View source for KMOV

{{Short description|Television station in St. Louis}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox television station
| name =
| callsign = KMOV
| logo = First Alert 4 logo 2023.svg
| logo_upright = 1
| branding = {{ubl|''First Alert 4''|Matrix Midwest (32.1)}}
| digital = 24 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 4
| translators =
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''4.1:''' [[CBS]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[Gray Media]]
| licensee = Gray Television Licensee, [[LLC]]
| image = Matrix Midwest Logo.svg
| image_upright = .8
| location = [[St. Louis]], Missouri
| country = United States
| founded = April 1954
| airdate = {{start date and age|1954|7|8|p=y|br=y}}
| callsign_meaning = "Missouri [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]]"{{efn|adapted from prior KMOX-TV call sign from the [[KMOX|radio station]] (inclusive of Missouri's [[List of U.S. state and territory abbreviations|postal abbreviation]]), and former owner [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]].}}
| sister_stations = [[KDTL-LD]]
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KWK-TV (1954–1958)|KMOX-TV (1958–1986)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 4 ([[VHF]], 1954–2009)|'''Digital:''' 56 (UHF, 1998–2009)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1954–1955)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|341|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 70034
| coordinates = {{coord|38|31|47|N|90|17|58|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.firstalert4.com}}
}}
'''KMOV''' (channel 4) is a [[television station]] in [[St. Louis]], Missouri, United States, affiliated with [[CBS]] and [[MyNetworkTV]]. It is owned by [[Gray Media]] alongside [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power station]] [[KDTL-LD]] (channel 4.6). The two stations share studios on Progress Parkway in suburban [[Maryland Heights]]; KMOV's transmitter is located in [[Lemay, Missouri]].

==History==
===Early history===
The station first signed on the air on July 8, 1954, as KWK-TV. At its launch, channel 4 was owned by a consortium which included Robert T. Convey (28%) and the now-defunct [[Newhouse Newspapers]]–published ''[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]]'' (23%), who jointly operated KWK radio (1380 AM, now [[KXFN]]); Elzey M. Roberts Sr., former owner of KXOK radio (630 AM, now [[KYFI]]), which had to be sold as a condition of the license grant (23%); and Missouri Valley Television Inc., made up of [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]–based [[Hubbard Broadcasting]] (23%) and several St. Louis residents (combined 3%).<ref>"KWK-TV begins; six others ready." ''[[Broadcasting and Cable|Broadcasting – Telecasting]]'', July 12, 1954, pg. 68.</ref>

Each of the station's part-owners had competed individually for the channel 4 [[construction permit#Broadcasting|construction permit]] before agreeing to merge their interests only three months before the station went on the air.<ref>"St. Louis Ch. 4 grant proposed after merger." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', April 19, 1954, pg. 60.</ref> Upon signing on KWK-TV took the CBS affiliation from [[Belleville, Illinois]]–licensed WTVI (channel 54, now [[KTVI]] channel 2). Until 1955, it also aired [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] programs that WTVI declined to broadcast. The station's original studios, built by KWK radio in anticipation of television, were located on Cole Street in [[Downtown West, St. Louis|Downtown West]].<ref>[http://www.stlmediahistory.com/index.php/Radio/RadioArticles/kwk-celebrates-23rd-anniversary "KWK celebrates 23rd anniversary."] ''St. Louis Advertising Club Weekly'', March 20, 1950.</ref>

===As a CBS owned-and-operated station===
However, CBS was planning to operate its own television station in St. Louis alongside its powerhouse radio station, [[KMOX]] (1120 AM). The network originally won the permit to build a new station on channel 11 – the last remaining commercial [[VHF]] channel assigned to St. Louis – in January 1957.<ref>"FCC acts to clear key market V's." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', January 21, 1957, pp. 35-37.</ref> But after being approached with an offer, CBS decided in August of that year to buy KWK-TV instead for [[United States dollar|$]]4 million.<ref>"CBS buys KWK-TV for $4 million." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', September 30, 1957, pg. 48.</ref> The agreement required CBS to give up its construction permit for channel 11, and the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) transferred it to one of the failed applicants, a group led by St. Louis hotelier [[Harold Koplar]], for no financial consideration.<ref>"New alignment set for St. Louis TV." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', October 28, 1957, pg. 73.</ref> Almost immediately, the deal was held up after the St. Louis Amusement Company, another of the original applicants for channel 11, protested to the [[United States Court of Appeals]] in January 1958.<ref>"Court issues temporary stay in St. Louis ch. 11 situation." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', January 6, 1958, pg. 74.</ref> The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ultimately upheld the decision in November of that year.<ref>"Supreme Court refuses plea to upset St. Louis TV grant." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', November 24, 1958, pg. 79.</ref> CBS had already taken control of channel 4's operations that March, and changed its call letters to KMOX-TV in reference to its new radio sister.<ref>"CBS-TV takes over KWK-TV." ''Broadcasting – Telecasting'', March 3, 1958, pg. 10.</ref> The following April, channel 11 signed on as [[independent station]] [[KPLR-TV]].<ref>"Pressed into service." ''Broadcasting'', May 18, 1959, pg. 80.</ref>

