KMCI-TV
KMCI-TV is an independent Kansas City-area television station branded as The Spot and owned by The E. W. Scripps Company.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KMCI-TV is an independent commercial television station licensed to Lawrence, Kansas, and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. It broadcasts under the consumer-facing brand The Spot, commonly styled as 38 The Spot or Kansas City 38. Although its license city is Lawrence, the station operates as part of the Kansas City television market, shares facilities and operational resources with NBC affiliate KSHB-TV, and maintains its transmission facilities in Kansas City, Missouri. The station originated with an FCC channel assignment for Lawrence in 1982. Miller Broadcasting, led by Doris and Monte Miller, ultimately secured the construction permit after settling with or acquiring competing applicants. Rather than launch as a conventional entertainment station, the owners selected a home-shopping format. KMCI-TV began broadcasting on February 1, 1988, with programming supplied primarily by the Home Shopping Network. The format limited programming costs but created distribution challenges because cable systems already carried shopping services and had economic incentives not to add another shopping-oriented outlet. A contractual dispute became the central turning point in the station's early history. In the mid-1990s, HSN altered the arrangements under which local stations could sell portions of their schedules. Miller Broadcasting sued and prevailed on a breach-of-contract claim, then sought a new programming partner. In 1996, Scripps-Howard Broadcasting, owner of KSHB-TV, entered into a local marketing agreement to operate and program KMCI-TV. The station was relaunched later that year as 38 Family Greats, a family-oriented independent station using programming that KSHB had no longer been able to schedule after its 1994 transition to NBC. Scripps exercised an option in the agreement and purchased KMCI-TV for $14.6 million in 2000, creating a legally permitted duopoly with KSHB-TV. The station gradually moved away from its family-oriented branding, first using a channel-number identity and then adopting the 38 The Spot name in 2003. The branding change coincided with the relocation of its transmitter from the Lawrence area toward Kansas City, strengthening its identity as a Kansas City-market outlet. KMCI-TV's programming mix has included syndicated entertainment, KSHB-produced local news, sports, public-service programming, and selected local events. It has carried or partnered on coverage involving the Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City, the University of Kansas, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Current, the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and the Kansas City Comets. Its sports role has varied as league and team rights have changed. The station also airs selected news programs produced by KSHB-TV, including a weekday morning extension and a noon newscast. Technically, KMCI-TV has been part of the Kansas City market's transition to digital and NextGen television. Its analog service ended in 2009, its post-transition digital assignment moved to UHF channel 41, and an FCC spectrum-repack change moved it to channel 25 in 2019. On August 24, 2021, it became one of the Kansas City market's ATSC 3.0 transmitters. Its NextGen signal carries the principal services of KSHB-TV and WDAF-TV, while those stations provide KMCI-TV's services through ATSC 1.0 arrangements. The station remains an active Scripps-owned independent outlet with a programming strategy centered on local news extensions, sports, syndicated content, and shared technology with its sister station.
