WKYT-TV
A Gray Media television station serving Lexington, Kentucky, affiliated with CBS and The CW.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WKYT-TV is a television station serving Lexington, Kentucky, and the surrounding Central Kentucky region. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 27 and is affiliated with CBS on its primary service and The CW through a digital subchannel. Its studios and transmitter facilities are located on Winchester Road, near Interstate 75, on the eastern side of Lexington. WKYT is owned by Gray Media, which also owns WYMT-TV in Hazard, a separate station serving Eastern Kentucky. The station’s origins date to an unused construction authorization for UHF channel 27. Lexington radio station WLAP received approval to build the station in 1953, but postponed construction after concluding that UHF television faced significant technical and economic difficulties. Following WLAP’s sale, the permit was acquired by Community Broadcasting Company. The station began commercial operation in September 1957 as WKXP-TV, initially operating as an independent station with a schedule heavily reliant on syndicated and film programming. A sale to Radio Cincinnati, associated with Hulbert Taft’s broadcasting interests, followed soon afterward. In 1958 the station adopted the WKYT call letters and obtained a CBS affiliation. The station became part of the broader Taft Broadcasting organization in 1959. Taft moved WKYT to ABC in 1961 as part of a group affiliation strategy, but the station returned to CBS after Kentucky Central Television acquired it in 1967. That CBS affiliation has remained central to WKYT’s identity. Kentucky Central invested in facilities, transmission power, and local programming. A new studio and a high-power tower were developed near Winchester Road in the late 1960s. Under general manager Ralph Gabbard, who rose from sales management to station leadership, WKYT built a strong local-news operation and developed a close association with University of Kentucky Wildcats sports programming. The station became a long-running ratings leader in Lexington television news, particularly across the rural areas surrounding the city. In 1985, Kentucky Central acquired struggling Hazard station WKYH-TV and relaunched it as WYMT-TV. WYMT operated as a complementary CBS station with its own local news and programming, extending the group’s reach into Eastern Kentucky while giving WKYT a larger regional presence. Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company experienced severe financial problems and was taken over by Kentucky’s insurance regulator in 1993. The company’s broadcasting assets were placed on the market, and Gray Communications Systems won the bidding for WKYT and WYMT. The transaction, valued at $38 million, was completed in 1994. Gray later became Gray Television and is now Gray Media. WKYT expanded its digital services during the 2000s. In 2004, its second digital subchannel took over the Lexington UPN affiliation from a low-power station. When UPN and The WB merged, that service became a CW affiliate in 2006; WKYT began transmitting the CW service in high definition in 2007. The station has also expanded its local-news schedule, added weekend morning broadcasts and a 4 p.m. newscast, and produced news programming for Fox affiliate WDKY-TV under a commercial arrangement that ended in 2022. Today, WKYT combines CBS network programming, CW programming, local news, weather, sports, public-affairs and lifestyle content with digital distribution. It competes primarily with WLEX-TV and WTVQ-DT in the Lexington market. Its brand remains particularly associated with Kentucky news coverage, severe-weather reporting, high-school sports, University of Kentucky athletics-related programming and service to communities outside Lexington.
History
WKYT-TV’s history began with Lexington’s allocation of UHF channel 27. WLAP, a local radio station, applied to build a television outlet in 1952 and received the construction authorization in 1953. The company then suspended the project, citing doubts about the economics and reach of UHF broadcasting. When WLAP was sold in 1956, the unused permit passed to Community Broadcasting Company, which completed construction. The station began commercial operation on September 30, 1957, as WKXP-TV. It initially had no network affiliation and filled much of its schedule with film and syndicated programming. Ownership discussions soon followed. Radio Cincinnati, connected with Hulbert Taft’s broadcasting interests, acquired the television station, changed its call letters to WKYT in June 1958 and arranged a CBS affiliation. Taft consolidated its television properties under Taft Broadcasting in 1959. In 1961, Taft shifted WKYT to ABC as part of a group-wide affiliation strategy. The period also included local entertainment and news programming, including appearances by Nick Clooney. Kentucky Central Television acquired WKYT in 1967 for $2.5 million. The new owner returned the station to CBS in 1968 and invested in a new Winchester Road facility and a powerful transmission system. The station occupied the new building in 1969. Management under Ralph Gabbard was especially important to WKYT’s development. Gabbard joined as sales manager in 1970 and became general manager in 1974. He emphasized local news, aggressive sports rights acquisition and programming connected with the University of Kentucky Wildcats. By the middle of the 1970s, WKYT had established a leading position in Lexington news ratings and retained that position for many years. Kentucky Central broadened its regional footprint in 1985 by purchasing WKYH-TV in Hazard and relaunching it as WYMT-TV. The new station provided improved technical service and local news for Eastern Kentucky while complementing WKYT’s Lexington operation. WKYT also entered into local programming arrangements, including a long-running agreement to produce a 10 p.m. newscast for WDKY-TV beginning in 1995. Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company’s financial difficulties led to state regulatory intervention in 1993. Its broadcasting properties were among the company’s most valuable assets and were sold separately from the troubled insurance operations. Gray Communications Systems prevailed in the bidding for WKYT and WYMT, and the sale closed in 1994. Gabbard subsequently led Gray’s television division until his death in 1996. Digital broadcasting created new opportunities for the station. In 2004, WKYT placed UPN programming on a full-power digital subchannel. That service became affiliated with The CW after the UPN–WB combination in 2006, and WKYT upgraded the CW feed to high definition in 2007. The station later expanded local news with weekend morning broadcasts in 2012 and a 4 p.m. hour in 2013. Competition from WLEX-TV intensified, especially in Lexington proper, while WKYT continued to perform strongly in the broader rural market. The station refreshed its branding during this period, moving away from the long-used 27 NewsFirst identity toward WKYT News. WKYT remains an active CBS affiliate owned by Gray Media. Its operations include local newscasts, weather, sports, public affairs, lifestyle content, digital publishing and a CW multicast service. Its regional relationship with WYMT gives Gray a significant television presence across much of Kentucky, although the two stations maintain separate local news operations and programming inventories.
