KTVI
Encyclopedia
KTVI, virtual channel
2, is the Fox
-affiliated television station
serving the St. Louis, Missouri
, designated market area. The station is owned by Local TV LLC, the media arm of private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners, under a local marketing agreement with Tribune-owned CW affiliate KPLR
(channel 11). The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 43, using its current former assignment of channel 2 as its virtual digital channel via PSIP. KTVI broadcasts in stereo and broadcasts a Secondary Audio Program (SAP
) channel, used mainly for Descriptive Video Service
(DVS).
Its transmitter is located in Sappington, Missouri; in a field behind Lindbergh High School. Its studios are located at 2250 Ball Drive in Maryland Heights, Missouri
. The station's former studios were located off Interstate 64
/U.S. 40 at the intersection of Berthold, Oakland, and Hampton Avenues in the neighborhood of western Clayton-Tamm/Dogtown
neighborhood of western St. Louis
; that property is now vacant.
KTVI runs about 59 hours a week of locally produced newscasts, as well as first-run prime time and sports programming from Fox. It also runs off-network sitcoms, talk shows, reality shows, sports, and court shows.
KTVI-DT began carrying Antenna TV
, a digital broadcast network owned by Tribune Broadcasting
, upon its launch on January 1, 2011 on digital subchannel 2.2.
, digital television receivers display KTVI's virtual channel
as 2.
; across the Mississippi river from St. Louis, Missouri. It was the St. Louis area's second television station. It was the original CBS
affiliate for St. Louis, with a secondary ABC
affiliation. Studios were located in Alton
.
When KWK-TV (later KMOX-TV and now KMOV
, channel 4) signed on and took the CBS affiliation, WTVI dropped CBS and became an ABC affiliate. It moved its studios and license across the Mississippi River
to St. Louis on April 9, 1955, keeping the base callsign "TVI" while flipping from "W" to "K", thus KTVI. It also moved to channel 36, carrying some DuMont
network programming as well. DuMont went off the air in 1956, making KTVI an exclusive ABC affiliate. Because the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) did not require television sets to be compatible for UHF in those days, KTVI moved to VHF channel 2 on April 15, 1957, where it remains to this day. The station had actually tried to move to channel 2 soon after moving across the Mississippi. The channel 2 allocation had been moved from Springfield, Illinois
under pressure from the Truman Administration, originally as not to interfere with CBS-owned WBBM-TV
in Chicago. The WTVI
calls currently reside on the PBS
member station in Charlotte
.
For many years, the station was owned by the Newhouse newspaper chain along with the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
. In 1978, Newhouse began pulling out of broadcasting, and sold KTVI to Times Mirror, owner of the Los Angeles Times
. In 1993, as part of a group deal, KTVI was sold to Argyle Broadcasting along with WVTM-TV
in Birmingham, Alabama
, KTBC-TV in Austin, Texas
and KDFW-TV in Dallas.
game package. This inspired a conglomerate called New World Communications
to reach an affiliation agreement with the network by switching all of its stations to Fox in the winter of 1994. Then New World bought out Argyle, and cut another deal to switch KTVI, KDFW and KTBC to Fox affiliation. KTVI was the only ABC affiliate included in the deal.
The new owners moved Fox programming to KTVI on August 7, 1995, allowing the former Fox affiliate, KDNL (channel 30), to become St. Louis' ABC affiliate. New World merged with Fox Television Stations Group
in 1996, and KTVI was the first major network O&O in St. Louis since KMOX-TV was sold by CBS to Viacom, and became KMOV in 1986. It stayed that way until 2003 when KPLR-TV
(channel 11) was sold to Tribune, a former stakeholder in The WB network. When that network merged into The CW (which Tribune did not hold stake in) in 2006, KTVI went back to being the only network-owned station in town.
With the switch, KTVI became the primary station for the then-recently relocated St. Louis Rams
starting that September. Unless aired in primetime, KTVI broadcasts all road games of the Rams, and also all sold-out home games against NFC teams
KTVI didn't pick up Fox Kids
at first, so it moved to KNLC
(channel 24). However, in the fall of 1996, because Reverend Larry Rice refused to air commercials on Fox Kids and replaced them with ministry messages), Fox pulled Fox Kids from KNLC and moved it to KTVI. KTVI was the only New World station to take Fox Kids. Shortly thereafter, KTVI and the New World Fox affiliates were sold to Fox' parent, News Corporation
, becoming Fox O&Os. Programming changed very slightly as Fox began buying more expensive syndicated shows for KTVI.
