KJRH-TV

KJRH-TV, virtual channel 2, is the NBC-affiliated television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. KJRH broadcasts from its studios in the Brookside district in midtown Tulsa on South Peoria Avenue and its transmitter is located in Oneta, Oklahoma.

The station broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 8, using its former analog channel assignment of 2 as its virtual channel via PSIP. On cable, KJRH is the only VHF station in the market not to have a matching cable channel number for the analog, so instead it can be seen on channel 9 on Cox Tulsa in standard definition, and it is also available in high definition on channel 709.

History
Channel 2 signed on as KVOO-TV, on December 5, 1954. It was owned by oilman W.G. Skelly along with KVOO radio (1170 AM, now KFAQ). It was the second VHF station to sign on in the Tulsa market, behind KOTV; KTVX (now KTUL) did not officially move its license there from Muskogee until a year later, though it had studios in west Tulsa.

It has been an NBC affiliate from its debut, owing to its radio sister's long affiliation with NBC Radio. The station's first broadcast was a 39-minute station dedication broadcast from its studios, it then later broadcast its first NBC network program, an edition of Meet the Press.

It was the first Tulsa television station to air all of its programs in color, first with NBC network programming, and then in 1955, the station installed equipment that allowed local films and slides to be telecast in color.[1] In November 1964, KVOO began originating its locally-produced programs in color from its Broadcast Center studios. The E. W. Scripps Company bought the station in 1971 and changed its call letters to KTEW-TV (for Tulsa E.W. Scripps).

The station adopted its present-day calls, KJRH (in honor of the longtime chairman of Scripps Howard Broadcasting, Jack R. Howard) on July 14, 1980. In 1984, it became the first Tulsa station to broadcast in stereo sound.

KJRH had operated for many years three low-powered translator stations all operating on channel 4, K04DW in Independence, Kansas, K04EJ in Coffeyville, Kansas, and K04DY in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. K04DY is now owned and operated by Northeastern State University in Tahlequah for use of the campus television station.

For New Year's Eve 2009, a large "crystal" ball was dropped from the large spire on top of the iconic TV Tower from the studios located in the entertainment district of Brookside, Tulsa. Streets were closed off and people were allowed to view and celebrate, much in the same vein as in Times Square in New York City.

[edit] Digital television
KJRH-DT broadcasts on digital channel 8.

Digital channels In 2007, KJRH launched its local version of the NBC Weather Plus over-the-air digital service, now called 2NEWS Weather Plus, a 24-hour weather channel which features a mix of local/national forecasts and current weather. The station airs over virtual digital channel 2-2 (physical RF digital channel 56-2), and on Cox Digital Cable in the Tulsa area. However, unlike most stations airing the service, the station's weather branding on the main newscasts is "2 Works for You Weather", instead of "2NEWS Weather Plus". It is now affiliated with the NBC Plus network, since the shutdown of the Weather Plus service in December 2008.

[edit] Analog-to-digital conversion
KJRH terminated its analog broadcasts on June 12, 2009.[2] KJRH moved its broadcasts to VHF channel 8 after KTUL ceased analog operations. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display KJRH's virtual channel as 2.

[edit] Programming
KJRH broadcasts all of NBC's schedule, however the Saturday morning qubo block is aired one hour later than NBC's recommended time (NBC recommends that it air from 9 a.m.-noon) due to a two-hour Saturday edition of 2NEWS Today. Current syndicated programming includes Live with Regis and Kelly, Montel Williams, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. KJRH is also the Tulsa home for Wheel Of Fortune and Jeopardy!, which both moved to the station from ABC affiliate KTUL in 2005.

Currently, KJRH airs Today in three segments; the original 7-9 a.m. block, followed by Live with Regis and Kelly, then the third hour of Today from 10-11 a.m., leading into the hour-long 2NEWS Midday newscast and Days of Our Lives, and then the final hour from 1-2 p.m.

[edit] News operation
KJRH broadcasts a total of 29 hours of local news per week (with 4½ hours on weekdays, 3½ hours on Saturdays and three hours on Sundays). It has the unique characteristic of being only one of two stations in the state with two Doppler weather radars (the other is KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, also an NBC affiliate), the southwest Oklahoma City Doppler, owned by KFOR being the most powerful at 1 million watts of power.

On February 25, 2008, KJRH became the first television station in Oklahoma to broadcast news in High Definition. The station now broadcasts all of its newscasts in HD. KJRH also introduced a new graphics package similar to that used by sister station KSHB in Kansas City with the format change, but continues to employ the same set it has used since 2000, with the exception of some alterations.

In November 2009, KJRH introduced a new red and brown graphics package and new news theme on its newscasts, that is being utilized on all Scripps-owned stations. KJRH is one of ten television stations that air consumer reports from John Matarese (and sister station) of ABC affiliate WCPO in Cincinnati.

[edit] Ratings
In July 2009, KJRH's newscasts set a new benchmark for the station, firmly capturing second place in nearly all time slots, including: the weekday newscasts 2News Today at 6a, 2News Midday, 2News @ 5pm, 2News at 6pm, 2News at 10pm, and the weekend evening newscast 2News at 5pm, 2News at 6pm Saturday and 2News @ 10pm.

