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{{Short description|Television station in Omaha, Nebraska}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WOWT
| city = Omaha, Nebraska
| logo = WOWT First Alert 6 Logo 2024.svg
| logo_size = 220px
| branding = First Alert 6
| digital = 22 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 6
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''6.1:''' [[NBC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[Gray Media]]
| licensee = Gray Television Licensee, [[LLC]]
| location = {{ubl|[[Omaha, Nebraska]]|[[Council Bluffs, Iowa]]}}
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1949|8|29|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning = [[Woodmen of the World]] (original owner of WOW radio) + Television
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WOW-TV (1949–1975)|WOWT-TV (1983–2012)}}
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 6 ([[VHF]], 1949–2009)
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|NBC (1949–1956)|[[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] (secondary, 1949–1952)|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1949–1953 and 1954–1957)|[[CBS]] (secondary 1955–1956, primary 1956–1986)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|418|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 65528
| coordinates = {{coord|41|18|40|N|96|1|38|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.wowt.com/}}
}}

'''WOWT''' (channel 6) is a [[television station]] in [[Omaha, Nebraska]], United States, affiliated with [[NBC]] and owned by [[Gray Media]]. The station's studios are located at the [[Kiewit Plaza]] on Farnam Street near downtown Omaha, and its transmitter is located on a "[[tower farm]]" near North 72nd Street and Crown Point Avenue in north-central Omaha.

WOWT is Gray's only Nebraska station that is not part of its Nebraska News & Weather Network which includes [[sister station]]s [[KOLN|KOLN/KGIN]], [[KSNB-TV]], and [[KNOP-TV]].

==History==
The station signed on the air on August 29, 1949, at noon as WOW-TV; it was the first television station in [[Nebraska]] and is one of the oldest in the [[Upper Midwest]]. It also claims to have gone on the air earlier than any station in four other Midwestern states—[[Iowa]], [[Kansas]], [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]]. The station was owned by Radio Station WOW, Inc., alongside WOW radio (590 AM, now [[KXSP]], and 92.3 FM, now [[KEZO]]).<ref>[http://members.aol.com/jeff99500/1949tv.html Commercial Television Stations of the U. S., 1949<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The owners operated under a [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling which had forced the [[Woodmen of the World]], who had founded WOW in 1923, to divest itself of the radio stations because they threatened the Woodmen's tax-exempt status.

The station was originally a primary NBC affiliate and secondary [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate; it lost ABC programming in 1953, when [[KFOR-TV (Nebraska)|KFOR-TV]] signed on from [[Lincoln, Nebraska|Lincoln]] as an ABC affiliate. However, in 1954, Lincoln was separated from the Omaha market, and WOW-TV resumed sharing ABC programming with [[KMTV-TV|KMTV]] (channel 3) until 1957, when [[KETV]] signed on as an ABC affiliate. [[Meredith Corporation]] bought WOW-AM-FM-TV in 1951. The station claims it was bought by former [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[Francis P. Matthews]] in 1954, but this is false as Matthews had died two years earlier. On January 24, 1955, after the radio stations dropped their longtime affiliation with the [[NBC Red Network]] in favor of the [[CBS Radio Network]], WOW-TV became a secondary [[CBS]] television affiliate. This was part of CBS' multi-year, five-station affiliation deal with Meredith Corporation, as a compensation for Phoenix sister station [[KPHO]]'s initial loss of the CBS affiliation to [[KOOL-TV]] before it reclaimed that affiliation in 1994 ([[KCMO (AM)|KCMO-AM]]-[[KCMO-FM|FM]]-[[KCTV|TV]] also switched to the network several months earlier).<ref>{{cite web|date=January 24, 1955|title=Five Meredith stations become CBS affiliates.|url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-BC-IDX/55-OCR/1955-01-24-BC-OCR-Page-0062.pdf|page=62|periodical=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting – Telecasting]]}}</ref> On January 1, 1956, WOW-TV officially became Omaha's CBS outlet, trading affiliations with KMTV.<ref>{{cite web |title=TV Buyers! The New CBS-TV Outlet in Omaha is WOW-TV |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1956/1956-01-02-BC.pdf|page=8|date=January 2, 1956|work=[[Broadcasting-Telecasting]]}}</ref>

WOWT's most famous former employee is former ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson|Tonight Show]]'' host [[Johnny Carson]], who worked at WOW-TV in the early 1950s in his first television job as the host of a program called ''[[The Squirrel's Nest]]'', where he told jokes. Another prominent former employee is former ABC ''[[Good Morning America]]'' reporter [[Steve Bell (news anchor)|Steve Bell]], who worked for Channel 6 during the early and mid-1960s. He was the only local reporter to go to [[Dallas]] in November 1963 to cover the aftermath of the [[John F. Kennedy]] [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy|assassination]]. Bell left channel 6 in 1967 to join [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], where he remained until 1986.

