KENS
KENS is a CBS-affiliated television station serving San Antonio, Texas, and surrounding South-Central Texas communities.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
KENS is a television station broadcasting on channel 5 in San Antonio, Texas. The station is affiliated with CBS and operates under the KENS 5 brand, combining local news, weather, sports, community programming, syndicated entertainment and CBS network content. Its studios are located on Fredericksburg Road in northwest San Antonio, near the South Texas Medical Center, while its transmitter is situated in northwest Wilson County near Elmendorf. The station began broadcasting on February 15, 1950, under the call sign KEYL. It was the second television station to sign on in the San Antonio market, following WOAI-TV. From its launch, the station maintained a primary CBS affiliation, while also carrying programming from DuMont, ABC and the Paramount Television Network. Paramount was an especially important early programming source, and KEYL carried much of that network's available schedule. Ownership and branding changed several times during the station's early history. Storer Broadcasting acquired KEYL and its associated radio operation in 1951. In 1954, the properties became KGBS and KGBS-TV, but Storer sold them later that year to the San Antonio Express-News to comply with federal broadcast ownership limits after Storer's acquisition of a Cleveland station. The television station was then renamed KENS-TV, establishing the call sign that remains in use. When KONO-TV, now KSAT-TV, began broadcasting in 1957, KENS lost its secondary ABC programming and became a full-time CBS affiliate. Harte-Hanks Communications acquired the Express-News and KENS-TV in 1962. The company later sold the newspaper while retaining the television station after federal regulators declined to grandfather the San Antonio newspaper-broadcast combination under tightened cross-ownership rules. During the 1980s, KENS experimented with a local cable service called KENS II, but the project ended in 1988 after regulatory scrutiny, limited scheduling and financial reprioritization. The station has remained a significant local news competitor. Its news operation became particularly strong from the 1970s through the early 2000s, when longtime anchors and news executives helped it lead the San Antonio ratings. KENS introduced high-definition local newscasts in 2008, added a 4 p.m. newscast in 2010 and expanded its early-morning news schedule in 2011. In 2022, it retired the long-running Eyewitness News branding and adopted KENS 5 News for its newscasts. KENS also produces Great Day SA, a weekday local talk and lifestyle program launched in 2003. Its other notable programming includes CBS network shows, syndicated Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, local public-interest material and selected San Antonio Spurs games. The station has maintained occasional over-the-air rights to Spurs games and has carried NCAA men's Final Four coverage when the event was held at San Antonio's Alamodome. The station's ownership moved from Harte-Hanks to E. W. Scripps in 1997, with Belo assuming operational control and completing its purchase later that year. Gannett acquired Belo's television properties, including KENS, in 2013. After Gannett separated its broadcast and digital assets into Tegna in 2015, KENS became part of Tegna. The supplied reference states that Nexstar Media Group acquired Tegna in a transaction announced in 2025 and completed in 2026, making KENS part of Nexstar's station portfolio.
History
KENS traces its history to February 15, 1950, when it began broadcasting in San Antonio as KEYL. The station was the market's second television outlet and initially combined a primary CBS affiliation with secondary programming from DuMont, ABC and the Paramount Television Network. Paramount supplied a substantial amount of the station's early schedule, making KEYL one of that network's stronger affiliates. Storer Broadcasting purchased KEYL and its associated radio station in 1951. In February 1954, the properties were renamed KGBS and KGBS-TV. Storer was required to sell them later that year after acquiring a Cleveland television station would have placed the company above federal ownership limits. The buyer, the San Antonio Express-News, changed the television station's call sign to KENS-TV. KENS lost its secondary ABC programming after KONO-TV, now KSAT-TV, signed on in 1957, leaving channel 5 as a full-time CBS affiliate. Harte-Hanks Communications acquired the newspaper and television station in 1962. When the Federal Communications Commission later tightened newspaper and broadcast cross-ownership rules, Harte-Hanks unsuccessfully sought grandfathered protection for the San Antonio combination. The company sold the Express-News in 1973 but retained KENS-TV. KENS tested an early multichannel strategy in the 1980s with KENS II, a local cable service carried on Rogers Cablevision. The service showed repeats of KENS newscasts, real-estate programming and locally produced features. A competing station challenged the arrangement before the FCC, arguing that it created an unfair competitive advantage and effectively violated the spirit of anti-duopoly rules. The FCC rejected the challenge in 1985. KENS II later reduced its schedule and ceased operations in 1988. The station considered switching from CBS to ABC in 1990, partly because CBS programming was then performing poorly nationally. The discussions did not produce a change, and KENS renewed its CBS affiliation. In the 1990s, the station continued to develop both its broadcast and syndication businesses, acquiring local rights to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune in 1999. It also managed KBEJ, a San Antonio-area UPN affiliate, under a local marketing agreement from 2000 until 2010. Ownership changed again in 1997. Harte-Hanks sold its remaining media properties to E. W. Scripps, while Belo transferred its controlling interest in Food Network to Scripps in exchange for the KENS stations. Belo initially operated KENS under a time brokerage arrangement and completed the purchase in December 1997. KENS remained closely associated with the San Antonio Express-News for many years, including through a shared website. That arrangement ended in late 2008, and the station launched Kens5.com in January 2009. The site subsequently received regional recognition for interactivity and large-market digital journalism. The station's news operation has been one of its defining assets. Under news director Bob Rogers, KENS newscasts rose to first place in the San Antonio market. Anchor Chris Marrou spent 36 years at KENS, from 1973 until his retirement in 2009, and became known for the humorous Eyewitness Newsreel segment. KENS began producing local newscasts in high definition in 2008, added a weekday 4 p.m. newscast in 2010 and expanded its morning schedule in 2011. In April 2022, the station discontinued the Eyewitness name and rebranded its local news as KENS 5 News. KENS was acquired by Gannett when that company purchased Belo's television assets in 2013. The broadcast assets became part of Tegna after Gannett's 2015 separation. The supplied reference reports that Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tegna in 2026. KENS currently operates as a CBS-affiliated local television and digital news station serving San Antonio and nearby communities.