In the fall of 1998, KTVI reduced the weekday Fox Kids programs to just two hours (from three) and, in 2000, dropped weekday Fox Kids completely while Saturday mornings were continued. At the end of 2001, Fox Kids weekdays ended nationwide, and the weekends were revamped as 4Kids TV
. KTVI now airs Fox's entire schedule including Weekend Marketplace
; from fall 2006 to its shutdown on December 27, 2008, 4Kids TV aired two hours earlier than most affiliates to accommodate an expanded newscast lineup on Saturday mornings.
On November 1, 1999, KTVI launched its first website. The design was similar to other Fox owned-and-operated sites throughout the country. The site focused on promotional and programming content initially, but as broadband slowly penetrated the market, the online audience shifted from evening dial-up users to a 9-to-5 audience, and the need for news content continued to grow more each year.
KTVI's introduced its current logo on April 10, 2006. The station is the fourth to use this logo style (which is similar to that of the Fox News Channel
), which is gradually being adopted by the other Fox O&Os. On September 14, 2006, KTVI switched its website domain name to the MyFox branded site and started what was the largest Fox television online community in the country . On October 15, 2007, KTVI launched a second web site for St. Louis moms called STLMoms.com. The concept for this site spun off from the extremely popular blogging section of the MyFox site.
On December 22, 2007, Fox announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell KTVI and seven other Fox O&O stations to Oak Hill Capital Partners' Local TV LLC, which currently owns nine stations formerly of The New York Times Company
. On July 14, 2008, KTVI officially began operations under Local TV. On June 2, 2008, KTVI created a third website GarageSaleSTL.com, which is a site that posts viewer-submitted garage sales onto a Google map, along with tips on buying and selling. This site is a free service to the public.
On September 17, 2008, Local and Tribune announced that they would merge the operations of both KTVI and KPLR. Both stations will be co-located at KPLR under the management of KTVI GM Spencer Koch. The move was done to allow both stations to combine news operations and share certain programming. The LMA took place on October 1, 2008. On January 22, 2009, under an agreement with Local TV and Tribune
interactive, KTVI debuted its new website in order to distance itself from the MyFox template since the network no longer owns the station.
After joining Fox, KTVI devoted more resources to its news department, as did many of the stations that switched to Fox during this time. KTVI presently broadcasts a total of 59 hours of local news a week (ten hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays and 3½ hours on Sundays), more than any other station in St. Louis and the entire state of Missouri; however as is standard with Fox stations that carry early evening weekend newscasts, KTVI's Sunday 5 p.m. newscast is subject to preemption due to NFL football or NASCAR
coverage and the Saturday 6 p.m. newscast is subject to delay due to MLB
baseball coverage.
For most of the time since joining Fox, KTVI has led the 9 p.m. news ratings race against KPLR-TV
. KTVI is able to emphasize a broad array of stories from major national and local reports to small-town local stories/investigations because of the many extra hours of news (7.5 hours per day as opposed to 5 on KSDK and KMOV) that need to be filled. Also because of this, the station features more regular segments such as The Jaco Report, a segment where noted reporter Charles Jaco gives either an editorial or introduces an investigative piece, or You Paid For It, where Elliot Davis finds tax abuse in local governments and closes the segment by giving the phone number of the mayor's office in that municipality, signing off with the locally famous line "Call and speak your mind: after all, you paid for it."
KTVI devotes a larger segment of its sports coverage to local high-school sports (once joining with the Post-Dispatch to air the "Prep Sports Show" on Saturdays, now canceled) and is the home of Steve Spagnuolo
's weekly St. Louis Rams
review show on Mondays. The station's morning news program is six hours, 4:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and another hour from 11:00 a.m.-noon. Since 1998, Fox 2 News In The Morning has been the fastest growing newscast in St. Louis morning television.
Before Dick Ford retired in December 2005, all four of KTVI's main male anchors (Dick Ford, Tom O'Neal, Dan Gray and John Pertzborn) were once anchors at KSDK
. In early 2010 KTVI, like other Fox stations, extended its morning newscast to six hours from 4-10 a.m. following the cancellation of The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
. Despite the addition, its 11 a.m. newscast remained intact.
and the old weather center was donated to the University of Missouri–St. Louis
. The new set, along with new graphics, music, and a new logo, debuted for Fox 2 News at 9 on Monday, April 10, 2006.