History
KMCI-TV's origins date to an FCC allocation of UHF channel 38 to Lawrence, Kansas, on June 22, 1982. Miller Broadcasting, associated with Doris and Monte Miller, competed with several other applicants. Settlements with two applicants and the purchase of another applicant's interests cleared the way for Miller Broadcasting to receive a construction permit in December 1984. The owners initially considered a conventional independent station and planned facilities in the Kansas City suburb of Lenexa, but those plans did not proceed. In 1987, Miller Broadcasting announced that the station would instead use a home-shopping format. Monte Miller cited the financial difficulties of another local independent television operation as evidence that a conventional entertainment schedule could be risky for a new station. KMCI-TV affiliated with the Home Shopping Network in November 1987 and began broadcasting on February 1, 1988. Home shopping provided a comparatively inexpensive schedule, but it also made cable carriage difficult. Kansas City-area cable systems already offered shopping channels and commonly shared revenue from those services, reducing their incentive to carry another shopping outlet. KMCI-TV tested some syndicated non-shopping programs in 1989, but the owners concluded that a full format conversion would require programming expenditures they were not prepared to make. In 1995, HSN changed its operating model and reduced the amount of schedule time available for local stations to sell. Miller Broadcasting sued HSN for breach of contract and won. The dispute encouraged the Millers to seek an outside partner capable of supplying a broader schedule. In March 1996, Scripps-Howard Broadcasting, owner of KSHB-TV, agreed to manage KMCI-TV through a local marketing agreement. In August of that year, the station shifted most of its schedule away from home shopping and relaunched as 38 Family Greats. Its new schedule used family-oriented general entertainment programs, including shows available in KSHB's program inventory after KSHB became an NBC affiliate in 1994. Scripps later exercised an option in the agreement to acquire KMCI-TV. The $14.6 million purchase closed in 2000 after regulatory changes allowed the formation of a legal television duopoly with KSHB-TV. KSHB began producing a 9 p.m. newscast for KMCI-TV in 2000, positioning the station as an alternative to WDAF-TV's established late-evening local newscast. That program ended in 2003. The station also briefly used a sports-talk identity, 38 Sports Spot, which ran from 2003 through 2008. In 2002, the station dropped the Family Greats name and temporarily emphasized its channel number. In July 2003, it adopted the 38 The Spot brand, coinciding with the relocation of its transmitter from near Lawrence toward Kansas City. The new identity helped align the licensed station with its primary metropolitan audience. KMCI-TV subsequently carried a mixture of syndicated entertainment, KSHB-produced news, sports, and community programming. The station's sports portfolio has changed repeatedly. It carried Kansas City Royals games for part of the 2000s and previously aired matches involving the local soccer club when it was known as the Kansas City Wiz. In 2013, KMCI-TV and KSHB-TV announced a deal with Sporting Kansas City for up to 26 regular-season matches and related programs beginning in 2014. Those games moved to Fox Sports Kansas City in 2017, returned to KMCI-TV for 2022, and then left the local-station model when MLS began its national Apple arrangement in 2023. In 2018, KMCI-TV reached an agreement with the University of Kansas to carry selected early-season football and basketball events and other sports. In 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs named KMCI-TV and KSHB-TV official broadcast partners, providing access to preseason contests and team-related programming. During the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures in 2020, KMCI-TV worked with Kansas City Public Schools to air KCPS Homeroom, a daily educational program produced by the district. Beginning with the 2022 season, the station became a local broadcast partner of the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League. Selected Current games later received national distribution on Ion Television and were simulcast by KMCI-TV. In 2024, the station added selected University of Missouri–Kansas City basketball games and continued carrying Kansas City Comets matches. KMCI-TV completed the U.S. digital television transition in 2009, moving its post-transition digital operation to UHF channel 41 before a 2019 FCC repack moved it to channel 25. On August 24, 2021, it began ATSC 3.0 broadcasting. Its NextGen signal hosts the principal services of KSHB-TV and WDAF-TV, while those stations carry KMCI-TV's services through ATSC 1.0 arrangements. The station remains an active independent outlet owned by The E. W. Scripps Company and operated in close partnership with KSHB-TV.
- 2021
ATSC 3.0 launch
[1]KMCI-TV begins NextGen TV broadcasting and hosts services from other Kansas City stations.
- 2019
Digital channel changes after FCC repack
[1]The station moves its digital transmission to UHF channel 25 as part of the nationwide spectrum repack.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]KMCI-TV shuts down its analog UHF signal during the national digital television transition.
- 2003
The Spot brand is introduced
[1]The station adopts 38 The Spot as its primary identity and moves its transmitter toward Kansas City.
- 2000
Scripps acquires the station
[1]Scripps purchases KMCI-TV for $14.6 million and forms a duopoly with KSHB-TV.
- 1996
Scripps takes over programming
[1]A local marketing agreement with Scripps leads to the 38 Family Greats general-entertainment relaunch.
- 1988
KMCI-TV begins broadcasting
[1]The station signs on February 1 with a schedule dominated by Home Shopping Network programming.
