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{{Refimprove|date=September 2010}} {{Refimprove|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox broadcast {{Infobox broadcast
| call_letters = KDKA-TV | call_letters = KDKA-TV
| city = Pittsburgh | city =
| station_logo = ] | station_logo = ]
| station_slogan = ''Your Home'' <small> (general)</small><br />''Your Home for Local News'' <small>(news)</small><br />''Your Steeler Station'' | station_slogan = ''Your Home'' <small> (general)</small><br />''Your Home for Local News'' <small>(news)</small><br />''Your Steeler Station''
| station_branding = KDKA <small>(general)</small><br />KDKA-TV News <small>(newscasts)</small> | station_branding = KDKA <small>(general)</small><br />KDKA-TV News <small>(newscasts)</small>
| digital = 25 (])<br>]: 2 (])
| analog =
| other_chs =
| digital = 25 (])<br>]: 2 (])
| affiliations = ] (secondary until 1955)
| other_chs =
| affiliations = ] (secondary until 1955) | airdate = January 11, 1949
| network = | location = ]
| callsign_meaning = taken from sister radio station ''']'''
| founded =
| airdate = January 11, 1949 | former_callsigns = WDTV (1949-1955)
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:'''<br>3 (], 1949–1952)<br>2 (VHF, 1952–2009)
| location = ]
| callsign_meaning = taken from sister radio station ''']''' | owner = ]
| former_callsigns = WDTV (1949-1955) | licensee = CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
| sister_stations = ], ], ], ], ]
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:'''<br>3 (VHF, 1949-1952)<br>2 (VHF, 1952-2009)
| former_affiliations = '''Primary''':<br>] (1949–1955)<br />'''Secondary''':<br>] (1949–1957)<br/> ] (1949–1958)
| owner = ]
| effective_radiated_power = 1000 ]
| licensee = CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
| HAAT = 311 m
| sister_stations = ], ], ], ], ]
| facility_id = 25454
| former_affiliations = '''Primary''':<br>] (1949-1955)<br />'''Secondary''':<br>] (1949-1957)<br/> ] (1949-1958)
| coordinates = {{Coord|40|29|38|N|80|1|9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}|
| effective_radiated_power = 1000 ]
| licensing_authority = ]
| HAAT = 311 m
| homepage =
| class =
| facility_id = 25454
| coordinates = {{Coord|40|29|38|N|80|1|9|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}|
| licensing_authority = ]
| homepage =
}} }}


'''KDKA-TV''', channel 2, is an ] ] of the ], located in ], ]. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the ] neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at ]. The facility also houses ] (channel 19, Pittsburgh's ] affiliate). '''KDKA-TV''', ] 2, is a ] ] ] located in ], ], ]. The station is owned by the ] subsidiary of ], as part of a ] with ] station ] (channel 19). The two stations share studios located at the ] in downtown Pittsburgh, KDKA-TV's transmitter located in the ] neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

KDKA-TV is available on ] in the Johnstown, Altoona, and Wheeling areas, as well as several other out-of-market cable systems in northwestern ], northwestern ], northeastern ], and ]. The furthest south KDKA is carried on cable is in ]. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}}


==Early history== ==Early history==
===DuMont origins=== ===DuMont origins===
The station went on the air on January 11, 1949, as '''WDTV''' ('''W''' '''D'''uMont '''T'''ele'''V'''ision) on channel 3, owned and operated by the ].<ref>"WDTV starts; DuMont outlet debuts in Pittsburgh." '']'', January 17, 1949, pg. 32. </ref> It was the 51st TV station in the U.S. and the third and last DuMont-owned station to go on the air, behind WABD (now ]) in ] and ] in ] To mark the occasion, a ] special aired that day from 8:30pm to 11pm ET on WDTV. The show began with a one-hour local program broadcast from ] in Pittsburgh. The remainder of the show featured live segments from DuMont, CBS, ], and ] with ], ], DuMont host Ted Steele, and many other celebrities.<ref></ref> The station went on the air on January 11, 1949, as '''WDTV''' ("<u>W</u> <u>D</u>uMont <u>T</u>ele<u>V</u>ision") on channel 3, it was owned and operated by the ].<ref>"WDTV starts; DuMont outlet debuts in Pittsburgh." '']'', January 17, 1949, pg. 32. </ref> It was the 51st television station in the U.S. and the third and last DuMont-owned station to sign on the air, behind WABD (now ]) in ] and ] in ] To mark the occasion, a ] special aired that day from 8:30 to 11 p.m. ET on WDTV, which began with a one-hour local program broadcast from ] in Pittsburgh. The remainder of the show featured live segments from DuMont, CBS, ], and ] with ], ], DuMont host Ted Steele, and many other celebrities.<ref></ref>


The station also represented a milestone in the television industry, providing the first "network" that included Pittsburgh and 13 other cities from ] to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10136/1058239-426.stm |title=Eyewitness: 1949 / TV makes Pittsburgh 'A New Promise' |publisher=Post-gazette.com |date=2010-05-16 |accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> WDTV was one of the last stations to receive a construction permit before the ]-imposed ] on new TV station licenses. The station also represented a milestone in the television industry, providing the first "network" that included Pittsburgh and 13 other cities from ] to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10136/1058239-426.stm |title=Eyewitness: 1949 / TV makes Pittsburgh 'A New Promise' |publisher=Post-gazette.com |date=2010-05-16 |accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> WDTV was one of the last stations to receive a construction permit before the ]-imposed ] on new television station licenses.


When the release of the FCC's ''Sixth Report and Order'' ended the license freeze in 1952, DuMont was forced to give up its channel 3 allocation to alleviate interference with nearby stations broadcasting on the frequency. WDTV moved its facilities to channel 2 on November 23, 1952.<ref>"WDTV channel switch." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', December 8, 1952, pg. 72. </ref> Shortly after moving, it was the first station in the country to broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, advertising that its 1:00-7:00 a.m. "Swing Shift Theatre" served the "200,000 workers who finish shift work at midnight." <ref>"We're Making Television History on WDTV," Sponsor, 24 March 1952, 7.</ref> DuMont's network of stations on coaxial cable stretched from Boston to St. Louis. These stations were linked together via AT&T's ] feed with the sign-on of WDTV allowing the network to broadcast live programming to all the stations at the same time. Stations not yet connected to the coaxial cable received ] recordings via physical delivery.{{cn|date=February 2013}} When the release of the FCC's ''Sixth Report and Order'' ended the license freeze in 1952, DuMont was forced to give up its channel 3 allocation to alleviate interference with nearby stations broadcasting on the frequency. WDTV moved its facilities to channel 2 on November 23, 1952.<ref>"WDTV channel switch." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', December 8, 1952, pg. 72. </ref> Shortly after moving, it was the first station in the country to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week, advertising that its 1:00-7:00 a.m. "Swing Shift Theatre" served the "200,000 workers who finish shift work at midnight."<ref>"We're Making Television History on WDTV," Sponsor, 24 March 1952, 7.</ref> DuMont's network of stations on coaxial cable stretched from Boston to St. Louis. These stations were linked together via AT&T's ] feed with the sign-on of WDTV allowing the network to broadcast live programming to all the stations at the same time. Stations not yet connected to the coaxial cable received ] recordings via physical delivery.{{cn|date=February 2013}}


] ]

===Dealing with competition=== ===Dealing with competition===
Until the end of the freeze, WDTV's only competition came in the form of distant signals from stations in ], ], ] and ]. However, Pittsburgh saw two ] stations launch during 1953 -- ] affiliate WENS-TV (channel 16, later to become ]), and WKJF-TV (channel 53, later to become ]), an ]. At the time, UHF stations could not be viewed without the aid of an expensive, set-top converter, and the picture quality was marginal at best with one. UHF stations in the area faced an additional problem because Pittsburgh is located in a somewhat rugged ], and the reception of UHF stations is usually poor in such terrain. These factors played a role in both WKJF and WENS being short-lived. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} Until the end of the freeze, WDTV's only competition came in the form of distant signals from stations in ], ], ] and ]. However, Pittsburgh saw two ] stations launch during 1953 – ] affiliate WENS-TV (channel 16, later to become ]), and WKJF-TV (channel 53, later to become ]), an ]. At the time, UHF stations could not be viewed without the aid of an expensive, set-top converter, and the picture quality was marginal at best with one. UHF stations in the area faced an additional problem because Pittsburgh is located in a somewhat rugged ], and the reception of UHF stations is usually poor in such terrain. These factors played a role in the short-lived existences of both WKJF and WENS.{{Citation needed|date=June 2012}}


