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WBKO (channel 13) is a television station in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with ABC, Fox, and The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Media alongside Telemundo affiliate WBGS-CD (channel 34). The two stations maintain studios on Russellville Road (US 68/KY 80) near its junction with Interstate 165 on the west side of Bowling Green. The transmitter facility is located along Kentucky Route 185 (Richardsville Road) in northern Warren County.

Key Information

WBKO went on the air in 1962 as WLTV; after five years without a network affiliation, it has been aligned with ABC since 1967. In 1969, WLTV's tower was blown off its base in a dynamiting incident. The station was sold the next year and new transmission facilities built, emerging as the only source of television news and information for much of south-central Kentucky for most of its history. It has been owned by Gray since 2002.

History

[edit]

Origins and construction permit

[edit]

In May 1956, two groups filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build a television station on channel 13 in Bowling Green, the only allotted VHF channel for southern Kentucky.[5][6] The first group to file was Sarkes Tarzian, who owned television stations in Indiana.[7] A second application followed shortly thereafter, from George A. Brown Jr., the Kentucky representative for Nashville-based General Shoe Corporation.[8] It was not until February 1957 that the commission designated the applications against each other for comparative hearing,[9] and it took another 18 months for a hearing examiner to give the initial nod for the channel to Tarzian, citing his superior programming plans and broadcast experience as a factor that outweighed the local ownership represented by Brown.[10] Brown appealed the initial decision, and the FCC granted him the permit on October 7, 1959.[6][11]

The station was originally assigned the call letters WITB, but the callsign was officially changed to WLTV on July 6, 1960.[6] During the same month, Brown and his wife Nellie incorporated the Argus Broadcasting Corporation along with Joe Walters, a former RCA engineer.[12][13][14] Construction of studios and a transmission facility began in early 1961 at a site 12.5 miles (20.1 km) north of Bowling Green, near Hadley, on U.S. 231.[1]: 251 [6][15]

As WLTV

[edit]

WLTV made its on-air debut on June 3, 1962. It was an independent station for its first five years of operation, relying on old movies and plenty of live programs,[1]: 251  with local productions including live wrestling, musical shows, and news,[12][16] befitting the slogan "Wonderfully Live Television".[1]: 251  One children's program, Sundown and Friends, used live animals raised at the station site at Hadley.[1]: 312  The station continued without network programming for nearly five years before finally obtaining an ABC affiliation in January 1967, with its first network programs airing on March 6.[1]: 312 [16] Programs were received by off-air pickup and by a private microwave link that fed ABC affiliate WSIX-TV in Nashville to new studios in the former National Guard armory in downtown Bowling Green,[17][18] in which the station relocated its studios in 1968.[1]: 312 

Tower dynamiting incident of 1969

[edit]

At 2 a.m. on September 26, 1969, residents throughout Bowling Green and surrounding Warren County heard a blast. When the sun came up, the transmitter engineer saw that the WLTV tower was leaning 15 degrees, having bowed in the middle, after an estimated 48 sticks of dynamite were set off at the base of the station's 603-foot (184 m) mast. Windows shook at the transmitter building, where debris from the explosion punctured holes in the roof, and in two surrounding homes; as the engineer had already left for the night, there were no injuries.[19]

The investigation centered on one possible reason. WLTV had in recent months become known for editorials on crime in the Bowling Green area,[20] including those related to a local car-theft ring.[1]: 312  However, there was little information for an investigation to go on.[21] A grand jury was convened in October, to which WLTV's news director testified,[22] but no charges resulted; much of the evidence was destroyed by the blast itself.[23]

Meanwhile, efforts immediately began to restore service from WLTV. With the microwave link to the Armory studios severed, equipment was carted back up to the transmitter site to permit limited local broadcasts,[20] and a makeshift antenna out of chicken wire was tested.[24] The damaged mast was purposely brought down October 1,[25] permitting workers to begin erecting a temporary 150-foot (46 m) tower; an antenna was shipped by air freight from California.[26] From these facilities, WLTV returned to the air on October 6.[27][28]

Sale to Professional Telecasting

[edit]

