Founded by John J. Weigel (the father of late Chicago sportscaster Tim Weigel), the station first signed on the air on February 6, 1964, and has been owned by Weigel Broadcasting since its inception. WCIU has spent much of its history carrying multi-ethnic entertainment programming. At its sign-on, channel 26 operated as an independent station. Local businessman Howard Shapiro, who founded appliance store chain C.E.T. (Chicago Engineers for Television) with his brother Gene Shapiro, and held a minority interest in the station, took over Weigel Broadcasting and WCIU in 1966.