WCSH is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire. Licensed to Portland, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 (PSIP virtual channel 6) from a transmitter on Winn Mountain in Sebago. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 6, and Comcast channel 96. There is a high definition signal offered on Comcast digital channel 504 and Time Warner Cable digital channel 506. Owned by Gannett, WCSH has studios at Congress Square in Downtown Portland. Syndicated programming on WCSH includes: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Doctors, Anderson and Inside Edition.

WCSH is the sister station to Maine's other NBC affiliate, WLBZ in Bangor. For all intents and purposes, WLBZ is a semi-satellite of WCSH. It simulcasts most of WCSH's newscasts and clears most of its syndicated programming (though in some cases at different times). There are also programs that only air on WLBZ while some are only seen on WCSH. Syndicated programming exclusive to this station includes Cash Cab. WLBZ also airs separate station identifications and commercials. Although WCSH and WLBZ are based in different locations and technically serve separate markets, the two essentially operate as one station. With their combined resources, the stations provide statewide coverage not offered by any other outlet in Maine.

Digital programming[link]

On WCSH-DT2 as well as Comcast and Time Warner Cable digital channel 166 is a 24-hour local news and weather channel. The stations have produced an eight minute newscast that is looped every 10 minutes and is updated throughout the day.

History[link]

WCSH-TV signed on December 20, 1953 from studios at the Congress Square Hotel in downtown Portland. The station was owned by the Rines family through their Maine Broadcasting System; the family had built the hotel in 1896, and established WCSH radio (970 AM, now WZAN) on the top floor in 1925.^[1][2][3] It has always been an NBC affiliate, although during the late-1950s, the station was also briefly associated with the NTA Film Network.^[4] In 1958, the Rines family acquired WTWO in Bangor from Murray Carpenter, and renamed it WLBZ-TV (after WLBZ radio, now WZON, which the family had owned since 1944). Although the two television stations were now sister stations, they remained completely separate entities. At various points, the Maine Broadcasting System also included WRDO radio in Augusta and KMEG in Sioux City, Iowa, with WCSH-AM-TV as its flagship.

In 1977, WCSH-TV moved to new facilities across the street from the hotel at One Congress Square, where it remains today. The radio stations were sold off in 1981; in 1997, the -TV suffix was dropped. In the mid-1990s, WCSH added a website providing 24-hour news and weather coverage outside newscasts.

In 1998, the Maine Broadcasting System (by this time controlled by the Rines-Thompson family) sold WCSH and WLBZ to current owner Gannett. Since 2000, WLBZ has for all intents and purposes been a semi-satellite of WCSH; as early as 1989, WLBZ had been reducing its personnel and consolidating some internal operations with WCSH.

WCSH's digital signal on UHF channel 44 signed on in 2002, bringing high definition network television to the area. On June 12, 2009, WCSH ceased normal programming on analog VHF channel 6 and began providing a "nightlight" service. Until that date, the station's analog audio signal transmitted on a frequency of 87.75 MHz (+10 kHz shift). As a result, it could be picked up on the lower end of the dial on most FM radios at 87.7 MHz. This was true of all other analog channel 6 stations in the United States. The station often promoted this additional way of coverage. After the transition, the station continued its digital broadcasts on channel 44.^[5]

News operation[link]

CBS affiliate WGAN-TV/WGME-TV was dominant in local Nielsen ratings for many years. However, in the late 1980s, WCSH-TV surged to the top of the ratings, a position it has retained for the most part ever since. This is in part due to continuity in the station's key on-air staff, much of which have been with the station for over ten years. In addition, its resources include sister station WLBZ in Bangor, allowing statewide coverage not offered by any source in Maine.

Originally, WLBZ operated its own news department and produced local newscasts from its Bangor studios. In 1989, when that station began consolidation with WCSH, channel 6 began simulcasting some of its newscasts on WLBZ prepared with a statewide view. This has progressed to the current arrangement where that station only produces two weeknight newscasts, at 5 and 6. All other newscasts on both stations originate from Portland. As mentioned, these statewide programs tend to take on a regional feel with coverage from Portland, Bangor, or wherever news occurs around the state. WLBZ still produces its own weather segment from Bangor weeknights at 5:30 and 11 with meteorologist Steve McKay who is based in Bangor. On August 9, 2010, there was an expansion of the statewide weekday morning show to 4:30 with the new segment being called News Center Early Morning Report.

