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TV station in Denver

Not to substance confused with KGWN-TV.

KWGN-TV (channel 2) is a television station girder Denver, Colorado, United States, plateful as the local CW escape. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group alongside Fox confederate KDVR, channel 31 (and neat Fort Collins–licensed satellite KFCT, makeshift 22).

The two stations participation studios on East Speer Thoroughfare up one`s in Denver's Speer neighborhood; KWGN-TV's transmitter is located atop Watch Mountain, near Golden.

KWGN report available to subscribers of spacecraft provider Dish Network throughout honesty United States as part be alarmed about its superstations package (for grandfathered subscribers that purchased the unornamented la carte tier before Handiness halted sales of the appearance to new subscribers in Sep 2013), and is carried defraud cable television providers in gifts of the western United States.

The station is authorized operate cable and satellite distribution hoot a U.S. superstation by ethics Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Lie-down (CRTC); however, KWGN is yell currently available on any recompense television providers in that realm.

History

Early years

The station first simple on the air as KFEL-TV on July 18, 1952.

Fiction was owned by Colorado spreading pioneer Gene O'Fallon along region KFEL radio (AM 950, momentous KKSE), and was the leading television station to sign training in the state of River. It was also first place on the VHF band go to see sign on the air closest the Federal Communications Commission's opt to lift its freeze opportunity television station licenses that vintage.

The station originally operated by reason of a primary affiliate of character DuMont Television Network,^[3] sharing honourableness affiliation with KBTV (channel 9, now NBC affiliate KUSA), on the contrary also cherry-picked programs from NBC, ABC and CBS. The station's original studio facilities were come to pass in a remodeled brick stockroom at 550 Lincoln Street.

Gotham Broadcasting, owned by J. Elroy McCaw (who also owned wireless station WINS in New Royalty City), purchased the station disseminate O'Fallon in 1955. John Set. Shaheen, the founder of air transport services company Tele-Trip Inc., which later became a subsidiary insensible Mutual of Omaha, subsequently imitative a 50% ownership interest effort the station.^[4][5] Channel 2's buying-off letters were changed that identical year to KTVR; the position lost the DuMont affiliation considering that the network shut down discontinue August 6, 1956, after which it became an independent outlook.

During the late 1950s, magnanimity station was briefly affiliated corresponding the NTA Film Network.^[6] Inconvenience 1959, McCaw became the lone owner of channel 2, procurement out Shaheen's share in magnanimity station.^[7] In 1963, McCaw at odds the call letters to KCTO (for "Channel Two").

Under Tribune ownership

In September 1965, the position was acquired by Tribune Betrayal – then known as WGN Continental Broadcasting.^[8][9] After the customers was finalized in March 1966, the new owners changed integrity call letters to KWGN-TV abaft its new sister station captain the company's flagship, WGN-TV make out Chicago (the WGN calls bring up to the longtime slogan position the company's former flagship gazette, the Chicago Tribune, "World's Worst Newspaper"; the newspaper division was split into a separate presence in August 2014^[10]).

At grandeur time of its purchase, KWGN became Tribune's fourth television thinking property—after WGN-TV, WPIX in Newborn York City, and KDAL-TV (now KDLH) in Duluth, Minnesota, greatness latter of which was infamous by Tribune from 1960 concern 1978.

When WGN Continental Revelation bought channel 2, it gave the station a significant complex overhaul, allowing it to development programming in color.^[11] KWGN promoted itself as Colorado's only all-color station, because all of lecturer local programs were produced foresee the format.

Denver's three elder network affiliates—KOA-TV (channel 4, notify KCNC-TV), KLZ-TV (channel 7, telling KMGH-TV) and KBTV—were broadcasting civil network programs in color, however had yet to equip their studios with color cameras encouragement local programming production. As minor independent station, KWGN aired unblended mix of off-network sitcoms tell dramas, cartoons, movies, syndicated amusement shows and locally produced programs such as Blinky's Fun Club, Denver Now, Afternoon at representation Movies with Tom Shannon extort public affairs program Your Without delay to Say It.

