KVCW
A Las Vegas television station affiliated with The CW and MyNetworkTV, owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KVCW is a full-power television station serving Las Vegas, Nevada, and the surrounding Southern Nevada market. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 33 and is associated primarily with The CW, while also carrying MyNetworkTV programming through its station operation and digital services. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and operates alongside NBC affiliate KSNV. The stations share facilities on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas, while KVCW's transmitter is located on a peak in Black Mountain Regional Park near Henderson. The station began as KFBT after the Federal Communications Commission authorized construction of a new UHF channel 33 service in 1987. It went on the air in July 1989 and was formally licensed the following month. During its early years, KFBT was an independent station with a notably local programming identity. The station aired syndicated movies, sitcoms, dramatic series, religious programming, professional wrestling, and locally distinctive features. One of its best-known productions was Saturday Fright at the Movies, a late-night horror-film showcase hosted by Count Cool Rider, a persona performed by Danny Koker II, whose family owned the station at the time. The Koker family acquired the station in 1990. Under that ownership, KFBT developed a stronger local personality and became a charter affiliate of The WB when that network launched in January 1995. In 1997, the family agreed to sell the station to Montecito Broadcasting Corporation. The transaction closed in February 1998, and Sinclair Broadcast Group soon moved to acquire Montecito. Sinclair initially shifted The WB affiliation to another station, leaving KFBT independent and prompting a rebranding as Gold 33. The station then relied largely on syndicated entertainment programming until its later network realignment. The creation of The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006 reshaped KVCW's role in the market. Sinclair selected the former KFBT to become Las Vegas's CW affiliate and changed its call sign to KVCW in June 2006. The station briefly carried the final programs of The WB before joining The CW at the network's launch in September 2006. A related Sinclair station, KVMY, carried MyNetworkTV, and KVCW and KVMY operated as a duopoly for several years. KVCW's relationship with the broader Sinclair station group changed again after Sinclair acquired KSNV from Intermountain West Communications in 2014. To comply with federal ownership limits, Sinclair reorganized the licenses and programming of its Las Vegas stations. KVMY's programming moved to KVCW's second digital subchannel, while programming associated with KSNV was placed on the KVMY license. KVCW consequently became part of a complex Las Vegas television grouping involving CW, MyNetworkTV, and NBC services. The station has also carried locally produced and partner-produced news. Earlier news efforts included a Sinclair News Central operation and later a news-sharing arrangement with KVBC, now KSNV. KSNV relaunched morning and late-evening newscasts on KVCW in 2015 under the brands Wake Up with The CW Las Vegas and The CW Las Vegas News at Ten. KVCW has additionally carried selected local sports programming, including Henderson Silver Knights hockey and Las Vegas Aces WNBA games for limited periods. KVCW has been notable for its transition to next-generation digital broadcasting. It completed its full-power digital facilities in 2007, selected UHF channel 29 as its post-transition physical channel, and retained virtual channel 33. On May 26, 2020, it became one of the earliest stations in the United States, and the first in the Western United States, to discontinue ATSC 1.0 broadcasts and begin operating as an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station. Its present identity is therefore defined by a combination of CW entertainment programming, MyNetworkTV-related digital services, local news and sports partnerships, Sinclair ownership, and early adoption of advanced broadcast technology.
