WGEM-TV's license was originally granted to Quincy Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the "Herald-Whig"; it was allotted channel 10. The station was originally affiliated with NBC and ABC, while being represented by Walker Representation Co. Quincy Broadcasting's president at the time was T. C. Oakley; Joe Bonansinga was the station's founding general manager. The station received their DuMont transmitters on the same truck as nearby KHQA-TV (channel 7) on July 27, 1953. The crews competed to see who could get on the air first. WGEM began interim broadcasting two hours per night on September 4, 1953.