KGAN

KGAN is a broadcast television station licensed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and serving viewers throughout Eastern Iowa. The station operates as a CBS affiliate on its primary channel and carries Fox programming on a digital subchannel. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and shares facilities, including studio operations at Broadcast Park on Old Marion Road Northeast in Cedar Rapids, with sister station KFXA. KGAN's transmitter is located near Rowley, Iowa. The station began broadcasting on September 30, 1953, as WMT-TV, becoming the first television station in Eastern Iowa. Its original owner was American Broadcasting Stations, the broadcasting company associated with Cedar Rapids radio station WMT. Channel 2 was affiliated with CBS from its launch, although its opening broadcast also included the 1953 World Series through a special arrangement with NBC and selected programming from DuMont. The station's local studios were still under construction when it went on the air, so its early schedule initially relied heavily on network programming and other material while local production facilities were completed. WMT-TV developed one of the region's earliest and strongest local news operations. A weeknight 6 p.m. newscast began in early 1954, followed by a late-evening newscast later that year and a noon program in 1956. The station was particularly dominant in the 1950s and early 1960s. Its success was aided in part by consulting work from Frank N. Magid Associates, whose relationship with WMT-TV was an early and influential station-branding and news-consulting engagement. By the late 1960s and 1970s, increased investment by competitors KWWL and KCRG-TV reduced channel 2's lead. KGAN remained a significant news provider but fell to second place in much of the 1980s and to third in many time periods by the early 1990s. Ownership changed several times. WMT-TV was sold to WAVE, Inc. in 1968; that company later became Orion Broadcasting. Orion's planned combination with Cosmos Broadcasting created ownership limits that required the sale of several stations, including WMT-TV. Guy Gannett Broadcasting Services acquired the Cedar Rapids station in 1981. Because WMT radio retained the WMT call letters, the television station adopted the KGAN call sign, modeled in part on Guy Gannett's WGAN-TV in Portland, Maine. The transaction was completed in October 1981, and the station subsequently became known as KGAN-TV before the shorter KGAN branding was used. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Guy Gannett's television stations in the late 1990s. An attempted subsequent sale of KGAN to Sunrise Television did not receive the necessary regulatory approvals and was abandoned. Sinclair later expanded its operational relationship with KFXA, a Fox station serving the same market. Beginning in 2021, KFXA's Fox programming moved to KGAN's 2.2 digital subchannel, giving KGAN a dual-network role in Eastern Iowa while preserving CBS programming on its main channel. KGAN entered digital broadcasting in 2002 and became digital-only in 2009. Its digital transmission initially used channel 51, but the station later moved to channel 29 on April 5, 2014, in connection with spectrum arrangements involving frequencies formerly used by television channels 52 through 69. In addition to network programming, KGAN's output includes local news, weather, sports, public-affairs material and syndicated or locally scheduled programming. The station has received two George Foster Peabody Awards: one in 1955 for its aviation education programs, The Secret of Flight, and another in 1994 for investigative reporting on a Cedar Rapids sewer-solvent purchasing scandal.