In July 1968, CBS opened a new studio and office facility in downtown St. Louis to house the KMOX stations, which until that point had been operating from separate locations (KMOX radio was headquartered near [[Forest Park (St. Louis)|Forest Park]]).<ref>"D'Arcy's new office reflects spirit of St. Louis." ''Broadcasting'', July 15, 1968, pg. 26.</ref> Channel 4 moved from Cole Street into the new facility, known as One Memorial Drive, and remained there until December 3, 2023; the Cole Street studio was soon acquired by [[KDNL-TV]] (channel 30), which operated that facility from its sign-on in June 1969 until 2022.

===Viacom ownership===
By late 1985, CBS was in rough financial straits, an after-effect of successfully fending off a [[hostile takeover]] attempt by [[Ted Turner]] the year before. CBS spent the latter portion of 1985 repurchasing a large portion of its stock to help block the Turner takeover. Once Turner sold his stock, CBS was saddled with significant debt and needed to raise money.<ref>{{cite news|title=The second 50 years of the Fifth Estate. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-12-30-OCR-Page-0070.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=70 |date=December 30, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> Not long after [[Laurence Tisch]] became the company's chairman, CBS decided to sell KMOX-TV, at the time its smallest [[owned-and-operated]] television station by market size.<ref>{{cite news|title=CBS puts KMOX-TV on the block. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-10-28-OCR-Page-0110.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=110 |date=October 28, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> On May 16, 1986, the [[Viacom (1952–2006)|original iteration of Viacom]], the former CBS Inc. subsidiary and future parent company, completed its $122.5 million purchase of the station; so as to comply with an FCC regulation in place at the time that prohibited TV and radio stations in the same market but with different ownership from having the same callsigns, KMOX-TV's callsign was slightly modified to the present KMOV almost a month later on June 18.<ref>{{cite news|title=In brief. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-12-09-OCR-Page-0120.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=120 |date=December 9, 1985 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Call letters–Grants–Existing TV's. |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-06-30-OCR-Page-0062.pdf |periodical=Broadcasting |page=64 |date=June 30, 1986 |access-date=January 15, 2019 }}</ref> Despite the sale, channel 4's operations continued to be based alongside KMOX radio at their downtown studios on Memorial Drive; KMOX would relocate from that building in 2012. The two stations still have a news partnership.

Viacom announced its purchase of [[Paramount Pictures]] in 1993. The merger, completed in 1994, placed Viacom's existing five-station group (KMOV; [[WHEC-TV]] in [[Rochester, New York]]; [[WNYT (TV)|WNYT]] in [[Albany, New York]]; [[WVIT]] in [[New Britain, Connecticut]]; and [[KSLA-TV]] in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]]) under common ownership with the [[Paramount Stations Group]];<ref>Foisie, Geoffrey, and Christopher Stern. "Viacom, Paramount say 'I do.'" ''Broadcasting and Cable'', September 20, 1993, pp. 14-16. Accessed January 5, 2019. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0014.pdf] [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0015.pdf] [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-09-20-Page-0016.pdf]</ref><ref>Foisie, Geoffrey. "At long last: Viacom Paramount." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', February 21, 1994, pp. 7, 10, 14. Accessed January 5, 2019. [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0007.pdf] [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0010.pdf] [http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-02-21-Page-0014.pdf]</ref> the two groups were formally consolidated in December 1995.<ref name="v-viacompsg">{{cite news |last1=Flint |first1=Joe |title=Viacom Group Merged Under Par's Cassara |url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/viacom-group-merged-under-par-s-cassara-99123610/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 18, 1995}}</ref> However, in 1994, the company decided to divest itself of all of its major network affiliates to focus on stations that carried its then-upstart United Paramount Network ([[UPN]]), which would start up service on January 16, 1995.<ref>Zier, Julie A., and Steve McClellan. "Minority-led group eyes Viacom stations." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', November 7, 1994, pp. 6. Accessed January 5, 2019. [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-11-07-Page-0006.pdf]</ref>