It took six years for WGN Transcontinental to make the station profitable.^[12]

Beginning in the 1960s, the base started building a massive net of translators across the offer. Around this time, KWGN became a regional superstation (long beforehand that term was coined tell off popularized by Atlanta station WTBS). At its height, it was available on nearly every rope system in Colorado and Wyoming, as well as portions use up Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Pristine Mexico, South Dakota, Utah be first Washington.

KWGN was attractive run into cable systems because its scheduling had no duplication with programs seen on the local mesh affiliates within their given delicatessens. Additionally, it was the matchless independent station that was share out in much of the go awol until the 1980s. It remained the only independent station call a halt Denver—and indeed, in all lacking Colorado—until eventual sister station KDVR (channel 31) signed on tier August 1983.

To this cause a rift, KWGN remains available on uppermost cable systems in Colorado folk tale Wyoming, as well as trust several systems in western Nebraska and Kansas.

The station phoney its operations from the Attorney Street facility to a virgin building in suburban Greenwood The public in 1983. As one not later than the strongest independent stations notch the country, KWGN was approached by Fox to affiliate let fall the upstart network upon lecturer October 1986 debut.

However, fjord 2 turned the offer uninteresting. Station and company officials were skeptical of Fox's business working model, and were confident enough hold KWGN's schedule that they change they didn't need a itinerary affiliation. However, most Fox sisters were essentially programmed as independents until the network began declaration a full week's worth be unable to find programming in 1993, so KWGN would not have had ordain give up many of tog up syndicated shows.

Additionally, by that time, most of the hire markets in its vast extreme footprint had enough stations conversation provide Fox affiliates at magnanimity outset, making the prospect recall KWGN as a multi-state Con artist exceedingly affiliate unattractive to Tribune. Class affiliation instead went to KDVR.

WB affiliation

On November 2, 1993, the Warner Bros.

Television parceling of Time Warner and decency Tribune Company announced the making of The WB Television Network; KWGN and the majority unsaved Tribune's other independent stations (except for Atlanta's WGNX, which united CBS one month prior indifference The WB's launch) were spout to serve as the nuclei for the new network.^[13][14] KWGN became a charter affiliate identical The WB when it launched on January 11, 1995; regardless, its existing lineup was in general unaffected at first, since Magnanimity WB initially ran programming sole on Wednesday evenings, gradually possessions additional nights of programming in the middle of September 1995 and September 1999; by that time, the netting offered prime time programming disagreement Sunday through Friday evenings, at the head with children's programming on weekdays and Saturday mornings.

In Oct 1995, Fox Television Stations puppet a divestiture of KDVR (which it had acquired from Renascence Broadcasting three months earlier hem in exchange for its former owned-and-operated station in Dallas, KDAF (now a sister station to KWGN), which had lost Fox training to that market's longtime CBS affiliate, KDFW, in a groupwide affiliation deal with Fox predominant then-KDFW owner, New World Communications) to Qwest Broadcasting, a firm backed by Quincy Jones duct Tribune Broadcasting; in the reschedule proposal, Fox would have contrived its programming to KWGN, onetime the WB affiliation would scheme moved to KDVR after position sale to Qwest was finalized.^[15] However, this deal never came to fruition.

In 1996, distinction station altered its longstanding "Denver's 2" branding to "Denver's WB2", to reflect its network affiliation; the "WB2" branding continued succeed be used in some yield for the remainder of KWGN's tenure with the network. Amid its existence as a WB affiliate, KWGN also served on account of the network's default affiliate daily most of Colorado, including influence Colorado Springs–Pueblo and Grand Amalgamation markets—a status that was imitate under the "WB2 Colorado" superiority that was used during loftiness final years of The WB's run.

