KING-TV
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Template:Infobox Broadcast KING is a television station in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is affiliated with the NBC network, and broadcasts on analog VHF channel 5 and digital UHF channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center.
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History
Early years
When Channel 5 came on the air as KRSC-TV for the first time in November 1948, it became the first television station north of San Francisco and west of the Mississippi River. The first broadcast, a live remote of a Thanksgiving day high school football game, was plagued with technical difficulties but local viewers were impressed nonetheless. After eight months on the air under the ownership of the Radio Sales Corporation, Channel 5 was purchased by Dorothy Bullitt and the King Broadcasting Company. The station became KING-TV to match its AM and FM sisters.
Once the FCC-imposed freeze on TV licenses was rescinded in the early '50s, KING lost its monopoly on the Seattle TV market, and went from "cherry picking" programs from all four networks to being left with the poor-performing ABC. Bullitt lobbied NBC for affiliation, and in 1959 NBC pulled its affiliation from cross-town rival KOMO-TV and granted it to KING.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, KING-TV was known for its commitment to local news. Reporters such as Charles Herring, Ted Bryant, Mike James, Bob Faw and Seattle's first female newscaster, Jean Enersen, set a high standard for television journalism in Seattle. Management did not shy away from progressive causes during this time. KING gave significant coverage to growing racial tensions in the city as well as corruption in the Seattle Police Department. Station president Stimson Bullitt angered the Johnson Administration with a groundbreaking anti-Vietnam war editorial in 1966.
The station was also well-known for its entertainment personalities, including "KING's Queen" host Bea Donovan, and children's hosts Stan Boreson and "Wunda Wunda" (played by Ruth Prins).
1970s and 80s
By the 1970s and 1980s, KING-TV was the flagship of a growing regional media empire, which at various times included ventures in publishing, moviemaking, cable television and even various timber assets in the Far East.
King Broadcasting stations included KGW radio and television in Portland, KREM-TV Spokane, KTVB-TV Boise, KHNL-TV Honolulu and KYA/KOIT radio San Francisco.
Long-time station-owner Bullitt died in June of 1989.
1990s
Bullit's daughters Harriet and Patsy decided to sell the King assetts in 1992 -- eventually unloading King Broadcasting (including KING, KREM, KGW, KTVB, KHNL and the cable system assets) to the Providence Journal Company. KING-TV and other King Broadcasting stations later became Belo properties as a result of that company's merger with ProJo in the mid-90s. (KHNL was later sold to Raycom.)
Infinity Broadcasting purchased KING-AM and is now KPTK 1090 home of Air America Radio. KING-FM was donated to a non-profit partnership of the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Opera, and ArtsFund. It currently has a classical music radio format.
The 1990s also saw the end of Almost Live!, a locally produced sketch comedy show. The show launched the career of Bill Nye the Science Guy.
On December 18, 1995, King Broadcasting launched Northwest Cable News, a 24 hour regional cable news operation available to viewers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In much of the Seattle area, NWCN is available on cable channel 2.
Present day
Belo also operates KONG television, an independent station featuring some news programming (provided by KING) and syndicated shows. KONG is available on UHF channel 16, and Comcast cable channel 6.
In addition, an NBC Weather Plus affiliate, owned by Belo, broadcasts from the building. It is broadcast over-the-air on digital channel 5.2, and cablecasts on Comcast's digital tier in the Puget Sound area.
An operations agreement with Pax for the operations of KWPX brings the total number of channels controlled by Belo in Seattle to 5.
The KING news slogan is "Coverage You Can Count On".
It is one of five local Seattle TV stations seen in Canada on the Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice satellite providers.
External links
- KING TV (http://www.king5.com/)