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{{Short description|TV station in St. Louis, Missouri}}
{{Infobox broadcast |
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
call_letters = KMOV|
{{Infobox television station
city = |
| name =
station_logo = ]|
| callsign = KMOV
station_slogan = ''News 4 Never Stops Watching Out For You''|
| logo = First Alert 4 logo 2023.svg
station_branding = KMOV 4 <small>(general)</small> <br>''News 4 St. Louis'' <small>(newscasts)</small>|
| logo_upright = 1
digital = 24 (])<br>]: 4 (])|
| branding = {{ubl|''First Alert 4''|Matrix Midwest (32.1)}}
subchannels = ]|
| digital = 24 (])
other_chs = |
| virtual = 4
affiliations = ]|
| translators =
airdate = July 8, 1954|
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''4.1:''' ]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
location = ]|
| owner = ]
callsign_meaning = none; disambiguation of former KMOX-TV callsign|
| licensee = Gray Television Licensee, ]
former_callsigns = KWK-TV (1954-1958)<br>KMOX-TV (1958-1986)|
| image = Matrix Midwest Logo.svg
former_channel_numbers = '''Analog''':<br>4 (VHF, 1954-2009)<br>'''Digital''':<br>56 (UHF, until 2009)|
| image_upright = .8
owner = ]|
| location = ], Missouri
licensee = KMOV-TV, Inc.|
| country = United States
sister_stations = |
| founded = April 1954
former_affiliations = ] (secondary, 1954-1955)|
| airdate = {{start date and age|1954|7|8|p=y|br=y}}
effective_radiated_power = 1000 kW|
| callsign_meaning = Adapted from prior KMOX-TV call sign and former owner ]
HAAT = 341 m|
| sister_stations = ]
facility_id = 70034|
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KWK-TV (1954–1958)|KMOX-TV (1958–1986)}}
coordinates = {{coord|38|31|47|N|90|17|58|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}|
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 4 (], 1954–2009)|'''Digital:''' 56 (UHF, 1998–2009)}}
homepage = |
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|] (secondary, 1954–1955)}}
| erp = 1,000 ]
| haat = {{convert|341|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 70034
| coordinates = {{coord|38|31|47|N|90|17|58|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = ]
| website = {{URL|https://www.firstalert4.com}}
}} }}


'''KMOV''', ] 4, is a ]-affiliated television station located in ], ]. KMOV is owned by the ]-based ], with its studio and office facilities in downtown St. Louis and ] located in ]. '''KMOV''' (channel 4) is a ] in ], Missouri, United States, affiliated with ]. It is owned by ] alongside ] ] (channel 4.6). The two stations share studios on Progress Parkway in suburban ]; KMOV's transmitter is located in ].


==History== ==History==
===Early history===
The station began broadcasting on July 8, 1954 as '''KWK-TV'''. At its launch, channel 4 was owned by a consortium that included the Convey family and the '']'', who jointly operated KWK radio (1380 AM, now ]); the owners of ] (630 AM, now ]) in St. Louis, which had to be sold as a condition of the license grant; and ] of ].<ref>"KWK-TV begins; six others ready." '']'', July 12, 1954, pg. 68. </ref> KWK-TV took the CBS affiliation from WTVI (channel 54, now ] on channel 2). Until 1955, it also aired whatever ] programs that WTVI turned down.
The station first signed on the air on July 8, 1954, as KWK-TV. At its launch, channel 4 was owned by a consortium which included Robert T. Convey (28%) and the now-defunct ]–published '']'' (23%), who jointly operated KWK radio (1380 AM, now ]); Elzey M. Roberts Sr., former owner of KXOK radio (630 AM, now ]), which had to be sold as a condition of the license grant (23%); and Missouri Valley Television Inc., made up of ]–based ] (23%) and several St. Louis residents (combined 3%).<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} '']'', July 12, 1954, pg. 68.</ref>


Each of the station's part-owners had competed individually for the channel 4 ] before agreeing to merge their interests only three months before the station went on the air.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', April 19, 1954, pg. 60.</ref> Upon signing on KWK-TV took the CBS affiliation from ]–licensed WTVI (channel 54, now ] channel 2). Until 1955, it also aired ] programs that WTVI declined to broadcast. The station's original studios, built by KWK radio in anticipation of television, were located on Cole Street in ].<ref> ''St. Louis Advertising Club Weekly'', March 20, 1950.</ref>
However, CBS wanted its own television station in St. Louis to run alongside its powerhouse radio station, ] (1120 AM). It originally won the ] for channel 11—the last remaining commercial VHF license in St. Louis—in January 1957.<ref>"FCC acts to clear key market V's." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', January 21, 1957, pp. 35-37. </ref> But CBS decided in August of that year to instead buy KWK-TV for ]4 million.<ref>"St. Louis handshake." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', September 9, 1957, pg. 5. </ref> CBS was then forced to give up its construction permit and license for channel 11, and the FCC transferred it to one of the failed applicants, a group led by St. Louis hotelier ], for no financial consideration.<ref>"New alignment set for St. Louis TV." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', October 28, 1957, pg. 73. </ref> Almost immediately, the deal was held up after the ], one of the original applicants for channel 11, protested to the ] in January 1958.<ref>"Court issues temporary stay in St. Louis ch. 11 situation." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', January 6, 1958, pg. 74. </ref> The ] ultimately upheld the decision in November 1958.<ref>"Supreme Court refuses plea to upset St. Louis TV grant." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', November 24, 1958, pg. 79. </ref> But CBS had already officially took control of channel 4 in March 1958, changing its call letters to '''KMOX-TV''' after its new radio sister.<ref>"CBS-TV takes over KWK-TV." ''Broadcasting - Telecasting'', March 3, 1958, pg. 10. </ref> The following April, channel 11 signed on as ] (and now ] affiliate) ].<ref>"Pressed into service." ''Broadcasting'', May 18, 1959, pg. 80. </ref>


===As a CBS owned-and-operated station===
By late 1985 CBS was experiencing rough financial straits, an after-effect of successfully fending off a hostile takeover attempt by ] the previous year. CBS spent the latter portion of 1985 repurchasing a large portion of its stock to help block the Turner takeover. Once Turner sold his stock, CBS was saddled with significant debt and needed to raise cash.<ref>"The second 50 years of the Fifth Estate." ''Broadcasting'', December 30, 1985, pg. 70. </ref> Not long after ] became the company's chairman CBS made the decision to sell KMOX-TV, at the time its smallest ] television station.<ref>"CBS puts KMOX-TV on the block." ''Broadcasting'', October 28, 1985, pg. 110. </ref> On May 16, 1986, former CBS subsidiary and future parent company ] completed its $122.5 million purchase of the station and renamed it '''KMOV''' around July 1.<ref>"For the Record." ''Broadcasting'', June 30, 1986, pg. 64. (call letter change from KMOX-TV to KMOV) </ref>
However, CBS was planning to operate its own television station in St. Louis alongside its powerhouse radio station, ] (1120 AM). The network originally won the permit to build a new station on channel 11 – the last remaining commercial ] channel assigned to St. Louis – in January 1957.<ref>"FCC acts to clear key market V's." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', January 21, 1957, pp. 35-37. {{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}{{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}{{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> But after being approached with an offer, CBS decided in August of that year to buy KWK-TV instead for ]4 million.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', September 30, 1957, pg. 48.</ref> The agreement required CBS to give up its construction permit for channel 11, and the ] (FCC) transferred it to one of the failed applicants, a group led by St. Louis hotelier ], for no financial consideration.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', October 28, 1957, pg. 73.</ref> Almost immediately, the deal was held up after the St. Louis Amusement Company, another of the original applicants for channel 11, protested to the ] in January 1958.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', January 6, 1958, pg. 74.</ref> The ] ultimately upheld the decision in November of that year.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', November 24, 1958, pg. 79.</ref> CBS had already taken control of channel 4's operations that March, and changed its call letters to KMOX-TV in reference to its new radio sister.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', March 3, 1958, pg. 10.</ref> The following April, channel 11 signed on as ] ].<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting'', May 18, 1959, pg. 80.</ref>


In July 1968, CBS opened a new studio and office facility in downtown St. Louis to house the KMOX stations, which until that point had been operating from separate locations (KMOX radio was headquartered near ]).<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting'', July 15, 1968, pg. 26.</ref> Channel 4 moved from Cole Street into the new facility, known as One Memorial Drive, and remained there until December 3, 2023; the Cole Street studio was soon acquired by ] (channel 30), which operated that facility from its sign-on in June 1969 until 2022.
Viacom purchased ] in 1994, and merged its five-station group (KMOV, ] in ], ] in ], ] in ], and ] in ]) into the ]. However, in 1995, the company decided to divest itself of all stations not affiliated with its fledgling ] network. Belo Corporation acquired KMOV in a three-way deal also involving two television stations in the ]-] market. As part of the transaction, Belo sold ] (included in the deal because Belo had recently acquired that market's ] affiliate ]) to ], who concurrently sold its existing Seattle-Tacoma station, ], to Viacom. The deal was consummated on June 1, 1997.


