WBBM’s Gary Bureau
In July 1993, WBBM-TV (Channel 2) began broadcasting out of Gary. Headquartered at the Adam Benjamin Metro Center, WBBM was and still is a CBS subsidiary. WBBM’s Gary bureau — better known as the Northwest Indiana bureau — was the first Chicago station to have a bureau in the Region since 1985, according to the Post Tribune. Back then, NBC affiliate, WMAQ, had a small presence in the city.
CBS considered Gary a hot commodity at the time. The criminal activity was rampant with the city on the last leg of its declining years. There was plenty of news to report, and CBS wanted to be in the thick of it.
I remember CBS’s coverage of the South Shore gauntlet bridge collision in January 1993. It was extensive for the time.
Of course, Mayor Barnes had to take the political road and make WBBM showcase Gary’s positive side. It was not an unreasonable request per se. Yet, positivity doesn’t bring views and make money for the station. CBS did not try to hide their want and need for exciting stories. Choosing Gary, for good or bad, was the right choice.
“Gary is hot, and we want to be here,” said Bill Kurtis, famous Chicago journalist. Mary Ann Childers also joined him. WBBM covered Northwest Indiana and parts of South Chicago.
The City of Gary had a three-year lease with WBBM-TV for the second level of the Adam Benjamin Center, across from the South Shore Line ticket office. The Gary bureau had a camera crew and remote broadcasting van.
Chicago’s Dorothy Tucker, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, was placed in charge of The Gary bureau to great fanfare.
However, despite their honesty about the type of coverage they wanted to showcase, local viewers complained about what they deemed to be CBS’s hyper-focus on crime-centered stories. It got to the point where there was nearly an open revolt against WBBM. Unfortunately, this station was not the only one with its feet to the fire, but they were one of the most egregious offenders.
Unfortunately, the arrangement was short-lived. WBBM shut down The Gary bureau before its three-year lease was up. In 1997, CBS did not renew the lease, and WBBM-TV was gone. They decided to cover Northwest Indiana from Chicago, free from being locally responsible for the quality of their coverage.