The two stations, known as "ABC 29&8" and together with WPBN/WTOM as "UpNorthLive", carry the same programming and together serve one of the largest television markets east of the Mississippi River.

WGTU went on the air in 1970 and provided full ABC network service to Traverse City for the first time; WGTQ followed in 1976.

On February 25, 1970, Northern Entertainment, Inc., headed by Thomas W. Kiple, applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to construct a new television station on channel 29 in Traverse City.

[4] Work on the transmitter facilities near Kalkaska took place that spring, and the station began broadcasting as an ABC affiliate on August 18, 1971.

[9] In addition, a channel 55 translator station for WGTU was built in Alpena, though by the late 80s it had been withdrawn with the rise of cable in the area.

On March 1, 1975, a NABET local went on strike at WGTU after multiple bargaining sessions failed to produce a resolution on issues including overtime, jurisdiction, travel compensation for engineers to the transmitter, and wages.

[13][14] One Detroit job-seeker responded to a classified ad placed by WGTU in a newspaper there only to learn that the station was on strike.

Despite this, the FCC Broadcast Bureau approved the transaction, and ownership was transferred for a short time, but citing the pending investigation into McGoff, the commission vacated the ruling on a 6–0 vote.

On September 19, 2007, an application was filed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by Max Media to sell WGTU/WGTQ to Tucker Broadcasting for $10 million.

After FCC approval, Tucker entered into joint sales and shared services agreements with Barrington Broadcasting for WPBN/WTOM to provide advertising.

WGTU presently carries 6 hours and 35 minutes of locally produced newscasts seven days a week, at 6:30 p.m. weekdays, and 11 p.m. nightly.

On September 13, 2010, that station finally took advantage of this channel being housed in the same facility and launched a weeknight newscast at 6:30 on WGTU, known as UpNorthLive News.