KLAS-TV

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KLAS-TV
KLAS-TV logo
Las Vegas, Nevada
Branding Channel 8 (general)
Channel 8 Eyewitness News HD (newscasts)
Slogan First In High Definition
Channels Analog: 8 (VHF)

Digital: 7 (VHF)
Affiliations CBS
LATV (DT2)
Owner Landmark Communications, Inc.
(KLAS, Inc.)
First air date July 1953[1]
Call letters’ meaning LAS Vegas
Transmitter Power 316 kW (analog)
30.1 kW (digital)
Height 609.1 m (both)
Facility ID 35042
Transmitter Coordinates 35°56′45″N, 115°2′38.6″W
Website www.lasvegasnow.com

KLAS-TV (Channel 8 analog, 7 digital) is the CBS station serving the Las Vegas, Nevada market. Its address is 3228 Channel 8 Drive. It is owned and operated by Landmark Communications. Its transmitter is located in Henderson.

On January 30, 2008, Landmark announced its intention to sell KLAS, along with its other TV station WTVF in Nashville.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

KLAS was the first TV station in Nevada (beating KOLO-TV in Reno by 2 months and 5 days) and was started by Hank Greenspun on July 22, 1953. Greenspun also owned the Las Vegas Sun. Greenspun sold it to aviation magnate Howard Hughes some time in the 1960s, reportedly because the tycoon was dismayed that the station never played his favorite late-night movies. Eventually, the station was sold to its current owner, Landmark Communications.

In March 2006, KLAS revamped Eyewitness News This Morning. At the time, Casey Smith and Charlotte Evans anchored the newscasts, with Sherry Swensk doing the weather, and Dayna Roselli and Justin Cooper (who is no longer with KLAS for non-conflicting reasons) with Skywitness Traffic. Casey Smith left the station "to further pursue his professional career," while Charlotte Evans moved to the Noon and 4:30pm newscasts. Smith was thanked for his "dedication and contributions." In their place, the station promoted longtime Sports Director Dave McCann to fill one anchoring spot. Denise Valdez, who had just joined the station in January 2006, swapped positions with Charlotte, leaving the Noon and 4:30pm newscasts. Smith joined KTNV a short time later and is now the 4pm Anchor.

Later that year, the station kept its name going. Longtime Metereologist Kevin Janison was fired from the station, after a change that was "in the works for awhile." Gina Cancelliere, Kevin's replacement, joined the station in September 2006.

KLAS produced a 10:00 pm Newscast for KTUD-CA which was called UPN Eyewitness News anchored by Denise Saunders. In the fall of 2006 when UPN and The WB merged, KTUD became Vegas TV and the newscasts was renamed to suit the new identity. Shortly after the merger however, the station dropped the 10:00 pm newscast and Sanders would later go to KTNV.

Channel 8 has been the ratings leader in Las Vegas for most of its history. Among its many firsts:

  • September 21, 1981: First station in Nevada to provide hour-long newscasts.
  • April 16, 1996: First commercial Nevada station to broadcast a digital signal. This was for the National Association of Broadcasters annual convention.
  • April 6, 2000: The first scheduled HDTV broadcasts in Las Vegas begin.
  • May 2004: KLAS becomes the first television station to erroneously report the death of comedian Artie Lange.
  • September 17, 2006: KLAS becomes the first station in Nevada, and the eleventh in the United States, to broadcast local news in HD.
  • January 7, 2008: KLAS becomes the second television station in Las Vegas to launch a 4:30am newscast.

