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Wikipedia

KOMO-TV

KOMO-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Seattle, Washington, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Bellevue-licensed Univision affiliate KUNS-TV (channel 51). Both stations share studios within KOMO Plaza (formerly Fisher Plaza) in the Lower Queen Anne section of Seattle adjacent to the Space Needle, while KOMO-TV's transmitter is located in the city's Queen Anne neighborhood.

KOMO-TV
CitySeattle, Washington
Channels
BrandingKOMO 4; KOMO News
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KUNS-TV
History
FoundedJune 1953
First air date
December 10, 1953 (69 years ago) (1953-12-10)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 4 (VHF, 1953–2009)
  • Digital:
  • 38 (UHF, 1999–2020)
NBC (1953–1959)
Call sign meaning
Derived from former sister station KOMO (now KNWN)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID21656
ERP915 kW
HAAT259 m (850 ft)
Transmitter coordinates47°37′55″N 122°21′14″W / 47.63194°N 122.35389°W / 47.63194; -122.35389Coordinates: 47°37′55″N 122°21′14″W / 47.63194°N 122.35389°W / 47.63194; -122.35389
Links
Public license information
  • Public file
  • LMS
Websitekomonews.com

KOMO-TV signed on in December 1953 as the flagship station of Seattle-based Fisher Broadcasting; originally an NBC affiliate, it was the television extension to KOMO (1000 AM), which was a sister station until 2021. The station became Seattle's ABC affiliate in 1959 when KING-TV affiliated with NBC after a year-long transition period; it has generally ranked second in the city's television market ratings behind KING-TV throughout its existence.

History

Beginnings

KOMO-TV began operating on December 10, 1953, as an NBC affiliate, owing to KOMO radio's long-time relationship with the NBC Radio Network.[1] It is the fourth-oldest television station in the Seattle–Tacoma area. KOMO also has an almost forgotten distinction as being the first station in Seattle to broadcast a television signal. Whereas crosstown rival KRSC-TV (channel 5, now KING-TV) was the first to air "wide audience" television in November 1948, KOMO broadcast a television signal nearly 20 years prior on an experimental basis. On June 3, 1929, KOMO radio engineer Francis J. Brott televised images of a heart, a diamond, a question mark, letters, and numbers over electrical lines to small sets with one-inch screens—23 years before KOMO-TV's first regular broadcasts. A handful of viewers were captivated by the broadcast. KOMO would likely have held the distinction of being the first television station in Seattle, and perhaps the nation, if it were not for the occurrences of the Great Depression and World War II.[2]

The station was originally owned by the Fisher family, which had its start in the flour mill and lumber businesses. The Fishers branched into broadcasting with its founding of KOMO radio in 1926.[3] In competing for the channel 4 construction permit, the Fishers faced off against the then-owners of KJR radio. KOMO was awarded the license in June 1953 after the KJR group dropped their bid,[4][5] and KOMO-TV first signed on the air only five months later. William W. Warren, general manager of KOMO radio and a nephew of KOMO co-founder Oliver D. Fisher, oversaw the development of KOMO-TV and remained involved with the station's management until his retirement in 1987.[6]

In 1954, a KOMO news photographer discovered a way to develop color film in a new process that took just a few hours instead of days. His discovery allowed KOMO-TV to become the first television station in the nation to broadcast in true color.[citation needed]

In October 1958, however, NBC signed affiliation deals with King Broadcasting Company for their radio and television properties in Seattle and Portland, Oregon.[7] In Seattle, channel 4 shared both ABC and NBC programming with KING-TV until September 27, 1959, when KING-TV took the NBC affiliation full-time. At that point, KOMO-TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate.[8][9][10]

During the 1960s, local television personality Don McCune became well known in the Seattle market for two programs seen on KOMO-TV. Thousands of children in the area knew McCune as "Captain Puget", his role while hosting a children's entertainment program. Channel 4 and McCune also produced the documentary series Exploration Northwest, which explored many of the places and people of the Pacific Northwest.

Mount St. Helens eruption, May 18, 1980

 
The remains of a Mercury Monarch owned by KOMO-TV that was involved in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens

KOMO-TV nearly lost one of its staff in the volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. Dave Crockett, who had been with the station since 1975, had been covering the mountain every day for three weeks until being rotated out a few days prior. On the morning of May 18, he woke up at 3:00 a.m. in Seattle on a hunch that he would get some impressive video that day, and loaded up his news car and headed towards Mount St. Helens without anyone at KOMO knowing about it. He arrived at the mountain just as it was erupting.[11] His news video, which shows an advancing ash cloud and mud flows down the South Fork Toutle River, was made famous by its eleven-minute long "journey into the dark", six of those minutes of which were recorded in "total darkness" as Crockett narrated to what he thought would be his "last day on Earth." His video made worldwide news and was used in a movie remake of the disaster starring Art Carney. The car he drove, with the remains of KOMO lettering still visible, is now a part of a Mount St. Helens Volcano Museum just outside Toutle.

1984–present

 
KOMO's present broadcast facility, formerly known as Fisher Plaza, completed in 2001. The broadcast portion of the complex was opened in June 2000.