In February 1970, Argus reached a deal to sell WLTV to Professional Telecasting Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of the Lincoln International Corporation of Louisville.[6] Professional Telecasting immediately promised to complete the task of rebuilding the station to provide full-power service again and to begin color broadcasts; at the time, the only color programs seen on WLTV were rebroadcast from ABC.[29] The $1 million transaction[30] was approved by the FCC in June.[31]

The early years as WBKO

[edit]

Professional Telecasting opted to rebuild WLTV's transmission facility at a site to the south of Bowling Green, near Richardsville, instead of to the north. This was because many Bowling Green TV antennas were pointed south to receive Nashville stations.[32] In order to complement the technical overhaul, the owners also filed to change the call letters to WBKO.[33] On January 3, 1971, WBKO adopted the new call sign.[6] The following month, the station activated the new transmission facility, which had come as part of hundreds of thousands of dollars in capital improvements.[34][35]

In May 1976, Lincoln International sold WBKO to Bluegrass Media, a company led by general manager Clyde Payne and a group of local businessmen; [36] the sale was approved in July.[6] Under Bluegrass ownership, WBKO made plans to build new studio facilities in 1981 on the site of a former drive-in movie theater.[37][38] However, these never came to fruition. The Payne group sold WBKO in 1983 to Benedek Broadcasting, with Payne remaining as general manager.[39] In December 1985, the station relocated to its current studio facility on Russellville Road; ABC programming began to be received via satellite soon afterwards.[1]: 312 [40]

Payne was a long-lasting leader at WBKO and a national figure, serving on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters and as president of the ABC affiliates board.[41] In 1977, Arbitron classified Bowling Green as its own area of dominant influence for the first time, carving it out of Nashville; WBKO was the only commercial station in the new ADI.[42] Nielsen Media Research followed suit in 1985, constituting the Bowling Green designated market area.[1]: 313  Payne led the station through the start of the first competing local commercial outlet in Bowling Green, WQQB (channel 40, later WKNT and now WNKY), in December 1989. He also refused to air NYPD Blue when ABC debuted the show in 1993; while there were 48 affiliates that refused to air it, Payne was their most visible representative, appearing on an episode of Donahue, where he was jeered at for telling the New York studio audience that the show "just doesn't work in Bowling Green".[43] The following year, Payne decided to preempt She TV, a sketch comedy show that only ran for a few weeks, due to nudity in the first episode of that program.[44] In 1997, with television content ratings now a reality, Payne opted to begin carrying Blue on WBKO; WKNT had been airing the program in the interim.[45] Later that year, Payne left his role as general manager to work directly for Benedek corporate.[46]

In 1998, as part of a group deal with Benedek,[47] WBKO and local cable providers started "WBWG" (later known as "WB12"), a local feed of The WB 100+ Station Group for the Bowling Green area, with WBKO providing sales and promotional opportunities to the venture.[48][49] It also replaced WKRN-TV on cable.[50]

Gray ownership

[edit]

In the early 2000s, financial problems developed at Benedek. The early 2000s recession dented ad sales and caused the company to be unable to pay interest on a set of bonds issued in 1996, prompting a filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002.[51] Most of Benedek's stations, including WBKO, were sold to Gray Communications Systems—today's Gray Television—of Albany, Georgia.[52] Gray was already familiar with WBKO; in 1997, it had analyzed potentially trading for WBKO as part of a swap of other stations in small Southern markets.[53]

Under Gray, WBKO added a Fox subchannel in September 2006; WKNT (now WNKY) had previously carried Fox from 1992 to 2001 before switching to NBC, but on cable, viewers were receiving WZTV from Nashville.[54] Later in the same month, the WB cable channel affiliated with The CW and became a third subchannel of WBKO.[55]

WBKO has continued to be a market leader and one of the most-viewed small-market stations in the United States. In 2008, it was the second-highest-rated ABC affiliate in a market ranked above 100,[56] and in 2018, it accounted for 76.1 percent of all local TV advertising revenue in Bowling Green.[57]: 33  By 2020, it produced 26 hours a week of local news programming.[57]: 25 

Out-of-market coverage

[edit]