===Viacom ownership===
As a CBS-owned station, channel 4 cleared the entire network schedule. When Viacom took over in 1986, this changed rather drastically. KMOV began signing off the air at night, thus pre-empting the overnight news program ''CBS News Nightwatch''. A barrage of scattered primetime pre-emptions later followed that was so rampant, the station earned a mention in ]'s 1991 book, ''Three Blind Mice''. KMOV randomly replaced CBS prime-time shows with programming such as ] and '']'' specials, syndicated movie packages, and occasional sporting events. According to Auletta, KMOV preempted 103 hours of CBS prime-time programming in 1987, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the network prime-time schedule. In the 1990s, the prime-time pre-emptions eased, and currently, the station only occasionally pre-empts a CBS prime-time program. The station also resumed a 24-hour broadcast schedule in the early-1990s.
By late 1985, CBS was in rough financial straits, an after-effect of successfully fending off a ] attempt by ] the year before. CBS spent the latter portion of 1985 repurchasing a large portion of its stock to help block the Turner takeover. Once Turner sold his stock, CBS was saddled with significant debt and needed to raise money.<ref>{{cite news|title=The second 50 years of the Fifth Estate. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-12-30-OCR-Page-0070.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=70 |date=December 30, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> Not long after ] became the company's chairman, CBS decided to sell KMOX-TV, at the time its smallest ] television station by market size.<ref>{{cite news|title=CBS puts KMOX-TV on the block. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-10-28-OCR-Page-0110.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=110 |date=October 28, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> On May 16, 1986, the ], the former CBS Inc. subsidiary and future parent company, completed its $122.5 million purchase of the station; so as to comply with an FCC regulation in place at the time that prohibited TV and radio stations in the same market but with different ownership from having the same callsigns, KMOX-TV's callsign was slightly modified to the present KMOV almost a month later on June 18.<ref>{{cite news|title=In brief. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-12-09-OCR-Page-0120.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=120 |date=December 9, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Call letters–Grants–Existing TV's. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-06-30-OCR-Page-0062.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=64 |date=June 30, 1986 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> Despite the sale, channel 4's operations continued to be based alongside KMOX radio at their downtown studios on Memorial Drive; KMOX would relocate from that building in 2012. The two stations still have a news partnership.


Viacom announced its purchase of ] in 1993. The merger, completed in 1994, placed Viacom's existing five-station group (KMOV; ] in ]; ] in ]; ] in ]; and ] in ]) under common ownership with the ];<ref>Foisie, Geoffrey, and Christopher Stern. "Viacom, Paramount say 'I do.'" ''Broadcasting and Cable'', September 20, 1993, pp. 14-16. Accessed January 5, 2019. </ref><ref>Foisie, Geoffrey. "At long last: Viacom Paramount." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', February 21, 1994, pp. 7, 10, 14. Accessed January 5, 2019. </ref> the two groups were formally consolidated in December 1995.<ref name="v-viacompsg">{{cite news |last1=Flint |first1=Joe |title=Viacom Group Merged Under Par's Cassara |url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/viacom-group-merged-under-par-s-cassara-99123610/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=] |date=December 18, 1995}}</ref> However, in 1994, the company decided to divest itself of all of its major network affiliates to focus on stations that carried its then-upstart United Paramount Network (]), which would start up service on January 16, 1995.<ref>Zier, Julie A., and Steve McClellan. "Minority-led group eyes Viacom stations." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', November 7, 1994, pp. 6. Accessed January 5, 2019. </ref>
In February 2002, KMOV and the '']'' launched the weekly news discussion program '']'' hosted by weekday morning news anchor Marc Cox. In 2003 KMOV began producing and airing ''At the Zoo'', a program that gives behind-the-scenes look at the ], but is on encore editions currently in 2009, was hosted by meteorologist Kent Ehrhardt. In late 2010, KMOV began producing "At the Center", a program that gives behind-the-science looks at the Saint Louis Science Center. Airings are scheduled to begin in January 2011.


===Belo Corporation ownership===
In September 2008, KMOV premiered '']'', a one-hour daytime show, mostly focusing on entertainment and lifestyle topics in the St. Louis area. The show is hosted by Virginia Kerr, Carol Daniel, Matt Chambers and Kent Ehrhardt.
]-based ] acquired KMOV in a three-way deal also involving two stations in the ]–] market. As part of the transaction, A. H. Belo (which spun off its broadcast holdings into a ] in 2008) sold ] (then a UPN affiliate, which was included in the deal because the company had recently acquired that market's ] affiliate ]) to ], who concurrently sold its existing Seattle–Tacoma station, then-CBS affiliate ], to Viacom.<ref>McClellan, Steve. {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Broadcasting and Cable'', February 24, 1997, pg. 10. Retrieved June 12, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Seven|first=Richard|title=CBS Link Likely To Stay With KSTW -- Buyer Experienced In Broadcast News|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19970121/2519839/cbs-link-likely-to-stay-with-kstw|access-date=April 28, 2013|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=January 21, 1997}}</ref> The deal was consummated on June 1, 1997 (KIRO and KSTW swapped their affiliations on June 30, 1997, thus returning to its original affiliation).


The station aired ] ] games for one season, during the ] until their over-the-air telecasts moved back to KPLR-TV for the ] (all regular-season Blues games are now broadcast exclusively on cable locally on ]).
==News operation==
Currently, KMOV airs 24.5 hours of local news each week (with five hours on weekdays, and an hour-and-a-half on Saturdays and Sundays).


In the spring of 2013, a lighted sign with the KMOV logo was installed on the top of the south face of Gateway Tower, which not only gave the station visibility on the St. Louis skyline, but was also visible in center field of wide shots of ] during ] games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://urbanstl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9628|title=New KMOV 4 CBS huge sign on Gateway Tower|date=March 17, 2013|publisher=Urban STL|access-date=September 26, 2014}}</ref>
Many KMOV on-air staff have moved on to jobs in the national spotlight (both ] and meteorologist ] moved to ] in 2006). While this would initially seem like a positive, the "revolving door" and the unfamiliarity many of the station's personalities have in the market has been one of KMOV's weaknesses. Though this may have initially caused some hiccups for KMOV, the ratings now seem to be increasing. Since the departure of ] from KSDK in December 2006, ] assumed the mantle of longest-serving 10 p.m. news anchor in the market.


