KSBY: Difference between revisions

{{short description|NBC/CW affiliate in San Luis Obispo, California}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=OctoberMarch 20232024}}

| name = =

| callsign = KSBY

| city = San Luis Obispo, California

| logo = KSBY NBC 6 Santa Barbara, California = KSBY 6 logoLogo.pngsvg

'''KSBY''' (channel 6) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[San Luis Obispo, California]], United States, serving the southern [[Central Coast (California)|Central Coast of California]] as an affiliate of [[NBC]] and [[The CW Plus]]. The station is owned by the [[E. W. Scripps Company|E.{{nbsp}}W. Scripps Company]] and maintains studios on Calle Joaquin in southern San Luis Obispo, with an additional studio on Carmen Lane in [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact Us |url=https://www.ksby.com/about-us/contact-us |access-date=2023-10-October 17, 2023 |website=KSBY News |language=en}}</ref><!--This was the former home of [[KTAS]]--> Its main transmitter is located atop Cuesta Peak; the station also has a [[Broadcast relay station#Broadcast translator|translator]], K10PV-D, in [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]].

Channel 6 was the first station to go on the air in the market; it launched on May 25, 1953, as KVEC-TV, the radio sister station to [[KVEC]]. Originally affiliated with the [[DuMont Television Network]], it gained access to additional network programming in 1955. The station became linked to [[KSBW|KSBW-TV]] in [[Salinas, California|Salinas]] in 1957, changing its call sign to KSBY-TV; they continued to share programming into the 1970s, and the two outlets were co-owned for the next 38 years. In 1969, the station became a primary affiliate of NBC.

After being owned by [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth Murdoch]] and her husband from 1994 to 1995, the station was acquired by [[Montecito, California|Montecito]]–based [[Lilly Broadcasting|SJL Broadcasting]] in 1996. SJL moved KSBY from its original studios in a residential area on Hill Street to the present hilltop site on Calle Joaquin; the station also began broadcasting a digital signal under its ownership. Scripps acquired KSBY in 2018 from [[Cordillera Communications]]. The station has generally been the news leader in the southern Central Coast market.

On February 17, 1948, the Valley Electric Company, owner of San Luis Obispo radio station [[KVEC]], applied to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) for permission to build a new television station on channel 3.<ref name="hc">{{Cite web|url=https://enterpriseefilinglicensing.fcc.gov/dataentrycgi-bin/apiprod/downloadcdbs/attachmentforms/01d75d74-6c3e-7c4f-fb08-c05e9a8e6689prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=85385|title=History Cards for KSBY|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}}</ref> However, the application was not acted on by October 1948, when the commission instituted a freeze on new TV station grants to sort out possible changes to television broadcast standards.<ref>{{cite news|first=Rufus|last=Crater|pages=22A, 57|work=Broadcasting|id={{pqProQuest|1040475180}}|title=Television Freeze: FCC Action Halted Pending Definite Policy|date=October 4, 1948}}</ref> The freeze was lifted in April 1952;<ref name="BC520415">{{Cite news|date=April 15, 1952|title=Thaw July 1: 617 VHFs, 1436 UHFs in 1291 Markets; Educators Win|work=Broadcasting|pages=23, 67–68|id={{pqProQuest|1285696665}} }}</ref> Valley Electric had to modify its application to specify the newly assigned channel 6.{{r|hc}}

In 1956, John Cohan, the lead stockholder in KSBW radio and television in [[Salinas, California|Salinas]], agreed to acquire the KVEC stations for $450,000.<ref>{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1401216261}}|pages=92, 94|title=Cohan Buys KVEC-AM-TV; KITO, KAKC Buys Concluded|date=April 23, 1956}}</ref> KVEC-TV changed its call sign to KSBY-TV on June 14, 1957.{{r|hc}} The new designation coincided in a major change for channel 6; it was now receiving its programs by microwave from [[KSBW|KSBW-TV]] in [[Salinas, California|Salinas]]. While the pairing maintained studios in Salinas and San Luis Obispo, the combination was promoted as the Gold Coast Stations, and they began carrying the same mix of CBS, ABC, and [[NBC]] network programming.<ref name="Lomp570620">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lompoc-record-channel-6-in-new-tv-co/133574208/|date=June 20, 1957|page=IV:2|title=Channel 6 In New TV Combine|newspaper=The Lompoc Record|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

