KLST

KLST is a television station serving San Angelo and the wider Concho Valley of West Texas. Broadcasting on virtual and RF channel 8, the station is affiliated with CBS and is the oldest television station in San Angelo. Its current operation is associated with Nexstar Media Group, which owns KLST and operates it alongside KSAN-TV, the market's NBC affiliate. The two stations share studios on Armstrong Street in San Angelo, while KLST's transmitter is located near Eola, Texas. The station originated with an application filed in October 1952 by Armistead D. Rust, then San Angelo's mayor, and B. P. Bludworth through Westex Television Company. The Federal Communications Commission approved the application in November of that year, and the station began broadcasting on July 6, 1953, as KTXL-TV. It launched with CBS and DuMont affiliations and also carried selected NBC programming, including national news and later entertainment programs. CBS has remained the station's principal network relationship since its first day on air. Ownership and identity changed several times during the station's early decades. In 1957, Rust and Bludworth sold a majority interest to Roy Simmons and Angelo Broadcasting-Telecasting, owners of radio station KGKL. The television station changed its call sign from KTXL-TV to KCTV in August 1957, separating its identity from the KTXL radio operation. Big Spring Broadcasting, led by Houston Harte Jr., acquired majority control in 1959; Houston Harte and his brother Edward Harte became full owners in 1962. In 1971, the station was sold to T. B. Lanford's Jewell Television Corporation. During the Jewell period, KLST began local color broadcasting and constructed the transmitter facility it continues to use near Eola. The call sign KLST was adopted in 1983. The change followed an arrangement with a Kansas City television station that wanted to use the KCTV call letters; that station paid the expenses associated with changing San Angelo's call sign. The Kimbell family, related to the Lanford family, purchased Jewell Television in 1994. As the television industry became more concentrated and the economics of operating a small-market station independently became more difficult, the Kimbells decided to sell the station. Nexstar Broadcasting acquired KLST in 2004. Nexstar was already operating KSAN-TV through agreements with Mission Broadcasting, and the acquisition led to the consolidation of news, traffic, scheduling, and other operational functions. Nexstar assumed control of KLST on June 1, 2004, before the transaction was finalized. The shared operating model connected KLST's CBS service with KSAN's NBC service while preserving separate station identities and network programming. Some traffic and commercial-logging work was moved to Abilene, resulting in layoffs at KLST during the transition. KLST completed the transition to exclusively digital broadcasting with KSAN-TV on February 17, 2009. Its present service combines CBS network programming, local news, weather, sports, public-affairs content, syndicated programming, and digital distribution through its website and related Concho Valley media properties. The station produces approximately 19 hours of local news each week, including weekday, Saturday, and Sunday broadcasts whose scheduling varies with sports coverage. KLST remains an active local broadcast brand under Nexstar's ownership and is positioned as a primary source of television news and community information for San Angelo and surrounding West Texas communities.

KLST began as San Angelo's first television station. On October 21, 1952, Armistead D. Rust and B. P. Bludworth, operating as Westex Television Company, applied to the FCC to construct a station on channel 8. Both applicants were connected to KTXL radio, a San Angelo Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate. The FCC granted approval on November 26, 1952, and the new station signed on July 6, 1953, as KTXL-TV. At launch, KTXL-TV carried CBS and DuMont programming and also broadcast selected NBC news and entertainment material. Its CBS affiliation has continued throughout its history. In 1956, Rust and Bludworth sold KTXL radio, and in 1957 they sold a majority interest in the television station to Roy Simmons and Angelo Broadcasting-Telecasting, the owners of KGKL radio. The television station changed its call letters to KCTV on August 4, 1957, to distinguish it from the former KTXL radio operation. Big Spring Broadcasting, headed by Houston Harte Jr., obtained majority control in 1959. Houston Harte and Edward Harte became full owners in 1962. The station changed hands again in 1971, when T. B. Lanford acquired it through Jewell Television Corporation. Lanford's company owned stations in several Southern markets and Colorado; the Jewell name referred to Lanford's wife. Local color broadcasting began in 1971. After Lanford died in 1978, his estate retained ownership, with Tom Gresham serving as executor and later as Jewell's president. Jewell built KLST's current transmitter site near Eola in 1981. The station adopted the KLST call sign in 1983. A Kansas City station wanted to use KCTV and arranged for the San Angelo station to relinquish the letters, paying the expenses of the change. In 1994, the Kimbell family, which was related to the Lanfords, acquired Jewell Television. The company's other stations were subsequently sold, leaving the San Angelo television station as its only remaining holding. By the early 2000s, the Kimbells concluded that industry changes made it difficult to operate KLST as a fully standalone property. Nexstar Broadcasting, which was already operating KSAN-TV under agreements with Mission Broadcasting, acquired KLST in 2004. Nexstar assumed control on June 1 while the transaction was being completed. The acquisition produced a shared-services model for the San Angelo stations: KLST retained its CBS identity, while KSAN retained its NBC identity, but some news, traffic, and administrative functions were combined. Traffic scheduling and commercial logging were moved to Nexstar's Abilene operation, and the restructuring caused layoffs at KLST. KLST and KSAN-TV converted to exclusively digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. KLST now operates as a CBS affiliate serving San Angelo and the Concho Valley. Its local output includes approximately 19 hours of news each week, with the exact Sunday schedule varying according to sports coverage. The station shares San Angelo studios with KSAN-TV and transmits from the Eola area. Nexstar's later acquisition of Tegna brought the market's KIDY Fox affiliate into the same corporate portfolio, although legal proceedings described in the station's reference material prevented immediate integration of KIDY with the KLST and KSAN operations.

