WMAQ is an acronym for "Westinghouse Media Acquisition," which primarily refers to a former television and radio station broadcasting company in the United States. WMAQ originally started as a radio station based in Chicago in 1922, under the ownership of the Prairie Farmer magazine. However, it underwent several changes in ownership, and in 1955, the Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the station as part of their expansion into the media industry.
As a radio station, WMAQ became a prominent voice in Chicago, offering news, music, and entertainment programming. It later ventured into the television broadcasting industry, launching WMAQ-TV. The television station also gained recognition for its news coverage and various popular shows.
Over the years, WMAQ continued to thrive and innovate in the media landscape. However, in 1988, Westinghouse sold its broadcasting division, including the WMAQ television and radio stations, to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Subsequently, WMAQ became an NBC-owned and operated station, continuing to serve the Chicago area with news, weather, sports, and entertainment content.
Today, while the WMAQ acronym is no longer officially in use, the television station is known as NBC 5 Chicago, functioning as the NBC-owned and operated station for the Chicago market. It remains a significant presence providing local and national news, as well as various television programs to the audience in the Chicagoland area.
