KKTV

KKTV is a television station serving the Colorado Springs–Pueblo television market in Colorado, United States. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and operates as a CBS affiliate, with additional programming carried through digital subchannels. Its principal service area includes Colorado Springs, Pueblo, the Pikes Peak region, and a wider portion of Southern Colorado. KKTV began broadcasting on December 7, 1952, making it the third-oldest television station in Colorado and the oldest station in the state outside Denver. At launch, it carried programming from several networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, and DuMont. The competitive structure of the regional television market changed in the following years: KRDO-TV assumed the NBC affiliation after signing on in 1953, while DuMont ceased operations in 1956. KKTV subsequently became primarily affiliated with CBS and retained a secondary ABC relationship until the Colorado Springs and Pueblo markets were consolidated into a single market around 1960. From that point, KKTV operated as the market's exclusive CBS outlet. The station has occupied several facilities during its history. Its first studio on Mill Street was inadequate almost immediately after launch. KKTV moved to a facility on South Tejon Street in 1956, then relocated to a former film-stage site on North Nevada Avenue in December 1968. In the 2010s, it moved its operations to 520 East Colorado Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs, a location that became its principal studio and newsroom facility. KKTV has passed through several broadcast ownership groups. Its original owners, TV Colorado, sold the station to Willard W. Garvey in 1963. Capitol Broadcasting Company acquired it around the end of the 1960s. In late 1982, Capitol sold KKTV to Ackerley Communications, later known as the Ackerley Group. Ackerley exchanged the station for KCOY in Santa Maria, California, in early 1999, transferring KKTV to Benedek Broadcasting. Gray Media acquired the station in April 2002 as part of its purchase of most Benedek stations during Benedek's bankruptcy liquidation. The station's local-news identity has been especially important to its current positioning. KKTV provides locally produced newscasts throughout the week and has expanded its morning, weekend, and high-definition output over time. It launched high-definition newscasts with its late-evening program on October 17, 2009. During the 2012 Waldo Canyon fire in and around Colorado Springs, KKTV delivered continuous live coverage for approximately 130 hours, from June 23 through June 29. The operation drew on assistance from other stations and became a significant moment in the station's news history; it was subsequently recognized by the Colorado Springs Independent and was followed by a reported improvement in the station's local-news ratings. KKTV has also used digital broadcasting to extend its programming portfolio. It launched a MyNetworkTV service on its second digital subchannel in 2006, initially branded MyKKTV. The subchannel later incorporated MeTV programming and syndicated content. A separate 24-hour weather service, KKTV No Wait Weather, operated from 2007 until January 2010. The station completed the United States' analog-to-digital transition in 2009 and later moved its digital transmission frequency to address reception and interference concerns, followed by another frequency change during the FCC spectrum repack in 2019. In July 2025, Gray and the E. W. Scripps Company announced a multi-market station exchange that would transfer KKTV to Scripps and place it under common ownership with NBC affiliate KOAA-TV. The transaction initially raised regulatory concerns because of restrictions on common ownership of two of the leading stations in a market. A subsequent federal appeals court decision removed the relevant legal impediment, and the FCC approved the exchange on April 28, 2026, according to the supplied reference material. KKTV therefore operates…

