KTXS-TV
Encyclopedia
KTXS-TV is the ABC
television
affiliate for the Abilene
/Sweetwater
/Brownwood
market. The station is licensed to Sweetwater, and broadcasts its digital signal
on UHF
channel 20 (Suddenlink cable 4 in Abilene) from a broadcasting tower near Trent, Texas
.
KTXS also has a low powered repeater, KTXE-LP channel 38 in San Angelo, Texas
(called "KTXE 12", reflecting its cable slot on Suddenlink channel 12 in San Angelo).
, channel 13) in Lubbock
, and was a primary CBS
affiliate with a secondary ABC affiliation. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
. The station's first studio was built on the eastern edge of Sweetwater; broadcasts from this location included a 6pm newscast.
Grayson Enterprises bought the West Texas Television Network stations in 1961. Grayson opened a satellite studio in Abilene in the early 1960s, and soon moved most of KPAR's operations there. This resulted in the first of many fines from the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) for violating "main studio" regulations. In 1966, the station moved most of its operations to a new studio in north Abilene and the call letters were changed to KTXS. The station became a sole ABC affiliate when KTAB-TV
signed on in 1979 and took over as Abilene's CBS affiliate.
In the late fifties or early sixties, auxiliary studios were built at a former auto dealer building in Abilene. In 1962 or later, the Abilene studios were moved to a new shopping mall (Westgate Shopping center) on the west edge of Abilene. These were used until 1966 when the studios were moved to the highway bypass at the north edge of town, straddling the city of Abilene, the county, and a small town called Impact
(founded to allow liquor in otherwise dry west Texas).
Grayson nearly lost its stations, including KTXS, four times between 1968 and 1971 due to licensing issues. In 1977, their renewals were deferred pending a hearing. Grayson was accused of fraudulent billing, program and transmitter log fabrication, main studio violations, failure to make required technical tests, and other problems.
The case was settled in what was then described as a "distress sale" where the stations were sold to a minority controlled group (nowadays known as a historically underutilized group) at a reduced price. The company breakup helped define the parameters of such a sale. KLBK and KTXS were sold to Prima, Inc., who was granted a permanent waiver of the main studio rule. It shut down the Sweetwater studio, but still identifies as "Sweetwater/Abilene."
In 1979, the station dropped CBS and became a full ABC affiliate after KTAB-TV
signed on. In September 2006, KTXS started broadcasting the CW Television Network
on digital subchannel 12.2. Bluestone Television
sold KTXS to Bonten Media Group in 2007. Bonten Media also owns station WCYB
in Bristol, Tennessee
and manages several other stations. On December 31, 2008 KTXS began broadcasting in High Definition on Suddenlink cable. On June 12, 2009, KTXS Chief Engineer Leland Ohlhausen turned off the analog transmitter.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2011, KTXS began broadcasting the news in 720p high definition with a new set and new graphics.
Reporters
Weather team
Sports team
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...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
affiliate for the Abilene
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
/Sweetwater
Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
/Brownwood
Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...
market. The station is licensed to Sweetwater, and broadcasts its digital signal
Digital signal
A digital signal is a physical signal that is a representation of a sequence of discrete values , for example of an arbitrary bit stream, or of a digitized analog signal...
on UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
channel 20 (Suddenlink cable 4 in Abilene) from a broadcasting tower near Trent, Texas
Trent, Texas
Trent is a town in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 318 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Trent is located at ....
.
KTXS also has a low powered repeater, KTXE-LP channel 38 in San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
(called "KTXE 12", reflecting its cable slot on Suddenlink channel 12 in San Angelo).
History
KTXS signed on as KPAR-TV on January 2, 1956. It was part of the West Texas Television Network, based at KDUB-TV (now KLBK-TVKLBK-TV
KLBK is the CBS network affiliated television station, serving the Lubbock, Texas metropolitan area. KLBK is owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and through a local sales agreement the station also provides services to ABC affiliate KAMC 28 , owned by Mission Broadcasting.The station...