===Changing hands===
On January 27, 2008 at 5:30 p.m., KMOV became the second station in St. Louis to broadcast in ] ] behind KSDK which has been in HD since 2006. With the switch to HD came a new set by FX Group and new graphics which is a red and blue version of the graphics used on sister Belo Stations ], ], ]/], ], ], and ].
On June 13, 2013, the ], owner of NBC affiliate ] (channel 5), announced that it would acquire Belo. As the deal would violate FCC regulations that disallow common ownership of two of the four highest-rated stations in a single ] (KMOV and KSDK have ranked as the top two stations in the St. Louis market in total-day ratings for several years), Gannett would retain KSDK, while it would spin off KMOV to Sander Media, LLC (owned by former Belo executive Jack Sander). Gannett intended to provide services to the station through a ], KMOV's operations were to remain largely separate from KSDK, including separate and competing news and sales departments.<ref name=stlpd-saletosander>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Gannett to buy TV station owner Belo for $1.5 billion|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/gannett-to-buy-tv-station-owner-belo-for-billion/article_31e7fb91-676f-50cb-825f-9f9f6a6e6f8c.html|access-date=June 13, 2013|newspaper=]|date=June 13, 2013}}</ref> However, on December 16, 2013, the ] threatened to block the merger unless Gannett, Belo and Sander completely divested KMOV to a government-approved third-party company that would be barred from entering into any agreements with Gannett. The DOJ claimed that Gannett and Sander would be so closely aligned that Gannett would have dominated spot advertising in St. Louis.<ref name=b&c-kmovdojnosander>{{cite news|last=Eggerton|first=John|title=Justice: Sander Can't Keep KMOV|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/justice-sander-cant-keep-kmov/127991|access-date=December 16, 2013|newspaper=]|date=December 16, 2013}}</ref> On December 23, 2013, shortly after the Gannett/Belo deal was approved and completed,<ref>, TVNewsCheck, Retrieved December 23, 2013</ref> ]–based ] – which already had a broadcasting presence in Missouri through its ownership of fellow CBS affiliate ] in ] – announced that it would purchase KMOV, along with ] and ] in ] (the latter of which Meredith would later sell to the ]) for $407.5 million.<ref name=tvnc-meredith>{{cite web|title=Meredith Buying Three Stations From Gannett|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/72891/meredith-buying-three-stations-from-gannett|work=TVNewsCheck|date=December 23, 2013|access-date=December 23, 2013}}</ref> The sale of KMOV was completed on February 28, 2014.<ref name=slpd-kmovmeredithcomplete>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Meredith Corp. closes on $177 million purchase of KMOV|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/meredith-corp-closes-on-million-purchase-of-kmov/article_a03f725d-4d48-5dc8-8374-0d6287fdcc1b.html|access-date=February 28, 2014|newspaper=]|date=February 28, 2014}}</ref>


More than a year later on September 8, 2015, ]–based ] announced that it would acquire Meredith for $2.4 billion. If it had been completed, it would have marked KMOV's third ownership shift since 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Media General Acquiring Meredith For 2.4 Billion|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/88230/media-general-acquiring-meredith-for-24b|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=September 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TV Station Mega Merger: Media General Sets $2.4 Billion Acquisition of Meredith Corp.|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/tv-station-meredith-media-general-merger-1201587744/|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton|periodical=]|publisher=]|date=September 8, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2015}}</ref> Media General would eventually shelve the Meredith deal in favor of a counter-offer by Nexstar.<ref name=tvnc-mgnexstar>{{cite web|title=Nexstar-Media General: It's A Done Deal|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/91865/nexstarmedia-general-its-a-done-deal|website=TVNewsCheck|access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name=nyt-mgnex>{{cite news|title=Nexstar Clinches Deal to Acquire Media General|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/business/dealbook/nexstar-clinches-deal-to-acquire-media-general.html?_r=0|access-date=January 27, 2016|work=The New York Times| date=January 27, 2016 | last1=Picker | first1=Leslie }}</ref>
In 1976, it was the second station to adopt the "Channel 2 News" theme that eventually became the de facto official theme music for CBS' O&Os. It dropped the tune in 1986 after Viacom took control, but it later used another "Channel 2 News"-derived tune, The CBS Enforcer Music Collection from 2001 to 2008. Ironically, for a time in the late 1980s, it used News Series 2000 - a tune traditionally associated with ABC stations — as its theme song.


On April 24, 2018, it was announced that Meredith would be acquiring CW affiliate KPLR-TV from ] as a result of station sales ordered by the FCC as a result of ], owners of ABC affiliate KDNL-TV. If Sinclair's acquisition of Tribune and related station sales were approved, it would have created a ] between KMOV and KPLR-TV.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sinclair-tribune-merger-station-group-1202416416/|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton|periodical=]|publisher=]|date=May 8, 2017|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref><ref name="slpd-saletomeredith">{{cite news|title=KPLR among 23 stations being sold to clear Sinclair's takeover of Tribune Media|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/kplr-among-stations-being-sold-to-clear-sinclair-s-takeover/article_b9a5e295-53a8-5d45-94de-3091fbb46191.amp.html|access-date=April 28, 2018|work=]|date=April 24, 2018|language=en}}</ref> However, on August 9, 2018, Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal, intending to seek other ] opportunities. This came three weeks after the FCC's July 18 vote to have the deal reviewed by an ] amid "serious concerns" about Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties. Tribune also filed a ] lawsuit in the ], alleging that Sinclair engaged in protracted negotiations with the FCC and the ] over regulatory issues, refused to sell stations in markets where it already had properties, and proposed divestitures to parties with ties to Sinclair executive chair David D. Smith that were rejected or highly subject to rejection to maintain control over stations it was required to sell.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair and Tribune Fall as FCC Slams TV Station Sale Plan|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-16/fcc-rejects-sinclair-plan-for-tv-station-sales-in-tribune-deal-jjof6bcs|first=Todd|last=Shields|agency=]|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC chair rejects Sinclair-Tribune merger|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/397194-fcc-chairman-rejects-sinclair-tribune-merger/|first=Harper|last=Neidig|newspaper=]|publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FCC throws Sinclair/Tribune deal in doubt|url=https://www.robertfeder.com/2018/07/16/fcc-throws-sinclairtribune-deal-doubt/|first=Robert|last=Feder|author-link=Robert Feder|website=RobertFeder.com|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC Throws Wrench Into Sinclair Media Megadeal|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/fcc-throws-wrench-into-sinclair-tribune-deal.html|first=Benjamin|last=Hart|periodical=]|publisher=New York Media, LLC|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair Tries to Appease F.C.C., but Its Tribune Bid Is Challenged|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/business/media/sinclair-tribune-fcc.html|first=Edmund|last=Lee|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FCC orders hearing even as Sinclair changes plans to sell TV stations to address concerns about Tribune deal|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-tribune-revised-divestitures-20180718-story.html|first=Lorraine|last=Mirabella|newspaper=]|publisher=Tronc|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Terminates $3.9 Billion Sinclair Merger, Sues Broadcast Rival|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tribune-media-terminates-merger-agreement-with-sinclair-broadcast-group-1533810907|newspaper=]|publisher=]|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tribune Kills Sinclair Merger, Files Suit|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/220320/tribune-kills-sinclair-merger/|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Media pulls out of Sinclair Broadcast merger|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-tribune-sinclair-merger-ended-20180809-story.html#|first=Christopher|last=Dinsmore|newspaper=]|publisher=]|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Ends Deal With Sinclair, Dashing Plan for Conservative TV Behemoth|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/business/dealbook/sinclair-tribune-media.html|first1=Edmund|last1=Lee|first2=Amie|last2=Tsang|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tribune Ends Deal with Sinclair, Files Breach of Contract Suit|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/tribune-ends-deal-with-sinclair-files-breach-of-contract-suit|first=Jon|last=Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune withdraws from Sinclair merger, saying it will sue for 'breach of contract'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/08/09/tribune-withdraws-sinclair-merger-saying-it-will-sue-breach-contract/|first1=Brian|last1=Fung|first2=Tony|last2=Romm|newspaper=The Washington Post|publisher=Nash Holdings LLC|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref>{{Overcite|date=June 2024}} The deal was nullified, with Tribune eventually accepting another merger agreement with Nexstar that, due to other station spin-offs, retained the existing KTVI/KPLR duopoly and closed without issue in mid-September 2019.
===Ratings===
KMOX-TV led the ratings in St. Louis for most of the time from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, in common with most of its CBS stablemates. From the early 1980s until recently, KMOX-TV/KMOV was a solid, if distant, runner-up to ]. However, until the mid-1990s it had to fend off a spirited challenge from KTVI. Although KMOV's newscasts won much critical acclaim, such acclaim was rarely rewarded with a ratings win over long-dominant KSDK. The 10 p.m. newscast regularly won at least a 20% share in viewership, while KSDK averaged about 30% share.