WBKO's signal extends well past the six counties that constitute the Bowling Green television market proper and into dozens of communities in south central Kentucky, including Central City, Hopkinsville, Russellville, Leitchfield, and Elizabethtown, as well as some areas between Nashville and Bowling Green.[58] Even though these communities are drawn into adjacent media markets such as Evansville, Louisville, Lexington or Nashville, WBKO had a long history on cable in these areas, and some of them are part of the Bowling Green metropolitan area or participate in regional economic development efforts centered on Bowling Green. When a new ABC affiliation agreement in 2014 required that WBKO no longer grant cable providers serving some of these out-of-market areas the ability to rebroadcast the station in its entirety, they invested in expensive switching equipment to air WBKO's local programming alongside the network and syndicated offerings from the in-market ABC station.[59] Providers in some of these communities petitioned the FCC to modify WBKO's statutory television market to include them, so as to provide full-time WBKO service (though subject to syndication exclusivity) as they had prior to 2014; they cited viewership information, coverage provided by WBKO of their areas, and, for those areas drawn into the Nashville market, the provision of Kentucky information into "orphan counties" primarily served by television stations in another state. The FCC agreed with the providers and modified WBKO's market to allow full-time cable carriage in these areas.[59]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

WBKO broadcasts from a transmitter located along Kentucky Route 185 (Richardsville Road) in northern Warren County.[3] Its signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WBKO[60]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
13.1 720p 16:9 WBKOABC ABC
13.2 WBKOFOX Fox
13.3 480i WBKOCW The CW Plus
13.4 WBKOOUT Outlaw
13.5 WBKOOXY Oxygen
13.6 H&I Heroes & Icons

Translator

[edit]

WBKO operates Telemundo-affiliated sister station WBGS-CD (channel 34), which also functions as a digital translator for WBKO's main channel. This allows homes with issues receiving WBKO's VHF signal in the immediate Bowling Green area or only a UHF antenna to receive WBKO in some form.[4]

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

On December 8, 2008, at 1:15 a.m., the station turned off its analog transmitter.[61] This early shutdown was done to allow the station to prepare final replacement of its pre-transition digital facility, on UHF channel 33, with the present VHF digital transmission equipment.[62] Work was planned to be completed by Christmas, but inclement weather and a planned holiday break for the tower crew meant work was not completed until the start of 2009.[63][64]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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WBKO

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

WBKO, virtual channel 13 (UHF digital channel 13), is a commercial television station licensed to Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States, serving south-central Kentucky as a primary affiliate of ABC, with Fox and The CW Plus on its digital subchannels.
The station first signed on June 3, 1962, as WLTV, marking it as the inaugural commercial television broadcaster in southern Kentucky.
Owned by Gray Television since 2002, WBKO delivers local news, weather forecasts, sports coverage, and syndicated content to the Bowling Green designated market area, which extends into parts of Tennessee.
Its programming includes network feeds from ABC on main channel 13.1, Fox on 13.2, and The CW Plus on 13.3, alongside additional subchannels for Grit, Oxygen, and other services.

History

Origins and construction as WLTV

WLTV, channel 13, was established by Argus Broadcasting Company, a locally owned entity led by president George A. Brown and co-founder Joseph M. Walters, who organized its operations. In 1957, the company proposed the station to address television coverage gaps in south-central Kentucky, situated between major markets including Louisville, Lexington, Nashville, and Evansville. The Federal Communications Commission granted construction and operating permits in 1959, prioritizing Argus over competing applicants due to its emphasis on local ownership and service to the Bowling Green area. Construction focused on a transmitter site in the hills of Hadley, Kentucky, approximately 12 miles north of , to maximize signal reach across southern Kentucky. The facility included an initial tower designed for VHF channel 13 transmission, supporting the station's launch as the region's first commercial television outlet. Studios were established to produce , aligning with the callsign's for "Wonderful ." The station signed on June 3, 1962, with inaugural broadcasts featuring films, old movies, and live content, though the opening ceremony encountered a technical glitch when the national anthem film failed to cue properly, displaying title frames and a countdown instead. As an without initial network affiliation, WLTV relied on syndicated films and local productions to serve underserved rural audiences, filling a void left by distant signals from Nashville and Louisville affiliates. This setup underscored the station's origins in community-driven , with Argus Broadcasting investing in infrastructure to enable live telecasts from .

