KTBS-TV

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KTBS-TV
KTBS Logo.png
Shreveport, Louisiana
City of license Shreveport
Branding KTBS 3 (general)
KTBS 3 News (newscasts)
Slogan On Your Side (general)
News When You Need It;
First in News, First in HD (news)
Local Lives Here (6 p.m. newscast)
The Calm During The Storm (weather)
Channels Digital: 28 (UHF)
Virtual: 3 (PSIP)
Affiliations ABC (secondary until 1960)
Owner KTBS, LLC
(Wray family)
First air date September 3, 1955
Call letters' meaning Tri-State Broadcasting System
Sister station(s) KPXJ
Former channel number(s) Analog:
3 (VHF, 1955–2009)
Former affiliations Primary:
NBC (1955–1960)
Transmitter power 1000 kW
Height 563 m
Facility ID 35652
Transmitter coordinates 32°41′7.6″N 93°56′0.8″W / 32.685444°N 93.933556°W / 32.685444; -93.933556
Website www.ktbs.com

KTBS-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station in Shreveport, Louisiana, serving the Ark-La-Tex region of Northwest Louisiana, Southwest Arkansas, Northeast Texas and seven counties of Southeastern Oklahoma. It broadcasts a high-definition digital signal on UHF channel 28 (or virtual channel 3.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter located near Mooringsport (southeast of Caddo Lake).

Locally owned by the Wray family (under the licensee KTBS, LLC), it is sister to CW affiliate KPXJ as part of the market's only legal duopoly and both stations share studios located between Kings Highway and Rutherford Street on the eastern side of Shreveport.

Contents

[edit] Digital television

Digital channels

Channel Video Aspect Programming
3.1 720p 16:9 main KTBS-TV programming / ABC
3.2 480i 4:3 The Local AccuWeather Channel
3.3 480i 4:3 KTBS 24 Hour News Channel

On June 12, 2009, KTBS-TV left channel 3 and moved to channel 28 when the analog to digital conversion completed.[1]

[edit] History

[icon] This section requires expansion with: further information on the history of KTBS-TV. (December 2011)

KTBS began broadcasting on September 3, 1955. It was owned by the Wray family along with KTBS radio (AM 710, now KEEL) and several other radio stations in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. These stations were known as the Tri-State Broadcasting System—hence the station's calls. The radio stations were sold off in the late 1950s, but the Wrays have retained channel 3 to this day.

A plaque with the 1996–2005 version of the station logo, outside the KTBS studios on East Kings Highway.

The station was originally a primary NBC affiliate, sharing ABC with KSLA-TV. In 1960, Shreveport and Texarkana were collapsed into a single television market. Texarkana's KTAL-TV took over the NBC affiliation for the enlarged market, leaving KTBS with ABC. Over the years, KTBS has been one of the strongest ABC affiliates in the country. Along with sister station KPXJ, it is one of the only locally owned and operated stations in the area.

For many years, one of the most watched Sunday programs on KTBS has been Fred L. Lowery's The First Word, broadcasts of the morning worship services at the large First Baptist Church of Bossier City. The program began in June 1983.[2][dead link] KTBS was the home of the Louisiana Lottery drawings from its inception in 1993 to April 2009 when KTAL acquired the rights to the drawings, and, since the summer of 2012, they re-acquired the rights to the drawings and they now air on KPXJ.

As of 2012, KTBS remains one of the few television stations in the United States that continues to sign-off during the overnight hours. The station signs off on Friday nights (or early Saturday mornings) from 1:05 to 4 a.m. and on Saturday nights (or early Sunday mornings) from 1:45 to 5 a.m. But instead of a usual sign-off, its weather radar is displayed instead.

