KATC (TV)

KATC, virtual channel 3 (UHF digital channel 28), is a dual ABC/CW+-affiliated television station licensed to Lafayette, Louisiana, United States. The station is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. KATC's studios are located on Eraste Landry Road, and its transmitter (which became operational on November 6, 2007) is located near Branch, Louisiana. A 1000 kW transmitter for its digital broadcast is located near Branch, Louisiana and became operational November 6, 2007. KATC continued to use its transmitter for its analogue signal located south of Crowley, Louisiana until the mandated digital date of June 12, 2009.

KATC is also an affiliate of The CW, the signal of which is carried on digital subchannel 3.2. Before June 14, 2010, KLWB had the affiliation.

History
The station began operations on September 19, 1962, and was locally owned by Acadian Television Company. Conventional wisdom suggested it should have signed on as an NBC affiliate, but instead it took the ABC affiliation full-time. Previously, ABC had been limited to off-hours clearances on CBS affiliate KLFY-TV (channel 10). This was a very unusual move for a then two-station market, especially one of Lafayette's size. Usually, ABC, as the smallest and weakest network, was relegated to secondary status on one or both of the existing stations. However, most of the region could view the full NBC schedule on Lake Charles' KPLC-TV and Baton Rouge's WBRZ-TV (the latter now a fellow ABC affiliate), both of which provided at least grade B coverage to much of the market. In contrast, no ABC affiliate even put a grade B signal into the area. Acadian Television apparently figured that if it linked up with ABC, it would not get much local competition. KATC coined the term "Acadiana" in the early 1960s and popularized it throughout south Louisiana. In early 1963, the ABC affiliate received an invoice erroneously addressed to the Acadiana Television Corp.; someone had typed an extra "a" at the end of the word "Acadian." The station started using it to describe the region covered by its broadcast signal.

Acadian Television sold the station to Loyola University New Orleans in 1982, making it a sister station to New Orleans' CBS affiliate, WWL-TV. In the late 1980s, Loyola divested their broadcast properties, with WWL-TV going to a group of station employees (Rampart Operating Partnership) in 1990 and KATC going to investment firm Merrill Lynch in 1986. In 1993, the station joined other ABC affiliates, including WBRZ in not airing the pilot to NYPD Blue. In 1995, The Evening Post Publishing Company purchased the station through its subsidiary Cordillera Communications. In 2003, the station started broadcasting in stereo.

KATC continued to use its transmitter for its analog signal located south of Crowley, Louisiana until the mandated digital date of June 12, 2009. KATC is also an alternate ABC affiliate for Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana. That area did not have an ABC affiliate of its own until August 31, 2017, when Fox affiliate KVHP launched an ABC-affiliated subchannel on DT2. KATC, due to its strong signal can also be seen in most of the Baton Rouge region.

Cordillera announced on October 29, 2018 it would sell most of its stations, including KATC, to the E. W. Scripps Company. The sale was completed on May 1, 2019. Upon completion of the sale, KATC became Scripps' first station in the state of Louisiana. KATC continued to use its transmitter for its analog signal located south of Crowley, Louisiana until the mandated digital date of June 12, 2009. KATC is also the ABC affiliate of record for Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana, since that area does not have an ABC affiliate of its own. KATC, due to its strong signal can also be seen in most of the Baton Rouge region.

Newscasts
The station produces local news and talk programming, with such shows as Good Morning Acadiana, Friday Night Football and "hard-news" newscasts that air weekdays at 5, 6, and 10 p.m., Saturdays at 6 and 10 p.m., and on Sundays at 5:30 and 10 p.m.

Management Team

 * Andrew Shenkan: General Manager
 * Letitia Walker: News Director

Current On-Air Staff
Anchors


 * Hoyt Harris: Co-Anchor, Acadiana's News Channel at 5,6 & 10pm
 * Marcelle Fontenot: Co-Anchor, Acadiana's NewsChannel 5,6 & 10pm
 * Tom Voinche: Good Morning Acadiana Co-Host
 * Tracy Wirtz: Good Morning Acadiana Co-Host

Reporters


 * Mike Magnoli:
 * Melissa Hawkes
 * Jim Hummel
 * Herbie Smith
 * Shawn Kline
 * Carolyn Cerda
 * Jenise Fernandez

Storm Team 3


 * Rob Perillo: Chief Meteorologist, Acadiana's NewsChannel at 5:00, 6:00 & 10:00
 * Dave Baker: Meteorologist, Good Morning Acadiana
 * Natalie Noah: Meteorologist, Weekends

Sports Anchors/Reporters


 * Hugh Keeton: Sports Director
 * Travis Webb: Weekend Sports Anchor

Former On-Air Staff

 * Agnes DeRouen: News Director / 5 & 6 p.m. Anchor(1982–2002), Now Managing Editor/Noon Anchor at KPLC-TV in Lake Charles, LA
 * Scott Brazda: Sports Director/News Anchor(1989–2006),Left TV News to work for Stuller Family Foundations
 * Eric Davis: Meteorologist(2001–2004), now at WECT in Wilmington, NC
 * Suzzane Ferrara: Reporter, Left TV News, Now at KPEL-FM Radio
 * Candice Gale: Good Morning Acadiana Anchor (1999–2005)
 * Kari Hall: Meteorologist (January 2005 - August 24, 2009), Now at WKYT in Lexington, KY
 * Avry Jones: Sports Director(1996–1998), Left TV News
 * Julie Kelley: 5pm and 10pm co.anchor(1998–2008) contract not renewed, now with Miles Perret cancer center.
 * Tonya LaCoste: Weekend Anchor(1999–2007), Now KPEL-FM Radio Anchor
 * Bill Leger: Anchor, Now at KFDM in Beaumont, TX since 1994
 * Parella Lewis: Meteorologist,now at KCPQ-TV as Weekend Meteorologist
 * Kent Masson: Weekend Sports Anchor(1997–2003), Left TV News
 * Pat Minnis: Sports Director(1998–2003), Left TV News
 * Darla Montgomery: 6 & 10pm Anchor(2003–2006)
 * Dave Osterberg: GMA Meteorologist(1995–1997), Now at WTVT Tampa, FL
 * Nelson Robinson: Chief Meteorologist(1989–1995)
 * Sarah Rosario: now at WBRZ Baton Rouge
 * Deborah Terribile: Anchor(1982–2003), Left TV News in March 2003
 * Kris Wartelle: 10pm Anchor/Reporter(1993–1999), left KATC in 1999
 * Evan Anderson: Reporter (Now at WVUE-TV New Orleans.)
 * Megan Schiering: Reporter (Now at WLOS-TV Asheville, N.C.)

Newscast titles

 * TV-3 News (1960s)
 * News 3 (1970s-1980s)
 * Action 3 News (1980s & 1990s–1995)
 * Newswatch 3 (1980s-1990s)
 * NewsChannel 3 (mid 1990s)
 * KATC, Acadiana's NewsChannel (1995–present)

Station slogans

 * Acadiana's News Leader (1986–1991)
 * The Spirit of Acadiana (1991–2008; general slogan)
 * Where Local News Comes First (1991–1998; news slogan)
 * More Local News (1998–2003)
 * News That Gets to the Point. (2003–present)