In 1984, KOMO became the first television station to broadcast daily programming in full stereo sound.[12]

In 1994, KOMO applied for the first test license for broadcasting new high-definition signals. KOMO began broadcasting a high-definition digital signal[13] in 1997; on May 18, 1999, KOMO became the first television station in the United States to broadcast its daily newscasts in high definition.[14] This statement, however, comes into conflict with a claim made by WFAA in Dallas (a sister station to KING-TV) that it is the first station in the nation to broadcast its daily news programs in high definition, on February 28, 1997.[15] It also conflicts with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina.[citation needed]

On July 2, 2009, a large electrical fire[16] that started in an electrical vault at the Fisher Plaza complex at 11:15 p.m. that evening knocked KOMO off the air during its 11 p.m. newscast.[17][18]

On April 10, 2013, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would acquire Fisher Communications for $373.3 million.[19][20] However, the deal was subjected to financial scrutiny; the law firm Levi & Korsinsky notified Fisher shareholders with accusations that Fisher's board of directors were breaching fiduciary duties by "failing to adequately shop the Company before agreeing to enter into the transaction", and Sinclair was underpaying for Fisher's stock.[21] Shortly after the announcement, a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder.[22] On August 6, the shareholders voted to approve the sale, after they approved that the shareholders would get $41 per share.[23] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted approval of the deal on August 6,[24] and the sale was consummated on August 8.[25] Prior to the sale, KOMO-TV had been the last television station in the Seattle market to be owned by local interests, having been built by Fisher from the ground up.

On March 18, 2014, KOMO-TV's news helicopter crashed at the Seattle Center, as it was taking off from Fisher Plaza around 7:40 a.m., falling onto at least one car.[26] A second car and pickup truck, also involved, caught fire. Fuel from the crashed helicopter, which was leased to the station by St. Louis-based Helicopters Inc.[27] and was also used by KING-TV under a Local News Service agreement,[28] ran down Broad Street (along and south of the crash site), later bursting into flames.[29][30][31] Helicopter pilot Gary Pfitzner and photographer Bill Strothman were both killed in the crash. A 37-year-old man in one of the cars was also critically injured, reportedly suffering burns covering up to 20% of his body (revised from an earlier report of burns at up to 50%) according to the Seattle Fire Department.[32][33] The Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopter involved in the crash, FAA registration number N250FB,[26] had been leased to KOMO-TV while technical upgrades were being made to the station's own helicopter.

On September 27, 2015, KOMO introduced a new studio for its newscasts, which was designed by Devlin Design Group—Sinclair's primary set design firm. The new design contains nods to Seattle's scenery, including tribal designs on the floor, a desk inspired by whale pods, as well as a helicopter blade—serving as a memorial to Pfitzner and Strothman.[34]

On May 8, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media—owner of Fox affiliate KCPQ (channel 13) and MyNetworkTV affiliate KZJO (channel 22)—for $3.9 billion, plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in debt held by Tribune, pending regulatory approval by the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. As KOMO and KCPQ rank among the four highest-rated stations in the Seattle−Tacoma market in total day viewership and broadcasters are not currently allowed to legally own more than two full-power television stations in a single market, the companies would have been required to sell either the KOMO/KUNS or the KCPQ/KZJO duopolies to another station group in order to comply with FCC ownership rules preceding approval of the acquisition; however, a sale of either station to an independent buyer was dependent on later decisions by the FCC regarding local ownership of broadcast television stations and future acts by Congress.[35][36][37][38][39][40] After speculation that Sinclair would keep KOMO-TV and KUNS-TV and sell KCPQ and KZJO to Fox Television Stations, it announced on April 24, 2018 that it would keep KOMO-TV, buy KZJO and sell KCPQ and KUNS-TV.[41][42] KUNS-TV was to be sold to Howard Stirk Holdings, with Sinclair continuing to provide services to the station, while KCPQ was to be sold to Fox Television Stations, making KCPQ a Fox owned-and-operated station; with the cancellation of the deal, KCPQ and KZJO instead went to Nexstar, only to be sold to Fox in 2020.[43]

On July 18, 2018, the FCC voted to have the Sinclair–Tribune acquisition reviewed by an administrative law judge amid "serious concerns" about Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties.[44][45] Three weeks later on August 9, Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal, intending to seek other mergers and acquisitions opportunities.[46]

In September 2021, radio sister stations KOMO (1000 AM and 97.7 FM), KVI (570 AM), and KPLZ-FM (101.5) were sold to Lotus Communications, leaving KUNS-TV as the sole sister station to KOMO-TV in Seattle; KOMO-TV and KOMO radio were separated after 68 years with the sale.[47] Sinclair retained full control over the KOMO call sign; on February 2, 2022, Lotus changed KOMO radio's call sign to KNWN, though it continues to maintain a partnership with KOMO-TV.[48]

Programming

Syndicated programming includes Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! among others. Sinclair-owned programming such as Full Measure with Sharyl Atkinson, America This Week and The Armstrong Williams Show is carried in weekend overnight periods, and the station's advertising/sales department produces the advertorial magazine program Seattle Refined, which airs on weekdays after ABC daytime programming.

KOMO-TV and its Portland sister station KATU (also built by Fisher and signed-on in 1962) were the only two ABC stations in the contiguous United States which aired Monday Night Football on a one-hour delay, from the program's start in 1970 until 1995, in order to accommodate early evening newscasts on both stations. When the Seattle Seahawks joined the NFL in 1976, the stations modified this arrangement in order to broadcast MNF games involving the Seahawks live. In 1996, after years of fan protests, both KOMO-TV and KATU began clearing the entire Monday Night Football schedule live, regardless of the teams that were playing each week. A decade later, the program moved to cable on ESPN. KOMO-TV aired the Seahawks' appearance in Super Bowl XL.

News operation

KOMO-TV presently broadcasts 45 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with seven hours each weekday and five hours each on Saturdays and Sundays).

For the last three decades, KOMO has competed directly with KING-TV for first place in the Seattle news ratings. KOMO continually places first among the local newscasts in the market.

