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KOLN (channel 10) in Lincoln, Nebraska, and KGIN (channel 11) in Grand Island, Nebraska, together known as 10/11, are television stations serving as the CBS affiliates for southeastern and central Nebraska. Owned by Gray Media, 10/11 maintains studios on North 40th Street in Lincoln and a news bureau and sales office on West State Street in Grand Island; KOLN's transmitter is located near Beaver Crossing, while KGIN's is near Heartwell. The stations serve southern and central Nebraska as well as portions of far northern Kansas.

Key Information

KOLN began broadcasting on channel 12 in 1953 and was originally a sole affiliate of the DuMont Television Network. It was bought by John Fetzer soon after its debut. Fetzer bought KFOR-TV, the original channel 10, in 1954. This led to an effective merger of the two stations, with KOLN as the survivor. KOLN moved to channel 10 from a new, higher-coverage transmitter site later that year and joined CBS; the channel 12 facility was transferred to the University of Nebraska and became KUON-TV. This left KOLN without competition based in Lincoln for more than 40 years.

To further increase its reach, Fetzer built KGIN-TV at Grand Island in 1961. 10/11, as the combination became known, dominated the ratings in its enlarged market. Despite a news presentation that remained stubbornly traditional and even stodgy into the 1980s, the station built up a loyal news audience, particularly in rural areas, competing against stations from Omaha in the Lincoln area and two network affiliates in the Tri-Cities portion. The purchases of KOLN and KGIN-TV by Gillett Communications in 1985 and Busse Broadcasting in 1987 heralded a shift toward a more modern style of newscasting.

Gray acquired KOLN/KGIN in 1998. In the 2010s, the company's Nebraska operations grew with the 2013 purchase of KSNB-TV (channel 4), which became the market's NBC affiliate the next year when it acquired the non-license assets of KHAS-TV in Hastings. A semi-satellite of KOLN/KGIN-TV, KNPL-LD "10/11 North Platte", is the CBS affiliate for North Platte.

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

In 1952, Lincoln radio station KOLN (1400 AM) was acquired by the Cornhusker Radio and Television Corporation from Inland Broadcasting Corporation of Omaha. Inland had filed for a permit to construct a KOLN television station, which was replaced by a new application from Cornhusker seeking channel 12.[3] KOLN-TV received its construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on October 2, 1952, and announced plans for a tower at 40th and W, where KOLN radio was located.[4] A second Lincoln station, KFOR-TV, was authorized to the Cornbelt Broadcasting Company to operate on channel 10.[5] KOLN-TV began telecasting programming on February 18, 1953.[6] It was a sole affiliate of the DuMont Television Network.[5] KFOR-TV, an ABC affiliate,[5] followed on May 31.[7]

Channel 12 had been on the air for five months when John Fetzer of Kalamazoo, Michigan, acquired KOLN radio and television from Cornhusker.[8] Under Fetzer, KOLN began planning for a major upgrade. It applied for and received authority to erect a 1,000-foot (300 m) tower and maximum-power transmitter facility east of Beaver Crossing in order to expand its coverage area.[9][10]

On February 17, 1954, Fetzer announced he was purchasing KFOR-TV from Stuart Investment Company. The Beaver Crossing facility would be constructed to utilize channel 10 instead of 12, and KOLN intended to discard DuMont programming in favor of KFOR-TV's ABC affiliation. However, this required action to divest or surrender the channel 12 facility.[11] Even though FCC approval of the channel 10 acquisition came in March, Fetzer had yet to find a buyer for channel 12.[12] It was spun out into a trust to make it available to the University of Nebraska or another educational institution.[13] The trust assumed the channel in July 1954 on behalf of the university.[14] Fetzer's effective consolidation of KFOR-TV and KOLN left channel 10 the only commercial station in Lincoln.[15]

KOLN became a CBS affiliate on June 15, 1954,[16] and moved to channel 10 on August 1 from its new Beaver Crossing transmitter facility.[17] The existing channel 12 transmitter facility and use of KOLN's studios went to the new educational station, which debuted as KUON-TV on November 1.[18] DuMont ceased its existence as a network in 1955,[19] while KOLN remained an ABC affiliate even after KETV began broadcasting in Omaha in 1957.[20]