1. 2009Digital-only broadcasting begins

   KLST and KSAN-TV completed their transition to exclusively digital broadcasts.

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2. 2004Nexstar acquires KLST

   Nexstar Broadcasting acquired KLST and combined selected operations with Mission Broadcasting's KSAN-TV.

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3. 1994Kimbell family purchases Jewell Television

   The Kimbell family acquired Jewell Television, eventually making the San Angelo station the company's sole remaining holding.

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4. 1983KLST call letters adopted

   The station became KLST after an arrangement involving a Kansas City station seeking the KCTV call sign.

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5. 1981Transmitter site established near Eola

   Jewell Television constructed the transmitter facility near Eola, Texas, that became the station's principal transmission site.

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6. 1971Jewell Television acquires the station

   T. B. Lanford acquired the station through Jewell Television Corporation; local color broadcasting also began during this period.

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7. 1957Call sign changes to KCTV

   Following a change in ownership, the station adopted the KCTV call sign.

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8. 1953KTXL-TV begins broadcasting

   San Angelo's first television station signed on as KTXL-TV on July 6, operating with CBS and DuMont affiliations.

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9. 1952FCC application filed for channel 8

   Westex Television Company, led by Armistead D. Rust and B. P. Bludworth, applied to build a San Angelo television station on channel 8.

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A local CBS television station focused on news, weather, sports, network programming, and advertiser-supported media for San Angelo and the Concho Valley.

• KLST CBS programmingNetwork television1953

  KLST's core broadcast offering is CBS network programming distributed to viewers in San Angelo and the Concho Valley. The station supplements the network schedule with local news, weather, sports, public-affairs material, syndicated programs, and advertising. CBS has been associated with the station since its 1953 launch.

• KLST local newsLocal television news1953

  KLST produces local television news focused on San Angelo and surrounding West Texas communities. Its schedule includes weekday broadcasts, a Saturday newscast, and Sunday coverage that can change with sports programming. The station's news operation is coordinated within a broader Nexstar operating relationship with KSAN-TV.

• Concho Valley HomepageDigital media

  The station's associated website provides a digital outlet for regional news, weather, video, station information, and advertising. It extends KLST's local-media presence beyond its over-the-air CBS service.

• 2009Transition to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  U.S. television broadcasting was moving from analog transmission to digital distribution.

  What changed. KLST and KSAN-TV converted to exclusively digital broadcasts on February 17.

  Aftermath. The stations continued their network and local programming services using digital transmission.

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• 2004Nexstar acquisition and shared-services consolidationM&A

  Nexstar had already been operating KSAN-TV for Mission Broadcasting and viewed KLST as a station that could be managed more efficiently within a coordinated San Angelo operation.

  What changed. Nexstar acquired KLST, assumed control on June 1, and consolidated selected news, traffic, scheduling, and administrative functions with related operations.

  Aftermath. KLST retained its CBS identity, while the operating changes linked it more closely with KSAN-TV and caused layoffs, including after traffic and commercial-log work moved to Abilene.

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• 2025Nexstar announces acquisition of Tegna

  Nexstar announced an agreement to acquire Tegna, the owner of San Angelo Fox affiliate KIDY. The transaction was described as separate from KLST's existing ownership and operations.

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• 2009KLST and KSAN-TV complete digital transition

  The two San Angelo stations ended analog broadcasting and moved to exclusively digital transmission.

  OtherProduct generation
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• 2004Nexstar acquires KLST and consolidates San Angelo television operations

  Nexstar Broadcasting assumed control of KLST and consolidated selected operational functions with KSAN-TV, including news management and traffic operations.

  M&ALeadership change
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1. KLST
2. KLST official website