About KAIT 8
KAIT is a television station located in Jonesboro, Arkansas that first signed on the air on July 15, 1963 as an independent station. It was a venture of Fort Smith businessman George Hernreich, and has been affiliated with ABC since 1965.The Jonesboro market is unique in that it can only receive one VHF commercial channel, due to its location between several other markets that each have multiple VHF channels. Most other television markets in the country are able to receive at least two VHF channels. As a result, KAIT was the only television station serving Jonesboro until KTEJ signed on in May 1976.
KAIT has changed hands several times over the years. It was sold by the Hernreich family to Channel Communications in 1984, and then to Cosmos Broadcasting, the broadcasting arm of South Carolina-based insurer Liberty Corporation, in 1986. Liberty Corporation exited the insurance business in 2000, bringing the Cosmos stations directly under the Liberty banner. In 2005, previous owner Raycom Media acquired KAIT through its purchase of Liberty.
For many years, KAIT also operated a low-powered translator station, K11JW, which broadcast on Channel 11 in nearby Blytheville, Arkansas. It is not clear if this station is still in operation.