The theme music that KTVI uses is a news music package which was composed by OSI Music. This theme is being used by all of the FOX O&Os and nearly a quarter of Fox affiliated stations in the United States. With the new set, music, and graphics that first aired in April 2006, the weather graphics were altered in September 2006 with a new background, and other features to better fit the MyFox theme.
In December 2008, KPLR-TV
began broadcasting from KTVI's studios as KPLR's facility began remodeling to accommodate both KPLR and KTVI's newscasts. KTVI began broadcasting its newscasts in a temporary set, in January 2009, so crews could dismantle its current set, and move it to KPLR's facility. KPLR's facility was chosen in favor over the KTVI studios because KPLR's studios are much bigger, also KTVI had been broadcasting from the Berthold studios for almost 50 years, whereas KPLR had recently moved into its new studio in 2003.
On February 15, 2009, KTVI began broadcasting local newscasts in HD
from its new studios in Maryland Heights. KTVI also debuted new HD news graphics. The news set was updated with the addition of several elements to better fit the new graphics package and the change to HD. KTVI also removed the city skyline backdrop in favor of a blue backdrop.
FOX 2 Current anchors
FOX 2 Weather team
In addition to providing forecasts on KTVI, the Fox 2 Weather Team also provides forecasts for KTRS-AM
, KPNT-FM
, and KIHT-FM radio.
FOX 2 Sports team
FOX 2 Reporters
In addition to providing reports on KTVI-TV, Fox 2 reporters also provide reports for KPLR-TV
.
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
2, is the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
-affiliated television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
serving the St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, designated market area. The station is owned by Local TV LLC, the media arm of private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners, under a local marketing agreement with Tribune-owned CW affiliate KPLR
KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
(channel 11). The station broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 43, using its current former assignment of channel 2 as its virtual digital channel via PSIP. KTVI broadcasts in stereo and broadcasts a Secondary Audio Program (SAP
Second audio program
Second audio program , also known as secondary audio programming, is an auxiliary audio channel for analog television that can be broadcast or transmitted both over the air and by cable TV.-Usage:...
) channel, used mainly for Descriptive Video Service
Descriptive Video Service
The Descriptive Video Service is a major United States producer of video description, which makes visual media, such as television programs, feature films, and home videos, more accessible to people who are blind or otherwise visually impaired...
(DVS).
Its transmitter is located in Sappington, Missouri; in a field behind Lindbergh High School. Its studios are located at 2250 Ball Drive in Maryland Heights, Missouri
Maryland Heights, Missouri
Maryland Heights is a second-ring west-central suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1985. Edwin L. Dirck was elected the city's first mayor. Mark M. Levin has been City Administrator...
. The station's former studios were located off Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
/U.S. 40 at the intersection of Berthold, Oakland, and Hampton Avenues in the neighborhood of western Clayton-Tamm/Dogtown
Clayton/Tamm, St. Louis
Clayton-Tamm is a traditionally Irish-American neighborhood located near the western border of St. Louis, Missouri, USA, just south of Forest Park....
neighborhood of western St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
; that property is now vacant.
KTVI runs about 59 hours a week of locally produced newscasts, as well as first-run prime time and sports programming from Fox. It also runs off-network sitcoms, talk shows, reality shows, sports, and court shows.
Digital television
| Channel | Video | Aspect Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,... |
Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | 720p 720p 720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan... |
16:9 16:9 16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ... |
Main KTVI programming / FOX |
| 2.2 | 480i 480i 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC... |
4:3 | Antenna TV Antenna TV Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company... |
KTVI-DT began carrying Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
, a digital broadcast network owned by Tribune Broadcasting
Tribune Broadcasting
The Tribune Broadcasting Company is a group of radio and television stations located throughout the United States which are owned and operated by the Tribune Company, a media conglomerate based in Chicago, Illinois and named for the flagship Chicago Tribune newspaper.- History :Tribune Broadcasting...
, upon its launch on January 1, 2011 on digital subchannel 2.2.
Analog-to-digital conversion
As part of the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, KTVI shut down its analog transmitter on June 12, 2009, and continued to broadcast on its pre-transition digital channel 43. However, through the use of PSIPProgram and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
, digital television receivers display KTVI's virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
as 2.