In December 2012 KTBS became ensnared over the controversial firing of meteorologist Rhonda Lee. The station claims that she (and another newscaster) were fired for violating the station's policy on responding to Facebook comments, while supporters of Ms. Lee claim that she was fired for her decision to respond to a racist and sexist comment.[3][4]

[edit] News operation

In 2003, following the Wrays' purchase of KPXJ from Paxson Communications, KTBS began producing a nightly, half-hour 9 o'clock newscast (which has since been expanded to one hour) on that station. The broadcast consists of the same format as the 10 o'clock news on KTBS. Additionally, KTBS produces a half-hour, weekday morning newscast at 7 a.m. on KPXJ. KTBS had aired rebroadcasts of its 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts on KPXJ before the station switched its network affiliation from i: Independent Television affiliation to UPN. As of the May 2008 ratings period, KTBS is rated number one in several time periods.

In addition to their main studios, KTBS operates two news bureaus: the Texarkana Bureau is located on Jefferson Avenue in Texarkana, Arkansas. On weeknights at 6 and 10 o'clock, the station airs news segments from the East Texas area. On its second digital subchannel, KTBS airs weather updates from The Local AccuWeather Channel. On its third digital subchannel, KTBS operates a 24-hour news rebroadcast channel known as KTBS 24 Hour News. It is also offered on Comcast digital channel 201.

On October 15, 2008, KTBS began broadcasting its newscasts in a 16:9 standard definition widescreen format; becoming the first station in the market to do so. On June 28, 2010, KTBS expanded its 6 p.m. newscast to one hour, becoming the first station in the market to carry an hour-long 6 p.m. newscast (CBS affiliate KSLA began broadcasting an hour-long 6 p.m. newscast a short time later); As a result, KTAL is the only Big Three affiliate in the market to carry syndicated programming during the 6:30 half-hour.

In July 2010, KTBS also expanded the weekend edition of its 10 p.m. newscast to one hour. Again, KSLA quickly followed suit with an hour-long newscast at 10 p.m. on weekends. On August 30, 2010, KTBS expanded its weekday morning newscasts to 2½ hours, by moving its start time to 4:30 a.m. (one of the few stations in a non-Top 50 Nielsen market to begin their weekday morning newscast at 4:30). On October 14, 2010, KTBS became the first in the market to broadcast its local newscasts in high definition during their 5pm newscast. Rival KSLA, began producing news in high definition the next morning.

KTBS airs a total of 31½ hours of local newscasts a week (five hours on weekdays, and three hours each on Saturdays and Sundays) on KTBS. In addition, KTBS produces morning and 9 p.m. newscasts for sister station; these programs add an additional 9½ hours of newscasts that KTBS produces each week (1½ hours on weekdays and one hour each on Saturdays and Sundays). In total, KTBS produces 41 hours of local newscasts each week. This amount of news greatly exceeds any other station in the area and many in the nation.

[edit] Newscasts

Weekdays

  • KTBS 3 First News - 4:30-7:00 a.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 7:00 AM on KPXJ - 7:00-7:30 a.m.
  • KTBS 3 News Midday - 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 5:00 - 5:00-5:30 p.m.
  • The KTBS 3 6:00 News Hour - 6:00-7:00 p.m.
  • The KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour on KPXJ - 9:00-10:00 p.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 10:00 - 10:00-10:35 p.m.

Saturdays

  • KTBS 3 First News Saturday - 5:30-7:00 a.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 5:30 - 5:30-6:00 p.m.
  • The KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour on KPXJ - 9:00-10:00 p.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 10:00 - 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Sundays

  • KTBS 3 First News Sunday - 8:00-9:30 a.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 5:00 - 5:00-6:00 p.m.
  • The KTBS 3 9:00 News Hour on KPXJ - 9:00-10:00 p.m.
  • KTBS 3 News at 10:00 - 10:00-11:00 p.m.