Regional expansion

[edit]

When KOLN went on the air, it financially struggled. In its first nine months, it lost some $25,000 a month; it had a poor movie selection and was initially saddled with meager offerings from DuMont.[21] The construction of the Beaver Crossing transmitter and move to channel 10 marked the start of a commitment to expand the station's service area well beyond Lincoln.[22] In the Lincoln area, general manager A. James Ebel had an idea. The station gave out television antennas with directions for viewers to point their antennas west toward Beaver Crossing and away from Omaha.[23] West of Lincoln, where the Omaha stations' signals did not reach,[24] a station study found that there was a significant number of charge accounts at Lincoln department stores.[25] In 1959, the Electron Corporation of Dallas, a manufacturer of television equipment, began applying for television station permits in small markets throughout the country, including channel 11 at Grand Island. Electron hoped to use the Grand Island station and others as demonstrations of equipment it claimed would make it 70 percent cheaper to set up new TV stations.[26] Electron obtained the permit and gave it the call sign KGIN-TV, but instead of constructing the station, it sold the permit to KOLN to be used to rebroadcast the Lincoln station.[27]

KGIN-TV began broadcasting on October 1, 1961. A three-hop microwave transmission link from Lincoln carried KOLN programming to the channel 11 transmitter facility at Heartwell.[28] The initial performance of the facility was poor, which was discovered to be due to a mis-assembly of the antenna. It had been incorrectly marked at the factory and, when assembled, sent most of its signal up. A station spokesman noted, "We probably had a good signal on the moon, but this installation wasn't designed to serve the moon."[29] The Grand Island station completed a studio with live telecasting capability in 1967,[30] which moved to the Hotel Yancey in 1969.[31] KGIN continued to have offices at the Yancey as late as 1990.[32] Further translators began carrying KOLN/KGIN-TV as far west as North Platte,[33] with 18 in service by 1973.[34]

With the Grand Island satellite in place, KOLN-TV began branding itself as 10/11. It became one of the highest-rated television stations in its market in the United States in total-day ratings, late afternoon ratings, and other metrics.[22] Its late newscast attracted more than 60 percent of area television viewers in the 1970s.[35] It also became a profitable venture for Fetzer.[24] Other local programs debuted, such as the Morning Show and Cartoon Corral. After 1967, both programs had the same host, Leta Powell Drake, who also hosted local commercials. Cartoon Corral left the air in 1982.[23]

Gillett and Busse ownership

[edit]

After 31 years of ownership, in August 1985, Fetzer announced the sale of KOLN and KGIN-TV—as well as WKZO-TV in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and KMEG in Sioux City, Iowa—to Gillett Communications of Nashville, Tennessee.[36] The change of ownership resulted in the end of several local programs, including Romper Room (after 22 years, as its host ran for office[37]), Etc., and For Children Only, as well as a more adversarial relationship between management and the unionized staff than had been the case under Fetzer.[38]

In 1987, Gillett conducted a buyout of Storer Communications. With this acquisition, Gillett now had 14 stations, more than the limit of 12 then in place. Five of Gillett's smaller stations, including KOLN/KGIN-TV, were spun off to a new company, Busse Broadcasting Corporation, which was run by and named for the former general manager of WEAU-TV in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, one of the stations included in the transaction.[39] Busse Broadcasting was originally announced to be owned by Lawrence A. Busse and a trust set up for George N. Gillett Jr.'s children; the FCC rejected complaints from members of Congress after Gillett himself bought non-voting stock in the company.[40] In 1996, Citadel Communications moved the former KCAN-TV into Lincoln as KLKN (channel 8), giving KOLN its first competition within Lincoln since 1954.[41][42]

Gray ownership

[edit]

In 1995, Busse declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganized.[43] After suspending attempts to sell its stations in 1996,[44] Busse sold its television properties to Gray Communications Systems in 1998. The $112 million purchase brought Gray out of the southeastern U.S. for the first time.[45]