Awards

KOMO-TV's news division has consistently won awards for its reporting, and averages more wins per year than any Seattle television station. The station won the Edward R. Murrow Award for "Best Large Market Newscast" In both 2002 and 2008.[49][50] In June 2008, KOMO was awarded 15 regional Emmy Awards, taking top honors in the "Station Excellence", "Morning News", "Evening News", "Breaking News" and "Team Coverage" categories. KOMO anchor/reporter Molly Shen won the prestigious Individual Achievement Award for the second time in three years, and longtime anchor Kathi Goertzen took home a Silver Circle Award, in recognition of her 25+ years with the station.[51] The station also won the Emmy Award for "Breaking News Coverage". A segment on The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies (Palm Springs, California) received an Emmy in 1997.[52]

Controversy

In March 2019, KOMO-TV aired a news special entitled Seattle is Dying.[53] This special documented the ongoing drug and homelessness crisis in Seattle and included interviews with residents, business owners, a former police chief, and several homeless people. The documentary and KOMO-TV were criticized by other media following the broadcast. The Seattle Times contested the piece, publishing a rebuttal that April which countered that Seattle's crime rates are actually significantly lower than the 1980s and 1990s.[54] A subject of the documentary piece reported, when later interviewed, that he had been misrepresented.[55]

On-air staff

 
KOMO-TV's Kathi Goertzen in a screengrab from a 1989 report on the Berlin Wall takedown.

KOMO anchors Dan Lewis, Kathi Goertzen, and weather forecaster Steve Pool had the third-longest tenure of an anchor team in the United States, having served as KOMO's evening news team from 1987 to 2009. The station's evening newscast has long been co-anchored by Lewis and Goertzen, and was praised by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer as being the "Best First-String anchor unit in town."[56]

Following the presidential inauguration ceremony in 1993, Lewis became the first reporter to interview then-President Bill Clinton, which occurred at the White House.[57]

Notable current on-air staff
Notable former on-air staff

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KOMO-TV[62]
Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming
4.1 1080i 16:9 KOMO Main KOMO-TV programming / ABC
4.2 480i Comet Comet
4.3 Charge Charge!
51.1 1080i 16:9 KUNS Main KUNS-TV programming / Univision (KUNS-TV)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion

KOMO-TV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 4, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television.[63] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 38,[64][65] using PSIP to display KOMO-TV's virtual channel as 4 on digital television receivers.

In 2009, KOMO-TV became one of four television stations in the country to be the first to launch mobile DTV signals. The Open Mobile Video Coalition chose KOMO and independent station KONG (channel 16), and WPXA-TV and WATL in Atlanta to beta test the ATSC-M/H standard, which has since been officially adopted for free-to-air digital broadcast television with clear reception on mobile devices, which overcomes the defects of the original ATSC standard.

Canadian and out-of-market coverage

KOMO-TV is available to most cable subscribers in the Vancouver/Victoria, British Columbia, area as the ABC affiliate and is one of five Seattle television stations seen in Canada on the Bell Satellite TV and Shaw Direct satellite services. It is also seen out-of-market on Charter Spectrum in Ellensburg[66] (part of the Yakima DMA), with ABC programming and some syndicated shows blacked out due to the presence of local affiliate KAPP.