History
The FCC issued an original construction permit on April 22, 1987, for a new full-power UHF station on channel 33 serving Las Vegas. The permit was held by 4-A Communications, controlled by Lawrence and Teri DePaulis. The licensee became Channel 33, Inc. later that year. The station began operating as KFBT under program test authority on July 30, 1989, and received its license approximately one month later. Its initial transmitter was in the McCullough Range southwest of Henderson. On July 20, 1990, a family ownership group led by Daniel Koker purchased Channel 33, Inc. KFBT operated as an independent station and cultivated a locally flavored schedule built around older films, sitcoms, dramas, religious programs, and professional wrestling. Its locally produced Saturday Fright at the Movies became a distinctive feature. The program was hosted by Count Cool Rider, a character portrayed by Danny Koker II, the son of the station president and one of its owners. KFBT joined The WB as a charter affiliate when the network began on January 11, 1995. The Koker family sold Channel 33, Inc. to Montecito Broadcasting Corporation in a transaction announced in December 1997 and completed in February 1998. Montecito entered an agreement to be acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group immediately after closing. Sinclair moved The WB affiliation to another Las Vegas station in March 1998, leaving KFBT independent. The station adopted the Gold 33 identity and emphasized newer syndicated programming. Sinclair completed its acquisition of Montecito and Channel 33, Inc. in February 2000, creating a Las Vegas duopoly involving KFBT and the former WB station. The impending closure of The WB and UPN in 2006 led to a major affiliation realignment. CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. announced The CW in January 2006, while News Corporation announced MyNetworkTV the following month. Sinclair chose to place MyNetworkTV on its other Las Vegas station and negotiated for KFBT to receive The CW affiliation. KFBT adopted the KVCW call letters on June 19, 2006. It temporarily aired the final two weeks of The WB before becoming a CW affiliate on September 18, 2006. Sinclair and Fox later negotiated an option under which Fox could acquire KVCW and KVMY along with stations in several other markets. The option expired without Fox purchasing the stations. In 2014, Sinclair acquired KSNV from Intermountain West Communications. Because Sinclair already controlled multiple Las Vegas stations, it reorganized licenses and programming to address FCC ownership limits. KVMY programming moved to KVCW's second digital subchannel, and KSNV programming began being simulcast on the KVMY license. KVCW's local-news history includes an early Sinclair News Central operation shared with the related Las Vegas station. The centralized news operation supplied national and international reports, weather, sports material, and editorial commentary, while local segments originated in Las Vegas. That operation closed in March 2006. A later partnership with KVBC produced a 10 p.m. newscast, which moved to KVCW after an affiliation change but ended in 2009. KSNV revived KVCW newscasts in 2015 with morning and late-evening broadcasts. The station has periodically expanded its local relevance through sports. It partnered with the Henderson Silver Knights to air selected home games beginning with the team's inaugural 2020–21 season, and it carried a package of Las Vegas Aces games during the 2021 WNBA season through MyLVTV. KVCW also completed a major technical transition. After receiving digital construction approvals and operating a temporary low-power digital facility, it completed full-power digital construction in January 2007 and received a license in March of that year. It selected channel 29 as its post-transition physical channel while retaining virtual channel 33. On May 26, 2020, KVCW became an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station, ending its ATSC 1.0 transmission and joining the earliest group of U.S. broadcasters to adopt the newer standard.
- 2021
Expanded local sports programming
[1]The station aired selected Henderson Silver Knights hockey games and a package of Las Vegas Aces WNBA games.
- 2020
ATSC 3.0 launch
[1]KVCW discontinued ATSC 1.0 broadcasting and began operating as an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station.
- 2015
Local newscasts returned
[1]KSNV relaunched morning and 10 p.m. news programs on KVCW.
- 2014
Became part of Sinclair's expanded Las Vegas station group
[1]Sinclair's acquisition of KSNV prompted a reallocation of licenses and programming among its Las Vegas stations.
- 2007
Completed full-power digital facilities
[1]KVCW completed construction of its full-power digital facilities and received its digital license.
- 2006
Adopted KVCW call letters and joined The CW
[1]The station changed its call sign from KFBT to KVCW in June and became a CW affiliate in September.
- 1998
Sinclair acquisition process began
[1]Montecito completed its acquisition of the station and immediately entered an agreement leading to Sinclair's purchase.
- 1995
Joined The WB
[1]KFBT became a charter affiliate of The WB at the network's launch.
- 1990
Koker family acquired the station
[1]A family ownership group headed by Daniel Koker purchased Channel 33, Inc.
- 1989
KFBT began broadcasting
[1]The station began operation under program test authority on July 30 and received its license the following month.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Las Vegas broadcast station combining CW network entertainment, MyNetworkTV-related programming, local news partnerships, sports coverage, and advanced over-the-air digital transmission.
Network-affiliated television programming · 2006
CW Las Vegas
KVCW's principal broadcast identity is its affiliation with The CW. The service carries the network's scripted entertainment, unscripted programming, specials, and other scheduled content for viewers in the Las Vegas market. The affiliation began in September 2006 after the station changed its call letters from KFBT to KVCW.
Television news · 2015
Local news programming
KVCW has carried local news through arrangements with related Las Vegas stations. Current-era programming introduced in 2015 included the morning program Wake Up with The CW Las Vegas and the half-hour CW Las Vegas News at Ten, produced through the station's relationship with KSNV.