- 2013
4 p.m. newscast added
[1]WKYT introduced a new 4 p.m. local-news hour.
- 2012
Weekend morning news expands
[1]The station added weekend morning newscasts as part of a broader expansion of local programming.
- 2007
CW service upgraded to high definition
[1]WKYT began transmitting both its primary and CW services in high definition.
- 2006
CW digital service launches
[1]WKYT’s former UPN digital subchannel became a CW affiliate.
- 1994
Gray ownership begins
[1]Gray Communications Systems completed the acquisition of WKYT and WYMT after Kentucky Central’s regulatory takeover.
- 1985
WYMT-TV created
[1]A former Hazard station was rebuilt and relaunched as WYMT-TV, complementing WKYT’s regional CBS coverage.
- 1968
Return to CBS
[1]Under Kentucky Central ownership, WKYT returned to CBS and began developing new facilities.
- 1967
Kentucky Central purchase
[1]Kentucky Central Television acquired WKYT for $2.5 million.
- 1961
ABC affiliation begins
[1]Taft transferred WKYT from CBS to ABC as part of a wider affiliation agreement.
- 1958
Call letters and CBS affiliation change
[1]The station became WKYT and joined CBS under ownership associated with Taft Broadcasting.
Products and positioning
A locally focused, news-led CBS affiliate with a regional Central and Eastern Kentucky identity, supplemented by a CW digital service and community-oriented programming.
Broadcast television · 1958
WKYT CBS service
WKYT’s primary broadcast service carries CBS network programming together with locally produced news, weather, sports and public-affairs content for Lexington and Central Kentucky.
Digital multicast television · 2006
WKYT CW
The station’s secondary digital service carries The CW and related syndicated programming for the Lexington market. It originated as a UPN service in 2004 and became a CW affiliate in 2006.
Local news
WKYT News
WKYT’s local-news operation provides regularly scheduled reporting, weather, breaking-news coverage and community stories, with a regional emphasis extending beyond Lexington into surrounding Kentucky counties.
Public affairs
Kentucky Newsmakers
A weekly interview and public-affairs program focused on Kentucky politics, public policy, institutions and community issues.
Lifestyle programming
Everyday Kentucky
A weekday locally produced lifestyle program covering people, events, food, services and community topics in Kentucky.
Brand decisions
2022
End of WDKY news-production agreementStrategyBackground
WKYT had produced WDKY’s 10 p.m. newscast since 1995 and its weekday morning newscast since 2007.
Action taken
After Nexstar acquired WDKY, WDKY ended the arrangement and chose to staff its own newsroom.
Aftermath
WKYT no longer produced WDKY’s local news programming, ending a relationship that had lasted more than two decades.
2012
Expansion of local-news scheduleStrategyBackground
WKYT faced renewed competition from WLEX-TV after decades of strong news performance.
Action taken
The station added weekend morning newscasts and subsequently introduced a 4 p.m. news hour.
Aftermath
WKYT continued to expand local coverage while refreshing its branding and competing for viewers in both Lexington and surrounding rural areas.
2006
Conversion of the second digital service to The CWStrategyBackground
The formation of The CW combined the programming operations of UPN and The WB.
Action taken
WKYT converted its secondary digital service from UPN to The CW.
Aftermath
The station retained a second network service and upgraded the CW feed to high definition the following year.
2004
Launch of UPN digital subchannelProduct launchBackground
UPN programming had previously been available in Lexington through a low-power station, while digital multicast was becoming a new way for full-power stations to add network services.
Action taken
WKYT placed UPN programming on its second digital subchannel, giving the network a full-power digital outlet in the market.
Aftermath
The service later became Lexington’s CW affiliate following the merger of UPN and The WB.
Recent events
- 2022
WKYT ends news production for WDKY-TV[1]
Leadership change
After Nexstar acquired WDKY, the Fox affiliate chose to develop its own newsroom rather than continue the news-production relationship with WKYT.
- 2006
WKYT’s second service becomes a CW affiliate[1]
Product launch
Following the merger of UPN and The WB, WKYT’s digital subchannel became Lexington’s CW service.
- 2004
WKYT adds a UPN digital subchannel[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The station moved UPN programming from a low-power outlet to its second digital subchannel.
- 1994
Gray acquires WKYT-TV and WYMT-TV[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
Following Kentucky Central’s financial collapse and regulatory takeover, Gray Communications Systems completed its purchase of the two television stations.
- 1985
WYMT-TV launches as a complementary Eastern Kentucky station[1]
Product launch · M&A
Kentucky Central relaunched a former Hazard station as WYMT-TV, extending the group’s CBS service and local news coverage into Eastern Kentucky.
- 1967
Kentucky Central acquires WKYT-TV[1]
M&A · Other
Kentucky Central Television purchased the station, which returned to CBS after the change in ownership.
- 1961
WKYT switches from CBS to ABC[1]
Other
Taft moved WKYT to ABC as part of a broader group affiliation change.
- 1958
WKXP-TV becomes WKYT and joins CBS[1]
Other · Leadership change
After its acquisition by interests associated with Taft Broadcasting, the station changed its call letters to WKYT and secured CBS affiliation.
- 1957
WKYT-TV begins commercial broadcasting as WKXP-TV[1]
Other
The Lexington channel 27 facility began commercial operation as an independent station before obtaining a network affiliation.
Sources3 sources
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