KOLN launched a second subchannel in 2005 to carry UPN programming to digital-equipped viewers and on cable.[46] The subchannel affiliated with MyNetworkTV in 2006.[47] For a time in January 2009, the KOLN/KGIN website included a section about a Fox affiliate on its second digital subchannel (then used for MyNetworkTV, which was to have moved to a third digital subchannel). However, station officials later said there were no immediate plans to launch such a station, describing the page as part of an experimental project not meant for public consumption. At that time, the rights to Fox programming in the Lincoln–Hastings–Kearney market belonged to KSNB-TV in the eastern half of the market and KTVG-TV in the west.[48]

Gray has expanded its central and western Nebraska media holdings beyond 10/11. In 2012, it moved to acquire KSNB-TV, which had lost its Fox affiliation.[49] In an effort to trade on the success of the 10/11 brand, KSNB was relaunched in 2013 as "10/11 Central Nebraska", which aired programming from MyNetworkTV[50][51] and MeTV.[52] 10/11 Central Nebraska also offered 5:30 and 9 p.m. newscasts from KOLN/KGIN and several local programs.[53] That same year, the North Platte translator began offering separate newscasts as KNPL-LD "10/11 North Platte".[54] In 2014, Gray acquired the assets of KHAS-TV in Hastings and moved its NBC affiliation and programming to KSNB-TV.[55]

In January 2020, the KOLN tower near Beaver Crossing collapsed in an ice storm.[56] KOLN and most of its subchannels were broadcast from Gray-owned KCWH-LD (channel 18) in the immediate Lincoln area, while KLKN offered two of its subchannels to KOLN and KSNB. A new tower at the Beaver Crossing site was activated in November 2021,[57] and in March 2022, KSNB-TV began broadcasting from the same site.[58]

News operation

[edit]

For years in much of the Nebraska countryside, the glow of a television through the window of a farm house at 10:15 p.m. meant only one thing: Mel Mains was giving the Channel 10 news.

Lincoln Journal Star editorial board, upon the 1998 passing of A. James Ebel[59]

Newscasts on KOLN/KGIN-TV hewed to the same format for most of the time from the 1950s to the mid-1980s. Under A. James Ebel, KOLN's general manager from 1954 to 1985, 10/11 newscasts began with an in-depth weather report as a service to the station's large rural audience. In a 1977 interview, Ebel stated, "The first thing I learned when I arrived here in 1954 is that the weather is the No. 1 story in Nebraska."[35] After the weather came the state and local news, read on weeknights by Mel Mains, who joined the staff in 1961 and spent nearly 34 years at 10/11.[60]This was followed by the national news. For many years, the national news was read by Bob Taylor—an original station employee who served at the station until his death in 1981, the last 20 of those years as news director; he also doubled as weathercaster.[61] The news presentation was no-frills and straight and remained so even as flashier news formats began to make their mark nationally in the 1970s and made 10/11's newscasts begin to appear dated, even stodgy.[35][24] A 1982 story on Mains in the Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star noted that his "facial expressions contain more granite than Mount Rushmore".[62] Some Lincoln viewers believed KOLN's news was too regional in focus. While Lincoln was by far the largest city in 10/11's coverage area, it only represented 20 percent of its viewership. In spite of its market-wide dominance, KOLN had lower ratings in Lincoln itself, where the Omaha stations provided competition and more dynamic, up-to-date news presentations. In response, staiton manager Paul Jensen said in 1983 that 10/11 did not consider itself merely a Lincoln station but a regional station for all of southeastern and central Nebraska.[22] In a 1994 retrospective, Tom Johnson of the Lincoln Journal described 10/11's news of the era as "rigidly compartmentalized and dull, dull, dull", chastising the format for its lack of flexibility to put lead news stories in their proper place in the program. For example, KOLN did not announce the news of the death of Pope Paul VI until 15 minutes into a 1978 newscast.[63] Under Fetzer's stewardship, 10/11's dominance was so absolute that there was little incentive to change; as a Journal Star editorial on Ebel's death in 1998 put it, "there was no competition" from other stations.[59]

The Gillett purchase in 1985 portended major changes as the new management instituted a more contemporary news format. The weather forecast was moved to the middle of the newscast in June 1986, and the newscast lost the serious tone that had characterized it.[38] These changes climaxed in 1987 with the introduction of a modern news set and a co-anchor for Mains: Deb Collins of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 10/11's news began to resemble newscasts in other markets.[64] [64] This did not hurt its ratings performance in either half of the market. It led KETV of Omaha in the Lincoln portion of the market[65] and the Nebraska Television Network (NTV) in the Tri-Cities (Kearney, Hastings, Grand Island) portion.[66]

