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CBS 42, more commonly known as KEYE-TV, launched in 1982 as KBVO, an independent, before becoming an inaugural Fox affiliate. In 1995, Channel 42 switched networks with KTBC, becoming KEYE, a CBS affiliate. CBS bought the station in 1999; KEYE is currently being sold off to Cerebrus Capital Management, the company which also recently bought the Chrysler automobile company.

Whatever Happened To...

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Kristine Kahanek has been working the radars in Dallas recently, first at WFAA 8 and now as Chief Met at KTVT CBS 11. She was named Best Meteorologist 2005 by D Magazine. (Image: cbs11tv.com)

Perhaps the most ambitious projects in recent history took place after the news came in 1995 that KBVO Fox 42 and KTBC CBS 7 would swap affiliations. In the span of one year, Channel 42 had to develop a news team from scratch, build a place to house them, and update their studios to hold a brand new news organization.

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KEYE's story starts in 1982 with the sign-on of KBVO, an independent station. Unfortunately not too much evidence of Channel 42's time as an independent remains, save for a few pictures of old studio equipment and behind the scenes snaps of taping a public affairs program.

With the birth of the Fox Network, KBVO aligned itself with the upstart, youth-oriented group. Whether they joined up with the official launch in 1986 or with the premiere of Saturday night programming the following year is still a matter for speculation. "It's on Fox 42," touted the promos, the place to see the great Fox shows along with repeats of MASH and assorted talk shows.

Then came the bombshell announcement in mid 1994 that the Fox affiliation would slide down the dial to KTBC. KBVO raced to start the proceedings to pick up the much higher profile CBS network. They were helped in their efforts when Granite Broadcasting purchased the station and infused it with capital. Within a few months, Granite had registered with the FCC the forms necessary to begin news operations, accept the CBS affiliation, and rename the station to KEYE.

July 1 1995 eventually came around, and anyone who tuned in might not have noticed anything really different, save for the call letters being changed on the disclaimer that aired at the start of the regular early morning informercials. It wasn't until that Sunday morning the change looked more evident, with CBS's usual current affairs news shows, and an official welcome to the network from Face the Nation moderator Bob Schieffer at the close of his program.

At the outset, KEYEwitness News attempted to be completely different from the other news stations in Austin. That intent came through in every facet of their presentation--high energy music, glossy colors on the set, a dramatic video wall behind the anchors, and the crowning glory, a giant backdrop featuring the city skyline, wonderfully decorated and painted with stunning detail. There was a traffic helicopter, an outdoor weather set, and a newsroom that looked similar to a mall, with the KEYE logo and certain directional terms (the words "Tech Center," and a wavy arrow painted from the words to the upstairs computer loft, for example).

The novelty wore off, and the station soon struggled to retain an audience at all parts of the day, and continues to do so. Not even a sale to CBS itself, nor the hiring of virtually all of KVUE-TV's veteran anchors seemed to do much good for too long. The numbers do improve slightly, but have yet to really claim more than the fastest growing station spot on break promos.

As of the date of this writing, CBS is pending a sale of the station to Cerebrus Capital Management.