Operations as WLTV and the 1969 tower incident

WLTV, owned by Argus Broadcasting, functioned primarily as an following its debut on June 3, 1962, delivering a mix of syndicated programming, local content, and live broadcasts to south-central viewers. The call letters derived from "Wonderful ," underscoring an emphasis on original, on-site productions in its early years as the region's inaugural commercial television outlet. Lacking a network affiliation initially, the station relied on content and community-oriented shows to build audience share amid competition from distant signals in Nashville and Louisville. In 1967, WLTV secured primary alignment with ABC, enhancing its schedule with network fare while retaining some independent elements until the call sign change. The station's operations were disrupted on September 26, 1969, when an explosion demolished its 601-foot transmitting tower near . Dynamite, estimated at several dozen sticks, was placed at the tower's base, severing it from the foundation in a predawn blast that scattered debris over a wide area and rendered WLTV inoperable. The incident halted broadcasts indefinitely, with repair costs and investigations straining the station's resources. Police probes yielded limited leads, amid rumors of tied to local criminal elements opposed to WLTV's reporting on illicit activities such as bootlegging, though no arrests followed and the motive remained unconfirmed. This event precipitated financial pressures leading to the station's sale to Professional Telecasting in , after which a new tower and facilities were constructed to resume service.

Sale to Professional Telecasting and rebranding to WBKO

In 1970, following financial and operational challenges after the 1969 tower incident, original owner Argus Broadcasting sold WLTV to Professional Telecasting Systems, Inc., with the transaction closing on July 24. The approved the $1 million deal earlier that year, enabling Professional Telecasting to invest in rebuilding the station's infrastructure for full-power operations. Effective January 3, 1971, the station rebranded as WBKO, adopting call letters derived from ", Kentucky's Own" to emphasize local identity. This change coincided with operational upgrades, including the introduction of color telecasting for local in-studio programming and newscasts, which had previously been limited by technical constraints. The rebranding marked a shift toward enhanced local focus under Professional Telecasting's management, with studios relocated to 537 East 10th Street in downtown to support expanded production capabilities. These improvements helped stabilize the station's service as Bowling Green's ABC affiliate amid competition from Nashville market signals.

Expansion and developments in the 1970s–2000s

Following the adoption of its current call letters in , WBKO began color telecasting for local in-studio programming and newscasts. In May 1976, the station was sold to Bluegrass Media, a local group that emphasized growth in news production to better serve the south-central market. The station underwent facility improvements in the early , including the construction of new office and studio buildings announced in October 1980. Ownership changed again in April 1983, when Bluegrass Media sold WBKO to Benedek Broadcasting, under whose management the station further developed its department starting in 1985 with expanded evening newscasts. Into the 1990s and , WBKO invested in technological upgrades amid the shift to . The station launched a and introduced WBKO-Fox as a subchannel (13.2) in September , providing network programming to the region via , with initial signal testing targeted for April of that year. These developments preceded the full analog-to-digital transition mandated nationally in 2009, during which WBKO operated its post-transition digital facility on VHF channel 13.

Acquisition by Raycom Media and Gray Television era

In April 2002, Benedek Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WBKO through its Stations Holding Co. subsidiary amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, entered into a letter of intent with Gray Communications Systems Inc. for the sale of 20 stations including WBKO, valued at approximately $500 million in cash plus proceeds from divestitures. A definitive merger agreement followed on June 4, 2002, with Gray forming a subsidiary to acquire the assets, subject to regulatory approval and bankruptcy court confirmation; the transaction closed in the fourth quarter of 2002, marking Gray's entry into the Bowling Green market. Under Gray's ownership, WBKO invested in facility upgrades, including a new studio set in and a transition to full high-definition on its existing analog channel in 2013, enhancing local news production capabilities. The station maintained its primary ABC affiliation while expanding digital subchannels, with DT2 launching programming in 2003 and later iterations incorporating content from syndicated sports producers. Gray's broader strategy emphasized operational synergies across its growing portfolio, positioning WBKO as a dominant local outlet in south-central . On June 25, 2018, Gray Television announced a $3.65 billion acquisition of Raycom Media, pending regulatory hurdles including FCC and DOJ reviews; the deal closed on January 2, 2019, after Gray divested 20 stations to address ownership concentration limits. This merger elevated Gray to the third-largest U.S. television station group by market reach, serving 93 markets and approximately 24% of U.S. households, with integrated assets like Raycom Sports enhancing sports content distribution for affiliates including WBKO. Post-merger, WBKO continued local operations with augmented corporate resources for news, digital platforms, and regional sports coverage, though no direct ownership change affected the station itself, as WBKO predated the Raycom integration under Gray.

