KTNV-TV
KTNV-TV is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Las Vegas market from Southern Nevada.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KTNV-TV is a full-power television station serving Las Vegas and surrounding communities in Southern Nevada. Broadcasting on virtual and digital channel 13, the station is affiliated with the ABC television network and is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company. Its studios are located on South Valley View Boulevard in the nearby unincorporated community of Paradise, while its transmitter operates from Mount Arden in Henderson. The station began broadcasting on May 4, 1956, as KSHO-TV, becoming the third television station to operate in Southern Nevada. It was established by Moritz Zenoff, a local newspaper and radio proprietor, and initially operated as an independent station. Its early business model was unusually low-cost: the station broadcast around the clock using repeating blocks of movies, with only brief local news updates and inexpensive local advertising. This approach allowed the station to begin operations with a modest technical workforce and limited capital compared with many contemporary television launches. KSHO-TV joined ABC in December 1957. The affiliation gave it access to a major national network, but the station continued to face financial and ownership instability. Its licensee, Television Company of America, experienced repeated stock transfers and ownership changes before entering bankruptcy proceedings in 1961. The Federal Communications Commission subsequently investigated whether control of the station had been transferred without authorization and whether ownership information had been misrepresented. In 1965, the FCC denied renewal of the station's license, an unusually severe action for a television broadcaster at the time. Court challenges continued until the commission's decision was ultimately left in force. The station continued operating under interim authority while several applicants competed for permanent control. Talmac, Inc. received the permanent operating authority in 1969, and Arthur Powell Williams acquired the station in a transaction approved in 1972. In 1979, The Journal Company purchased the outlet. Journal undertook a broad modernization program, including investments in news production, mobile reporting equipment, transmission facilities, and station branding. The call letters changed from KSHO-TV to KTNV-TV on March 2, 1980, creating the identity the station uses today. KTNV later became the first Las Vegas-area station to broadcast in stereo, in 1985. Local news has remained central to KTNV's identity. The station has repeatedly adjusted its newscast schedules, branding, staffing, and formats in attempts to improve its position in a competitive Las Vegas market. Although it briefly reached second place after Journal's relaunch, it has generally faced competition from KLAS-TV, KVVU-TV, and other local broadcasters and has often remained in third place in news ratings. Its programming history includes the morning newscast Good Morning Las Vegas, the News 13: Inside Las Vegas identity, the Action News brand, and the lifestyle program The Morning Blend, which debuted in 2010. The E. W. Scripps Company agreed to acquire Journal Communications in 2014, completed the transaction in April 2015, and retained KTNV among its broadcast assets. Scripps later acquired Ion Media, including Las Vegas-market station KMCC. In 2023, Scripps announced that KMCC would become an independent outlet carrying local programming, including Las Vegas Golden Knights broadcasts and newscasts produced by or associated with KTNV. KTNV also participates in the Las Vegas ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV deployment and continues to operate as a local ABC affiliate with news, weather, sports, syndicated, network, and community-oriented programming.
History
The history of channel 13 in Las Vegas began with competing applications filed in the early 1950s. A proposal from Desert Television Company, a group of local businessmen associated with radio station KRAM, was followed by an application from Western Television Company. Western withdrew, but an FCC hearing examiner initially rejected Desert Television's application because the group had not adequately demonstrated its financial qualifications. On September 28, 1955, the FCC granted Moritz Zenoff a construction permit. Zenoff owned radio and newspaper properties in Henderson and Boulder City and built the station on a highly economical basis. KSHO-TV began broadcasting on May 4, 1956, from studios in the Fremont Hotel and Casino. It used a 24-hour schedule built around four repeating six-hour movie blocks, interrupted by short evening news updates. Classified advertising and inexpensive local commercials were important components of the station's early operation. The station initially transmitted with only 250 watts and employed a small technical staff. Zenoff sold KSHO-TV and the associated KBMI radio station to Television Company of America in September 1956. During the following years, stock in the licensee changed hands several times. The station moved to the El Rancho Vegas in 1957, applied for greater power, and joined ABC on December 15 of that year. Financial difficulties persisted. A proposed sale to Rube Jolley, founder of KLAS-TV, was announced in 1959, and the FCC later approved a stock purchase by Jolley's Nevada Broadcasters Fund. The ownership structure remained complicated, and Television Company of America sought court protection against eviction from the El Rancho Vegas premises. Television Company of America entered bankruptcy proceedings in May 1961. Rather than simply approve a transfer to a court-appointed receiver, the