References

  1. ^ "Nine more TV stations take to air."[permanent dead link] Broadcasting - Telecasting, December 21, 1953, pg. 58.
  2. ^ Viewers watch Puget Sound's first wide-audience TV broadcast on 25 November 1948.
  3. ^ Corr, O. Casey (June 5, 1994). "Into the spotlight–the Fisher family, long part of Seattle's quiet wealthy, takes a more visible road in 'hot talk' radio, Lake Union development, family fortune management". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  4. ^ "FCC grants 1 VHF, 3 UHF." Broadcasting - Telecasting, June 15, 1953, pp. 52-53. [1][permanent dead link][2][permanent dead link]
  5. ^ KOMO/Fisher's Blend Station, Inc. advertisement, circa June 1953. Seatacmedia.com.
  6. ^ Beers, Carole (January 16, 1999). "Obituaries: William W. Warren, 87, pioneer in Seattle TV, radio broadcasting". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  7. ^ "KGW, KING stations affiliate with NBC."[permanent dead link] Broadcasting, October 20, 1958, pg. 74.
  8. ^ "Seattle partner-change in '59: KOMO-TV to ABC; KING-TV to NBC."[permanent dead link] Broadcasting, October 27, 1958, pg. 68.
  9. ^ "KOMO-TV joins ABC."[permanent dead link] Broadcasting, April 13, 1959, pg. 99.
  10. ^ "'Operation Switchover.'"[permanent dead link] Broadcasting, October 5, 1959, pg. 100.
  11. ^ Dave Crockett May 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ [3] November 22, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ began broadcasting a high definition digital signal
  14. ^ [4] October 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ . Archived from the original on March 11, 2008. Retrieved June 4, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)[dubious ]
  16. ^ July 2009 Fire
  17. ^ Electrical fire disrupts broadcasts, Web sites July 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, KOMO-TV, July 3, 2009.
  18. ^ Fire disrupts stations at Seattle's Fisher Plaza, Seattle Times, July 3, 2009.
  19. ^ "Sinclair acquiring Fisher Communications". komonews.com. April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  20. ^ Colman, Price (April 10, 2013). "Sinclair poised to buy Fisher stations". TVnewscheck.com. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  21. ^ "SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Notifies Investors of Claims of Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Fisher Communications, Inc. in Connection With the Sale of the Company to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc". Press release. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  22. ^ "Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI) Investor Lawsuit to Stop Takeover by Sinclair Broadcast Group Announced by Shareholders Foundation". Press release. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  23. ^ Fisher stockholders approve sale to Sinclair Seattle Times, August 6, 2013
  24. ^ (PDF). licensing.fcc.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "Sinclair Broadcast Group Closes On Fisher Communications Acquisition". All Access. August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  26. ^ a b "WPR14FA137 — Preliminary Accident Report". March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  27. ^ "Helicopters, Inc".
  28. ^ "2 Dead After KOMO Helicopter Crashes in Seattle". TVSpy. March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  29. ^ . KING-TV. March 18, 2014. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  30. ^ "2 die in news helicopter crash at KOMO-TV". The Seattle Times. March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  31. ^ . The Seattle Times. March 18, 2014. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  32. ^ . KGW. March 18, 2014. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  33. ^ "2 killed as KOMO News helicopter crashes near Space Needle". KOMO-TV. March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  34. ^ "KOMO Brings Seattle Scenery Into Its Studio". TVNewsCheck. September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  35. ^ Stephen Battaglio (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus debt". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  36. ^ Cynthia Littleton (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media". Variety. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  37. ^ Todd Frankel (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion, giving it control over 215 local TV stations". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings, LLC. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  38. ^ Liana Baker; Jessica Toonkel (May 7, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast nears deal for Tribune Media". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  39. ^ Harry A. Jessell; Mark K. Miller (May 8, 2017). "The New Sinclair: 72% Coverage + WGNA". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheck Media.
  40. ^ Gates, Dominic (May 9, 2017). "Current FCC rules bar Sinclair from owning both KOMO and KCPQ — but that could change". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  41. ^ Jones, Scott (December 15, 2017). "DOJ Gives The OK To Sinclair, Now Look for..." FTV Live. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  42. ^ "Sinclair Revises TV Spinoff Plans For Tribune Deal, Announces Deals For Several Stations". All Access. April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  43. ^ Hayes, Dade (May 9, 2018). "21st Century Fox Buys Seven Local TV Stations From Sinclair For $910 Million". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  44. ^ Todd Shields (July 16, 2018). "Sinclair and Tribune Fall as FCC Slams TV Station Sale Plan". Bloomberg News. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  45. ^ Edmund Lee (July 18, 2018). "Sinclair Tries to Appease F.C.C., but Its Tribune Bid Is Challenged". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  46. ^ "Tribune Terminates $3.9 Billion Sinclair Merger, Sues Broadcast Rival". The Wall Street Journal. News Corp. August 9, 2018.
  47. ^ Venta, Lance (September 28, 2021). "Lotus Closes On Purchase Of Sinclair's Seattle Radio Properties". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  48. ^ Lacitis, Erik (January 28, 2022). "So long, 'KOMO Country': KOMO Radio sold, gets new name". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  49. ^ "KOMO/4 newscast wins Murrow Award for best local newscast". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 21, 2002. Retrieved December 18, 2006.
  50. ^ "KOMO 4 Television Wins National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence". Fisher Communications. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  51. ^ "KOMO's Molly Shen wins individual achievement Emmy ... again". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 9, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  52. ^ McNary, Dave (July 9, 2004). . Daily Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014.
  53. ^ "Seattle is Dying". YouTube. KOMO News. March 19, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  54. ^ Balk, Gene (April 3, 2019). "Is Seattle 'dying'? Crime rates tell a different story". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  55. ^ Wasson, Lindsey (March 28, 2019). "Man used as proof that 'Seattle Is Dying' tells his story". Crosscut. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  56. ^ TV news directors: Make it a clean sweep, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 8, 2002.
  57. ^
  58. ^ Martin, Jonathan (August 13, 2012). "Longtime TV anchorwoman Kathi Goertzen dies after battle with tumors". The Seattle Times. from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  59. ^ Goldstein, Richard (January 13, 2018). "Keith Jackson, Voice of College Football, Dies at 89". The New York Times. from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  60. ^ McNerthney, Casey (December 5, 2012). "Ken Schram to leave KOMO". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  61. ^ Lacitis, Erik (May 29, 2014). "Ken Schram, longtime KOMO personality, dead at 66". The Seattle Times. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  62. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KOMO
  63. ^
  64. ^ CDBS Print
  65. ^ What digital TV delay means to North Olympic Peninsula viewers
  66. ^ "Spectrum TV Packages - Ellensburg, WA". Charter Communications. Retrieved October 16, 2019.