===Belo Corporation ownership===
[[Dallas]]-based [[Belo Corporation|A. H. Belo Corporation]] acquired KMOV in a three-way deal also involving two stations in the [[Seattle]]–[[Tacoma]] market. As part of the transaction, A. H. Belo (which spun off its broadcast holdings into a [[DallasNews Corporation|separate, similarly named company]] in 2008) sold [[KIRO-TV]] (then a UPN affiliate, which was included in the deal because the company had recently acquired that market's [[NBC]] affiliate [[KING-TV]]) to [[Cox Enterprises]], who concurrently sold its existing Seattle–Tacoma station, then-CBS affiliate [[KSTW]], to Viacom.<ref>McClellan, Steve. "Netlets dealing for affiliates." ''Broadcasting and Cable'', February 24, 1997, pg. 10.</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Seven|first=Richard|title=CBS Link Likely To Stay With KSTW -- Buyer Experienced In Broadcast News|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19970121/2519839/cbs-link-likely-to-stay-with-kstw|access-date=April 28, 2013|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=January 21, 1997}}</ref> The deal was consummated on June 1, 1997 (KIRO and KSTW swapped their affiliations on June 30, 1997, thus returning to its original affiliation).

In the spring of 2013, a lighted sign with the KMOV logo was installed on the top of the south face of Gateway Tower, which not only gave the station visibility on the St. Louis skyline, but was also visible in center field of wide shots of [[Busch Stadium]] during [[St. Louis Cardinals]] games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://urbanstl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9628|title=New KMOV 4 CBS huge sign on Gateway Tower|date=March 17, 2013|publisher=Urban STL|access-date=September 26, 2014}}</ref>

===Changing hands===
On June 13, 2013, the [[Gannett Company]], owner of NBC affiliate [[KSDK]] (channel 5), announced that it would acquire Belo. As the deal would violate FCC regulations that disallow common ownership of two of the four highest-rated stations in a single [[media market|market]] (KMOV and KSDK have ranked as the top two stations in the St. Louis market in total-day ratings for several years), Gannett would retain KSDK, while it would spin off KMOV to Sander Media, LLC (owned by former Belo executive Jack Sander). Gannett intended to provide services to the station through a [[shared services agreement]], KMOV's operations were to remain largely separate from KSDK, including separate and competing news and sales departments.<ref name=stlpd-saletosander>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Gannett to buy TV station owner Belo for $1.5 billion|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/gannett-to-buy-tv-station-owner-belo-for-billion/article_31e7fb91-676f-50cb-825f-9f9f6a6e6f8c.html|access-date=June 13, 2013|newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=June 13, 2013}}</ref> However, on December 16, 2013, the [[United States Department of Justice]] threatened to block the merger unless Gannett, Belo and Sander completely divested KMOV to a government-approved third-party company that would be barred from entering into any agreements with Gannett. The DOJ claimed that Gannett and Sander would be so closely aligned that Gannett would have dominated spot advertising in St. Louis.<ref name=b&c-kmovdojnosander>{{cite news|last=Eggerton|first=John|title=Justice: Sander Can't Keep KMOV|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/justice-sander-cant-keep-kmov/127991|access-date=December 16, 2013|newspaper=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=December 16, 2013}}</ref> On December 23, 2013, shortly after the Gannett/Belo deal was approved and completed,<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/72893/gannett-completes-its-acquisition-of-belo Gannett Completes Its Acquisition of Belo], TVNewsCheck, Retrieved December 23, 2013</ref> [[Des Moines, Iowa]]–based [[Meredith Corporation]] – which already had a broadcasting presence in Missouri through its ownership of fellow CBS affiliate [[KCTV]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] – announced that it would purchase KMOV, along with [[KTVK]] and [[KASW]] in [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] (the latter of which Meredith would later sell to the [[Nexstar Broadcasting Group]]) for $407.5 million.<ref name=tvnc-meredith>{{cite web|title=Meredith Buying Three Stations From Gannett|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/72891/meredith-buying-three-stations-from-gannett|work=TVNewsCheck|date=December 23, 2013|access-date=December 23, 2013}}</ref> The sale of KMOV was completed on February 28, 2014.<ref name=slpd-kmovmeredithcomplete>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Lisa|title=Meredith Corp. closes on $177 million purchase of KMOV|url=http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/meredith-corp-closes-on-million-purchase-of-kmov/article_a03f725d-4d48-5dc8-8374-0d6287fdcc1b.html|access-date=February 28, 2014|newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=February 28, 2014}}</ref>

More than a year later on September 8, 2015, [[Richmond, Virginia]]–based [[Media General]] announced that it would acquire Meredith for $2.4 billion. If it had been completed, it would have marked KMOV's third ownership shift since 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Media General Acquiring Meredith For 2.4 Billion|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/88230/media-general-acquiring-meredith-for-24b|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=September 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TV Station Mega Merger: Media General Sets $2.4 Billion Acquisition of Meredith Corp.|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/tv-station-meredith-media-general-merger-1201587744/|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton|periodical=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|date=September 8, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2015}}</ref> Media General would eventually shelve the Meredith deal in favor of a counter-offer by Nexstar.<ref name=tvnc-mgnexstar>{{cite web|title=Nexstar-Media General: It's A Done Deal|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/91865/nexstarmedia-general-its-a-done-deal|website=TVNewsCheck|access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name=nyt-mgnex>{{cite news|title=Nexstar Clinches Deal to Acquire Media General|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/business/dealbook/nexstar-clinches-deal-to-acquire-media-general.html?_r=0|access-date=January 27, 2016|work=The New York Times| date=January 27, 2016 | last1=Picker | first1=Leslie }}</ref>

