KGBT-TV

KGBT-TV is a television station licensed to Harlingen, Texas, and serving the Lower Rio Grande Valley in the United States. It is one of the region's oldest broadcasting institutions and traces its origins to KGBS radio, established in 1941. The station's television operation began broadcasting on October 4, 1953, using channel 4 and carrying CBS programming. Its call sign changed to KGBT-TV in December of that year, with the revised identity entering regular use in early 1954. For most of its history, KGBT-TV was identified primarily with CBS. It became the first television station established on the American side of the Rio Grande Valley and developed a long-standing reputation for local news, weather, and sports coverage. Its service area includes the communities around Harlingen, Brownsville, and McAllen, as well as the broader Lower Rio Grande Valley. The station's local identity was reinforced by weather services such as its Live Super Doppler radar branding, a 24-hour weather information service, and local sports programming including Sports Extra. KGBT-TV remained under the control of the Tichenor broadcasting interests for more than three decades. Ownership subsequently passed to Draper Communications in 1986 and to Cosmos Broadcasting, the broadcasting arm of the Liberty Corporation, in 1998. After Liberty's television assets were acquired by Raycom Media, KGBT-TV was transferred to Barrington Broadcasting in 2006. Barrington later sold its station portfolio to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013. The station's role changed substantially after the collapse of Sinclair Broadcast Group's proposed acquisition of Tribune Media. As part of a January 2020 settlement involving Sinclair, Nexstar, and Tribune, Nexstar acquired KGBT-TV's non-license assets and programming operations. On January 31, 2020, KGBT-TV's CBS programming, news operation, and syndicated content moved to a digital subchannel of Nexstar-owned KVEO-TV. The move ended KGBT-TV's long run as the market's CBS affiliate while preserving much of the station's operational infrastructure and local broadcasting presence. KGBT-TV's license remained with Sinclair for a period, and the primary digital channel was temporarily silent. Mission Broadcasting acquired the license in 2021, after which Nexstar announced and completed an outright purchase. Nexstar reactivated the main channel in September 2021 with Antenna TV programming and added MyNetworkTV in October of the same year. The station therefore operated primarily as an independent outlet with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation rather than as a traditional network affiliate. KGBT-TV and KVEO-TV share studio facilities on West Expressway in Harlingen, while KGBT-TV's former transmitter site was located near La Feria. In March 2024, the La Feria tower was brought down after two guy wires failed and the structure began to lean. The incident prompted evacuations in nearby areas and the cancellation of classes in the La Feria Independent School District. KGBT-TV remains part of Nexstar's Lower Rio Grande Valley television operations, with its legacy brand continuing alongside the company's other local broadcast assets.

KGBT-TV developed from KGBS radio, an independent station established in 1941 by Harbenito Broadcasting Company, an organization associated with Valley Morning Star publisher McHenry Tichenor. KGBS joined the CBS Radio Network in 1943. After the Federal Communications Commission lifted its freeze on new television license grants, an affiliated company, Magic Triangle Televisors, received authorization in 1953 to construct a station on channel 4. KGBS-TV began broadcasting on October 4, 1953, with CBS television programming. The call letters changed to KGBT-TV on December 9, although the new identity was adopted on air at the beginning of 1954. The station became the first television outlet established on the American side of the Rio Grande Valley and is the area's oldest continuously operating television station. During its early years, programming arrangements reflected the limited number of stations serving the market. KGBT-TV and KRGV-TV shared ABC programming until KRGV-TV became primarily affiliated with ABC in 1976. KGBT-TV then carried both CBS and NBC programming until KVEO-TV began operation in 1981. Tichenor ownership lasted more than 30 years. The station was historically important in the Rio Grande Valley news market and was associated with highly rated local newscasts, particularly during the late 1960s and 1970s. As Tichenor increasingly concentrated on Spanish-language radio, KGBT-TV became less aligned with the rest of the company's broadcasting portfolio. Tichenor sold the station to Draper Communications in 1986. Cosmos Broadcasting purchased it in 1998 for $42 million, and Cosmos later came under the Liberty Corporation umbrella. In 2005, Liberty announced the sale of its television stations to Raycom Media. Raycom completed the transaction in January 2006 but designated KGBT-TV for divestiture. Barrington Broadcasting acquired the station in August 2006 as part of a larger group transaction. Barrington sold its station portfolio to Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013. The next major change came from the failed Sinclair-Tribune transaction. Tribune sued Sinclair over the proposed acquisition, and the dispute was later settled after Nexstar acquired Tribune. Under the January 2020 settlement, Sinclair paid Nexstar $60 million and transferred the non-license and programming assets of KGBT-TV to Nexstar. KGBT-TV's CBS affiliation, news operation, and syndicated programming moved to KVEO-TV's second subchannel the following day. The KGBT-TV license remained with Sinclair, and the station's principal digital channel was temporarily silent, although its other multicast services continued. The transaction also allowed Nexstar to consolidate KVEO-TV's operations at KGBT-TV's Harlingen facility and replace KVEO's prior externally produced local news service with locally produced operations. Mission Broadcasting acquired the KGBT-TV license in May 2021, and Nexstar announced an agreement to purchase it outright in July. The transaction closed on September 15, 2021. Nexstar restored the primary channel with Antenna TV and added MyNetworkTV programming in October. KGBT-TV's broadcasting infrastructure was affected by the collapse of its La Feria tower on March 8, 2024. Two of the tower's 24 guy wires snapped, causing the structure to lean and requiring the evacuation of nearby homes. The event also led the La Feria Independent School District to cancel classes. The station continues as a Nexstar-owned independent television service with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

1. 2024La Feria transmission tower is brought down

   The station's tower is dismantled after guy-wire failures cause the structure to lean.