Ownership and corporate structure

Key transactions and sales

In 1970, original owner Argus Broadcasting sold WBKO—then operating as WLTV—to Professional Telecasting Systems, Inc., for an undisclosed amount, marking the station's first major ownership change after its 1962 sign-on. This transaction facilitated the rebranding to WBKO in 1971 and subsequent operational expansions. Bluegrass Media acquired the station in 1976 from Professional Telecasting, shifting focus toward enhanced production amid growing competition in the market. Ownership transitioned again in 1983 to Benedek Broadcasting Corporation, which operated WBKO as part of a portfolio emphasizing mid-sized market affiliates. Benedek's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2000 led to the divestiture of its assets, including WBKO, through the formation of Stations Holding Co. LLC. Gray Communications Systems—predecessor to Gray Television—purchased Stations Holding Co. for $500 million in cash, plus proceeds from required divestitures to address antitrust concerns, with the deal closing in the fourth quarter of 2002. This acquisition integrated WBKO into Gray's growing network of ABC affiliates, prioritizing operational synergies and digital upgrades without subsequent sales or transfers.

Current ownership under Gray Television

Gray Television, Inc., a publicly traded media company (NYSE: GTN) headquartered in , Georgia, has maintained ownership of WBKO since acquiring the station from Benedek Broadcasting Group in 2002 following the latter's bankruptcy filing. The direct licensee is Gray Television Licensee, LLC, a subsidiary responsible for operating the station alongside sister property WBGS-CD (channel 34, affiliate) from shared facilities on Russellville Road (/Kentucky Route 80) in . As of 2025, WBKO serves as Gray's flagship ABC affiliate in the Bowling Green market, contributing to the company's portfolio of approximately 180 stations across 113 U.S. markets, with a focus on , weather, and sports programming. Under Gray's stewardship, WBKO has integrated into the company's broader operational framework, including centralized digital and syndication resources while retaining local management for content production. In January 2025, Gray finalized renewals of its affiliation agreements with ABC for all owned stations, securing WBKO's primary network partnership through at least the end of the decade and enabling continued delivery of national programming alongside regional coverage. No divestitures or structural changes affecting WBKO's ownership have occurred amid Gray's recent acquisition activities, such as the $80 million purchase of ' stations announced in August 2025, underscoring the station's stable position within the company's holdings.

Management and operational integrations

Under Gray Television's ownership, WBKO is managed by a local leadership team reporting to corporate oversight in , Georgia. Timothy Coles has served as and since June 10, 2019, overseeing both general operations and sales for the station. Caitlin Huff holds the position of news director, managing local news production and editorial decisions. Operationally, WBKO maintains integrated facilities with its , low-power Telemundo affiliate WBGS-CD (channel 34), both owned by Gray Television licensee Gray Television Licensee, LLC. The stations share studios at 2727 Russellville Road in , facilitating coordinated technical, production, and administrative functions such as master control and equipment maintenance. This co-location supports efficient resource allocation in a single-market duopoly, aligning with Gray's broader strategy of arrangements to optimize costs without attributable time brokerage. WBKO further integrates with Gray Media's national investigative reporting unit, InvestigateTV, through embedded personnel and collaborative content production. Station on-air contributors include Gray Media senior vice president Lee Zurik as anchor, Jamie Grey as director of investigations, and other InvestigateTV staff like and Joce Sterman, enabling local newscasts to incorporate syndicated investigative segments while maintaining distinct market-focused reporting. These ties reflect Gray's model of leveraging centralized expertise for enhanced content depth across its 180+ stations, though WBKO retains autonomous local news operations.