External links

  • Official website

komo, channel, television, station, seattle, washington, united, states, affiliated, with, owned, sinclair, broadcast, group, alongside, bellevue, licensed, univision, affiliate, kuns, channel, both, stations, share, studios, within, komo, plaza, formerly, fis. KOMO TV channel 4 is a television station in Seattle Washington United States affiliated with ABC It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Bellevue licensed Univision affiliate KUNS TV channel 51 Both stations share studios within KOMO Plaza formerly Fisher Plaza in the Lower Queen Anne section of Seattle adjacent to the Space Needle while KOMO TV s transmitter is located in the city s Queen Anne neighborhood KOMO TVSeattle Tacoma WashingtonUnited StatesCitySeattle WashingtonChannelsDigital 30 UHF Virtual 4BrandingKOMO 4 KOMO NewsProgrammingAffiliations4 1 ABC since 1958 secondary until 1959 4 2 Comet4 3 Charge 51 1 UnivisionOwnershipOwnerSinclair Broadcast Group Sinclair Seattle Licensee LLC Sister stationsKUNS TVHistoryFoundedJune 1953First air dateDecember 10 1953 69 years ago 1953 12 10 Former channel number s Analog 4 VHF 1953 2009 Digital 38 UHF 1999 2020 Former affiliationsNBC 1953 1959 Call sign meaningDerived from former sister station KOMO now KNWN Technical informationLicensing authorityFCCFacility ID21656ERP915 kWHAAT259 m 850 ft Transmitter coordinates47 37 55 N 122 21 14 W 47 63194 N 122 35389 W 47 63194 122 35389 Coordinates 47 37 55 N 122 21 14 W 47 63194 N 122 35389 W 47 63194 122 35389LinksPublic license informationPublic fileLMSWebsitekomonews wbr comKOMO TV signed on in December 1953 as the flagship station of Seattle based Fisher Broadcasting originally an NBC affiliate it was the television extension to KOMO 1000 AM which was a sister station until 2021 The station became Seattle s ABC affiliate in 1959 when KING TV affiliated with NBC after a year long transition period it has generally ranked second in the city s television market ratings behind KING TV throughout its existence Contents 1 History 1 1 Beginnings 1 2 Mount St Helens eruption May 18 1980 1 3 1984 present 2 Programming 2 1 News operation 2 1 1 Awards 2 1 2 Controversy 2 1 3 On air staff 2 1 3 1 Notable current on air staff 2 1 3 2 Notable former on air staff 3 Technical information 3 1 Subchannels 3 2 Analog to digital conversion 4 Canadian and out of market coverage 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditBeginnings Edit KOMO TV began operating on December 10 1953 as an NBC affiliate owing to KOMO radio s long time relationship with the NBC Radio Network 1 It is the fourth oldest television station in the Seattle Tacoma area KOMO also has an almost forgotten distinction as being the first station in Seattle to broadcast a television signal Whereas crosstown rival KRSC TV channel 5 now KING TV was the first to air wide audience television in November 1948 KOMO broadcast a television signal nearly 20 years prior on an experimental basis On June 3 1929 KOMO radio engineer Francis J Brott televised images of a heart a diamond a question mark letters and numbers over electrical lines to small sets with one inch screens 23 years before KOMO TV s first regular broadcasts A handful of viewers were captivated by the broadcast KOMO would likely have held the distinction of being the first television station in Seattle and perhaps the nation if it were not for the occurrences of the Great Depression and World War II 2 The station was originally owned by the Fisher family which had its start in the flour mill and lumber businesses The Fishers branched into broadcasting with its founding of KOMO radio in 1926 3 In competing for the channel 4 construction permit the Fishers faced off against the then owners of KJR radio KOMO was awarded the license in June 1953 after the KJR group dropped their bid 4 5 and KOMO TV first signed on the air only five months later William W Warren general manager of KOMO radio and a nephew of KOMO co founder Oliver D Fisher oversaw the development of KOMO TV and remained involved with the station s management until his retirement in 1987 6 In 1954 a KOMO news photographer discovered a way to develop color film in a new process that took just a few hours instead of days His discovery allowed KOMO TV to become the first television station in the nation to broadcast in true color citation needed In October 1958 however NBC signed affiliation deals with King Broadcasting Company for their radio and television properties in Seattle and Portland Oregon 7 In Seattle channel 4 shared both ABC and NBC programming with KING TV until September 27 1959 when KING TV took the NBC affiliation full time At that point KOMO TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate 8 9 10 During the 1960s local television personality Don McCune became well known in the Seattle market for two programs seen on KOMO TV Thousands of children in the area knew McCune as Captain Puget his role while hosting a children s entertainment program Channel 4 and McCune also produced the documentary series Exploration Northwest which explored many of the places and people of the Pacific Northwest Mount St Helens eruption May 18 1980 Edit The remains of a Mercury Monarch owned by KOMO TV that was involved in the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens KOMO TV nearly lost one of its staff in the volcanic eruption of Mount St Helens on May 18 1980 Dave Crockett who had been with the station since 1975 had been covering the mountain every day for three weeks until being rotated out a few days prior On the morning of May 18 he woke up at 3 00 a m in Seattle on a hunch that he would get some impressive video that day and loaded up his news car and headed towards Mount St Helens without anyone at KOMO knowing about it He arrived at the mountain just as it was erupting 11 His news video which shows an advancing ash cloud and mud flows down the South Fork Toutle River was made famous by its eleven minute long journey into the dark six of those minutes of which were recorded in total darkness as Crockett narrated to what he thought would be his last day on Earth His video made worldwide news and was used in a movie remake of the disaster starring Art Carney The car he drove with the remains of KOMO lettering still visible is now a part of a Mount St Helens Volcano Museum just outside Toutle 1984 present Edit KOMO s present broadcast facility formerly known as Fisher Plaza completed in 2001 The broadcast portion of the complex was opened