=== Sale to Gray Television, move to St. Louis County ===
Since 2004, KMOV has seen significant growth in viewership. The station initially beat out KSDK at 10 p.m. in November, 2004--the first time in over a quarter-century that KSDK had lost in any timeslot. KMOV won at 10 p.m. again in May 2006.<ref></ref> In November 2006, KMOV's 10 p.m. newscast not only beat out KSDK's, but also became the most-watched late newscast in the country. Most of the 10 p.m. growth can be attributed to CBS' primetime ratings increases and ]'s large drop in viewership. However, KMOV has also seen growth in all of its other newscasts, at times where the station does not benefit from a strong CBS lead-in.<ref></ref>
On May 3, 2021, ] announced its intent to purchase the Meredith Local Media division, including KMOV, for $2.7 billion. The sale was completed on December 1.<ref name="meredithdone">{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/01/2344524/0/en/GRAY-TELEVISION-CLOSES-ON-ACQUISITION-OF-MEREDITH-CORPORATION-S-LOCAL-MEDIA-GROUP.html |title=Gray Television Closes on Acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group |agency=] |publisher=] |date=December 1, 2021}}</ref>


On December 3, 2023, with its 6 p.m. newscast, KMOV completed the on-air move from Gateway Tower to a remodeled and adapted facility in the ] suburb of ] which had formerly been occupied by medical device manufacturer ], joining KTVI/KPLR in relocating to Maryland Heights, which provides much easier access to the area's freeway system via ] and a secured parking lot rather than the cumbersome mix of on-street and underground parking it had at Gateway Tower.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2022/06/15/kmov-studio-in-maryland-heights-leaving-downtown.html|title=TV station KMOV buys studio building in Maryland Heights, will move from downtown|last=Lloyd|first=Gloria|date=July 15, 2022|work=]|access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref> The station had soft-launched a new branding, ''First Alert 4'' (which has become a common brand for Gray's local newscasts) in the months before, which was solidified in full with the move to Maryland Heights.
On July 8, 2012, KMOV will debut two Sunday morning newscasts, a one-hour edition airing from 7 to 8 a.m. and a half-hour newscast from 10:30 to 11 a.m., which will follow the first half-hour of '']'' (since the test expansion of the program that began in April 2012, KMOV is one of several CBS affiliates that preempt the second half-hour of ''Face the Nation'' as CBS does not mandate that all affiliates air the entire program). <ref>, '']'', Wednesday, May 30, 2012.</ref>


==Programming==
==Digital television==
===Past programming preemptions and deferrals===
As a CBS-owned station, channel 4 cleared the entire network schedule and, after the launch of '']'' in 1982 adopted a 24/7 schedule as a result. When Viacom took over in 1986, this changed rather drastically. KMOV began signing off the air at night, thus preempting ''Nightwatch''. A barrage of scattered prime time preemptions later followed that was so rampant, the station earned a mention in ]'s 1991 book, ''Three Blind Mice''. KMOV randomly replaced CBS prime time shows with programming such as ] Crusades and '']'' specials, syndicated ] packages, and occasional local and regional ], all of which allowed the station and Viacom full control of the ad time airing during the preemptions. According to Auletta, KMOV preempted 103 hours of CBS prime time programs in 1987, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the network prime time schedule.<ref>{{cite book|last=Auletta|first=Ken|date=1991|title=Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way|url=https://archive.org/details/threeblindmiceho00aulerich|url-access=registration|publisher=Random House|isbn=0307766330}}</ref> In the 1990s, the prime time preemptions eased as all networks began to tighten down contractually on heavy preemptions, and currently, the station only occasionally preempts a CBS prime time show, usually only due to breaking news or severe weather. The station also resumed a 24-hour broadcast schedule in the early 1990s.


From September 1989 until September 11, 2015, KMOV aired '']'' on a same-day ] at 3&nbsp;p.m., and later, at 4&nbsp;p.m. (serving as a lead-in for its early-evening newscasts), with ''The Price Is Right'' airing on a one-hour delay at 11&nbsp;a.m.; KMOV also delayed '']'' by a half-hour since 1997 under original host ] (one of several CBS stations that have done this practice), in order to run syndicated programming after the '']'' (KMOV completely preempted ''The Late Late Show'' during the program's first two years on the air). On September 14, 2015, KMOV moved ''The Price Is Right'', ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Late Late Show'' to their recommended network time periods with the first full season under Meredith ownership, with the relocation of the former two shows occurring as a result of the launch of a half-hour 4&nbsp;p.m. newscast.<ref name="Fall TV changes">{{cite news|title=Fall brings big changes to St. Louis daytime TV|url=http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/television/gail-pennington/fall-brings-big-changes-to-st-louis-daytime-tv/article_a3b4c856-82e8-5fa7-ad4f-f82dbdf65394.html|first=Gail|last=Pennington|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref>


===Sports programming===
{| class="wikitable"
KMOX/KMOV served as the unofficial home station of the NFL's ] from their arrival in St. Louis in 1960 until the ], when the team relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. It also aired any games of the city's next NFL team, the ] from ] (when ] acquired the AFC broadcast package) to ] (usually home interconference contests), when the Rams returned to Los Angeles.
''KMOV's digital signal on UHF 24 is multiplexed:''
|-
! Channel
! ]
! ]
! Programming
|-
| 4.1 || ] || ] || Main KMOV programming / CBS
|-
| 4.2 || ] || ]<br><small>(letterboxed)</small> || ]
|}


KMOV aired games of the baseball St. Louis Cardinals from ] to ] as part of ]' national broadcast contract with Major League Baseball.
===Analog-to-digital conversion===


KMOV was also served as the host of the ] which took place at the ].
KMOV ] its analog signal for the 2009 ] with digital broadcasts remaining on channel 24.<ref>, Don Corrigan, ], January 23, 2009 indicates both KMOV and KNLC as digital-only</ref> Through the use of ], digital television receivers will continue to display KMOV's ] as 4.1.


In 2025, the ] announced an agreement with ] to exclusively air three regular season games ] during the ]. All of the games will air on ''Matrix Midwest'', while KMOV will also simulcast two games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2025 |title=Blues partner with First Alert 4 and Matrix Midwest to broadcast 3 games over-the-air |url=https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/blues-to-broadcast-3-games-with-first-alert-4-and-matrix-midwest |access-date=January 7, 2025 |website=NHL.com}}</ref>
===News/Station Presentation===
====Newscast titles====
*''Big 4 News'' (circa 1968-early 1970s)<ref>"KMOX News Report, Pruitt–Igoe 1968" news report in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society (link via YouTube), 1968; "Big 4 News" uttered by reporter around 2:00 </ref>
*''Channel 4 Newsroom'' (mid 1970s-early 1980s)
*''News 4 St. Louis'' (early 1980s-1992 and 1993–present)
*''Channel 4 News'' (1992–1993)


===Locally produced non-news programming===
====On-air staff====
In 2003, KMOV began producing ''At the Zoo'', a program that gives a behind-the-scenes look inside the ] and was hosted by meteorologist Kent Ehrhardt (encore presentations of older episodes aired from 2009 to 2011). In September 2008, KMOV premiered ''Great Day St. Louis'', an hour-long daytime talk show, mostly focusing on entertainment and lifestyle topics in the St. Louis area (the show is currently hosted by Matt Chambers, Kent Ehrhardt, and Laura Hettiger). In January 2011, KMOV debuted ''At the Center'', which features an inside look at attractions at the ].
'''News 4 Anchors'''
*'''Larry Conners''' - weeknights at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.
*'''Andre Hepkins''' - weekday mornings on ''Awake with News 4'' (4:30-7:00 a.m.)
*'''Jasmine Huda''' - Sundays at 5:30 and 10:00 and Mondays-Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.; also reporter at 10:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday
*'''Claire Kellett''' - weekday mornings on ''Awake with News 4'' (4:30-7:00 a.m.); also anchor of ''Extra Edition''
*'''John Knicely''' - weeknights at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. reporter; also ''Awake with News 4 Sunday'' anchor (7:00-8:00 and 10:30-11:00 a.m.)
*'''Russell Kinsaul''' - Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 5:30 and weekends at 10:00 p.m.; also reporter
*'''Vickie Newton''' - weeknights at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.
*'''Robin Smith''' - weekdays at noon; also ''Awake with News 4'' reporter
*'''Diana Zoga''' - Sunday mornings on ''Awake with News 4 Sunday'' (7:00-8:00 and 10:30-11:00 a.m.)