Digital television · 2014
Digital multicast services
KVCW's digital operation has carried additional services associated with Sinclair's Las Vegas station group. Following the 2014 station reorganization, programming formerly associated with KVMY moved to KVCW's second digital subchannel.
Sports television · 2021
Local sports broadcasts
The station has used broadcast partnerships to present selected Southern Nevada sports events. Its documented arrangements included Henderson Silver Knights home games during the team's inaugural seasons and a 2021 package of Las Vegas Aces WNBA games through MyLVTV.
Broadcast technology · 2020
ATSC 3.0 transmission
Since May 2020, KVCW has operated as an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station. The transition replaced its ATSC 1.0 transmission and made the station an early adopter of next-generation over-the-air television technology.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Henderson Silver Knights broadcast partnership
Southern Nevada
KVCW partnered with the Henderson Silver Knights to televise ten home games during the team's inaugural season. The relationship continued into the 2021–22 season.
Outcome. The partnership continued for a subsequent season, although the available reference does not establish its longer-term status.
- 2021Las Vegas Aces local television package
Las Vegas · Southern Nevada
MyLVTV announced a partnership to televise 25 Las Vegas Aces games during the 2021 WNBA season.
Outcome. The Aces later moved their broadcasts to KVVU-TV.
Brand decisions
2020
Moved to ATSC 3.0 broadcastingGeneration changeBackground
KVCW had completed its full-power digital facilities and was positioned to adopt the newer next-generation television transmission standard.
Action taken
The station discontinued ATSC 1.0 broadcasts and began operating as an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station.
Aftermath
KVCW became one of the earliest U.S. stations to make the transition and the first identified station in the Western United States to do so.
2014
Reorganized programming after Sinclair acquired KSNVM&ABackground
Sinclair already controlled KVCW and KVMY when it announced the acquisition of NBC affiliate KSNV, creating ownership-limit concerns.
Action taken
The company shifted KVMY programming to KVCW's second digital subchannel and placed KSNV programming on the KVMY license.
Aftermath
The reorganization allowed Sinclair to control a large share of Las Vegas television programming while complying with applicable FCC ownership restrictions.
Purchase price for KSNV. $120 million (Announced September 2014)
2006
Adopted The CW affiliationStrategyBackground
The announced shutdown of The WB and UPN created a new affiliation market involving The CW and MyNetworkTV.
Action taken
Sinclair selected KFBT for The CW and changed its call letters to KVCW. The station carried the final two weeks of The WB before switching to The CW.
Aftermath
KVCW became the principal CW outlet in the Las Vegas market, while a related Sinclair station carried MyNetworkTV.
Recent events
- 2021
KVCW partnered with the Henderson Silver Knights[1]
Campaign · Other
KVCW agreed to televise ten Henderson Silver Knights home games during the team's inaugural season. The arrangement continued into the 2021–22 season.
- 2021
KVCW carried selected Las Vegas Aces games[1]
Campaign · Other
The Las Vegas Aces announced an arrangement with MyLVTV, associated with KVCW's station operation, to televise 25 games during the 2021 WNBA season. The team later moved its broadcasts to KVVU-TV.
- 2020
KVCW became an ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station[1]
Product generation
KVCW discontinued its ATSC 1.0 transmission and began broadcasting using ATSC 3.0. It was described as one of the first stations in the United States and the first in the Western United States to make the transition.
- 2015
KVCW relaunched local morning and late-evening newscasts[1]
Product launch
KVCW began carrying KSNV-produced local news programming, including a two-hour morning broadcast and a half-hour 10 p.m. newscast.
- 2014
KVCW became part of Sinclair's Las Vegas station reorganization[1]
M&A
Following Sinclair's acquisition of KSNV, programming and licenses were reorganized to meet federal ownership requirements. KVMY programming moved to KVCW's second digital subchannel, while KSNV programming was simulcast through the KVMY license.
- 2013
Fox declined option to acquire KVCW and related Sinclair stations[1]
M&A
A previously negotiated option gave Fox's parent company the possibility of acquiring KVCW, KVMY, and stations in other markets. Fox ultimately chose not to exercise the option.
- 2006
KVCW selected for The CW affiliation[1]
Other
Sinclair announced that KFBT would become the Las Vegas affiliate of the newly created CW network. The station changed its call letters to KVCW in anticipation of the affiliation and briefly carried the final programming of The WB before joining The CW.
Sources2 sources
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