Programming and content

Network affiliations and subchannels

WBKO has served as the ABC affiliate for south central since 1967, broadcasting the network's programming on its primary , 13.1. The station added a affiliation on subchannel 13.2 in September 2006, becoming the market's Fox outlet after the prior affiliate, WKNT (now WNKY), dropped the network in 2001. Subchannel 13.3 carries , providing syndicated and network content tailored for smaller markets since the service's inception in 2006. WBKO's digital multiplex includes additional subchannels featuring national digital multicast networks:
SubchannelVirtual ChannelProgramming Network
13.413.4
13.513.5Oxygen
13.613.6
These subchannels deliver niche content, including Westerns on (launched nationally in 2021), true crime series on Oxygen, and classic action programming on . The full lineup supports Gray Television's strategy of maximizing spectrum use for diverse viewer options in the Bowling Green designated market area.

Local news and public affairs programming

WBKO's news department produces a range of local newscasts under the branding WBKO 13 News, covering south-central with reporting on , crime, regional events, and sports. The station airs daily broadcasts including morning, midday, and evening editions, supplemented by a 24/7 and live streaming options such as WBKO News and WBKO @4. Key anchors include Gene Birk for evenings, Kasey Freeman as evening co-anchor since June 2024, and Kelly Austin for the AMKY morning show and midday news. The news team consists of journalists and reporters handling field coverage, with contributions from InvestigateTV for in-depth reporting. Newscasts emphasize live updates and community-focused stories, distributed via broadcast, app, and online platforms. For public affairs, WBKO airs In the Know, a weekly interview-style program hosted by Brennan Crain since his joining the station in April 2023. The show features discussions with local leaders on topics including government operations, , and legislative priorities; guests have included Warren County Judge/Executive Doug Gorman, U.S. Congressman , Bowling Green City Manager Jeff Meisel, and Barren River Area Development District Executive Director Eric Sexton. In the Know airs on WBKO Plus, providing extended conversations beyond standard news segments.

Sports and community coverage

WBKO's sports coverage emphasizes local collegiate and high school athletics in south-central , with a focus on (WKU) Hilltoppers games and regional competitions. The station produces "Sports Connection," a weekly program hosted by Matthieu Welch and Brian Webb that includes interviews with coaches and players from teams such as Warren Central, Barren County, and , discussing strategies and season previews. receives dedicated attention via "Football Friday Nights," providing scores, highlights, and analysis during the season. Additional features include "Culver's Play of the Week," spotlighting standout high school plays, such as Barren County's Corbin Wells' long run on October 26, 2025. The station extends sports reporting to postseason events, covering outcomes like Bowling Green's Elite 8 loss in boys' soccer on an unspecified recent date and WKU women's soccer's 1-0 win over Jacksonville State on an unspecified 2025 date, securing a co-championship. Live streams and video clips of games, including WKU forensics and e-sports facility developments tied to athletic training spaces, are available on wbko.com. WBKO also airs syndicated sports programming, such as "Fight Sports: In 60," featuring global matches from 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM on its schedule. In community coverage, WBKO maintains a dedicated online section and "SOKY Happenings" calendar listing local events, such as the Bowling Green International Festival on September 29, 2025, and the 25th Anniversary Horse Cave Heritage Festival on September 19-20, 2025. The "Hometown Hero" series honors local figures, including Ashley Vance, president of the Can't Stop Won't Stop Motorcycle Association, for supporting needy families as of a recent feature. Reports highlight civic efforts, such as Bowling Green Parks and Recreation's master plan survey for facility improvements to boost engagement, initiated in June 2025, and the Community Engagement Division's resources for new citizens announced on October 1, 2025. WBKO covers university-community ties, like WKU's new homecoming tradition introduced on October 24, 2025, aimed at connecting alumni and students.

Broadcast coverage and technical specifications

Primary market and signal reach

WBKO operates as the flagship station for the Bowling Green designated market area (DMA), which Nielsen ranks as the 180th largest in the United States for the 2024-2025 television season, encompassing 93,320 television households. The DMA covers six counties in south-central : Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Metcalfe, and Warren, representing a population concentrated around as the central hub. This market structure was formalized in the 1980s following the station's establishment as the region's primary commercial broadcaster. The station's over-the-air signal originates from a transmitter facility located along Route 185 (Richardsville Road) in unincorporated northern Warren County, approximately 10 miles north of . Broadcasting on 13 (physical VHF channel 13), WBKO delivers high-definition digital signals with sufficient to cover the entire DMA reliably via antenna reception, aided by the favorable of low-VHF frequencies over varied including hills and rural expanses. Signal strength typically supports viewership within a primary contour radius exceeding 40 miles from the tower, though actual reception varies by antenna type, , and obstructions.