On April 24, 2018, it was announced that Meredith would be acquiring CW affiliate KPLR-TV from [[Tribune Media]] as a result of station sales ordered by the FCC as a result of [[Failed acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair Broadcast Group|Tribune's proposed acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group]], owners of ABC affiliate KDNL-TV. If Sinclair's acquisition of Tribune and related station sales were approved, it would have created a [[Duopoly (broadcasting)|duopoly]] between KMOV and KPLR-TV.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sinclair-tribune-merger-station-group-1202416416/|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton|periodical=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]]|date=May 8, 2017|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref><ref name="slpd-saletomeredith">{{cite news|title=KPLR among 23 stations being sold to clear Sinclair's takeover of Tribune Media|url=https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/movies-tv/article_b9a5e295-53a8-5d45-94de-3091fbb46191.html|access-date=April 28, 2018|work=[[St. Louis Post Dispatch]]|date=April 24, 2018|language=en}}</ref> However, on August 9, 2018, Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal, intending to seek other [[M&A]] opportunities. This came three weeks after the FCC's July 18 vote to have the deal reviewed by an [[administrative law judge]] amid "serious concerns" about Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties. Tribune also filed a [[breach of contract]] lawsuit in the [[Delaware Chancery Court]], alleging that Sinclair engaged in protracted negotiations with the FCC and the [[United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division|U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division]] over regulatory issues, refused to sell stations in markets where it already had properties, and proposed divestitures to parties with ties to Sinclair executive chair David D. Smith that were rejected or highly subject to rejection to maintain control over stations it was required to sell.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair and Tribune Fall as FCC Slams TV Station Sale Plan|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-16/fcc-rejects-sinclair-plan-for-tv-station-sales-in-tribune-deal-jjof6bcs|first=Todd|last=Shields|agency=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg News]]|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC chair rejects Sinclair-Tribune merger|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/397194-fcc-chairman-rejects-sinclair-tribune-merger/|first=Harper|last=Neidig|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|publisher=Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FCC throws Sinclair/Tribune deal in doubt|url=https://www.robertfeder.com/2018/07/16/fcc-throws-sinclairtribune-deal-doubt/|first=Robert|last=Feder|author-link=Robert Feder|website=RobertFeder.com|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=FCC Throws Wrench Into Sinclair Media Megadeal|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/fcc-throws-wrench-into-sinclair-tribune-deal.html|first=Benjamin|last=Hart|periodical=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|publisher=New York Media, LLC|date=July 16, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sinclair Tries to Appease F.C.C., but Its Tribune Bid Is Challenged|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/business/media/sinclair-tribune-fcc.html|first=Edmund|last=Lee|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=FCC orders hearing even as Sinclair changes plans to sell TV stations to address concerns about Tribune deal|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sinclair-tribune-revised-divestitures-20180718-story.html|first=Lorraine|last=Mirabella|newspaper=[[Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=Tronc|date=July 18, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Terminates $3.9 Billion Sinclair Merger, Sues Broadcast Rival|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tribune-media-terminates-merger-agreement-with-sinclair-broadcast-group-1533810907|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|publisher=[[News Corp (2013–present)|News Corp.]]|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tribune Kills Sinclair Merger, Files Suit|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/220320/tribune-kills-sinclair-merger/|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|website=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheck Media|date=August 9, 2018|access-date=September 9, 2018|archive-date=March 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329181121/https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/tribune-kills-sinclair-merger/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Media pulls out of Sinclair Broadcast merger|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-tribune-sinclair-merger-ended-20180809-story.html#|first=Christopher|last=Dinsmore|newspaper=[[Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=[[Tronc]]|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune Ends Deal With Sinclair, Dashing Plan for Conservative TV Behemoth|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/business/dealbook/sinclair-tribune-media.html|first1=Edmund|last1=Lee|first2=Amie|last2=Tsang|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tribune Ends Deal with Sinclair, Files Breach of Contract Suit|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/tribune-ends-deal-with-sinclair-files-breach-of-contract-suit|first=Jon|last=Lafayette|periodical=Broadcasting & Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tribune withdraws from Sinclair merger, saying it will sue for 'breach of contract'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/08/09/tribune-withdraws-sinclair-merger-saying-it-will-sue-breach-contract/|first1=Brian|last1=Fung|first2=Tony|last2=Romm|newspaper=The Washington Post|publisher=Nash Holdings LLC|date=August 9, 2018}}</ref>{{Overcite|date=June 2024}} The deal was nullified, with Tribune eventually accepting another merger agreement with Nexstar that, due to other station spin-offs, retained the existing KTVI/KPLR duopoly and closed without issue in mid-September 2019.