FCC designated the license renewal and a proposed transfer to Arthur Powell Williams for a formal hearing. The commission examined a series of alleged unauthorized transfers, the role of investors who supplied operating funds, and disclosures made during stock offerings. An FCC examiner recommended against renewal in 1964, citing misleading representations and deficiencies in the station's ownership and management practices. In July 1965, the FCC denied renewal. The decision was upheld by a federal appeals court in 1966, and the Supreme Court declined to review it in 1967. KSHO-TV remained on the air under interim authority while seven applicant groups competed for permanent operating rights. A combined interim group began operating channel 13 in June 1967. The station moved to Valley View Drive studios in 1968 and began high-power broadcasting. Talmac, Inc. ultimately prevailed in a 1969 settlement among the applicants. Conflict-of-interest questions arose because one Talmac principal, Alan Abner, also served on the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Arthur Powell Williams later acquired the station from Talmac in a transaction approved in January 1972. The Journal Company bought KSHO-TV in 1979. At the time, the outlet was performing poorly in local ratings despite its ABC affiliation. Journal responded with an extensive relaunch, adding live mobile reporting equipment, improving the station's technical facilities, and revising the local news schedule and visual identity. On March 2, 1980, KSHO-TV adopted the KTNV-TV call letters. The station later moved its transmitter to Black Mountain and became the first Las Vegas-area television station to broadcast in stereo in 1985. News programming has been a continuing strategic focus. Journal shifted the principal early-evening newscast to 5:30 p.m. in 1980 to avoid a direct confrontation with the dominant 6 p.m. newscast on KLAS-TV. KTNV briefly moved into second place but generally returned to third place by the end of the decade. It introduced Good Morning Las Vegas in 1989, adopted the News 13: Inside Las Vegas identity in 1992, and underwent another news-branding revision in the early 2000s before adopting the Action News identity. The station also faced newsroom ethics controversies. In 2009, reporter Nina Radetich was recorded discussing whether her boyfriend's public-relations company could assist an automotive repair business that had received negative coverage from KTNV. In 2014, the FCC fined Journal Communications $115,000 for airing dealership liquidation features that were actually paid advertisements without proper disclosure. The latter incident was treated as a regulatory and advertising-disclosure violation. KTNV launched The Morning Blend on July 6, 2010. The lifestyle program was produced by the station's creative services department and included advertorial segments, reflecting a broader television-industry effort to combine local programming with sponsored content. In 2014, Scripps announced an all-stock acquisition of Journal Communications. The FCC approved the transaction in December 2014, shareholders approved it in March 2015, and the merger closed on April 1, 2015. Scripps retained the broadcasting assets, including KTNV. After Scripps acquired Ion Media in 2020, it also controlled KMCC in the Las Vegas market. In 2023, Scripps announced plans to make KMCC an independent station carrying Golden Knights hockey broadcasts and KTNV-produced newscasts. KTNV remains an ABC affiliate serving the Las Vegas metropolitan area, with transmission facilities at Mount Arden in Henderson and studios in Paradise.
- 2023
KMCC planned as independent partner station
[1]Scripps announced a new role for KMCC involving Golden Knights broadcasts and KTNV-produced local newscasts.
- 2015
Scripps ownership begins
[1]Scripps completed its acquisition of Journal Communications and retained KTNV as a broadcast property.
- 2010
The Morning Blend launches
[1]KTNV introduced a lifestyle and sponsored-content program produced by its creative services department.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]KTNV shut down its analog VHF signal as part of the United States digital television transition.
- 1989
Good Morning Las Vegas launches
[1]The station introduced its first morning newscast.
- 1985
Stereo broadcasting begins
[1]KTNV became the first television station in the Las Vegas area to broadcast in stereo.
- 1980
KTNV-TV identity introduced
[1]KSHO-TV changed its call letters to KTNV-TV on March 2 as part of a station relaunch.
- 1979
Journal Company acquisition
[1]The Journal Company purchased the station and began a broad technical and news operation overhaul.
- 1969
Talmac receives permanent authority
[1]A settlement among competing applicants designated Talmac, Inc. to operate channel 13 permanently.
- 1968
High-power operation begins
[1]The station moved into Valley View Drive facilities and began high-power broadcasting.
Products and positioning
A Las Vegas-focused ABC affiliate combining local news, weather, sports, lifestyle programming, and network television content.
Television news
Local newscasts
KTNV's local news operation provides reporting, weather, traffic, sports, and community coverage for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The station has used several identities over time, including News 13: Inside Las Vegas and Action News, while repeatedly adjusting schedules and formats to compete in the market.
Morning news · 1989
Good Morning Las Vegas
Introduced in 1989, Good Morning Las Vegas was KTNV's first morning newscast. It expanded the station's daily local-news presence into the early part of the broadcast day and formed part of its effort to compete for audience share in the Las Vegas market.
