KTBS-TV

KTBS-TV channel 3 is the ABC-affiliated television station in Shreveport, Louisiana. Its transmitter is located near Mooringsport. The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 28 and it's locally-owned by the Wray family as part of a duopoly with the CW affiliate KPXJ (channel 21). The two stations share studios on East Kings Highway in Shreveport.

History

KTBS began broadcasting on September 3, 1955 as a primary NBC affiliate, sharing ABC with KSLA-TV. In 1960, Shreveport and Texarkana were collapsed into a single television market and Texarkana's KTAL-TV (Channel 6) took over the NBC affiliation, leaving KTBS with ABC.

Over the years, KTBS has been one of the strongest ABC affiliates in the country airing the entire ABC schedule, with the exception of World News Sunday, which is pre-empted in favor of an hour-long newscast on Sundays at 5 p.m. Along with sister station KPXJ, it is one of the only locally owned and operated stations in the area.

KTBS was the home of the Louisiana Lottery drawings from its inception in 1993 to April 2009 when KTAL acquired the rights to the drawings.

It has been one of two de facto ABC affiliate (KLAX being the other) for the Monroe area from 1994, when their ABC affiliate, (KARD) switched to Fox, until 1998, when ABC returned to the Monroe area on KAQY.

On October 15, 2008, KTBS began broadcasting its newscasts in a 16:9 standard definition widescreen format. KTBS was the first in the market to do-so and, as of June 2010, is the only channel in the market broadcasting news in 16:9 format.

As of 2009, it is one of a few television stations still signing off at night. The station signs off on Friday nights/early Saturday mornings at 1:05-4 a.m. and on Saturday nights/early Sunday mornings at 1:45-5 a.m. But instead of the usual sign-off, their weather radar is displayed instead.

Digital television

The station's digital signal is UHF 28, multiplexed:

Digital channels

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

Syndicated programming on KTBS

Schedule

Mornings

Late Nights

Saturdays

Sundays

NOTE: Shreveport is one of a few markets to air Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune (the latter of which formerly aired on KTBS from 1984-1992, now airing on rival KTAL) on different stations.

News operation

In 2003, following the Wrays' purchase of KPXJ from Paxson Communications, KTBS began producing a nightly, half-hour 9 o'clock newscast on that station. The broadcast consists of the same format as the 10 o'clock news on KTBS except for different graphics and titles. Additionally, KTBS produces a half-hour, weekday morning newscast at 7 for KPXJ. KTBS had aired rebroadcasts of their 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts on KPXJ before the station switched from i affiliation to UPN. As of the May 2008 ratings period, KTBS is rated number one in several time periods.

In addition to their main studios, KTBS operates two news bureaus. The Texarkana Bureau is located on Jefferson Avenue in Texarkana, Arkansas. On weeknights at 6 and 10 o'clock, the station airs news segments from the East Texas area. KTBS operates a 24-hour live signal of its "KTBS Mega 3 Radar" on its second digital subchannel, which, in addition to airing weather reports, also air Texas Rangers baseball games. On its third digital subchannel, KTBS operates a 24-hour news rebroadcast channel known as KTBS 24 Hour News. It is also offered on Comcast basic channel 30 and digital channel 201.

Market firsts

On October 15, 2008, KTBS began broadcasting its newscasts in a 16:9 standard definition widescreen format.

On June 28, 2010, KTBS lengthened its 6:00 evening news to one hour long.

