KAIT

KAIT in Jonesboro, Arkansas is the ABC affiliated television station for Northeastern Arkansas and Southeastern Missouri, offering a mix of news and syndicated programming and local broadcasts. Its transmitter is located in Egypt, Arkansas.

History
KAIT first signed on July 15, 1963 as an independent station, a venture of Fort Smith businessman George Hernreich. It has been affiliated with ABC since 1965. The station is owned and operated by Raycom Media, which obtained the station in 2005 through its purchase of The Liberty Corporation.[1]

KATV (channel 7) in Little Rock and the signals of other Little Rock area VHF stations adequately covered parts of the KAIT viewing area before the digital transition. For many years, KAIT also operated a low-powered translator station K11JW operating on Channel 11 in nearbyBlytheville, Arkansas.

Several cable systems in the KAIT viewing area including Jonesboro and Blytheville carry KATV. Some of these cable systems will block the KATV signal when both channels are carrying the same program usually during the daytime and primetime hours except for news bulletins, weather bulletins, and newscasts. Other cable systems in other parts of the KAIT viewing area that also carry KATV such as Searcy and Heber Springs that are actually in the Little Rock television market, both channels appear with no blocked signals. COBRIDGE Communications formerly Charter Communications in Thayer, Missouri airs both KAIT and KSPR.

KAIT currently uses its digital signal to broadcast a 24-hour weather information channel (8-2).

Beginning at 5 p.m. on October 15, 2007, all of KAIT's local newscasts were re-branded, replacing the former "K8 News" branding with "Region 8 News" - a branding the station had used during much of the 1980s. The station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," was also replaced with "Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always On." But from time to time on (8-2) you can see the station's longtime slogan, "Good Neighbors You Can Turn To" also "Your Good Neighbor Station," in public service announcements.

Media partnerships
Although not owned by the same company, KAIT frequently forms a partnership with the Jonesboro Radio Group of Jonesboro, Arkansas, for community projects and promotions. The three of the five radio stations owned by the Jonesboro Radio Group are KEGI 100.5 FM, KDXY 104.9 FM and KJBX 106.3 FM. The audio from the 6 p.m. KAIT newscast is simulcast Monday through Friday on KJBX 106.3 FM.

Current on-air staff
Anchors


 * Diana Davis - weekdays Region 8 Midday at 11:30 a.m. and weeknights at 5 and 6 p.m.
 * Lauren Payne - weeknights at 10 p.m.
 * Craig Rickert - weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Bob Snell - weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8
 * Kristina Hamilton -weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8
 * Brandi Hodges- weekend 5, 6 and 10 p.m.

Reporters KAIT's reporters are also employed as photojournalists for the station.


 * Keith Boles - general assignment reporter
 * Josh Harvison - general assignment reporter
 * Brandi Hodges - general assignment reporter

Region 8 Storm Team


 * Ryan Vaughan (NWA Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Justin Logan (AMS/NWA Member) - Meteorologist; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m.
 * Sarah Tipton - Meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Region 8 and Region 8 Midday at 11:30 a.m.

Sports team


 * Mitch Lilly - Sports Director; weeknights at 6 and 10 p.m.
 * Chris Hudgison - Sports Anchor; Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5 and weekends at 10 p.m.

Former on-air staff

 * Rodger Bumpass - announcer, film processor, cameraman, audio technician, and technical director. He is best known for portraying Squidward Tentacles on SpongeBob SquarePants.
 * Will Carter - reporter (now at KSPR Springfield MO)
 * Chris Castleman - Meteorologist, Good Morning Region 8 and Region 8 News Midday (Anchor)
 * Tony Brooks - Weeknight Anchor, 1983-1999.

(now at Arkansas Educational Television Network in Conway, Arkansas)

Newscast titles

 * Region 8 News (1980s-1993 and 2007-present)
 * KAIT 8 News (1993-1995)
 * K8 News (1995-2007)

Station slogans

 * Good Neighbors You Can Turn To (1993-1998)
 * Your Good Neighbor Station (1998-2007)
 * Always Tracking. Always Watching. Always On. (2007-present)