WKMG-TV (channel 6) is a television station in Orlando, Florida, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Graham Media Group.

WDBO-TV aired local programming as well as shows from all major networks of the era; it became a sole CBS affiliate in 1958, by which time the market had three commercial stations.

Channel 6 led local news ratings until its tower in Bithlo collapsed during construction work in June 1973, killing two workers.

The station was not at full-power until the mast was replaced more than two years later; its ratings fell, and in the late 1970s WFTV moved from worst to a dominant first.

The newscasts struggled despite multiple changes in format, anchors, and presentation; meanwhile, First Media used WCPX-TV as a springboard to produce programming for national syndication.

[3] The competing bids for channels 6 and 9 made a comparative hearing necessary and delayed the arrival of television in Orlando, as the commission continued to work on awarding stations in larger, higher-priority cities.

[7] WDBO-TV secured primary affiliation with CBS as well as supplemental agreements to air the programs of the ABC, DuMont, and NBC networks.

[9] Mark Barker, the station's first production manager, recalled that the noisy metal roofing in the studio was a major issue, and insulation lowered the ceiling height.

[11] It remained the only Orlando-area station until November 1957, when WESH (channel 2) in Daytona Beach moved its antenna and began covering the full market as an NBC affiliate.

[24] The new tower was eagerly awaited in Brevard County, where reception of the Orlando and Daytona Beach stations had historically been poor.

[29] The collapse had a substantial impact on ratings for the three local stations: an unaffected WESH took the lead in news, while leader WDBO sank to second and WFTV remained in third.

[33] That year, after hiring Frank Magid and Associates as a consultant, the station demoted longtime anchor Ben Aycrigg from the late newscast in an evident push that favored younger talent.

[34] By 1978, bolstered by an ascendant ABC and changes to its newscasts, a rejuvenated WFTV was the number-one station in Central Florida, consigning WDBO-TV to second or third place.

The deal fell through, but Outlet agreed to sell the WDBO radio stations, which would have been required to receive FCC approval.

[44][45] The radio group was sold the following year to a partnership controlled by Cook Inlet Region, Inc., but WCPX-TV remained with First Media.

[47] In the latter front, the high purchase price paid by First Media diminished the company's ability to spend on capital expenses.

[48] Under Spectorsky, the station reduced its preemptions of CBS network programs—most notably Picket Fences, which it aired in late night hours—by nearly two-thirds.

[64] WCPX-TV received heavy interest from a variety of buyers including Gannett; the Meredith Corporation, owner of Orlando Fox affiliate WOFL; Post-Newsweek Stations; and Sunbeam Television.

While Post-Newsweek traded up to a stronger growth market, Meredith acquired WFSB, the leading TV station in Connecticut with a cash flow 40 percent higher.

[69] On January 30, 1998, the station changed its call sign to WKMG-TV in honor of Katharine Meyer Graham, the longtime publisher of The Washington Post.

Coinciding with the new call sign, the station debuted another top-to-bottom overhaul of its newscasts, including a new female anchor—Leslye Gale—as well as a new logo and set.

[70] In spite of turnover in news personalities and senior management, WKMG's newscasts slowly became competitive in some time periods,[71] notably 11 p.m., by 2001.

[72] That year saw several other changes at WKMG-TV, which began broadcasting a digital signal on channel 26[73] on April 1, 2001;[74] it originated from a new purpose-built tower, shared with WESH, near Christmas.

[94] As part of the SAFER Act, WKMG-TV kept its analog signal on the air until July 12 to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop of public service announcements from the National Association of Broadcasters.