News/station presentation

Newscast titles

• News Final (1955-1959)
• The Night Report (1959-1967)
• Eyewitness News (1967-1971)
• Action 3 News (1971-1982)
• The News on 3 (1982-1985)
• Channel 3 News (1985-1993)
• Nightcast (10 p.m. newscast; 1986-1993)
• KTBS 3 News (1993-present)

Station slogans

• On Your Side (1988-present)
• The Calm During the Storm (2008-present; weather slogan)

News team

Current on-air staff

Current Anchors

• Sonja Bailes - weekday mornings and 11:30 a.m.; also consumer and investigative reporter
• Chrissi Coile - Saturdays at 5:30, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m.; also reporter and health reporter
• Bob Griffin - weekend mornings "FirstNews"
• Gerry May - weeknights at 5, 6, and 10 p.m.; also reporter
• Sherri Talley - weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.; also reporter
• Trish Williford - weeknights at 9 p.m. (on KPXJ)
• Ed Walsh - weekday mornings "FirstNews"; also reporter

Storm Team 3

• Joe Haynes (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 (on KPXJ) and 10 p.m.
• Jennifer Gray (AMS Seal of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekday mornings "FirstNews"
• Marcy Novak (AMS Member) - Meteorologist; "Midday News", weekend mornings "FirstNews", Saturdays at 5:30, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m. and weeknight fill-in

Sports team

• Tim Fletcher - Sports Director; weeknights at 6, 9 (on KPXJ) and 10 p.m.
• Leslie Spoon - Sports Anchor; Saturdays at 5:30, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m.; also sports reporter and host of Saturday and Sunday Overtime

Reporters

• Corrie Cross - general assignment reporter
• Casey Ferrand - education and weekend reporter
• Sharon Fullilove - general assignment reporter
• Erin Moore - East Texas bureau reporter
• Julie Parr - Texarkana bureau reporter
• Chris Redford - Crime Team reporter
• Jim Roberts - general assignment reporter
• Rick Rowe - morning reporter (also "Live and On the Scene" segment producer)

Former on-air staff

• Ed Baswell - sports anchor (1970s-1997; now with the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office)
• Ed Borne - reporter (1970s; later at KALB-TV in Alexandria, LA)
• Paul Butler - sports reporter
• Gwen Campbell - reporter (now works for Shreveport mayor Cedric B. Glover)
• Clif Cotton - sports (2003-2007)
• Janine D'Adamo - chief meteorologist
• Paul Devlin - sports (1997-1998)
• Ed Durancyk - reporter/meteorologist (later with KSLA)
• Eric Greene - weekend anchor/government reporter (1970s)
• Charles Hadlock - anchor (now with NBC News)
• Dan Harrison - reporter (1970s; later KSTP-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN)
• Brenda Hodge - reporter (1970s)
• Jody Lowery - health reporter (2000-2008; now at Bay News 9 in Tampa, FL)
• Ted Madden - sports (2000-2003; now with WFAA-TV in Dallas)
• Will Moses - education reporter
• Knox Nunnally - sports (1970s)
• Mike Pass - chief meteorologist (1998-2000)
• Emily Pearce - producer/reporter (1970s; later at WDSU-TV in New Orleans)
• Al Pierce - anchor (1970s-1980s)
• John Rasmussen - weather (1970s)
• Fred Rhodes - anchor (1970s; later KHOU-TV in Houston, KTVI-TV in St. Louis, and Editor Houston City Magazine, now an attorney in Houston)
• David Rothman - sports (1998-2000)
• Mark Rowlett - meteorologist
• Liz Swaine - reporter (1980s-1998; executive assistant to the mayor of Shreveport, 1998-2006; candidate for mayor of Shreveport, 2006)
• Steve Weiss - reporter (1984-85)
• Harry Wadsworth - reporter (1970s)
• Mary Walker - reporter (1970s; later with KSAT-TV in San Antonio)
• Todd Warren - reporter/meteorologist (now with KTAL-TV)
• Laura Wibbenmeyer - reporter/meteorologist (now with KFVS in Cape Girardeau, MO)

Trivia

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

References

1. ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A2.pdf

www.ktbs.com

External links

• KTBS-TV/DT
• KTBS on Twitter
• KTBS wireless weather
• KPXJ "CW 21"
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KTBS-TV

Categories: ABC network affiliates | Television stations in Shreveport, Louisiana | Television stations in Louisiana | Television stations in Texas | Television stations in Arkansas | Channel 3 TV stations in the United States | Channel 28 digital TV stations in the United States | Television channels and stations established in 1955