HomeMy WebLinkAboutMedia_KBTXCourtesy of KBTX-TV Channel 3
KBTX-TV
KBTX-TV began broadcasting in Bryan-College Station
on May 22, 1957 from a four-room brick building on
East 29th Street. At the time, the street was a dead
end, and on the other side was a creek that was
known to flood during heavy rains. East 29th street
was also a dirt road, and the pastureland that the
station was built on was considered a remote
location.
From that day, KBTX was broadcasting at full power
on a 400-foot antenna located behind the station.
Our studios and business offices are still located at
the original location, but things on East 29th Street
have changed dramatically. The building has gone
through multiple additions, and that small dead-in
dirt road has changed into a major corridor for traffic
linking Bryan and College Station. Engineering work
was done on the creek (now known as Carter Creek),
and where there was a dead end now is a bridge
connecting Bryan and College Station. Where once
our studios stood alone, we now have major retail
and business development surrounding us as
business neighbors.
Network Affiliation & The Brand
KBTX-TV has been a CBS affiliate since its debut in
1957. In fact, in the early years, KBTX was a duel CBS
and ABC affiliate selecting the best shows from both
networks. In 1984, KBTX became an exclusive CBS
affiliate. From the very first day the station began
broadcasting, the importance of news in the lives of
Brazos Valley viewers became clear. The station's
commitment and dedication to responsible reporting
and community involvement became a core part of
our mission statement and continues today. Our long
history of reporting fair and accurate local news,
weather and sports is echoed today in our slogan:
“The People You Know, The News You Trust.”
KBTX-TV Firsts in the Brazos Valley
First television station
First station capable of color transmission
First to use color news film and videotape
First to report news and weather on location
First to use Doppler radar
First 24-hour television station
First to broadcast digital HDTV
Orrs Supermarket, Conlee Moving Company, and Joe
Faulk’s Auto Parts were the first KBTX advertisers
KBTX has only had two owners in its 56 years on the
air. KBTX was first owned by Brazos Broadcasting Inc.,
a corporation of local investors (Frank Seale, Brazos
Varisco, John M. Lawrence III, Harry Gillam, W.C.
“Scrip” Mitchell, and M.N. “Buddy” Bostick), and
investors in KWTX Broadcasting of Waco, Texas. The
founding investor, M.N. “Buddy” Bostick, handpicked
Harry Gillam to become the first General Manager of
KBTX where he remained until his death in 1986.
In 1999, Gray Television purchased KBTX and
continues to own and operate this station, as well as
TV stations in 30 television markets broadcasting 46
channels affiliated with one of the “Big 4 Networks”
(ABC,CBS, FOX and NBC) and 42 additional channels
of programming.
1968 Elections
Ulman McMullen with a KBTX-TV studio camera.
Photo ca. 1968: Ulman McMullen stands next
to a KBTX-TV studio camera.