=== Sale to Gray Television, move to St. Louis County ===
On May 3, 2021, [[Gray Television]] announced its intent to purchase the Meredith Local Media division, including KMOV, for $2.7 billion. The sale was completed on December 1.<ref name="meredithdone">{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/01/2344524/0/en/GRAY-TELEVISION-CLOSES-ON-ACQUISITION-OF-MEREDITH-CORPORATION-S-LOCAL-MEDIA-GROUP.html |title=Gray Television Closes on Acquisition of Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group |agency=[[Globe Newswire]] |publisher=[[Gray Television]] |date=December 1, 2021}}</ref>

On December 3, 2023, with its 6 p.m. newscast, KMOV completed the on-air move from Gateway Tower to a remodeled and adapted facility in the [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]] suburb of [[Maryland Heights]] which had formerly been occupied by medical device manufacturer [[CLARIO|ERT]], joining KTVI/KPLR in relocating to Maryland Heights, which provides much easier access to the area's freeway system via [[Interstate 270 (Missouri–Illinois)|Interstate 270]] and a secured parking lot rather than the cumbersome mix of on-street and underground parking it had at Gateway Tower.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2022/06/15/kmov-studio-in-maryland-heights-leaving-downtown.html|title=TV station KMOV buys studio building in Maryland Heights, will move from downtown|last=Lloyd|first=Gloria|date=July 15, 2022|work=[[American City Business Journals|St. Louis Business Journal]]|access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref> The station had soft-launched a new branding, ''First Alert 4'' (which has become a common brand for Gray's local newscasts) in the months before, which was solidified in full with the move to Maryland Heights.

==Programming==
===Past programming preemptions and deferrals===
As a CBS-owned station, channel 4 cleared the entire network schedule and, after the launch of ''[[CBS News Nightwatch]]'' in 1982 adopted a 24/7 schedule as a result. When Viacom took over in 1986, this changed rather drastically. KMOV began signing off the air at night, thus preempting ''Nightwatch''. A barrage of scattered prime time preemptions later followed that was so rampant, the station earned a mention in [[Ken Auletta]]'s 1991 book, ''Three Blind Mice''. KMOV randomly replaced CBS prime time shows with programming such as [[Billy Graham]] Crusades and ''[[National Geographic]]'' specials, syndicated [[feature film|movie]] packages, and occasional local and regional [[broadcasting of sports events|sporting events]], all of which allowed the station and Viacom full control of the ad time airing during the preemptions. According to Auletta, KMOV preempted 103 hours of CBS prime time programs in 1987, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the network prime time schedule.<ref>{{cite book|last=Auletta|first=Ken|date=1991|title=Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way|url=https://archive.org/details/threeblindmiceho00aulerich|url-access=registration|publisher=Random House|isbn=0307766330}}</ref> In the 1990s, the prime time preemptions eased as all networks began to tighten down contractually on heavy preemptions, and currently, the station only occasionally preempts a CBS prime time show, usually only due to breaking news or severe weather. The station also resumed a 24-hour broadcast schedule in the early 1990s.

From September 1989 until September 11, 2015, KMOV aired ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' on a same-day [[broadcast delay|delay]] at 3&nbsp;p.m., and later, at 4&nbsp;p.m. (serving as a lead-in for its early-evening newscasts), with ''[[The Price Is Right]]'' airing on a one-hour delay at 11&nbsp;a.m.; KMOV also delayed ''[[The Late Late Show (American talk show)|The Late Late Show]]'' by a half-hour since 1997 under original host [[Tom Snyder]] (one of several CBS stations that have done this practice), in order to run syndicated programming after the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' (KMOV completely preempted ''The Late Late Show'' during the program's first two years on the air). On September 14, 2015, KMOV moved ''The Price Is Right'', ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Late Late Show'' to their recommended network time periods with the first full season under Meredith ownership, with the relocation of the former two shows occurring as a result of the launch of a half-hour 4&nbsp;p.m. newscast.<ref name="Fall TV changes">{{cite news|title=Fall brings big changes to St. Louis daytime TV|url=http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/television/gail-pennington/fall-brings-big-changes-to-st-louis-daytime-tv/article_a3b4c856-82e8-5fa7-ad4f-f82dbdf65394.html|first=Gail|last=Pennington|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref>

===Sports programming===
KMOX/KMOV served as the unofficial home station of the NFL's [[Arizona Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinals]] from their arrival in St. Louis in 1960 until the [[1987 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|1987 season]], when the team relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. It also aired any games of the city's next NFL team, the [[Los Angeles Rams|Rams]] from [[1998 St. Louis Rams season|1998]] (when [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] acquired the AFC broadcast package) to [[2015 St. Louis Rams season|2015]] (usually home interconference contests), when the Rams returned to Los Angeles.