Out-of-market extensions

In December 2017, the granted a joint petition to modify WBKO's designated market area (DMA) boundaries, incorporating several communities previously assigned to adjacent DMAs and thereby authorizing full-time cable and carriage of the station in those locations. The petition was submitted by Electric Plant Board of Russellville, Cumberland Cellular, Inc., and North Central Telephone Cooperative, Inc., requesting inclusion of Russellville and Scottsville (both within 30 miles of WBKO's transmitter in ), Burkesville, Columbia, Jamestown, and Russell Springs, plus surrounding unincorporated areas. These communities had been classified under the Nashville DMA (Russellville in Logan County, Scottsville in Allen County, and Burkesville in Cumberland County), Louisville DMA (Columbia in Adair County), and Lexington DMA (Jamestown and Russell Springs in Russell County). The FCC Media Bureau's approval weighed statutory criteria under Section 122(j)(2)(C) of the Communications Act, finding that WBKO's Grade A signal contour encompassed the petitioned areas, historical part-time or superstation carriage had occurred, the communities shared economic and geographic ties with Bowling Green (e.g., reliance on local agriculture, education, and events covered by WBKO), and the station's Kentucky-focused news, weather, and public affairs programming served viewer interests better than distant out-of-state affiliates. The neutral fourth factor (effect on network affiliate compensation) did not outweigh these considerations. This expansion extends WBKO's local service to approximately 20,000-30,000 additional households in rural southern and eastern Kentucky fringes, where over-the-air reception is viable but formal carriage had been restricted by prior DMA assignments.

Digital transition and subchannel details


WBKO initiated on UHF channel 33 around 2000, enabling the eventual addition of subchannels. The station ceased analog transmissions on VHF channel 13 on December 8, 2008, converting to digital-only operations ahead of the national transition deadline. Post-transition, WBKO relocated its digital signal to VHF channel 13 while retaining 13 for viewer tuners. In 2013, the station upgraded its primary digital feed to full high-definition broadcasting. Subchannel development leveraged digital multicast capacity, starting with the launch of 13.2 as a affiliate in September 2006 to address a local programming void after the prior affiliate discontinued the network. This subchannel airs the full Fox primetime lineup, sports, and syndicated content, branded as WBKO . Subsequently, 13.3 adopted affiliation for additional network and syndicated programming. As of 2025, WBKO's subchannels include:
Virtual ChannelProgramming Network
13.1ABC
13.2
13.3
13.4
13.5Oxygen
These multicast services expand local access to national networks and niche content without requiring separate full-power stations.

Facilities and equipment upgrades

WBKO maintains its primary studios and news production facilities at 2727 Russellville Road in , a location shared with its co-owned low-power companion stations. The station's transmitter site is located in unincorporated northern Warren County along Route 185 near Richardsville Road, operating on VHF channel 13 with an of 27.9 kilowatts. A significant equipment upgrade occurred with the national , when WBKO ceased analog broadcasts and commenced full-power digital operations on June 12, 2009, utilizing its post-transition channel allocation of VHF 13. This shift enabled subchannel capabilities and improved signal reliability over the prior analog UHF channel 33 temporary facility. In 2013, WBKO implemented a further to full high-definition (HD) digital production and across its primary channel, enhancing , weather, and programming quality for viewers. This transition from standard definition aligned with broader industry adoption of HD standards, supported by investments in cameras, editing suites, and transmission encoding equipment to handle resolution. No major facility relocations or large-scale renovations have been publicly documented since, though ongoing maintenance ensures compliance with FCC technical parameters.