As a CBS affiliate, then over to ABC
KTVI began on August 10, 1953 as WTVI, channel 54 in Belleville, IllinoisBelleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
; across the Mississippi river from St. Louis, Missouri. It was the St. Louis area's second television station. It was the original CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate for St. Louis, with a secondary ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliation. Studios were located in Alton
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
.
When KWK-TV (later KMOX-TV and now KMOV
KMOV
KMOV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KMOV is owned by the Dallas-based Belo Corporation, with its studio and office facilities in St...
, channel 4) signed on and took the CBS affiliation, WTVI dropped CBS and became an ABC affiliate. It moved its studios and license across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to St. Louis on April 9, 1955, keeping the base callsign "TVI" while flipping from "W" to "K", thus KTVI. It also moved to channel 36, carrying some DuMont
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
network programming as well. DuMont went off the air in 1956, making KTVI an exclusive ABC affiliate. Because the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) did not require television sets to be compatible for UHF in those days, KTVI moved to VHF channel 2 on April 15, 1957, where it remains to this day. The station had actually tried to move to channel 2 soon after moving across the Mississippi. The channel 2 allocation had been moved from Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
under pressure from the Truman Administration, originally as not to interfere with CBS-owned WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in Chicago. The WTVI
WTVI
WTVI is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station broadcasts on digital channel 11 . It is the only public television station in North Carolina that is not operated by UNC-TV, and one of three serving Charlotte...
calls currently reside on the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member station in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
.
For many years, the station was owned by the Newhouse newspaper chain along with the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat was originally a daily print newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1852 until 1986...
. In 1978, Newhouse began pulling out of broadcasting, and sold KTVI to Times Mirror, owner of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. In 1993, as part of a group deal, KTVI was sold to Argyle Broadcasting along with WVTM-TV
WVTM-TV
WVTM-TV, channel 13, is the NBC-affiliated television station in the Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa-Gadsden, Alabama television market. The station is owned by Media General...
in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, KTBC-TV in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and KDFW-TV in Dallas.
As a Fox station
In 1994, the Fox network took over the contract from CBS to carry the National Football ConferenceNational Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
game package. This inspired a conglomerate called New World Communications
New World Communications
New World Pictures was an independent motion picture and television production company, and later television station owner in the United States from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s...
to reach an affiliation agreement with the network by switching all of its stations to Fox in the winter of 1994. Then New World bought out Argyle, and cut another deal to switch KTVI, KDFW and KTBC to Fox affiliation. KTVI was the only ABC affiliate included in the deal.
The new owners moved Fox programming to KTVI on August 7, 1995, allowing the former Fox affiliate, KDNL (channel 30), to become St. Louis' ABC affiliate. New World merged with Fox Television Stations Group
Fox Television Stations Group
Fox Television Stations, Inc. is a group of television stations located within the United States which are owned-and-operated by the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of News Corporation...
in 1996, and KTVI was the first major network O&O in St. Louis since KMOX-TV was sold by CBS to Viacom, and became KMOV in 1986. It stayed that way until 2003 when KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
(channel 11) was sold to Tribune, a former stakeholder in The WB network. When that network merged into The CW (which Tribune did not hold stake in) in 2006, KTVI went back to being the only network-owned station in town.
With the switch, KTVI became the primary station for the then-recently relocated St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
starting that September. Unless aired in primetime, KTVI broadcasts all road games of the Rams, and also all sold-out home games against NFC teams
KTVI didn't pick up Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
at first, so it moved to KNLC
KNLC
KNLC is a religious television station in St. Louis, Missouri. Owned and operated by the New Life Evangelistic Center, the call letters KNLC reflect New Life Evangelistic Center...
(channel 24). However, in the fall of 1996, because Reverend Larry Rice refused to air commercials on Fox Kids and replaced them with ministry messages), Fox pulled Fox Kids from KNLC and moved it to KTVI. KTVI was the only New World station to take Fox Kids. Shortly thereafter, KTVI and the New World Fox affiliates were sold to Fox' parent, News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
, becoming Fox O&Os. Programming changed very slightly as Fox began buying more expensive syndicated shows for KTVI.
In the fall of 1998, KTVI reduced the weekday Fox Kids programs to just two hours (from three) and, in 2000, dropped weekday Fox Kids completely while Saturday mornings were continued. At the end of 2001, Fox Kids weekdays ended nationwide, and the weekends were revamped as 4Kids TV
4Kids TV
4Kids TV was a Saturday morning television programming block on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The block was part of the Fox Network schedule...