KMOV aired games of the baseball St. Louis Cardinals from [[1990 St. Louis Cardinals season|1990]] to [[1993 St. Louis Cardinals season|1993]] as part of [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]]' national broadcast contract with Major League Baseball. In [[2025 St. Louis Cardinals season|2025]], the Cardinals and KMOV parent Gray Media announced an agreement to simulcast at least 10 games with [[FanDuel Sports Network Midwest]]. All games will air on Matrix Midwest with select games also on KMOV.<ref>{{Cite web |last=K. Miller|first=Mark|date=March 6, 2025|title=St. Louis Cardinals Partner With Gray Media, KMOV & Matrix Midwest |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/st-louis-cardinals-partner-with-gray-media-kmov-matrix-midwest/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=TV News Check }}</ref>

KMOV was also served as the host of the [[2005 Final Four]] which took place at the [[Edward Jones Dome]].

The station aired [[St. Louis Blues]] [[NHL]] games for one season, during the [[1996–97 St. Louis Blues season|1996–97 season]] until their over-the-air telecasts moved back to KPLR-TV for the [[1997–98 St. Louis Blues season|1997–98 season]]. In January 2025, the Blues announced an agreement with Gray Media to exclusively broadcast three regular season games during the [[2024–25 St. Louis Blues season|2024–25 season]]. All of the games will air on Matrix Midwest, while two games will be simulcast on KMOV's primary subchannel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2025 |title=Blues partner with First Alert 4 and Matrix Midwest to broadcast 3 games over-the-air |url=https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/blues-to-broadcast-3-games-with-first-alert-4-and-matrix-midwest |access-date=January 7, 2025 |website=NHL.com}}</ref>

===Locally produced non-news programming===
In 2003, KMOV began producing ''At the Zoo'', a program that gives a behind-the-scenes look inside the [[St. Louis Zoo]] and was hosted by meteorologist Kent Ehrhardt (encore presentations of older episodes aired from 2009 to 2011). In September 2008, KMOV premiered ''Great Day St. Louis'', an hour-long daytime talk show, mostly focusing on entertainment and lifestyle topics in the St. Louis area (the show is currently hosted by Matt Chambers, Kent Ehrhardt, and Laura Hettiger). In January 2011, KMOV debuted ''At the Center'', which features an inside look at attractions at the [[St. Louis Science Center]].

===News operation===
KMOV presently broadcasts 41 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with {{frac|6|1|2}} hours each weekday, five hours on Saturdays and {{frac|3|1|2}} hours on Sundays). In addition, the station produces the half-hour sports wrap-up program ''Sports Sunday'', which airs on Sundays after the 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast. Many members of KMOV's on-air news staff have moved on to work for national news organizations ([[Richelle Carey]] and meteorologist [[Reynolds Wolf]], for example, both joined [[CNN]] in 2006). While it would seem like a positive aspect, the "revolving door" turnover rate of its anchors and reporters has been one of KMOV's weaknesses over the years (especially under CBS ownership, where it had the same "farm team" talent development role [[WKYC]] in [[Cleveland]] played for NBC), leading to the unfamiliarity that many of the station's on-air personalities have in the market. Though this may have initially caused some issues for KMOV, ratings for channel 4's newscasts have since increased. Since the departure of [[Karen Foss]] from KSDK in December 2006, Larry Conners assumed the title of the longest-serving 10&nbsp;p.m. news anchor in the market until he was fired by the station in 2013 after a Facebook post questioning if he was being audited by the [[Internal Revenue Service]] in the wake of a contentious interview with President [[Barack Obama]] during the 2012 election cycle.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/joe-holleman/former-st-louis-tv-anchor-larry-conners-switching-to-new-radio-station/article_6d3a711c-49d1-5a0f-8d7e-afd61db0f605.html|title=Former St. Louis TV anchor Larry Conners switching to new radio station|last=Holleman|first=Joe|date=January 3, 2023|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|access-date=December 8, 2023}}</ref>

In 1976, channel 4 became the second station to adopt Dick Marx's "[[WBBM-TV|WBBM]] Channel 2 News Theme", that eventually became the de facto official newscast music for CBS' owned-and-operated stations. The theme was dropped by the station in 1986 after Viacom took control, though from 2001 to 2008, the station used the [[Frank Gari]]-composed "CBS Enforcer Music Collection", which uses a music signature derived from the WBBM package. Ironically from 1989 to 1992, KMOV used Gari's "News Series 2000", which was traditionally associated with ABC stations, as its news theme. In July 2018, the "CBS Enforcer Music Collection" theme returned to the station, replacing their previous theme, the Gari-composed "The Edge".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2018/07/30/kmov-news-4-logo-motion-graphics/|title=St. Louis' News 4 updates branding, graphics|date=July 30, 2018 }}</ref>