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2. 2021Nexstar completes acquisition of the license

   Nexstar acquires the KGBT-TV license after an interim period under Mission Broadcasting.

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3. 2020CBS affiliation moves to KVEO-TV

   Nexstar acquires KGBT-TV's non-license assets and moves its CBS programming and news operation to KVEO-TV's second subchannel.

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4. 2013Sinclair acquires Barrington's station portfolio

   KGBT-TV becomes part of Sinclair Broadcast Group's station portfolio.

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5. 2006Barrington Broadcasting becomes owner

   KGBT-TV is transferred from Raycom Media to Barrington Broadcasting in a group divestiture.

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6. 1998Cosmos Broadcasting purchases KGBT-TV

   Cosmos Broadcasting acquires the station from Draper Communications.

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7. 1986Draper Communications acquires the station

   KGBT-TV is sold by the Tichenor interests to Draper Communications.

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8. 1981KVEO-TV begins operation

   The launch of KVEO-TV ends KGBT-TV's joint CBS-NBC arrangement.

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9. 1976KGBT-TV becomes a CBS-NBC joint affiliate

   After KRGV-TV becomes primarily affiliated with ABC, KGBT-TV carries both CBS and NBC programming.

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10. 1954KGBT-TV identity enters regular use

    The station adopts the KGBT-TV call-sign identity after its December 1953 call-letter change.

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11. 1953Channel 4 television service launches

    KGBS-TV begins broadcasting on October 4 with CBS television programming.

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12. 1943KGBS joins the CBS Radio Network

    The station becomes affiliated with the CBS radio network.

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13. 1941KGBS radio is established

    The radio predecessor of KGBT-TV begins operation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

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A long-established Lower Rio Grande Valley television brand positioned around local news, weather, sports, and general-entertainment programming. Since 2021, it has operated primarily as an independent station with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

• KGBT-TV broadcast serviceTelevision broadcasting1953

  The station's principal television service for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It currently operates primarily as an independent outlet, carrying general-entertainment programming and local content, with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

• Local newsNews broadcasting

  KGBT-TV historically produced local news for the Rio Grande Valley and was associated with a strong local-news presence. Following the 2020 affiliation transition, related news operations became integrated with Nexstar's KVEO-TV operation.

• Live Super DopplerWeather broadcasting

  A branded live weather radar and forecasting service associated with KGBT-TV's local news operation. The station also operated a continuous weather information service providing recurring local forecasts.

• Sports ExtraSports broadcasting

  A former extended sports segment carried during selected evening newscasts. Friday editions emphasized local high-school football, while Sunday editions included high-school, college, and professional football coverage and analysis.

• 2021KGBT-TV relaunches as an independent stationStrategy

  After Nexstar acquired the station license, the primary digital channel was available for a new programming strategy.

  What changed. Nexstar restored channel 4.1 with Antenna TV programming and added MyNetworkTV programming in October.

  Aftermath. KGBT-TV returned to active primary-channel broadcasting as an independent station with a secondary MyNetworkTV affiliation.

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• 2020Transfer of KGBT-TV's non-license assets to NexstarM&A

  The transfer formed part of the settlement of litigation and regulatory complications surrounding Sinclair Broadcast Group's unsuccessful attempt to acquire Tribune Media.

  What changed. Nexstar acquired KGBT-TV's non-license and programming assets, while the CBS affiliation, news operation, and syndicated programming moved to KVEO-TV's second digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. KGBT-TV ceased functioning as the market's CBS affiliate, while Nexstar consolidated local operations at the Harlingen facility.

  Settlement payment by Sinclair to Nexstar. $60 million (January 2020 settlement)

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• 2024KGBT-TV tower near La Feria brought down after structural failure

  The station's La Feria tower was dismantled after two guy wires snapped and the mast began to lean. Nearby homes were evacuated and local school classes were canceled.

  Other
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• 2021Nexstar reactivates KGBT-TV's main digital channel

  After Nexstar completed its acquisition of the station license, the main 4.1 channel returned to service with Antenna TV programming, followed by the addition of MyNetworkTV programming.

  M&AProduct launch
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• 2020KGBT-TV's CBS programming and news operation move to KVEO-TV subchannel

  Following Nexstar's acquisition of KGBT-TV's non-license assets in a settlement with Sinclair, CBS programming, the news department, and syndicated programming shifted to KVEO-TV's second digital subchannel.

  M&ALeadership change
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1. KGBT-TV
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