H.R. No. 3040
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The pioneering Lufkin television station KTRE is
marking its 60th anniversary in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Headed by E. L. Kurth, the Forest Capital
Broadcasting Company obtained a television license from the Federal
Communications Commission in 1953 and began construction on a TV
station with the same call letters as its radio station, KTRE; when
it went on the air on August 31, 1955, KTRE-TV became the first
satellite station in the country; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, the ABC affiliate expanded its
audience through a number of popular programs, including the HH
Ranch Show, Howdy Doody, and The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok; the
station was purchased in 1964 by Lucille Buford, who made it a
satellite of Tyler-based KLTV and converted it to color broadcasts;
owned by Raycom Media since 2006, KTRE began broadcasting a
digital-only signal in 2009 and airing programs in the high
definition format in 2013; and
WHEREAS, Today, the award-winning station reaches an
audience of approximately 400,000 people in 29 counties; it
benefits from the able leadership of vice president and general
manager Pat Stacey and station manager Starla Bickerstaff, as well
as from the hard work of its dedicated staff; and
WHEREAS, For six decades, since the dawn of television
broadcasting in East Texas, KTRE has been a reliable source of news,
weather, sports, and entertainment for area residents, and the
station continues to enrich and enlighten its community; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 60th anniversary of KTRE-TV and
extend to all those associated with the station sincere best wishes
for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for KTRE as an expression of high regard by the Texas House
of Representatives.
Ashby
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 3040 was adopted by the House on May
30, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House