WLS ABC 7 in Chicago has been a ratings Blowtorch for as long as anyone can remember.

But as the Feb book rolls into it's first whole week, the ratings race in the Windy City is getting a lot tighter.

Robert Feder says that the ratings race in the afternoon is as close as he can remember.

Feder writes WMAQ NBC 5, gaining on perennial frontrunner ABC 7 in all local news time periods (and the only station to increase its ratings at 10pm), appears to be coming on strongest at 4:30pm. For the month of January, NBC 5’s afternoon newscast tied for first place with ABC 7 among adults between 25 and 54. What’s more, NBC 5 won the time period outright among women.

So how has WMAQ been moving up in the ratings?

"Our writers and producers always know what’s interesting for that day,” says Anchor Rob Elgas.  He adds “New headlines, a daily health report, local entertainment and sports. We’re at an advantage going on the air an hour before Nightly News, so we can mix national stories in too. It’s our first newscast since noon, so there’s always fresh content. Plus, I sit next to Marion Brooks.”