KGAN traces its history to WMT-TV, which was established by American Broadcasting Stations, the owner of Cedar Rapids radio station WMT. The company applied to the Federal Communications Commission in January 1951 for authority to build a television station on channel 9. Following the FCC's lifting of a nationwide television-station licensing freeze and its subsequent channel reallocations, the application was amended to request channel 2. A competing Davenport applicant later withdrew, and the FCC approved American Broadcasting Stations' construction permit in April 1953. WMT-TV began regular service on September 30, 1953, becoming the first television station in Eastern Iowa. General manager and part-owner William B. Quarton made brief opening remarks before the station presented the first game of the 1953 World Series. Although CBS was the station's principal affiliation, the opening schedule also included specially arranged NBC material and selected DuMont programs. The station's Old Marion Road studios were not yet finished at sign-on, delaying the immediate expansion of locally produced programming. WMT-TV promoted its launch through unusual employee payments in two-dollar bills and highlighted its use of the maximum effective radiated power permitted for low-band VHF stations. The station expanded its technical facilities during the 1950s. A tall transmission tower project near Walker began in 1956, but the partially completed structure collapsed during a December windstorm. A replacement tower was built and entered service in July 1957. Local color broadcasting began in April 1967. During this period, WMT-TV also built a formidable news operation. It introduced a weekday evening newscast in early 1954, a late local newscast that autumn, and a noon broadcast in 1956. A 1965 Arbitron survey found that the station's late news reached approximately 68 percent of television households in its audience measurement area. WMT-TV's relationship with Frank N. Magid Associates helped establish approaches to local-news presentation that were later adopted widely by American television stations. Competitive conditions changed in the late 1960s and 1970s as KWWL and KCRG-TV invested more heavily in their own news operations. WMT-TV's early dominance weakened, and KWWL had nearly caught the station by 1979. Changes in the station's on-air personnel also affected its public image and ratings. WMT-TV remained second in much of the 1980s, but by the early 1990s it was third in numerous news periods. In 1967, American Broadcasting Stations announced negotiations to sell WMT radio and television to WAVE, Inc. The transaction, valued at approximately $9.98 million, received FCC approval in 1968. WAVE later changed its corporate name to Orion Broadcasting. Orion announced in 1980 that its stations would be sold, and it subsequently arranged a merger with Cosmos Broadcasting, a Liberty Corporation subsidiary. Because the combined group would have exceeded the FCC's VHF ownership limit, WMT-TV was among the stations that had to be divested. Guy Gannett Broadcasting Services agreed to buy it in February 1981. The transaction was completed in October, and the television station became KGAN-TV because WMT radio continued using the WMT call letters. Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired Guy Gannett's television stations in the late 1990s. Sinclair explored selling KGAN to Sunrise Television, but the proposed transaction did not obtain FCC and Justice Department approval because of ownership issues involving Sunrise's financial affiliations and a competing station owned by LIN TV. Sinclair retained KGAN. In 2002, Sinclair entered an outsourcing arrangement with Second Generation of Iowa, the owner of KFXA, under which Sinclair supplied sales and other non-programming services. Sinclair acquired most KFXA assets other than the license in 2008. The operational relationship ultimately led to Fox programming moving from KFXA's main channel to KGAN's 2.2 subchannel on January 1, 2021. KGAN launched a digital signal on channel 51 in October 2002 and became digital-only in February 2009. It later received authority to move away from channel 51 as broadcasters and wireless operators reorganized spectrum adjacent to the former television channels 52 through 69. The station began transmitting on channel 29 on April 5, 2014. Today, KGAN remains an active Cedar Rapids station under Sinclair ownership, operating from shared Broadcast Park facilities and serving Eastern Iowa through its CBS primary service, Fox multicast service, local news operation and other broadcast programming.

1. 2021Fox programming moves to KGAN subchannel

   Fox programming formerly carried by KFXA moved to KGAN's 2.2 digital subchannel.

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2. 2014Digital channel move

   KGAN moved its digital transmission from channel 51 to channel 29.

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3. 2009Digital-only operation

   The station ended analog broadcasting and operated solely with a digital signal.

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4. 2002Digital broadcasting begins

   KGAN began transmitting a digital signal on channel 51.

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5. 1999Sinclair acquisition

   Sinclair acquired KGAN as part of its purchase of Guy Gannett's television stations.

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6. 1994Second Peabody Award

   KGAN won a Peabody Award for its investigation of the Cedar Rapids sewer-solvent scandal.

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7. 1981Station renamed KGAN

   Guy Gannett Broadcasting completed its acquisition, and WMT-TV adopted the KGAN-TV call sign.

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8. 1968Sale to WAVE

   American Broadcasting Stations sold WMT radio and television to WAVE, Inc., later renamed Orion Broadcasting.

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9. 1967Local color broadcasting begins

   The station converted its locally produced programming to color.

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10. 1955First Peabody Award

    WMT-TV received a George Foster Peabody Award for The Secret of Flight, an aviation education program.

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11. 1954Local news department established

    The station launched a weeknight 6 p.m. local newscast, followed later that year by a 10 p.m. broadcast.

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12. 1953WMT-TV begins broadcasting

    WMT-TV signed on September 30 as Eastern Iowa's first television station and began its long-running CBS affiliation.

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13. 1951Initial television application

    American Broadcasting Stations applied to the FCC to construct a Cedar Rapids television station, initially requesting channel 9.

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A locally focused network television station serving Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa, combining CBS programming, regional news and weather coverage, and Fox programming on a digital multicast channel.