. KTVI now airs Fox's entire schedule including Weekend Marketplace
Weekend Marketplace
Weekend Marketplace is a two hour Saturday morning block of paid programming airing on Fox that began airing on January 3, 2009, replacing the 4Kids TV Saturday morning cartoon block that aired using time leased by 4Kids from Fox from 2002 until the last Saturday of 2008...
; from fall 2006 to its shutdown on December 27, 2008, 4Kids TV aired two hours earlier than most affiliates to accommodate an expanded newscast lineup on Saturday mornings.
On November 1, 1999, KTVI launched its first website. The design was similar to other Fox owned-and-operated sites throughout the country. The site focused on promotional and programming content initially, but as broadband slowly penetrated the market, the online audience shifted from evening dial-up users to a 9-to-5 audience, and the need for news content continued to grow more each year.
KTVI's introduced its current logo on April 10, 2006. The station is the fourth to use this logo style (which is similar to that of the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
), which is gradually being adopted by the other Fox O&Os. On September 14, 2006, KTVI switched its website domain name to the MyFox branded site and started what was the largest Fox television online community in the country . On October 15, 2007, KTVI launched a second web site for St. Louis moms called STLMoms.com. The concept for this site spun off from the extremely popular blogging section of the MyFox site.
On December 22, 2007, Fox announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell KTVI and seven other Fox O&O stations to Oak Hill Capital Partners' Local TV LLC, which currently owns nine stations formerly of The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company is an American media company best known as the publisher of its namesake, The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. has served as Chairman of the Board since 1997. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City....
. On July 14, 2008, KTVI officially began operations under Local TV. On June 2, 2008, KTVI created a third website GarageSaleSTL.com, which is a site that posts viewer-submitted garage sales onto a Google map, along with tips on buying and selling. This site is a free service to the public.
On September 17, 2008, Local and Tribune announced that they would merge the operations of both KTVI and KPLR. Both stations will be co-located at KPLR under the management of KTVI GM Spencer Koch. The move was done to allow both stations to combine news operations and share certain programming. The LMA took place on October 1, 2008. On January 22, 2009, under an agreement with Local TV and Tribune
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
interactive, KTVI debuted its new website in order to distance itself from the MyFox template since the network no longer owns the station.
News operation
As an ABC affiliate, KTVI was usually third in the ratings behind KSDK and KMOV. However, for most of the 1980s and early 1990s, it fought a spirited battle with KMOV for the runner-up spot behind longtime leader KSDK.After joining Fox, KTVI devoted more resources to its news department, as did many of the stations that switched to Fox during this time. KTVI presently broadcasts a total of 59 hours of local news a week (ten hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays and 3½ hours on Sundays), more than any other station in St. Louis and the entire state of Missouri; however as is standard with Fox stations that carry early evening weekend newscasts, KTVI's Sunday 5 p.m. newscast is subject to preemption due to NFL football or NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
coverage and the Saturday 6 p.m. newscast is subject to delay due to MLB
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
baseball coverage.
For most of the time since joining Fox, KTVI has led the 9 p.m. news ratings race against KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
. KTVI is able to emphasize a broad array of stories from major national and local reports to small-town local stories/investigations because of the many extra hours of news (7.5 hours per day as opposed to 5 on KSDK and KMOV) that need to be filled. Also because of this, the station features more regular segments such as The Jaco Report, a segment where noted reporter Charles Jaco gives either an editorial or introduces an investigative piece, or You Paid For It, where Elliot Davis finds tax abuse in local governments and closes the segment by giving the phone number of the mayor's office in that municipality, signing off with the locally famous line "Call and speak your mind: after all, you paid for it."
KTVI devotes a larger segment of its sports coverage to local high-school sports (once joining with the Post-Dispatch to air the "Prep Sports Show" on Saturdays, now canceled) and is the home of Steve Spagnuolo
Steve Spagnuolo
Steven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
's weekly St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
review show on Mondays. The station's morning news program is six hours, 4:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and another hour from 11:00 a.m.-noon. Since 1998, Fox 2 News In The Morning has been the fastest growing newscast in St. Louis morning television.
Before Dick Ford retired in December 2005, all four of KTVI's main male anchors (Dick Ford, Tom O'Neal, Dan Gray and John Pertzborn) were once anchors at KSDK
KSDK
KSDK, Channel 5, is the NBC-affiliated television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KSDK is owned and operated by Gannett Company, and the station's transmitter is located in Marlborough, Missouri. The station broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 35, using its former analog channel assignment...
