KMOV

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KMOV
St. Louis, Missouri
Branding	News4 Saint Louis
Slogan	Where There's Always Something Extra
Channels	4 (VHF) analog, 56 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	CBS
Owner	Belo Corp. (KMOV-TV, Inc.)
Founded	July 8, 1954
Call letters meaning	KMO(X) Viacom (former owner)
Former callsigns	KWK-TV (1954-58) KMOX-TV (1958-86)
Former affiliations	none
Website	www.kmov.com

KMOV, "News4 Saint Louis" is the CBS television affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri. Owned by CBS, and then by Viacom, KMOV is currently owned and operated by Belo Corp.

The station's transmitter, the KMOV TV Tower, is located in Lemay, Missouri. Its analog signal broadcasts on channel 4 while the digital channel operates on channel 56. Its studio is located on Memorial Drive in downtown St. Louis, along with its former radio sister, KMOX.

KMOV broadcasts in stereo and broadcasts a Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel, used mainly for Descriptive Video Service (DVS).

KMOV airs about 26 hours of local news per week.

Contents 1 History 2 News Operations 2.1 Newscasts 2.2 On-Air Personalities 3 References 4 External links

[edit] History

The station began broadcasting on July 8, 1954 under the call sign KWK-TV. CBS bought the station in 1958 and renamed it KMOX-TV (after the radio station). On May 16, 1986, Viacom (which at that point was a separate entity from CBS) bought the station and renamed it KMOV. This left St. Louis without a major network O&O until News Corporation's New World Communications (part of the Fox Television Stations Group) bought former-ABC station KTVI in 1995, and made it a Fox O&O. On June 1, 1997, Belo Corp. acquired KMOV in a three-way deal also involving Cox Communications and 2 stations in Seattle.

As a CBS O&O, KMOX-TV cleared the entire CBS schedule. When Viacom took over in 1986, this changed rather drastically. KMOV began signing off the air at night, thus pre-empting the CBS overnight news program, "Nightwatch." Other daily network pre-emptions and delays during this period included airing the CBS morning news program at 6AM (from the East Coast feed) rather than 7AM; airing "The Price Is Right" on a one-day delay at 11AM; delaying "The Young and the Restless" to 3PM (and then later moved to 4PM where it airs currently); airing CBS late-night programming on a one-week delay at 11PM (KMOV completely dropped CBS late-night programming in late 1989); and a barrage of scattered prime-time pre-emptions 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 and National Geograhpic specials, syndicated movie packages, and occasional sporting events. KMOV regularly pre-empted CBS's summer Friday night reruns of "Dallas" and "Falcon Crest," airing a syndicated movie instead. According to Auletta, KMOV pre-empted 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.

In February 2002, KMOV and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch launched the weekly news discussion program Extra Edition; hosted by weekday morning news anchor Marc Cox, Extra Edition airs every Saturday at 9:30 am.

In 2003, KMOV began producing and airing At The Zoo, a program that gives behind-the-scenes look at the world-class St. Louis Zoo; hosted by KMOV Chief Meteorologist Kent Ehrhardt, At The Zoo airs Saturday mornings at 10am.

[edit] News Operations

KMOV dominated the St. Louis news ratings for most of the time from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, but since then has been second to KSDK. Although KMOV's newscasts have won much critical acclaim, it was rarely rewarded with a ratings win.

Since 2004, however, KMOV has seen significant growth in viewership, probably due in large part to CBS' overall ratings increases and NBC's large drop in viewership. The station initially beat out KSDK at 10pm in November 2004. KMOV won at 10pm again in May 2006. ^[1] The most recent victory came in November 2006, when KMOV's 10pm newscast not only beat out KSDK's, but also became the most-watched late newscast in the country. The station has also seen growth in all of its other newscasts. ^[2]

Recent years have brought a "revolving door" of new personalities to KMOV. Both Richelle Carey and meteorologist Reynolds Wolf moved to CNN, and meteorologist Lyra O'Brien moved to WISN-TV in Milwaukee, all in early 2006. Also, three of the stations four main anchors (Russell Kinsaul, Donna Savarese, and Vickie Newton) have been with the station for fewer than five years. Though this may have initially caused some hiccups for KMOV, the ratings are now increasing.

