The license for WGEM-TV was initially issued to Quincy Broadcasting Co., which was controlled by the Quincy Herald-Whig; it was assigned channel 10. From the beginning, the station was connected with NBC and ABC and was represented by Walker Representation Co. T. C. Oakley was Quincy Broadcasting's president at the time, and Joe Bonansinga was the station's first general manager. On July 27, 1953, the station acquired their DuMont transmitters on the same truck as neighbouring KHQA-TV (channel 7). The crews fought to see who could fly first. On September 4, 1953, WGEM began an interim transmission of two hours every night.