[edit] Newscasts

  • Weekdays
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News This Morning - 4:30am - 7:00am
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at Noon - 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 4 - 4:00pm - 4:30pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 4:30 - 4:30pm - 5:00pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 5 - 5:00pm - 5:30pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 6 - 6:00pm - 6:30pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 11 - 11:00pm - 11:35pm
  • Weekends
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 5 - 5:00pm - 5:30pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 6:30 - 6:30pm - 7:00pm
  • Channel 8 Eyewitness News at 11 - 11:00pm - 11:35pm
  • Sunday Mornings
  • Eyewitness News Sunday Morning - 6:00am - 6:30am and again from 8:00am - 8:30am

KLAS newscasts are generally named Eyewitness News, taking over the name since 1982 after KVBC discontinued using the branding. Originally, its newscasts were branded as Newscenter 8. In addition, all KLAS newscasts are simulcast and later rebroadcast on Las Vegas ONE, a regional news channel jointly operated by KLAS, Cox Cable, and the Las Vegas Sun. On Las Vegas One, KLAS produces a newscast and a daily interview show, Face to Face with business and political writer Jon Ralston. Las Vegas One is also home to the only 9:00pm local newscast. Jeff Gillan has been anchoring the newscast since it began.

[edit] Notable personalities

[edit] Current news personalities

ANCHORS

  • Denise Valdez: Morning Anchor
  • Dave McCann: Morning Anchor
  • Charlotte Evans: Noon & 4:30 p.m. Anchor
  • Gary Waddell : Noon, 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. Anchor
  • Paula Francis: 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., & 11 p.m. Anchor
  • Dave Courvoisier: 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., & 11 p.m. Anchor
  • Melissa Duran: Weekend Morning Anchor/Reporter
  • Colleen May: Weekend Evening Anchor/Reporter
  • Chris Saldaña: Weekend Evening Anchor/Reporter
  • Jeff Gillan: News One at 9 Anchor

REPORTERS

  • Johnathan Humbert: Legislative/General Assignment Reporter
  • Aaron Drawhorn: General Assignment Reporter
  • Edward Lawrence: General Assignment Reporter
  • Alyson McCarthy: General Assignment Reporter
  • Ky Plaskon: General Assignment Reporter
  • Carol Wilkinson: News One at 9 Reporter
  • Travell Eiland: General Assignment Reporter
  • Amanda Hernandez: General Assignment Reporter
  • Calvert Collins: General Assignment Reporter

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS

  • George Knapp: Chief Investigative Reporter
  • Colleen McCarty: I-Team Reporter
  • Mark Sayre: I-Team Reporter
  • Jon Ralston: I-Team Reporter/ Las Vegas One's "Face to Face" Host

SKYWITNESS TRAFFIC AND WEATHER

  • Gina Cancelliere: Chief Meteorologist/Weeknights
  • Sherry Swensk: Weekday Morning & Noon Meteorologist
  • Tedd Florendo: Weekend Evening Meteorologist/Reporter
  • Dayna Roselli: Skywitness Traffic Anchor
  • Ken Smith: Skywitness 8 HD Helicopter Reporter

EYEWITNESS SPORTS

  • Chris Maathuis: Chief Sports Anchor/Reporter
  • Michael Berk: Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter

[edit] Behind the scenes

[edit] Current photographers

  • Matt Adams
  • Matt Bell
  • Chris Benka
  • Jason Boyd
  • Brad Boyer
  • Alex Brauer
  • Kash Cashell
  • Luis Jacinto
  • Nate Kramer
  • Mark Muchler
  • Bill Roe
  • Suni Schwartz
  • David Suarez
  • Henry Takai
  • Mark Zamora
  • Tim Zietlow
  • Kyle Zuelke

[edit] Past news personalities (in somewhat chronological order)