Lifestyle television · 2010
The Morning Blend
The Morning Blend debuted in 2010 as a lifestyle-oriented program produced by KTNV's creative services department. Its format combines local-interest features, interviews, promotional segments, and advertorial material, reflecting the hybrid programming model used by several Journal-owned stations.
Network television · 1957
ABC network programming
KTNV has carried ABC programming since December 1957. The affiliation supplies the station with national entertainment, news, daytime, and other network content alongside its locally produced programs.
Controversies
2014
Undisclosed dealership advertising
The FCC fined Journal Communications $115,000 after determining that purported special reports about automobile dealership liquidations were paid advertisements that had not been properly identified as such.
2009
Reporter and public-relations conflict controversy
Reporter Nina Radetich was recorded discussing whether her boyfriend's public-relations company could help an automotive repair business that was receiving negative coverage from KTNV. The incident raised newsroom ethics and conflict-of-interest concerns.
1963
FCC investigation into unauthorized ownership transfers
The FCC investigated complicated transfers of control involving Television Company of America, Nevada Broadcasters Fund, and other interests. The proceedings examined alleged nondisclosure and misrepresentation of ownership arrangements and ultimately contributed to the denial of the station's license renewal.
Brand decisions
2023
Develop KMCC as an independent local partnerStrategyBackground
Scripps owned both KTNV and KMCC in the Las Vegas market and acquired local broadcast rights for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Action taken
Scripps announced that KMCC would move away from Ion programming and carry Golden Knights games and KTNV-produced newscasts.
Aftermath
The plan broadened Scripps' local programming footprint while giving KTNV a related outlet for news production and sports content.
2015
Transfer ownership to ScrippsM&ABackground
Scripps sought to acquire Journal Communications in an all-stock transaction while separating the companies' newspaper assets.
Action taken
The transaction closed on April 1, 2015, with Scripps retaining KTNV among its broadcast stations.
Aftermath
KTNV became part of Scripps' national broadcast portfolio and later operated alongside Scripps-owned KMCC in the Las Vegas market.
2010
Launch The Morning BlendProduct launchBackground
Journal stations were expanding lifestyle programming and sponsored local content.
Action taken
KTNV launched The Morning Blend, produced by its creative services department.
Aftermath
The program added a lifestyle and advertorial component to KTNV's local schedule.
1980
Move the early-evening newscast to 5:30 p.m.StrategyBackground
KLAS-TV dominated the 6 p.m. viewing period, making direct competition difficult.
Action taken
Journal moved KTNV's main early-evening newscast to 5:30 p.m.
Aftermath
The move formed part of the station's effort to improve ratings and temporarily helped it reach second place.
1979
Modernize and reposition the stationStrategyBackground
KSHO-TV was performing weakly in the Las Vegas market despite its ABC affiliation.
Action taken
The Journal Company invested in technical facilities, mobile reporting, transmission infrastructure, local news, and station branding.
Aftermath
The station adopted the KTNV-TV call sign in 1980 and briefly improved its local news position, although it later generally remained behind the market leader.
1957
Join ABC as a primary affiliateStrategyBackground
KSHO-TV began as an independent station using a low-cost schedule dominated by movies and limited local news.
Action taken
The station affiliated with ABC in December 1957.
Aftermath
The affiliation connected the station to a national network, although it did not eliminate later financial and competitive difficulties.
Recent events
- 2023
KMCC planned as an independent Las Vegas station with KTNV programming[1]
Product launch
Scripps announced that KMCC would shift away from Ion programming and become an independent station carrying Las Vegas Golden Knights games and newscasts from KTNV.
- 2015
Scripps completes acquisition of Journal Communications[1]
M&A
The E. W. Scripps Company completed its acquisition of Journal Communications, bringing KTNV into the Scripps broadcast portfolio.
- 2010
KTNV launches The Morning Blend[1]
Product launch
KTNV introduced a lifestyle-oriented morning program produced by its creative services operation and containing sponsored or advertorial segments.
- 1980
KSHO-TV becomes KTNV-TV[1]
Other
The station adopted the KTNV-TV call sign as part of an overhaul of its image, facilities, transmission operations, and local news presentation.
- 1979
The Journal Company acquires KSHO-TV[1]
M&A
The Journal Company purchased the station and began a major modernization and repositioning program.
- 1957
KSHO-TV joins ABC[1]
Other
KSHO-TV became a primary ABC affiliate, adding network programming to its local broadcast operation.
- 1956
KTNV-TV begins broadcasting as KSHO-TV[1]
Other
The station signed on in Las Vegas as KSHO-TV, initially operating as an independent broadcaster with a low-cost, largely movie-based schedule.
Sources1 sources
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