KARK-TV

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KARK-TV
Little Rock, Arkansas
Branding	KARK4 / KARK 4 News
Channels	4 (VHF) analog, 32 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	NBC
Owner	Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Founded	April 15, 1954
Call letters meaning	K ARKansas
Website	www.kark.com

KARK-TV is an NBC affiliate based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The station is owned and operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group.

Contents 1 History 2 Controversy 3 Newscasts 3.1 Weekdays 3.2 Weekends 4 Personalities 4.1 Current On-Air Talent 4.2 Former On-Air Talent 5 News/Station Presentation 5.1 Newscast Titles 5.2 Station Slogans 6 External links

[edit] History

KARK is Little Rock's second oldest television station, having signed on the air on April 15, 1954 (KATV was the first, beating KARK to the airwaves by almost 5 months). It broadcasts its analog signal on VHF channel 4, and its digital signal on UHF channel 32. Both transmitters are located on the Morris Network Tower Little Rock just west of the city.

At one point KARK was owned by Combined Communications, and later Gannett (which, ironically, currently owns rival station KTHV). In 1983, Gannett sold the station to SouthwestMedia, which restructured in 1986 into United Communications. In 1988, United Communications sold the station to the Morris Network. In 2003, Nexstar became the station's owner.

[edit] Controversy

KARK made national news in early 2006 by declining to air the NBC TV program The Book of Daniel. The station's General Manager Duane Lammers at the time issued two statements regarding the issue. The first, issued January 4, 2006, stated "Our relationship with NBC always provided for the right to reject programming. I am reaffirming that right to let them know I will not allow them to make unilateral decisions affecting our viewers." The statement continued, "If my action causes people in our community to pay more attention to what they watch on television, I have accomplished my mission." [1]

Two days later a second statement was released citing concerns about FCC rules regarding obscenity, "My first obligation to my station is to protect the license granted by the FCC. Current regulations could subject this station to severe punishment, up to and including revocation of our license if even a single person's objection to the FCC found material broadcast by our station to be indecent or obscene. Subsequent viewing of the material within "The Book of Daniel" leaves me no choice but to do my job and uphold the standards of our community."

The local MyNetworkTV affiliate, KWBF, aired the program instead. NBC canceled the show after only three episodes.

[edit] Newscasts

[edit] Weekdays

• KARK 4 News Today @ 5:00 - 5:00-6:00AM
• KARK 4 News Today @ 6:00 - 6:00-7:00AM
• KARK 4 News Midday - 12:00-12:30PM
• KARK 4 News @ 5:00 - 5:00-5:30PM
• KARK 4 News @ 6:00 - 6:00-6:30PM
• KARK 4 News @ 10:00 - 10:00-10:35PM

[edit] Weekends

Saturdays

• KARK 4 News @ 6:00 Saturday - 6:00-6:30PM
• KARK 4 News @ 10:00 Saturday - 10:00-10:30PM

Sundays

• KARK 4 News @ 5:00 Sunday - 5:00-5:30PM
• KARK 4 News @ 10:00 Sunday - 10:00-10:20PM
• Razorback Nation - 10:20-11:00PM

[edit] Personalities

[edit] Current On-Air Talent

KARK 4 NEWS ANCHORS

• Bob Clausen, Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter
• Tracy Douglass, Weekday Morning and Midday Anchor/Reporter
• Matt Mosler, Weekday Morning and Midday Anchor/Reporter
• Jancey Sheats, Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter
• Melissa Simas, Weekday Morning Anchor/Reporter
• Sonseeahray Tonsall, Weekend Evening Anchor/Education Reporter

KARK 4 NEWS REPORTERS

• Kim Betton, General Assignment Reporter
• Sydney Hart, General Assignment Reporter
• Cecillea Pond-Mayo, General Assignment Reporter
• Pete Thompson, General Assignment Reporter
• Jonathan Wilson, General Assignment Reporter
• Tom Yazwinski, General Assignment Reporter

YOUR WEATHER AUTHORITY/KARK 4 METEOROLOGISTS

• Brett Cummins (AMS Certified), Chief Meteorologist
• Mike Francis (AMS/NWA Certified), Weekday Morning and Midday Meteorologist/Fill-in Meteorologist
• Jason Kadah (NWA Certified), Weekend Evening Meteorologist/Fill-in Meteorologist

SPORTS ANCHORS/REPORTERS

• Bo Mattingly, Sports Director/Weeknight Sports Anchor/"Razorback Nation" Host
• Aaron Nolan, Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter
• Aaron Peters, Sports Reporter
• Derek Ruscin, Sports Reporter

[edit] Former On-Air Talent

• Steve Barnes
• Barry Brandt
• Tom Bonner
• Isiah Carey
• Jerry Jackson
• Julie Jameson
• Doug Krile
• Carolyn Long
• Kim Miller
• Roy Mitchell
• Leslie Morrow
• Betsy Pilgrim
• Margaret Preston
• Kevin Steele
• Alice Stewart
• Frederica Stiffen
• Steve Sullivan
• Leslie Traba
• Jack Vincent
• Beth Ward
• Denise Whitaker
• Dave Woodman
• Deanna Durante
• Ernie Paulson
• Lyndall Stout
• Dave Jordan
• Jason Friedman
• Brandis Griffith
• Carlton Wing
• Mark Rushing
• Jon Getsy
• Joe Pequeno
• Parella Lewis
• John Champion
• Mike Nicco
• Michelle Lee
• Katie Neilson

[edit] News/Station Presentation

[edit] Newscast Titles

• NewsCenter 4 (Mid 1980s)
• Channel 4 Eyewitness News (1970s-1994)
• News 4 (1994-2001)
• News 4 Arkansas (2001-2005)
• KARK 4 News (2005-present)

[edit] Station Slogans

• Straight from the Heart (Late 80's)
• 4 The People (Early 90's)
• Where The News Comes First (Mid-90's - 2001)

[edit] External links

• KARK Homepage
• Query the FCC's TV station database for KARK-TV