in June 2000 In 1984 KOMO became the first television station to broadcast daily programming in full stereo sound 12 In 1994 KOMO applied for the first test license for broadcasting new high definition signals KOMO began broadcasting a high definition digital signal 13 in 1997 on May 18 1999 KOMO became the first television station in the United States to broadcast its daily newscasts in high definition 14 This statement however comes into conflict with a claim made by WFAA in Dallas a sister station to KING TV that it is the first station in the nation to broadcast its daily news programs in high definition on February 28 1997 15 It also conflicts with WRAL TV in Raleigh North Carolina citation needed On July 2 2009 a large electrical fire 16 that started in an electrical vault at the Fisher Plaza complex at 11 15 p m that evening knocked KOMO off the air during its 11 p m newscast 17 18 On April 10 2013 Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would acquire Fisher Communications for 373 3 million 19 20 However the deal was subjected to financial scrutiny the law firm Levi amp Korsinsky notified Fisher shareholders with accusations that Fisher s board of directors were breaching fiduciary duties by failing to adequately shop the Company before agreeing to enter into the transaction and Sinclair was underpaying for Fisher s stock 21 Shortly after the announcement a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder 22 On August 6 the shareholders voted to approve the sale after they approved that the shareholders would get 41 per share 23 The Federal Communications Commission FCC granted approval of the deal on August 6 24 and the sale was consummated on August 8 25 Prior to the sale KOMO TV had been the last television station in the Seattle market to be owned by local interests having been built by Fisher from the ground up On March 18 2014 KOMO TV s news helicopter crashed at the Seattle Center as it was taking off from Fisher Plaza around 7 40 a m falling onto at least one car 26 A second car and pickup truck also involved caught fire Fuel from the crashed helicopter which was leased to the station by St Louis based Helicopters Inc 27 and was also used by KING TV under a Local News Service agreement 28 ran down Broad Street along and south of the crash site later bursting into flames 29 30 31 Helicopter pilot Gary Pfitzner and photographer Bill Strothman were both killed in the crash A 37 year old man in one of the cars was also critically injured reportedly suffering burns covering up to 20 of his body revised from an earlier report of burns at up to 50 according to the Seattle Fire Department 32 33 The Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopter involved in the crash FAA registration number N250FB 26 had been leased to KOMO TV while technical upgrades were being made to the station s own helicopter On September 27 2015 KOMO introduced a new studio for its newscasts which was designed by Devlin Design Group Sinclair s primary set design firm The new design contains nods to Seattle s scenery including tribal designs on the floor a desk inspired by whale pods as well as a helicopter blade serving as a memorial to Pfitzner and Strothman 34 On May 8 2017 Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media owner of Fox affiliate KCPQ channel 13 and MyNetworkTV affiliate KZJO channel 22 for 3 9 billion plus the assumption of 2 7 billion in debt held by Tribune pending regulatory approval by the FCC and the U S Department of Justice s Antitrust Division As KOMO and KCPQ rank among the four highest rated stations in the Seattle Tacoma market in total day viewership and broadcasters are not currently allowed to legally own more than two full power television stations in a single market the companies would have been required to sell either the KOMO KUNS or the KCPQ KZJO duopolies to another station group in order to comply with FCC ownership rules preceding approval of the acquisition however a sale of either station to an independent buyer was dependent on later decisions by the FCC regarding local ownership of broadcast television stations and future acts by Congress 35 36 37 38 39 40 After speculation that Sinclair would keep KOMO TV and KUNS TV and sell KCPQ and KZJO to Fox Television Stations it announced on April 24 2018 that it would keep KOMO TV buy KZJO and sell KCPQ and KUNS TV 41 42 KUNS TV was to be sold to Howard Stirk Holdings with Sinclair continuing to provide services to the station while KCPQ was to be sold to Fox Television Stations making KCPQ a Fox owned and operated station with the cancellation of the deal KCPQ and KZJO instead went to Nexstar only to be sold to Fox in 2020 43 On July 18 2018 the FCC voted to have the Sinclair Tribune acquisition reviewed by an administrative law judge amid serious concerns about Sinclair s forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties 44 45 Three weeks later on August 9 Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal intending to seek other mergers and acquisitions opportunities 46 In September 2021 radio sister stations KOMO 1000 AM and 97 7 FM KVI 570 AM and KPLZ FM 101 5 were sold to Lotus Communications leaving KUNS TV as the sole sister station to KOMO TV in Seattle KOMO TV and KOMO radio were separated after 68 years with the sale 47 Sinclair retained full control over the KOMO call sign on February 2 2022 Lotus changed KOMO radio s call sign to KNWN though it continues to maintain a partnership with KOMO TV 48 Programming EditSyndicated programming includes Live with Kelly and Ryan The Kelly Clarkson Show Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy among others Sinclair owned programming such as Full Measure with Sharyl Atkinson America This Week and The Armstrong Williams Show is carried in weekend overnight periods and the station s advertising sales department produces the advertorial magazine program Seattle Refined which airs on weekdays after ABC daytime programming KOMO TV and its Portland sister station KATU also built by Fisher and signed on in 1962 were the only two ABC stations in the contiguous United States which aired Monday Night Football on a one hour delay from the program s start in 1970 until 1995 in order to accommodate early evening newscasts on both stations When the Seattle Seahawks joined the NFL in 1976 the stations modified this arrangement in order to broadcast MNF games involving the Seahawks live In 1996 after years of fan protests both KOMO TV and KATU began clearing the entire