In 1974, Meredith tried to sell WOW-TV to [[Pulitzer Publishing Company]] for $8 million, but the deal collapsed and Pulitzer ended up buying KETV instead.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 20, 1974|title=In Brief|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/74-OCR/1974-05-20-BC-OCR-Page-0010.pdf|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

When Meredith sold channel 6 to the [[San Francisco]]-based [[Chronicle Publishing Company]] in 1975, it changed its call letters to WOWT on July 9, due to [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) restrictions regarding the usage of the same call letters by different owners at the time. Normally, channel 6 would have had to adopt a callsign starting with "K" when it changed its call letters, since the WOW call letters had been assigned before the current K/W dividing line was moved to the [[Mississippi River]]. However, Chronicle wanted to continue trading on the WOW calls, and got a waiver from the FCC to retain a "W" in its calls. To this day, WOWT is one of the westernmost stations with a callsign starting with "W". After negotiations with the network, Channel 6 reversed the 1956 swap and rejoined NBC on June 29, 1986.

Not surprisingly, channel 6 owns a lot of firsts in the market. It was the first Omaha station to broadcast local programming in color, starting in the mid-1950s; it was the first station to provide live reports during its daily newscasts; it was the first of the three local stations to broadcasts three live daily newscasts, at 5, 6, and 10 p.m.; and in 1993, WOWT was the first local television station to offer a website. During the analog era, WOWT-TV was relayed in [[Clarinda, Iowa]], on a UHF repeater, K58AE, which has since been shut down and deleted from the FCC database.

In 1999, Chronicle sold its media holdings (including its newspapers and four television stations) to separate buyers; WOWT was sold to [[Benedek Broadcasting]] via [[LIN TV Corporation]] in a three-way deal for [[WWLP]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. Three years later, Benedek Broadcasting was acquired by [[Gray Television]]. In 2021, WOWT reunited with some former sister stations after being separated for 46 years when Gray Television acquired Meredith.<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>

Until 2014, WOWT was considered the default NBC affiliate for Lincoln, the [[List of capitals in the United States#State capitals|state capital]], located {{convert|52|mi|km|0}} from Omaha. Despite Lincoln being in a different [[Media market|market]], most Lincoln-area cable systems carried WOWT, and channel 6's analog signal decently covered Lincoln. It even went as far as including Lincoln in its legal IDs. When [[direct broadcast satellite]] gained more penetration [[KHAS-TV]] (now KNHL) in [[Hastings, Nebraska|Hastings]], which had long served as the NBC affiliate for the western half of the Lincoln market, was offered as the local NBC affiliate. However, most Lincoln cable systems opted to continue carrying WOWT. With the acquisition of [[KSNB-TV]] in [[Superior, Nebraska|Superior]] by Gray, that station took over the primary local NBC affiliation for Lincoln, replacing WOWT on the local [[Time Warner Cable]] (now [[Charter Spectrum]]) system. Until 2016, WOWT was carried in standard definition on digital channel 83 in Lincoln and surrounding Spectrum systems. However, it is no longer available in the Lincoln area.

On January 7, 2015, Gray Television stations WOWT, [[WIBW-TV|WIBW]] ([[Topeka, Kansas]]), and [[KAKE]] ([[Wichita, Kansas]]; no longer owned by them) were dropped from Cox cable lineups as a retransmission deal expired.<ref name="TV News Check">{{cite web|title=3 Gray Stations Off Cox Cable Systems|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/82026/3-gray-stations-off-cox-cable-systems|website=TV News Check|date=January 7, 2015 |access-date=January 8, 2015}}</ref> The previous agreement expired on December 31, but a one-week extension was agreed upon before the current blackout. After a dispute lasting several days, a new agreement was reached on January 11, 2015, and the three Gray Television stations returned to Cox cable lineups.<ref>http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/WOWT-Cox-Reach-Agreement-Signal-Back-Sunday-Afternoon-288193211.html {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

===6<sub>2</sub>O===
In October 2005, WOWT launched a second [[digital subchannel]] as a [[UPN]] affiliate, branded as "UPN Omaha". The subchannel became an [[independent station]] branded as "6<sub>2</sub>O", when [[The WB]] and UPN shut down in September 2006 (former WB affiliate [[KXVO]] (channel 15) now carries WB and UPN successor [[The CW]], while [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[KPTM]] (channel 42) carries [[MyNetworkTV]] on its second digital subchannel). 