References

  1. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=4692
  2. https://www.wbko.com/programming/schedule/
  3. https://www.wbko.com/2021/06/03/wbko-celebrates-59-years-as-a-television-station/
  4. https://app.joinhandshake.com/employers/gray-television-group-inc-dba-wbko-tv-180268
  5. https://www.wbko.com/
  6. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Towers-Over-Kentucky-Nash-1995-ARH--2020-04-28-21-35-30.pdf
  7. https://bgdailynews.com/2010/05/02/joseph-m-walters-who-co-founded-wbko-dies-at-95/
  8. https://www.zippia.com/wbko-careers-1553805/history/
  9. https://signons-and-signoffs.fandom.com/wiki/WBKO_Sign_On_and_Sign_Off
  10. https://bgdailynews.com/2006/02/21/wbko-fox-coming-to-region/
  11. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=4692
  12. https://bgdailynews.com/2002/04/02/atlanta-corporation-acquiring-wbko-tv-after-stations-holding-company-files-ch-11/
  13. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/43196/000095014402008954/g77248ddef14a.htm
  14. https://graytv.gcs-web.com/node/6746/pdf
  15. https://www.wbko.com/content/news/Gray-Television-to-buy-Raycom-Media-for-36-billion-486462581.html
  16. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/02/1679841/0/en/GRAY-COMPLETES-ACQUISITION-OF-RAYCOM-MEDIA-AND-RELATED-TRANSACTIONS.html
  17. https://www.wbko.com/content/news/Gray-Television-Executive-Chairman-and-CEO-named-BCs-Broadcaster-of-the-Year.html
  18. https://www.wymt.com/content/news/WYMT-Parent-Company-Gray-Television-to-merge-with-Raycom-Media-486440351.html
  19. https://www.wbko.com/content/news/Former-WBKO-TV-general-manager-passes-away-394031491.html
  20. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=4692
  21. https://graymedia.com/brands/markets/
  22. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/gray-renews-all-of-its-abc-affiliation-agreements
  23. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/08/01/3125963/0/en/Gray-Media-Agrees-to-Purchase-Block-Communications-Television-Stations.html
  24. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/06/10/1866567/0/en/Gray-Announces-New-Management-Roles-for-Tim-Coles-and-Kathy-Silk.html
  25. https://www.wbko.com/about-us/meet-the-team/
  26. https://www.wbko.com/about-us/contact-us/
  27. https://graytv.gcs-web.com/static-files/0a61d85c-5ec4-4425-83f6-a798c7bff630
  28. https://graymedia.com/
  29. https://tvstations.fandom.com/wiki/WBKO
  30. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_market&mktid=220
  31. https://www.wbko.com/news/
  32. https://www.wbko.com/livestream/
  33. https://www.wbko.com/video/2024/06/21/welcome-our-new-evening-anchor-kasey-freeman/
  34. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wbko-news/id420669289
  35. https://www.wbko.com/authors/brennan.crain/
  36. https://www.wbko.com/video/2025/02/11/know-with-doug-gorman/
  37. https://www.wbko.com/2025/03/06/watch-live-congressman-brett-guthrie-talks-gop-priorities-latest-capitol-hill/
  38. https://www.wbko.com/2025/03/13/jeff-meisel-joins-know/
  39. https://www.wbko.com/video/2025/03/25/know-wbko-plus/
  40. https://www.wbko.com/sports/sports-connection/
  41. https://www.wbko.com/sports/
  42. https://www.wbko.com/2025/10/27/culvers-play-week-10-26-25/
  43. https://www.wbko.com/video-gallery/sports/
  44. https://www.wbko.com/community/calendar/
  45. https://www.wbko.com/community/
  46. https://www.wbko.com/community/hometown-hero/
  47. https://www.wbko.com/2025/06/20/bowling-green-parks-recreation-works-master-plan-enhance-facilities-encourage-community-engagement/
  48. https://www.wbko.com/2025/10/01/community-engagement-division-provides-resources-new-citizens/
  49. https://www.wbko.com/2025/10/24/wku-introduces-new-homecoming-tradition/
  50. https://ustvdb.com/seasons/2024-25/markets/
  51. https://nationalmediaspots.com/DMA-Ranks.pdf
  52. https://bgdailynews.com/2011/09/26/logan-county-satellite-tv-subscribers-want-wbko-as-an-option/
  53. https://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/maps_current/Bowling_Green_KY.pdf
  54. https://www.channelmaster.com/pages/tv-antenna-map-bowling-green-ky-42103
  55. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-17-1183A1_Rcd.pdf
  56. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WBKO
  57. https://bgdailynews.com/2008/11/09/wbko-to-switch-to-digital-next-month/
  58. https://bgdailynews.com/2009/02/19/only-one-local-station-is-delaying-transition-to-june/
  59. https://www.wbko.com/2022/06/03/wbko-celebrates-60-years-service/
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