The Salinas Valley Broadcasting Corporation, parent company of both stations as well as KSBW radio in Salinas, agreed to be purchased in 1960 by Paul Harron and Gordon Gray, who together owned radio and television properties in upstate New York.<ref name="Cali600321">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-californian-eastern-group-buys-ksbw/133574279/|date=March 21, 1960|page=2|title=Eastern Group Buys KSBW Television and Radio Stations Here|newspaper=The Californian|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Mon --> The deal never materialized; instead, president and general manager John Cohan and three associates took control of the station in a transaction announced that October.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Closed Circuit: New deal in Salinas|work=Broadcasting|page=5|date=October 17, 1960|id={{pqProQuest|962817297}} }}</ref> KSBW and KSBY were no longer ABC affiliates by 1962; in the Salinas portion of the market, [[KNTV]] in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] was carrying the CBS and NBC shows that could not be fit on KSBW–KSBY's schedule,<ref name="Cali620502">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-californian-gilliland-says-tv-11-has/133574349/|date=May 2, 1962|page=36|title=Gilliland Says TV-11 Has as Much at Stake As 8 in Cable System|newspaper=The Californian|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> while [[KEYT]] in [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]] became a full-time ABC affiliate in September 1963.<ref name="Vent631005">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ventura-county-star-3-color-shows-on-key/133579579/|date=October 5, 1963|page=9|title=3 Color Shows On KEYT TV|newspaper=Ventura County Star-Free Press|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sat --> In 1964, a second station went on the air in [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]]: [[KCOY-TV]] (channel 12), which in 1965 sought to force KSBY to become an exclusive CBS affiliate so as to protect its NBC affiliation.<ref name="Trib651105">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-station-pressured-to-program/133574453/|date=November 5, 1965|page=7|title=Station pressured to program only CBS shows: KSBY target in federal action|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The opposite would take place four years later: on January 12, 1969, KSBY became a primary NBC affiliate and KCOY-TV a primary CBS affiliate.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Media reports: Network changes|work=Broadcasting|id={{pqProQuest|1016853512}}|date=January 13, 1969|page=47}}</ref> The ownership consortium, later known as Central California Communications Corporation, also owned the cable systems in Salinas and San Luis Obispo.<ref name="Trib780113">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-new-york-firm-buys-ksby-tv/133574755/|date=January 13, 1978|page=1|title=New York firm buys KSBY-TV|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The FCC ordered Central California Communications Corporation to file for operation of KSBY on a standalone, non-satellite basis in 1975, on account of its financial condition; the order stemmed from a dispute with Gill Industries, owner of KNTV, over the combination of KSBW and KSBY viewership figures for ratings purposes in the Salinas–Monterey market, where the stations' competition—KNTV and [[KION-TV|KMST]] in the north and KCOY-TV in the south—did not serve the same area.<ref>{{Cite news|id={{pqProQuest|1014686699}}|title=FCC steps out of market wrangle|work=Broadcasting|page=32|date=December 1, 1975}}</ref>

KSBW and KSBY were acquired in 1979 by John Blair & Co., a New York firm that represented TV and radio stations to national advertisers. The company owned two radio stations but no TV stations.<ref name="Trib790412">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-107-million-sale-of-tv-sta/133574795/|date=April 12, 1979|page=A-3|title=$10.7 million sale of TV stations OK'd|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --> By this time, KSBY was already dominating its market, leading KCOY and KEYT in evening news ratings even though its signal did not reach Santa Barbara directly.<ref name="Trib800501">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-night-news-under-lights-at-k/133574894/|date=May 1, 1980|pages=A-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-tv-news-its-shortcomings-c/133574822/ A-10]|title=Night news under lights at KSBY|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --> In 1986, Blair fended off a [[hostile takeover]] attempt by Macfadden Acquisition Corporation<ref name="Trib860515">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksbys-parent-firm-battling/133575029/|date=May 15, 1986|pages=1/A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-takeover-bid/133575044/ 3/A]|first=Tom|last=Fulks|title=KSBY's parent firm battling bid to take over the company|newspaper=The County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --> by accepting a competing, higher offer from Reliance Capital Group, led by financier [[Saul Steinberg (businessman)|Saul Steinberg]].<ref name="Trib860605">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksbys-parent-firm-in-corpor/133575064/|date=June 5, 1986|pages=1/A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby-sale/133575079/ 3/A]|first=Tom|last=Fulks|title=KSBY's parent firm in corporate tug of war|newspaper=The County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

