Missouri Television History

Tuning In to the Show-Me State: A Deep Dive into Missouri’s TV Heritage

Missouri’s television history is a story of “firsts.” From hosting one of the nation’s earliest stations to becoming a global hub for journalism training, the “Show Me State” has played a massive role in how Americans consume news and entertainment.

1. The Pioneers: KSD-TV and WDAF-TV

Missouri was at the forefront of the post-WWII television boom.

• KSD-TV (St. Louis): On February 8, 1947, KSD-TV (now KSDK Channel 5) signed on as the first television station in Missouri and the ninth in the United States.
  • Fun Fact: On opening day, there were only about four television sets in the entire city. People crowded around department store windows just to see the “fuzzy” images.
  • The Monopoly: Due to an FCC freeze on new licenses, KSD-TV was the only station in St. Louis until 1953.

• WDAF-TV (Kansas City): In September 1949, WDAF (Channel 4) brought TV to Kansas City. Legend has it that for the first month, they only broadcast a test pattern, and people actually sat and watched it just to marvel at the technology.

2. The “Mizzou” Connection

The University of Missouri in Columbia holds a unique place in TV history.

• KOMU-TV: Launched in 1953, it is one of the few commercial TV stations in the country owned by a public university.
• The Talent Pipeline: Because it serves as a working laboratory for the Missouri School of Journalism (the world’s first J-school), dozens of national anchors and reporters—from Elizabeth Vargas to Major Garrett—cut their teeth in Mid-Missouri.

3. Iconic Missouri News and Broadcast Pioneers

Missouri is often called the “Cradle of Broadcasters.” The lack of a strong regional accent (the “Midwestern Neutral”) made Missourians perfect for national airwaves.

• Walter Cronkite: Born in St. Joseph, the “Most Trusted Man in America” set the gold standard for news at CBS.
• Walter Williams: He grew up in Boonville and eventually founded the Missouri School of Journalism and literally wrote the book on journalism.
• Marlin Perkins: The Carthage native hosted the legendary Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, which brought exotic wildlife into American living rooms for decades.

4. Famous “Missouri” Settings

While many shows set in Missouri are filmed in California or Georgia, the state’s culture has been a recurring theme:

• The Day After (1983): This harrowing TV movie about nuclear war was set and filmed in Lawrence, KS and Kansas City, MO, becoming one of the most-watched television events in history.
• Mama’s Family ( 1983-1990): Based in Raytown. The show starred Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper (“Mama”).
• Ozark (2017–2022): Though largely filmed in Georgia, it brought a global spotlight to the Lake of the Ozarks region.
• AfterMASH (1983-1985): AfterMASH was based at the fictional General Pershing Veterans’ Hospital in River Bend, Missouri.
• Grace Under Fire (1993-1998): Grace Under Fire was set in the small fictitious town of Victory, Missouri and centered on a divorced single mother.
• DTF St. Louis (2026): Recent TV show based in Missouri, but shot in Georgia.
• The John Larroquette Show (1993–1996): Larroquette starred as a recovering alcoholic managing a seedy St. Louis, Missouri, bus terminal.

The Oldest TV Stations in Missouri

Rank	Station (Current Calls)	City	Sign-on Date	Original Calls
1	KSDK	St. Louis	Feb 8, 1947	KSD-TV
2	WDAF-TV	Kansas City	Oct 16, 1949	WDAF-TV
3	KOLR	Springfield	Mar 14, 1953	KTTS-TV
4	KMBC-TV	Kansas City	Aug 2, 1953	KMBC-TV / WHB-TV*
5	KTVI	St. Louis	Aug 10, 1953	WTVI
6	KHQA-TV	Hannibal	Sept 23, 1953	KHQA-TV
7	KCTV	Kansas City	Sept 27, 1953	KCMO-TV
8	KQTV	St. Joseph	Sept 27, 1953	KFEQ-TV
9	KYTV	Springfield	Oct 1, 1953	KYTV
10	KOMU-TV	Columbia	Dec 21, 1953	KOMU-TV
11	KMOV	St. Louis	July 8, 1954	KWK-TV
12	KMOS-TV	Sedalia	July 8, 1954	KDRO-TV
13	KETC	St. Louis	Sept 20, 1954	KETC (Educational)
14	KRCG	Jefferson City	Feb 13, 1955	KRCG
15	KFVS-TV	Cape Girardeau	Oct 3, 1954	KFVS-TV
16	KODE-TV	Joplin	Sept 26, 1954	KSWM-TV
17	KOAM-TV	Pittsburg/Joplin	Dec 13, 1953	KOAM-TV
18	KPLR-TV	St. Louis	Apr 28, 1959	KPLR-TV
19	KTVO	Kirksville	Oct 31, 1955	KTVO
20	KSHB-TV	Kansas City	Sept 20, 1958	KCCW