WCSH and WLBZ have branded their news operations as News Center since the 1970s, even before consolidating. Additionally, both stations featured Frank Gari's "Good News" music package from 1986 until October 22, 2008, when it was dropped (except during winter weather "Storm Center" coverage, as well as some station promos) in favor of standardized music (composed by Rampage Music New York, Inc.) and graphics seen on other Gannett stations.

After then-WB affiliate WPXT shut down its news department in fall 2002, WCSH and WLBZ entered into a news share agreement with that station, resulting in a nightly prime time newscast.^[6] Originally called News Center at 10 on Maine's WB 51, it was seen every night for thirty minutes. On weeknights, news and sports segments originated from WCSH's facilities while WLBZ produced the weather segment from its studios. Weekend broadcasts were aired entirely from Portland. News Center at 10 was formatted in a similar manner to the statewide newscasts, albeit with more of a Portland focus (as WPXT serves Portland but not Bangor). In September 2006, the production became known as News Center at 10 on The CW Portland after WPXT switched to The CW. WLBZ's role in the newscast was eliminated on November 6, 2008 when WCSH moved the prime time broadcast to its "News Center Weather Plus" feed and entirely reoriented the newscast to the Portland market (with WLBZ no longer doing the weather forecast). The "News Center Weather Plus" feed on WLBZ-DT2 and the live video on their websites was replaced with the national NBC Weather Plus service. News Center at 10 was eventually canceled by WCSH after a six year run. The partnership with WPXT will resume on October 31, 2011, with the addition of a 7 a.m. hour of WCSH's morning newscast branded as News Center Morning Report Xtra.^[7]

An outdoors and human-interest program called Bill Green's Maine airs Saturday nights at 7 on WCSH and WLBZ. In 2003, the station launched 207 (a local lifestyle/entertainment magazine-type show which airs weeknights at 7.) The "207" name comes from Maine's telephone area code. Although the program was initially replayed at 4:30 in the morning Tuesday through Saturdays on WLBZ, the program is no longer seen on that station.

On February 2, 2009, WLVP (870 AM) and WLAM (1470 AM) began simulcasting WCSH's weekday morning and early evening weeknights newscasts. This was done in order to continue availability of the broadcasts on radio even after WCSH's 87.7 MHz audio was discontinued following the shutdown of analog television signals.

In October 2005, WCSH and WLBZ began offering NBC Weather Plus on new second digital subchannels. Known as "News Center Weather Plus", the service could also be seen on the websites of both stations through live streaming video and digital cable. In late-December 2008 as a result of Weather Plus closing on a national level, WCSH-DT2 and WLBZ-DT2 shifted to a format featuring a loop of local news headlines and weather forecasts.^[8] The service retained the "News Center Weather Plus" branding and digital cable carriage but the online live video was dropped. WLBZ weeknight meteorologist Steve McKay can sometimes be seen on "News Center Weather Plus" providing statewide weather forecasts.

In addition to the main studios in Portland and Bangor, WCSH and WLBZ share two bureaus in the state. This includes the Midcoast Bureau (on Camden Street/US 1) in Rockport and the Lewiston/Auburn Bureau (on Main Street/ME 11/ME 100/US 202, across the street from WGME's bureau).

On August 26, 2011 WCSH began airing a promotional announcement (also published to its official YouTube channel) that the studio portion of its newscasts would soon be in high definition. The morning newscast on WPXT will be included in this upgrade, but will initially debut in standard definition.^[9] High definition newscasts commenced on October 23, 2011.

Newscast titles[link]

• Channel 6 News Journal (1953-?)
• WCSH Eyewitness News (1973–1977)
• (WCSH) News Center 6 (1977–present)
• News Center (2001–present, featured when simulcasting with WLBZ and combined news operation as a whole)

Station slogans[link]

• "Channel 6, Our Pride is Showing" (1981–1982, localized version of NBC ad campaign)
• "We're Channel 6, Just Watch Us Now" (1982–1983, localized version of NBC ad campaign)
• "Channel 6 There, Be There" (1983–1984, localized version of NBC ad campaign)
• "Channel 6, Let's All Be There" (1984–1986, localized version of NBC ad campaign)
• "Come Home To Channel 6" (1986–1987, localized version of NBC ad campaign) *"
• "6 Alive's The Place To Be" (1990–1992, localized version of NBC ad campaign)
• "Your 24 Hour NewsCenter" (1990–1994)
• "6 Alive, Count On Us" (early 1990s)
• "People You Know, News You Can Trust" (mid 2000s-2008)
• "Maine's Information Center" (2008–2011)
• "It's All Within Reach" (2011–present)