The arrival of KLKN to the Lincoln market in 1996 brought changes as 10/11 sought to head off competition. Newscasts featured more live reports, and KGIN-TV began airing a local news insert for the Tri-Cities and central Nebraska, allowing KOLN to present more Lincoln news. Despite this, some viewers continued to remember 10/11 for its more conservative newscasts that began with the weather.[67] The station debuted a 5 p.m. weeknight newscast in 2000.[68]

At a time when cutbacks due to the Great Recession were the norm, Gray invested in expanding the KOLN/KGIN-TV news department. Between 2009 and 2011, the news department expanded by 13 employees, some hired from markets much larger than Lincoln, and the station started a 9 p.m. newscast targeted to the Tri-Cities portion of the market.[69] In 2010, a 4 p.m. newscast debuted, anchored by the husband-and-wife anchor team of Jon and Taryn Vanderford.[70] As of 2025, 10/11 produced 24+1⁄2 hours a week of local news programming as well as the lifestyle show Pure Nebraska, which airs six days a week.[71]

Notable former on-air staff

[edit]

Technical information

[edit]

The stations' signals are multiplexed. KGIN-TV also broadcasts the 4.1 and 4.2 subchannels of KSNB-TV.

KOLN subchannels

[edit]
Subchannels of KOLN[73]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
10.1 1080i 16:9 KOLN-DT CBS
10.2 720p StartTV Start TV
10.3 480i CourtTV Court TV
10.4 H & I Heroes & Icons
10.5 365 365BLK
10.6 TCN True Crime Network

KGIN subchannels

[edit]
Subchannels of KGIN[74]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
11.1 1080i 16:9 KGIN-DT CBS
11.2 720p KSNB-DT NBC (KSNB-TV)
11.3 480i MeMy-DT MeTV (KSNB-DT2)
11.4 H&I Heroes & Icons
11.5 365 365BLK
11.6 Crime True Crime Network
  Simulcast of subchannels of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

KOLN and KGIN-TV ceased analog broadcasting on February 16, 2009, just prior to the original digital television transition date.[75] Both stations moved their digital transmissions from the UHF band (channel 25 in Lincoln, channel 32 in Grand Island) to their former analog channels on VHF.[76]

Translators

[edit]

Six translators supplement KOLN and KGIN-TV's signal coverage.[73][74]

Map
  • Grade A signal contours for KOLN (channel 10) and all associated translators and satellites.
    •   KOLN 10 Lincoln, NE and translators K33OW-D, K25GM-D and K29MD-D
        KGIN 11 Grand Island, NE and translators K30FV-D, K24HG-D and K28GC-D
    •   KCWH-LD3 18.3 Lincoln, NE
    •   KNPL-LD 10 North Platte, NE and translator K33FF-D

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

KOLN

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
KOLN-TV, known on-air as 10/11 News, is a -affiliated licensed to , , broadcasting on virtual and VHF digital channel 10. It operates as the primary outlet for the Lincoln–Hastings–Kearney designated market area (DMA), serving southeastern and central through its main signal and semi-satellite KGIN (channel 11) based in Grand Island. Owned by Gray Television, a multimedia company headquartered in , Georgia, KOLN maintains studios at 840 North 40th Street in Lincoln, with its transmitter located near Beaver Crossing, . The station signed on February 18, 1953, as Lincoln's first , initially broadcasting on channel 12 as a before shifting to channel 10 and joining ABC later that year. In 1954, KOLN switched to affiliation, a that has endured and includes flagship programming such as in its early years. Over the decades, it has expanded its reach with KGIN, established as a full-power to cover additional rural areas, forming the 10/11 duopoly that delivers , , and sports coverage to over 296,000 households in the region as of 2024–25. KOLN has been a cornerstone of Nebraska broadcasting, pioneering local content like the Nebraska Coaches Show in 1957—the longest-running college sports program of its kind—and children's programming such as starting in 1964. Notable milestones include live coverage of the 1982 Cornhusker Hotel implosion and community initiatives like the Can Care a Van mobile health service launched in 1988. Under Gray Television's ownership since 1998, the station continues to emphasize hyper-local journalism, including extensive University of athletics reporting, while adapting to digital platforms for broader audience engagement.