KMOX-TV was competitive in the ratings for most of the period from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} From the early 1980s until recently, KMOX-TV/KMOV was a solid, if distant, runner-up to KSDK. However, until the mid-1990s, the station had to fend off spirited competition from KTVI. Although KMOV's newscasts were critically favored, they were rarely rewarded with a ratings win over long-dominant KSDK, with the 10 p.m. newscast regularly winning at least a 20 percent share in viewership, while KSDK averaged about a 30 percent share. KMOV has seen significant ratings growth since 2004, and beat KSDK at 10 p.m. both during the November 2004 sweeps period – the first time in over a quarter-century that KSDK did not place first in any timeslot – and during the May<ref>[http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20060705-972.html Belo Corp. | Press Releases<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018225321/http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20060705-972.html |date=October 18, 2006 }}</ref> and November 2006 sweeps periods; it also became the most-watched late evening newscast in the United States during the latter period. Most of the ratings growth at 10 p.m. was attributed to CBS' prime time ratings increases and NBC's large drop in viewership. However, KMOV also saw growth in all of its other newscast timeslots, even where the station does not benefit from a strong CBS lead-in.<ref>[http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20061204-1081.html Belo Corp. | Press Releases<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005746/http://www.belo.com/pressRelease.x2?release=20061204-1081.html |date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> Starting in late 2013, KMOV started to dominate the news ratings in most newscasts, winning the noon, 5, 6 and 10&nbsp;p.m. time slots, while KSDK plummeted to third place at 5 and 6&nbsp;p.m. for the first time in that station's history. Despite the firing of longtime anchor Larry Conners by the station in May 2013, KMOV has placed first among the market's 10&nbsp;p.m. newscast in every demographic every month since that time.

In February 2002, KMOV partnered with the ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' to produce the weekly news discussion program ''Extra Edition'', hosted by now-former weekday morning anchor Marc Cox.

On January 27, 2008, beginning with its 5:30&nbsp;p.m. newscast, KMOV became the second television station in the St. Louis market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in [[High-definition television|high definition]] (after KSDK, which has produced its newscasts in the format since 2006).

====Notable former on-air staff====
* [[Joe Buck]] – reporter
* [[Richelle Carey]] – reporter (2003–2006)
* [[Dan Dierdorf]] – sports director
* [[Roger Grimsby]] – reporter/news correspondent (1959–1961)
* [[Jim Hart (American football)|Jim Hart]] – sports anchor
* [[Linda Lorelle]] – reporter (late 1980s)
* [[Russ Mitchell]] – anchor/reporter (late 1980s)
* [[Regis Philbin]] – hosted one of his early syndicated shows from the KMOX-TV studios (1972–1975)
* [[Steve Savard]] – sports anchor (1997–2013) and news anchor (2013–2020)
* [[Barry Serafin]] – anchor/reporter (1967–1971)
* [[Reynolds Wolf]] – meteorologist (2005–2006)

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KMOV<ref>{{cite web|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KMOV|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KMOV#station|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/05/31/mynet-first-alert-weather-now-get-new-channel-locations-monday/|title=MyNet, First Alert Weather Now get new channel locations Monday|website=KMOV|date=May 31, 2024|accessdate=June 4, 2024}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.1
| [[1080i]] || rowspan="4" | [[16:9]] || KMOV-HD || [[CBS]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.2
| rowspan="1" |[[720p]]
| 1stAlrt || First Alert Weather Now
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.3
| rowspan="2" |[[480p]]
| COZI-TV || [[Cozi TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 4.4
| Mystery || [[Ion Mystery]]
|- style="background-color:#DFEBF6; border-top: 2px solid #003399; border-bottom: 2px solid #003399;"
! scope = "row" | [[KPLR-TV|11.4]]
| 480i || 16:9 || Rewind || [[Free TV Networks#365BLK|365BLK]] ([[KPLR-TV]])
|-
! scope = "row" | 32.1
| 720p || 16:9 || MATRIX || {{ubl|Matrix Midwest|([[Independent station|Independent]]/[[MyNetworkTV]])}}
|-
|}
{{legend|#DFEBF6|Broadcast on behalf of another station}}