===News operation===
'''''4 WARN Storm Team'''''<br>
KMOV presently broadcasts 41 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with {{frac|6|1|2}} hours each weekday, five hours on Saturdays and {{frac|3|1|2}} hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the half-hour sports wrap-up program ''Sports Sunday'', which airs on Sundays after the 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast. Many members of KMOV's on-air news staff have moved on to work for national news organizations (] and meteorologist ], for example, both joined ] in 2006). While it would seem like a positive aspect, the "revolving door" turnover rate of its anchors and reporters has been one of KMOV's weaknesses over the years (especially under CBS ownership, where it had the same "farm team" talent development role ] in ] played for NBC), leading to the unfamiliarity that many of the station's on-air personalities have in the market. Though this may have initially caused some issues for KMOV, ratings for channel 4's newscasts have since increased. Since the departure of ] from KSDK in December 2006, Larry Conners assumed the title of the longest-serving 10&nbsp;p.m. news anchor in the market until he was fired by the station in 2013 after a Facebook post questioning if he was being audited by the ] in the wake of a contentious interview with President ] during the 2012 election cycle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/joe-holleman/former-st-louis-tv-anchor-larry-conners-switching-to-new-radio-station/article_6d3a711c-49d1-5a0f-8d7e-afd61db0f605.html|title=Former St. Louis TV anchor Larry Conners switching to new radio station|last=Holleman|first=Joe|date=January 3, 2023|work=]|access-date=December 8, 2023}}</ref>
''In addition to providing forecasts on KMOV, the 4 WARN Storm Team also provides forecasts for the '']'' and ].''
*'''Steve Templeton''' (] Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and ] Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.
*'''Kent Ehrhardt''' (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekdays at Noon and 6:00 p.m.
*'''Matt Chambers''' (AMS Seal of Approval; NWA Member) - Meteorologist; weekday mornings on ''Awake with News 4'' (4:30-7:00 a.m.)
*'''Kristen Cornett''' (AMS Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 5:30 and weekends at 10:00 p.m.; also ''Awake with News 4 Sunday'' (7:00-8:00 and 10:30-11:00 a.m.)


In 1976, channel 4 became the second station to adopt Dick Marx's "] Channel 2 News Theme", that eventually became the de facto official newscast music for CBS' owned-and-operated stations. The theme was dropped by the station in 1986 after Viacom took control, though from 2001 to 2008, the station used the ]-composed "CBS Enforcer Music Collection", which uses a music signature derived from the WBBM package. Ironically from 1989 to 1992, KMOV used Gari's "News Series 2000", which was traditionally associated with ABC stations, as its news theme. In July 2018, the "CBS Enforcer Music Collection" theme returned to the station, replacing their previous theme, the Gari-composed "The Edge".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2018/07/30/kmov-news-4-logo-motion-graphics/|title=St. Louis' News 4 updates branding, graphics|date=July 30, 2018 }}</ref>
'''News 4 Sports team'''
*''']''' - Sports Director; Sundays at 5:30, Mondays-Thursdays at 6:00 and Sundays-Fridays at 10:00 p.m.; also "Sports Friday" and "Sports Sunday" host
*'''Doug Vaughn''' - Sports Anchor; Saturdays at 6:00, Sundays at 5:30 and weekends at 10:00 p.m.; also sports reporter
*'''Jeff Abeln''' - Sports Anchor/Reporter; Saturday & Sunday Fill-in


KMOX-TV was competitive in the ratings for most of the period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} From the early 1980s until recently, KMOX-TV/KMOV was a solid, if distant, runner-up to KSDK. However, until the mid-1990s, the station had to fend off spirited competition from KTVI. Although KMOV's newscasts were critically favored, they were rarely rewarded with a ratings win over long-dominant KSDK, with the 10 p.m. newscast regularly winning at least a 20 percent share in viewership, while KSDK averaged about a 30 percent share. KMOV has seen significant ratings growth since 2004, and beat KSDK at 10 p.m. both during the November 2004 sweeps period – the first time in over a quarter-century that KSDK did not place first in any timeslot – and during the May<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018225321/http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20060705-972.html |date=October 18, 2006 }}</ref> and November 2006 sweeps periods; it also became the most-watched late evening newscast in the United States during the latter period. Most of the ratings growth at 10 p.m. was attributed to CBS' prime time ratings increases and NBC's large drop in viewership. However, KMOV also saw growth in all of its other newscast timeslots, even where the station does not benefit from a strong CBS lead-in.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005746/http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20061204-1081.html |date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> Starting in late 2013, KMOV started to dominate the news ratings in most newscasts, winning the noon, 5, 6 and 10&nbsp;p.m. time slots, while KSDK plummeted to third place at 5 and 6&nbsp;p.m. for the first time in that station's history. Despite the firing of longtime anchor Larry Conners by the station in May 2013, KMOV has placed first among the market's 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast in every demographic every month since that time.
'''News 4 Reporters'''
*'''Lindsay Bramson'''- general assignment reporter
*'''Craig Cheatham''' - investigative reporter
*'''Marc Cox''' - general assignment reporter; also fill-in anchor
*'''Maggie Crane''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Brian Feldman''' - St. Charles Bureau reporter
*'''Chris Nagus''' - investigative reporter
*'''Ray Preston''' - ''Awake with News 4'' reporter (4:30-7:00 a.m.)
*'''Mark Schnyder''' - ''Awake with News 4'' reporter (4:30-7:00 a.m.)
*'''Matt Sczesny''' - general assignment reporter
*'''Sande Stevenson''' - traffic reporter (4:30-7:00 a.m.)
*'''Nick Zervos''' - "SkyZoom 4" pilot/photojournalist


In February 2002, KMOV partnered with the '']'' to produce the weekly news discussion program ''Extra Edition'', hosted by now-former weekday morning anchor Marc Cox.
'''''Great Day St. Louis Team'''''
*'''Matt Chambers''' - ''Great Day St. Louis'' host
*'''Carol Daniel''' - ''Great Day St. Louis'' host
*'''Kent Ehrhardt''' - ''Great Day St. Louis'' host
*'''Virginia Kerr''' - ''Great Day St. Louis'' host


On January 27, 2008, beginning with its 5:30&nbsp;p.m. newscast, KMOV became the second television station in the St. Louis market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in ] (after KSDK, which has produced its newscasts in the format since 2006).
==== Notable former on-air staff====

*''']''' - reporter/news correspondent (1959–1961; deceased)
====Notable former on-air staff====
*''']''' - the St. Louis football Cardinals quarterback was a weekend sports anchor at the station.
* ] – reporter
*''']''' - reporter (late 1980s; later worked at ] in ])
* ] – reporter (2003–2006)
*''']''' - anchor/reporter (late 1980s; later with CBS News and currently at ] in ])
* ] – sports director
*''']''' - hosted one of his early syndicated shows from the KMOX-TV studios (1972–1975), before moving to Los Angeles (former host "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" on ], and syndicated talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly" in NYC)
* ] – reporter/news correspondent (1959–1961)
*''']''' - weekend anchor and reporter promoted to CBS News, Washington in 1971. Later moved to ABC News.
* ] – sports anchor
*''']''' - weekend anchor/reporter 1989-2012; part of the team to launch 24-Hour News concept at KMOV
* ] – reporter (late 1980s)
*''']''' - meteorologist (2005–2006; currently at CNN)
* ] – anchor/reporter (late 1980s)
* ] – hosted one of his early syndicated shows from the KMOX-TV studios (1972–1975)
* ] – sports anchor (1997–2013) and news anchor (2013–2020)
* ] – anchor/reporter (1967–1971)
* ] – meteorologist (2005–2006)

