• Mediaweek, Thursday, December 28, 2006 11:15 AM

Local TV news is already getting up with the chickens, but the NBC affiliate in Chicago is about to launch the earliest yet.

On Jan. 15, WMAQ will premiere "Barely Today" at 4:30 a.m. Hosted by Bruce Wolf, it will also be simulcast on WLUP-FM, an Emmis Communications' rock station, in another first for the market. "These days, it is more important than ever to create new content and customer experiences," says Larry Wert, president and general manager of WMAQ.

The show will combine radio with TV as an unscripted, discussion-driven morning program to include top news headlines and audience participation. The station keeps rolling back the clock. It brought early local news to the market at 6 a.m. in 1990, 5:30 a.m. in 1993 and 5:00 a.m. in 1998. "We believe there is a viable audience for local news and information at 4:30 a.m.," said Frank Whittaker, vice president of news at WMAQ.

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