WKYT-TV
WKYT-TV is a CBS-affiliated local television station in Lexington, Kentucky, owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), providing local news, weather, sports, and investigative coverage to central Kentucky households and selling advertising to regional and local businesses across broadcast and digital channels.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersLexington, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WKYT-TV does
WKYT-TV is a CBS-affiliated local television station headquartered at 2851 Winchester Rd., Lexington, Kentucky, serving the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area and surrounding central Kentucky communities. The station has operated continuously since 1957, originally under the WKX-TV call sign before adopting its current name in 1983, and has operated under Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE: GTN) ownership since at least 2002. WKYT-TV distributes programming through over-the-air broadcast on Channel 27, cable and satellite carriage (DirecTV, DISH Network), NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0), and digital streaming via wkyt.com and dedicated iOS/Android mobile applications.
The station's core products are organized around three franchises: WKYT News (local, regional, state, national, and investigative coverage plus the WKYT+ exclusive content subscription tier), First Alert Weather (forecasts, severe weather alerts, radar, Weather Cams, and the 3 Degree Guarantee accuracy program), and WKYT Sports (University of Kentucky athletics, high school Game Time and PrepSpin coverage, and Futbol Frenzy soccer). Supporting sub-brands include WKYT Investigates, Bluegrass H&G TV, Aging Untold, Everyday Kentucky, We the People, Commonwealth of Kindness, and the St. Jude Dream Home community fundraiser. Technology infrastructure spans broadcast television production, dual-channel livestreaming, a content management and digital publishing platform shared across Gray Local Media stations, and push-notification-based news/weather alerts.
WKYT-TV generates revenue primarily through television advertising (spots during news programming and other shows) and digital advertising (website and mobile placements), with quote-based pricing under Gray Television's standard terms and conditions. The customer base is two-sided: a B2C audience of central Kentucky households consuming news, weather, and sports content, and a B2B base of local advertisers and sponsors purchasing commercial airtime and digital inventory. A third revenue vector, WKYT+ subscription, is emerging. The station is licensed by and compliant with the FCC Public Inspection File requirements and operates within Gray Television's certified advertising non-discrimination policy.
WKYT-TV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WKYT-TV
- Legal name
- Gray Television, Inc.
- Website
- https://wkyt.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- WKYT-TV is a CBS-affiliated local television station in Lexington, Kentucky, owned by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), providing local news, weather, sports, and investigative coverage to central Kentucky households and selling advertising to regional and local businesses across broadcast and digital channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WKYT-TV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Broadcast Television
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)
Keywords
Where WKYT-TV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lexington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WKYT-TV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Television Advertising: Sale of advertising time on broadcast television including TV spots and promotional placements during news programming and other shows
- Digital Advertising: Digital advertising placements across the WKYT website and mobile platforms
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Television and digital advertising packages |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
WKYT-TV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WKYT-TV is a CBS-affiliated local television station serving Lexington and central Kentucky, delivering local news, weather forecasts, and sports coverage across over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, digital streaming, and mobile apps. The station generates revenue primarily through the sale of television and digital advertising inventory to local businesses and organizations.
Product overview
WKYT-TV is a local television station serving Lexington and central Kentucky, offering a unified broadcast and digital media platform. The core offerings include WKYT News for local news coverage, First Alert Weather for meteorological services, and WKYT Sports for athletic coverage. The station distributes content through multiple channels including live streaming, mobile apps, and specialized sub-brands such as WKYT+ Exclusive for investigative journalism, Weather Cams for real-time visual conditions, and lifestyle programming through Everyday Kentucky. Weather services feature the 3 Degree Guarantee accuracy program and a comprehensive closings and delays system for community announcements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WKYT+: Premium subscription service offering exclusive content
- First Alert Weather
- WKYT Investigates
- High School Game Time
- Futbol Frenzy
Products and services
- WKYT News Local television news broadcast covering Lexington and central Kentucky, including crime, local, state, national, and regional news coverage, broadcast to viewers in the Lexington DMA.
- First Alert Weather Weather forecasting service providing local conditions, 10-day forecasts, hourly forecasts, radar imagery, and severe weather alerts for central Kentucky audiences.