Reliance, however, did not buy Blair intending to keep its three English-language TV stations: KSBW, KSBY, and [[KOKH-TV]] in [[Oklahoma City]]; rather, it was interested in the Spanish-language stations in [[Miami]] and [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]],<ref>{{Cite news|title=Reliance Capital Said To Be Mulling a Sale Of John Blair Stations|id={{pqProQuest|397969736}}|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=September 10, 1986}}</ref> which were used to launch the [[Telemundo]] network in January 1987.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|title=Telemundo TV Network to Air Nationally Tonight|date=January 12, 1987|id={{ProQuest|398013667}} }}</ref> As a result, Blair sold KSBW, KSBY, and KOKH-TV to [[George N. Gillett, Jr.|Gillett Communications]] for $86 million in November 1986.<ref name="Trib861112">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby-tv-purchased-by-gillet/133575100/|date=November 12, 1986|page=3/A|title=KSBY-TV purchased by Gillet|newspaper=The County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Trib861113">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby-sale-was-a-byproduct-of/133575128/|date=November 13, 1986|page=9/A|title=KSBY sale was a byproduct of try for Spanish network|newspaper=The County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

Gillett financed its ventures by issuing [[junk bond]]s and became burdened by a heavy debt load. The parent company, Gillett Holdings, filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11bankruptcy]] bankruptcy reorganization in 1991; the next year, many of its subsidiaries, including KSBY, filed their own bankruptcy cases to protect the station from possible legal issues in the Gillett case.<ref name="Trib920505">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-parental-firm-woes-push-ksby/133575276/|date=May 5, 1992|page=A-8|title=Parental firm woes push KSBY toward Chapter 11|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Tue --> The companies emerged from bankruptcy in October 1992 with ownership having been assumed by Gillett's debtholders. In 1994, KSBW and KSBY went on the market as a package, with Gillett Holdings seeking between $30 and $40 million and receiving multiple offers.<ref name="Trib940131">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-sale-of-ksby-likely-broker/133575323/|date=January 31, 1994|page=B-3|first=David|last=Eddy|title=Sale of KSBY likely, broker says|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Mon -->

In September 1995, EP Communications announced the sale of KSBW and KSBY to separate owners. [[Smith Media|Smith Television]]—owner of KEYT in Santa Barbara—acquired KSBW, while KSBY was purchased by [[Lilly Broadcasting|SJL Broadcasting]], which was based in [[Montecito, California|Montecito]] in [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara County]]. Murdoch and Pianim claimed in a statement that consolidation in the TV station industry forced them to either get bigger or sell, though a station employee claimed they were told a good unsolicited offer resulted in the sale.<ref name="Trib950916">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-murdoch-sells-ksby/133575660/|date=September 16, 1995|pages=A-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby/133575682/ A-10]|first=Ken|last=McCall|title=Murdoch sells KSBY|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sat --> The acquisition and sale of KSBY and KSBW after just 18 months resulted in a net gain of $12.25 million for Murdoch and Pianim.<ref name="Trib950921">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-murdoch-husband-make-1225/133575706/|date=September 21, 1995|pages=B-1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby/133575736/ B-2]|title=Murdoch, husband make $12.25 million|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