In around 2002, KMOV updated its news set and added two other multipurpose sets. Both new sets are interview sets that can double as reporting/anchoring sets if the interview chairs are replaced with a news desk.

[edit] Newscasts

Monday-Friday

• News 4 This Morning - 5:30am-8:00am
  • with Marc Cox and Virginia Kerr
  • Matt Chambers, weather
  • Paul Cook, traffic
• News 4 at Noon - 12:00pm-12:30pm
  • with Robin Smith
  • Steve Templeton, weather
• News 4 at 5 - 5:00pm-5:30pm
  • with Larry Conners and Vickie Newton
  • Kent Ehrhardt, weather
  • Steve Savard (Monday-Thursday), Doug Vaughn (Friday), sports
• News 4 at 6 - 6:00pm-6:30pm
  • with Russell Kinsaul and Donna Savarese
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Steve Savard (Monday-Thursday), Doug Vaughn (Friday), sports
• News 4 at 10 - 10:00pm-10:35pm
  • with Larry Conners and Vickie Newton
  • Kent Ehrhardt, weather
  • Steve Savard (Monday-Thursday), Doug Vaughn (Friday), sports

Saturdays

• News 4 this Weekend - 6:00am-7:00am
  • with Ray Preston,
  • Matt Chambers, weather
• News 4 this Weekend - 9:00am-9:30am
  • with Ray Preston,
  • Matt Chambers, weather
• Extra Edition - 9:30am-10:00am
  • with Marc Cox
• At the Zoo - 10:00am-10:30am
  • with Kent Ehrhardt
• News 4 at 5 - 5:00pm-5:30pm
  • with Laurie Walters and Matt Sczesny
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Doug Vaughn, sports
• News 4 at 6 - 6:00pm-6:30pm
  • with Laurie Walters and Matt Sczesny
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Doug Vaughn, sports
• News 4 at 10 - 10:00pm-10:35pm
  • with Laurie Walters and Matt Sczesny
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Doug Vaughn, sports

Sundays

• News 4 at 5:30 - 5:30pm-6:00pm
  • with Laurie Walters and Matt Sczesny
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Steve Savard, sports
• News 4 at 10 - 10:00pm-10:35pm
  • with Laurie Walters and Matt Sczesny
  • Steve Templeton, weather
  • Steve Savard, sports
• Sports Sunday - 10:35pm-11:05pm
  • with Steve Savard

[edit] On-Air Personalities

Anchors

• Robin Smith: News4 at Noon (weekdays) anchor/reporter
• Russell Kinsaul: News4 at 6 (weekdays) anchor/reporter
• Donna Savarese: News4 at 6 (weekdays) anchor/reporter
• Marc Cox: News4 This Morning (weekdays) anchor/reporter
• Virginia Kerr: News4 This Morning (weekdays) anchor/reporter (features)
• Ray Preston: News4 This Weekend anchor/reporter
• Laurie Walters: News4 at 5, 5:30, 6, 10 (weekends) anchor/reporter
• Matt Sczesny: News4 at 5, 5:30, 6, 10 (weekends) anchor/reporter
• Larry Conners: News4 at 5, 10 (weekdays) anchor
• Vickie Newton: News4 at 5, 10 (weekdays) anchor

Reporters

• Steve Chamraz: investigative
• Craig Cheatham
• John Mills
• Mike O'Connell
• Kara Kaswell
• Lisa Manzo: health
• Erica van Ross
• Robert Townsend
• Dr. Ira Kodner: medical consultant

Traffic

• Paul Cook: News4 This Morning

Sports

• Steve Savard: Sports Director, News4 at 5, 5:30, 6, 10 (Sunday-Thursday),host, "SportSunday"
• Doug Vaughn: News4 at 5, 6, 10 (Friday-Saturday)
• Jeff Skversky: sports reporter

Weather

• Kent Ehrhardt: Chief Meterologist, News4 at 5, 10 (weekdays), co-host, "at the Zoo"
• Matt Chambers: News4 This Morning, News4 This Weekend
• Steve Templeton: News4 at Noon, 6 (weekdays), News4 at 5, 5:30, 6, 10 (weekends)
• Aimee Willmoth, fill-in meteorologist.