Although Pittsburgh was the sixth largest market in the country (behind ], ], ], ] and ]-]), the other VHF stations in town were slow to develop. This was because the major cities in the ] are so close together that they must share the VHF band. After the FCC lifted the license freeze in 1952, it refused to grant any new commercial VHF construction permits to Pittsburgh in order to give the smaller cities in the area a chance to get on the air. WDTV had a '']'' ] on Pittsburgh television. Like its sister stations WABD and WTTG, it was far stronger than the DuMont network as a whole. According to network general manager Ted Bergmann, WDTV brought in ]4 million a year, which was more than enough to keep the network afloat. Owning the only readily viewable station in such a large market gave DuMont considerable leverage in getting its programs cleared in large markets where it didn't have an affiliate. As CBS, NBC and ABC had secondary affiliations with WDTV, this was a strong incentive to stations in large markets to clear DuMont's programs or risk losing valuable advertising in the sixth-largest market. Also, NBC affiliates from Johnstown and Wheeling were able to be received in Pittsburgh and a CBS affiliate from Wheeling was also able to be received there as well. Although Pittsburgh was the sixth largest market in the country (behind ], ], ], ] and ]-]), the other VHF stations in town were slow to develop. This was because the major cities in the ] are so close together that they must share the VHF band. After the FCC lifted the license freeze in 1952, it refused to grant any new commercial VHF construction permits to Pittsburgh in order to give the smaller cities in the area a chance to get on the air. WDTV had a '']'' ] on Pittsburgh television. Like its sister stations WABD and WTTG, it was far stronger than the DuMont network as a whole. According to network general manager Ted Bergmann, WDTV brought in ]4 million a year, which was more than enough to keep the network afloat. Owning the only readily viewable station in such a large market gave DuMont considerable leverage in getting its programs cleared in large markets where it did not have an affiliate. As CBS, NBC and ABC had secondary affiliations with WDTV, this was a strong incentive to stations in large markets to clear DuMont's programs or risk losing valuable advertising in the sixth-largest market. Also, NBC affiliates from Johnstown and Wheeling were able to be received in Pittsburgh and a CBS affiliate from Wheeling was also able to be received there as well.


WDTV aired all DuMont network shows live and "cherry-picked" the best shows from the other networks, airing them on ] on an every-other-week basis. WDTV's sign-on was also significant because it was now possible to feed live programs from the East to the Midwest and vice versa. In fact, its second broadcast was the activation of the coaxial cable linking New York and Chicago. It would be another two years before the West Coast received live programming, but this was the beginning of the modern era of network television. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} WDTV aired all DuMont network shows live and "cherry-picked" the best shows from the other networks, airing them on ] on an every-other-week basis. WDTV's sign-on was also significant because it was now possible to feed live programs from the East to the Midwest and vice versa. In fact, its second broadcast was the activation of the coaxial cable linking New York City and Chicago. It would be another two years before the West Coast received live programming, but this was the beginning of the modern era of network television. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}}


===Westinghouse enters=== ===Westinghouse enters===
] in Pittsburgh. The station has been housed in this facility since 1956.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrcdxas.org/convention/08nrccon/ |title=NRC Convention 08'- Pittsburgh PA |publisher=Nrcdxas.org |date= |accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>]] ] in Pittsburgh. The station has been housed in this facility since 1956.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrcdxas.org/convention/08nrccon/ |title=NRC Convention 08'- Pittsburgh PA |publisher=Nrcdxas.org |date= |accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>]]
By 1954, DuMont was in serious financial trouble. ], which owned a stake in DuMont, ]ed a merger with ABC who had merged with ], Paramount's former theater division, a year before. A few years earlier, the FCC had ruled that Paramount controlled DuMont and there were still lingering questions about whether UPT had actually broken off from Paramount. Paramount didn't want to risk the FCC's wrath. By 1954, DuMont was in serious financial trouble. ], which owned a stake in DuMont, ]ed a merger with ABC, who had merged with Paramount's former theater division ] a year before. A few years earlier, the FCC had ruled that Paramount controlled DuMont and there were still lingering questions about whether UPT had actually broken off from Paramount. Paramount did not want to risk the FCC's wrath.


Meanwhile, Pittsburgh-based ] had been competing with local politicians to acquire the ] channel 13 license from the FCC, as no other Pittsburgh-allocated VHF station would be signing on for the foreseeable future. After launching ] in ] in 1948 and purchasing two other TV stations, Westinghouse was growing impatient with not having a station in its own home market. Westinghouse later offered a compromise plan to the FCC, in which the Commission would grant Westinghouse the channel 13 license; Westinghouse would then "share" the facility with the educational licensee. Finding the terms unacceptable, Pittsburgh ] Leland Hazard called Westinghouse ] Gwilym Price to ask him if he should give up on his fight for public television. Price said that Hazard should keep fighting for it, giving Westinghouse backing for the station that would eventually become ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Togyer|first=Jason|url=http://pbrtv.com/blog/entry_1003.php#body|title=Pittsburgh Radio & TV Online - Creating 'QED ... at DuMont's expense?|publisher=Pbrtv.com|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> Meanwhile, Pittsburgh-based ] had been competing with local politicians to acquire the ] channel 13 license from the FCC, as no other Pittsburgh-allocated VHF station would be signing on for the foreseeable future. After launching ] in ] in 1948 and purchasing two other television stations, Westinghouse was growing impatient with not having a station in its own home market. Westinghouse later offered a compromise plan to the FCC, in which the Commission would grant Westinghouse the channel 13 license; Westinghouse would then "share" the facility with the educational licensee. Finding the terms unacceptable, Pittsburgh ] Leland Hazard called Westinghouse ] Gwilym Price to ask him if he should give up on his fight for ]. Price said that Hazard should keep fighting for it, giving Westinghouse backing for the station that would eventually become ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Togyer|first=Jason|url=http://pbrtv.com/blog/entry_1003.php#body|title=Pittsburgh Radio & TV Online - Creating 'QED ... at DuMont's expense?|publisher=Pbrtv.com|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>


Westinghouse then turned its attention to WDTV, offering DuMont a then-record $9.75 million for the station in late 1954. Desperate for cash, DuMont promptly accepted Westinghouse's offer.<ref>"Westinghouse pays record to buy DuMont's WDTV (TV)." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', December 6, 1954, pp. 27-28. </ref> While the sale gave DuMont a short-term cash infusion, it eliminated DuMont's leverage in getting clearances in other major markets. Within two years, the DuMont network was no more. After the sale closed in January 1955, Westinghouse changed WDTV's call letters to '''KDKA-TV''', after Westinghouse's pioneering radio station ] (1020 AM).<ref>"WDTV (TV) Pittsburgh changes call to KDKA-TV." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', January 31, 1955, pg. 73. </ref> As such, it became one of the few stations east of the ] with a "K" call sign. Westinghouse then turned its attention to WDTV, offering DuMont a then-record $9.75 million for the station in late 1954. Desperate for cash, DuMont promptly accepted Westinghouse's offer.<ref>"Westinghouse pays record to buy DuMont's WDTV (TV)." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', December 6, 1954, pp. 27-28. </ref> While the sale gave DuMont a short-term cash infusion, it eliminated DuMont's leverage in getting clearances in other major markets. Within two years, the DuMont network was no more. After the sale closed in January 1955, Westinghouse changed WDTV's call letters to '''KDKA-TV''', after Westinghouse's pioneering radio station ] (1020 AM).<ref>"WDTV (TV) Pittsburgh changes call to KDKA-TV." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', January 31, 1955, pg. 73. </ref> As such, it became one of the few stations east of the ] with a "K" call sign. The ] calls now reside on a CBS affiliate located 130 miles south of Pittsburgh in ], which is unrelated to the current KDKA-TV. That station, which signed on after KDKA-TV adopted its current callsign, adopted those calls "in honor" of KDKA-TV.


As KDKA radio had long been an NBC affiliate (Westinghouse was a co-founder of ], NBC's then-parent company), it was expected that KDKA-TV would eventually become a primary affiliate of NBC television. But the network was seeking to purchase Westinghouse's Philadelphia stations, ] and WPTZ (now ]). When Westinghouse balked, NBC threatened to pull its programming from WPTZ and Boston's WBZ-TV unless Westinghouse agreed to trade its Philadelphia properties for NBC's ]-] and ] in ]. The decision would lead to an ].<ref>"Philadelphia circle is complete." ''Broadcasting'', Aug. 3, 1964, pg. 23.</ref><ref>"Nine-year history of that trade in Philadelphia." ''Broadcasting'', August 3, 1964, pg. 24-25.</ref> Two years after the ownership change, channel 2 became a primary affiliate of the higher-rated CBS network instead.<ref>"CBS signs KDKA-TV as basic affiliate." ''Broadcasting'', April 1, 1957, pg. 126. </ref> KDKA-TV retained secondary affiliations with NBC until WIIC-TV (channel 11, now ]) signed on in 1957, and ABC until ] (channel 4) signed on in 1958. KDKA-TV became the flagship station of Westinghouse's broadcasting arm, ].The ] calls now reside on a CBS affiliate located 130 miles south in ], which is unrelated to the current KDKA-TV. That station, which signed on after KDKA-TV adopted its current call signs, did adopt those calls "in honor" of KDKA-TV. On November 22, 1963, newscaster Bill Burns provided almost 3 hours of live coverage after the shooting of President ].<ref></ref> As KDKA radio had long been an affiliate of the ] (Westinghouse was a co-founder of ], NBC's then-parent company), it was expected that KDKA-TV would eventually become a primary affiliate of the NBC television network. But the network was seeking to purchase Westinghouse's Philadelphia stations, ] and WPTZ (now ]). When Westinghouse balked, NBC threatened to pull its programming from WPTZ and Boston's WBZ-TV unless Westinghouse agreed to trade its Philadelphia properties for NBC's ]-] and ] in ]. The decision would lead to an ].<ref>"Philadelphia circle is complete." ''Broadcasting'', Aug. 3, 1964, pg. 23.</ref><ref>"Nine-year history of that trade in Philadelphia." ''Broadcasting'', August 3, 1964, pg. 24-25.</ref> Two years after the ownership change, channel 2 became a primary affiliate of the higher-rated CBS network instead.<ref>"CBS signs KDKA-TV as basic affiliate." ''Broadcasting'', April 1, 1957, pg. 126. </ref> KDKA-TV retained secondary affiliations with NBC until WIIC-TV (channel 11, now ]) signed on in 1957, and ABC until ] (channel 4) signed on in 1958. KDKA-TV became the ] of Westinghouse's broadcasting arm, ]. On November 22, 1963, newscaster Bill Burns provided almost three hours of live coverage after the shooting of President ].<ref></ref>


