KAIT
Encyclopedia
KAIT in Jonesboro
, Arkansas
is the ABC
affiliated television station for Northeastern Arkansas and Southeastern Missouri
, offering a mix of news and syndicated programming and local broadcasts. Its transmitter is located in Egypt, Arkansas
.
businessman George Hernreich. It has been affiliated with ABC since 1965. The Hernreich family sold the station to Channel Communications in 1984. That company, in turn, sold KAIT to Cosmos Broadcasting, the broadcasting arm of South Carolina
-based insurer The Liberty Corporation, in 1986. Liberty exited the insurance business in 2000, bringing the Cosmos stations directly under the Liberty banner. Current owner Raycom Media
obtained the station in 2005 through its purchase of Liberty.
KATV
(channel 7) in Little Rock and the signals of other Little Rock area VHF stations adequately covered parts of the KAIT viewing area before the digital transition. For many years, KAIT also operated a low-powered translator station K11JW operating on Channel 11 in nearby Blytheville, Arkansas
.
Several cable systems in the KAIT viewing area including Jonesboro and Blytheville carry KATV
. Some of these cable systems will block the KATV signal when both channels are carrying the same program usually during the daytime and primetime hours except for news bulletins, weather bulletins, and newscasts. Other cable systems in other parts of the KAIT viewing area that also carry KATV such as Searcy and Heber Springs that are actually in the Little Rock television market, both channels appear with no blocked signals. COBRIDGE Communications formerly Charter Communications in Thayer, Missouri airs both KAIT and KSPR.
KAIT currently uses its digital signal to broadcast a 24-hour weather information channel (8-2).
Beginning at 5 p.m. on October 15, 2007, all of KAIT's local newscasts were re-branded, replacing the former "K8 News" branding with "Region 8 News" - a branding the station had used during much of the 1980s. The station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," was also replaced with "Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always On." But from time to time on (8-2) you can see the station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," in public service announcements.
On Friday September 16th, 2011 KAIT announced that it would be 1 in 3 Arkansas stations broadcasting in high definition with a new set. The following night, KATV in Little Rock started broadcasting in HD. So on October 17, 2011, KAIT became the 4th station in Arkansas, but the first in Jonesboro, to broadcast local news in HD.
100.5 FM, KDXY
104.9 FM and KJBX
106.3 FM. The audio from the 6 p.m. KAIT newscast is simulcast Monday through Friday on KJBX 106.3 FM.
Reporters
KAIT's reporters are also employed as photojournalists for the station.
Region 8 Storm Team
Sports team
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in and one of the two county seats of Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 US Census, the population of the city was 67,263. A college town, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the fifth most populous city in the state...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
is the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliated television station for Northeastern Arkansas and Southeastern Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, offering a mix of news and syndicated programming and local broadcasts. Its transmitter is located in Egypt, Arkansas
Egypt, Arkansas
Egypt is a town in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 101 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Egypt is located at ....
.
History
KAIT first signed on July 15, 1963 as an independent station, a venture of Fort SmithFort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
businessman George Hernreich. It has been affiliated with ABC since 1965. The Hernreich family sold the station to Channel Communications in 1984. That company, in turn, sold KAIT to Cosmos Broadcasting, the broadcasting arm of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
-based insurer The Liberty Corporation, in 1986. Liberty exited the insurance business in 2000, bringing the Cosmos stations directly under the Liberty banner. Current owner Raycom Media
Raycom Media
- History :Although Raycom Media dates its birth to 1996, the core of the company was formed in 1992 when Atlanta native Bert Ellis formed Ellis Communications. He eventually controlled 13 television stations and two radio stations....
obtained the station in 2005 through its purchase of Liberty.
KATV
KATV
KATV, channel 7, is an ABC affiliated television station serving the Little Rock television market and central Arkansas. The station is owned by Allbritton Communications Company....
