KRDO-TV

KRDO-TV
Callsign	KRDO-TV
City	Colorado Springs, Colorado
Branding	KRDO 13 News
Digital	24 (UHF)
Virtual	13
Country	United States
Founded	1953
Owner	News-Press & Gazette Company
Sister stations	KRDO (AM), KRDO-FM, KKTV
Erp	1,000 kW
Haat	350 m
Facility id	33359

KRDO-TV is a television station licensed to Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving the Colorado Springs metropolitan area and the Pueblo market as an affiliate of the ABC Television Network. The station operates a primary transmitter on Cheyenne Mountain and maintains studios in downtown Colorado Springs; it provides local news, weather, and sports coverage to the Front Range and adjacent communities. KRDO-TV has been involved in regional broadcasting since the early 1950s and has undergone multiple affiliation, ownership, and technical transitions alongside peers in the American television industry.

History

The station debuted in the early 1950s during the postwar expansion of television and the consolidation era that included competitors such as KKTV, KMGH-TV, and KCNC-TV. Early decades saw affiliation shifts influenced by the programming strategies of CBS, ABC, and NBC. Ownership traversed local media companies and regional chains during transactions akin to deals involving Gannett, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and Scripps Company in other markets. The station modernized through the analog-to-digital conversion mandated by the FCC and repacked frequencies consistent with the FCC's incentive auction and spectrum repack overseen by Commissioners such as Ajit Pai.

Throughout the Cold War era the station covered regional events including USAF operations on Colorado Springs Airport and activities at United States Air Force Academy, while reporting on civic matters involving the El Paso County government, Pueblo County, and the Colorado General Assembly. KRDO-TV expanded its reach via translators and cable carriage agreements with providers such as Comcast, DirecTV, and Dish Network.

Programming

KRDO-TV's scheduling integrates national network series from ABC including dramas and daytime programming originating from Disney–ABC Television Group affiliates, along with syndicated content drawn from distributors like Warner Bros., Paramount Global, and NBCUniversal. Local offerings have included lifestyle shows produced in-house with segments featuring partners from Penrose Hospital, UCHealth, and United Way of Pueblo County. Sports coverage has featured broadcasts of CSU Pueblo athletics and pregame features tied to Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies reporting produced by regional sports bureaus.

The station carries public affairs programming and political debate forums that intersect with offices such as the Colorado Secretary of State, candidates for U.S. House seats, and state legislative campaigns. Special event broadcasts have covered the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, local parades, and memorials related to incidents at Fort Carson and responses to disasters coordinated with agencies like the FEMA.

News Operation

KRDO-TV operates a newsroom producing multiple daily newscasts, morning shows, evening bulletins, and late-night updates. The news team has included anchors and reporters whose careers have overlapped with personnel at stations such as KUSA, KDVR, and KTVA in cross-market moves. The station maintains weather coverage staffed by meteorologists who employ models from NWS and data from NOAA, and has utilized Doppler radar feeds shared with regional partners including NEXRAD sites.

Investigative reporting units at KRDO-TV have pursued stories on regional infrastructure projects tied to the CDOT, water rights disputes involving Colorado River Compact, and public safety matters in coordination with law enforcement agencies such as the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The newsroom engages in political reporting during cycles featuring candidates from the Democratic Party and Republican Party, and covers federal developments from the U.S. Congress, the White House, and federal courts including the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Technical Information

KRDO-TV transitioned from analog VHF operations to digital UHF broadcasting in compliance with the FCC digital transition; its current physical channel follows repack assignments similar to those implemented for stations represented by the NAB. The station transmits with an effective radiated power and height above average terrain comparable to other mountain-front broadcasters like KOAA-TV and KKTV. Multiplexed subchannels have carried networks such as Antenna TV, This TV, and multicast services managed by groups like Tegna Inc. and Nexstar in comparable markets.

The facility has maintained engineering partnerships with tower owners on Cheyenne Mountain and coordination with the FAA for lighting and airspace safety. The station's master control adopted non-linear editing platforms and playout systems from vendors like Grass Valley and Vizrt and leverages fiber and microwave STL links to bureaus in Pueblo and Woodland Park.

Ownership and Affiliates

Station ownership has been part of transactions involving media groups with profiles similar to News-Press & Gazette Company, Raycom Media, and other regional operators; corporate governance aligns with FCC ownership rules enforced by chairs such as Tom Wheeler. Corporate affiliations extend to radio stations in the market like KRDO (AM) and KRDO-FM, with cross-promotion strategies seen in other clusters owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group or Tegna Inc. Syndication and network affiliations have mirrored national trends involving ABC and content sourcing agreements with distributors like Sony Pictures Television.

Community Involvement and Controversies

The station participates in community initiatives with organizations such as the TESSA domestic violence center, Colorado Springs Conservatory, and regional chambers of commerce including the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. Fundraising telethons, public service campaigns for Red Cross blood drives, and partnerships with school districts such as District 11 are part of outreach.

Controversies over editorial decisions, advertising disclosures, and perceived political endorsements have paralleled disputes seen at stations like WXYZ-TV and WTVF, occasionally prompting reviews by media watchdogs and filings with the FCC. Labor relations and employment actions have mirrored industry patterns involving unions like the NABET and corporate negotiations seen at groups such as Gray Television.

Category:Television stations in Colorado