History

Founding and early operations

KOLN-TV signed on the air for the first time on February 18, 1953, as Lincoln, Nebraska's inaugural , broadcasting on VHF channel 12 as a primary affiliate of the . The station was originally owned by Cornhusker Radio and Television Company, which also operated the co-located KOLN-AM radio station, and it transmitted from studios located at 40th and Vine streets in Lincoln. Initial programming emphasized a mix of DuMont network fare, such as variety shows and dramas, alongside locally produced content tailored to the region's agricultural audience, including weather reports and community-focused segments. In July 1953, just months after its launch, Cornhusker sold KOLN-AM-TV to Michigan-based broadcaster John E. Fetzer, who sought to expand his holdings into the Midwest. Fetzer's acquisition marked a rapid transition in ownership, reflecting the station's early potential in serving central Nebraska's growing demand for television service. Under Fetzer Broadcasting, the station continued its local emphasis, producing programs like morning talk shows and farm updates to complement network broadcasts. By early 1954, Fetzer purchased Lincoln's second television station, on channel 10, which had debuted in 1953 as an ABC affiliate; the approved the merger later that year, allowing KOLN to relocate its operations to KFOR's stronger channel 10 facilities while donating the channel 12 allocation to the University of , which launched educational station KUON-TV in November 1954. This shift positioned KOLN as a primary affiliate with secondary ABC carriage. A. James Ebel was appointed general manager in 1954, overseeing the merged operations and instituting a focus on detailed weather reporting to aid rural viewers, a hallmark that defined the station's early identity.

Regional expansion

To extend its CBS affiliation beyond Lincoln, KOLN-TV launched KGIN-TV (channel 11) as a full-power station in Grand Island on October 1, 1961. The new facility, owned by Cornhusker Television Corporation, rebroadcast KOLN's programming to serve central , where terrain and distance previously limited signal reception. KGIN's transmitter was sited five miles northwest of Grand Island to optimize coverage across Hall County and surrounding areas, marking a key step in regional signal extension under the station's early ownership. Following KGIN's sign-on, KOLN-TV and its adopted the unified branding of "10/11" in the early to emphasize their combined operations and shared content. This identity reinforced a cohesive presence across the growing market, with KGIN producing limited local inserts while primarily simulcasting KOLN's schedule. The branding facilitated a seamless viewer experience, contributing to the duopoly's strong market position as the for network programming in areas lacking other VHF options. To address remaining coverage gaps in rural and western , KOLN/KGIN added low-power translators starting in the late , under the leadership of A. James Ebel, who spearheaded statewide expansion efforts. By , at least 18 translators were operational, including one in North Platte that extended the signal westward into the Platte Valley. These repeaters, typically operating at low , filled in "white areas" where full-power signals could not reliably reach due to the region's flat terrain and sparse population centers. The regional expansion solidified KOLN/KGIN's dominance in local ratings throughout the and , as the combined operation faced minimal commercial competition in Lincoln and much of central until the mid-1990s. With KGIN's VHF channel 11 providing clear reception over a 85- to 90-mile radius from its initial tower, the network captured the majority of household viewership for , , and , establishing it as the go-to broadcaster for much of the state's heartland.

Ownership changes under Gillett and Busse

In August 1985, Fetzer Television Corp., which had owned KOLN-TV since 1953, agreed to sell the station along with its satellite KGIN-TV in Grand Island to Gillett Communications Co. for $80 million as part of a larger transaction involving two other television stations, , and . The deal, announced by the Nashville-based Gillett firm, required approval from the under prevailing ownership regulations limiting the number of stations a single entity could control. Gillett's aggressive expansion strategy, funded through high-yield junk bonds and leveraged buyouts, soon led to financial strain, prompting divestitures to manage and comply with regulatory caps. In August 1987, amid these pressures—including a $600 million acquisition of Storer Communications stations—Gillett transferred ownership of KOLN-TV and KGIN-TV to Busse Broadcasting Corp., a Kalamazoo-based firm, effective August 27. The FCC approved the transaction, allowing Busse to assume control without violating national ownership limits then in place. Busse's stewardship marked a period of stability for KOLN-TV during the late 1980s and 1990s, as the company focused on maintaining the affiliation and regional service in central . However, the entry of new competition intensified market dynamics; in April 1996, Communications launched (channel 8), an ABC affiliate relocated from , ending KOLN's decades-long monopoly as Lincoln's sole commercial television station since the closure of in 1954. This development challenged KOLN's dominance in local viewership, particularly in news and prime-time programming, as targeted Lincoln directly with tailored content.