Over the years, channel 2 pre-empted moderate amounts of CBS programming. At one point, from the early 1960s to July of 1990, they were not clearing '']''. At the same time, ] in ] did run the program and was viewable in the eastern part of the Pittsburgh market. Also, CBS affiliate ] in ] was viewable in Pittsburgh and to the west. Until 1978, the show ran on ] and for a few years after that it ran on ]. KDKA-TV also preempted the daytime game shows and reruns from CBS at various points in the 1970's. KDKA also produced plenty of local programs such as '']'', '']'', and local news. The station also occasionally preempted prime time CBS programming for a syndicated movie, local news special, or sports during the years they had broadcast rights to ] baseball and ] hockey. Weekend pre-emptions included a small portion of Saturday and Sunday morning cartoons, and Sunday morning religious programs. Over the years, channel 2 pre-empted moderate amounts of CBS programming. At one point, from the early 1960s to July 1990, the station did not clear '']''. At the same time, ] in ] had run the program and was viewable in the eastern part of the Pittsburgh market. Also, CBS affiliate ] in ] was viewable in Pittsburgh and to the west. Until 1978, the show ran on WPGH and for a few years after that, it ran on ] (channel 22). KDKA-TV also preempted the daytime game shows and reruns from CBS at various points during the 1970s. KDKA also produced plenty of local programs such as '']'', '']'', and local newscasts. The station also occasionally preempted CBS primetime programs for a syndicated movie, local news special, or sports during the years the station had broadcast rights to ] baseball and ] hockey. Weekend pre-emptions included a small portion of Saturday and Sunday morning cartoons, and Sunday morning religious programs.


In 1993, KDKA stopped running '']'' and instead ran ]. Less than a year later, Westinghouse made a long-term deal with CBS to convert the entire five-station Group W television unit to a group-wide CBS affiliation. Part of this agreement included a deal to stop preempting any CBS Shows except for local news emergencies or local news events which would be effective in 1995. KDKA TV continued preempting moderate amounts of programming into 1995. In the fall of 1995, channel 2 began running the entire CBS lineup in pattern, as it, and sister station ] in ], were already affiliated with the network. In 1993, KDKA stopped running '']'' and instead ran ]. Less than a year later, Westinghouse made a long-term deal with CBS to convert the entire five-station Group W television unit to a group-wide CBS affiliation. Part of this agreement included a deal to stop preempting any CBS shows, except for extended breaking news coverage or local news events beginning in 1995. KDKA-TV continued preempting moderate amounts of programming into 1995. In the fall of 1995, channel 2 began running the entire CBS lineup in pattern, as it, and sister station ] in ], were already affiliated with the network.


In early 1996, Westinghouse acquired CBS, making KDKA-TV a CBS owned-and-operated station, after four decades as being simply a CBS affiliate. In 1997, Westinghouse became CBS Corporation, which would then merge with ] (ironically Paramount's parent since 1994) in 2000, making KDKA a sister station with Pittsburgh ] (now ]) affiliate WNPA-TV (now ]). Five years later Viacom became ] and spun off a new ]. In 2001, KDKA-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast on UPN Pittsburgh. In 2005, it added a two-hour morning newscast in 2005 on WNPA. On September 1, 2010, KDKA-TV debuted the same graphics and music package that ], ] and ] have. KDKA-TV is also available on cable in the Johnstown, Altoona, and Wheeling areas, as well as several other out-of-market cable systems in northwestern ], northwestern ], northeastern ], and ]. The furthest south KDKA is carried on cable is in ]. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} In early 1996, Westinghouse acquired CBS, making KDKA-TV a CBS owned-and-operated station, after four decades as being simply a CBS affiliate. In 1997, Westinghouse became CBS Corporation, which would then merge with ] (which, ironically, has been Paramount's parent since 1994) in 2000, making KDKA a sister station with Pittsburgh ] affiliate WNPA-TV (channel 19, now ] station ]). Five years later, Viacom became ] and spun off a new ].


In August 2007, KDKA-TV unveiled a new image campaign, entitled ''Your Home'', with music and lyrics performed by singer-songwriter ]. The promo features scenes of Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas, as well as three of the station's personalites. In September 2007, the station unveiled another promo featuring the ] song "Coming Home". Later, a third spot, "Long Way Home", was introduced, featuring the voice of Kelsey Friday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://postgazette.com/pg/07236/811615-238.stm|title=TV Q&A with Rob Owen/KDKA's Image Campaign|accessdate=2007-08-27|work=post-gazette.com}}</ref>
===Image campaign===
In August 2007, KDKA-TV revealed a new image campaign, entitled ''Your Home'', with music and lyrics performed by singer-songwriter ]. The promo features scenes of Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas, as well as three of the station's personalites. In September 2007, the station unveiled another promo featuring the ] song "Coming Home". Later, a third spot, "Long Way Home", was introduced, featuring the voice of Kelsey Friday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://postgazette.com/pg/07236/811615-238.stm|title=TV Q&A with Rob Owen/KDKA's Image Campaign|accessdate=2007-08-27|work=post-gazette.com}}</ref>


==Digital television== ==Digital television==
=== Digital channel === ===Digital channels===
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|- |-
! ]
! Channel
! ] ! ]
! ] ! ]
! ]
! PSIP short name
! Programming<ref></ref>
! Programming
|- |-
| 2.1 || ] || ] || KDKA 2. || Main KDKA-TV programming / CBS | 2.1 || ] || ] || KDKA 2. || Main KDKA-TV programming / CBS
Line 82: Line 78:


=== Analog-to-digital conversion === === Analog-to-digital conversion ===
KDKA-TV shut down its analog signal, over ] channel 2, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States ] under federal mandate, during that night's broadcast of the '']''. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 25.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2012-03-24}}</ref> Through the use of ], digital television receivers display the station's ] as its former VHF analog channel 2.
As part of the ], KDKA-TV shut down its analog transmitter on Friday, June 12, 2009, during the '']''. On Tuesday June 16, 2009, KDKA-TV launched in HD during its noon broadcast, with a new set and weather center. Like rival ], only the in-studio cameras are in HD while most of the content, including field reports and video footage, are in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition. In July 2009 the station applied to the ] (FCC) to have two repeater signals: channel 31 in ] and channel 40 in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=25454|title=TV Query Results - Video Division (FCC) USA|publisher=Fcc.gov|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>

In July 2009, the station applied to the ] (FCC) to operate two repeater signals: channel 31 in ] and channel 40 in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=25454|title=TV Query Results - Video Division (FCC) USA|publisher=Fcc.gov|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>


==Programming== ==Programming==
===Local shows=== ===Local shows===
] ]
*'']'' (2000- ): Saturdays at 11 a.m. - "quiz bowl" format show with three teams composed of local high school students *'']'' (2000–present): airs Saturdays at 11 a.m. - "quiz bowl" format show with three teams composed of local high school students
*'']'' (1998- ): Sundays at 11:35 p.m. – sports talk show *'']'' (1998–present): airs Sundays at 11:35 p.m. – sports talk show
*''KD/PG Sunday Edition'': Sundays at 8:30 a.m.; public affairs programming *''KD/PG Sunday Edition'': airs Sundays at 8:30 a.m.; public affairs program
*''The Lynne Hayes-Freeland Show'': Sundays at 6 a.m.; public affairs programming *''The Lynne Hayes-Freeland Show'': airs Sundays at 6 a.m.; public affairs program
*''Pittsburgh Today Live'': 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. - Kristine Sorensen and Jon Burnett are the hosts, with Dennis Bowman for weather; local general interest program *''Pittsburgh Today Live'': airs weekdays 9:00-10:00 a.m. - Kristine Sorensen and Jon Burnett are the hosts, with Dennis Bowman for weather; local general interest program
*''The Sunday Business Page'': Sundays at 6:30 a.m.; public affairs *''The Sunday Business Page'': airs Sundays at 6:30 a.m.; public affairs program
*''Your Pittsburgh'': 7:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Kimberly Gill and David Highfield host; entertainment program *''Your Pittsburgh'': airs weeknights 7:30-8:00 p.m. - hosted by Kimberly Gill and David Highfield; entertainment program

KDKA-TV presently offers seven-and-a-half hours of live news each weekday, collectively, on channels 2 and 19 (]). On Saturdays, news is broadcast four-and-a-half hours per day, and there is 90 minutes of news each Sunday.