- 1984
Miller Broadcasting receives construction permit
[1]Settlements and an acquisition involving competing applicants clear the way for Miller Broadcasting's permit.
- 1982
FCC assigns channel 38 to Lawrence
[1]The FCC assigns UHF channel 38 to Lawrence, Kansas, beginning the licensing process that leads to KMCI-TV.
Products and positioning
A Kansas City-area independent broadcast station combining local news extensions, sports rights, syndicated entertainment, community programming, and NextGen TV technology under The Spot brand.
Independent television station brand · 2003
The Spot
The Spot is KMCI-TV's principal on-air identity. The brand represents a broad independent schedule rather than a single network affiliation, combining syndicated entertainment, local news extensions, sports, community programming, and selected special events for viewers in the Kansas City market.
Local television news · 2000
KSHB-produced local news
KMCI-TV carries selected newscasts produced by sister station KSHB-TV. The schedule has included a morning extension after NBC's Today and a weekday noon newscast, allowing Scripps to distribute local reporting across its Kansas City duopoly.
Sports broadcasting · 1997
Kansas City sports programming
The station's sports offering has included selected professional, collegiate, and local-club events. Partnerships and rights have involved Sporting Kansas City, the Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Current, University of Kansas athletics, University of Missouri–Kansas City basketball, and the Kansas City Comets.
Digital television transmission · 2021
ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV service
Since 2021, KMCI-TV has operated as a Kansas City ATSC 3.0 transmitter. Its NextGen facility carries the primary services of KSHB-TV and WDAF-TV, while those stations provide KMCI-TV's services through ATSC 1.0 hosting arrangements.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020KCPS Homeroom
Kansas City
KMCI-TV partnered with Kansas City Public Schools during pandemic-related school closures to air a daily educational program produced by the district for its students.
Outcome. The program provided a television distribution channel for district-created instructional content during disrupted in-person schooling.
Brand decisions
2021
Convert to ATSC 3.0Generation changeBackground
Broadcasters in the Kansas City market were deploying NextGen TV while maintaining conventional ATSC 1.0 service through shared arrangements.
Action taken
KMCI-TV converted its transmitter to ATSC 3.0 and began hosting services from KSHB-TV and WDAF-TV.
Aftermath
The station became one of the market's two ATSC 3.0 transmitters while its own programming remained available through ATSC 1.0 partner facilities.
2003
Adopt the 38 The Spot identityStrategyBackground
The station had moved away from the Family Greats positioning and was relocating its transmitter closer to Kansas City.
Action taken
KMCI-TV introduced the 38 The Spot brand and aligned its identity more directly with the metropolitan market.
Aftermath
The Spot became the station's enduring consumer brand and was later used as a broader identity within parts of Scripps's independent-station portfolio.
2000
Acquire KMCI-TV outrightM&ABackground
Scripps had an acquisition option under its 1996 operating agreement, and regulatory changes permitted the company to own KMCI-TV alongside KSHB-TV.
Action taken
Scripps purchased KMCI-TV for $14.6 million.
Aftermath
The transaction created a Kansas City television duopoly and enabled shared facilities, news production, technology, and programming resources.
Purchase price. $14.6 million (2000 acquisition)
1996
Relaunch as 38 Family GreatsStrategyBackground
Following a contract dispute with HSN, Miller Broadcasting needed a new source of programming and operating expertise.
Action taken
Scripps began managing KMCI-TV under a local marketing agreement, replacing most home-shopping content with family-oriented general entertainment.
Aftermath
The agreement integrated KMCI-TV more closely with KSHB-TV and established the operating relationship that led to Scripps ownership.
1987
Adopt a home-shopping launch formatStrategyBackground
Miller Broadcasting faced the cost and competitive risks associated with launching a new conventional independent station in the Kansas City market.
Action taken
The station affiliated with Home Shopping Network and began with a schedule primarily devoted to home-shopping programming.
Aftermath
The low-cost format enabled the station to launch but contributed to cable-carriage difficulties and was later displaced by a broader entertainment schedule.
Sources2 sources
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