KKTV signed on December 7, 1952, initially broadcasting from a small Mill Street studio in Colorado Springs. As one of Colorado's earliest television stations, it began with a broad schedule drawn from CBS, NBC, ABC, and DuMont. The arrival of KRDO-TV in 1953 shifted NBC programming away from KKTV. After DuMont ended operations in 1956, KKTV became primarily a CBS station with a secondary ABC affiliation and moved to a larger South Tejon Street facility. By approximately 1960, Colorado Springs and Pueblo were treated as one television market. The region's stations adopted exclusive network relationships, with KKTV becoming the sole CBS affiliate, KRDO-TV serving ABC, and Pueblo's KCSJ-TV—now KOAA-TV—serving NBC. In 1963, TV Colorado sold KKTV to Willard W. Garvey, who had a minority interest in Stauffer Publications Stations. The station moved again in December 1968, this time to a former film stage on North Nevada Avenue. Around the time of that move, ownership transferred to Capitol Broadcasting Company. Capitol sold KKTV in late 1982 to Ackerley Communications, also known as the Ackerley Group. Ackerley later exchanged the station for KCOY in Santa Maria, California, and KKTV became part of Benedek Broadcasting in early 1999. Gray Media acquired KKTV in April 2002 in a transaction involving most of Benedek's stations during Benedek's bankruptcy liquidation. The station's technical and programming development continued through the digital era. KKTV launched a MyNetworkTV digital subchannel, MyKKTV, on September 5, 2006. It also operated KKTV No Wait Weather, a dedicated 24-hour weather service, from 2007 until January 2010. The station began broadcasting a digital signal in 2003, ended analog transmission on June 12, 2009, and initially retained virtual channel 11 while using a digital RF channel. Reception and interference concerns led to a later move to UHF channel 49 in January 2011, followed by a move to RF channel 26 in June 2019 under the FCC spectrum repack. KKTV introduced high-definition local newscasts in October 2009. Its most prominent news operation came during the Waldo Canyon fire in June 2012, when the station maintained live coverage continuously for approximately 130 hours. Assistance came from several sister stations and from a helicopter shared with Denver station KCNC-TV. The coverage was recognized by the Colorado Springs Independent and was associated with a subsequent rise in the station's reported news ratings. KKTV later completed a move to its current downtown Colorado Springs facility in 2013. The local-news schedule expanded over time. KKTV was an early provider of an extended morning newscast in the market, beginning in the early 1990s, and eventually added weekend morning news in November 2021. The station's current output includes extensive weekday and weekend locally produced programming alongside CBS and multicast content. In 2025, Gray Media and Scripps announced a multi-station exchange that included KKTV. The proposed transfer would give Scripps common ownership of KKTV and NBC affiliate KOAA-TV. Because existing ownership rules restricted common ownership of two of the market's top four stations, regulatory approval was initially dependent on a waiver or a change in the governing rules. The supplied reference states that a federal appeals court decision in the case Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri v. FCC removed the relevant limitation, after which the FCC approved the exchange on April 28, 2026. KKTV is consequently identified as a Scripps-owned CBS affiliate operating in a duopoly relationship with KOAA-TV.

1. 2026FCC approval of ownership exchange

   The supplied reference states that the FCC approved the exchange on April 28, allowing Scripps to acquire KKTV and pair it with KOAA-TV.

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2. 2025Proposed transfer to Scripps

   Gray and Scripps announced a multi-market exchange that included the transfer of KKTV to Scripps.

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3. 2021Weekend morning news expansion

   KKTV began producing weekend morning newscasts during the November 13–14 weekend.

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4. 2019FCC spectrum-repack frequency change

   KKTV moved from RF channel 49 to RF channel 26.

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5. 2013Downtown relocation

   KKTV completed its move to 520 East Colorado Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs.

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6. 2012Waldo Canyon fire coverage

   KKTV provided approximately 130 hours of continuous live coverage during the Waldo Canyon fire.

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7. 2011Move to UHF transmission

   KKTV shifted its digital signal to UHF channel 49 to improve reception and address interference concerns.

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8. 2009High-definition news and analog shutdown

   The station began HD newscasts and ended analog broadcasting under the United States digital transition.

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9. 2006MyKKTV launch

   KKTV launched a MyNetworkTV digital subchannel branded MyKKTV.

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10. 2002Acquisition by Gray Media

    Gray acquired KKTV as part of its purchase of most Benedek stations during Benedek's bankruptcy liquidation.

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11. 1999Transfer to Benedek Broadcasting

    Ackerley exchanged KKTV for KCOY, transferring KKTV to Benedek Broadcasting.

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12. 1982Acquisition by Ackerley

    Capitol Broadcasting Company sold KKTV to Ackerley Communications.

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13. 1968Move to North Nevada Avenue

    KKTV relocated to a converted film-stage facility on North Nevada Avenue.

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14. 1963Sale to Willard W. Garvey

    TV Colorado sold KKTV to Willard W. Garvey.

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15. 1960Exclusive CBS affiliation

    The consolidated Colorado Springs–Pueblo market established exclusive network relationships, making KKTV the area's sole CBS station.

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16. 1956Move and post-DuMont affiliation

    KKTV moved to South Tejon Street and became primarily affiliated with CBS after DuMont ceased operations.

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17. 1953NBC affiliation changes

    KRDO-TV signed on and took the NBC affiliation, altering KKTV's original multi-network schedule.

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18. 1952First broadcast

    KKTV began broadcasting on December 7, becoming the oldest television station in Colorado outside Denver.

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A locally focused broadcast television station combining CBS network programming with Southern Colorado news, weather, public-service coverage, and digital multicast offerings.

• KKTV 11Broadcast television station1952

  KKTV's primary broadcast service on virtual channel 11. It carries CBS network programming and the station's locally produced news, weather, public-affairs, and emergency coverage for the Colorado Springs–Pueblo market.

