KARK-TV

'KARK', branded as '"KARK 4"', is the NBC network affiliate station serving the Little Rock television market and central Arkansas, owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group. KARK's transmitter and antenna are located atop Shinall Mountain, on the same tower as KTHV.
The station broadcasts its analog signal on VHF channel 4 and its digital signal broadcasts on UHF channel 32.

Contents

History

Controversy

Personalities

Current On-Air Talent

Former On-Air Talent

News/Station Presentation

Newscast Titles

Station Slogans

External links

History

KARK is Little Rock's second oldest television station, having signed on the air on April 15, 1954 (KATV was the first, beating KARK to the airwaves by almost 5 months).
At one point KARK was owned by Combined Communications, and later Gannett (which, ironically, currently owns rival station KTHV). In 1983, Gannett sold the station to SouthwestMedia, which restructured in 1986 into United Communications. In 1988, United Communications sold the station to the Morris Network. In 2003, Nexstar became the station's owner, and eventually consolidated most sports operations from KARK with those of its station in northwest Arkansas, KNWA-TV.

Controversy

KARK made national news in early 2006 by declining to air the NBC TV program ''The Book of Daniel''. The station's General Manager Duane Lammers at the time issued two statements regarding the issue. The first, issued January 4, 2006, stated "Our relationship with NBC always provided for the right to reject programming. I am reaffirming that right to let them know I will not allow them to make unilateral decisions affecting our viewers." The statement continued, "If my action causes people in our community to pay more attention to what they watch on television, I have accomplished my mission." [1]
Two days later a second statement was released citing concerns about FCC rules regarding obscenity, "My first obligation to my station is to protect the license granted by the FCC. Current regulations could subject this station to severe punishment, up to and including revocation of our license if even a single person's objection to the FCC found material broadcast by our station to be indecent or obscene. Subsequent viewing of the material within "The Book of Daniel" leaves me no choice but to do my job and uphold the standards of our community."
The local MyNetworkTV affiliate, KWBF (then a WB affiliate), aired the program instead. NBC canceled the show after only three episodes.

Personalities

Current On-Air Talent

'KARK 4 NEWS ANCHORS'

★ 'Bob Clausen': Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Tracy Douglass': Weekday Morning and Midday Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Matt Mosler': Weekday Morning and Midday Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Jancey Sheats': Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Melissa Simas': Weekday Morning Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Sonseeahray Tonsall': Weekend Evening Anchor/Education Reporter
'KARK 4 NEWS REPORTERS'

★ 'Kim Betton': General Assignment Reporter

★ 'Sydney Hart': General Assignment Reporter

★ 'Cecillea Pond-Mayo': General Assignment Reporter

★ 'Pete Thompson': General Assignment Reporter

★ 'Jonathan Wilson': General Assignment Reporter

★ 'Tom Yazwinski': General Assignment Reporter
'YOUR WEATHER AUTHORITY/KARK 4 METEOROLOGISTS'

★ 'Brett Cummins (AMS Seal of Appoval)': Chief Meteorologist

★ 'Mike Francis (AMS/NWA Seal of Appoval)': Weekday Morning and Midday Meteorologist/Fill-in Meteorologist

★ 'Jason Kadah (NWA Seal of Appoval)': Weekend Evening Meteorologist/Fill-in Meteorologist
'SPORTS ANCHORS/REPORTERS'

★ 'Aaron Nolan': Weekend Sports Anchor/Reporter

★ 'Aaron Peters': Sports Reporter (based at KNWA)

★ 'Derek Ruscin': Sports Reporter (based at KNWA)

Former On-Air Talent

★ 'Steve Barnes'

★ 'Barry Brandt'

★ 'Tom Bonner'

★ 'Isiah Carey'

★ 'Dana Dussing'

★ 'Jerri Jackson'

★ 'Julie Jameson'

★ 'Doug Krile'

★ 'Carolyn Long'

★ 'Kim Miller'

★ 'Roy Mitchell'

★ 'Bo Mattingly'

★ 'Leslie Morrow'

★ 'Betsy Pilgrim'

★ 'Margaret Preston'

★ 'Kevin Steele'

★ 'Alice Stewart'

★ 'Frederica Stiffen'

★ 'Steve Sullivan'

★ 'Leslie Traba'

★ 'Jack Vincent'

★ 'Beth Ward'

★ 'Denise Whitaker'

★ 'Dave Woodman'

★ 'Deanna Durante'

★ 'Ernie Paulson'

★ 'Lyndall Stout'

★ 'Dave Jordan'

★ 'Jason Friedman'

★ 'Brandis Griffith'

★ 'Carlton Wing'

★ 'Mark Rushing'

★ 'Jon Getsy'

★ 'Joe Pequeno'

★ 'Parella Lewis'

★ 'John Champion'

★ 'Mike Nicco'

★ 'Michelle Lee'

★ 'Katie Neilson'

News/Station Presentation

Newscast Titles

★ ''Channel 4 Eyewitness News'' (1970s-Mid 1980s and Late 1980s-1994)

★ ''NewsCenter 4'' (Mid 1980s)

★ ''News 4'' (1994-2001)

★ ''News 4 Arkansas'' (2001-2005)

★ ''KARK 4 News'' (2005-present)

Station Slogans

★ ''Straight from the Heart'' (Late 1980s)

★ ''4 The People'' (Early 1990s)

★ ''Where The News Comes First'' (Mid 1990s-2001)

★ ''My Arkansas, My Station'' (2007-present)

External links

★ KARK Homepage

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