KXXV


KXXV, virtual channel 25, is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Waco, Texas, United States and serving Central Texas, including Waco, Temple and Killeen. The station is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. KXXV's studios are located on South New Road in Waco, and its transmitter is located near Moody, Texas. On cable, KXXV is available on Charter Spectrum channel 5 in both standard and high definition, and on Grande Communications channels 5 and 805.
KRHD-CD in Bryan operates as a low-powered, Class A semi-satellite of KXXV; this station's transmitter is located on US 190 northwest of Bryan in unincorporated Robertson County.

History

KXXV signed on for the first time on March 22, 1985 as an NBC affiliate. The station was originally owned by Central Texas Broadcasting Company, Ltd. Waco was one of the last markets in the nation to gain full service from all three of the traditional broadcast networks. It switched to ABC in September, with NBC programming returning to KCEN-TV. Central Texas Broadcasting sold KXXV to Shamrock Broadcasting in 1987. Drewry Communications purchased the station from Shamrock in 1994.
KRHD-CD's call letters are based on the name of Robert H. Drewry, an Oklahoma native and founder of the Drewry Communications Group.
KXXV added a secondary affiliation with The WB on January 11, 2002, following the sale of the market's previous WB affiliate, KAKW, to Univision. KXXV aired The WB's primetime lineup after ABC's late night programming, as well as two hours of Kids' WB programming on Sunday mornings. In July 2002, KXXV ceded the secondary WB affiliation to Fox affiliate KWKT.
A planned late 2008 sale of the Drewry stations to London Broadcasting fell through due to the late 2000s credit crisis. London Broadcasting subsequently purchased KCEN-TV. On August 10, 2015, Raycom Media announced that it would purchase Drewry Communications for $160 million. The sale was completed on December 1.

Sale to Gray Television and resale to Scripps

On June 25, 2018, Atlanta-based Gray Television, owner of KWTX-TV and its semi-satellite KBTX-TV, announced it had reached an agreement with Raycom to merge their respective broadcasting assets under Gray's corporate umbrella. The cash-and-stock merger transaction valued at $3.6 billion—in which Gray shareholders would acquire preferred stock currently held by Raycom—required divestment of either KXXV or KWTX due to FCC ownership regulations prohibiting common ownership of two of the four highest-rated stations in a single market. Gray announced it would retain KWTX and KBTX, and sell KXXV to an unrelated third party. On August 20, it was announced that the E. W. Scripps Company would buy KXXV/KRHD and sister station WTXL-TV in Tallahassee, Florida for $55 million. The sale was completed on January 2, 2019.

Digital television

Digital channels

The stations' digital signals are multiplexed:

KXXV digital channels

KRHD-CD digital channels

Until November 14, 2017, the Telemundo subchannel was simulcast on KSCM-LP in Bryan.
In Waco/Killeen/Temple, KXXV broadcasts on cable channel 5, while in Bryan/College Station, KRHD-CD broadcasts on cable channel 9.
In Waco, cable operator Grande Communications carries both KXXV and Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA. Only WFAA's local news and some syndicated programming can be seen on cable channel 8. During ABC network programming, a message appears informing viewers to tune to KXXV for network shows.

Analog-to-digital conversion

KXXV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 25, on February 17, 2009, the original target date in which full-power television stations in the United States were to transition from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 26. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 25.

Programming

programs broadcast by KXXV include Judge Judy, The Doctors, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Hot Bench.
As part of a tradition with other former Drewry stations, KXXV airs an annual telethon, benefiting the West Texas Rehabilitation Center in Abilene.
KXXV carried any Baylor Bears games through the network's broadcast rights with NCAA Football.

News operation

KXXV currently broadcasts 29 hours of locally produced newscasts each week. The station maintains a news bureau in Killeen to serve the western portion of the area, including Fort Hood. KRHD also has a small studio and offices in Bryan.
KXXV simulcasts its morning newscast, Good Morning Texas and its 11 a.m. newscast, The Texas Report Midday on KRHD. Both programs feature stories from the main focus area of Waco/Temple/Killeen but also include some stories from Bryan–College Station and the Brazos Valley.
Until January 5, 2015, KXXV produced a taped 30 minute newscast for KRHD, called The ABC40 Nightbeat, that aired at 10 p.m. weekdays. The newscast incorporated stories produced by reporters stationed at the Bryan facility. Outside of the morning news simulcasts, KRHD no longer airs local programming.

Notable reporters