, channel 13) in Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, and was a primary CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate with a secondary ABC affiliation. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network
NTA Film Network
The NTA Film Network was an early American television network founded by Ely Landau in 1956. The network was not a full-time television network like CBS, NBC, or ABC. Rather, it operated on a part-time basis, broadcasting films and several first-run television programs from major Hollywood studios...
. The station's first studio was built on the eastern edge of Sweetwater; broadcasts from this location included a 6pm newscast.
Grayson Enterprises bought the West Texas Television Network stations in 1961. Grayson opened a satellite studio in Abilene in the early 1960s, and soon moved most of KPAR's operations there. This resulted in the first of many fines from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) for violating "main studio" regulations. In 1966, the station moved most of its operations to a new studio in north Abilene and the call letters were changed to KTXS. The station became a sole ABC affiliate when KTAB-TV
KTAB-TV
KTAB-TV is the CBS affiliate television station serving Abilene, Texas. It is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and broadcasts on digital channel 24. KTAB is licensed in Abilene and broadcasts on a High Definition digital signal on UHF Channel 24....
signed on in 1979 and took over as Abilene's CBS affiliate.
In the late fifties or early sixties, auxiliary studios were built at a former auto dealer building in Abilene. In 1962 or later, the Abilene studios were moved to a new shopping mall (Westgate Shopping center) on the west edge of Abilene. These were used until 1966 when the studios were moved to the highway bypass at the north edge of town, straddling the city of Abilene, the county, and a small town called Impact
Impact, Texas
Impact is a village in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 39 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Impact is located at ....
(founded to allow liquor in otherwise dry west Texas).
Grayson nearly lost its stations, including KTXS, four times between 1968 and 1971 due to licensing issues. In 1977, their renewals were deferred pending a hearing. Grayson was accused of fraudulent billing, program and transmitter log fabrication, main studio violations, failure to make required technical tests, and other problems.
The case was settled in what was then described as a "distress sale" where the stations were sold to a minority controlled group (nowadays known as a historically underutilized group) at a reduced price. The company breakup helped define the parameters of such a sale. KLBK and KTXS were sold to Prima, Inc., who was granted a permanent waiver of the main studio rule. It shut down the Sweetwater studio, but still identifies as "Sweetwater/Abilene."
In 1979, the station dropped CBS and became a full ABC affiliate after KTAB-TV
KTAB-TV
KTAB-TV is the CBS affiliate television station serving Abilene, Texas. It is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and broadcasts on digital channel 24. KTAB is licensed in Abilene and broadcasts on a High Definition digital signal on UHF Channel 24....
signed on. In September 2006, KTXS started broadcasting the CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
on digital subchannel 12.2. Bluestone Television
Bluestone Television
Bonten Media Group, LLC is a New York City-based owner of television broadcast stations in the United States. It was formed by Randall D. Bongarten and Diamond Castle Holdings in November 2006. Its first acquisition was group of 14 stations from Bluestone Television on May 31, 2007. Bluestone had...
sold KTXS to Bonten Media Group in 2007. Bonten Media also owns station WCYB
WCYB-TV
WCYB-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station serving the Tri-Cities area of Northeastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 5 from a transmitter on Rye Patch Knob of Holston Mountain in the Cherokee National Forest...
in Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
and manages several other stations. On December 31, 2008 KTXS began broadcasting in High Definition on Suddenlink cable. On June 12, 2009, KTXS Chief Engineer Leland Ohlhausen turned off the analog transmitter.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2011, KTXS began broadcasting the news in 720p high definition with a new set and new graphics.
Coverage area
- KTXS-TV serves as the ABC affiliate for 16 counties in West Central Texas that are part of the Abilene television market area.
