«NBC 5» is a television station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, United States, broadcasting on virtual and VHF channel 5. It is the flagship station of WMAQ-TV, owned by NBC Owned Television Stations, a division of the NBCUniversal subsidiary of Comcast, and is part of a duopoly with NBC outlet WSNS-TV (channel 44).
The station's studios are located at the NBC Tower on North Columbus Drive in the city's Streeterville neighborhood, and its transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower in the Chicago Loop.
«NBC 5» is available on all major cable and satellite providers in the Chicago market, as well as on digital subchannels of most stations in the area. The station's programming includes local news, weather, sports, and entertainment, as well as programming from the NBC network.
«NBC 5» is one of the oldest television stations in the United States, having signed on the air on April 6, 1948, as WNBQ, making it the first television station in Chicago.
The station's news operation is known for its investigative reporting and its coverage of local events. «NBC 5» has won numerous awards for its news coverage, including Emmy Awards and Edward R. Murrow Awards.
In addition to its main signal, «NBC 5» also operates two digital subchannels: «NBC 5.2», which airs a 24-hour loop of weather information from NBCUniversal's national weather service, and «NBC 5.3», which airs programming from the Cozi TV network.
«NBC 5» is a major force in the Chicago media market, and its programming is watched by millions of people each week.
The station is also active in the community, and its employees volunteer their time to a variety of local organizations.