KOAM-TV is the CBS affiliate television station in the Pittsburg, Kansas/Joplin, Missouri market, broadcasting on channel 7 (digital). It's licensed to Pittsburg and its transmitter is located nearColumbus, Kansas.
| |
| Pittsburg, Kansas-Joplin, Missouri | |
|---|---|
| Branding | KOAM-TV (general)
KOAM News (news) |
| Slogan | The Four States' Most Watched News |
| Channels | Digital: 7 (VHF) |
| Subchannels | 7.1 CBS
7.2 Fox (Simulcast of KFJX) |
| Owner | Morgan Murphy Media |
| First air date | December 13, 1953 |
| Call letters' meaning | Kansas
Oklahoma Arkansas Missouri |
| Sister station(s) | KFJX |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog:
7 (VHF, 1953-2009) Digital: 13 (VHF, 2001-2009) |
| Former affiliations | Primary:
NBC (1953-1980) Secondary: ABC (1953-1967) CBS (1953-1954) DuMont (1953-1955) |
| Transmitter power | 14.8 kW |
| Height | 335.8 m |
| Facility ID | 58552 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 37°13′15″N94°42′25″W |
| Website | www.koamtv.com/ |
Digital programming
The station's digital signal is multiplexed.
| Subchannel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 7.1 | main KOAM-TV programming / CBS HD |
| 7.2 | Fox (Simulcast of KFJX) |
History
KOAM-TV first signed on at 5:22 p.m. on December 13, 1953 under the ownership of MidContinent Broadcasting Company, a joint venture of The Joplin Globe newspaper and KOAM radio (860 AM, the current KKOW). The Globe would eventually sell its minority stake in the station to KOAM radio owners E. Victor Baxter and Lester Cox.
KOAM-TV launched as a primary affiliate of NBC, owing to KOAM radio's long affiliation with NBC Radio, though it also had secondary affiliations with CBS (until KSWM-TV launched in 1954), DuMont (until that network's 1955 closure) and ABC (until 1967, when KODE became a fulltime ABC affiliate and KUHI-TV signed on with CBS). In 1980, KOAM swapped affiliations with KTVJ (the former KUHI-TV) and became a CBS affiliate.
KOAM-TV logo until 2010
Wheel of Fortune
KOAM-TV logo until 2010
Wheel of Fortune is currently on KOAM. Jeopardy!, however, airs on KODE, making Joplin/Pittsburg one of only a few markets where the programs are carried on separate stations (Usually, both shows air on the same channel).
KOAM's digital signal on channel 13 signed on in 2001 and remained there until signing off at KOAM turned off its analog signal at 12:38 a.m. February 17, 2009 (following The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), at which time KOAM ceased analog broadcasting and its digital signal moved to channel 7. Sister station KFJX, the market's Fox affiliate, moved onto KOAM's former digital channel 13 (KFJX continued to broadcast on analog Channel 14 until the June 2009 shut down date). KFJX's signal is simulcast on KOAM's digital subchannel 7.2.
In June 2010, the DirecTV satellite system added Joplin locals to its channel line-up. KOAM and sister station KFJX refused to allow DirecTV to carry their stations.
News team
Current on-air staff
Anchors/reporters
- Tawnya Bach - Anchor; weekend mornings and noon (also reporter)
- Lisa Olliges - Anchor; Saturdays at 6 and weekends at 10 p.m.
- Dowe Quick - Anchor; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
Weather team
- Doug Heady (AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist & NWA Seals of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 and 10 p.m.
- Brian Davis (AMS & NWA Seals of Approval) - Meteorologist; weekends; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 and 10 p.m.
- Dave Pylant - Weathercaster; weekday mornings and noon
Sports team
- Steve Slivka - Sports Director; weeknights at 5, 6, 9 (on KFJX) and 10 p.m.
- Trey Daerr - Sports Anchor; Saturdays at 6 and weekends at 9 (on KFJX) and 10 p.m. (also sports reporter)
Former on-air staff
- "NBC Nightly News" Anchor Brian Williams got his start at KOAM-TV.
- Jay Radzavicz - Weekend sports anchor/weekday sports reporter. Currently a producer for The Golf Channel
- Mike Corcoran - Anchor; weekends at 9 p.m. (on KFJX) and weeknight reporter
- Rhonda Justice - Anchor; weeknights at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.
- Jeanene Kiesling - Reporter; Now in Kansas City
News/station presentation
Newscast titles
- Your Nescafé News Daily (1953–1960)
- National News (1960–1970)
- TV-7 News (early 1970s)
- Newseven (1970s)
- News 7 (early 1980s)
- Action News (1984-1986)
- KOAM News (1986-1995 & 2002-present)
- NewsChannel 7 (1995–2002)
Station slogans
- Channel 7, Proud as a Peacock! (1979-1980; localized version of NBC ad campaign)
- Looking Good Together on Channel 7 (1980-1981; Localized Edition of CBS ad campaign)
- Reach For The Stars on Channel 7 (1981-1982; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- Great Moments with You on 7 (1982-1983; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- We've Got The Touch, You and KOAM-TV (1983-1984; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- You and KOAM-TV, We've Got The Touch (1984-1985; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- We've Got The Touch on KOAM-TV 7 (1985-1986; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- Share The Spirit of Channel 7 (1986-1987; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- KOAM-TV SPIRIT, Oh Yes! (1987-1988; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- KOAM-TV 7, The 4 States Can You Feel It (1988-1989; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- Get Ready for KOAM-TV 7! (1989-1991; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- The Look of 4 States is KOAM-TV 7 (1991-1992; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- The Address Is KOAM-TV...Welcome Home (1997-1999; Localized edition of CBS ad campaign)
- Four States Strong: 7 Strong (1997-2010)
- The Power of 7 (2007-2010; secondary slogan)
- The 4-States Most Watched News (2010-present primary slogan)