KIMT

KIMT is a television station licensed to Mason City, Iowa, and identified on air as News 3. The station serves a regional market extending across North Central Iowa and Southeast Minnesota, including the Rochester, Minnesota area. Its principal network affiliation is with CBS, while a digital subchannel carries MyNetworkTV programming. KIMT also operates local news, weather, and community-information services under the KIMT News 3 identity. The station began broadcasting on May 15, 1954, as KGLO-TV. It was established by Lee Enterprises alongside the Mason City Globe Gazette and KGLO radio stations. Because the radio operation had a long relationship with CBS Radio, the television station launched as a CBS affiliate. It also carried programming from the DuMont Television Network as a secondary affiliation until DuMont ceased operations in 1956. The station initially broadcast on VHF channel 3 with the maximum authorized effective radiated power for that historic allocation, giving it a broad regional signal. Regulatory changes in the 1970s forced Lee Enterprises to separate its Mason City media properties. After KGLO radio was sold, the television station adopted the KIMT call sign on August 1, 1977. The name is commonly understood as an abbreviation of Iowa Minnesota Television, reflecting the station's cross-border service area. KIMT subsequently passed through several ownership groups, including the Shott family's Daily Telegraph Printing Company, Spartan Radiocasting, Media General, New Vision Television, LIN TV, Heartland Media, and Allen Media Broadcasting. KIMT developed its modern local-news operation as the market's principal television outlet licensed on the Iowa side. Its programming has traditionally emphasized Iowa stories while also covering Rochester and other communities in Southeast Minnesota. The station expanded its morning schedule, produced additional broadcasts for its MyNetworkTV subchannel, and upgraded its presentation to widescreen and later high-definition formats. A digital signal began operating in 2002, and the station changed its post-repack over-the-air channel assignment to 24 in 2018 while retaining the KIMT identity. KIMT's history also includes the unresolved 1995 disappearance of news anchor Jodi Huisentruit, who vanished while leaving her Mason City apartment before work. The case became one of the most prominent unsolved missing-person cases associated with a local American television newsroom. The station has continued operating as a regional CBS news outlet under Allen Media Group. In 2025, Allen Media Group announced plans to consider strategic alternatives for its television business amid financial pressure, and separately announced plans to centralize some weather production through a Weather Channel weather hub. These developments could affect the station's ownership structure and local weather staffing, but KIMT remained active in the available reference material.

KIMT signed on May 15, 1954, as KGLO-TV. Lee Enterprises owned the station with the Mason City Globe Gazette and KGLO radio. The station adopted CBS as its principal affiliation because of the radio station's established relationship with CBS Radio. It also carried DuMont programming until that network ended operations in 1956. KGLO-TV used VHF channel 3 and initially operated at the maximum effective radiated power allowed for the heritage allocation; reports on its first day indicated that the analog signal could be received well beyond its intended regional market. In 1977, Federal Communications Commission ownership rules required Lee Enterprises to break up its Mason City media cluster. Following the sale of KGLO radio, the television station changed its call sign to KIMT on August 1, 1977. The letters are associated with the station's Iowa-Minnesota service area. In 1980, the Shott family and its Daily Telegraph Printing Company acquired the station. In 1984, KIMT was sold with WBTW in Florence, South Carolina, to Spartan Radiocasting Company, which later became Spartan Communications. Spartan merged with Media General in 2000. KIMT launched a digital signal on UHF channel 42 in May 2002 and added network high-definition capabilities during that summer. The station marked its fiftieth anniversary in 2004 with retrospective and special programming. In 2006, Media General sold KIMT to New Vision Television in a transaction completed in October. LIN TV acquired New Vision's stations in 2012; the FCC approved the transaction in October and the sale closed that month. Media General then acquired LIN TV in 2014, returning KIMT to Media General ownership. A proposed Media General acquisition by Meredith would have placed KIMT in Meredith's Iowa television group, but that transaction did not proceed. Nexstar instead agreed to acquire Media General in 2016. To satisfy ownership limits, Nexstar arranged to sell KIMT and other stations to Heartland Media through USA Television MidAmerica Holdings, a joint venture involving MSouth Equity Partners. The transaction closed after approval of the Nexstar-Media General merger in January 2017. Allen Media Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Entertainment Studios, announced the acquisition of KIMT and ten other Heartland stations in October 2019. The FCC approved the transaction in November 2019. Entertainment Studios subsequently operated under the Allen Media Group name. KIMT's news operation has remained central to its identity. In 2009, it moved its newscasts to a 16:9 enhanced-definition widescreen presentation, with some elements in full high definition. The station also introduced local news programming on its MyNetworkTV digital subchannel, including an extended morning program, a midday repeat, and a prime-time news offering that was later reduced to a short weather update. The main weekday morning newscast was expanded to begin at 4:30 a.m. KIMT moved its post-repack over-the-air transmission from channel 42 to channel 24 on October 18, 2018. The station's history is closely associated with the 1995 disappearance of anchor Jodi Huisentruit. She vanished outside her apartment on June 27 while on her way to work, and no resolution has been established in the available material. In 2025, Allen Media Group announced both a review of strategic options for its television assets and a plan to use a centralized Weather Channel weather hub for weather production at affected stations, including KIMT.