- (TaylorTaylor County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 126,555 people, 47,274 households, and 32,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 138 people per square mile . There were 52,056 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
, Nolan, CallahanCallahan County, Texas*Baird*Belle Plain*Callahan City*Clyde*Cottonwood*Cross Plains*Eula*Putnam-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Callahan County, Texas-External links:* at the University of Texas*...
, Coleman, BrownBrown County, TexasBrown County is a county in West Central Texas. As of 2000, the population was 37,674. Its county seat is Brownwood. Brown is named for Henry Stevenson Brown, a commander at the Battle of Velasco...
, Runnels, StephensStephens County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 9,674 people, 3,661 households, and 2,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 4,893 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, ShackelfordShackelford County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 3,302 people, 1,300 households, and 941 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 1,613 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
, JonesJones County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 20,785 people, 6,140 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, EastlandEastland County, Texas*Carbon*Cisco*Desdemona, a ghost town*Eastland*Gorman*Mangum*Olden*Ranger*Rising Star*Romney-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Eastland County, Texas*Santa Claus Bank Robbery-External links:** at the University of Texas*...
, Fisher, Scurry, Mitchell, HaskellHaskell County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, 6,093 people, 2,569 households, and 1,775 families resided in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 3,555 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Stonewall, & KnoxKnox County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 4,253 people, 1,690 households, and 1,166 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 2,129 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
)
- KTXS also provides coverage for 6 other counties that are on the fringe of the actual assigned viewing market.
- (ThrockmortonThrockmorton County, Texas-2010 census:As of the census of 2010, there were 1,641 people. There were 1,079 housing units, 358 of which were vacant. The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% White , 0.1% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 0.4% Asian , 2.6% from other races , and 0.8% from two or more races...
Wichita FallsWichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
-LawtonLawton, OklahomaThe city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the southwestern region of Oklahoma approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
DMA, ComancheComanche County, TexasComanche County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 14,026. Comanche was founded in 1856. Comanche is named for the Comanche Native American tribe...
DallasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-Fort WorthFort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
DMA, Tom Green San AngeloSan Angelo, TexasSan Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
DMA, Coke San AngeloSan Angelo, TexasSan Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
DMA, McCullochMcCulloch County, TexasMcCulloch County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. The geographical center of Texas lies within the county. In 2000, its population was 8,205. Its county seat is Brady. McCulloch is named for Benjamin McCulloch, a famous Texas Ranger and Confederate...
San AngeloSan Angelo, TexasSan Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
DMA, & Concho also assigned to the San AngeloSan Angelo, TexasSan Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
area DMA) - Throckmorton County was reassigned to the Wichita Falls/Lawton DMA from the Abilene DMA as of September 2008
Current on-air staff
Anchors- George Levesque: news director/5 PM anchor
- Wayne McCormick: 6 pm and 10 pm anchor
- Braid Blanks: 6 pm and 10 pm anchor
- Mari Cockerell: KTXS This Morning anchor
- Cassandra Garcia: weekend anchor/Reporter
- Michele Frizalone: weekend anchor/Reporter
Reporters
- Jocelyn Tovar: crime and courts reporter
- Roger Mares: producer, Brownwood reporter
- Ashlei King: education reporter
- Casey James: reporter
- Brittany Molinar: reporter
Weather team
- Mark Rowlett: chief meteorologist
- TBD: KTXS This Morning meteorologist
- Julie Phillips: weekend meteorologist/reporter
Sports team
- Bryan Keating: sports director/anchor
- Mike Skow: anchor/reporter
- Brandon Ortega: sports reporter
Past on-air staff
- Brooke HartBrooke Hart (journalist)Brooke Hart is a Washington, D.C.-based correspondent for NBC NewsChannel, NBC's affiliate news service. Her early morning live reports appear regularly on the local newscasts of many NBC affiliates across the country as well as occasionally on NBC's Early Today...
: anchor/reporter (early 1990s, now with NBC Newschannel in Washington, DC)