WJMN-TV

WJMN-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Escanaba, Michigan, serving viewers across the central and western Upper Peninsula. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 3 and operates from facilities shared with WBUP and WBKP in Marquette Township. Its transmitter is located in northern Delta County, south of the Alger County line. Although historically established as a satellite of WFRV-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin, WJMN has progressively developed a more locally focused identity and news operation for Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The station began broadcasting on October 7, 1969, after Orion Broadcasting pursued a channel 3 allocation at Escanaba. Its call sign honored Jane Morton Norton, a chair of the Orion Broadcasting board and a member of the Norton family associated with the company. At launch, WJMN carried the complete NBC schedule from WFRV-TV, extending that station's reach into Upper Michigan and reaching approximately 50,000 additional households. For many years, its programming and news service were closely tied to WFRV in Green Bay, while a small Escanaba bureau provided limited local coverage. Ownership and network affiliations changed several times. Orion Broadcasting merged with Cosmos Broadcasting in 1980, and WJMN was subsequently sold to Midwest Radio-Television. In 1983, WFRV and WJMN moved from NBC to ABC, prompting a corresponding affiliation change at Marquette's WLUC-TV. After CBS acquired Midwest Radio-Television, WJMN and WFRV shifted to CBS in 1992, with WJMN receiving a specially distributed feed from Green Bay. Liberty Media later acquired the station in a 2007 transaction involving CBS, and Nexstar Broadcasting Group purchased WJMN and WFRV in 2011. Under Nexstar, WJMN began separating from its former satellite model. Nexstar established Upper Peninsula-specific studios near Marquette and launched Local 3 News on April 21, 2014. The station initially produced weeknight evening newscasts at 6 and 11 p.m., marking a significant expansion of local journalism. Its digital television service began in 2002, and the station completed its transition from analog broadcasting in 2009 while retaining virtual channel 3. WJMN lost its CBS affiliation on January 21, 2022, when CBS programming moved to a digital subchannel of WZMQ. The station replaced much of the former CBS schedule with MyNetworkTV, NewsNation programming, syndicated content, and programming from Nexstar-associated digital networks. Its late local newscast moved from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m. and expanded to one hour. Nexstar sold WJMN to Sullivans Landing, LLC, in 2024 while retaining WFRV. Following the sale, WJMN entered joint sales and shared services agreements with Morgan Murphy Media, which owns ABC affiliate WBUP and CW+ affiliate WBKP. In September 2024, the stations consolidated their news operations under the My UP News banner. WBUP's ABC and CW programming began appearing on WJMN digital subchannels, while MyNetworkTV programming moved to another subchannel. WJMN therefore functions both as a local Upper Peninsula broadcast outlet and as part of a shared multi-station operation centered on Marquette.

WJMN-TV was created to extend the reach of WFRV-TV, then based in Green Bay, into Michigan's Upper Peninsula. WFRV had investigated ways to reach the region as early as the 1960s, including applications for other channel assignments. Orion Broadcasting renewed the effort by filing for channel 3 at Escanaba on June 20, 1967. Approval was delayed by a competing educational-television proposal associated with Northern Michigan University. The FCC eventually approved the station, and WJMN began broadcasting on October 7, 1969, from a high-power transmitter and tower near Trenary. The station's call letters were chosen in honor of Jane Morton Norton, chairwoman of Orion Broadcasting and a member of the Norton family connected with the company. WJMN initially carried WFRV's full NBC schedule and operated largely as a semi-satellite, extending network coverage to Upper Michigan and parts of northeastern Wisconsin. Its license required a local presence, and for many years the station maintained a one-person bureau in Escanaba. The bureau was closed in 1993 after FCC rules became less restrictive, although Upper Peninsula weather material continued to be inserted into WFRV newscasts for WJMN viewers. Orion Broadcasting agreed to merge with Cosmos Broadcasting, a subsidiary of the Liberty Corporation, in 1980. Because the combined company would exceed ownership limits for VHF stations, WJMN and WFRV were slated for divestiture. Midwest Radio-Television, the owner of WCCO radio and television in Minneapolis, purchased the stations in a transaction that closed in October 1981. WJMN's affiliation history followed changes involving WFRV. In 1983, WFRV and WJMN changed from NBC to ABC. The move affected the broader Marquette market because WLUC-TV exchanged its ABC service for NBC. A second major change occurred in 1992 after CBS acquired Midwest Radio-Television. WFRV became a CBS affiliate on March 15, while WJMN changed earlier, on February 23, using a dedicated CBS feed delivered from Green Bay. In 2007, Liberty Media completed an exchange with CBS Corporation that placed WFRV and WJMN in a Liberty subsidiary. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of both stations in April 2011 and completed the transaction later that year. Nexstar initially continued the satellite relationship, but later invested in a distinct Upper Peninsula news operation. A Marquette-area facility was developed, and Local 3 News launched on April 21, 2014, with high-definition weeknight broadcasts at 6 and 11 p.m. WJMN's digital service began in 2002 on UHF channel 48. Its original digital signal was low-powered and primarily served Escanaba and Gladstone. A later construction authorization permitted a higher-power service from the main transmitter site. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, retaining virtual channel 3 on its digital signal. It also kept an analog signal temporarily under the federal SAFER Act to provide transition information to viewers. The station's relationship with CBS ended on January 21, 2022. CBS programming moved to WZMQ's 19.2 digital subchannel, while WJMN filled the schedule with MyNetworkTV, NewsNation, syndicated programs, and digital-network content. The local late newscast shifted to 10 p.m. and expanded to an hour; the station also carried NewsNation's Morning in America. In 2024, Nexstar sold WJMN to Sullivans Landing, LLC. The new owner entered joint sales and shared services agreements with Morgan Murphy Media, owner of WBUP and WBKP. Beginning in September 2024, the stations merged their news departments under My UP News. WBUP's ABC and CW services were simulcast on WJMN digital subchannels, while MyNetworkTV and other programming moved to a separate subchannel. This arrangement made WJMN part of an integrated Upper Peninsula broadcast operation while preserving its Escanaba license and channel 3 identity.

