KY3 history

KYTV purchased remote broadcasting equipment in 1954.

KYTV purchased one of the nation's first mobile videotape units in March 1959.

From March 17 to September 22, 1961, KYTV transmitted Five Star Jubilee to NBC from the Landers Theatre.

Channel 3 has been an NBC affiliate since its sign-on, although it also shared a secondary ABC-affiliation with KTTS until KMTC (channel 27, now MyNetworkTV affiliate KOZL-TV) signed on in 1968.

In 1970, the station adopted its current on-air name, “KY3.”

In 1973, the station built a 608.4-meter (1,996 ft) transmission tower in Marshfield, which became the tallest structure in Missouri, approaching nearly 2,000 feet (610 m)—more than three times the height of the Gateway Arch in St Louis.

In 1978, the Cox and Duvall families sold channel 3 to Harte-Hanks Communications.

Other remotes included Springfield Christmas parades, "Man with a Mike" from the Tower Theater on the Plaza, sporting events, and (beginning in 1986) the station's Celebrate the Ozarks program.

Harte-Hanks sold the station to South Bend, Indiana-based Schurz Communications in 1987.

In 1997, Schurz migrated KYTV's operations from its original building on West Sunshine Street into new facilities adjacent to the original studio.

On September 21, 2006, Schurz entered into a deal in which Perkin Media would acquire ABC affiliate KSPR (channel 33, later KGHZ) from Piedmont Television and manage that station under a shared services agreement.

KYTV's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009.

Schurz announced on September 14, 2015 that it would exit broadcasting and sell its television and radio stations, including KYTV, K15CZ-D (channel 15, now KSPR-LD), and the SSA with KSPR, to Gray Television for $442.5 million.