It has been operated by KAKE as a satellite station since 1987. Prior to that, it was a local independent station for the Colby area from July 1984 to December 1985.
History
For information on programming and history post-1987, see KAKE (TV).
Four Colby investors, including businessman Sam Lunsway, obtained a construction permit for a new television station to serve Colby on February 9, 1983. The original ownership of the station intended to operate KLBY as an ABC affiliate.[3] Continual delays pushed back channel 4's launch throughout early 1984: bad weather at the end of late 1983 prevented the installation of the tower,[4] while the original tower crew withdrew from the job after building all but the top 100 feet (30 m) after the spring brought more inclement conditions to the region.[5]
KLBY finally began telecasting July 4, 1984.[1] However, it was not able to land the ABC affiliation that owner Lunsway had said was still not approved in May.[5] It operated as an independent station instead, including local news and programming for the northwest Kansas region. The studios were located in a former discount store building, though Lunsway planned to build a permanent facility for the station at a Sheraton hotel proposed to be built in town.[5]
KLBY operated for less than 18 months. On December 26, 1985, KLBY went silent, and its owners, Channel 4 Broadcasting, Ltd., immediately announced that they were searching for a buyer for the television station.[6] The availability of a signal in northwest Kansas attracted interest from Hays public television station KOOD, which sought to expand its reach; however, the Kansas Public Broadcasting Commission refused to cover the entirety of the $1.9 million asking price sought by Channel 4 Broadcasting, saying the station was overpriced.[7]
In August 1986, KAKE purchased KLBY for $1.38 million to operate it as a satellite of the Wichita station; upon the announcement of the sale, owner Lunsway declared that his 20-year ambition to bring an ABC affiliate to northwest Kansas had finally succeeded.[8] KLBY returned to air February 11, 1987.[9]
Since becoming a satellite of KAKE, KLBY has aired little to no local programming outside of news. It initially aired some local news, only for KAKE to cut that back altogether not long after relaunch—making it the first in a series of local news cuts at western Kansas TV stations in the late 1980s. Some local news returned with 90-second inserts in 1990 hosted by station manager Wayne Roberts, in part to help KLBY sell advertising. Two years later, with the inserts having expanded to 15 minutes inside KAKE's 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts, KAKE announced that a new regional news program for western Kansas, known as KTN West, would be launched to air on KLBY and KUPK in Garden City;[10] the news inserts continue to air today.
