KAMR-TV

KAMR-TV is a commercial television station licensed to Amarillo, Texas, and identified on air as channel 4. It is affiliated with NBC and serves a geographically broad High Plains market that includes the Texas Panhandle, the Oklahoma Panhandle, and portions of northeastern New Mexico. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates alongside KCPN-LD, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming, while KCIT, the market's Fox affiliate, is operated under a shared-services relationship. The stations share facilities in downtown Amarillo near Southeast 11th Avenue and South Fillmore Street. KAMR's broadcast transmitter is located in rural Potter County along Dumas Drive, also identified as U.S. 87–287, near Reclamation Plant Road. The station began broadcasting on March 18, 1953, as KGNC-TV. It was established by Plains Radio Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of Globe News Publishing Company, which also owned the Amarillo Globe-News and radio station KGNC. KGNC-TV was the first television station to sign on in the Amarillo market and adopted an NBC affiliation from the outset, reflecting KGNC radio's earlier relationship with NBC. The station also carried programming from the DuMont Television Network as a secondary affiliation during the network's final years and later briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network. Ownership changed several times. Stauffer Communications acquired the station and its related radio properties in the 1960s. A subsequent sale to locally managed Cannan Communications led to the station's call-sign change from KGNC-TV to KAMR-TV in November 1974. The new calls referenced Amarillo and complied with Federal Communications Commission rules then restricting the shared use of base call letters by separately owned radio and television stations in the same market. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, KAMR experienced a decline in local-news ratings despite NBC's generally strong national programming performance. It responded with branding and format changes, including the transition from Action News 4 to News 4 in 1990. Quorum Broadcasting acquired KAMR in 1999. In the same period, Quorum assumed operational responsibilities for KCIT and KCPN under joint sales and shared-services arrangements with Mission Broadcasting. KAMR subsequently moved from its longtime North Polk Street facility to the South Fillmore Street complex used by the other stations. Nexstar Broadcasting Group, now Nexstar Media Group, acquired Quorum's stations in 2003 and continued the operational relationships involving the Amarillo cluster. KAMR's business is centered on the distribution of NBC network programming, locally produced news, weather, sports, public-affairs, lifestyle, syndicated, and paid programming. Its locally originated programming has included the weekday news, talk, and lifestyle program Studio 4, which debuted in 2010. The station also produces local newscasts for KCIT, including a late-evening Fox newscast, and may simulcast extended severe-weather coverage across the shared station group during significant tornado threats. KAMR completed the United States' federally mandated transition from analog television in 2009, retained virtual channel 4 on digital UHF channel 19, and later made changes to its high-definition video format. Its signal is supplemented by translators serving communities across the surrounding High Plains.