Past Personalities

• Herb Humphries, reporter. Born 1932...Passed in 2003 Tribute
• Paul Alexander, sports anchor (KMOX-TV, 1980-1986).
• Kathy McDonald, reporter.
• Dennis Riggs, reporter.
• Debi Faubion, reporter (1980-1988).
• Jamie Allman, reporter (now at KFTK-FM).
• Gary Apple, sports reporter (1987-1989).
• Cory Barron, meteorologist (1995-2003).
• Dottye Bennett, morning talk show host (KMOX-TV, late 1950s-early 1960s).
• Jim Bolen, anchor (KWK/KMOX/KMOV, 1957-1994).
• Lisa Brown, reporter.
• Mike Brown, reporter.
• Trish Brown, chief meteorologist (1991-1998).
• Betsey Bruce, anchor (KMOX/KMOV, 1970-1988; currently at KTVI).
• Bob Buck, sports reporter (KMOX-TV, 1976-1982).
• Dan Buck, anchor.
• Richelle Carey, weekday morning anchor (2003-2006; currently at CNN Headline News).
• Les Carmichael, sports anchor (KMOX-TV, 1958-1973).
• Ann Carroll, sports reporter (2005-2006; now with FSN North).
• Ellen Chang, reporter.
• Margie Ellisor, morning reporter/anchor (1994-1998; now at KTVI).
• Dick Ford, reporter (KMOX-TV, mid 1960s).
• Ethan Forhetz, reporter (currently at KYTV (TV))
• Evan Forrester, anchor.
• Dan Gray, reporter (KMOX-TV, 1984-1985; now at KTVI).
• Johnathan Hall, reporter.
• Sandra Hughes, reporter (now a national correspondent with CBS News).
• Julius Hunter, anchor (1974-2002).
• Jean Jackson, anchor/reporter (currently at KFTK-FM).
• Kathryn Jamboretz, reporter (1994- ; currently at KPLR)
• Donn Johnson, reporter.
• Jeff Lea, reporter (2003-2006).
• Brenda Madden, reporter.
• Tim McKernan, sports reporter (2000–2005).
• Greg Gazinski, reporter.
• Regis Philbin, Hosted one of his early syndicated shows from the studios of KMOX (1972-1975) before making it big and moving to LA.
• Russ Mitchell, anchor/reporter (currently at CBS News).
• Al Naipo, reporter (1992-1993; currently at KTTV-TV, Los Angeles).
• Mike Nelson, chief meteorologist (1985-1991; currently at KMGH-TV, Denver).
• Ryan Nusbickel, reporter.
• Lyra O'Brien, meteorologist (2003-2006; currently at WISN-TV, Milwaukee).
• Dr. Joe Petrovich, meteorologist.
• Mary Phelan, anchor.
• Curt Ray, morning talk show host (KMOX-TV, 1960s).
• Ollie Raymand, weather anchor (KMOX-TV, 1970-1987).
• Mike Roberts, meteorologist (1990-1994; currently at KSDK).
• Max Roby, anchor (KMOX-TV, 1958-1973).
• Zip Rzeppa, sports reporter.
• Steve Schiff, anchor (1972-1986).
• Barry Serafin, anchor/reporter (KMOX-TV, 1968-early 1970s)
• Kristi Shearer, reporter.
• Kevin Slaten, sports reporter (KMOX-TV, late 1970s) (currently at KFNS).
• Anne State, anchor/reporter (now at KNSD, San Diego).
• Anne Steffens, anchor/education reporter/co-host At the Zoo (1996-2006; currently Director of Communications for the St. Louis Archdiocese).
• Sue Thomas, traffic reporter (1996-2004; now at KEZK-FM, St. Louis).
• Thomas Scott "Tim" Van Gelder, sports reporter (KMOX-TV, 1973-1985).
• Debbie Warshawski, reporter (KMOX-TV, 1979-1985).
• Bob West, sports reporter.
• Al Wiman, health reporter (KMOX/KMOV, 1973-1998).
• Reynolds Wolf, meteorologist (2005-2006; currently at CNN).
• Myriam Wright, anchor.

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20060705-972.html
2. ^ http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20061204-1081.html

[edit] External links

• Official website
• CBS
• CBS News
• BELO Corp
• Current Studio Design
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KMOV