful Drive.” [1] WMBD radio had long been a CBS affiliate, so naturally channel 31 took over the CBS affiliation from WTVH.