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is ]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KMOV<ref>{{cite web|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KMOV|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KMOV#station|website=]|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/05/31/mynet-first-alert-weather-now-get-new-channel-locations-monday/|title=MyNet, First Alert Weather Now get new channel locations Monday|website=KMOV|date=May 31, 2024|accessdate=June 4, 2024}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | ]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.1
| ] || rowspan="4" | ] || KMOV-HD || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.2
| rowspan="3" |]
| 1stAlrt || First Alert Weather Now
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.3
| COZI-TV || ]
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.4
| Mystery || ]
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399; border-bottom: 2px solid #003399;"
! scope = "row" | ]
| 480i || 16:9 || Rewind || ] (])
|-
! scope = "row" | 32.1
| 1080i || 16:9 || MATRIX || {{ubl|Matrix Midwest|(]/])}}
|-
|}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}

On February 17, 2014, KMOV dropped the ], as Meredith planned on using the bandwidth utilized from digital channel 4.3 for the station's ] ] signal.<ref>{{cite web|title=KMOV Facebook Page|url=https://www.facebook.com/news4stlouis|website=KMOV|via=]|access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> On November 17, 2014, KMOV relaunched 4.3 as "MyTV St. Louis", returning MyNetworkTV (and some syndicated programming) to the market after a nine-month absence due to former affiliate ] (channel 46)'s sale to ] and that station's wholesale conversion into an ] owned-and-operated station.<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to MYTV St. Louis! |url=http://www.kmov.com/community/KMOV-TV-launches-new-sister-station--282973851.html |access-date=November 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129061429/http://www.kmov.com/community/KMOV-TV-launches-new-sister-station--282973851.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 }}</ref>

KMOV carried ] on their second subchannel from 2013 until February 1, 2018, when it moved to ] (channel 24), which was sold in December 2017 to MeTV parent ]. This allowed Meredith to air ] for the first time in the St. Louis market (it had entered an agreement to air on Meredith stations in early 2016, but KMOV's circumstances with MeTV and MyNetworkTV under their previous Belo and Gannett ownerships prevented Cozi TV from being carried until that point).

On August 22, 2024, as part of a larger initiative by Gray Television to launch ], the MyNetworkTV subchannel was rebranded as "Matrix Midwest". Its new lineup includes a partnership with the ] to produce pre- and post-game shows for its football games (''Mizzou Live'') and a coach's show (''Tiger Talk'') with ]. The channel continues to carry its existing syndicated (also joined by '']''), lifestyle, and MyNetworkTV programming.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 22, 2024 |title=Matrix Midwest is St. Louis' only free and independent sports & entertainment network |url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/08/22/matrix-midwest-is-st-louis-only-free-independent-sports-entertainment-network/ |accessdate=August 22, 2024 |website=First Alert 4 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2024 |title=Gray launches over-the-air sports network in St. Louis, Matrix Midwest |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2024/08/22/gray-launches-over-the-air-sports-network-in-st-louis-matrix-midwest/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2024, it was announced that the subchannel would also air ] basketball as part of an agreement between the conference and Gray, with a package of regular season games, and coverage of the opening round and quarter finals of the ]. The games also stream on ] and the ESPN app.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 12, 2024 |title=Matrix Midwest to broadcast Missouri Valley Conference basketball games |url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/09/12/matrix-midwest-broadcast-missouri-valley-conference-basketball-games/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=KMOV |language=en}}</ref>

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KMOV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States ] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 56, which was among the high-band ] channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to UHF channel 24, using ] 4.<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 |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref><ref>, Don Corrigan, ], January 23, 2009, indicates both KMOV and KNLC as digital-only</ref>


==References== ==References==
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==External links== ==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.firstalert4.com/}}
* - Official Website
*{{TVQ|KMOV}}
*{{BIA|KMOV|TV|TV}}


{{St Louis TV}} {{St Louis TV}}
{{CBS Missouri}} {{Missouri TV}}
{{Belo Corporation}} {{CBS Illinois}}
{{Gray TV}}


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Latest revision as of 23:25, 11 January 2025

TV station in St. Louis, Missouri

KMOV
Channels
Branding
  • First Alert 4
  • Matrix Midwest (32.1)
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
Sister stationsKDTL-LD
History
FoundedApril 1954
First air dateJuly 8, 1954
(70 years ago) (1954-07-08)
Former call signs
  • KWK-TV (1954–1958)
  • KMOX-TV (1958–1986)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 4 (VHF, 1954–2009)
  • Digital: 56 (UHF, 1998–2009)
Former affiliations
  • ABC (secondary, 1954–1955)
Call sign meaningAdapted from prior KMOX-TV call sign and former owner Viacom
Technical information
Licensing authorityFCC
Facility ID70034
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT341 m (1,119 ft)
Transmitter coordinates38°31′47″N 90°17′58″W / 38.52972°N 90.29944°W / 38.52972; -90.29944
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.firstalert4.com

KMOV (channel 4) is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Gray Media alongside low-power station KDTL-LD (channel 4.6). The two stations share studios on Progress Parkway in suburban Maryland Heights; KMOV's transmitter is located in Lemay, Missouri.

History

Early history

The station first signed on the air on July 8, 1954, as KWK-TV. At its launch, channel 4 was owned by a consortium which included Robert T. Convey (28%) and the now-defunct Newhouse Newspapers–published St. Louis Globe-Democrat (23%), who jointly operated KWK radio (1380 AM, now KXFN); Elzey M. Roberts Sr., former owner of KXOK radio (630 AM, now KYFI), which had to be sold as a condition of the license grant (23%); and Missouri Valley Television Inc., made up of Saint Paul, Minnesota–based Hubbard Broadcasting (23%) and several St. Louis residents (combined 3%).

Each of the station's part-owners had competed individually for the channel 4 construction permit before agreeing to merge their interests only three months before the station went on the air. Upon signing on KWK-TV took the CBS affiliation from Belleville, Illinois–licensed WTVI (channel 54, now KTVI channel 2). Until 1955, it also aired ABC programs that WTVI declined to broadcast. The station's original studios, built by KWK radio in anticipation of television, were located on Cole Street in Downtown West.

As a CBS owned-and-operated station

However, CBS was planning to operate its own television station in St. Louis alongside its powerhouse radio station, KMOX (1120 AM). The network originally won the permit to build a new station on channel 11 – the last remaining commercial VHF channel assigned to St. Louis – in January 1957. But after being approached with an offer, CBS decided in August of that year to buy KWK-TV instead for $4 million. The agreement required CBS to give up its construction permit for channel 11, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) transferred it to one of the failed applicants, a group led by St. Louis hotelier Harold Koplar, for no financial consideration. Almost immediately, the deal was held up after the St. Louis Amusement Company, another of the original applicants for channel 11, protested to the United States Court of Appeals in January 1958. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately upheld the decision in November of that year. CBS had already taken control of channel 4's operations that March, and changed its call letters to KMOX-TV in reference to its new radio sister. The following April, channel 11 signed on as independent station KPLR-TV.

In July 1968, CBS opened a new studio and office facility in downtown St. Louis to house the KMOX stations, which until that point had been operating from separate locations (KMOX radio was headquartered near Forest Park). Channel 4 moved from Cole Street into the new facility, known as One Memorial Drive, and remained there until December 3, 2023; the Cole Street studio was soon acquired by KDNL-TV (channel 30), which operated that facility from its sign-on in June 1969 until 2022.

Viacom ownership

By late 1985, CBS was in rough financial straits, an after-effect of successfully fending off a hostile takeover attempt by Ted Turner the year before. CBS spent the latter portion of 1985 repurchasing a large portion of its stock to help block the Turner takeover. Once Turner sold his stock, CBS was saddled with significant debt and needed to raise money. Not long after Laurence Tisch became the company's chairman, CBS decided to sell KMOX-TV, at the time its smallest owned-and-operated television station by market size. On May 16, 1986, the original iteration of Viacom, the former CBS Inc. subsidiary and future parent company, completed its $122.5 million purchase of the station; so as to comply with an FCC regulation in place at the time that prohibited TV and radio stations in the same market but with different ownership from having the same callsigns, KMOX-TV's callsign was slightly modified to the present KMOV almost a month later on June 18. Despite the sale, channel 4's operations continued to be based alongside KMOX radio at their downtown studios on Memorial Drive; KMOX would relocate from that building in 2012. The two stations still have a news partnership.