• KKTV local newscastsTelevision news1992

  The station's local-news operation produces weekday and weekend broadcasts covering Colorado Springs, Pueblo, the Pikes Peak region, weather, traffic, public safety, and regional events. Its schedule has expanded from early-morning and evening programming to a broader daily lineup, including weekend mornings.

• MyKKTVDigital multicast television2006

  A digital subchannel introduced in 2006 to carry MyNetworkTV programming, syndicated shows, and additional KKTV content. The service later incorporated MeTV, while MyNetworkTV programming occupied a smaller portion of the schedule.

• KKTV No Wait WeatherWeather television service2007

  A 24-hour weather-oriented digital channel and cable service operated by KKTV. It began in 2007 and was discontinued on January 1, 2010.

• 2012Waldo Canyon fire continuous coverage

  Colorado Springs · Pueblo · Southern Colorado

  KKTV mounted continuous live coverage of the Waldo Canyon fire beginning on June 23, 2012. The approximately 130-hour operation used assistance from multiple stations and made the station's emergency-news role highly visible in its home market.

  Outcome. The coverage received recognition from the Colorado Springs Independent and was followed by a reported improvement in KKTV's local-news ratings.

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• 2025Proposed transfer from Gray to ScrippsM&A

  Gray Media and The E. W. Scripps Company announced a multi-market station exchange that would change KKTV's ownership and place it alongside KOAA-TV.

  What changed. The companies agreed to include KKTV in the proposed exchange, subject to regulatory approval.

  Aftermath. The supplied reference states that regulatory approval was granted in April 2026, making Scripps the station's owner.

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• 2019FCC spectrum-repack frequency moveStrategy

  The national FCC spectrum-repacking program required many broadcasters to change RF channels.

  What changed. KKTV changed its digital RF channel from 49 to 26 on June 6.

  Aftermath. The station retained virtual channel 11 while operating on its new physical broadcast frequency.

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• 2011Move from VHF to UHF digital transmissionStrategy

  KKTV experienced reception and interference issues on its post-transition VHF digital frequency.

  What changed. The station moved its digital transmission to UHF RF channel 49 and discontinued the previous VHF transmission.

  Aftermath. The change was intended to improve reception in a market where other commercial stations were already operating on UHF frequencies.

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• 2009Transition to high-definition newscastsGeneration change

  Local television stations were upgrading production and transmission systems as digital broadcasting became standard.

  What changed. KKTV began presenting its locally produced newscasts in high definition with the October 17 late-evening broadcast.

  Aftermath. The station became the second broadcaster in its market to offer HD newscasts.

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• 2006Launch of MyKKTV digital subchannelProduct launch

  Digital television enabled KKTV to add multicast services beyond its primary CBS channel.

  What changed. KKTV launched a second digital subchannel carrying MyNetworkTV, syndicated programming, and additional station content.

  Aftermath. The service later added MeTV programming and reduced MyNetworkTV to a limited schedule position.

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• 2026FCC approves KKTV station exchange

  The FCC approved the multi-market exchange involving KKTV after a federal appellate decision removed a legal restriction affecting common ownership of two leading stations in the same market.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2025Gray announces transfer of KKTV to Scripps

  Gray Media announced that KKTV would be included in a multi-market station exchange transferring the station to The E. W. Scripps Company and creating common ownership with KOAA-TV.

  M&A
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• 2019KKTV changes digital transmission frequency

  KKTV moved its digital broadcast frequency from RF channel 49 to RF channel 26 as part of the nationwide FCC spectrum repack.

  Regulation
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• 2013KKTV moves to downtown Colorado Springs

  The station completed its move to a new studio and newsroom facility at 520 East Colorado Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs.

  Other
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• 2012KKTV provides continuous Waldo Canyon fire coverage

  KKTV delivered roughly 130 hours of uninterrupted live coverage of the Waldo Canyon fire, supported by resources from several affiliated stations and a shared helicopter arrangement.

  Other
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• 2009KKTV begins high-definition newscasts

  KKTV became the second station in the Colorado Springs–Pueblo market to present its newscasts in high definition, beginning with the 10 p.m. broadcast on October 17.

  Product generation
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• 2006KKTV launches MyNetworkTV digital subchannel

  The station introduced MyKKTV on its second digital subchannel, adding MyNetworkTV programming and syndicated content to its broadcast offering.

  Product launch
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• 1952KKTV begins broadcasting

  KKTV signed on December 7, establishing a television service in Colorado Springs and becoming the oldest television station in Colorado outside Denver.

  Other
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1. KKTV
2. KKTV official website