===Seasonal=== ===Seasonal===
*''The Children's Hospital Free-Care Fund'' (1954- ) - (Holiday Season) - yearly pledge drive *''The Children's Hospital Free-Care Fund'' (1954–present; airs during the holiday season) - yearly pledge drive
*''Hometown Holiday Lights'' - Series aired over the news. ] between local families with ] displays at their ]. *''Hometown Holiday Lights'' - Series aired during KDKA's newscasts; ] between local families with ] displays at their ].
*''McDonald's Steeler Kickoff'' - (during the ] season) - Sundays at 11:30 a.m. - Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game show hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson. *''McDonald's Steeler Kickoff'' (during the ] season) - Sundays at 11:30 a.m. - Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game show hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson.
*''Steelers Huddle'' (September 19, 2009 - ) - (during the ] season) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani and a rotating member of the ]. *''Steelers Huddle'' (September 19, 2009–present; airs during the ] season) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani and a rotating member of the ].
*''Steelers Trivia Challenge'' (July 16, 2005 - ) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani hosts a "quiz bowl" format, modeled after ''Hometown High-Q'', with three teams composed of three Pittsburgh Steelers fans who answer team-related trivia questions. The show runs for 9 weeks (mid-July to mid-September). *''Steelers Trivia Challenge'' (July 16, 2005–present) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani hosts a "quiz bowl" format, modeled after ''Hometown High-Q'', with three teams composed of three Pittsburgh Steelers fans who answer team-related trivia questions. The show runs for nine weeks (mid-July to mid-September).
*''Verizon Extra Point'' - (during the ] season) - Pittsburgh Steelers post-game show after CBS broadcasts, hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson. *''Verizon Extra Point'' (airs during the ] season) - Pittsburgh Steelers post-game show after CBS broadcasts, hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson.


===Former=== ===Former===
*'']'' (August 1, 1977-October 12, 1990) *'']'' (August 1, 1977–October 12, 1990)
*''Giant Eagle High School Sports Advantage'' *''Giant Eagle High School Sports Advantage''
*'']'' (September 12, 1998-February 4, 2006) *'']'' (September 12, 1998–February 4, 2006)
*''The Hines Ward Show'' (September 2, 2006-January 31, 2009) *''The Hines Ward Show'' (September 2, 2006–January 31, 2009)
*''Mario Lemieux Celebrity Golf Invitational'' *''Mario Lemieux Celebrity Golf Invitational''
*''Pittsburgh 2Day'' (1978-January 19, 1990) *''Pittsburgh 2Day'' (1978–January 19, 1990)
*''] baseball'' (1957–1994) *''] baseball'' (1957–1994)
*''] hockey'' (1989–1997) *''] hockey'' (1989–1997)
*''Wake Up With Larry Richert'' (1988–1990) *''Wake Up With Larry Richert'' (1988–1990)

===Ratings===
As of May 2010, KDKA-TV is the most watched news station in the hours of noon, 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. However, WPXI is the most watched news program in the Pittsburgh area in the hours of 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and their 10 p.m. show on ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10064/1040385-67.stm|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|title=Sweeps show how stations evolved|first=Rob|last=Owen|date=March 5, 2010}}</ref>


===Pittsburgh Steelers=== ===Pittsburgh Steelers===
Due to the CBS network having a ] with the ] to show games involving ] teams, KDKA-TV has been the official broadcaster of most ] games since 1998, and serves as the team's flagship station. The team's preseason games that are not nationally televised are also shown on KDKA. KDKA began its relationship with the Steelers in 1962, when CBS first started the leaguewide television package. The Steelers are one of three AFC teams that predate the AFC's basis league, the ], and so KDKA, and not ] or WIIC-TV (now ]), carried Steelers road games (home games were blacked out locally under all circumstances until 1973, when sold-out home games began to be allowed on local television) - the AFL had TV contracts with ], and later, ]. As CBS holds the ] with the ] to show games involving ] teams, KDKA-TV has been the official broadcaster of most ] games since 1998, and serves as the team's flagship station. The team's preseason games that are not nationally televised are also shown on KDKA. KDKA began its relationship with the Steelers in 1962, when CBS first started the leaguewide television package. The Steelers are one of three AFC teams that predate the AFC's basis league, the ], and so KDKA, and not ] or WIIC-TV (now ]), carried Steelers road games (home games were blacked out locally under all circumstances until 1973, when sold-out home games began to be allowed on local television) – the AFL had television contracts with ], and later, ].


Due to the NFL rules of the time, after the ], KDKA did not broadcast any Steelers games from 1970-72. Beginning 1973, KDKA was allowed to air any Steelers games in which they hosted a team from the ], which contained most of the old-line ] teams. KDKA also broadcast two Steeler championship wins, ] in 1976 and ] in 1980. Since the Steelers have sold out every home game starting in 1972, no blackouts have been required. In the meantime, from 1970–97, channel 11 aired most Steelers games. Due to the NFL rules of the time, after the ], KDKA did not broadcast any Steelers games from 1970 to 1972. Beginning in 1973, KDKA was allowed to air any Steelers games in which they hosted a team from the ], which contained most of the old-line ] teams. KDKA also broadcast two Steeler championship wins, ] in 1976 and ] in 1980. Since the Steelers have sold out every home game starting in 1972, no blackouts have been required. In the meantime, from 1970 to 1997, channel 11 aired most Steelers games.


When the NFC package moved from CBS to ] in 1994, ] aired the Steelers games that had before aired on KDKA, leaving the senior station without Steelers games for four years. Today, and in general since 1970, the only exceptions to all the above are when the Steelers play at night. Their '']'' games have always aired locally on WTAE, first when the ABC network had the rights, and since 2006, on ]. WTAE also aired simulcasts of their games aired as part of '']'' from 1987 to 2005. The NFL requires games on cable channels be simulcast over-the-air in the markets of the participating teams (again with the home team's broadcast subject to blackout). WTAE has simulcast ESPN-aired games because ESPN is 20% owned by WTAE's owners, ] - their ABC stations have right of first refusal for these simulcasts. Games on ] and ] have aired on various stations in the area. {{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} When the NFC package moved from CBS to ] in 1994, WPGH-TV aired the Steelers games that had before aired on KDKA, leaving the senior station without Steelers games for four years. Today, and in general since 1970, the only exceptions to all the above are when the Steelers play at night. Their '']'' games have always aired locally on WTAE, first when ABC had the rights, and since 2006, on ]. WTAE also aired simulcasts of their games aired as part of '']'' from 1987 to 2005. The NFL requires games on ]s to be simulcast over-the-air in the markets of the participating teams (again with the home team's broadcast subject to blackout). WTAE has simulcast ESPN-aired games because ESPN is 20% owned by WTAE's owners, ] – their ABC stations have right of first refusal for these simulcasts. Games on ] and ] have aired on various stations in the area.{{Citation needed|date=June 2012}}

==News operation==
{{expandsection|further information on the history of KDKA-TV's news department|date=August 2013}}
KDKA-TV presently broadcasts 34½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with six hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays and 1½ hours on Sundays); KDKA also produces 27 hours of local newscasts each week for CW owned-and-operated sister station ], in the form of an hour-long extension of KDKA's weekday morning newscast at 7 a.m. and a nightly 35-minute newscast at 10 p.m.

In 2001, KDKA-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast on WNPA (now WPCW); in 2005, it added a two-hour weekday morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m. on that station (which was later reduced to one hour from 7 to 8 a.m.).

On June 16, 2009, KDKA-TV began broadcasting its local newscasts in ] during its noon broadcast, with the introduction of a new set and weather center. Like rival ], only video from in-studio cameras is broadcast in HD while most of the content, including field reports and video footage, are in ]ed ] ]. On September 1, 2010, KDKA-TV debuted the standardized CBS O&O graphics and music package ("The CBS Enforcer Music Collection" by ]).