News team[link]

+ denotes personnel based at WLBZ

Anchors

• Lee Nelson - Monday mornings (5 to 7) Tuesday through Friday mornings (4:30 to 7) and rotating weekdays at noon
• Sharon Rose - Monday mornings (5 to 7) Tuesday through Friday mornings (4:30 to 7) and rotating weekdays at noon
• Cindy Williams - weeknights at 5, 5:30, and 6
• Pat Callaghan - weeknights at 5, 6, and 11
• Rob Caldwell - weeknights at 5:30 and 207 host
• Kathleen Shannon - weeknights at 11 and 207 host
• Jackie Ward- weekend mornings (also multimedia journalist)
• Amanda Hill - weekend evenings (also multimedia journalist)

News Center/Storm Center Meteorologists

• Kevin Mannix - weekday mornings
• Joe Cupo - weeknights
• Keith Carson - weekend mornings; Monday, Thursday, and Friday at noon
• Kelly LaBrecque - weekend evenings; Tuesday and Wednesday at noon
• + Steve McKay (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - seen occasionally on "News Center Weather Plus"

Sports (all seen on 5th Quarter)

• Lee Goldberg - 6pm and 11pm anchor on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday nights 6pm on Wednesdays.
• + Melissa Kim - sports multimedia journalist

Reporters

• Bill Green - general assignment and Bill Green's Maine host
• Don Carrigan - general assignment
• Caroline Cornish - general assignment and fill-in news anchor
• Chris Rose - general assignment and fill-in news anchor
• Vivien Leigh - general assignment

Multimedia journalists

• Jackie Ward - morning Report journalist
• Tim Goff - general
• Sarah Delage - general
• Amanda Hill - general
• + Max Cole - general
• + Bob Evans - general
• + Mike DeSumma - general
• + Audry Amann - general
• + John Zierow - general

Newsroom Management

• Maureen O'Brien - News Director
• Ken Christian - Web Manager
• Ted Varipatis - Assignment Manager
• Steve Sherburne - Chief Photographer
• Rob Wilber - Executive Producer

References[link]

• [1]

External links[link]

• Official website
• WCSH mobile
• WLBZ
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WCSH

Keller Williams
Williams at Langerado Music Festival March 9, 2008 Photo: Steve Moyles
Background information
Also known as	K-Dub, Keller
Born	(1970-02-04) February 4, 1970 (age 42) Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States
Genres	One-man band, rock, jam, progressive bluegrass, dance, funk, folk, alternative rock, jazz, reggae
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocalist, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, theremin, synthesizer, piano
Years active	1991–present
Labels	SCI Fidelity, Basil Leaf Music
Associated acts	The String Cheese Incident with Keller Williams Umphrey's McGee Yonder Mountain String Band Keller and The Keels The WMDs The Rhythm Devils
Website	http://kellerwilliams.net

Keller Williams (born February 4, 1970) is an American musician from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who began performing in the early 1990s. He is also known by the names K-Dub or just Keller, when performing. Williams' music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, and other assorted genres. He is often described as a 'one-man jam-band' due to his frequent use of live phrase looping with multiple instruments.^[1]

Touring[link]

Though primarily a solo artist, Williams has toured with several bands that include Yonder Mountain String Band, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey's McGee and Ratdog, and has frequently performed at The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the AllGood Music Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival, and the The Rothbury Festival.^[1] Williams has an audio taping policy of his performances, and for non-commercial trading of the recordings but use of video or flash photography, or any recordings for profit are prohibited.^[2]

Keller Williams Incident[link]

Keller Williams Incident is a collaborative performance between Williams and The String Cheese Incident. They have performed together, and Williams' 1999 album Breathe was released collaboratively as the Keller Williams Incident. Williams and SCI began collaborating after Williams saw the band perform in Colorado; offering to play with the band in exchange for free ski passes.

Larry Keel and Keller Williams jamming on a riverboat, May 25, 2010.