Viacom announced its purchase of Paramount Pictures in 1993. The merger, completed in 1994, placed Viacom's existing five-station group (KMOV; WHEC-TV in Rochester, New York; WNYT in Albany, New York; WVIT in New Britain, Connecticut; and KSLA-TV in Shreveport, Louisiana) under common ownership with the Paramount Stations Group; the two groups were formally consolidated in December 1995. However, in 1994, the company decided to divest itself of all of its major network affiliates to focus on stations that carried its then-upstart United Paramount Network (UPN), which would start up service on January 16, 1995.

Belo Corporation ownership

Dallas-based A. H. Belo Corporation acquired KMOV in a three-way deal also involving two stations in the SeattleTacoma market. As part of the transaction, A. H. Belo (which spun off its broadcast holdings into a separate, similarly named company in 2008) sold KIRO-TV (then a UPN affiliate, which was included in the deal because the company had recently acquired that market's NBC affiliate KING-TV) to Cox Enterprises, who concurrently sold its existing Seattle–Tacoma station, then-CBS affiliate KSTW, to Viacom. The deal was consummated on June 1, 1997 (KIRO and KSTW swapped their affiliations on June 30, 1997, thus returning to its original affiliation).

The station aired St. Louis Blues NHL games for one season, during the 1996–97 season until their over-the-air telecasts moved back to KPLR-TV for the 1997–98 season (all regular-season Blues games are now broadcast exclusively on cable locally on Bally Sports Midwest).

In the spring of 2013, a lighted sign with the KMOV logo was installed on the top of the south face of Gateway Tower, which not only gave the station visibility on the St. Louis skyline, but was also visible in center field of wide shots of Busch Stadium during St. Louis Cardinals games.

Changing hands

On June 13, 2013, the Gannett Company, owner of NBC affiliate KSDK (channel 5), announced that it would acquire Belo. As the deal would violate FCC regulations that disallow common ownership of two of the four highest-rated stations in a single market (KMOV and KSDK have ranked as the top two stations in the St. Louis market in total-day ratings for several years), Gannett would retain KSDK, while it would spin off KMOV to Sander Media, LLC (owned by former Belo executive Jack Sander). Gannett intended to provide services to the station through a shared services agreement, KMOV's operations were to remain largely separate from KSDK, including separate and competing news and sales departments. However, on December 16, 2013, the United States Department of Justice threatened to block the merger unless Gannett, Belo and Sander completely divested KMOV to a government-approved third-party company that would be barred from entering into any agreements with Gannett. The DOJ claimed that Gannett and Sander would be so closely aligned that Gannett would have dominated spot advertising in St. Louis. On December 23, 2013, shortly after the Gannett/Belo deal was approved and completed, Des Moines, Iowa–based Meredith Corporation – which already had a broadcasting presence in Missouri through its ownership of fellow CBS affiliate KCTV in Kansas City – announced that it would purchase KMOV, along with KTVK and KASW in Phoenix (the latter of which Meredith would later sell to the Nexstar Broadcasting Group) for $407.5 million. The sale of KMOV was completed on February 28, 2014.

More than a year later on September 8, 2015, Richmond, Virginia–based Media General announced that it would acquire Meredith for $2.4 billion. If it had been completed, it would have marked KMOV's third ownership shift since 2013. Media General would eventually shelve the Meredith deal in favor of a counter-offer by Nexstar.

On April 24, 2018, it was announced that Meredith would be acquiring CW affiliate KPLR-TV from Tribune Media as a result of station sales ordered by the FCC as a result of Tribune's proposed acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group, owners of ABC affiliate KDNL-TV. If Sinclair's acquisition of Tribune and related station sales were approved, it would have created a duopoly between KMOV and KPLR-TV. However, on August 9, 2018, Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal, intending to seek other M&A opportunities. This came three weeks after the FCC's July 18 vote to have the deal reviewed by an administrative law judge amid "serious concerns" about Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties. Tribune also filed a breach of contract lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court, alleging that Sinclair engaged in protracted negotiations with the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division over regulatory issues, refused to sell stations in markets where it already had properties, and proposed divestitures to parties with ties to Sinclair executive chair David D. Smith that were rejected or highly subject to rejection to maintain control over stations it was required to sell. The deal was nullified, with Tribune eventually accepting another merger agreement with Nexstar that, due to other station spin-offs, retained the existing KTVI/KPLR duopoly and closed without issue in mid-September 2019.

Sale to Gray Television, move to St. Louis County

On May 3, 2021, Gray Television announced its intent to purchase the Meredith Local Media division, including KMOV, for $2.7 billion. The sale was completed on December 1.

On December 3, 2023, with its 6 p.m. newscast, KMOV completed the on-air move from Gateway Tower to a remodeled and adapted facility in the St. Louis County suburb of Maryland Heights which had formerly been occupied by medical device manufacturer ERT, joining KTVI/KPLR in relocating to Maryland Heights, which provides much easier access to the area's freeway system via Interstate 270 and a secured parking lot rather than the cumbersome mix of on-street and underground parking it had at Gateway Tower. The station had soft-launched a new branding, First Alert 4 (which has become a common brand for Gray's local newscasts) in the months before, which was solidified in full with the move to Maryland Heights.

Programming

Past programming preemptions and deferrals

As a CBS-owned station, channel 4 cleared the entire network schedule and, after the launch of CBS News Nightwatch in 1982 adopted a 24/7 schedule as a result. When Viacom took over in 1986, this changed rather drastically. KMOV began signing off the air at night, thus preempting Nightwatch. A barrage of scattered prime time preemptions later followed that was so rampant, the station earned a mention in Ken Auletta's 1991 book, Three Blind Mice. KMOV randomly replaced CBS prime time shows with programming such as Billy Graham Crusades and National Geographic specials, syndicated movie packages, and occasional local and regional sporting events, all of which allowed the station and Viacom full control of the ad time airing during the preemptions. According to Auletta, KMOV preempted 103 hours of CBS prime time programs in 1987, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the network prime time schedule. In the 1990s, the prime time preemptions eased as all networks began to tighten down contractually on heavy preemptions, and currently, the station only occasionally preempts a CBS prime time show, usually only due to breaking news or severe weather. The station also resumed a 24-hour broadcast schedule in the early 1990s.

From September 1989 until September 11, 2015, KMOV aired The Young and the Restless on a same-day delay at 3 p.m., and later, at 4 p.m. (serving as a lead-in for its early-evening newscasts), with The Price Is Right airing on a one-hour delay at 11 a.m.; KMOV also delayed The Late Late Show by a half-hour since 1997 under original host Tom Snyder (one of several CBS stations that have done this practice), in order to run syndicated programming after the Late Show with David Letterman (KMOV completely preempted The Late Late Show during the program's first two years on the air). On September 14, 2015, KMOV moved The Price Is Right, The Young and the Restless and The Late Late Show to their recommended network time periods with the first full season under Meredith ownership, with the relocation of the former two shows occurring as a result of the launch of a half-hour 4 p.m. newscast.

Sports programming

KMOX/KMOV served as the unofficial home station of the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals from their arrival in St. Louis in 1960 until the 1987 season, when the team relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. It also aired any games of the city's next NFL team, the Rams from 1998 (when CBS acquired the AFC broadcast package) to 2015 (usually home interconference contests), when the Rams returned to Los Angeles.

KMOV aired games of the baseball St. Louis Cardinals from 1990 to 1993 as part of CBS' national broadcast contract with Major League Baseball.

KMOV was also served as the host of the 2005 Final Four which took place at the Edward Jones Dome.

In 2025, the St. Louis Blues announced an agreement with Gray Media to exclusively air three regular season games over-the-air during the 2024–25 season. All of the games will air on Matrix Midwest, while KMOV will also simulcast two games.