===Ratings===
As of May 2010, KDKA-TV is the most watched news station in the hours of noon, 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. However, WPXI is the most watched news program in the Pittsburgh area in the hours of 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and their 10 p.m. show on ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10064/1040385-67.stm|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|title=Sweeps show how stations evolved|first=Rob|last=Owen|date=March 5, 2010}}</ref>


==On-air staff== ===On-air staff===
===Current on-air staff<ref></ref>=== ====Current on-air staff<ref></ref>====
====Anchors==== ;Anchors
* Jennifer Antkowiak (1993–2006; 2009–present) - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW) * Jennifer Antkowiak - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW)
* Rick Dayton (2009–present) - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW) * Rick Dayton - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW)
* Kimberly Gill (2011–present) - weekdays at noon and 4:00 p.m.; co-host of ''Your Pittsburgh'' * Kimberly Gill - weekdays at noon and 4:00 p.m.; also co-host of ''Your Pittsburgh''
* Susan Koeppen (2011–present) - weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m.; Consumer Reporter * Susan Koeppen - weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m.; also consumer reporter
* ] (1994–present) - weeknights at 5:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m. * Paul Martino - Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also weekday reporter
* Trina Orlando - Saturday morning fill-in anchor
* ] (1983–present) - weekdays at noon and 4:00 + weeknights at 6:00 p.m.; host of ''KD/PG Sunday Edition''
* Kristine Sorensen (2003–present) - weeknights at 5:00 p.m.; host of ''Pittsburgh Today LIVE'' * ] - weeknights at 5:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.
* ] - weekdays at noon and 4:00, and weeknights at 6:00 p.m.; host of ''KD/PG Sunday Edition''
* Brenda Waters (1985–present) – Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.); also reporter
* Kristine Sorensen - weeknights at 5:00 p.m.; host of ''Pittsburgh Today Live''
* Paul Martino (1984–present) – Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also reporter
* Trina Orlando (2008–present) – fill-in (Saturday mornings from 6:00-8:00 a.m.) * Brenda Waters - Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.); also reporter


====Weather team==== ;Weather team
* Jeff Verszyla - chief meteorologist; weekdays at 4:00 and weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.
* Dennis Bowman (2008–present) - ] and ] certified meteorologist: weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW) and weekdays at noon + co-host of Pittsburgh Today LIVE
* Jon Burnett (1982–present) - Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.) and Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also hosts '']'' * Dennis Bowman (] and ] Seals of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW) and weekdays at noon; also co-host of ''Pittsburgh Today Live''
* Jon Burnett - meteorologist; Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.) and Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also hosts '']''
* Kristin Emery (2012-present) - ] and ] certified meteorologist
* Kristin Emery (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - fill-in meteorologist
* Dave Trygar (2008–present) - ] certified meteorologist (freelance/fill-in basis)
* Dave Trygar (AMS Seal of Approval) - freelance/fill-in meteorologist
* Jeff Verszyla (1996–present) - chief meteorologist: weekdays at 4:00 and weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.


====Sports team==== ;Sports team
* Bob Pompeani (1982–present) - sports director, seen weekdays at 6:00, 10:35 (''The Nightly Sports Call'' on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also host of ''KDKA Sunday Sports Showdown'' * Bob Pompeani - sports director; weekdays at 6:00, 10:35 (''The Nightly Sports Call'' on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also host of ''KDKA Sunday Sports Showdown''
* Jory Rand (2008–present) - sports anchor/reporter, seen Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:35 (''The Nightly Sports Call'' on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m. * Jory Rand - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:35 (''The Nightly Sports Call'' on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m., also sports reporter
* Mike Zappone (2007–present) - fill-in sports anchor/reporter/producer (various times) * Mike Zappone - fill-in sports anchor/sports reporter/producer (various times)


====Reporters==== ;Reporters
{{div col|cols=2|colwidth=30em}}
* Heather Abraham (2010–present)
* Heather Abraham - general assignment reporter
* Bob Allen (2000–present)
* Sarah Arbogast (2011–present) - traffic/transportation reporter * Bob Allen - general assignment reporter
* Dave Crawley (1988–present) - "KD Country" reporter * Sarah Arbogast - traffic/transportation reporter
* Dave Crawley - "KD Country" reporter
* ] (1994–present) - Money/Politics editor
* ] - money and politics editor
* Kym Gable (2007–present) - freelance reporter (also a spokeswoman for ])
* Kym Gable - freelance reporter (also a spokeswoman for ])
* Marty Griffin (1998–2001; 2003–present) - KDKA Investigator
* Marty Griffin - investigative reporter ("KDKA Investigators")
* Ross Guidotti (2001–present)
* Ross Guidotti - general assignment reporter
* Harold Hayes (1979–present)
* Harold Hayes - general assignment reporter
* Lynne Hayes-Freeland<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdka.com/bios/Lynne.Hayes.Freeland.9.342736.html|title=Lynne Hayes-Freeland profile|publisher=Kdka.com|date=2011-03-19|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> (1977–present)
* Lynne Hayes-Freeland - general assignment reporter
* David Highfield (1993–present) - co-host of ''Your Pittsburgh''
* David Highfield - general assignment reporter; also co-host of ''Your Pittsburgh''
* Ralph Iannotti (1982–present)
* Ralph Iannotti - general assignment reporter
* Mary Robb Jackson (1980–present)
* Mary Robb Jackson - general assignment reporter
* Paul Martino (1984–present)
* Paul Martino - general assignment reporter
* Trina Orlando (2008–present) - Westmoreland County Bureau Chief
* Trina Orlando - Westmoreland County bureau chief
* Andy Sheehan (1992–present) - KDKA Investigator
* Andy Sheehan - investigative reporter ("KDKA Investigators")
* John Shumway (1988–present) - also on ]
* John Shumway - general assignment reporter; also heard on ]
*Dr. Maria Simbra<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdka.com/bios/Dr.Maria.Simbra.9.341472.html|title=Dr. Maria Simbra profile|publisher=Kdka.com|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> (2002–present)
* Dr. Maria Simbra - medical reporter
{{div col end}}


===Notable former on-air staff=== ====Notable former on-air staff====
* ] - anchor (1999–2003); last at ] in Philadelphia from (2006-2013).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/personality/susan-barnett/|title=Susan Barnett Bio|publisher=]|accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref> * ] - anchor (1999–2003; last at ] in Philadelphia from 2006 to 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/personality/susan-barnett/|title=Susan Barnett Bio|publisher=]|accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref>
* ] - anchor (1953–1989); died in 1997. {{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} * ] - anchor (1953–1989; died in 1997){{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}
* ] - anchor/reporter (1974–1997); died in 2001. {{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} * ] - anchor/reporter (1974–1997; died in 2001){{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}
* ] - anchor/reporter (1999–2008) * ] - anchor/reporter (1999–2008)
* Bill Currie - sports reporter (1971-1985), died February 11, 2008 * Bill Currie - sports reporter (1971-1985, died on February 11, 2008)
* ] - hosted ''Evening Magazine'' (1977–1980) and her first major market television experience. She later hosted the news in New York and married ], becoming First Lady of New York City, when Giuliani was twice elected as the city's mayor. She and Giuliani divorced and both remarried. {{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} * ] - hosted ''Evening Magazine'' (1977–1980, was first her major market television experience; Hanover served as a news anchor in New York; married New York City mayor ], both have since divorced){{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}
* Patrice King Brown - anchor and former Pittsburgh 2Day host (1978–2011); retired on January 28, 2011. * Patrice King Brown - anchor and former ''Pittsburgh 2Day'' host (1978–2011; retired on January 28, 2011)
* ] - weekend anchor/reporter (1977–1991). Was elected as a United States Representative (D-PA), but lost his bid for the U.S. Senate. Now running a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. * ] - weekend anchor/reporter (1977–1991; was elected as a United States Representative (D-PA), but lost his bid for the U.S. Senate; now running a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.)
* Bob Kudzma - weatherman (1968-2002) * Bob Kudzma - weatherman (1968–2002)
* ] - Traffic and Transportation Reporter (2005-2011), now at ] in Boston. * ] - traffic and transportation reporter (2005–2011, now at ] in Boston)
* ] - weekend anchor/reporter (1966–1971), later worked at ] (NYC);<ref> '']'', July 7, 1966. Retrieved 2010-06-01.</ref> died October 12, 2011. * ] - weekend anchor/reporter (1966–1971, later worked at ] in New York City;<ref> '']'', July 7, 1966. Retrieved 2010-06-01.</ref> died on October 12, 2011)
* ] - contributor and guest host of ''Evening Magazine'', got his first on air experience with KDKA. * ] - contributor and guest host of ''Evening Magazine'' (got his first on air experience with KDKA)
* ] - anchor/reporter (1971); later worked in ] at ]. * ] - anchor/reporter (1971; later worked at ] in ])
* ] - reporter/talk show host (1976-1979) Later went to KTLA, Los Angeles, where he was awarded a Peabody for coverage of the Rodney King beating story; reported internationally on the O.J. Simpson trial for KTLA & Sky TV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/details.php?id=35|title=The Peabody Awards &#124; An International Competition for Electronic Media, honoring achievement in Television, Radio, Cable and the Web &#124; Administered by University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication|publisher=Peabody.uga.edu|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref> * ] - reporter/talk show host (1976–1979; later at ] in Los Angeles, where he was awarded a Peabody for coverage of the Rodney King beating story; reported internationally on the O.J. Simpson trial for KTLA and Sky TV)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/details.php?id=35|title=The Peabody Awards &#124; An International Competition for Electronic Media, honoring achievement in Television, Radio, Cable and the Web &#124; Administered by University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication|publisher=Peabody.uga.edu|accessdate=2011-03-29}}</ref>
* ] - anchor (1976-1978); later went on to anchor at KTTV/L.A. * ] - anchor (1976-1978; later anchor at ] in Los Angeles)
* ] - sports reporter (1987–1998), later the play-by-play announcer for the ] on ]. * ] - sports reporter (1987–1998, later the play-by-play announcer for the ] on ])
* ] - sports reporter (1967–1971), play-by-play man for NFL on FOX. * ] - sports reporter (1967–1971; later play-by-play announcer for ])
* ] - weatherman. {{When|date=October 2011}} * ] - weatherman {{When|date=October 2011}}
* ] - anchor/reporter (1962–1977); died January 3, 1997. * ] - anchor/reporter (1962–1977; died on January 3, 1997)
* Yvonne Zanos - long-time correspondent from the 1970s whose last position was as KDKA-TV's consumer reporter; died January 12, 2010, aged 60, from ovarian cancer. * Yvonne Zanos - long-time correspondent from the 1970s whose last position was as KDKA-TV's consumer reporter (died January 12, 2010 at age 60 from ovarian cancer)