- 2026
Nexstar ownership reported
[1]The supplied reference reports completion of Nexstar Media Group's acquisition of Tegna.
- 2022
KENS 5 News branding introduced
[1]The station drops the Eyewitness name from its local newscasts.
- 2015
KENS joins Tegna
[1]KENS becomes part of Tegna after Gannett separates its broadcasting and publishing operations.
- 2013
Gannett announces Belo acquisition
[1]Gannett announces its purchase of Belo's television properties, including KENS.
- 2010
Afternoon newscast added
[1]KENS becomes the first San Antonio station to offer a local 4 p.m. newscast.
- 2009
Kens5.com launches
[1]The station establishes an independent website after ending its shared online arrangement with the Express-News.
- 2008
Local newscasts move to high definition
[1]KENS begins producing its locally originated newscasts in high definition.
- 2003
Great Day SA debuts
[1]KENS launches its weekday local talk and lifestyle program.
- 1997
Belo acquires the KENS stations
[1]After the Harte-Hanks sale to Scripps and an associated Food Network transaction, Belo takes operational control and later completes its purchase.
- 1988
KENS II closes
[1]The experimental local cable channel ends operations.
Products and positioning
A major local broadcast and digital news brand for San Antonio, combining CBS network affiliation with locally produced news, weather, sports, lifestyle and community programming.
Local television news · 2022
KENS 5 News
KENS's principal local news franchise, covering San Antonio and surrounding communities through morning, daytime, evening and weekend newscasts. The current name was introduced in 2022 after the station retired the Eyewitness News branding used for more than five decades.
Local talk and lifestyle programming · 2003
Great Day SA
A weekday morning talk and lifestyle program featuring local and national music performers, celebrities, community stories and human-interest coverage. The format is designed around regional personalities and San Antonio-oriented features.
Digital news platform · 2009
Kens5.com
KENS's independent digital news and video platform, launched after the station ended its shared website arrangement with the San Antonio Express-News. The site extends the station's local reporting, weather, sports and video output beyond linear television.
Sports television · 1976
KENS Spurs broadcasts
Selected over-the-air broadcasts of San Antonio Spurs games. KENS has also carried Spurs games through NBA network coverage in earlier periods and continues to air selected games not shown on the regional sports network.
Local cable channel · 1984
KENS II
A short-lived local cable service that aired repeated KENS newscasts, real-estate programming and locally produced features. It expanded to a 24-hour schedule in 1985 before reducing its hours and closing in 1988.
Brand decisions
2022
Rebranded local newscasts as KENS 5 NewsStrategyBackground
The station had used the Eyewitness News identity for 52 years.
Action taken
KENS removed Eyewitness from its newscast titles and adopted KENS 5 News.
Aftermath
The change aligned the news identity more directly with the station's established KENS 5 brand.
1997
Ownership transferred from Harte-Hanks to BeloM&ABackground
Harte-Hanks sold its media properties to E. W. Scripps, while Belo exchanged its controlling Food Network interest for the KENS stations.
Action taken
Belo first operated the stations under a time brokerage agreement and completed the purchase in December 1997.
Aftermath
KENS became part of Belo's television group until Gannett acquired Belo's broadcast assets in 2013.
1990
Considered switching from CBS to ABCStrategyBackground
KENS management expressed concern about CBS's weak national programming performance and discussed whether an ABC affiliation would better support the station's market position.
Action taken
KENS held discussions with ABC but ultimately renewed its CBS affiliation.
Aftermath
KENS remained a CBS affiliate, while KSAT retained ABC.
1985
Defended KENS II before the FCCOtherBackground
A competing San Antonio station argued that KENS's local cable operation created an unfair competitive advantage and violated the spirit of broadcast anti-duopoly rules.
Action taken
KENS argued that the rules did not apply to cable television. The FCC rejected the challenge in October 1985.
Aftermath
KENS II continued for several more years but ultimately closed in 1988.
- KMOL-TV — The station's parent company filed the FCC protest.
Recent events
- 2026
Nexstar acquires Tegna[1]
M&A
The supplied reference states that Nexstar completed its acquisition of Tegna, placing KENS within Nexstar's station group.
- 2022
KENS retires the Eyewitness News branding[1]
Other
After more than five decades, the station replaces Eyewitness News with the KENS 5 News identity for its local newscasts.
- 2015
KENS becomes part of Tegna[1]
M&A
Following Gannett's corporate separation, KENS is retained by the broadcast and digital company named Tegna.
- 2013
Gannett announces acquisition of Belo television properties[1]
M&A
Gannett announces a transaction covering Belo's television stations, including KENS; the deal receives regulatory approval and closes later that year.
- 2009
KENS launches its own digital news website[1]
Product launch
KENS ends its shared website arrangement with the San Antonio Express-News and launches Kens5.com.
- 1954
Station adopts the KENS call sign[1]
Other
After ownership changes involving Storer Broadcasting and the San Antonio Express-News, the television station becomes KENS-TV.
- 1950
KENS begins broadcasting as KEYL[1]
Other
The San Antonio channel signs on as KEYL, becoming the market's second television station and a primary CBS affiliate.
Sources2 sources
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