• 2025

  Strategic review and centralized weather plan

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  Allen Media Group announces a strategic review of its television assets and plans for centralized weather production at stations including KIMT.

• 2019

  Allen Media Broadcasting acquisition

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  Allen Media Broadcasting agrees to acquire KIMT and other Heartland stations; regulatory approval follows in November.

• 2018

  Post-repack channel change

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  KIMT moves its over-the-air digital transmission to channel 24 as part of the FCC spectrum repack.

• 2004

  Fiftieth anniversary

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  The station marks fifty years of broadcasting with retrospective and special programming.

• 2002

  Digital broadcasting begins

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  KIMT launches its digital signal on UHF channel 42.

• 1995

  Jodi Huisentruit disappears

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  KIMT anchor Jodi Huisentruit disappears outside her apartment in an unresolved case.

• 1977

  Station becomes KIMT

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  Following an FCC-driven separation of Lee Enterprises' Mason City media holdings, the television station adopts the KIMT call sign.

• 1954

  KGLO-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on as KGLO-TV in Mason City, Iowa, with CBS as its principal affiliation and DuMont as a secondary affiliation.

A regional broadcast-news brand focused on local reporting, weather, and community coverage for North Central Iowa and Southeast Minnesota, combining a CBS network affiliation with locally produced programming and a MyNetworkTV digital subchannel.

• Local television news

  KIMT News 3

  KIMT's principal local-news identity, covering North Central Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. Its programming includes daily reporting, regional stories, weather, severe-weather information, and community coverage, with a traditional emphasis on issues affecting the Iowa side of the market.

• Weather service

  KIMT Storm Team 3

  The station's branded weather operation, providing forecasts and severe-weather coverage for its regional audience. Allen Media Group announced in 2025 that some weather production could be supplied through a centralized Weather Channel hub.

• Network television · 1954

  CBS affiliation

  KIMT's primary network service carries CBS programming alongside the station's locally produced news and weather content.

• Digital television subchannel

  MyNetworkTV digital subchannel

  KIMT's MyNetworkTV-affiliated digital service has also carried locally branded programming, including an extended morning news segment, a midday repeat, and a former prime-time local-news presentation.

• 1995

  Unresolved disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit

  KIMT anchor Jodi Huisentruit disappeared outside her apartment in Mason City while going to work. She has not been located, and the case remains unresolved.

  Source

Read more

• 2004Fiftieth-anniversary programming

  North Central Iowa · Southeast Minnesota

  KIMT used retrospective and special programming to mark its fifty years on the air.

  Outcome. The anniversary was presented as a station-history milestone; no broader campaign metrics are available.

  Source

• 2025

  Centralized weather-production planStrategy

  Background

  Allen Media Group announced changes to weather staffing at stations in its portfolio.

  Action taken

  The group planned to replace some local meteorologist and weather-forecaster positions, including at KIMT, with output from a Weather Channel weather hub.

  Aftermath

  The available material does not establish the final staffing outcome at KIMT.

  Source

• 2025

  Strategic-options reviewStrategy

  Background

  Allen Media Group cited financial pressure and rising debt while discussing possible changes to its television business.

  Action taken

  The company announced that it would explore strategic options, including a possible sale of television stations such as KIMT.

  Aftermath

  No completed sale or change of ownership is established in the available material.

  Source

• 2018

  Digital channel reassignmentGeneration change

  Background

  The FCC spectrum repack required some broadcasters to change their post-transition transmission channels.

  Action taken

  KIMT moved its digital transmission from channel 42 to channel 24 on October 18.

  Aftermath

  The station continued operating under the KIMT brand and serving the same regional market.

  Source

• 2015

  Resolution of Mediacom retransmission disputeOther

  Background

  Mediacom and Media General disagreed over retransmission-consent fees for KIMT and other Media General stations.

  Action taken

  KIMT and its digital subchannels were removed from North Iowa Mediacom systems on July 14, and a new agreement was reached on July 30.

  Aftermath

  The station's channels returned to Mediacom subscribers.

  Source

• 1977

  Adoption of the KIMT call signStrategy

  Background

  FCC ownership rules required Lee Enterprises to separate its Mason City media properties.

  Action taken

  After the radio stations were sold, KGLO-TV was renamed KIMT.

  Aftermath

  The new identity reflected the station's Iowa-Minnesota regional coverage.

  Source

• 2025

  Allen Media Group explores strategic options[1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Allen Media Group said it would explore strategic options for its television business, including a possible sale of stations such as KIMT, amid financial pressure and rising debt.

• 2025

  Weather hub plan announced for Allen Media stations[1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Allen Media Group announced plans to reduce local meteorologist and weather-forecaster positions at stations including KIMT and use weather-hub production from The Weather Channel.

• 2015

  Mediacom restores KIMT after retransmission dispute[1]KIMTen.wikipedia.org

  Pricing · Other

  Mediacom removed KIMT and its digital subchannels from North Iowa cable systems during a dispute with station owner Media General over retransmission-consent fees. A new agreement restored the channels on July 30.

1. 1KIMTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KIMT News 3kimt.com