Locally produced non-news programming

In 2003, KMOV began producing At the Zoo, a program that gives a behind-the-scenes look inside the St. Louis Zoo and was hosted by meteorologist Kent Ehrhardt (encore presentations of older episodes aired from 2009 to 2011). In September 2008, KMOV premiered Great Day St. Louis, an hour-long daytime talk show, mostly focusing on entertainment and lifestyle topics in the St. Louis area (the show is currently hosted by Matt Chambers, Kent Ehrhardt, and Laura Hettiger). In January 2011, KMOV debuted At the Center, which features an inside look at attractions at the St. Louis Science Center.

News operation

KMOV presently broadcasts 41 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 6+1⁄2 hours each weekday, five hours on Saturdays and 3+1⁄2 hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the half-hour sports wrap-up program Sports Sunday, which airs on Sundays after the 10 p.m. newscast. Many members of KMOV's on-air news staff have moved on to work for national news organizations (Richelle Carey and meteorologist Reynolds Wolf, for example, both joined CNN in 2006). While it would seem like a positive aspect, the "revolving door" turnover rate of its anchors and reporters has been one of KMOV's weaknesses over the years (especially under CBS ownership, where it had the same "farm team" talent development role WKYC in Cleveland played for NBC), leading to the unfamiliarity that many of the station's on-air personalities have in the market. Though this may have initially caused some issues for KMOV, ratings for channel 4's newscasts have since increased. Since the departure of Karen Foss from KSDK in December 2006, Larry Conners assumed the title of the longest-serving 10 p.m. news anchor in the market until he was fired by the station in 2013 after a Facebook post questioning if he was being audited by the Internal Revenue Service in the wake of a contentious interview with President Barack Obama during the 2012 election cycle.

In 1976, channel 4 became the second station to adopt Dick Marx's "WBBM Channel 2 News Theme", that eventually became the de facto official newscast music for CBS' owned-and-operated stations. The theme was dropped by the station in 1986 after Viacom took control, though from 2001 to 2008, the station used the Frank Gari-composed "CBS Enforcer Music Collection", which uses a music signature derived from the WBBM package. Ironically from 1989 to 1992, KMOV used Gari's "News Series 2000", which was traditionally associated with ABC stations, as its news theme. In July 2018, the "CBS Enforcer Music Collection" theme returned to the station, replacing their previous theme, the Gari-composed "The Edge".

KMOX-TV was competitive in the ratings for most of the period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. From the early 1980s until recently, KMOX-TV/KMOV was a solid, if distant, runner-up to KSDK. However, until the mid-1990s, the station had to fend off spirited competition from KTVI. Although KMOV's newscasts were critically favored, they were rarely rewarded with a ratings win over long-dominant KSDK, with the 10 p.m. newscast regularly winning at least a 20 percent share in viewership, while KSDK averaged about a 30 percent share. KMOV has seen significant ratings growth since 2004, and beat KSDK at 10 p.m. both during the November 2004 sweeps period – the first time in over a quarter-century that KSDK did not place first in any timeslot – and during the May and November 2006 sweeps periods; it also became the most-watched late evening newscast in the United States during the latter period. Most of the ratings growth at 10 p.m. was attributed to CBS' prime time ratings increases and NBC's large drop in viewership. However, KMOV also saw growth in all of its other newscast timeslots, even where the station does not benefit from a strong CBS lead-in. Starting in late 2013, KMOV started to dominate the news ratings in most newscasts, winning the noon, 5, 6 and 10 p.m. time slots, while KSDK plummeted to third place at 5 and 6 p.m. for the first time in that station's history. Despite the firing of longtime anchor Larry Conners by the station in May 2013, KMOV has placed first among the market's 10 p.m. newscast in every demographic every month since that time.

In February 2002, KMOV partnered with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to produce the weekly news discussion program Extra Edition, hosted by now-former weekday morning anchor Marc Cox.

On January 27, 2008, beginning with its 5:30 p.m. newscast, KMOV became the second television station in the St. Louis market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition (after KSDK, which has produced its newscasts in the format since 2006).

Notable former on-air staff

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KMOV
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
4.1 1080i 16:9 KMOV-HD CBS
4.2 480i 1stAlrt First Alert Weather Now
4.3 COZI-TV Cozi TV
4.4 Mystery Ion Mystery
11.4 480i 16:9 Rewind Rewind TV (KPLR-TV)
32.1 1080i 16:9 MATRIX
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

On February 17, 2014, KMOV dropped the Live Well Network, as Meredith planned on using the bandwidth utilized from digital channel 4.3 for the station's ATSC M/H mobile DTV signal. On November 17, 2014, KMOV relaunched 4.3 as "MyTV St. Louis", returning MyNetworkTV (and some syndicated programming) to the market after a nine-month absence due to former affiliate WRBU (channel 46)'s sale to Ion Media Networks and that station's wholesale conversion into an Ion Television owned-and-operated station.

KMOV carried MeTV on their second subchannel from 2013 until February 1, 2018, when it moved to KNLC-TV (channel 24), which was sold in December 2017 to MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting. This allowed Meredith to air Cozi TV for the first time in the St. Louis market (it had entered an agreement to air on Meredith stations in early 2016, but KMOV's circumstances with MeTV and MyNetworkTV under their previous Belo and Gannett ownerships prevented Cozi TV from being carried until that point).

On August 22, 2024, as part of a larger initiative by Gray Television to launch regional sports networks, the MyNetworkTV subchannel was rebranded as "Matrix Midwest". Its new lineup includes a partnership with the Missouri Tigers to produce pre- and post-game shows for its football games (Mizzou Live) and a coach's show (Tiger Talk) with Eliah Drinkwitz. The channel continues to carry its existing syndicated (also joined by GMFB: Overtime), lifestyle, and MyNetworkTV programming. In September 2024, it was announced that the subchannel would also air Missouri Valley Conference basketball as part of an agreement between the conference and Gray, with a package of regular season games, and coverage of the opening round and quarter finals of the MVC men's basketball tournament. The games also stream on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

Analog-to-digital conversion

KMOV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 56, which was among the high-band UHF channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to UHF channel 24, using virtual channel 4.

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  56. "RabbitEars TV Query for KMOV". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  57. "MyNet, First Alert Weather Now get new channel locations Monday". KMOV. May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  58. "KMOV Facebook Page". KMOV. Retrieved February 17, 2014 – via Facebook.
  59. "Welcome to MYTV St. Louis!". Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  60. "Matrix Midwest is St. Louis' only free and independent sports & entertainment network". First Alert 4. Gray Television. August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  61. "Gray launches over-the-air sports network in St. Louis, Matrix Midwest". NewscastStudio. August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  62. "Matrix Midwest to broadcast Missouri Valley Conference basketball games". KMOV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  63. "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  64. Digital Television Transition Problematic For Some, Don Corrigan, Webster-Kirkwood Times, January 23, 2009, indicates both KMOV and KNLC as digital-only

External links

Broadcast television in the Greater St. Louis and Metro East Illinois areas
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
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Illinois
W29CI-D (29.1 Bounce, 29.2 Mystery, 29.3 Laff, 29.4 3ABN, 29.5 CheddarSalem, IL)
ATSC 3.0
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Bally Sports Midwest
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Defunct
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Broadcast television stations by affiliation in the state of Missouri
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CBS network affiliates licensed to and serving the state of Illinois
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(*) – indicates station is in one of Illinois' primary TV markets
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CBS
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MyNetworkTV
NBC
PBS
Other stations in Illinois
Gray Media
sorted by primary channel network affiliations
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  • Owned by American Spirit Media; Gray operates these stations through an SSA.
  • Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting; Gray operates these stations through an SSA.
  • Owned by Tegna Inc.; Gray operates these stations through an SSA.
  • Owned by Gray; E. W. Scripps Company operates this station through an SSA.
  • Owned by Tougaloo College and operated by American Spirit Media through a JSA; Gray provides limited engineering support through an SSA.
  • Owned by Branson Visitors TV; Gray holds a 50.1% interest in this company.
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