KETV Owned Hearst Argyle

Presently, owned by Hearst-Argyle Television, KETV, channel 7 is the ABC affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska. The stations studios are located near 27th and Douglas in downtown Omaha while the transmitter tower is located on a tower farm near North 72nd and Crown Point.

Its origin dates back to 1957 as Omahas third television station. Although it was founded by construction mogul Peter Kiewit, Jr, from 1963-76, it was co-owned with the Omaha World-Herald. In 1976, KETV sold the station to Pulitzer Broadcasting Company who ultimately sold its entire broadcasting division to Hearst-Argyle Television.

Since 2000, KETV has newscasts have been known as News watch 7. In November 2006, KETV toppled WOWT (a Gray Television station) to become numero uno for local news in Omaha, after the two stations fought keenly for supremacy. From the early 80s KETV NewsWatch 7 has been popular for its weekly Crimestoppers segments and has been responsible for the arrest and conviction of more than 1000 criminals.

KETV also runs a webpage called 7 Can Help that is engaged in social service to the community through financial grants, high utility bill relief, and services for area children. In October 1996, KETV started telecasting all its local newscasts from a working newsroom called The Newsplex whose multi-million dollar broadcast facility can boast of state-of-the-art standards.

In February 2006, KETV decided to reformat its investigative unit in an endeavor to include more in-dept stories and re-launched it as the NewsWatch 7 I Team. KETV was the pioneer in having live weather radar at its station as well as having a full time meteorologist in the 70s. In July, 2006, it started its 24-hours local weather channel.

A prominent KETV alumnus includes John Coleman and Charlie Martin (Known as Charlie Levy outside of Omaha) both of whom worked as chief meteorologists during different times.

It was Coleman who later launched The Weather Channel in 1982. Around that same time, Charlie Martin left KETV for TWC to become one of the cable channel's first on camera meteorologists. In July, 2003, KETVs transmitter tower collapsed while adding a digital television antenna. Although none was injured as the incident took place late at night, the station was compelled to broadcast from their shorter auxiliary tower for over a year. A new transmitter was erected in 2004 at the site where the old transmitter had been.

Popular shows on KETV include The Rachael Ray Show, Access Hollywood, The Montel Williams Show, Judge Judy, and Wheel of Fortune among others. KETV's nearest sister stations are CBS affiliate KCCI-TV channel 8 in Des Moines, Iowa, and fellow ABC affiliate KMBC-TV channel 9 in Kansas City, Missouri. The logo of KETV is their variation of a widely prevalent Circle 7 logo. Wikipedia

KETV Owned Hearst Argyle