[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6914]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          RECOGNIZING KELO-TV

 Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I wish to 
honor KELO-TV, a South Dakota institution, for 60 years of excellence 
in broadcasting. Since 1953, South Dakotans have turned to KELO for 
reliable news and information about their local communities.
  Theater promoter Joe L. Floyd had a vision of providing all South 
Dakotans, even those in the most isolated parts of our State, with 
access to television programming. Volatile weather and vast distances 
made this no easy feat. Tornadoes caused towers to collapse in the 
early years, but the dedicated KELO team always restored service 
promptly.
  On May 19, 1953, KELO-TV made its inaugural broadcast and South 
Dakota's first television station was born. Dave Dedrick signed KELO on 
the air for the first time. ``Serving the mighty Sioux Empire, this is 
KELO-TV Channel 11 Sioux Falls,'' he boomed. Dedrick became the face of 
the network, not only as the station's longtime weatherman but as 
Captain 11, a fictional character in KELO's hugely popular afterschool 
children's program. Captain 11 ran for nearly 42 years, making it 
America's longest running children's program.
  KELO has always grown with the times and strived to bring the latest 
technological innovations to their viewers. In 1955, KELO began to 
broadcast the news live from the second floor of the Hollywood Theater 
building. KELO aired the first live telecast of a sporting event in 
South Dakota in 1957. In 1968, KELO pushed the envelope yet again by 
becoming the first station in the area to broadcast live and in color. 
Every step of the way, KELO has gone to great lengths to provide the 
best programming for all South Dakotans. In 1991, as soon as the 
technology became available, KELO began to closed-caption of many of 
their programs to better serve deaf and hearing- impaired viewers. In 
1997, KELO installed the first live Doppler radar network in South 
Dakota. This innovation was crucial in providing South Dakotans with 
the most accurate storm forecasts so they could protect themselves and 
their families. In 2003, HDTV came to KELOLAND and in 2009, KELO made 
the transition to a digital-only signal.
  KELO has garnered national recognition for superior news coverage and 
their commitment to the community. The National Association of 
Broadcasters, NAB, honored KELO with the ``Friend in Need'' Service to 
America Award in 1999 for exceptional coverage of the devastating 
tornado that ripped through Spencer, SD. Not only did KELO's advance 
coverage save lives, but money raised from their telethon helped 
victims to rebuild the town. In 2000, KELO received a national Emmy 
Award for its ``Tradition of Caring'' public service campaign. 
Employees at the station starred in public service announcements to 
raise awareness for local organizations in need. The program continues 
to highlight organizations across South Dakota to this day. In 2004, 
KELO was honored with the Edward R. Murrow Award, one of the most 
prestigious awards in the industry, for coverage of the 2003 tornado 
outbreak known as ``Tornado Tuesday.''
  Over 60 years of broadcasting KELO has earned the public's trust 
through a dedication to journalistic excellence. South Dakotans rely on 
KELO to stay connected to their communities. Whether it be news, 
sports, or weather, KELO delivers the information that South Dakotans 
need most. It is a great honor to recognize KELO-TV for 60 years of 
community partnership, and I wish them many years of continued 
success.

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