. In early 2010 KTVI, like other Fox stations, extended its morning newscast to six hours from 4-10 a.m. following the cancellation of The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet is an American syndicated morning talk show. Produced by Fox, the show first aired on January 22, 2007 to a number of markets originally through Fox and MyNetworkTV, most in the Fox Television Stations Group...
. Despite the addition, its 11 a.m. newscast remained intact.
News sets/graphics packages
On March 31, 2006, KTVI used its set, originally constructed in 1998, for the last time; at 10:00 p.m. crews began tearing down the set and weather center. KTVI broadcast from the newsroom and a temporary set while a new set and weather center were under construction in the old studio. The old news desk was donated to Southern Illinois University CarbondaleSouthern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
and the old weather center was donated to the University of Missouri–St. Louis
University of Missouri–St. Louis
The University of Missouri–St. Louis is one of four universities in the University of Missouri System. Established in 1963, it is the newest university in the UM System. , it is the largest university by enrollment in the St. Louis area with 16,548 students...
. The new set, along with new graphics, music, and a new logo, debuted for Fox 2 News at 9 on Monday, April 10, 2006.
The theme music that KTVI uses is a news music package which was composed by OSI Music. This theme is being used by all of the FOX O&Os and nearly a quarter of Fox affiliated stations in the United States. With the new set, music, and graphics that first aired in April 2006, the weather graphics were altered in September 2006 with a new background, and other features to better fit the MyFox theme.
In December 2008, KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
began broadcasting from KTVI's studios as KPLR's facility began remodeling to accommodate both KPLR and KTVI's newscasts. KTVI began broadcasting its newscasts in a temporary set, in January 2009, so crews could dismantle its current set, and move it to KPLR's facility. KPLR's facility was chosen in favor over the KTVI studios because KPLR's studios are much bigger, also KTVI had been broadcasting from the Berthold studios for almost 50 years, whereas KPLR had recently moved into its new studio in 2003.
On February 15, 2009, KTVI began broadcasting local newscasts in HD
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
from its new studios in Maryland Heights. KTVI also debuted new HD news graphics. The news set was updated with the addition of several elements to better fit the new graphics package and the change to HD. KTVI also removed the city skyline backdrop in favor of a blue backdrop.
Newscast titles
- The Texaco News Report (1953–1955)
- City News (1955–1962, 6:15 p.m. newscast)
- Nightly News (1955–1962, 10 p.m. newscast)
- The Big News (1962–1971, 6 p.m. newscast)
- 24 Hours (1962–1971, 10 p.m. newscast)
- Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
(1971–1975) - NewsCenter 2 (1975–1981)
- Channel 2 News (1981–1987)
- 2 News Team (1987–1995)
- Fox 2 News (1995–present)
Station slogans
- Channel 2 and You (1980–1984?)
- The Home Team (1989–1994; news slogan)
- Here's 2 St. Louis (1994–1999; news slogan)
- Working For You (1999–2002)
- Coverage You Can Count On (2002–present)
- Live. Local. Latebreaking. (2002–2006)
- St. Louis' Newsroom (2006–present)
- The Most Powerful Name In Local News (2006–present)
News music packages
- Jupiter, Saturn: Hoist The Planets (1978–1980)
- And You (1980–1984)
- Hello News (1984–1988)
- KTVI News (1988)
- Palmer News Package (1988–1990)
- First News (1990–1995)
- Eyewitness NewsEyewitness NewsEyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
(1995–1998) - News Attitude (1998–2000)
- Outlaw News (2000–2006)
- FOX Affiliate News Package (2006–present)
Current on-air staff (as of August 2011)
+ denotes personnel also seen on KPLR-TVFOX 2 Current anchors
- Andy Banker - Saturday mornings; also weeknight reporter
- Elliot Davis - Fridays at 5, and Friday-Saturdays at 6 and 9 p.m.; also "You Paid For It" consumer reporter
- Margie Ellisor - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (5-7 a.m.)
- Tim Ezell - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (9-10 a.m.); also weekday morning feature reporter
- Sandy Miller - weekdays at 6 p.m., and Sunday-Thursdays at 10 p.m.