KAMR-TV traces its origins to Plains Radio Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of Globe News Publishing Company, the Amarillo publisher that also owned KGNC radio. On September 5, 1951, the company applied to the Federal Communications Commission for authority to construct a commercial television station on VHF channel 4. The FCC granted the license and construction permit in October 1952. The planned station received the call letters KGNC-TV, linking it to the established radio service and the Globe-News organization. KGNC-TV began broadcasting on March 18, 1953, becoming the first television station in the Amarillo market. It launched as an NBC affiliate, extending the radio station's longstanding connection with NBC into television. The station also carried DuMont programming as a secondary affiliation. After DuMont ceased operations in 1955, KGNC-TV later carried programming from the NTA Film Network until that service ended in 1961. Early operations were based at a facility on North Polk Street and Northeast 24th Avenue in Amarillo, shared with KGNC radio. In the 1960s, Globe News Publishing sold the station and its sister radio properties to Stauffer Communications, a Topeka-based broadcasting company. Stauffer later announced the sale of KGNC-TV to Cannan Communications, a locally based company managed by Darrell A. Cannan Sr. and Darrell A. Cannan Jr. The transaction was approved in 1974. Because Stauffer retained the KGNC call letters for radio properties and FCC rules then limited the use of identical base call letters by separately owned radio and television stations in one market, the television station changed its call sign to KAMR-TV on November 5, 1974. The station's local-news performance weakened during the late 1980s. This decline occurred even while NBC enjoyed strong national ratings from entertainment programming and sports rights. KAMR attempted to strengthen its identity by adopting the Action News format in 1974 and later rebranding its news broadcasts as News 4 in October 1990. The rebranding included the slogan Straight Facts, Straight to You, but did not reverse the station's competitive decline in local-news ratings during that period. Quorum Broadcasting announced its purchase of KAMR from Cannan Communications in January 1999. Around the same time, Mission Broadcasting acquired KCIT and KCPN-LP. Quorum then operated KCIT and KCPN under joint-sales and shared-services agreements with Mission. KAMR provided services including news production, engineering, security, and advertising sales for the associated stations. Although KAMR was the senior station in the arrangement, operations moved from the former North Polk Street facility to the South Fillmore Street site used by KCIT and KCPN. KAMR expanded its role within the cluster by producing a 9 p.m. newscast for KCIT beginning March 11, 2001. The program, Fox 14 News at 9:00, was produced from a secondary studio set and represented a renewed attempt to provide KCIT with a locally produced evening news service. Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced its acquisition of Quorum's stations in September 2003 and completed the transaction at the end of that year. Nexstar retained KAMR's role in the shared operational structure. Technology and distribution have also shaped the station's history. KAMR ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the nationwide full-power digital television transition. Its digital signal remained on UHF channel 19 while continuing to use virtual channel 4. In 2017, the station temporarily moved its primary service to 720p high definition before restoring the NBC feed to 1080i. A 2013 blizzard demonstrated the operational challenges of serving a large rural market: electrical fluctuations stopped transmitter cooling systems, and snow prevented staff from reaching the site for many hours. KAMR and related stations remained available to some cable viewers through direct fiber feeds during the outage. Today, KAMR-TV remains an NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group. It broadcasts network programming, local news and weather, syndicated content, paid programming, and the weekday Studio 4 news, talk, and lifestyle program. It also supplies newscasts and severe-weather coverage to KCIT and reaches outlying communities through a network of translators across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

1. 2017High-definition format changes

   KAMR moved its main channel to 720p HD in May and restored the NBC feed to 1080i later in the year.

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2. 2013Blizzard causes transmitter outage

   A severe blizzard and resulting electrical and access problems took KAMR and related stations off the air for more than 18 hours.

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3. 2010Studio 4 debuts

   The station launched the weekday news, talk, and lifestyle program Studio 4.

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4. 2009Analog transmission ends

   KAMR ended analog broadcasting under the United States digital television transition and continued digitally on UHF channel 19 with virtual channel 4.

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5. 2003Nexstar acquisition completed

   Nexstar completed its acquisition of Quorum's television stations, including KAMR-TV.

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6. 2001KCIT 9 p.m. newscast launches

   KAMR began producing Fox 14 News at 9:00 for KCIT.

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7. 1999Quorum Broadcasting acquisition

   Quorum Broadcasting announced and completed its purchase of KAMR, while related operational agreements connected the station with KCIT and KCPN.

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8. 1990News operation rebranded

   The station changed its local-news branding from Action News 4 to News 4.

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9. 1974KAMR-TV call sign adopted

   Following the Cannan Communications transaction, KGNC-TV changed its call letters to KAMR-TV on November 5.

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10. 1966Sale to Stauffer Communications announced

    Globe News Publishing announced the sale of KGNC-TV and associated radio properties to Stauffer Communications.

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11. 1953KGNC-TV begins broadcasting

    The station signed on March 18 as the first television station in the Amarillo market and as an NBC affiliate.

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12. 1952FCC grants license and construction permit

    The FCC awarded the channel 4 authorization to Plains Radio Broadcasting Company.

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13. 1951Application filed for channel 4

    Plains Radio Broadcasting Company applied to the FCC for a commercial television station on VHF channel 4 in Amarillo.

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A locally focused NBC network affiliate serving the geographically expansive Amarillo and High Plains television market, with emphasis on regional news, weather, and community coverage.

• KAMR-TV NBC serviceBroadcast television1953

  The station's core offering is the NBC television service carried on virtual channel 4. KAMR carries most of NBC's schedule while selectively preempting or replacing some overnight and weekend programming with syndicated shows, infomercials, or other locally scheduled content.

