KMTV

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KMTV
Omaha, Nebraska
Branding	ACTION 3 NEWS
Channels	3 (VHF) analog, 45 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	CBS
Owner	Journal Broadcast Group
Founded	September 1, 1949
Call letters meaning	May Broadcasting TeleVision (the original owner)
Former callsigns	none
Former affiliations	NBC (1956-June 29,1986), ABC, DuMont Television Network (1949-1956) [1]
Transmitter Power	100 kW/418 m (analog) 1000 kW/425.5 m (digital)
Website	http://www.action3news.com/

KMTV Channel 3 (branded "Action 3 News") is the CBS television station in Omaha, Nebraska. Owned by the Journal Broadcast Group, it broadcasts an NTSC signal on VHF channel 3 and a digital television signal as KMTV-DT on UHF channel 45.

Contents 1 History 2 Current Newscast Schedule 3 Newscast Slogans 4 ACTION 3 NEWSTEAM Weeknights at 5, 6, & 10pm 5 KMTV Alumni 6 External links

[edit] History

KMTV is the second oldest station in Nebraska; it began broadcasting on September 1, 1949 as a CBS affiliate, but it also carried ABC and DuMont programming [2]. The station was supposed to have the call letters KMA-TV, reflecting its first owner, May Broadcasting of Shenandoah, Iowa. There was already a KMA-AM in Shenandoah (also owned by May), but the FCC would not allow the TV station to use those call letters since Shenandoah was not considered part of the Omaha market at the time. May sold KMTV to Lee Enterprises in December 1986 after over 37 years of ownership. Lee sold all of its stations to Emmis Communications in October 2000.

In 1956, KMTV switched affiliations with WOW-TV (now WOWT-TV) and became an NBC affiliate. It also stopped carrying the DuMont programming the same year when DuMont ceased operations. In 1986, KMTV and WOWT entered into an agreement which allowed them to return to their original affiliations. As a result, KMTV rejoined CBS after 30 years with NBC on June 29, 1986.

Over the years, channel 3 underwent many identity changes to keep up with broadcasting trends as well to keep up in the local ratings race. The station's newscasts were once known as KMTV News; NewsCenter 3; Channel 3 News; KMTV News 3; and most recently KM3 NEWS; today it is known as ACTION 3 N

In 2002, KMTV dropped its 6pm local news timeslot and replaced it with syndication tabloid shows. That same year, sports was dropped from its 10newscasts and was replaced with a nightly commentary segme hosted by KMTV sports director Travis Justice. In late 2005, after Emmis sold the non-FCC assets of the station to Journal Broadcast Group, KMTV retired "For What It's Worth," returning to the traditional sports segment. KMTV re-launched a 6pm edition of Action 3 News on September 5, 2006, the same day as Katie Couric's debut as anchor of the CBS Evening News. The station has also taken on the glossy imaging and graphics packages seen on most other Journal stations, though with differing fonts and colors. On Dec. 22, 2006, the station announced it would not be renewing the contracts of evening news anchors Deborah Ward and Greg Peterson. New anchors Carol Wang and Carlo Cecchetto began in February, 2007.

In late January 2007, Journal exercised its option to acquire the station's remaining assets by announcing the sale of radio station KOMJ-AM 1490 to Cochise Broadcasting LLC. [3] The transactions closed on March 27, 2007. Also in early 2007, KMTV's website was redesigned; like the websites of several other Journal-owned stations, it is now operated by the Local Media Network division of WorldNow.

KMTV has been in third place in the local news ratings race since the 1980s, behind WOWT (owned by Gray Television) and KETV (a Hearst-Argyle station). KMTV's studios are located near 108th and Mockingbird Drive in southwest Omaha. KMTV is the only Omaha station to have moved its studios from the downtown area. From 1949 to 1978 the station was located at 27th & Farnam Streets, just south of KETV channel 7 (at 2665 Douglas), and 7 blocks east of WOWT channel 6 (at 3501 Farnam). The station's auxiliary transmitter still stands at their former location. The main transmitter tower is located on a "tower farm" near North 72nd & Crown Point in north central Omaha.

[edit] Current Newscast Schedule

Monday-Friday

Action 3 News Live This Morning '5:00-7:00am'

Action 3 News Live at Midday '12:00-12:30pm'

Action 3 News Live at 5 '5:00-5:30pm'

Action 3 News Live at 6 '6:00-6:30pm'

Action 3 News Live at 10 '10:00-10:35pm'

Weekends

Action 3 News Weekend 5:30 (Sunday) & 10:00pm (Saturday, Sunday)'

[edit] Newscast Slogans

Channel 3 News, The Midland's NewsChannel (1990s)

KMTV News 3, In Your Corner (2000-2002)

KM3 News, Clearly to the Point(2002-2003)

KM3 News, Clear, Accurate, to the point (2003-2006)

Your Action 3 News Station (2006-present)

[edit] ACTION 3 NEWSTEAM Weeknights at 5, 6, & 10pm

Carlo Cecchetto (Lead Anchor)

Carol Wang (Lead Anchor)

Ryan McPike (chief meteorologist)

Travis Justice (sports director)

[edit] KMTV Alumni

Greg Peterson News Anchor 2001 -2006

Deborah Ward News Anchor-Reporter 1980-2006

Dave Blackwell Sports Director 1964-1973

Jim Kelter Sports Director 1973-1979

Dick Fletcher Meteorologist (late 1970s)

Chuck Roberts News Anchor 1975-1981 (now on CNN Headline News)

Terry Yeager Sports Director (early to mid 80s)

Tom Bevacqua Chief Meteorologist (1980s-early 90s)

Floyd Kalber News Anchor 1950s

[edit] External links

• Query the FCC's TV station database for KMTV
• action3news.com