==References== ==References==
Line 199: Line 205:
==External links== ==External links==
{{Portal|Pittsburgh|Television}} {{Portal|Pittsburgh|Television}}
* - Official Website * - Official website
* *
*{{TVQ|KDKA-TV}} *{{TVQ|KDKA-TV}}

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KDKA-TV, virtual channel 2, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The station is owned by the CBS Television Stations subsidiary of CBS Corporation, as part of a duopoly with CW station WPCW (channel 19). The two stations share studios located at the Gateway Center in downtown Pittsburgh, KDKA-TV's transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

KDKA-TV is available on cable television in the Johnstown, Altoona, and Wheeling areas, as well as several other out-of-market cable systems in northwestern Pennsylvania, northwestern Maryland, northeastern Ohio, and North-Central West Virginia. The furthest south KDKA is carried on cable is in Beverly, West Virginia.

Early history

DuMont origins

The station went on the air on January 11, 1949, as WDTV ("W DuMont TeleVision") on channel 3, it was owned and operated by the DuMont Television Network. It was the 51st television station in the U.S. and the third and last DuMont-owned station to sign on the air, behind WABD (now WNYW) in New York City and WTTG in Washington, D.C. To mark the occasion, a live television special aired that day from 8:30 to 11 p.m. ET on WDTV, which began with a one-hour local program broadcast from Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh. The remainder of the show featured live segments from DuMont, CBS, NBC, and ABC with Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle, DuMont host Ted Steele, and many other celebrities.

The station also represented a milestone in the television industry, providing the first "network" that included Pittsburgh and 13 other cities from Boston to St. Louis. WDTV was one of the last stations to receive a construction permit before the Federal Communications Commission-imposed four-year freeze on new television station licenses.

When the release of the FCC's Sixth Report and Order ended the license freeze in 1952, DuMont was forced to give up its channel 3 allocation to alleviate interference with nearby stations broadcasting on the frequency. WDTV moved its facilities to channel 2 on November 23, 1952. Shortly after moving, it was the first station in the country to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week, advertising that its 1:00-7:00 a.m. "Swing Shift Theatre" served the "200,000 workers who finish shift work at midnight." DuMont's network of stations on coaxial cable stretched from Boston to St. Louis. These stations were linked together via AT&T's coaxial cable feed with the sign-on of WDTV allowing the network to broadcast live programming to all the stations at the same time. Stations not yet connected to the coaxial cable received kinescope recordings via physical delivery.

The DuMont Television Network in 1949.

Dealing with competition

Until the end of the freeze, WDTV's only competition came in the form of distant signals from stations in Johnstown, Altoona, Wheeling, West Virginia and Youngstown, Ohio. However, Pittsburgh saw two UHF stations launch during 1953 – ABC affiliate WENS-TV (channel 16, later to become WINP-TV), and WKJF-TV (channel 53, later to become WPGH-TV), an independent station. At the time, UHF stations could not be viewed without the aid of an expensive, set-top converter, and the picture quality was marginal at best with one. UHF stations in the area faced an additional problem because Pittsburgh is located in a somewhat rugged dissected plateau, and the reception of UHF stations is usually poor in such terrain. These factors played a role in the short-lived existences of both WKJF and WENS.

Although Pittsburgh was the sixth largest market in the country (behind New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington-Baltimore), the other VHF stations in town were slow to develop. This was because the major cities in the Upper Ohio Valley are so close together that they must share the VHF band. After the FCC lifted the license freeze in 1952, it refused to grant any new commercial VHF construction permits to Pittsburgh in order to give the smaller cities in the area a chance to get on the air. WDTV had a de facto monopoly on Pittsburgh television. Like its sister stations WABD and WTTG, it was far stronger than the DuMont network as a whole. According to network general manager Ted Bergmann, WDTV brought in $4 million a year, which was more than enough to keep the network afloat. Owning the only readily viewable station in such a large market gave DuMont considerable leverage in getting its programs cleared in large markets where it did not have an affiliate. As CBS, NBC and ABC had secondary affiliations with WDTV, this was a strong incentive to stations in large markets to clear DuMont's programs or risk losing valuable advertising in the sixth-largest market. Also, NBC affiliates from Johnstown and Wheeling were able to be received in Pittsburgh and a CBS affiliate from Wheeling was also able to be received there as well.

WDTV aired all DuMont network shows live and "cherry-picked" the best shows from the other networks, airing them on kinescope on an every-other-week basis. WDTV's sign-on was also significant because it was now possible to feed live programs from the East to the Midwest and vice versa. In fact, its second broadcast was the activation of the coaxial cable linking New York City and Chicago. It would be another two years before the West Coast received live programming, but this was the beginning of the modern era of network television.

Westinghouse enters

KDKA-TV's studio building at One Gateway Center in Pittsburgh. The station has been housed in this facility since 1956.

By 1954, DuMont was in serious financial trouble. Paramount Pictures, which owned a stake in DuMont, vetoed a merger with ABC, who had merged with Paramount's former theater division United Paramount Theaters a year before. A few years earlier, the FCC had ruled that Paramount controlled DuMont and there were still lingering questions about whether UPT had actually broken off from Paramount. Paramount did not want to risk the FCC's wrath.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse Electric Corporation had been competing with local politicians to acquire the non-commercial channel 13 license from the FCC, as no other Pittsburgh-allocated VHF station would be signing on for the foreseeable future. After launching WBZ-TV in Boston in 1948 and purchasing two other television stations, Westinghouse was growing impatient with not having a station in its own home market. Westinghouse later offered a compromise plan to the FCC, in which the Commission would grant Westinghouse the channel 13 license; Westinghouse would then "share" the facility with the educational licensee. Finding the terms unacceptable, Pittsburgh attorney Leland Hazard called Westinghouse CEO Gwilym Price to ask him if he should give up on his fight for public television. Price said that Hazard should keep fighting for it, giving Westinghouse backing for the station that would eventually become WQED.

Westinghouse then turned its attention to WDTV, offering DuMont a then-record $9.75 million for the station in late 1954. Desperate for cash, DuMont promptly accepted Westinghouse's offer. While the sale gave DuMont a short-term cash infusion, it eliminated DuMont's leverage in getting clearances in other major markets. Within two years, the DuMont network was no more. After the sale closed in January 1955, Westinghouse changed WDTV's call letters to KDKA-TV, after Westinghouse's pioneering radio station KDKA (1020 AM). As such, it became one of the few stations east of the Mississippi River with a "K" call sign. The WDTV calls now reside on a CBS affiliate located 130 miles south of Pittsburgh in Weston, West Virginia, which is unrelated to the current KDKA-TV. That station, which signed on after KDKA-TV adopted its current callsign, adopted those calls "in honor" of KDKA-TV.

As KDKA radio had long been an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network (Westinghouse was a co-founder of RCA, NBC's then-parent company), it was expected that KDKA-TV would eventually become a primary affiliate of the NBC television network. But the network was seeking to purchase Westinghouse's Philadelphia stations, KYW radio and WPTZ (now KYW-TV). When Westinghouse balked, NBC threatened to pull its programming from WPTZ and Boston's WBZ-TV unless Westinghouse agreed to trade its Philadelphia properties for NBC's WTAM-AM-FM and WNBK in Cleveland. The decision would lead to an acrimonious relationship between Westinghouse and NBC in later years. Two years after the ownership change, channel 2 became a primary affiliate of the higher-rated CBS network instead. KDKA-TV retained secondary affiliations with NBC until WIIC-TV (channel 11, now WPXI) signed on in 1957, and ABC until WTAE-TV (channel 4) signed on in 1958. KDKA-TV became the flagship station of Westinghouse's broadcasting arm, Group W. On November 22, 1963, newscaster Bill Burns provided almost three hours of live coverage after the shooting of President John F. Kennedy.

Over the years, channel 2 pre-empted moderate amounts of CBS programming. At one point, from the early 1960s to July 1990, the station did not clear As The World Turns. At the same time, WTAJ-TV in Altoona had run the program and was viewable in the eastern part of the Pittsburgh market. Also, CBS affiliate WTRF-TV in Wheeling, West Virginia was viewable in Pittsburgh and to the west. Until 1978, the show ran on WPGH and for a few years after that, it ran on WPTT (channel 22). KDKA-TV also preempted the daytime game shows and reruns from CBS at various points during the 1970s. KDKA also produced plenty of local programs such as Evening Magazine, Pittsburgh Talks, and local newscasts. The station also occasionally preempted CBS primetime programs for a syndicated movie, local news special, or sports during the years the station had broadcast rights to Pittsburgh Pirates baseball and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. Weekend pre-emptions included a small portion of Saturday and Sunday morning cartoons, and Sunday morning religious programs.