  • Gwen Castaldi, General Assignment Reporter
  • Ron Vitto, Sports Anchor
  • Gus Guiffre, weather anchor (deceased)
  • Chuck Russell, Weather Anchor (late-1970s until 1984)
  • Gail Westrup, Anchor, General Assignment Reporter (late 1970s-1983)
  • Ned Day, General Assignment Reporter, Anchor (Late 1970s-1987) (deceased)
  • Brian Wood (journalist) Anchor Reporter (currently main anchor at WMAR-TV in Baltimore)
  • Tomi Jo Taylor, news anchor (mid 1980s)
  • Eric Randall, Evening Meteorologist(1984-1994)(With the orange finger arrow)
  • Doug Bradford, General Assignment Reporter (1985-1988)
  • Karie Ross, sports anchor (1991-1992)
  • Mary Ruth Carlton, Evening Anchor/Reporter
  • Tom Hall, Assignment Editor
  • Rick Larsen, General Assignment Reporter
  • Chuck Moshontz, General Assignment Reporter
  • David Kelley, Assignment Editor, On The Record producer, host
  • Sue Lowden, Anchor, General Assignment Reporter
  • Martha Guzman, General Assignment Reporter
  • Karen Galatz, General Assignment Reporter
  • Bob Stoldal, Anchor, News Director (currently Vice-President of News for KLAS, retiring effective June 30, 2008)
  • Hank Thornley, Anchor
  • Sara Edwards, General Assignment Reporter, Anchor
  • Art Edwards, Sports
  • Bill McCarty, Anchor
  • Fred Lewis, Anchor, News Director
  • Julie Kurtz, General Assignment Reporter
  • Caroline Bleakley, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at station as web news manager)
  • Don Downey, General Assignment Reporter
  • Paul Dawkins, General Assignment Reporter, Community Affairs Director
  • Tony Thomas, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at WAGA-TV, Atlanta, GA)
  • Kyle Iboshi, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Drew Mikkelsen, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Kohr Harlan, Weekend Anchor/Reporter (currently works at KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)
  • Rhori Johnston, Anchor/Reporter (currently works at WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN)
  • Juana Hart, Anchor/Reporter (her features were titled "Straight from the Hart")
  • Tom Warden, Anchor/Reporter
  • Eric Spillman, Reporter (currently works at KTLA-TV, Los Angeles)
  • Jaime Garza, Anchor/Reporter (currently works at Los Angeles duopoly KCBS-TV and KCAL-TV)
  • Carla Alston, Reporter
  • Sheila Walker, Reporter
  • Bryan Gresh, Anchor/Reporter
  • Bob Walsh, Anchor/Reporter
  • Gordon Tokamatsu (currently works at KNBC - LA)
  • Tasha Reiko (Kobashigawa), Helicopter Reporter (left KITV Honolulu in '05 to pursue career as a pilot)
  • Traci Scott, Reporter (now in Washington, D.C. ?)
  • Anita Lightfoot, Anchor/Reporter (now at XETV Fox 6 in San Diego)
  • Scott Higgins, Sports
  • Kathy Randall, Reporter/Weekend Anchor
  • Melissa Jue, Reporter
  • Pete Ferryman, Morning Anchor (currently works at KPTV, Portland, OR)
  • Lisa Johnson, Anchor/Reporter
  • Jon Summers, General Assignment Reporter
  • Renata Troiani, General Assignment Reporter
  • Tom Jones, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at WSB-TV in Atlanta, GA)
  • John Gilbert, Noon/4pm Anchor (currently works at KCEN-TV, Waco/Temple, TX)
  • Debra Levy, News One @ 9 Anchor (1998-2003)
  • Anne Yeager, Reporter (currently works as Investigator for ABC/Phoenix)
  • Yetta Gibson, General Assignment Reporter (2001-2003; currently works at KSAZ-TV in Phoenix)
  • Darren Emery, Morning Traffic Anchor
  • Polly Gonzalez, Anchor/Reporter (1994-2005, deceased)
  • Victor Woodall, Helicopter Reporter (currently works at KPNX-TV in Phoenix)
  • Janine Gill, General Assignment Reporter (currently lives in San Jose, CA)
  • Kate Bennett, Entertainment Reporter/10 pm Anchor (2002-05) (now contributing editor for Veags Magazine)
  • Casey Roebuck, General Assignment Reporter
  • Michael Geeser, 8 On Your Side Consumer Editor (currently media/government relations director for AAA Nevada)
  • Mark Pfister, Weekend Weather Anchor (1992-95)(1997-2003)
  • Atle Erlingsson, General Assignment Reporter
  • Casey Smith, Morning Anchor/Reporter (2000-2006) (currently the 4 pm anchor/reporter at KTNV in Las Vegas)
  • LuAnne Sorrell, General Assignment Reporter/Anchor (currently reporter at WSVN-TV in Miami)
  • Brian Allen, General Assignment Reporter/Anchor (2003-2006)
  • Kyla Grogan, General Assignment Reporter
  • Cindy Cesare, General Assignment Reporter (currently runs Cin City Media, Inc. in Las Vegas)
  • Kevin Janison, Chief Meteorologist (1994-2006) (currently the afternoon/evening meteorologist at KVBC in Las Vegas)
  • Lindsay Patterson, General Assignment Reporter (2004-06) (currently works at KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK)
  • Laura Berry (Freelance reporter)
  • Annie Blanco, Helicopter Reporter (January 2007)
  • Tom Ellingson, General Assignment Reporter (2006-2007)
  • Denise Saunders, 10 pm Anchor (2005-2007)
  • Bridget Waldman, 10 p.m. News Producer/Entertainment Producer
  • Justin Cooper, Traffic Reporter/Weather Anchor (2004-08)
  • Adrian Arambulo, General Assignment Reporter (currently works at KDFW-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX)
  • Jamie McGriff, Eyewitness News This Morning/Noon Reporter
  • Ashanti Blaize, Sunday Morning Anchor/Reporter (2005-2007) (currently works for KXAS-TV in Dallas as an Anchor/Reporter)
This film, television, or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Translator channels