- Angie Mock - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (4-5 a.m.); also 5-10 a.m. reporter
- Mandy Murphey - Monday-Thursdays at 5 and 9 p.m.; also reporter
- Randi Naughton - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (7-9 a.m.); also reporter
- Tom O'Neal - Sunday-Thursdays at 5 and 9 p.m.; also health reporter
- John Pertzborn - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (7-9 a.m.)
- Paul Schankman - Sunday mornings; also weeknight reporter
- + April Simpson - weekdays at 11 a.m.; also morning reporter
- Kevin Steincross - weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning (5-7 a.m.)
- Shirley Washington - Fridays at 5 and 10, and Friday-Saturdays at 6 and 9 p.m.; also reporter
FOX 2 Weather team
In addition to providing forecasts on KTVI, the Fox 2 Weather Team also provides forecasts for KTRS-AM
KTRS (AM)
KTRS, located at 550 kHz, is an AM radio station in Maryland Heights, Missouri that carries a News/Talk format and is owned by the St. Louis Cardinals and CH Radio Holdings. It broadcasts with 5,000 watts of power during the day and 5,000 watts at night. The call letters KTRS stand for K Talk...
, KPNT-FM
KPNT
KPNT is a commercial radio station licensed to Collinsville, IL, broadcasting to the St. Louis, Missouri area on 105.7 FM. KPNT airs a mainly modern rock music format with just a hint of active rock branded as "The Point".- History :...
, and KIHT-FM radio.
- Dave Murray (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 and 10 p.m.; also home and garden reporter - Chris Higgins (AMS Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5 and 10, and weekends at 9 p.m. - Angela Hutti - meteorologist; weekend mornings; also weather producer
- Glenn Zimmerman (AMS Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings Fox 2 News in the Morning and 11 a.m.
- + Michelle Anselmo (member, AMS; member, NWANational Weather AssociationThe National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
) - meteorologist; fill-in, also reporter
FOX 2 Sports team
- Martin Kilcoyne - sports director; Sunday-Thursday at 6, 9 and 10 p.m.; also co-host of Rams Weekly with Steve Spagnuolo
- Rob Desir - sports anchor; Fridays at 10, Friday-Saturdays at 6 and 9 p.m.; also Sunday-Thursday reporter
- Maurice Drummond - sports anchor; weekend mornings; also weekday sports reporter
- Charlie Marlow - sports reporter; also sports producer
FOX 2 Reporters
In addition to providing reports on KTVI-TV, Fox 2 reporters also provide reports for KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV
KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
.
- Monica Adams - weekday morning traffic reporter
- John Auble - general assignment reporter
- John Brubaker - "Sky Fox" pilot reporter
- Betsey Bruce - general assignment reporter
- Bonita Cornute - general assignment and "Contact 2" reporter
- John Gadson - general assignment reporter
- Chris Hayes - investigative reporter
- + Kim Hudson - general assignment reporter
- Charles Jaco - war correspondent; also host of "The Jaco Report"
- Doug Luzader - Fox News Washington D.C. correspondent
- Roche Madden - general assignment reporter
- Chris Regnier - general assignment reporter
- George Sells - general assignment reporter; also web producer
- + Shawndrea Thomas - general assignment reporter
- Elliot Weiler - "Contact 2" reporter
- Teresa Woodard - general assignment reporter
Notable former on-air staff
- Dana KingDana KingDana King, born in Cleveland, is an Emmy Award-winning American broadcast journalist currently serving as anchor for San Francisco CBS Affiliate KPIX....
- anchor (currently at KPIX-TVKPIX-TVKPIX-TV is the CBS owned and operated television station in San Francisco, California. Through its parent company CBS Corporation, KPIX is co-owned with The CW affiliate KBCW-TV ....
in San Francisco) - Russ MitchellRuss MitchellRussell Mitchell is an American journalist for CBS, anchor of the Early Show on Saturday, and weekend anchor of the CBS Evening News.-Early years:...
- reporter (currently at CBS NewsCBS NewsCBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
) - Paul MoyerPaul MoyerPaul Moyer is a veteran television news broadcaster in Southern California. He co-anchored the 5 PM and 11 PM weekday editions of KNBC-TV's Channel 4 News with Colleen Williams. Moyer has worked primarily in the two major television markets—New York and Los Angeles—in addition to briefly working...
- anchor/reporter (later anchored at KNBC in Los Angeles, now retired) - Lisa SylvesterLisa SylvesterLisa Sylvester is an American Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist and television correspondent. She currently reports on CNN's The Situation Room.-Career:...
- anchor (2000; currently at CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
)