(channel 7) in Little Rock and the signals of other Little Rock area VHF stations adequately covered parts of the KAIT viewing area before the digital transition. For many years, KAIT also operated a low-powered translator station K11JW operating on Channel 11 in nearby Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in and one of the two county seats of Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 15,620 at the 2010 census....
.
Several cable systems in the KAIT viewing area including Jonesboro and Blytheville carry KATV
KATV
KATV, channel 7, is an ABC affiliated television station serving the Little Rock television market and central Arkansas. The station is owned by Allbritton Communications Company....
. Some of these cable systems will block the KATV signal when both channels are carrying the same program usually during the daytime and primetime hours except for news bulletins, weather bulletins, and newscasts. Other cable systems in other parts of the KAIT viewing area that also carry KATV such as Searcy and Heber Springs that are actually in the Little Rock television market, both channels appear with no blocked signals. COBRIDGE Communications formerly Charter Communications in Thayer, Missouri airs both KAIT and KSPR.
KAIT currently uses its digital signal to broadcast a 24-hour weather information channel (8-2).
Beginning at 5 p.m. on October 15, 2007, all of KAIT's local newscasts were re-branded, replacing the former "K8 News" branding with "Region 8 News" - a branding the station had used during much of the 1980s. The station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," was also replaced with "Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always On." But from time to time on (8-2) you can see the station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," in public service announcements.
On Friday September 16th, 2011 KAIT announced that it would be 1 in 3 Arkansas stations broadcasting in high definition with a new set. The following night, KATV in Little Rock started broadcasting in HD. So on October 17, 2011, KAIT became the 4th station in Arkansas, but the first in Jonesboro, to broadcast local news in HD.
Media partnerships
Although not owned by the same company, KAIT frequently forms a partnership with the Jonesboro Radio Group of Jonesboro, Arkansas, for community projects and promotions. The three of the five radio stations owned by the Jonesboro Radio Group are KEGIKEGI
KEGI is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Jonesboro area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications.-External links:...
100.5 FM, KDXY
KDXY
KDXY is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Lake City, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Jonesboro, Arkansas, area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications.-External links:...
104.9 FM and KJBX
KJBX
KJBX is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Cash, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Jonesboro area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications....
106.3 FM. The audio from the 6 p.m. KAIT newscast is simulcast Monday through Friday on KJBX 106.3 FM.
Current on-air staff
Anchors- Diana Davis - weekdays Region 8 Midday at 11:00 a.m. and weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
- Craig Rickert - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
- Bob Snell - weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8
- Kristina Hamilton -weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8
Reporters
KAIT's reporters are also employed as photojournalists for the station.
- Keith Boles - general assignment reporter
- Josh Harvison - general assignment reporter
Region 8 Storm Team
- Ryan Vaughan (NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. - Bryan McCormick (AMS/NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
Member) - Meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m. - Sarah Tipton - Meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8 and Region 8 Midday at 11:00 a.m.
Sports team
- Mitch Lilly - Sports Director; weeknights at 6 and 10 p.m.
- Chris Hudgison - Sports Anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m.
Former on-air staff
- Rodger BumpassRodger BumpassRodger Albert Bumpass is an American character actor and voice actor, who is noted for his long-running-roles as Squidward Tentacles on the hit series SpongeBob SquarePants, and The Chief from Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?. He also voiced Professor Membrane on Invader Zim...
- announcer, film processor, cameraman, audio technician, and technical director. He is best known for portraying Squidward TentaclesSquidward TentaclesSquidward Quincy Tentacles is a fictional character on the television cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Rodger Bumpass. The character is an octopus, as his name would not imply Squidward appears in 270 episodes of the series, second only to Spongebob's 305.-Personality:Unlike...
on SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
.
Newscast titles
- Region 8 News (1980s-1993 and 2007-present)
- KAIT 8 News (1993-1995)
- K8 News (1995-2007)
Station slogans
- Good Neighbors You Can Turn To (1993-1998)
- Your Good Neighbor Station (1998-2007)
- Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always On. (2007-present)