On February 17, 2014, KMOV dropped the [[Live Well Network]], as Meredith planned on using the bandwidth utilized from digital channel 4.3 for the station's [[ATSC M/H]] [[mobile DTV]] signal.<ref>{{cite web|title=KMOV Facebook Page|url=https://www.facebook.com/news4stlouis|website=KMOV|via=[[Facebook]]|access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> On November 17, 2014, KMOV relaunched 4.3 as "MyTV St. Louis", returning MyNetworkTV (and some syndicated programming) to the market after a nine-month absence due to former affiliate [[WRBU]] (channel 46)'s sale to [[Ion Media Networks]] and that station's wholesale conversion into an [[Ion Television]] owned-and-operated station.<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to MYTV St. Louis! |url=http://www.kmov.com/community/KMOV-TV-launches-new-sister-station--282973851.html |access-date=November 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129061429/http://www.kmov.com/community/KMOV-TV-launches-new-sister-station--282973851.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 }}</ref>

KMOV carried [[MeTV]] on their second subchannel from 2013 until February 1, 2018, when it moved to [[KNLC-TV]] (channel 24), which was sold in December 2017 to MeTV parent [[Weigel Broadcasting]]. This allowed Meredith to air [[Cozi TV]] for the first time in the St. Louis market (it had entered an agreement to air on Meredith stations in early 2016, but KMOV's circumstances with MeTV and MyNetworkTV under their previous Belo and Gannett ownerships prevented Cozi TV from being carried until that point).

On August 22, 2024, as part of a larger initiative by Gray Television to launch [[regional sports network]]s, the MyNetworkTV subchannel was rebranded as "Matrix Midwest". Its new lineup includes a partnership with the [[Missouri Tigers]] to produce pre- and post-game shows for its football games (''Mizzou Live'') and a coach's show (''Tiger Talk'') with [[Eliah Drinkwitz]]. The channel continues to otherwise carry its existing syndicated, lifestyle, and MyNetworkTV programming, while also adding ''GMFB: Overtime'' (the syndicated extension of [[NFL Network]]'s ''[[Good Morning Football]]'') as part of its weekday lineup.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 22, 2024 |title=Matrix Midwest is St. Louis' only free and independent sports & entertainment network |url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/08/22/matrix-midwest-is-st-louis-only-free-independent-sports-entertainment-network/ |accessdate=August 22, 2024 |website=First Alert 4 |publisher=[[Gray Television]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2024 |title=Gray launches over-the-air sports network in St. Louis, Matrix Midwest |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2024/08/22/gray-launches-over-the-air-sports-network-in-st-louis-matrix-midwest/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2024, it was announced that the subchannel would also air [[Missouri Valley Conference]] basketball as part of an agreement between the conference and Gray, with a package of regular season games, and coverage of the opening round and quarter finals of the [[Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament|MVC men's basketball tournament]]. The games also stream on [[ESPN+]] and the ESPN app.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 12, 2024 |title=Matrix Midwest to broadcast Missouri Valley Conference basketball games |url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/09/12/matrix-midwest-broadcast-missouri-valley-conference-basketball-games/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=KMOV |language=en}}</ref> The subchannel also has an agreement with the [[St. Louis Blues]] to air classic games and the Blues Hall of Fame induction ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Blues to air Class of 2025 Hall of Fame induction on Matrix Midwest |url=https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/blues-to-air-class-of-2025-hall-of-fame-induction-with-matrix-midwest-partnership |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=St. Louis Blues|language=en}}</ref> In February 2025, Matrix Midwest aired matches from the [[Coachella Valley Invitational]] preseason tournament featuring [[St. Louis City SC]] of [[Major League Soccer]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 3, 2025|url=https://coachellavalleyinvitational.com/2025/02/03/fox-television-stations-and-gray-media-to-televise-mls-and-nwsl-matches-live-from-the-coachella-valley-invitational/|title=FOX TELEVISION STATIONS AND GRAY MEDIA TO TELEVISE MLS and NWSL MATCHES LIVE FROM THE COACHELLA VALLEY INVITATIONAL|website=Coachella Valley Invitational|access-date=February 3, 2025}}</ref>

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KMOV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 56, which was among the high-band [[UHF]] channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to UHF channel 24, using [[virtual channel]] 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/Articles-i-2009-01-23-84522.113117_Digital_Television_Transition_Problematic_For_Some.html Digital Television Transition Problematic For Some], Don Corrigan, [[Webster-Kirkwood Times]], January 23, 2009, indicates both KMOV and KNLC as digital-only</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.firstalert4.com/}}

{{St Louis TV}}
{{Missouri TV}}
{{Illinois TV}}
{{Gray TV}}

[[Category:1954 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:CBS affiliates]]
[[Category:Cozi TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Gray Media]]
[[Category:Ion Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:MyNetworkTV affiliates]]
[[Category:NFL primary television stations]]
[[Category:Paramount Stations Group]]
[[Category:Peabody Award winners]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1954]]
[[Category:Television stations in St. Louis]]