Acquisition and developments under Gray Media

In 1998, Gray Communications Systems (later renamed Gray Television) acquired Busse Broadcasting Corporation, which owned KOLN-TV, its full-power satellite KGIN-TV in Grand Island, and affiliate WEAU-TV in , for approximately $47.6 million in cash plus the assumption of $64.4 million in debt. The deal, valued at a total purchase price of about $126.6 million before adjustments for Busse's senior notes, marked Gray's first expansion beyond the and integrated KOLN into its growing portfolio of network-affiliated stations. Under Gray's ownership, the company pursued regional growth in through targeted acquisitions. In 2013, Gray acquired in Superior for $1.25 million under a failing station , initially operating it as a affiliate before relocating the affiliation from KHAS-TV (later KNHL) to KSNB in 2014, thereby expanding coverage across central . That same year, Gray launched KNPL-LD in North Platte as a low-power affiliate to extend KOLN's primary programming into the western part of the state, enhancing local service in the North Platte market. Additionally, Gray owns low-power affiliate KCWH-LD in Lincoln, acquired as part of broader expansions, and operates KNHL in as a satellite of KCWH-LD following its $475,000 purchase in 2018. A significant challenge occurred on , , when KOLN's primary 1,500-foot near Beaver Crossing collapsed during a severe , causing widespread disruptions to over-the-air , MyNetworkTV, and Grit signals across southeastern . Gray temporarily shifted broadcasting to auxiliary facilities and partner stations, restoring most services within days via cable and providers, while over-the-air viewers relied on low-power until a new tower was completed. The replacement tower activated on November 23, 2021, fully reinstating KOLN's signal coverage without long-term affiliation changes. From 2022 through 2025, KOLN experienced no major ownership shifts or affiliation alterations under Gray Media (formerly Gray Television), continuing as the market's dominant outlet while benefiting from the company's investments in digital streaming and NEXTGEN TV enhancements across its stations. In May 2025, Jacque Harms was appointed of KOLN and KSNB.

News operations

Historical development

KOLN's news department originated with the station's debut on February 18, 1953, as Lincoln's inaugural outlet, delivering foundational local reporting centered on , , and events tailored to central Nebraska's predominantly rural viewers. Under the leadership of A. James Ebel, who served as vice president and general manager from to 1985, the operations solidified a foundation of credible, straightforward , bolstered by technical upgrades including a new 1,000-foot tower and the 1961 launch of satellite station KGIN-TV in Grand Island, which extended news coverage across a broader rural footprint via translators. From 1961 to 1995, longtime anchor Mel Mains anchored the evening newscasts, personally scripting stories and emphasizing forecasts, agricultural updates, and basic local reporting to resonate with an audience where 85% resided outside urban Lincoln in small towns and farms. This era reflected a traditional format prioritizing accessibility and trust for agrarian communities, with newscasts often leading with segments before broader regional news. The 1970s marked initial expansions in scheduling amid growing competition from national networks. Ownership transitions in the mid-1980s accelerated modernization: Gillett Communications acquired KOLN and KGIN-TV in 1985, followed by Busse Broadcasting in 1987, ushering in a shift from solo anchoring to co-anchored formats, live remote trucks for on-scene reporting, and extended broadcast hours to adopt a more dynamic, contemporary style. These changes, implemented under Busse, emphasized visual enhancements like updated sets and increased live coverage, moving away from the staid, script-driven approach of prior decades. The station debuted a 5 p.m. weeknight newscast in 2000. By the late , the news operations faced their first direct local rival when Citadel Communications relocated KCAN-TV to Lincoln as ABC affiliate (channel 8) on April 1, 1996, initially available primarily via cable before full over-the-air transmission; this competition spurred KOLN to refine its established strengths in regional credibility while adapting to a multicasting market.

