KENS 5
KENS 5 (KENS-TV) is a San Antonio, Texas–based local broadcast television station serving the San Antonio DMA and South-Central Texas with free over-the-air news, weather, sports, and entertainment, distributed via cable, satellite, web, and mobile plus a subscription streaming tier (KENS 5+). The station is owned by TEGNA Inc. (acquired by Gannett in 2025).
- Company typePublic
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersSan Antonio, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KENS 5 does
KENS 5 (legal entity KENS-TV) is a network-affiliated local broadcast television station headquartered at 1408 N. Saint Marys Street in San Antonio, Texas, serving the San Antonio designated market area (DMA) and broader South-Central Texas region including Bexar County, New Braunfels, Seguin, Kerrville, and San Marcos. Founded in 1985 and operating with 251-500 employees, the station broadcasts free over-the-air content alongside cable carriage (Spectrum, Grande Communications) and satellite carriage (DirecTV, DISH Network), and extends its footprint digitally through kens5.com, iOS/Android mobile applications, and the subscription-based KENS 5+ streaming service. Core products include the linear KENS 5 TV broadcast, a 24/7 LIVE RADAR weather platform tailored to South Texas severe weather, the daily lifestyle program Great Day SA, investigative series under the KENS 5 Originals umbrella (Deep Dive with Sarah Forgany, True Crime SA, Darcy's Dishes, Forgotten Friends), the consumer-advocacy franchise Call KENS, the VERIFY fact-checking initiative, and the SATXtoday lifestyle platform (powered by 6am City) plus sports podcasting through the Locked On Podcast Network.
Underlying technology combines broadcast television infrastructure with digital streaming, mobile, and live weather radar capabilities. Monetization is a hybrid model: traditional television advertising (TV commercials, sponsorships, branded segments inside news, sports, and lifestyle programming) and digital advertising across kens5.com (display, video, sponsored, native) are the primary revenue streams; recurring subscription revenue comes from cable and satellite carriage fees paid by MVPDs for retransmission of the broadcast signal and from the KENS 5+ premium streaming tier. KENS 5 is owned and operated by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), which was spun off from E.W. Scripps Company in 2015 and subsequently acquired by Gannett in 2025; the station operates as a local editorial unit while drawing on TEGNA/Gannett corporate-level advertising-sales technology, digital product development, and operational infrastructure. Customer segments are end-consumer viewers (the San Antonio metro and South-Central Texas region seeking local news, weather, Spurs/Rangers/Astros sports coverage, and community information), with advertisers — both local SMBs and regional/national brands — as the paying customers on the ad-supported side and MVPDs as the paying customers on the carriage side.
KENS 5 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KENS 5
- Legal name
- KENS-TV
- Website
- https://kens5.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- KENS 5 (KENS-TV) is a San Antonio, Texas–based local broadcast television station serving the San Antonio DMA and South-Central Texas with free over-the-air news, weather, sports, and entertainment, distributed via cable, satellite, web, and mobile plus a subscription streaming tier (KENS 5+). The station is owned by TEGNA Inc. (acquired by Gannett in 2025).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where KENS 5 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Antonio
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KENS 5 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Television Advertising: Traditional broadcast advertising including TV commercials, sponsorships, and branded content segments featured during news broadcasts, sports coverage, and lifestyle programming such as 'Great Day SA.'
- Digital Advertising: Online advertising across kens5.com including display ads, video ads, sponsored content, and native advertising placements within digital news coverage and lifestyle content.
- Cable/Satellite Carriage Fees: Subscription fees received from cable and satellite providers for distribution of KENS 5's broadcast signal to their subscribers in the San Antonio designated market area (DMA).
- KENS 5+ Premium Subscription: Subscription streaming service offering ad-free or reduced-ad access to original programming, extended investigative content, and exclusive digital-first series.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Over-the-air broadcast - Free |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
KENS 5 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KENS 5 (KENS-TV) is a San Antonio-based local broadcast television station delivering news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming to the San Antonio DMA and South-Central Texas. The station distributes content via free over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, the kens5.com website, mobile apps, and a premium streaming subscription (KENS 5+). It also produces original content including the daily lifestyle show 'Great Day SA,' investigative consumer advocacy series 'Call KENS,' documentary-style 'KENS 5 Originals,' and operates a 24/7 live weather radar service.
Product overview
KENS 5 is a local broadcast television station serving San Antonio, Texas, operating as a multi-platform news and entertainment organization. The station offers a core broadcast television product (KENS 5 TV), a streaming service (KENS 5+) for exclusive original content, the daily lifestyle show Great Day SA, live radar and weather forecasting tools, a mobile application, investigative consumer service (Call KENS), original content series (KENS 5 Originals), live streaming capabilities, and podcast content through the Locked On Podcast Network. The KENS 5 Originals include investigative series like Deep Dive with Sarah Forgany, True Crime SA, and community-focused segments like Forgotten Friends pet adoption and the EXCEL Awards for educators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KENS 5+: Streaming service offering KENS 5 content on TV platforms
- Great Day SA
- Call KENS
- True Crime SA
- Deep Dive with Sarah Forgany
- Darcy's Dishes
- Forgotten Friends
- Grub or Flub
- VERIFY
- SATXtoday
Products and services
- KENS 5 TV Broadcast Core local broadcast television station serving the San Antonio metropolitan area and South-Central Texas, delivering local news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming free over-the-air to viewers in the DMA.
