WKOW-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WKOW-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = WKOW 27
27 News
analog = 27 (UHF)
digital = 26 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = ABC
network =
founded =
airdate = June 30, 1953
location = Madison, Wisconsin
callsign_meaning = K(C)OW (for Wisconsin's dairy industry)
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Quincy Newspapers, Inc.
licensee = WKOW Television, Inc.
sister_stations = WAOW - Wausau; WQOW - Eau Claire; WYOW - Eagle River; WXOW - La Crosse
former_affiliations = CBS (June 30, 1953 to June 24, 1956)
effective_radiated_power = 2400 kW (analog)
171 kW (digital)
HAAT = 455 m (both)
class =
facility_id = 64545
coordinates = coord|43|3|20.5|N|89|32|6.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.wkowtv.com/ www.wkowtv.com]

WKOW-TV channel 27 is an ABC affiliate in Madison, Wisconsin. The station is owned by Quincy Newspapers. Its transmitter is located in Madison.

History

Established on June 30, 1953; WKOW first signed on the air as the local CBS affiliate. The history of WKOW-TV, Channel 27 begins in 1947 with the formation of the Monona Broadcasting Company, led by a group of local area businessmen. Originally, the station tried to use K-O-W and cows as a way to promote the station, using a smiling bovine along with the station logo. When WISC-TV, Channel 3 came on the air on June 24, 1956, it took the CBS television affiliate from WKOW. Then, WKOW took the ABC affiliate from WMTV, Channel 15 and WKOW has remained with ABC ever since. In June 2001, Quincy Newspapers purchased WKOW from Shockley Communications Corporation & four other Wisconsin ABC stations: WAOW - Wausau; WQOW - Eau Claire; WYOW - Eagle River and WXOW - La Crosse.

When the station first started broadcasting television in the 1950's, WKOW's sister radio station WKOW AM 1070 was already on the air. The original studios for both TV and radio were constructed on the Tokay Boulevard site, not long after the first WKOW station was constructed. When WKOW switched its television affiliation to ABC during the 1950s, WKOW AM 1070 radio kept the CBS affiliation. In the 1970's, WKOW was sold away from radio, in accordance with the FCC's "one to market" policy of that era; and WKOW AM 1070 frequency became WTSO AM 1070, and is now affiliated with ESPN. WTSO remained in the Tokay Boulevard building through the 1980s, later adding an FM sister station on 104.1 (now WZEE) which had previously been a stand-alone. Now, both WTSO and WZEE are a part of Clear Channel Communications and are unrelated to WKOW-TV in any way except for WKOW-TV providing weather forecasts for Clear Channel's Madison radio operations.

Notes

*WKOW was the first TV station in Madison, Wisconsin.
*WKOW is part of the Wisconsin Television Network.
*WKOW used the slogan "Eyewitness News" until 1995, "Straight to the Point" until 2003, and "Making a Difference" until 2008.
*Nationally, WKOW was the smallest television station to start broadcasting in HDTV. The first broadcast on WKOW-DT, Channel 26 aired October 29, 1998.
*27 Weather Central Chief Meteorologist Bob Lindmeier celebrated his 28th year with WKOW in 2008.
*WKOW currently uses a news music theme entitled "Frequency" created by [http://www.360musicproduction.com 360 Music Production] in Nashville, Tennessee.

Digital Television

Post-analog shutdown

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009, http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] WKOW-DT will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 26. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WKOW-DT's virtual channel as 27.

Current On-air Personalities

MONDAY thru FRIDAY MORNINGS
*Roland Beres, Anchor (Wake Up Wisconsin)
*Barbara Vaughan, Anchor (Wake Up Wisconsin & 11am)
*Brian Olson, Weather Central Meteorologist (Wake Up Wisconsin & 11am) / AMS Seal of Approval / NWA Seal of ApprovalWEEKNIGHTS
*Greg Jeschke, Anchor (5:00, 6:00, 6:30 & 10:00) / It's Your Money Reporter
*Diana Henry, Anchor (5:00, 6:00 & 10:00)
*Bob Lindmeier, Weather Central Chief Meteorologist (5:00, 6:00, 6:30 & 10:00) / Weather Central Vice President / AMS Seal of Approval
*Jake Zimmermann, Sports Director (6:00, 6:30 & 10:00)WEEKENDS
*Vanessa Shirley, Anchor (Sat 6:00 & 10:00, Sun 5:30 & 10:00) / Reporter
*Carl Agnelly, Anchor (Sun 5:30 & 10:00) / Down to Earth Reporter
*Kelly Curran, Weather Central Meteorologist (Sat 6:00 & 10:00, Sun 5:30 & 10:00)
*Brian Custar, Sports Anchor (Sat 6:00 & 10:00, Sun 5:30 & 10:00) / Sports ReporterREPORTERS
*Tony Galli / Investigative Reporter
*Kim Sveum / Parenting Project Reporter
*Joe Labarbera (Features) / Joe's Journeys
*Dan Cassuto
*Brian Rodriguez
*Jeff Angileri
*Bill Osmulski / Rock County Reporter
*Matt Zahn (Sports Reporter)
*Paul Garcia (Sports Reporter)FOX 47 NEWS @ 9 (airs on WMSN-TV; produced by WKOW)
*Julie Lund, FOX Anchor
*Laurie Mercurio, Chief Meteorologist / AMS Seal of Approval
*Matt Zahn, Sports Anchor
*Jeff Angileri, Reporter

Former On-air Personalities

*Jay Wilson (now at WISC-TV in Madison, WI)
*Christa Dubill (now at KSHB in Kansas City, MO)
*Elizabeth Hopkins (now at WPRI in Providence, RI)
*Mitch Weber (now at WGBA in Green Bay, WI)
*Mari-Ela David (now at KHNL-TV in Honolulu, HI)
*Dave Sniadak (former Sports Anchor; now at SportsTime Ohio)
*Marc Lovicott (now at WISC-TV in Madison, WI)
*Sarah Carlson (now at WMTV in Madison, WI)
*Dan Presser (former morning Anchor; living in Madison area)
*Tom Skilling (Meteorologist; now at WGN-TV in Chicago, IL)
*Jeremy Nelson (Meteorologist; now at KSHB in Kansas City, MO)
*Jeff Gillan (now at KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, NV)
*Wendy Warren (former Anchor; living in Madison area)
*Rachel Kisko (former Anchor; living in Madison area)
*Charles Benson (now at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, WI)
*Monique Laven (now at KIRO-TV in Seattle, WA)
*Kai Reed (now at WISN-TV in Milwaukee, WI)
*Amanda Wagner (Reporter)
*Andy Dorn (Meteorologist)
*Kit Kendeigh (Anchor)
*Andy Kendeigh (Reporter)
*Lauren Leamanczyk (Reporter)
*Alan Shoemaker (Meteorologist)
*Scott Klug (Anchor; later a US Congressman)
*Steven Levitan (currently a television writer/producer, known for such series as "Just Shoot Me" and "Back to You")
*Christine Lehman (News Reporter/Weather Forecaster)
*Darren Lyn, News Reporter (now at ESPN)
*Beth Wagner (Anchor)

Logos and Screenshots

References

* [http://wkow.madison.com/News/index.php?ID=11920 Jay Passes the Torch]
* [http://www.360musicproduction.com 360 Music Production: Nashville, TN]

External links

* [http://www.wkowtv.com/ WKOW-TV main site]
*TVQ|WKOW
*BIA|WKOW|TV|TV