KLAS' signal is relayed on the following translator channels:

[edit] Heliport

KLAS Channel 8 Heliport - (FAA LID: NV38)

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook says July 22, while the Television and Cable Factbook says July 8.
  2. ^ "NewsChannel 5 owner looks to sell station", Nashville Business Journal, 2008-01-30. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. 
v • d • e
Broadcast television stations in the Las Vegas market (Nielsen DMA #43)

Local television stations
KVBC 3 (NBC, WX Plus on DT2) - KVVU 5 (FOX) - KLAS 8 (CBS, LATV on DT2) - KLVX 10 (PBS, Create on DT3) - KTNV 13 (ABC) - KINC 15 (UNI) - KEEN 17 (TLN) - KHDF 19 (AZA) - KVMY 21 (MNTV) - KLVD 23 (DS) - KTUD 25 (Ind) - KELV 27 (TFU) - KVPX 28 (Almavisión) - KEGS-LP 30 (Retro Television Network) - KPVT 30 (FN) - KVCW 33 (CW) - KMCC 34 / KNBX-CA 31 (Multimedios) - KVTE 35 (Ind) - KBLR 39 (TEL) - K41IO 41 (TBN) - KPVM 41 (ION) - K43FO 43 (3ABN) - KGNG 47 (HSN) - KLSV 50 (JTV) - KHMP 62 (A1)
See also Broadcast television in the Phoenix, Reno, and Salt Lake City markets
v • d • e
CBS Network Affiliates in the state of Nevada
See also: ABC, CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, NBC, and PBS stations in Nevada
v • d • e
Landmark Communications (possible sale pending)

Daily Newspapers: The Virginian-Pilot · The Roanoke Times · News & Record · The Capital
Landmark Community Newspapers: Carroll County Times · Citrus County Chronicle · The News-Enterprise · Los Alamos Monitor · Las Vegas Optic
Television Stations: KLAS-TV (CBS) · WTVF (CBS)
Cable Channels: The Weather Channel · Weatherscan · The Weather Network1 · MétéoMédia1
1Landmark owns 30% each of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia; the remaining 70% owned by Pelmorex.
External link: Landmark Communications