Current programming and format

KOLN, operating as 10/11 Now, produces approximately 24.5 hours of programming each week, encompassing a mix of morning, midday, evening, and late-night newscasts across its primary channels and digital platforms. Weekday programming begins with 10/11 This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m., providing extended coverage of , weather updates, and community stories, followed by shorter blocks at noon (12-12:30 p.m.), 4 p.m. (4-4:30 p.m.), 5 p.m. (5-5:30 p.m.), 6 p.m. (6-6:30 p.m.), and 10 p.m. (10-10:35 p.m.). Weekend schedules feature condensed editions, including 10/11 News at 6 p.m. on Saturdays, 5:30 p.m. on Sundays, and 10 p.m. daily, ensuring consistent access to regional updates. Complementing the news slate is the agricultural lifestyle program Pure Nebraska, which airs six days a week from 9-10 a.m., focusing on Nebraska's farming communities, rural innovations, and seasonal events to highlight the state's agricultural heritage. This show integrates with the broader format by weaving in timely reports on yields, trends, and policy impacts relevant to viewers in Lincoln and surrounding areas. To support its statewide reach, 10/11 Now maintains a news bureau in Grand Island, facilitating on-the-ground reporting for central Nebraska stories, integrated with coverage from sister station KGIN for enhanced regional and statewide distribution. The format prioritizes investigative journalism, as seen in collaborations with InvestigateTV on topics like athletic association oversight and child labor in meatpacking plants, alongside dedicated segments on University of Nebraska Huskers sports, including game previews, player interviews, and fan engagement during football and volleyball seasons. Community events receive prominent airtime, such as coverage of the Cornhusker State Games and local volunteer-driven initiatives, fostering ties between the station and Nebraska residents. Digital streaming expands accessibility through the 10/11 Now app, available on , , , and mobile devices, offering live newscasts, on-demand replays, and 24/7 weather channels to viewers beyond traditional broadcasts. This multi-platform approach ensures the station's emphasis on timely, community-focused reporting reaches a wide audience in 2025.

Notable personnel

A. James Ebel served as vice president and general manager of KOLN/KGIN-TV from 1954 to 1985, during which he pioneered innovations in local , including the expansion of news coverage across and northern through strategic programming and technological upgrades. Mel Mains anchored the evening news at KOLN/KGIN-TV from 1961 to 1995, building community trust over 34 years by delivering reliable coverage of regional events and earning induction into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2003 for his enduring impact on local broadcasting. Among former staff who advanced to national roles, Vinita Nair worked as an anchor and reporter at KOLN/KGIN-TV from 2002 to 2003, anchoring morning and afternoon newscasts before joining ABC News' "World News Now" and later contributing to CBS News as a correspondent. As of 2025, key on-air personalities include evening anchor Madison Pitsch, who has led prime-time broadcasts focusing on investigative and community stories. Morning and noon anchor Megan Conway, who joined in July 2024, brings over a decade of experience in delivering engaging local news. Weekend anchor and reporter Brandon Mueting started in May 2025, emphasizing in-depth reporting on Nebraska issues. In weather coverage, Brad Anderson was promoted to chief in October 2025 after 27 years with the station, previously handling morning forecasts since 1995 and now leading evening segments at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. His predecessor, Ken Siemek, served 44 years from 1981 to 2025 as chief , retiring on October 30, 2025, after providing critical alerts that earned community recognition, including a mayoral proclamation of "Ken Siemek Day." Other meteorologists include Jessica Blum, who joined in October 2025 as a streaming anchor and forecaster. Sports director Kevin Sjuts, with the station since July 2005, has covered major events like Husker athletics and received the Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year award twice, in 2013 and 2017, from the National Sports Media Association.

Technical information

Subchannels

KOLN and its satellite station KGIN utilize multiplexing to offer a variety of multicast networks alongside their primary CBS affiliation, providing viewers in the Lincoln–Grand Island market with diverse programming options such as classic television, , and content. This setup, made possible following the stations' analog-to-digital conversion in 2009, allows Gray Television to generate additional revenue through affiliation agreements while expanding content availability without requiring separate full-power licenses. The subchannels are broadcast in standard definition (480i) except for the main CBS feeds, which air in high definition (1080i for KOLN and 720p for KGIN's NBC simulcast). Programming focuses on niche audiences, including retro dramas on , live trial coverage on , action series on , Black entertainment on The365, and true crime on for KOLN; KGIN mirrors much of this while adding classic sitcoms via .