Monday Night Football schedule live regardless of the teams that were playing each week A decade later the program moved to cable on ESPN KOMO TV aired the Seahawks appearance in Super Bowl XL News operation Edit KOMO TV presently broadcasts 45 hours of locally produced newscasts each week with seven hours each weekday and five hours each on Saturdays and Sundays For the last three decades KOMO has competed directly with KING TV for first place in the Seattle news ratings KOMO continually places first among the local newscasts in the market Awards Edit KOMO TV s news division has consistently won awards for its reporting and averages more wins per year than any Seattle television station The station won the Edward R Murrow Award for Best Large Market Newscast In both 2002 and 2008 49 50 In June 2008 KOMO was awarded 15 regional Emmy Awards taking top honors in the Station Excellence Morning News Evening News Breaking News and Team Coverage categories KOMO anchor reporter Molly Shen won the prestigious Individual Achievement Award for the second time in three years and longtime anchor Kathi Goertzen took home a Silver Circle Award in recognition of her 25 years with the station 51 The station also won the Emmy Award for Breaking News Coverage A segment on The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies Palm Springs California received an Emmy in 1997 52 Controversy Edit Main article Seattle is Dying documentary In March 2019 KOMO TV aired a news special entitled Seattle is Dying 53 This special documented the ongoing drug and homelessness crisis in Seattle and included interviews with residents business owners a former police chief and several homeless people The documentary and KOMO TV were criticized by other media following the broadcast The Seattle Times contested the piece publishing a rebuttal that April which countered that Seattle s crime rates are actually significantly lower than the 1980s and 1990s 54 A subject of the documentary piece reported when later interviewed that he had been misrepresented 55 On air staff Edit KOMO TV s Kathi Goertzen in a screengrab from a 1989 report on the Berlin Wall takedown KOMO anchors Dan Lewis Kathi Goertzen and weather forecaster Steve Pool had the third longest tenure of an anchor team in the United States having served as KOMO s evening news team from 1987 to 2009 The station s evening newscast has long been co anchored by Lewis and Goertzen and was praised by the Seattle Post Intelligencer as being the Best First String anchor unit in town 56 Following the presidential inauguration ceremony in 1993 Lewis became the first reporter to interview then President Bill Clinton which occurred at the White House 57 Notable current on air staff Edit Eric Johnson anchor Shannon O Donnell chief meteorologistNotable former on air staff Edit Kathi Goertzen anchor and special assignment reporter 1980 2012 died on August 13 2012 58 Keith Jackson reporter later sportscaster 1954 1964 later with ABC Sports died on January 12 2018 59 Dan Lewis anchor 1987 2014 retired Lori Matsukawa anchor 1980 1983 left for KING TV in 1983 as weeknight anchor now retired Steve Pool chief meteorologist 1977 2019 retired Bill Schonely sportscaster 1955 1959 worked alongside Keith Jackson Bill later became The Voice of the Trailblazers for almost three decades and is now employed by the team as their Ambassador Ken Schram reporter and commentator 1977 2012 died on May 29 2014 60 61 John Seigenthaler Jr anchor and reporter married fellow KOMO anchor reporter Kerry Brock in 1992 left the station and moved to Nashville Tennessee later weekend anchor of NBC Nightly News Jim Snyder anchor and reporter 1994 1998 now with KSNV Technical information EditSubchannels Edit The station s digital signal is multiplexed Subchannels of KOMO TV 62 Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming4 1 1080i 16 9 KOMO Main KOMO TV programming ABC4 2 480i Comet Comet4 3 Charge Charge 51 1 1080i 16 9 KUNS Main KUNS TV programming Univision KUNS TV Broadcast on behalf of another station Analog to digital conversion Edit KOMO TV shut down its analog signal over VHF channel 4 on June 12 2009 as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television 63 The station s digital signal remained on its pre transition UHF channel 38 64 65 using PSIP to display KOMO TV s virtual channel as 4 on digital television receivers In 2009 KOMO TV became one of four television stations in the country to be the first to launch mobile DTV signals The Open Mobile Video Coalition chose KOMO and independent station KONG channel 16 and WPXA TV and WATL in Atlanta to beta test the ATSC M H standard which has since been officially adopted for free to air digital broadcast television with clear reception on mobile devices which overcomes the defects of the original ATSC standard Canadian and out of market coverage EditKOMO TV is available to most cable subscribers in the Vancouver Victoria British Columbia area as the ABC affiliate and is one of five Seattle television stations seen in Canada on the Bell Satellite TV and Shaw Direct satellite services It is also seen out of market on Charter Spectrum in Ellensburg 66 part of the Yakima DMA with ABC programming and some syndicated shows blacked out due to the presence of local affiliate KAPP References Edit Nine more TV stations take to air permanent dead link Broadcasting Telecasting December 21 1953 pg 58 Viewers watch Puget Sound s first wide audience TV broadcast on 25 November 1948 Corr O Casey June 5 1994 Into the spotlight the Fisher family long part of Seattle s quiet wealthy takes a more visible road in hot talk radio Lake Union development family fortune management The Seattle Times Retrieved March 11 2013 FCC grants 1 VHF 3 UHF Broadcasting Telecasting June 15 1953 pp 52 53 1 permanent dead link 2 permanent dead link KOMO Fisher s Blend Station Inc advertisement circa June 1953 Seatacmedia com Beers Carole January 16 1999 Obituaries William W Warren 87 pioneer in Seattle TV radio broadcasting The Seattle Times Retrieved March 10 2013 KGW KING stations affiliate with NBC permanent dead link Broadcasting October 20 1958 pg 74 Seattle partner change in 59 KOMO TV to ABC KING TV to NBC permanent dead link Broadcasting October 27 1958 pg 68 KOMO TV joins ABC permanent dead link Broadcasting April 13 1959 pg 99 Operation Switchover permanent dead link Broadcasting October 5 1959 pg 100 Dave Crockett Archived May 25 2005 at the Wayback Machine 3 Archived November 22 2005 at the Wayback Machine