• Local news and weatherNews broadcasting1953

  KAMR produces regularly scheduled local newscasts focused on Amarillo and the surrounding High Plains. Its coverage includes regional reporting, weather, sports, and severe-weather information, with the station's geography making tornado and winter-storm coverage an important part of its service.

• Studio 4Lifestyle and news programming2010

  Studio 4 is a weekday, locally produced news, talk, and lifestyle program. It provides a nontraditional afternoon format combining local information and community-oriented discussion with the station's broader news operation.

• Fox 14 News at 9:00Local news production2001

  Produced by KAMR for sister station KCIT, Fox 14 News at 9:00 is a late-evening local newscast created under the shared-services relationship between the stations. It extends KAMR's news-production operation to the market's Fox affiliate.

• 2017Adjustment of the station's HD formatGeneration change

  KAMR's digital service required a technical presentation decision for its main channel and NBC network feed.

  What changed. The primary channel moved to 720p high definition in May, after which the NBC feed was restored to its native 1080i resolution later in the year.

  Aftermath. The station continued digital high-definition broadcasting using its virtual channel 4 identity.

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• 2010Launch of Studio 4Product launch

  KAMR sought to expand its locally produced schedule beyond conventional newscasts.

  What changed. The station introduced Studio 4, a weekday afternoon news, talk, and lifestyle program.

  Aftermath. Studio 4 became part of KAMR's locally produced programming lineup.

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• 2003Acquisition by NexstarM&A

  Nexstar Broadcasting Group pursued Quorum Broadcasting's television stations as part of an expansion of its station portfolio.

  What changed. Nexstar acquired KAMR-TV and transferred the related shared-services and joint-sales arrangements involving KCIT and KCPN.

  Aftermath. KAMR became part of the Nexstar station group and continued as the senior NBC station in the Amarillo cluster.

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• 1999Sale to Quorum BroadcastingM&A

  Cannan Communications elected to sell KAMR-TV as broadcast ownership in the Amarillo market was reorganized.

  What changed. Quorum Broadcasting acquired KAMR and became involved in the operating structure linking KAMR with KCIT and KCPN.

  Aftermath. KAMR took on operational and production responsibilities for the associated stations and moved its facilities to the South Fillmore Street complex.

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• 1990Local-news rebranding from Action News 4 to News 4Strategy

  KAMR's local-news ratings had weakened during the late 1980s and were under pressure from competing Amarillo stations.

  What changed. The station changed its newscast name and adopted the slogan Straight Facts, Straight to You.

  Aftermath. The rebranding did not immediately resolve the station's declining competitive position in local news.

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• 1974Adoption of the KAMR-TV identityStrategy

  The station was sold to Cannan Communications while Stauffer retained the KGNC call letters for radio properties. FCC rules then limited identical base call letters for separately owned radio and television stations in the same market.

  What changed. The television station changed its call sign from KGNC-TV to KAMR-TV on November 5, using an identity tied to Amarillo.

  Aftermath. KAMR-TV became the station's continuing broadcast identity.

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• 2017KAMR changes digital high-definition format

  The station converted its primary channel to 720p high definition in May and restored the NBC feed to its native 1080i presentation later that year.

  Product generation
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• 2013Severe blizzard disrupts KAMR transmitter operations

  Electricity fluctuations during a major Texas Panhandle blizzard disabled cooling equipment at the transmitter site, taking KAMR and two related stations off the air for more than 18 hours.

  Other
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• 2003Nexstar completes acquisition of KAMR-TV

  Nexstar completed its acquisition of Quorum Broadcasting's television stations, including KAMR-TV, and assumed related shared-services and joint-sales arrangements.

  M&A
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• 2001KAMR begins producing a 9 p.m. newscast for KCIT

  Under the shared-services structure involving KCIT, KAMR launched Fox 14 News at 9:00 for the market's Fox affiliate.

  Product launch
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• 1974Station call sign changes from KGNC-TV to KAMR-TV

  Following its sale to Cannan Communications, the station adopted the KAMR-TV call letters, referencing Amarillo and separating its identity from the KGNC radio properties.

  Other
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• 1953KAMR-TV signs on as Amarillo's first television station

  The station began broadcasting as KGNC-TV on March 18, becoming the first television station in the Amarillo market and launching as an NBC affiliate.

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1. KAMR-TV
2. KAMR-TV official website