After that, 6.2 became affiliated with [[Universal Sports]]. However, when Universal Sports transitioned exclusively to cable and satellite distribution, WOWT dropped the network on October 1, 2011, replacing it with a local weather service known as "The Weather Authority Channel", an affiliate of [[The Local AccuWeather Channel]]. KETV (channel 7) dropped The Local AccuWeather Channel in September 2011 to switch its second subchannel to [[MeTV]].

==News operation==
WOWT currently broadcasts 40 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with seven hours each weekday and {{frac|2|1|2}} hours on both Saturdays and Sundays); in regard to the number of hours devoted to news programming, it has the highest local newscast output of any broadcast television stations in the Omaha market.

In 1991, WOWT rebranded its newscasts from ''[[Action News]] 6'' to ''Channel 6 News''. In 1995, WOWT launched a cable news channel called "NEWS on ONE", which featured live simulcasts and taped rebroadcasts of the station's newscasts on [[Cox Communications]] channel 1. The channel was eventually rebranded as "News 4 You", concurrent with its move to Cox channel 4 in 2009. Also in 1995, WOWT's sports department launched a weekly half-hour sports news program titled ''Channel 6 Sunday Sports Extra'', which aired after the station's 10 p.m. newscast on Sunday evening. It was the only program of its kind in Omaha, and was hosted from its inception by sports producer (now sports director) Ross Jernstrom. In 2006, WOWT lost its longtime spot in first place in most timeslots to KETV, who remains there as of 2020. In October 2013, the newscasts were rebranded ''WOWT 6 News''. On July 16, 2018, WOWT re-added a 4 p.m. newscast on weekdays, competing with KMTV's newscast at that time slot. WOWT had been the first Omaha station to have a 4 p.m. newscast, launching it in 1994. Its current moniker is "First Alert 6".

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WOWT<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WOWT#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WOWT|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=October 8, 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" | 6.1 
| [[1080i]] || rowspan=7| [[16:9]] || WOWT || [[NBC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.2 
| rowspan=6| [[480i]] || COZI || [[Cozi TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.3 
| HandI || [[Heroes & Icons]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.4 
| ION TV || [[Ion Television]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.5 
| StartTV || [[Start TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.6 
| The 365 || [[365BLK]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.7 
| Outlaw || [[Outlaw (TV network)|Outlaw]]
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WOWT ended regular programming on its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 6, on February 17, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]] (which Congress had moved the previous month to June 12).<ref name="Analog to Digital">[https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf List of Digital Full-Power Stations]</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 22,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090811002925/http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10557376 Digital delay muddles broadcasters' plans], Brian Redemske, ''[[Omaha World-Herald]]'', February 6, 2009.</ref> using [[virtual channel]] 6. WOWT and [[PBS]] member station KYNE (part of the [[Nebraska Public Media]] TV network) were the only two stations in the Omaha market to end analog broadcasts on the original deadline.<ref>[http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf FCC document: "Appendix B: All Full-Power Television Stations by DMA, indicating those terminating analog service before on or February 17, 2009."]</ref>

Upon the switch to digital, WOWT aired a 60-second farewell video bookending the analog era from beginning to end. It began with the words "Welcome to the Future", followed with archived film footage of WOW-TV's transmitter being turned on 1949 as it was covered by then-sister station WOW radio (now KXSP), outdoor scenes set to the song "[[America the Beautiful]]", and concluded with the station logo and digital call sign "WOWT-DT Omaha" set to the [[NBC chimes]]. [[Voiceover artist]] [[Charlie Van Dyke]] provided narration: "[[1949 in television|Sixty years ago]], WOWT turned on its analog signal to be the first television station in Omaha. Now, join us for the digital age as we shut off our analog signal and transition to digital television. We look forward to the new journey ahead. This is WOWT, Channel 6."<ref> WOWT Channel 6, Omaha NE Final Analog Sign off, February 17, 2009; archived on WOWT's [[YouTube]] page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ90OfQONR8, retrieved June 14, 2024.</ref>

As part of the [[SAFER Act]],<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf|title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> WOWT kept its analog signal on the air temporarily to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a scrolling message.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{official website|https://www.wowt.com/}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2dmigeQI0U WOWT's analog farewell video] at [[YouTube]]

{{Omaha TV}}
{{St. Joseph TV}}
{{NBC Nebraska}}
{{TV Stations Iowa}}
{{Missouri TV}}
{{Gray TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wowt}}
[[Category:Cozi TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Gray Media]]
[[Category:Heroes & Icons affiliates]]
[[Category:Ion Television affiliates]]
[[Category:NBC affiliates]]
[[Category:Start TV affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1949]]
[[Category:Television stations in Omaha, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Woodmen of the World]]