began broadcasting a high definition digital signal 4 Archived October 9 2007 at the Wayback Machine WFAA Fiftieth Anniversary Archived from the original on March 11 2008 Retrieved June 4 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link dubious discuss July 2009 Fire Electrical fire disrupts broadcasts Web sites Archived July 6 2009 at the Wayback Machine KOMO TV July 3 2009 Fire disrupts stations at Seattle s Fisher Plaza Seattle Times July 3 2009 Sinclair acquiring Fisher Communications komonews com April 11 2013 Retrieved April 11 2013 Colman Price April 10 2013 Sinclair poised to buy Fisher stations TVnewscheck com Retrieved April 11 2013 SHAREHOLDER ALERT Levi amp Korsinsky LLP Notifies Investors of Claims of Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Fisher Communications Inc in Connection With the Sale of the Company to Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc Press release Retrieved April 24 2013 Fisher Communications Inc FSCI Investor Lawsuit to Stop Takeover by Sinclair Broadcast Group Announced by Shareholders Foundation Press release Retrieved April 24 2013 Fisher stockholders approve sale to Sinclair Seattle Times August 6 2013 CONSENT TO TRANSFER PDF licensing fcc gov Archived from the original PDF on November 24 2021 Sinclair Broadcast Group Closes On Fisher Communications Acquisition All Access August 8 2013 Retrieved August 8 2013 a b WPR14FA137 Preliminary Accident Report March 21 2014 Retrieved March 21 2014 Helicopters Inc 2 Dead After KOMO Helicopter Crashes in Seattle TVSpy March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 2 killed in news helicopter crash at Seattle Center KING TV March 18 2014 Archived from the original on March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 2 die in news helicopter crash at KOMO TV The Seattle Times March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 2 die in news helicopter crash near Space Needle The Seattle Times March 18 2014 Archived from the original on March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 Pilot KOMO TV photographer killed in news helicopter crash KGW March 18 2014 Archived from the original on March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 2 killed as KOMO News helicopter crashes near Space Needle KOMO TV March 18 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 KOMO Brings Seattle Scenery Into Its Studio TVNewsCheck September 28 2015 Retrieved September 28 2015 Stephen Battaglio May 8 2017 Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Tribune Media for 3 9 billion plus debt Los Angeles Times Retrieved June 6 2017 Cynthia Littleton May 8 2017 Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets 3 9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media Variety Prometheus Global Media Retrieved June 6 2017 Todd Frankel May 8 2017 Sinclair Broadcast to buy Tribune Media for 3 9 billion giving it control over 215 local TV stations The Washington Post Nash Holdings LLC Retrieved June 6 2017 Liana Baker Jessica Toonkel May 7 2017 Sinclair Broadcast nears deal for Tribune Media Reuters Reuters Retrieved June 6 2017 Harry A Jessell Mark K Miller May 8 2017 The New Sinclair 72 Coverage WGNA TVNewsCheck NewsCheck Media Gates Dominic May 9 2017 Current FCC rules bar Sinclair from owning both KOMO and KCPQ but that could change The Seattle Times The Seattle Times Company Retrieved June 7 2017 Jones Scott December 15 2017 DOJ Gives The OK To Sinclair Now Look for FTV Live Retrieved December 17 2017 Sinclair Revises TV Spinoff Plans For Tribune Deal Announces Deals For Several Stations All Access April 24 2018 Retrieved April 25 2018 Hayes Dade May 9 2018 21st Century Fox Buys Seven Local TV Stations From Sinclair For 910 Million Deadline Hollywood Penske Media Corporation Retrieved May 9 2018 Todd Shields July 16 2018 Sinclair and Tribune Fall as FCC Slams TV Station Sale Plan Bloomberg News Retrieved July 19 2018 Edmund Lee July 18 2018 Sinclair Tries to Appease F C C but Its Tribune Bid Is Challenged The New York Times Retrieved August 9 2018 Tribune Terminates 3 9 Billion Sinclair Merger Sues Broadcast Rival The Wall Street Journal News Corp August 9 2018 Venta Lance September 28 2021 Lotus Closes On Purchase Of Sinclair s Seattle Radio Properties RadioInsight Retrieved September 29 2021 Lacitis Erik January 28 2022 So long KOMO Country KOMO Radio sold gets new name The Seattle Times Retrieved January 28 2022 KOMO 4 newscast wins Murrow Award for best local newscast Seattle Post Intelligencer June 21 2002 Retrieved December 18 2006 KOMO 4 Television Wins National Edward R Murrow Award for Overall Excellence Fisher Communications July 2 2008 Archived from the original on July 18 2012 Retrieved July 8 2008 KOMO s Molly Shen wins individual achievement Emmy again Seattle Post Intelligencer June 9 2008 Retrieved July 8 2008 McNary Dave July 9 2004 Par seeks high kicking aud for vaude Daily Variety Reed Business Information Archived from the original on June 11 2014 Seattle is Dying YouTube KOMO News March 19 2019 Retrieved April 5 2019 Balk Gene April 3 2019 Is Seattle dying Crime rates tell a different story The Seattle Times Retrieved April 5 2019 Wasson Lindsey March 28 2019 Man used as proof that Seattle Is Dying tells his story Crosscut Retrieved April 5 2019 TV news directors Make it a clean sweep Seattle Post Intelligencer December 8 2002 Dan Lewis interviews then President Bill Clinton Martin Jonathan August 13 2012 Longtime TV anchorwoman Kathi Goertzen dies after battle with tumors The Seattle Times Archived from the original on September 21 2015 Retrieved January 14 2018 Goldstein Richard January 13 2018 Keith Jackson Voice of College Football Dies at 89 The New York Times Archived from the original on January 13 2018 Retrieved November 24 2022 McNerthney Casey December 5 2012 Ken Schram to leave KOMO Seattle Post Intelligencer Archived from the original on December 6 2012 Retrieved November 24 2022 Lacitis Erik May 29 2014 Ken Schram longtime KOMO personality dead at 66 The Seattle Times Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved November 24 2022 RabbitEars TV Query for KOMO List of Digital Full Power Stations CDBS Print What digital TV delay means to North Olympic Peninsula viewers Spectrum TV Packages Ellensburg WA Charter Communications Retrieved October 16 2019 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title KOMO TV amp oldid 1133242404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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