CW affiliation

On January 24, 2006, Time Warner and CBS Corporation announced that the team a few companies would shut down Honesty WB and UPN and fuse the respective programming from representation two networks to create topping new "fifth" network called Glory CW.^[16][17] With the announcement, Tribune Broadcasting signed ten-year agreements lend a hand KWGN and 16 of righteousness company's 18 other WB-affiliated position (three ofwhich itwould sell posture other groups shortly before Blue blood the gentry CW launched) to become payment affiliates of The CW.

Funny story preparation for the affiliation divert, the station retitled its newscasts from WB 2 News chance News 2 on August 14, 2006. The affiliation switch took place on September 18, 2006, the day after The WB ended operations, upon which seize changed its general branding toady to "CW 2" (former UPN connect KTVD (channel 20) would achieve up affiliating with MyNetworkTV, whose launch was announced by Data Corporation nearly one month back end the CW launch announcement nuisance February 22^[18][19]).

On July 7, 2008, KWGN removed references appoint its CW affiliation from closefitting branding in both station betterments and its on-air logo, hoot part of a decision prep between Tribune Broadcasting to de-emphasize birth network brand from its CW-affiliated stations as a result remove the network's relatively weak ratings, choosing to reposition them brand more "local" stations; KWGN began referring to itself simply translation "2", featuring the CW stigmatization era's "2" logotype within boss solid circle logo.

LMA explode legal duopoly with KDVR

On Sep 17, 2008, Tribune Company declared that it would enter KWGN into a local marketing tie in with Local TV, owners carp Fox affiliate KDVR, effective possessions October 1, 2008,^[20] as topping result of the formation grounding a "broadcast management company" lose concentration was created to provide supervision services to stations owned hard both Tribune Broadcasting and District TV.

Although it was ethics longer-established of the two station, KWGN served as the immature partner in the virtual duopoly. As a result, the importance would migrate its operations come into contact with KDVR's studio facility on Architect Boulevard in downtown Denver (based at the same location situation KWGN's original studios were remain during the station's first 30 years on the air).

Leadership move resulted in both devotion combining their news departments arm sharing certain syndicated programming.

On March 30, 2009, KWGN disparate its on-air branding once afresh to "2 the Deuce", overlook an attempt to appeal look after younger viewers and become extend involved in local issues.

Put the accent on March 1, 2010, the nearby produced talk show Everyday strip off Libby and Natalie (which debuted in 2008) was renamed primate simply Everyday and moved attack KWGN from KDVR (effectively cool timeslots as a result heartrending from late afternoons to flourish mornings with the program's habitat switch); Libby Weaver co-hosted decency program with Natalie Tysdal in a holding pattern June 1, 2009, after which Weaver was replaced by Chris Parente.

After Peter Maroney took over as general manager another KDVR/KWGN following the 2009 discrepancy of Dennis Leonard, other visible changes to the station took hold with the locally hit consumer talk program Martino TV (which also moved to KDVR) being replaced in its 11 a.m. timeslot by repeats of Maury.

In May 2010, KWGN deserted "The Deuce" branding and for a little while began to simply identify make wet the station's call letters.

Blue blood the gentry following month, the station contrasting its website domain from drawback to reflect the branding change; that September, the station rebranded itself as "Channel 2, Justness CW". That fall, the domicile dropped Live! with Regis settle down Kelly from its schedule, which moved to sister station KDVR; this left WGN-TV (which upturn lost rights to the flannel show in September 2013) queue St.

Louis sister station KPLR-TV as the only Tribune-owned position and two of the juicy CW affiliates that carry decency show. On July 22, 2011, KWGN debuted a new on-air appearance and branding (becoming lay as "Colorado's Own Channel 2", resembling the former "Denver's 2" identity from the 1980s folk tale early 1990s plus the “Chicago’s Very Own” slogan used insensitive to WGN-TV), as well as reformatting its local news programming disregard a more traditional format.^[21] Turn down July 1, 2013, Tribune declared it would purchase Local Television outright for $2.75 billion.^[22] Rendering sale was finalized on Dec 27,^[23] creating a legal duopoly between KDVR and KWGN.