• 2024

  Sullivans Landing acquires WJMN

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sullivans Landing, LLC acquired the station from Nexstar.

• 2024

  My UP News operation begins

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WJMN and WBUP combined their news operations and began sharing ABC, CW, and MyNetworkTV programming across digital subchannels.

• 2022

  CBS affiliation ends

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  CBS moved to WZMQ's second digital subchannel, and WJMN adopted a schedule centered on MyNetworkTV, NewsNation, syndicated, and multicast programming.

• 2014

  Local 3 News launches

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WJMN launched an Upper Peninsula-focused local news service from new facilities near Marquette.

• 2011

  Nexstar becomes owner

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired WJMN-TV and WFRV-TV from Liberty Media.

• 2009

  Analog television service ends

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended regular analog broadcasting and continued digitally using virtual channel 3.

• 2002

  Digital broadcasting begins

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WJMN began digital broadcasts on UHF channel 48, initially at low power.

• 1992

  WJMN becomes a CBS affiliate

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Following CBS's acquisition of Midwest Radio-Television, WJMN changed from ABC to CBS and received a special feed from WFRV.

• 1983

  WJMN changes from NBC to ABC

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WJMN followed WFRV in changing its network affiliation from NBC to ABC.

• 1981

  Midwest Radio-Television completes acquisition

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Midwest Radio-Television acquired WJMN-TV and WFRV-TV after the planned divestiture associated with the Orion-Cosmos transaction.

• 1969

  WJMN-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WJMN-TV signed on October 7 as a semi-satellite of WFRV-TV, carrying NBC programming to the Upper Peninsula.

• 1967

  Orion Broadcasting files for channel 3

  [1]WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Orion Broadcasting filed an application for a television station on channel 3 at Escanaba, Michigan, beginning the regulatory process that led to WJMN-TV.

A locally oriented Upper Peninsula television station combining regional news coverage with network, syndicated, and multicast programming.

• Broadcast television station · 1969

  WJMN-TV channel 3

  The station's primary broadcast identity and virtual channel 3 service. It is licensed to Escanaba and serves the central and western Upper Peninsula through a transmitter in northern Delta County.

• Local television news · 2024

  My UP News

  A regional news operation created through the 2024 consolidation of WJMN-TV and WBUP news departments. It provides local reporting, weather, and community coverage for the Upper Peninsula, with programming distributed across the stations' broadcast services.

• Network television programming · 2022

  MyNetworkTV service

  WJMN's MyNetworkTV programming occupies a digital multicast position following the station's loss of CBS in 2022. After the 2024 operating merger with WBUP, MyNetworkTV and related syndicated programming moved to a separate WJMN subchannel.

• Digital multicast television · 2024

  ABC and CW simulcasts

  Beginning in September 2024, WJMN carried mirrored versions of WBUP's ABC service and WBKP's CW+ service on digital subchannels, expanding access to those network schedules within the WJMN signal.

• 2024

  Integrate operations with WBUP and WBKPM&A

  Background

  After Sullivans Landing acquired WJMN, the station entered joint sales and shared services agreements with Morgan Murphy Media, owner of WBUP and WBKP.

  Action taken

  The stations merged their news operations under My UP News and distributed ABC, CW, MyNetworkTV, and other programming across WJMN's digital subchannels.

  Aftermath

  WJMN became part of a coordinated multi-station operation serving the Upper Peninsula from shared Marquette-area facilities.

  Source

• 2022

  Replace CBS programming after affiliation lossStrategy

  Background

  CBS programming moved to WZMQ's second digital subchannel after the CBS affiliation agreement involving Nexstar was not renewed for WJMN.

  Action taken

  WJMN filled the former CBS schedule with MyNetworkTV, NewsNation, syndicated programming, and digital-network content, while moving its late newscast to 10 p.m. and expanding it to one hour.

  Aftermath

  The station shifted from a traditional major-network affiliate model to a mixed schedule centered on multicast and syndicated programming.

  Source

• 2014

  Develop a locally produced Upper Peninsula news serviceStrategy

  Background

  WJMN had historically depended heavily on WFRV-TV in Green Bay for programming and news. Nexstar sought to increase the station's local relevance after acquiring it.

  Action taken

  The station built facilities near Marquette and launched Local 3 News with weeknight 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts.

  Aftermath

  WJMN became more autonomous from WFRV and established a dedicated local news presence in the Upper Peninsula.

  Source

1. 1WJMN-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WJMN-TV official websiteupmatters.com