- WKYT Sports Sports coverage service including University of Kentucky (UK) athletics, high school sports (Game Time, PrepSpin), soccer (Futbol Frenzy), and sports scores for Kentucky viewers.
- WKYT Live Streaming Live video streaming service providing real-time access to WKYT broadcasts including primary livestream and secondary livestream options via website and mobile apps.
- WKYT+ Exclusive Premium subscription exclusive content service providing investigative reports, in-depth local journalism, and feature stories not available through standard news coverage.
- WKYT Mobile Apps Mobile applications for iOS and Android devices providing access to WKYT news, weather alerts, and live streaming content.
- Everyday Kentucky Lifestyle content programming covering local Kentucky events, food, travel, and community feature stories for viewers.
- Bluegrass H&G TV Home and garden focused video content programming for viewers in the Kentucky region.
Companies that use WKYT-TV
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WKYT-TV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
WKYT-TV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- American Red CrossmajorWKYT and WYMT partnered with the American Red Cross to raise money for disaster relief efforts following devastating Kentucky floods. The partnership aimed to collect donations to support flood victims in central Kentucky communities.
- Gray TelevisioncoreWKYT-TV is owned and operated by Gray Television, a major broadcast company. The station operates under Gray Local Media and adheres to Gray Television's advertising non-discrimination policies and standard terms and conditions.
- Gray TelevisioncoreParent broadcast company providing shared technology infrastructure, digital platforms, content management systems, and operational support across Gray's local media stations including WKYT-TV.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WKYT-TV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hearst Television: Owner of numerous network-affiliated local TV stations focused on local news and weather, comparable to WKYT's core operations.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group: Major operator of local network-affiliated TV stations nationwide with a comparable local news and advertising business model.
- Scripps (E.W. Scripps Company): National operator of local TV stations and news brands with a comparable broadcast and local advertising model.
- TEGNA Inc. Large owner of local broadcast TV stations focused on local news and multi-platform distribution, directly comparable to Gray's station strategy.
- Nexstar Media Group: Largest U.S. owner of local TV stations operating network affiliates across many markets; same local broadcasting and advertising model at national scale.
Regional players
- WTVQ-DT: ABC-affiliated local station in Lexington, KY competing directly for the same central Kentucky viewers and local advertisers.
- WLEX-TV: NBC-affiliated local television station serving the same Lexington, KY market; a direct in-market competitor for local news, weather, and advertising.
- WDKY-TV: FOX-affiliated station serving the Lexington market, competing for local viewership and ad revenue in the same DMA.
Others
- Gray Television: Parent company and owner-operator of WKYT; sets the strategy, infrastructure, and terms for the station rather than a standalone competitor.
Direct peers
- WYMT-TV: Sister Gray Television CBS-affiliated station serving eastern Kentucky; near-identical business model and shared operations with WKYT.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WKYT-TV social profiles
Digital presenceWKYT-TV compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
WKYT-TV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WKYT-TV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WKYT-TV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WKYT-TV M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WKYT-TV
What does WKYT-TV do?
WKYT-TV is a CBS-affiliated local television station serving Lexington and central Kentucky, delivering local news, weather forecasts, and sports coverage across over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, digital streaming, and mobile apps. The station generates revenue primarily through the sale of television and digital advertising inventory to local businesses and organizations.
Is WKYT-TV a public or private company?
WKYT-TV is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was WKYT-TV founded?
WKYT-TV was founded in 1957. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is WKYT-TV based?
WKYT-TV is headquartered in Lexington, United States, in the North America region.
How does WKYT-TV make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Television Advertising is the primary driver. The others are digital Advertising.
Who are WKYT-TV's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hearst Television, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Scripps (E.W. Scripps Company), TEGNA Inc. and Nexstar Media Group. Regional players are WTVQ-DT, WLEX-TV and WDKY-TV. Gray Television is listed as an others. WYMT-TV is listed as a direct peer.
Does WKYT-TV have an API?
No public API is recorded for WKYT-TV.
What industry is WKYT-TV in?
WKYT-TV's product category is Broadcast Television. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAE, Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.), with a secondary code of MPABACAJ, Local News & Weather Stations. Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.