KSBY expanded by launching the cable-only [[The WB 100+ Station Group]] virtual station "KWCA" in April 2002; the service replaced Los Angeles' [[KTLA]] on local cable.<ref name="Trib020404">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-charter-cable-customers-to-s/133582257/|date=April 4, 2002|pages=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-buzz/133582298/ D2]|title=Charter Cable customers to see changes|newspaper=The Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Thu --><ref name="Time020612">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-press-recorder-ksby-to-be-purchase/133582276/|date=June 12, 2002|page=5|title=KSBY to be purchased by New Vision Group|newspaper=Times-Press-Recorder|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> In September 2002, SJL sold KSBY to the second incarnation of [[New Vision Television]].<ref name="Trib020609">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-countys-nbc-affiliate-ksby/133576262/|date=June 9, 2002|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby/133576245/ B2]|title=County's NBC affiliate: KSBY-TV purchased by Atlanta group|newspaper=The Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Sun --> [[EveningJason PostElkins, Industries]]founder (throughof itsNew [[CordilleraVision, Communications]]had subsidiary)previously acquiredowned theand stationsold ina 2004group forof $67.75stations million.<refunder that name="Trib041030">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/in the 1990s; KSBY and [[KVII-tribune-ksby-changes-hands-again-ev/133576325/|date=OctoberTV]] 30in [[Amarillo, 2004|pages=A1Texas]], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/were the-tribune-ksby/133576345/ A10]|second incarnation's first=Carol|last=Roberts|title=KSBY changesacquisitions. handsThey again:believed Eveningthere Postwas Publishingstill Co.money willto be themade fourthin ownersmall-market TV, particularly because viewer loyalty to network affiliates was higher in ninesmaller yearsmarkets.<ref>{{Cite fornews|first=Harry theA.|last=Jessell|title=Old localhands NBCwith affiliatenew money|id={{ProQuest|225280125}}|newspaperwork=TheBroadcasting Tribune& Cable|viapage=Newspapers.com30|access-date=OctoberDecember 179, 20232002 }}</ref><!-- Sat -->

Cordillera announced on October 29, 2018, that it would sell most of its stations, including KSBY, to the [[E. W. Scripps Company]].<ref name="cordillera">{{cite web|title=The E.W. Scripps Company buys more television stations, bringing total to 51|date=October 29, 2018 |url=https://www.wcpo.com/homepage-showcase/the-ew-scripps-company-buys-more-television-stations-bringing-total-to-51|access-date=October 29, 2018|publisher=[[WCPO-TV]]}}</ref> The sale was completed on May 1, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/234541/scripps-closes-on-cordillera-stations-purchase/|title=Scripps Closes On Cordillera Stations Purchase|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|work=TVNewsCheck|publisher=NewsCheckMedia|date=May 1, 2019|access-date=May 1, 2019}}</ref> This made KSBY a [[sister station]] to nearby ABC affiliates [[KERO-TV]] in [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]] and [[KGTV]] in [[San Diego]].

| [[720p]] || CW-DT || [[TheLaff CW(TV Plusnetwork)|Laff]]

| MysteryION || [[Ion MysteryTelevision]]

KSBY began broadcasting a digital signal on July 2, 2002.<ref name="Trib020703">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-ksby-upgrades-to-digital-bro/133576278/|date=July 3, 2002|page=D1|first=Leslie E.|last=Stevens|title=KSBY upgrades to digital broadcasts|newspaper=The Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref><!-- Wed --> shut down its analog signal, over [[Very high frequency|VHF]] channel 6, on February 17, 2009, the original target date on which full-power television stations in the United States were to [[Digital television transition in the United States|transition from analog to digital broadcasts]] under a federal mandate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|agency=Associated Press|title=List of TV stations ending analog broadcasts|date=February 17, 2009|work=NBC News|access-date=March 20, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106052115/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29245267|url-status=live}}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] channel 15, using [[virtual channel]] 6.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=9798604 |website=KSBY|title=KSBY-TV will convert to digital broadcasting February 17, 2009 |access-date=February 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207153313/http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=9798604 |archive-date=February 7, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Analog to Digital">{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2006 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref>

[[Category:NBC1953 networkestablishments affiliatesin California]]