In 1993, KDKA stopped running CBS This Morning and instead ran Disney's syndicated cartoon block. Less than a year later, Westinghouse made a long-term deal with CBS to convert the entire five-station Group W television unit to a group-wide CBS affiliation. Part of this agreement included a deal to stop preempting any CBS shows, except for extended breaking news coverage or local news events beginning in 1995. KDKA-TV continued preempting moderate amounts of programming into 1995. In the fall of 1995, channel 2 began running the entire CBS lineup in pattern, as it, and sister station KPIX-TV in San Francisco, were already affiliated with the network.

In early 1996, Westinghouse acquired CBS, making KDKA-TV a CBS owned-and-operated station, after four decades as being simply a CBS affiliate. In 1997, Westinghouse became CBS Corporation, which would then merge with Viacom (which, ironically, has been Paramount's parent since 1994) in 2000, making KDKA a sister station with Pittsburgh UPN affiliate WNPA-TV (channel 19, now CW station WPCW). Five years later, Viacom became CBS Corporation and spun off a new Viacom.

In August 2007, KDKA-TV unveiled a new image campaign, entitled Your Home, with music and lyrics performed by singer-songwriter Bill Deasy. The promo features scenes of Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas, as well as three of the station's personalites. In September 2007, the station unveiled another promo featuring the Joe Grushecky song "Coming Home". Later, a third spot, "Long Way Home", was introduced, featuring the voice of Kelsey Friday.

Digital television

Digital channels

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming
2.1 1080i 16:9 KDKA 2. Main KDKA-TV programming / CBS

Analog-to-digital conversion

KDKA-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 2, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate, during that night's broadcast of the Late Show with David Letterman. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 25. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 2.

In July 2009, the station applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate two repeater signals: channel 31 in Morgantown, West Virginia and channel 40 in Johnstown.

Programming

Local shows

File:Wpcw news.png
The KDKA/ WPCW newscast logo as seen during its opening.
  • Hometown High-Q (2000–present): airs Saturdays at 11 a.m. - "quiz bowl" format show with three teams composed of local high school students
  • #1 Cochran Sports Showdown (1998–present): airs Sundays at 11:35 p.m. – sports talk show
  • KD/PG Sunday Edition: airs Sundays at 8:30 a.m.; public affairs program
  • The Lynne Hayes-Freeland Show: airs Sundays at 6 a.m.; public affairs program
  • Pittsburgh Today Live: airs weekdays 9:00-10:00 a.m. - Kristine Sorensen and Jon Burnett are the hosts, with Dennis Bowman for weather; local general interest program
  • The Sunday Business Page: airs Sundays at 6:30 a.m.; public affairs program
  • Your Pittsburgh: airs weeknights 7:30-8:00 p.m. - hosted by Kimberly Gill and David Highfield; entertainment program

Seasonal

  • The Children's Hospital Free-Care Fund (1954–present; airs during the holiday season) - yearly pledge drive
  • Hometown Holiday Lights - Series aired during KDKA's newscasts; contest between local families with Christmas displays at their residence.
  • McDonald's Steeler Kickoff (during the NFL season) - Sundays at 11:30 a.m. - Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game show hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson.
  • Steelers Huddle (September 19, 2009–present; airs during the NFL season) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani and a rotating member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Steelers Trivia Challenge (July 16, 2005–present) - Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. - Bob Pompeani hosts a "quiz bowl" format, modeled after Hometown High-Q, with three teams composed of three Pittsburgh Steelers fans who answer team-related trivia questions. The show runs for nine weeks (mid-July to mid-September).
  • Verizon Extra Point (airs during the NFL season) - Pittsburgh Steelers post-game show after CBS broadcasts, hosted by Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson.

Former

  • Evening Magazine (August 1, 1977–October 12, 1990)
  • Giant Eagle High School Sports Advantage
  • The Jerome Bettis Show (September 12, 1998–February 4, 2006)
  • The Hines Ward Show (September 2, 2006–January 31, 2009)
  • Mario Lemieux Celebrity Golf Invitational
  • Pittsburgh 2Day (1978–January 19, 1990)
  • Pittsburgh Pirates baseball (1957–1994)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins hockey (1989–1997)
  • Wake Up With Larry Richert (1988–1990)

Pittsburgh Steelers

As CBS holds the broadcast contract with the NFL to show games involving AFC teams, KDKA-TV has been the official broadcaster of most Pittsburgh Steelers games since 1998, and serves as the team's flagship station. The team's preseason games that are not nationally televised are also shown on KDKA. KDKA began its relationship with the Steelers in 1962, when CBS first started the leaguewide television package. The Steelers are one of three AFC teams that predate the AFC's basis league, the American Football League, and so KDKA, and not WTAE-TV or WIIC-TV (now WPXI), carried Steelers road games (home games were blacked out locally under all circumstances until 1973, when sold-out home games began to be allowed on local television) – the AFL had television contracts with ABC, and later, NBC.

Due to the NFL rules of the time, after the AFL-NFL merger, KDKA did not broadcast any Steelers games from 1970 to 1972. Beginning in 1973, KDKA was allowed to air any Steelers games in which they hosted a team from the National Football Conference, which contained most of the old-line National Football League teams. KDKA also broadcast two Steeler championship wins, Super Bowl X in 1976 and Super Bowl XIV in 1980. Since the Steelers have sold out every home game starting in 1972, no blackouts have been required. In the meantime, from 1970 to 1997, channel 11 aired most Steelers games.

When the NFC package moved from CBS to Fox in 1994, WPGH-TV aired the Steelers games that had before aired on KDKA, leaving the senior station without Steelers games for four years. Today, and in general since 1970, the only exceptions to all the above are when the Steelers play at night. Their Monday Night Football games have always aired locally on WTAE, first when ABC had the rights, and since 2006, on ESPN. WTAE also aired simulcasts of their games aired as part of ESPN Sunday Night Football from 1987 to 2005. The NFL requires games on cable channels to be simulcast over-the-air in the markets of the participating teams (again with the home team's broadcast subject to blackout). WTAE has simulcast ESPN-aired games because ESPN is 20% owned by WTAE's owners, Hearst Corporation – their ABC stations have right of first refusal for these simulcasts. Games on TNT and NFL Network have aired on various stations in the area.

News operation

This section needs expansion with: further information on the history of KDKA-TV's news department. You can help by making an edit requestadding to it . (August 2013)

KDKA-TV presently broadcasts 34½ hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with six hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays and 1½ hours on Sundays); KDKA also produces 27 hours of local newscasts each week for CW owned-and-operated sister station WPCW, in the form of an hour-long extension of KDKA's weekday morning newscast at 7 a.m. and a nightly 35-minute newscast at 10 p.m.

In 2001, KDKA-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast on WNPA (now WPCW); in 2005, it added a two-hour weekday morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m. on that station (which was later reduced to one hour from 7 to 8 a.m.).

On June 16, 2009, KDKA-TV began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition during its noon broadcast, with the introduction of a new set and weather center. Like rival WTAE, only video from in-studio cameras is broadcast in HD while most of the content, including field reports and video footage, are in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition. On September 1, 2010, KDKA-TV debuted the standardized CBS O&O graphics and music package ("The CBS Enforcer Music Collection" by Gari Media Group).

Ratings

As of May 2010, KDKA-TV is the most watched news station in the hours of noon, 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. However, WPXI is the most watched news program in the Pittsburgh area in the hours of 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and their 10 p.m. show on WPGH-TV.