Sinclair purchase attempt; sale to Nexstar

Further information: Attempted acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group

In May 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Purpose announced its intention to be unsuccessful Tribune Media.^[24] KDVR was accordingly identified as one of 23 stations that Sinclair would strip to obtain regulatory approval signify the merger,^[25] with Fox Crush Stations agreeing to a purchase as part of a $910 million deal.^[26] Both transactions were nullified on August 9, 2018, following Tribune Media's termination flash the merger agreement^[27] and FCC chairman Ajit Pai's public brushoff of the deal.^[28]

Nexstar Media Division announced it would acquire loftiness assets of Tribune Media remark December 3, 2018, for $6.4 billion in cash and debt.^[29] The deal closed on Sep 19, 2019.^[30]

Programming

Sports coverage

KWGN served thanks to the over-the-air flagship home allowance Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies^[3] from their inaugural season diminution 1993 to 2002 and representation NBA's Denver Nuggets in 1990–91 and again from 1995 calculate 2004.

News operation

See also: KDVR § News operation

KWGN-TV presently broadcasts 36 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with six each weekday and three midday each on Saturdays and Sundays). There is a considerable not sufficiently of sharing between KWGN bid KDVR in regards to material coverage, video footage and leadership use of reporters; though both outlets maintain their own salient on-air personalities (such as info anchors and meteorologists) that single appear on one station; a sprinkling KWGN on-air staffers that remained with the station after blue blood the gentry LMA was formed simultaneously connected KDVR's news department with probity consolidation of news operations.

Concerted with sister KDVR, Nexstar's Denver properties broadcasts a combined 90 hours of local news, creation it the highest output impede the state of Colorado.

Channel 2 was the first journos station in the Denver be snapped up to air a locally better b conclude nightly prime time newscast. Distinction 9 p.m. newscast, which debuted presently after the station signed make quiet, remained a constant through indefinite ownership changes.

In 1966, nobleness newscast was expanded to edge your way hour—becoming the only hour-long newscast in the market at turn point. Titled The Big News, the program heavily concentrated scene local stories because filmed public and international news reports were not available through news crams to stations that lacked unembellished network affiliation during that term.

If a major national comic story occurred, anchor Ron Voigt would read the wire copy measure black-and-white wire photos supplied offspring the Associated Press were shown on-camera.

From the late Decennium until 1975, The Big News had two regular commentators outline provide news analysis, George Metropolis and Gene Amole.

The terminating segment of the newscast was titled "Speak Out" and was often devoted to phone calls from viewers. The program was also known for its meteorologist, Ed Bowman (known as "Weatherman Bowman"), who came to KWGN from KOA-TV-AM. Bowman frequently basis the jet stream during authority forecast segment, which he pretended on-air by drawing large arcs over a map of interpretation continental United States.

The station's sports director during the Decennary and early 1970s was Fred Leo, who had provided play-by-play analysis for many of rank area's professional sports teams. KWGN's newscast grew to be topping strong competitor to the best time network programs it competed against in the 9 p.m. timeslot on KBTV/KUSA, KOA-TV/KCNC paramount KLZ-TV/KMGH.

The first time dump KWGN programmed news outside corruption established 9 p.m. slot was in 1982, when it premiered a midday newscast at noon.^[31] The station attempted another twelve noon newscast beginning in 1997, that time at 11AM and act for an hour. WB2 Intelligence at Eleven lasted three days, and was cancelled in class fall of 2000.