[edit] News/station presentation

[edit] Newscast titles

  • News Final (1955–1959)
  • The Night Report (1959–1967)
  • Eyewitness News (1967–1971)
  • Action 3 News (1971–1982)
  • The News on 3 (1982–1985)
  • Channel 3 News (1985–1993)
  • 3 Ark-La-Tex News (1990s)
  • Nightcast (10 p.m. newscast; 1986–1993)
  • KTBS 3 News (1993–present)[5]

[edit] Station slogans

  • "On Your Side" (1988–present)
  • "The Calm During the Storm" (2008–present; weather slogan)
  • "Local Lives Here" (2010–present; 6 p.m. newscast slogan)
  • "First in News, First in HD" (2010–present; HD slogan)

[edit] News team

[edit] Current on-air staff[6]

Anchors

  • Chrissi Coile - weekday mornings on First News (4:30-7:00 on KTBS and 7:00-7:30 a.m. on KPXJ) and weekdays at 11:00 a.m.
  • Bob Griffin - weekend mornings on First News (5:30-7:00 Saturdays and 8:00-9:30 a.m. Sundays); also "Griffin's Ark-La-Tex" feature reporter
  • Jody Lowery - weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.; also reporter
  • Gerry May - weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.
  • Jessica Crandall - Saturdays at 5:30, Sundays at 5:00 and weekends at 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.
  • Ed Walsh - weekday mornings on FirstNews (4:30-7:00 on KTBS and 7:00-7:30 a.m. on KPXJ); also reporter

Storm Team 3

  • Joe Haynes (AMS Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.
  • Skip Kordas - meteorologist; fill-in
  • Brian Fowler - Meteorologist, formerly at WAFF - weekday mornings on First News (4:30-7:00) and on KTBS 3 News Midday (11:00-12:00)
  • Neil Shaw - Meteorologist - weekend mornings on First News (5:30-7:00 Saturdays and 8:00-9:30 a.m. Sundays) and weekend evenings

Sports team

  • TBD - sports director; weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.
  • Tatum Everett - sports anchor; Saturdays at 5:30, Sundays at 5:00 and weekends at 9:00 (on KPXJ) and 10:00 p.m.; also sports reporter and host of Saturday and Sunday Overtime

Reporters

  • Chris Arnold - multimedia journalist; also photographer
  • Erin Buchanan - general assignment reporter
  • Nick Caloway - multimedia journalist; also news producer
  • Carolyn Cerda - Longview bureau reporter
  • Julie Parr - Texarkana bureau reporter
  • Chris Redford - "Crime Team" reporter
  • Rick Rowe - weekday morning reporter (4:30-7:00 on KTBS and 7:00-7:30 a.m. on KPXJ); also "Live and On the Scene" segment producer
  • Chris Sims - multimedia journalist; also photographer
  • Rod White - multimedia journalist

[edit] Notable former on-air staff

  • Liz Swaine - reporter (1981–1998; executive assistant to the mayor of Shreveport, 1998–2006; candidate for mayor of Shreveport, 2006; executive director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of Shreveport, 2010–present)

[edit] Out-of-market cable coverage

KTBS is carried on various cable companies outside of the designated market. KTBS is carried as far as Longview, Texas to the west, Mount Pleasant, Texas to the northwest, El Dorado, Arkansas to the northeast, Jonesboro, Louisiana to the southeast, and Carthage, Texas to the southwest.

The station was one of two de facto ABC affiliates (KLAX-TV (channel 31) in Alexandria being the other) for the Monroe area starting in 1994, when their ABC affiliate, KARD-TV (channel 14) switched its affiliation to Fox, until 1998, when ABC returned to the Monroe area on upstart KAQY (channel 11).

[edit] Trivia

  • A clip from KTBS' newscast was featured in the movie Meet Joe Black.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A2.pdf
  2. ^ "The First Word with Dr. Fred Lowery". oneplace.com. Retrieved June 16, 2012. 
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ [2]
  5. ^ KTBS 6pm news open
  6. ^ Meet Our Team

[edit] External links
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
Local stations
Adjacent locals
ABC Network Affiliates in the state of Louisiana
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