In the November 2009 ratings period, KJRH saw its ratings in the 5-6 a.m. slot on weekday mornings increase to a 2 rating and a 10 share. KJRH remained second in early evening news, behind KOTV, with a 7 rating/12 share.[3]

[edit] Newscast titles

 * KVOO News (1954-late 1950s)
 * TV-2 News (1960s-1970s)
 * Scene 2 News (1970s)
 * NewsCenter 2 (early 1980s-1991)[4]
 * Channel 2 News (1991–1994 and 2001–2008)
 * NewsChannel 2 (1994–1995)
 * 2 News NBC (1995–2001)
 * 2NEWS, 2NEWS HD (2008–present)

[edit] Notable on-air staff
====[edit] Current on-air staff (as of August 31, 2010)[5] ==== Anchors 2NEWS Works for You Weather Sports team Reporters
 * Erin Christy - weekday mornings "2NEWS Today" and "Midday" (11 a.m.); also reporter
 * Karen Larsen - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.; also reporter
 * Russ McCaskey - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.; also reporter
 * Deana Silk - weekend mornings; also weekday reporter
 * Justin Wilfon - weekday mornings "2NEWS Today" and "Midday" (11 a.m.); also reporter
 * Dan Threlkeld (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Julie Chin (NWA and AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seals of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings "2NEWS Today" and "Midday" (11 a.m.)
 * George Flickinger (AMS Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekend mornings
 * Andy Wallace (AMS Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, and weekends at 5 and 10 p.m.
 * "Big Al" Jerkens - sports director; weeknights at 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Jason Shackelford - sports anchor; Saturdays at 6 and weekends at 5 and 10 p.m.; also sports reporter
 * Cayden McFarland - sports reporter; also fill-in sports anchor
 * Marla Carter - general assignment reporter
 * Krista Flasch - general assignment reporter
 * Sara Goldenberg - multimedia journalist
 * Jason Grubbs - general assignment reporter
 * Beth Hawkins - general assignment reporter
 * Michelle Lowry - "Problem Solvers" investigative reporter
 * John Matarese - consumer reporter (based out of WCPO in Cincinnati)
 * Breanne Palmerini - weekday morning multimedia journalist
 * Casey Roebuck - general assignment reporter
 * Aja Vickers - general assignment reporter

Notable former on-air staff

 * A — M
 * Mike Anderson - weekend/morning meteorologist (?-?)
 * David Bernard - morning meteorologist (?-?; now at WFOR in Miami)
 * Denise Brewer - weeknight anchor (?-?; now spokesperson for Hillcrest Healthcare System)
 * Debbie Denmon - weekend anchor (?-?; now at WFAA-TV in Dallas)
 * Stephanie Dukes - fill-in anchor
 * Lis Exon - anchor (?-?; now at OETA)
 * Nancy Herr - weeknight anchor (early 1980s)
 * John Hudson - anchor/reporter ( (?-?; deceased)
 * Keith Isbell - sports anchor, then morning anchor (?-?; now with Broken Arrow Public Schools)
 * Sam Jones - anchor (1981-1986)
 * Scott Jones - weekday morning anchor/reporter (?-?; now at WXIN-TV in Indianapolis)
 * Amy Kaufeldt - weekend anchor (?-?; now at WOFL in Orlando)
 * Karen Keith - anchor (?-?; now a Tulsa County Commissioner)
 * Jeff Lazalier - chief meteorologist (1996-2002)
 * Dean Lewis - anchor (1979-1981)
 * Glenn McEntyre - weekend anchor (?-?; now at WBNS in Columbus: OH)
 * Anthony Mason - reporter (?-?; now at CBS News)
 * Bill Mitchell - reporter (?-?; now at KTUL)
 * Nicole Mitchell - meteorologist (?-?; now at The Weather Channel)
 * Mike Morgan - meteorologist (1985-1988; later chief meteorologist at KOCO in Oklahoma City, now at KFOR in Oklahoma City in same position)
 * Jack Morris - anchor (1970-1979; retired)
 * N —
 * Omadelle Nelson - reporter (?-?)
 * Mike Olmstead - sports anchor/reporter (?-?; now sports reporter/anchor at WDRB in Louisville)
 * Lindsay Patterson - weekend anchor/reporter - (?-2010)
 * Jay Rickerts - anchor (?-?; now at WFMY in Greensboro, NC)
 * Sara Scott - midday/weekend anchor (1975-1980)
 * Natalie Sentz - general assignment reporter (2005-2008; now at WDIV in Detroit)
 * Gillian Sheridan - anchor/reporter (?-?; now at KLTV in Tyler, TX)
 * Gary Shore - chief meteorologist (?-?; held same position at KCAU-TV in Sioux City, IA from 2001 until his death on February 25, 2008)
 * Vince Sims - weekend anchor (?-?; now at WPXI in Pittsburgh, PA)
 * Stephanie Stanton - weekend anchor (?-?; now correspondent for MSNBC)
 * Ron Stone - anchor/reporter (1958-1961; later worked in Houston at KHOU and KPRC, deceased)
 * Rick Tillery - reporter (?-2008; now morning and noon anchor at KAUZ in Wichita Falls)
 * Jamison Uhler - reporter (?-?; now at WCAU in Philadelphia, PA)
 * George Waldenberger - weekend evening meteorologist (2007-2010)
 * John Walls - anchor (?-?; now works for CTIA with Steve Largent)
 * Jerry Webber - sports director/news anchor (?-?; deceased)
 * Larry Wheeler - midday anchor/reporter (?-?; later at KTUL, deceased)
 * Alan Winfield - meteorologist (?-?; now at Bay News 9 in Tampa)