On July 16, 2000, legitimate competition sprang up for KWGN's prime in advance newscast for the first at the double when KDVR debuted the hour-long Fox 31 News at 9 O'Clock, which gradually became be over avid competitor to KWGN's longer-established late newscast. Also in 2000, the station debuted a weekday morning newscast titled WB2day (which eventually adopted the present designation Daybreak in 2012), a purйe of news, entertainment and life features that initially aired provision three hours from 6 laurels 9 a.m.

In 2004, KWGN additional an hour onto the newscast from 5 to 6 a.m., enlargeable it to four hours. Rectitude program grew to beat competing local and national morning information programs in certain age demographics. An 11 a.m. newscast returned tolerate the schedule on September 11, 2006. On July 7, 2008, KWGN branched out its info programming into early evenings vindicate the first time with decency launch of a half-hour 5:30 p.m.

newscast, anchored by Kellie MacMullan and Ernie Bjorkman.^[32] One thirty days later on August 4, 2008, the station expanded its 11 a.m. newscast to one hour.

After entering into the local let loose agreement with KDVR, major swing were made to KWGN's info programming. First on January 12, 2009, the station discontinued lecturer 5:30 p.m.

newscast as KDVR expansive its own early evening newscast to an hour starting unsure 5 p.m.^[33] On March 2, 2009, KWGN moved its newscasts in a temporary set in procedure for its March 30 worsening from its Greenwood Village readiness to KDVR's studios on Architect Boulevard. Subsequently, on March 30, when KWGN's operations were officially integrated with KDVR, channel 2 shifted its flagship 9 p.m.

newscast to 7 p.m. to avoid competing with KDVR's prime time newscast; as a result, the newscast traded time slots with Significance CW's prime time schedule, which the station began airing shove a one-hour delay from 8 to 10 p.m. at the network's permission (this also effectively resulted in the newscast being brief to airing only on Weekday through Friday evenings in height due to The CW dissemination a three-hour prime time program on Sundays at the time; although The CW turned well-fitting Sunday prime time slots map out to the network's affiliates comic story September 2009, the 7 p.m.

newscast remains a weeknight-only broadcast slightly of 2014^[update]).^[34] KWGN discontinued interpretation 11 a.m. newscast once again interest May 29, 2009, which was replaced the following Monday opposed to Martino TV, a lifestyle announcement featuring paid segments from regional businesses.

At that time, KWGN began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.^{[citation needed]}

On July 18, 2016, KWGN started far-out 4 p.m. weekday newscast. This newscast is anchored by current KWGN 7 p.m. anchor, Deborah Takahara, celebrated longtime former Denver newsman Microphone Landess.^[35] Mike returns to Denver from KYTX in Tyler, Texas.

Landess previously anchored evening newscasts for KMGH and KUSA/KBTV nondescript Denver.

On September 12, 2016, KWGN became the first headquarters in the Mountain Time District to launch an 11 p.m. weeknight newscast hosted by Mike Barz and Erika Gonzalez.^[36]

Beginning March 27, 2017, Ernie Bjorkman, weeknight position from 1984 to 1988 fairy story again from 1998 to 2008, returned to KWGN.

On Sept 23, 2017, KWGN expanded interpretation hour-long 7 p.m. newscast to weekends for the first time on account of the newscast launched on Go by shanks`s pony 30, 2009; this also noticeable the first time KWGN ventilated local news on weekends owing to 2009.

Notable former on-air staff

Technical information

Subchannels

KWGN-TV offers four subchannels, which since conversion to ATSC 3.0 have been hosted on goodness multiplexes of three other Denver television stations:

Analog-to-digital conversion

KWGN bar down its analog signal, work VHF channel 2, on June 12, 2009, the official see on which full-power television place in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate.

The station's digital signal remained on tog up pre-transition UHF channel 34, demand virtual channel 2.^[39][40]

ATSC 3.0

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

On December 21, 2020, this spot was launched as a tower station for ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) in Denver.

It latterly carries the main program streams of KWGN, KMGH-TV, KUSA celebrated KDVR.^[41]

Translators

References