KOLN Subchannels

Virtual ChannelResolutionProgrammingNotes
10.1Primary affiliation; local news and weather under the "10/11 NOW" branding.
10.2Features classic crime dramas and female-led series from the 1980s–2000s, such as and ; launched on KOLN in 2015.
10.3Airs live and archived courtroom trials with legal analysis; added to KOLN in 2021 following the network's 2019 relaunch.
10.4Showcases action-adventure and sci-fi series like and .
10.5The365 (365BLK)Provides contemporary Black entertainment, including movies, series, and lifestyle programming.
10.6Delivers documentaries and series on criminal investigations and mysteries.

KGIN Subchannels

Virtual ChannelResolutionProgrammingNotes
11.1Simulcast of KOLN's primary feed for regional coverage.
11.2Simulcast of sister station 's NBC programming since Gray Television's acquisition; includes inserts.
11.3Offers classic television reruns, including sitcoms like The Andy Griffith Show and dramas from the 1960s–1980s.
11.4Simulcast with KOLN 10.4; emphasizes heroic and adventure genres.
11.5365BLK (The365)Provides contemporary Black entertainment, including movies, series, and lifestyle programming.
11.6Simulcast with KOLN 10.6; centers on real-life crime stories and investigations.

Analog-to-digital conversion and signal upgrades

KOLN and its full-power KGIN completed the transition to full-power on February 17, 2009, one day ahead of the national analog shutdown deadline established by the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2007. At launch, KOLN transmitted on UHF channel 25 ( 10), while KGIN operated on UHF channel 32 ( 11), both from shared tower facilities to provide programming across central . In January 2020, severe ice accumulation caused the collapse of KOLN's 1,500-foot near Beaver Crossing, , temporarily knocking the stations off the air and prompting reliance on auxiliary facilities and cable/ carriage for service continuity. To facilitate recovery and spectrum efficiency, KOLN shifted its digital operations to VHF-low channel 10 later that year, while KGIN moved to VHF channel 11; these changes were part of broader post-incentive auction repacking efforts by parent company Gray Television. The for KOLN stands at 66.1 kW (19.8 kW vertical), and 25 kW for KGIN, with measurements of 454 m (1,489 ft) for KOLN and 314.6 m (1,032 ft) for KGIN, all licensed under FCC facility IDs 7890 and 7894, respectively. A new tower at coordinates 40°48'11"N, 97°10'53"W was activated in November 2021, restoring full over-the-air coverage and resolving reception issues stemming from the 2020 collapse and VHF transition. This upgrade improved signal reliability across the Lincoln-Grand Island market. The digital format also enabled the introduction of multiple subchannels for expanded programming options.

Translators and coverage

KOLN and its KGIN utilize six low-power digital translators to extend their signals across rural portions of central and southwestern , filling gaps in the primary broadcast coverage where terrain and distance limit reception. These translators rebroadcast the respective main stations' programming, ensuring unified delivery of affiliations from KOLN and affiliations from KGIN, along with shared local news under the 10/11 News branding. The active translators, all licensed to Gray Television Licensee, LLC, operate at effective radiated powers (ERP) ranging from 1.1 kW to 4.9 kW and were converted to digital operations following the 2009 analog-to-digital transition, building on earlier analog translator networks established in the 1970s to serve isolated communities.
TranslatorChannelLocationERP (kW)
K33OW-D33Neligh, NE4.9
K25GM-D25Newport, NE2.4
K29MD-D29O'Neill, NE2.2
K24HG-D24Cozad, NE1.1
K28GC-D28Gothenburg, NE2.2
K30FV-D30Cambridge, NE2.1
Collectively, these translators contribute to a broadcast spanning more than 20 counties in southeastern and central , reaching an estimated 500,000 viewers in underserved rural areas where primary signals from KOLN in Lincoln and KGIN in Grand Island may not reliably penetrate.

References

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