KTVK Phoenix

Meredith Corp. on Monday announced new station manager roles and responsibilities at its television stations in Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; and Las Vegas. They are: Blanca Esparza Pap is promoted to station manager at independent-CBS duopoly of KTVK-KPHO in Phoenix. She was most recently marketing director and a key architect of the Arizona’s Family brand, the […]

Anticipating FCC authorization of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard on Thursday, the consortium of leading station groups is planning to set up experimental 3.0 station next spring to explore service enhancement and business opportunities. The project will also include creatng a “lighthouse” station to continue regular digital service to existing sets. Joining Pearl (Cox Media, E.W. Scripps, Graham, Hearst, Meredith, Nexstar, Raycom and Tegna) in the effort will be Fox, NBCUniversal and Univision.

With the inclusion of Meredith’s KPHO and KTVK in Phoenix and KMOV in St. Louis, the national service providing local news via app has grown to 141 stations in 99 markets covering 48 of the top 50 markets and 80% of the U.S. population. Meredith says more of its stations could come on board in the coming months.

Dan Wilson, current ND of Scripps’ WPTV West Palm, Fla., has been tapped by Meredith’s Phoenix duopoly of KPHO (CBS)-KTVK (ind.) to head news operations.

It was expected to happen the minute Meredith merged KPHO and KTVK together in Phoenix. Sources report that firings are happening  now at independent KTVK.

Meredith-owned independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 11) on Tuesday announced the return of anchor Olivia Fierro. After a six-year absence, Fierro is returning to anchor Good Morning! Arizona (GMAZ) alongside Scott Pasmore starting Monday, March 23. Fierro worked at KTVK from 2003 to 2009 as a morning anchor. She returns to Arizona from KVVU Las Vegas […]

The former KTVK Phoenix news director takes the reins March 9 at the Scripps ABC-Azteca duopoly in Denver. He previously worked at KMGH as managing editor from 1989 to 1996.

The sale of KTVK and KASW to Meredith Corp. was part of a deal announced last December that also included KMOV St. Louis.

Independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 12) announced Tuesday the hiring of Brandon Lee as the 4:30 p.m. anchor of Good Evening Arizona. He begins Jan. 29. He will also contribute to the station’s other evening news products including the 5-6:30 p.m. edition of Good Evening Arizona, the 3TV News at 9 p.m. and the 3TV News at […]

For $407.5 million, Meredith is getting KMOV St. Louis and KTVK-KASW Phoenix that Gannett is acquiring in its purchase of Belo Corp.

Belo-owned independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 13) announced today the hiring of Jaime Cerreta as a weekend anchor and weekday reporter. Cerreta, a Phoenix native and Arizona State University alum, will co-anchor Good Evening Arizona and 3TV News at 9 p.m. on weekends. She will report for various shows during the week. Her first day will be […]

The ND at KOVR-KMAX Sacramento, Calif., is joining Belo’s Phoenix indie., succeeding Brad Remington who’s moving to Denver.

Belo Corp’s independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 13) has added anchor/reporter Yetta Gibson to the station’s evening news team. Gibson, who currently is a reporter and field anchor for the station’s Good Morning Arizona, will anchor 3TV News at 10 p.m. and co-anchor the 6 p.m. newscast effective June 4. The hour-long 3TV News at 9 […]

Belo Corp.’s independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 13) has hired veteran political reporter Dennis Welch as the station’s political editor. He begins on June 1. In this role, Welch will report on-air, and will help oversee all aspects of the station’s political coverage across its digital platforms. Welch will also co-host the station’s political show, Politics Unplugged, […]

Tim Ring of Belo independent KTVK Phoenix (DMA 13) was named the 2011 Arizona Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association [NSSA]. It’s the first time in more than two decades a Phoenix-based television station sportscaster has received the honor. Ring’s name will be added to a roster of legendary Arizona […]

Belo’s Phoenix independent KTVK and its azfamily.com will air the Arizona Republican Presidential Debate live on Nov. 30. The debate, featuring the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2012, will air live on KTVK at 6 p.m. and will be immediately followed by a half-hour special edition of Politics Unplugged. Extensive debate coverage […]

KOMU Columbia, Mo., in DMA138, has taken the plunge into social media news, last week launching a 4 p.m. newscast that makes viewers an integral part of the show. And there’s a social media desk that includes two reporters tracking bloggers, Tweets and online conversations about topics making the news. Industry watchers applaud KOMU for pushing the envelope in its use of social media at a time when many stations are still trying to figure them out. But some question their heavy use in what has always been a sit-back, passive medium.

The 30-minute newscast will be anchored by Carey Pena and Fields Moseley and will debut on Aug. 22.

Belo’s KTVK and AZFamily.com in Phoenix have launched a Facebook initiative to donate bottles of water to the Salvation Army as the summer months heat up. It’s a different twist on increasingly-popular Facebook contests designed to drum up more fans.