KCWY-DT

KCWY-DT is a broadcast television station serving Casper and much of central Wyoming. The station operates on digital channel 13 and is affiliated with NBC, while a digital subchannel carries programming from The CW Plus. Its studios are in Mills, Wyoming, near Casper, and its transmitter is located on Casper Mountain. The station’s over-the-air service is supplemented by translators, including facilities serving Casper and Riverton. KCWY began broadcasting in February 2001 as an affiliate of Pax TV, the network later known as Ion Television. Its first major market change came on September 1, 2003, when it became Casper’s NBC affiliate after NBC ended its long-standing relationship with KTWO-TV. KCWY introduced a local news operation soon afterward, premiering News 13 First at Five on October 1, 2003. The station subsequently developed a reputation within the state broadcasting industry, receiving Television Station of the Year recognition from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters in 2008, 2011, and 2012. Ownership changed several times during the station’s history. Intermountain West Communications Company pursued a sale to Frontier Radio Management through Yellowstone Holdings in 2013. That transaction was structured alongside a separate acquisition involving KGWN-TV in Cheyenne, creating a relationship between the two Wyoming stations. Gray Television then announced its acquisition of Yellowstone Holdings for $23 million in November 2013, and the deal closed on December 31 of that year. Gray later expanded KCWY’s network portfolio by adding The CW Plus to a digital subchannel on January 26, 2015. KCWY’s distribution also changed over time. Its programming was carried in Sheridan through arrangements involving KSWY-LP and, later, a subchannel of KSGW-TV. The Sheridan relay was removed on January 1, 2019, after KNBN, the NBC affiliate serving the Rapid City market, asserted exclusive rights to NBC programming in Sheridan and NBC supported that position. Other former relay arrangements in Cheyenne and Laramie also ended by July 2021. In 2019, Gray consolidated KCWY’s news operation with KGWN-TV under the Wyoming News Now brand. The change was announced in January and implemented by April 9. Under the arrangement, KCWY retained a Casper-focused 5 p.m. newscast, while many other local-news programs were produced or simulcast through the Cheyenne operation and presented as coverage of both markets. Four of KCWY’s 15 news employees remained in Casper, while other staff members were offered opportunities at different Gray stations. The consolidation was associated with the station’s financial losses and followed regulatory resistance to a proposed Gray transaction involving another Casper station. Gray announced in February 2024 that it would exchange KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV with Marquee Broadcasting for Marquee’s construction permit for KCBU in Salt Lake City. The transaction closed on July 1, 2024. KCWY remains an active local television outlet, combining NBC network programming, The CW Plus content, syndicated programming, local and regional news, weather, and community-oriented broadcast coverage for viewers in and around Casper.

KCWY-DT signed on in February 2001 in Casper, Wyoming, initially carrying Pax TV programming. Its role in the local television market changed substantially on September 1, 2003, when NBC selected KCWY as its Casper affiliate after ending its affiliation with KTWO-TV. The station began producing local news on October 1, 2003, with the launch of News 13 First at Five. The station earned recognition from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, which named it Television Station of the Year in 2008, 2011, and 2012. In 2013, Intermountain West Communications Company sought to sell KCWY to Frontier Radio Management through Yellowstone Holdings. The proposed transaction was connected with a separate deal involving KGWN-TV in Cheyenne. Gray Television announced that it would acquire Yellowstone Holdings for $23 million in November 2013, and the purchase was completed on December 31. Gray expanded KCWY’s programming portfolio in January 2015 by adding The CW Plus to a digital subchannel. KCWY programming was also distributed beyond Casper through low-power stations and digital subchannels. In Sheridan, it was carried first through KSWY-LP and later through KSGW-TV, but the KSGW-TV carriage ended on January 1, 2019. The change followed an assertion by KNBN, the Rapid City market’s NBC affiliate, that it held exclusive rights to NBC programming in Sheridan. KCWY programming had also been carried through facilities in Cheyenne and Laramie; those arrangements ended in July 2021. A major operational change occurred in 2019. Gray announced on January 24 that KCWY’s news operation would be combined with KGWN-TV by April 9 under the Wyoming News Now banner. The restructuring left KCWY with a Casper-specific 5 p.m. newscast, while other broadcasts were shared from the Cheyenne operation and designed to cover both Wyoming markets. Four of KCWY’s 15 news employees remained in Casper, with other employees offered positions at different Gray stations. The consolidation was linked to the station’s financial losses and followed the Department of Justice’s blocking of a proposed Gray acquisition involving the CBS affiliation of KGWC-TV, which Gray had viewed as a potential additional revenue source. On February 1, 2024, Gray announced an asset exchange with Marquee Broadcasting. Under the agreement, Marquee would receive KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV, while Gray would receive Marquee’s construction permit for KCBU in Salt Lake City. The transaction closed on July 1, 2024. KCWY continues to operate as a Casper-area NBC affiliate, with The CW Plus available through a digital subchannel and distribution supported by translators serving portions of Wyoming.

1. 2024Ownership transferred to Marquee Broadcasting

   Marquee Broadcasting acquires KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV from Gray Television in an exchange completed July 1.