- KENS 5+ Streaming Service Premium subscription streaming service offering ad-free or reduced-ad access to original content, extended investigative coverage, and exclusive digital-first series for viewers seeking additional KENS 5 programming beyond the broadcast signal.
- Great Day SA Daily lifestyle program focusing on San Antonio food, fashion, fitness, and local business features, broadcast on KENS 5 TV and distributed on kens5.com and the KENS 5 mobile app.
- KENS 5 Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android devices enabling users to access KENS 5 news, live streaming, weather radar, breaking news alerts, and submit photos and videos from the field.
- Call KENS Consumer advocacy investigative service where San Antonio viewers can submit complaints or issues for the KENS 5 news team to investigate on their behalf, covering refund disputes, service issues, and consumer problems.
- SATXtoday Curated local news and lifestyle content platform covering San Antonio restaurants, events, activities, travel, and local business features, operated in partnership with 6am city.
Quantifiable outcome
- Dedicated community initiatives including KENS Cares charitable programs, EXCEL Awards recognizing local teachers, and Bill's Elves Christmas toy drive benefiting thousands of local children in need.
Companies that use KENS 5
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KENS 5 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
KENS 5 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TEGNA Inc.coreKENS-TV is owned and operated by TEGNA Inc., a publicly traded (NYSE: TGNA) broadcast and digital marketing solutions company. TEGNA provides corporate-level services including advertising sales technology, digital product development, and operational infrastructure support across its portfolio of local television stations. As a TEGNA station, KENS 5 benefits from centralized resources while maintaining local editorial focus.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KENS 5 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WOAI-TV (News 4 San Antonio): San Antonio's NBC affiliate and the historical predecessor network of KENS 5. Competes directly for local news, weather, sports, and ad dollars within the same DMA.
- KSAT-TV (KSAT 12): ABC affiliate in the San Antonio DMA owned by Graham Media Group. Direct competitor in local news, weather, and investigative reporting within the same market.
- KABB (Fox San Antonio): FOX affiliate in the San Antonio market, competing for the same local news audience and ad revenue as KENS 5 within the DMA.
- KWEX-TV (Univision San Antonio): Spanish-language Univision affiliate in San Antonio. Competes for Spanish-speaking viewers and a meaningful share of local ad spend in the DMA, particularly in the Hispanic consumer segment.
Broad incumbents
- WFAA (Channel 8): TEGNA-owned ABC affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth, the largest DMA in Texas. Direct corporate sibling and product peer — same newsroom operating model, digital/streaming platforms, and content verticals.
- KUSA (9NEWS): TEGNA-owned NBC affiliate in Denver. Sister station under TEGNA (now Gannett) sharing the same multi-platform distribution and content strategy as KENS 5.
- WUSA9: TEGNA-owned CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. Corporate sibling station with the same network affiliation and operational playbook as KENS 5.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group stations: Largest U.S. broadcaster by station count, operating FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC affiliates in markets across the country. Operates the same local TV broadcast business model as KENS 5 at scale.
- Nexstar Media Group stations: Largest U.S. local TV station operator by revenue, with extensive portfolio across CBS, FOX, NBC, and ABC affiliations. Direct competitor for advertising share and a benchmark for station-level operating economics.
- Gray Television stations: Mid-sized U.S. broadcaster with a portfolio of network affiliates in mid-sized and smaller markets. Comparable operating model — local news, advertising-led revenue, multi-platform distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KENS 5 social profiles
Digital presenceKENS 5 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KENS 5 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KENS 5 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KENS 5 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 KENS 5
What does KENS 5 do?
KENS 5 (KENS-TV) is a San Antonio-based local broadcast television station delivering news, weather, sports, and entertainment programming to the San Antonio DMA and South-Central Texas. The station distributes content via free over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite carriage, the kens5.com website, mobile apps, and a premium streaming subscription (KENS 5+). It also produces original content including the daily lifestyle show 'Great Day SA,' investigative consumer advocacy series 'Call KENS,' documentary-style 'KENS 5 Originals,' and operates a 24/7 live weather radar service.
Is KENS 5 a public or private company?
KENS 5 is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was KENS 5 founded?
KENS 5 was founded in 1985. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is KENS 5 based?
KENS 5 is headquartered in San Antonio, United States, in the North America region.
How does KENS 5 make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Television Advertising is the primary driver. The others are digital Advertising, cable/Satellite Carriage Fees and KENS 5+ Premium Subscription.
Who are KENS 5's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WOAI-TV (News 4 San Antonio), KSAT-TV (KSAT 12), KABB (Fox San Antonio) and KWEX-TV (Univision San Antonio). Broad incumbents are WFAA (Channel 8), KUSA (9NEWS), WUSA9, Sinclair Broadcast Group stations, Nexstar Media Group stations and Gray Television stations.
Does KENS 5 have an API?
No public API is recorded for KENS 5.