The station originally signed on as a primary NBC affiliate with a secondary affiliation with ABC and was originally owned by the Northeastern Michigan Corporation. WNEM became a sole NBC affiliate after WJRT-TV (channel 12) signed on in 1958 and took the ABC affiliation. In 1961, Gerity Broadcasting purchased the station. In 1969, Meredith Corporation purchased channel 5.
1969–1971[]
1971–2004[]
1971–1980[]
The stylized "tv5" portion of this logo was also used for the logos of four sister stations that were also on analog VHF channel 5: KCMO-TV (later KCTV since 1983) in Kansas City, KPHO-TV in Phoenix, KVVU-TV in Henderson/Las Vegas, Nevada, and WTVH in Syracuse, New York. Both WNEM-TV and KVVU-TV continued using the "5" portion of this logo until 2002 and 2004 (see below), long after each of those other stations had discontinued using the stylized "tv5" logo (WTVH doing so after being sold by Meredith in 1993 for example).
1980–1996[]
In 1986, the classic "5" logo was incorporated into a new "Triangle 5" logo, with the triangle, which represented the market's three largest cities-Bay City, Saginaw, and Flint-usually appearing in green. Variants with an orange-green gradient triangle and with a gray triangle also were known to exist, as seen below.
On January 16, 1995, WNEM became a dual CBS/UPN affiliate sending NBC to WEYI-TV (channel 25) as part of a larger deal between Meredith and CBS that also saw KPHO affiliate with that network. The station remained a UPN affiliate until September 2006.
1996–2004[]
In 1996, the triangle in the "Triangle 5" was recolored red which then became the sole color of the triangle up until it was retired.
2004–present[]
In mid-2004, WNEM retired the "Triangle 5" logo and with it the classic "5" that had been used since 1971 and introduced a new "boxed 5" that incorporated the CBS Eye logo. The "5" and color scheme from this logo were then adapted into the logo of newly-acquired AM radio sister WNEM (since sold off, now WJMK).
1Owned by Branson Visitors TV, Gray holds a 50.1% interest in the company. 2Owned by Schurz Communications, Gray operated KGHZ through an SSA. 3Gray operates this station owned by American Spirit Media. 4Gray operates this station owned by Tegna through an SSA. 5Gray operates this station owned by The E. W. Scripps Company through an SSA. 6Gray operates this station owned by Tougaloo College. 7Joint venture with Ryman Hospitality Properties. 8Gray operates this station owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting through an SSA. 9Joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery and Lionsgate. 10Swap of these stations to Marquee Broadcasting in exchange for Marquee's construction permit of KCBU in Salt Lake City pending FCC approval.