On-air staff

Current on-air staff

Anchors
  • Jennifer Antkowiak - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW)
  • Rick Dayton - weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW)
  • Kimberly Gill - weekdays at noon and 4:00 p.m.; also co-host of Your Pittsburgh
  • Susan Koeppen - weeknights at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m.; also consumer reporter
  • Paul Martino - Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also weekday reporter
  • Trina Orlando - Saturday morning fill-in anchor
  • Ken Rice - weeknights at 5:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.
  • Stacy Smith - weekdays at noon and 4:00, and weeknights at 6:00 p.m.; host of KD/PG Sunday Edition
  • Kristine Sorensen - weeknights at 5:00 p.m.; host of Pittsburgh Today Live
  • Brenda Waters - Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.); also reporter
Weather team
  • Jeff Verszyla - chief meteorologist; weekdays at 4:00 and weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.
  • Dennis Bowman (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings (4:30-7:00 on KDKA and 7:00-8:00 a.m. on WPCW) and weekdays at noon; also co-host of Pittsburgh Today Live
  • Jon Burnett - meteorologist; Saturday mornings (6:00-8:00 a.m.) and Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:00 (WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also hosts Pittsburgh Today Live
  • Kristin Emery (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - fill-in meteorologist
  • Dave Trygar (AMS Seal of Approval) - freelance/fill-in meteorologist
Sports team
  • Bob Pompeani - sports director; weekdays at 6:00, 10:35 (The Nightly Sports Call on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m.; also host of KDKA Sunday Sports Showdown
  • Jory Rand - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 6:30 and weekends at 10:35 (The Nightly Sports Call on WPCW) and 11:00 p.m., also sports reporter
  • Mike Zappone - fill-in sports anchor/sports reporter/producer (various times)
Reporters
  • Heather Abraham - general assignment reporter
  • Bob Allen - general assignment reporter
  • Sarah Arbogast - traffic/transportation reporter
  • Dave Crawley - "KD Country" reporter
  • Jon Delano - money and politics editor
  • Kym Gable - freelance reporter (also a spokeswoman for Comcast)
  • Marty Griffin - investigative reporter ("KDKA Investigators")
  • Ross Guidotti - general assignment reporter
  • Harold Hayes - general assignment reporter
  • Lynne Hayes-Freeland - general assignment reporter
  • David Highfield - general assignment reporter; also co-host of Your Pittsburgh
  • Ralph Iannotti - general assignment reporter
  • Mary Robb Jackson - general assignment reporter
  • Paul Martino - general assignment reporter
  • Trina Orlando - Westmoreland County bureau chief
  • Andy Sheehan - investigative reporter ("KDKA Investigators")
  • John Shumway - general assignment reporter; also heard on KDKA Radio
  • Dr. Maria Simbra - medical reporter

Notable former on-air staff

  • Susan Barnett - anchor (1999–2003; last at KYW-TV in Philadelphia from 2006 to 2013)
  • Bill Burns - anchor (1953–1989; died in 1997)
  • Patti Burns - anchor/reporter (1974–1997; died in 2001)
  • Don Cannon - anchor/reporter (1999–2008)
  • Bill Currie - sports reporter (1971-1985, died on February 11, 2008)
  • Donna Hanover - hosted Evening Magazine (1977–1980, was first her major market television experience; Hanover served as a news anchor in New York; married New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, both have since divorced)
  • Patrice King Brown - anchor and former Pittsburgh 2Day host (1978–2011; retired on January 28, 2011)
  • Ron Klink - weekend anchor/reporter (1977–1991; was elected as a United States Representative (D-PA), but lost his bid for the U.S. Senate; now running a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.)
  • Bob Kudzma - weatherman (1968–2002)
  • Jim Lokay - traffic and transportation reporter (2005–2011, now at WCVB-TV in Boston)
  • Vic Miles - weekend anchor/reporter (1966–1971, later worked at WCBS-TV in New York City; died on October 12, 2011)
  • Dennis Miller - contributor and guest host of Evening Magazine (got his first on air experience with KDKA)
  • Paul Moyer - anchor/reporter (1971; later worked at KNBC in Los Angeles)
  • Ron Olsen - reporter/talk show host (1976–1979; later at KTLA in Los Angeles, where he was awarded a Peabody for coverage of the Rodney King beating story; reported internationally on the O.J. Simpson trial for KTLA and Sky TV)
  • Jay Scott - anchor (1976-1978; later anchor at KTTV in Los Angeles)
  • Paul Steigerwald - sports reporter (1987–1998, later the play-by-play announcer for the Penguins on Fox Sports Pittsburgh)
  • Dick Stockton - sports reporter (1967–1971; later play-by-play announcer for NFL on Fox)
  • Brian Sussman - weatherman
  • Marie Torre - anchor/reporter (1962–1977; died on January 3, 1997)
  • Yvonne Zanos - long-time correspondent from the 1970s whose last position was as KDKA-TV's consumer reporter (died January 12, 2010 at age 60 from ovarian cancer)

References

  1. "WDTV starts; DuMont outlet debuts in Pittsburgh." Broadcasting - Telecasting, January 17, 1949, pg. 32.
  2. DuMont History website by Clarke Ingram
  3. "Eyewitness: 1949 / TV makes Pittsburgh 'A New Promise'". Post-gazette.com. 2010-05-16. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  4. "WDTV channel switch." Broadcasting - Telecasting, December 8, 1952, pg. 72.
  5. "We're Making Television History on WDTV," Sponsor, 24 March 1952, 7.
  6. "NRC Convention 08'- Pittsburgh PA". Nrcdxas.org. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  7. Togyer, Jason. "Pittsburgh Radio & TV Online - Creating 'QED ... at DuMont's expense?". Pbrtv.com. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  8. "Westinghouse pays record to buy DuMont's WDTV (TV)." Broadcasting - Telecasting, December 6, 1954, pp. 27-28.
  9. "WDTV (TV) Pittsburgh changes call to KDKA-TV." Broadcasting - Telecasting, January 31, 1955, pg. 73.
  10. "Philadelphia circle is complete." Broadcasting, Aug. 3, 1964, pg. 23.
  11. "Nine-year history of that trade in Philadelphia." Broadcasting, August 3, 1964, pg. 24-25.
  12. "CBS signs KDKA-TV as basic affiliate." Broadcasting, April 1, 1957, pg. 126.
  13. "Souls who enriched our lives, our region" from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (December 1, 2002)
  14. "TV Q&A with Rob Owen/KDKA's Image Campaign". post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  15. RabbitEars TV Query for KDKA
  16. "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  17. "TV Query Results - Video Division (FCC) USA". Fcc.gov. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  18. Owen, Rob (March 5, 2010). "Sweeps show how stations evolved". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  19. KDKA-TV 2
  20. "Susan Barnett Bio". KYW-TV. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  21. "Negro Gets TV News Series Show In Pittsburgh." Jet, July 7, 1966. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  22. "The Peabody Awards | An International Competition for Electronic Media, honoring achievement in Television, Radio, Cable and the Web | Administered by University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication". Peabody.uga.edu. Retrieved 2011-03-29.

External links

Broadcast television in the Allegheny Valley region
This region includes the following cities: Pittsburgh, PA
Morgantown, WV
Oakland, MD
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
Full power
KDKA-TV 2 (.1 CBS, .2 Start, .3 Dabl, .4 Fave, .5 Catchy)
WTAE-TV 4 (.1 ABC, .2 Cozi, .3 Story)
WPXI 11 (.1 NBC, .2 MeTV, .3 Laff, .4 PCNC)
WQED 13 (.1 PBS, .2 Create, .3 World, .4 Showcase, .5 Kids)
WINP-TV 16 (.1 Ion, .2 Bounce, .3 Court, .4 Mystery, .5 Ion+, .6 JTV, .7 Scripps)
WPKD 19 (.1 Ind., .2 H&I, .3 Grit, .4 Movies!, .5 Grio)
WPNT 22 (.1 CW/MNTV, .2 Nest, .3 Comet, .4 TBD)
WNPB-TV 24 (.1 PBS/WVPB, .2 World, .3 PBS Kids)
WGPT 36 (.1 PBS/MPT/Create, .2 MPT2, .3 PBS Kids, .4 NHK)
WPCB-TV 40 (.1 CTVN, .2 Court, .3 Bounce, .4 Quest, .5 Get, .6 Pittsburgh's Faith & Family Channel)
WPGH-TV 53 (.1 Fox, .2 ANT, .3 Charge!)
Low power
WPBA-LD 12 (.1 Rev'n, .2 Action, .3 FAM, .4 Ace, .5 Right Now TV, .6 YTA, .7 Ind., .8 Fun Roads, .10 Wx, .11 Am. Voice)
WWLM-CD 20 / WMVH-CD 26 (.1 Ads, .2 Am. Crimes, .3 Oxygen, .4 L&C, .5 LC, .6 The365, .7 Outlaw)
WWKH-CD 26 (.1 Ads, .2 Am. Crimes, .3 Oxygen, .4 The365, .5 Ads, .6 Outlaw, .7 Defy)
WIIC-LD 31 (.1 NTD America)
WBYD-CD 39 (.1/.3 HQ, .2 Fun Roads, .4 Ace, .5 OAN Plus, .6 AWE, .7 Ads)
WWAT-CD 45 / WPTG-CD 69 (.1 REW, .2 NTD America, .3 Retro, .4/.8 Dark, .5 Crime, .6 Heartland, .7 TCN, .10 Canella, .11 LC, .12 JTV)
WJMB-CD 60 (.1 Am. Crimes, .2 Oxygen, .3 Salem News, .4 The365, .5 Ads, .6 Defy, .7 Outlaw)
WKHU-CD 60 (.1 Am. Crimes, .2 Oxygen, .3 Defy, .4 The365, .5 Outlaw, .6 MtrSpt1, .7 Ads)
WOSC-CD 61 (.1 MeToons, .2 Binge, .3 Buzzr, .4 SBN, .5 AWE, .6 QVC, .7 Newsmax 2, .8 OAN Plus, .9 Am. Voice, .11 QVC2, .12 HSN2)
WPDN-LD 65 (.1 Daystar, .2 DS Español, .3 Reflections)
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WENS 16
WQVC-CD 28
WBOA-CD 29
WLLS-LP 49
WPCP-CD 59
WEPA-CD 59 / WNNB-CD 66
W63AU 63
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