Keller Williams with Moseley, Droll and Sipe[link]

Williams also frequently performs with a backing band as "Keller Williams with Moseley Droll and Sipe". Formed in 2007 as the WMDs, they first played at the Bonnaroo music festival. The group consists of Williams on rhythm guitar, Jeff Sipe on drums, Keith Moseley on bass, and Gibb Droll on lead guitar. They changed their name from the WMDs in 2008.^[3]

Keller & The Keels[link]

"Keller & The Keels" is a bluegrass project consisting of Williams and the husband and wife combo of Larry and Jenny Keel. The trio released Grass in 2006, a collection of both original and cover songs. They released Thief, an album of cover songs, in May 2010.

The Sexy Bitches[link]

Keller played a side project with members of moe. and Umphrey's Mcgee at Summercamp 2009 called "The Sexy Bitches," not Keller McGee, as the group is sometimes named on the internet.

Instruments[link]

A self-taught musician, he usually performs with a variety instruments connected to several synchronized Gibson Echoplex Delay units, which allow him to play a riff once on an instrument, record, layer, and repeat it. This lets him play unaccompanied on stage, helping him to recreate the sound of a full band. He also uses a wide variety of effects, including an envelope filter expression pedal, wah pedal, a Line 6 tap delay, a Roland guitar synth, and a Talk Box.

His main guitars used are a Martin HD-28 and D-35, an Alvarez/Joe Veillette MTB baritone, a Gibson Chet Atkins SST Acoustic Electric Guitar with synth pickup routed to a Roland synth processor, a Fender Precision bass, an Avante baritone acoustic guitar, a Rick Turner baritone 12-string, a Tacoma Thunderhawk, an early 50's tempo and a Gordon Anderson custom 8-string.^[4]

In addition, Williams incorporates a variety of acoustic and electric percussion instruments into his live sets, most notably a Roland Handsonic HDP-15 drum machine. He also frequently performs on piano, a theremin, a Korg Kaossilator, a Macbook, and a set of Boomwhackers percussion tubes.

Other projects[link]

Williams currently hosts the radio show Keller's Cellar which has a live online stream and is pre-recorded at Wally Cleaver's in Fredericksburg, VA.^[5]

Williams recently started the "Once a Week Freak", on his website where every week he had released a new song from his new 2009 album "Odd". Upon release of every single song on the album, he released the entire album in a single download. And due to the large success of this idea, Williams has now chosen to keep the "Once a Week Freek" project going and releases a new song/video or two each and every week, usually on Wednesday. These tracks consist of live performances of previously recorded songs, unreleased covers of other bands' songs, or just different renditions of his own recorded music.

Williams played as a member of the Rhythm Devils with Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart at the Gathering of the Vibes festival in 2010. Williams then appeared with the Rhythm Devils in 9 July shows on their summer tour.^{[citation needed]}

Kdubalicious is a project involving Keller Williams on bass/guitar, Jay Starling on dobro/keyboards, and Mark D on drums. Kdubalicious is Reggae/ Dub/ Funk. Keller's project Kdubalicious formed in late 2010, and the group continues to play occasional shows. There was a unique winter concert held on a turf field in Fredericksburg, VA featuring Kdubalicous w/ Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, and John Starling in December 2010.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Keller Williams on February 3, 2006 at the Ridgefield Playhouse

• Freek (1994)
• Buzz (1996)
• Spun (1998)
• Breathe (1999) - (with The String Cheese Incident as Keller Williams Incident)
• Loop (live) (2001)
• Laugh (2002)
• Dance (2003)
• Home (2003)
• Stage (double live) (2004)
• Grass (2006) - (with The Keels as Keller & The Keels)
• Dream (2007)
• 12 (2007)
• Rex (Live at the Fillmore) (digital download) (2008) - (with Jeff Austin and Keith Moseley as Grateful Grass)
• Odd (2009)
• Thief (2010) - (with The Keels as Keller & The Keels)
• Kids (2010) (Children's Album)
• Bass (2011)

Compilations[link]

• High Times Presents Rip This Joint - Various Artists (2001

Guest appearances[link]

• The J. Case Show - Julian Casellas (2010)
• Seeds - Martin Sexton (2007)
• Chateau Benares - Sanjay Mishra (2006)
• Collision - DJ Harry (2004)
• On The Road: 04-14-02 Ann Arbor, MI - The String Cheese Incident (2002)
• On The Road: 04-13-02 Chicago, IL - The String Cheese Incident (2002)
• Solar Igniter — Modereko (2001)

Videos[link]

• Sight (2005, DVD)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Live recordings by Keller Williams at the Internet Archive
• Mike St. Thomas, "Keller Calling: An Interview with the King of Energy", Outside Bozeman