KENS-TV

KENS-TV
Callsign	KENS-TV
City	San Antonio, Texas
Branding	KENS 5
Digital	29 (UHF)
Owner	Tegna Inc.
Founded	1950
Airdate	1950-01-01
Sister stations	WOAI-TV

KENS-TV is a television station in San Antonio, Texas, affiliated with the CBS Television Network and owned by Tegna Inc. The station serves the San Antonio metropolitan area and the wider South Texas region, operating from studios near the San Antonio River and transmitting from a tower site serving the Hill Country. KENS-TV competes in local audience share with stations such as KSAT-TV, WOAI-TV (sister) and KXXV while carrying national programming from CBS, syndicated shows linked to distributors like Warner Bros. Television and collaborations with regional sports rights holders.

History

KENS-TV began broadcasting in 1950 amid expansion of television after World War II and the Federal Communications Commission's postwar allocations, joining early peers like KABC-TV, WABC-TV, WBBM-TV, and WPIX. Ownership transitioned over decades from local proprietors to chains including River City Broadcasting, Belo Corporation, and ultimately Gannett Company before the 2015 corporate split that created Tegna Inc.. The station's technological milestones mirrored national advances with analog-to-digital conversion coordinated under the Federal Communications Commission mandate, transmitter upgrades reflecting standards promoted by ATSC and program distribution changes tied to syndicators such as CBS Television Distribution and Debmar-Mercury.

Programming

KENS-TV's schedule combines network offerings from CBS—including marquee franchises like 60 Minutes, NCIS, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—with locally produced content and syndicated series from distributors such as Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Television. The station carries regional sports telecasts when rights are held by CBS Sports partners, including collegiate events from conferences like the Big 12 Conference and occasional broadcasts involving franchises like the San Antonio Spurs when arranged through local blackout agreements. Special programming has included community-focused features akin to productions by public broadcasters such as PBS affiliates and charity telethons coordinated with organizations like the United Way.

News Operation

KENS-TV operates a multi-hour daily newscast lineup, competing in ratings with KSAT-TV, WOAI-TV, and KLRN. The news department has adopted technologies and formats influenced by national practices from outlets like CNN, NBC News, and ABC News. Anchors and reporters have included journalists who later moved to networks such as FOX News Channel and MSNBC or to national newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post. The station's investigative unit has produced reports referencing local institutions including the Bexar County courts, the City of San Antonio, and the Alamo complex, sometimes prompting responses from officials in the Texas Legislature and federal entities like the Department of Justice.

Technical Information

KENS-TV transmits digitally on UHF channel 29 with PSIP virtual channel 5, reflecting the post-analog landscape shaped by the Digital Television Transition in the United States and standards from the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). The station has implemented multicasting channels similar to peers such as WFAA and KXAN-TV, offering subchannels for networks akin to True Crime Network, Quest, or classic television diginets like MeTV. Technical partnerships and signal processing equipment follow suppliers used across broadcast groups, comparable to deployments at stations like KTVT and KPRC-TV.

Notable On-Air Staff

On-air personalities associated with the station have included anchors and reporters who moved to or from outlets such as NBC, CBS News, ABC News, and regional sports networks like Bally Sports Southwest. Some alumni advanced to national prominence at organizations like ESPN, The Associated Press, and Bloomberg Television, while local meteorologists have been certified through organizations such as the American Meteorological Society and participated in conferences organized by National Weather Association.

Community Involvement and Awards

The station has engaged in philanthropic and community initiatives partnering with entities like the San Antonio Food Bank, United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, and cultural institutions including the San Antonio Museum of Art and annual events like Fiesta San Antonio. Its news and public service efforts have earned regional and national recognitions from organizations such as the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), joining peers that have received Emmy Awards and journalism accolades like the Peabody Award for exemplary reporting.

Category:Television stations in Texas Category:Mass media in San Antonio