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2. 2021Former Cheyenne and Laramie relays end

   KCWY programming ceases to be carried on KCHY-LP in Cheyenne and KWYM-LP in Laramie on July 13.

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3. 2019News consolidation announced

   Gray announces that KCWY and KGWN will combine news operations under Wyoming News Now.

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4. 2015The CW Plus added

   The CW Plus launches on a KCWY digital subchannel on January 26.

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5. 2013Gray announces acquisition

   Gray Television announces its planned purchase of Yellowstone Holdings for $23 million.

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6. 2008Wyoming station-of-the-year recognition

   The Wyoming Association of Broadcasters names KCWY Television Station of the Year.

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7. 2003NBC affiliation begins

   KCWY becomes the NBC affiliate for the Casper market on September 1 after NBC leaves KTWO-TV.

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8. 2003First local newscast launches

   News 13 First at Five premieres on October 1.

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9. 2001KCWY signs on

   KCWY begins broadcasting in February as a Pax TV affiliate in Casper, Wyoming.

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A regional broadcast outlet focused on NBC network service, local news, weather, and public-interest coverage for Casper and central Wyoming, with additional entertainment programming through The CW Plus.

• KCWY NBC serviceNetwork television affiliation2003

  KCWY’s principal broadcast service is NBC programming for Casper and much of Wyoming. The affiliation began in September 2003 after NBC moved from KTWO-TV. The service combines network entertainment, news, sports, and special programming with KCWY’s local station identification, advertising, weather, and community coverage.

• The CW PlusDigital subchannel2015

  The CW Plus is carried on a KCWY digital subchannel. It extends the station’s offering beyond NBC and provides CW-related entertainment programming alongside the station’s other broadcast services. Gray launched the service on KCWY in January 2015.

• Wyoming News NowLocal television news2019

  Wyoming News Now is the shared news identity used for KCWY and KGWN coverage after Gray consolidated their news operations in 2019. The arrangement retained a Casper-specific 5 p.m. newscast while allowing many other news broadcasts to be produced or simulcast across the Casper and Cheyenne markets.

• 2024Exchange of KCWY-DT to Marquee BroadcastingM&A

  Gray Television and Marquee Broadcasting agreed to exchange broadcast assets.

  What changed. Marquee received KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV in exchange for its construction permit for KCBU in Salt Lake City. The transaction closed on July 1, 2024.

  Aftermath. KCWY became a Marquee Broadcasting station while continuing its Casper-area NBC and CW Plus services.

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• 2019Consolidation of KCWY and KGWN news operationsStrategy

  Gray cited KCWY’s financial losses in a restructuring environment, while a proposed transaction involving another Casper station had been blocked by the Department of Justice.

  What changed. Gray combined the news operations of KCWY and KGWN under Wyoming News Now, retaining a Casper-specific 5 p.m. broadcast and sharing much of the remaining schedule.

  Aftermath. Four of KCWY’s 15 news employees remained in Casper, while other staff members were offered positions at other Gray stations.

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• 2015Addition of The CW PlusProduct launch

  Gray sought to expand KCWY’s digital programming lineup.

  What changed. The CW Plus was added to a KCWY digital subchannel on January 26.

  Aftermath. KCWY gained a second network programming outlet alongside its NBC service.

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• 2003Switch to NBC affiliationOther

  NBC ended its long-running affiliation with KTWO-TV in the Casper market.

  What changed. KCWY became the market’s NBC affiliate on September 1, 2003.

  Aftermath. The change established KCWY as a principal network station in Casper and preceded the launch of its local news operation.

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• 2024Marquee Broadcasting agrees to acquire KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV

  Gray announced an exchange of KCWY-DT and KGWN-TV to Marquee Broadcasting for Marquee's construction permit for KCBU in Salt Lake City.

  M&A
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• 2024KCWY-DT ownership transfer closes

  The transaction transferring KCWY-DT from Gray Television to Marquee Broadcasting was completed on July 1, 2024.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2019KCWY programming removed from Sheridan relay

  The KCWY subchannel carried by KSGW-TV in Sheridan was discontinued after KNBN asserted exclusive NBC programming rights in that market.

  RegulationOther
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• 2019KCWY news operation merges with KGWN under Wyoming News Now

  Gray consolidated the two stations' news operations. KCWY retained a Casper-specific 5 p.m. newscast, while many other broadcasts were shared with KGWN and presented under the Wyoming News Now identity.

  Leadership change
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• 2015The CW Plus launches on KCWY digital subchannel

  Gray added The CW Plus to a KCWY digital subchannel, broadening the station's entertainment and network offering.

  Product launch
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• 2013Gray Television announces acquisition of Yellowstone Holdings

  Gray Television announced a $23 million acquisition of Yellowstone Holdings, the company connected with KCWY and KGWN-TV. The transaction closed at the end of the year.

  M&A
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• 2003KCWY becomes Casper's NBC affiliate

  KCWY replaced KTWO-TV as the NBC affiliate in the Casper market after NBC ended its affiliation with the long-standing channel 2 outlet.

  OtherProduct generation
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• 2003KCWY launches its first local newscast

  The station introduced News 13 First at Five, establishing a dedicated local-news presence after its transition to NBC.

  Product launch
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1. KCWY-DT
2. KCWY-DT official website