KCRG-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KCRG-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Your 24 Hour News and Weather Source
station_branding = KCRG TV9
analog = 9 (VHF)
digital = 52 (UHF) returning to 9 in 2009
digital_temporary = 52 (UHF)
other_chs =
subchannels = 9.1 ABC-HD 9.2 "Local 9.2"
network =
founded =
airdate = October 15, 1953
location = Cedar Rapids, Iowa
callsign_meaning = Cedar
Rapids
Gazette
(from its owner)
former_callsigns = KCRI-TV (1953-1954)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Gazette Communications, Inc.
licensee = Cedar Rapids Television Company
sister_stations =
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
350 kW (digital)
18 kW (after 2009)
HAAT = 607 m (analog)
582 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 9719
coordinates = coord|42|18|58.4|N|91|51|31.1|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.kcrg.com/ www.kcrg.com]

KCRG-TV is a television station based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The station broadcasts on channel 9, and is the primary ABC affiliate for the northeast quarter of the state of Iowa, as well as the southwest corner of Wisconsin and the northwest corner of Illinois. Its transmitter is located in Walker, Iowa. The station also has satellite newsrooms in Iowa City and Dubuque.

History

During the late 1940s, the "Cedar Rapids Gazette", previous owners of KCRG-AM 1600, filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for a TV station license. At the time, the FCC had a backlog of over 200 applications, and had decided not to proceed with action on further applications until the backlogged requests could be filled.

After the backlog was taken care of, many applications were filed for licenses. The Gazette Company didn't want to compete for a license, and decided to withdraw the initial application. It joined with a number of other investors as Cedar Rapids Television Company (CRTV), which was granted a license for channel 9. The station signed on in 1953.

Initially, the station was known as KCRI because the other investors didn't want to have the new television station so closely identified with the "Gazette". The radio station also took the KCRI calls because one of the television station's managers suggested that every mention of "KCRG" on air was a promotion for the newspaper--one for which the "Gazette" would have to pay each time. After about a year of operation, the "Gazette" bought out the remaining investors in CRTV, and the station was renamed KCRG-TV.

Since that time the station has remained under the ownership of Gazette Communications. After the 1996 sale of WHO-TV in Des Moines, KCRG-TV has been the only locally owned and operated television station left in Iowa.

KCRG started broadcasting in high definition television in January 2003. They also had the first news helicopter, "NewsCopter 9," in Iowa. KCRG has a digital subchannel called "Local 9.2" at channel 9.2, which has a wheel of local news, weather and features on part of the screen. The remainder of the screen has a news ticker, current weather conditions, rotating weather images and program listings. This channel can also be seen on Mediacom channel 109 by digital cable subscribers in the Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Dubuque-Iowa City DMA.

KCRG aired wall-to-wall coverage of the Great Iowa Flood of 2008 from June 11 to 15, pre-empting syndicated and network programming, including ABC's coverage of Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals. The game was moved to Local 9.2. The station continues to operate out of its downtown studios despite the nearby flooding.

Personalities and programming

Current news personalities (as of August 2008) include:
* Bruce Aune, Weekday Evening News Anchor
* Beth Malicki, Weekday Evening News Anchor
* Chris Earl, Morning and Midday News Anchor, Reporter
* Ashley Hinson, Morning and Midday News Anchor, Reporter
* John Campbell, Sports Director, Weekday Evening Newscasts
* Scott Saville, Weekend Sports News Anchor
* John Sears, Sports Reporter
* Joe Winters, Chief Meteorologist, Weekday Evening Newscasts
* Lance Ryan, Meteorologist, Morning and Midday Newscasts
* Josh Baynes, Meteorologist Weekend Evening Newscasts
* Kaj O'Mara, Meteorologist, Weekend Morning Newscasts
* Josh Hinkle, Weekday Reporter/Weekend Morning News Anchor
* Claire Kellett, Reporter/Weekend Evening News Anchor
* Jami Brinton, Weekday Reporter - Iowa City
* Katie Wiedemann, Weekday Reporter - Dubuque
* Sara Stewart, Weekday Reporter
* Justin Foss, Weekday Reporter
* Mark Geary, Weekday Reporter
* Dave Franzman, Weekday Reporter

John Campbell and reporter Dave Franzman have also been with the station since the 1970s. Aune started anchoring at KCRG in 1986.

Meteorologist Denny Frary was the station's longest-running on-air personality, working on KCRG from 1974 until he retired on November 17, 2006. Upon Frary's retirement, several pieces aired with friends and associates sharing a few words on Frary, and a roast ceremony was held the night prior to his retirement.

Syndicated programs on KCRG's schedule include "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "Inside Edition", "Live with Regis and Kelly", "The Rachael Ray Show", and reruns of "According to Jim".

Digital Television

In 2009, KCRG-TV will remain on channel 9 when the analog to digital conversion is complete.http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf]

References

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20031019140536/http://www.kcrg.com/article50.aspx?art_id=68205 History Article] from the KCRG web site. Date Accessed: July 29, 2005. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Cedar Rapids Television Company.
* Stein, Jeff, "Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting" (ISBN 0-9718323-1-5). Cedar Rapids, Iowa: WDG Communications, 2004.

External links

* [http://www.kcrg.com/ The KCRG-TV Website]
*TVQ|KCRG-TV
*BIA|KCRG|TV|TV