• CBS primary serviceNetwork television broadcasting1953

  KGAN's primary television service carries CBS network programming for Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa. The station has been associated with CBS since its 1953 launch as WMT-TV, making the network relationship one of the central elements of its identity. The primary service is supplemented by locally produced news, weather, public-affairs material and other scheduled programming.

• KGAN Local NewsTelevision news1954

  KGAN's local news operation covers Cedar Rapids and the broader Eastern Iowa viewing area. It dates to early 1954, when the station introduced a weeknight 6 p.m. newscast, followed by late-evening and noon broadcasts. The operation has historically emphasized local reporting, weather and public-service journalism and has received national recognition, including Peabody Awards for educational and investigative work.

• Fox on digital subchannel 2.2Digital multicast television2021

  KGAN carries Fox programming on digital subchannel 2.2. The service was created when the Fox programming previously broadcast on KFXA's main channel moved to KGAN on January 1, 2021. This arrangement gives the KGAN operation a second major-network service while maintaining CBS programming on its primary channel.

• Fox News at NineLocal television news2001

  KGAN began producing a 9 p.m. newscast for Sinclair-owned KDSM-TV in Des Moines in 2001. After Sinclair began providing services to KFXA, the program was renamed Fox News at Nine and began airing in Eastern Iowa in 2002. A related morning news hour was added to KFXA in 2011.

• 1954Early local-news expansion

  Eastern Iowa

  The station expanded its local identity by introducing evening news shortly after sign-on and adding additional dayparts over the following years.

  Outcome. The news operation became a major source of television news in the region.

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• 1953WMT-TV launch promotion

  Eastern Iowa

  At launch, the station promoted its technical reach and distinctive new-service identity, including the use of two-dollar bills for employee pay and claims concerning its maximum permitted effective radiated power.

  Outcome. The launch established WMT-TV as Eastern Iowa's first television station.

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• 2021Launch of Fox service on subchannel 2.2Product launch

  Sinclair controlled the relevant operations of both KGAN and KFXA in the Eastern Iowa market.

  What changed. Fox programming and the Fox affiliation previously associated with KFXA's main channel moved to KGAN's 2.2 digital subchannel.

  Aftermath. KGAN became a dual-network station carrying CBS on its primary service and Fox through digital multicast transmission.

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• 2014Digital transmission move to channel 29Other

  The station's original digital channel was within spectrum being reorganized alongside wireless and cellular uses.

  What changed. KGAN moved its digital transmission from channel 51 to channel 29.

  Aftermath. The move placed KGAN's digital transmission on its later operating channel.

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• 2002Operational services agreement with KFXAStrategy

  Sinclair sought to expand its operating role in Eastern Iowa through an agreement with Second Generation of Iowa, the owner of KFXA.

  What changed. Sinclair began providing sales and other non-programming services for KFXA and later acquired most of its assets other than the license.

  Aftermath. The relationship eventually supported the movement of Fox programming to KGAN's digital subchannel.

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• 1981Adoption of the KGAN call signM&A

  Guy Gannett acquired the television station while WMT radio remained under separate ownership and continued using the WMT identity.

  What changed. The television station was renamed KGAN-TV, later commonly branded as KGAN.

  Aftermath. The new call sign separated the television station's identity from the WMT radio operation.

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• 1994Cedar Rapids sewer-solvent purchasing scandalControversy

  KGAN investigated a case in which the city purchased sewer solvent at an 800 percent markup from a local chemical company. The producer involved later pleaded guilty to paying 235 bribes to five Cedar Rapids city employees. The reporting earned KGAN a George Foster Peabody Award.

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• 2021KGAN begins carrying Fox programming on digital subchannel 2.2

  Fox programming previously carried by KFXA's main channel moved to KGAN's 2.2 subchannel on January 1, creating a combined CBS-and-Fox service under the KGAN operation.

  Product launch
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• 1981WMT-TV adopts the KGAN call sign after ownership change

  After Guy Gannett acquired the television station while WMT radio retained the WMT identity, channel 2 changed its call letters to KGAN-TV.

  M&AOther
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• 1953KGAN signs on as Eastern Iowa's first television station

  The station began regular broadcasting as WMT-TV on September 30, 1953, with CBS as its primary network affiliation.

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1. KGAN
2. KGAN official website