KCLO-TV

KCLO-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, and serving viewers across the Black Hills. The station broadcasts on channel 15 and operates within Nexstar Media Group's KELOLAND Media Group, whose principal station is KELO-TV in Sioux Falls. KCLO-TV is identified as a separate station for licensing and broadcast purposes, but much of its programming and technical infrastructure is integrated with KELO-TV and the other KELOLAND stations. The station's history began in 1981, when Midcontinent Broadcasting established a low-power translator of KELO-TV in Rapid City under the call sign K15AC. The translator was created to bring the full CBS schedule to a market where CBS programs had previously been divided between other local stations and where some cable viewers relied on a Denver station for network coverage. The original operation had limited local resources: it used a small staff in Rapid City, received its programming through a microwave relay system, and initially did not sell local advertising. Because the translator's reach was limited and its distribution on cable systems outside Rapid City was contested, Midcontinent pursued a full-power authorization. That license was granted in 1987, first using the call sign KBLO-TV. The calls were changed to KCLO-TV in 1988, and the station signed on as a full-power outlet on November 28 of that year. Midcontinent invested approximately $1.7 million in the conversion. At launch, KCLO-TV carried KELO-TV's network and newscast programming on a time delay, with short local inserts during evening newscasts. In January 1991, during the Gulf War, KCLO-TV began carrying KELO-TV's network and local programming live relative to the Central Time Zone. This created a schedule shifted for the Mountain Time Zone, including an earlier prime-time start, and the arrangement became permanent after viewers responded favorably. The station continues to function largely as a semi-satellite of KELO-TV: its master control and many internal functions are based at KELO-TV's Sioux Falls facilities, while KCLO-TV maintains a Rapid City news bureau and sales office. It generally simulcasts KELO-TV newscasts with local weather inserts, while using separate syndicated programming, advertising inserts, and legal identifications. Ownership of the station's parent group changed several times. Midcontinent sold KELO-TV and its satellite stations to Young Broadcasting in 1996. Young later became part of Media General, which was acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group in 2017. KCLO-TV's digital service has included KELOLAND-related programming and additional multicast networks. Its current or recently reported digital lineup includes KELOXTRA, Ion Television, and Ion Mystery, with the KELOLAND CW service distributed across the KELOLAND stations. KCLO-TV has historically been associated with CBS in Rapid City and also carried CW programming on a digital subchannel. Reference material reports a planned affiliation change on August 1, 2026, under which KCLO-TV would lose CBS and become a primary CW affiliate, while KNBN would assume the CBS affiliation. Because that change is future-dated relative to much of the station's documented history, its implementation should be verified against current FCC and station records. The station's core role remains regional television broadcasting for Rapid City and the surrounding Black Hills.

KCLO-TV originated as a translator rather than as a full-power station. In 1980, Midcontinent Broadcasting applied to construct a Rapid City translator for KELO-TV, its CBS affiliate based in Sioux Falls. Rapid City did not then receive a complete CBS schedule from a single local full-service station: CBS programs were divided between KOTA-TV and KEVN, while some cable systems carried KMGH-TV from Denver. The Federal Communications Commission approved Midcontinent's application in November 1980 despite objections from competing broadcasters, including concerns that the translator could strengthen KELO-TV's position in South Dakota. The translator, K15AC, began operating on September 26, 1981, at 1,000 watts. It served viewers within roughly a 35-mile radius of Rapid City and relayed KELO-TV programming through KPLO-TV and a chain of microwave facilities. The operation was initially small, with a resident manager and one reporter whose material was incorporated into KELO-TV's news. It did not initially sell advertising in the Black Hills. Distribution was also constrained because the translator was not immediately carried on cable systems outside Rapid City. To expand coverage, Midcontinent sought a full-power channel 15 license. The authorization was granted in January 1987 under the call sign KBLO-TV. The proposed facility was designed to cover a substantially larger area and to provide a more durable presence than the translator. The call sign changed to KCLO-TV in May 1988, and Midcontinent invested about $1.7 million in upgrading the operation. The full-power station began broadcasting on November 28, 1988. At first, KCLO-TV largely repeated KELO-TV's schedule on a one-hour delay, with brief local inserts during the evening news. In January 1991, the station began carrying KELO-TV's network and local programming live in a Mountain Time arrangement. The immediate reason was to provide faster access to Gulf War coverage, but the altered schedule proved popular and was retained. This arrangement explains the station's unusual prime-time timing compared with stations operating in the Central Time Zone. KCLO-TV's operating model has remained closely linked to KELO-TV. The station maintains a Rapid City bureau and sales office, while master control and many other functions are based at KELO-TV's Sioux Falls studios. KCLO-TV carries KELOLAND newscasts with local weather material, but it can use different syndicated programs, advertising breaks, and station identifications. It is therefore treated as a distinct licensed station while functioning operationally as a semi-satellite. The station's ownership followed the evolution of the KELO-TV group. Midcontinent announced the sale of KELO-TV and its satellites to Young Broadcasting in January 1996; Young took control in May of that year. Young later merged with Media General in 2013. Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired Media General in a transaction completed in January 2017, placing KCLO-TV under the Nexstar corporate family. Digital television expanded the group's use of multicast services. KELO-TV and its satellite stations launched a second digital channel in 2004 carrying UPN programming under the UTV name. After UPN ceased operations, the service became associated with MyNetworkTV in Sioux Falls. KCLO-TV separately carried CW programming on a digital service branded The Black Hills' CW, while its other digital channels included KELOXTRA, Ion Television, and Ion Mystery. In 2021, UTV was renamed KELOXTRA. On January 1, 2024, The Black Hills' CW was replaced by a KELOLAND CW simulcast. Reference material reports a further affiliation transition scheduled for August 1, 2026: KCLO-TV would cease being a CBS affiliate and become a primary CW affiliate, while KNBN would assume CBS in Rapid City. The change should be confirmed using current FCC filings and station announcements because the reported effective date is future-dated in the supplied material.

