KMEG

KMEG is the CBS network affiliate television station in Sioux City, Iowa. Owned by Waitt Broadcasting, KMEG is operated through a shared services agreement by the Titan Broadcast Group (TTBG) as sister to Fox network affiliate KPTH. TTBG also owns certain physical assets of KMEG. The station operates on UHF channel 39.

Current KMEG 14 logo as of 2020

History
KMEG began its broadcast operation on October 1, 1967, and has maintained the KMEG call letters and its CBS affiliation ever since. KMEG had also served as one of the market's Fox affiliates before KPTH took to the air. It also shared "cherry picking" duties with KTIV Channel 4 (NBC Affiliate) in picking the WB/UPN (Now CW) programming to air in off-primetime hours prior to digital channel 4.2 starting broadcasting the CW in the market in 2007.

KMEG was founded by a local group, who sold it to [|John Fetzer] in 1969. Fetzer sold off all of his broadcasting properties in the mid-1980s. KMEG was among the last to be sold, going to [|Gillett Holdings] in 1985. The next year, Gillett spun off the station to an employee group called KMEG Television, Inc. In 1991, Maine Radio acquired the station.

KMEG was one of only two CBS stations not to air [|The Late Show with David Letterman] when it premiered. [|Fargo] affiliate [|KXJB] also declined to alter its syndicated lineup.[2] This led Sioux City to become known as The Late Show's first [|home office]. KMEG began airing the show in 1994.[3]

KMEG's studios were at 7th & Floyd Boulevard in Sioux City until around the turn of the 21st century, when it moved to new facilities in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, near North Sioux City.[1] In 2005 KPTH moved into the new KMEG studios.

The current KMEG/KPTH studio is located in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. This 20,132 sq ft (1,870.3 m2). building was constructed by Darland Construction Company. At the time, the building included the KMEG-TV studio and two radio stations (Star 102.3 and Y 101.3). Prior to the construction, Waitt Broadcasting purchased KMEG-TV in 1998 from Maine Radio. Waitt increased the KMEG tower height to 2,000 ft (610 m). and upgraded the power to 5 million watts. KMEG coverage area increased from the Sioux City metro area to the full-market area. Waitt Broadcasting also purchased Fox affiliates WFXL in Albany, Georgia, WPGX in Panama City, Florida, WDFX-TV in Dothan, Alabama and KYOU-TV in Ottumwa, Iowa around the same time as KMEG. In 2003, Waitt sold three of its Fox affiliates plus control of KYOU (whose license was transferred to a local group due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) duopoly regulations) to Raycom Media but retained KMEG. In May 2005, KMEG entered into a shared services agreement (SSA) with Pappas Telecasting Companies of Visalia, California, the owner of KPTH. The two radio stations moved out and KPTH Fox 44 moved in.

In November 2007, Waitt Broadcasting announced that it would sell KMEG to Siouxland Television, LLC. Pappas was to have continued operating the station as part of the deal. However, Pappas' Sioux City duopoly is among the 13 Pappas stations which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This ultimately killed the sale of KMEG to Siouxland Television.

On January 16, 2009, it was announced that several of the Pappas stations involved in the bankruptcy, including KPTH, would be sold to New World TV Group, after the sale received United States bankruptcy court approval.[4] New World TV Group later formed a new holding company, Titan Broadcast Group (TTBG), for the stations. The sale was completed on October 15, 2009. The SSA between KMEG and KPTH continues to this day.

As of October 25, 2010, KMEG and sister station KPTH broadcast their local newscasts in 16:9 enhanced digital widescreen. Though not truly high definition, the broadcasts match the ratio of HD television screens.

Digital television
Since noon February 17, 2009, KMEG's broadcasts have been digital-only.[5] KMEG retransmits the Omaha Azteca America program feed originating from KXVO-DT2 on its DT2 digital subchannel.

Current on-air staff
News Weather Sports
 * Steve Long, 10 p.m Co-anchor
 * Michelle Stuhr, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Co-anchor
 * Erika Thomas, Temporary Morning Anchor
 * Erika Thomas, Reporter/Fill-in Anchor
 * Chad Sandwell, Siouxland's Chief Meteorologist, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts
 * Lacey Swope, Morning Meteorologist
 * Lisa Ryan, Fill-in Meteorologist
 * Mike Foss, Sports Director
 * Jordan Furbee, Sports Reporter

Former on-air staff

 * Tim Poppen (host of the long-time children's program "Poppins Place" that aired as the anchor to KMEG's children programming block from 3-5p weekdays, usually with Disney's afternoon cartoon block)
 * Samantha Suttle (now at Sioux City Journal)
 * Kate Springer
 * Mario Giraldo
 * Denise Hyntka (now weekend anchor at KWCH 12 in Wichita, Kansas)
 * Jim Nichols
 * Katie Ferrier
 * Kevin Jacobsen
 * Daisy O'Donnell
 * Andi Hauser
 * Adam Uhernik
 * Sean Anderson
 * Chad Petri
 * George Waldenberger (now at KSHB-TV in Kansas City, MO)
 * Leslie Rupiper (now at KSFY-TV Sioux Falls)
 * Larry Wentz (now at competing station [|KCAU-TV])

Newscast titles

 * NewsBeat
 * KMEG News (1999–2005)
 * KMEG 14, Your Hometown News (2005–present)

Station slogans

 * Your Hometown News (2005–present)

Translators
KMEG's signal is re-broadcast over three translators:[6]
 * Norfolk, Nebraska: K35FM, channel 35
 * Spencer, Iowa: K55FL, channel 55
 * Storm Lake, Iowa: K40CO, channel 40