WGME (Channel 13), Portland's second-highest rated TV news station, is launching a 7 p.m. newscast starting Tuesday.

The move follows a national trend toward local stations having 7 p.m. newscasts aimed at working people who aren't home in time to see a newscast at 6 p.m., the traditional evening time slot for local news, said Robb Atkinson, WGME's news director.

Atkinson said the decision to add a 7 p.m. newscast has also been fueled by "the huge interest" in politics by Mainers this election season. So the newscast, which will feature top stories of the day and weather, will have a heavy focus on politics. The station plans to continue the newscast after the November elections, Atkinson said.

The new newscast will be anchored by Gregg Lagerquist, who also anchors the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. He'll be joined by meteorologist Charlie Lopresti.

Portland has no other traditional local newscast at 7 p.m. WCSH (Channel 6), which is regularly Portland's top-rated news station, has a local news-magazine program at 7 p.m. called "207."

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