• 2026

  Reported CBS-to-CW affiliation transition

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports a planned change making KCLO-TV a primary CW affiliate while KNBN assumes CBS in Rapid City.

• 2024

  KELOLAND CW simulcast introduced

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Black Hills' CW service was replaced by a KELOLAND CW simulcast on January 1.

• 2017

  Nexstar takes control of Media General

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition placed KCLO-TV and the KELOLAND stations within the Nexstar corporate group.

• 2004

  UTV digital service launched

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The KELOLAND group introduced a second digital service carrying UPN programming, later associated with MyNetworkTV and renamed KELOXTRA.

• 1996

  KELO-TV group sold to Young Broadcasting

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Young Broadcasting announced the acquisition of KELO-TV and its satellite stations and assumed control later that year.

• 1991

  Live Mountain Time schedule introduced

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station moved from delayed KELO-TV programming to live network and local programming shifted for Mountain Time.

• 1988

  KCLO-TV signs on as a full-power station

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  After changing its call sign from KBLO-TV, KCLO-TV began full-power operations on November 28.

• 1987

  Full-power authorization granted

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A full-power channel 15 license was granted under the call sign KBLO-TV.

• 1981

  K15AC begins broadcasting

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The 1,000-watt translator began serving Rapid City and nearby Black Hills communities on September 26.

• 1980

  Application for a Rapid City translator

  [1]KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Midcontinent Broadcasting filed to establish a KELO-TV translator on channel 15 in Rapid City.

A regional broadcast outlet serving Rapid City and the Black Hills through a combination of locally inserted coverage and programming supplied by the broader KELOLAND Media Group.

• Television broadcasting · 1988

  KCLO-TV over-the-air broadcast

  KCLO-TV's primary broadcast service operates on digital channel 15 for Rapid City and the Black Hills. The station combines network or CW programming with KELOLAND news, local weather inserts, syndicated programming, separate commercial breaks, and station identifications.

• Local news · 1988

  KELOLAND newscasts

  KCLO-TV carries newscasts produced by sister station KELO-TV in Sioux Falls. The service is adapted for the Rapid City market through local weather inserts and the station's regional bureau and sales presence.

• Network programming · 2024

  KELOLAND CW

  KELOLAND CW is a CW-branded service operated from Sioux Falls and distributed across the KELOLAND stations. It replaced the separately branded Black Hills' CW service on KCLO-TV's digital lineup in 2024.

• Digital multicast television · 2004

  KELOXTRA

  KELOXTRA is a digital multicast service associated with the KELOLAND television group. It occupies channel 15.2 in KCLO-TV's reported digital configuration and was formerly known as UTV.

• Digital multicast television

  Ion Television and Ion Mystery

  KCLO-TV's reported digital multiplex also includes Ion Television on channel 15.3 and Ion Mystery on channel 15.4.

• 2026

  Reported change from CBS affiliation to primary CW affiliationStrategy

  Background

  The supplied reference reports a modified renewal arrangement affecting several Nexstar CBS affiliations.

  Action taken

  KCLO-TV is reported to be scheduled to move from CBS to a primary CW affiliation on August 1, while KNBN would take over CBS programming in Rapid City.

  Aftermath

  If completed, the change would make KCLO-TV primarily a CW station rather than a CBS affiliate. The effective status requires verification because the reported date is future-dated.

  Source

• 2024

  Replacement of The Black Hills' CW with KELOLAND CWStrategy

  Background

  The KELOLAND group operated CW-related services across its stations, with KCLO-TV previously carrying a Black Hills-specific digital CW service.

  Action taken

  On January 1, the station replaced that service with a simulcast of KELOLAND CW operated from Sioux Falls.

  Aftermath

  CW programming became more uniformly branded and operated across the KELOLAND station group.

  Source

• 1991

  Permanent adoption of a live Mountain Time scheduleStrategy

  Background

  KCLO-TV had initially delayed KELO-TV's network and news programming by one hour. During the Gulf War, the station shifted to live carriage to improve access to breaking coverage.

  Action taken

  After receiving favorable viewer response, Midcontinent made the shifted live schedule permanent.

  Aftermath

  KCLO-TV continued to operate on a schedule adapted to the Mountain Time Zone while remaining closely integrated with KELO-TV.

  Source

1. 1KCLO-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KCLO-TV official station websitekeloland.com