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KOVR
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KOVR, channel 13, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Stockton, California, and serving the Sacramento-Stockton television market. The station is co-owned with CW affiliate KMAX-TV (channel 31), and the two stations share facilities in West Sacramento. KOVR's transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California.
is Sacramento's oldest continuously-operating television station. It first hit the airwaves in September 6, 1954 from the California State Fair.
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Encyclopedia
KOVR, channel 13, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Stockton, California, and serving the Sacramento-Stockton television market. The station is co-owned with CW affiliate KMAX-TV (channel 31), and the two stations share facilities in West Sacramento. KOVR's transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California.
History
KOVR is Sacramento's oldest continuously-operating television station. It first hit the airwaves in September 6, 1954 from the California State Fair. Originally an independent station with a transmitter located on Mount Diablo, its signal reached the San Francisco Bay Area, hence the call letters KOVR ("covering" all of Northern California). It broadcast from a studio on Miner Avenue in Stockton. Art Finley hosted an afternoon children's program, Toonytown, for several years, before moving to San Francisco's KRON.
As an ABC Affiliate
In May 1957, KOVR merged its operations with Sacramento's original ABC affiliate, KCCC (channel 40, which signed on a few months before KOVR). KCCC went silent, and KOVR became Sacramento's ABC affiliate. At ABC's request, the station moved its transmitter to a temporary site near Jackson to avoid interference with KGO-TV in San Francisco.
By this time, it was obvious that Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto were going to be a single television market. In 1960, KOVR teamed up with KCRA-TV and KXTV to build a new 1,549-foot tower in Walnut Grove. In 1985, KOVR and KXTV moved to their current tower while KCRA moved to its own tower; KCRA still uses the old tower as an auxiliary.
In 1958, the Gannett Company (ironically, the present-day owner of rival KXTV) bought KOVR from its original owners, then sold it a year later to John Kluge's Metropolitan Broadcasting (which later became Metromedia). In 1960, the station moved its general offices and news department to a new studio on Arden Way in Sacramento. In 1987 KOVR consolidated its operations into its current facility in West Sacramento.
Metromedia sold KOVR to McClatchy Newspapers in 1964. McClatchy ran the station alongside The Sacramento Bee and Modesto Bee newspapers, as well as radio stations KWG in Stockton and KFBK in Sacramento. McClatchy was able to own KOVR, KWG and KFBK because Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto are separate radio markets. McClatchy had established a trio of bee mascots (originally designed by Walt Disney, whose namesake company would eventually acquire ABC) of which Teevee the Bee was KOVR's official mascot during the years McClatchy owned the station -- short cartoons of the bee bookended KOVR's broadcast day, either ushering in or concluding the day's programming. ()
After McClatchy sold the station to Outlet Communications in 1978, KOVR went into a gradual decline in terms of both ratings and programming quality (even as ABC became the country's highest-rated network), and has been in third place in the Sacramento ratings for most of the time since then. The station was then sold to Narragansett Television LP in 1986, then to Anchor Media in 1988. Anchor Media was merged into River City Broadcasting in 1993, and River City was purchased by the Sinclair Broadcast Group three years later.
KOVR does have its high water marks in local broadcasting: it was the first station in Northern California to use videotape (rather than film) for its newscasts, and was the first station in the Sacramento/Stockton area to broadcast in stereo.
As an ABC affiliate, KOVR preempted a moderate amount of programming, even the 30 minute soap opera Loving. It also aired some ABC programming out of pattern: All My Children in the early years used to air at 11 AM. (Half the ABC affiliates air AMC at 11 AM to follow it with their noon newscasts; the timeslot is secondary compared to airing AMC at noon traditionally). In the mid-90s, KOVR moved the soap opera to air at 3 PM, a practice continued by KXTV by the network switch until the early 2000s.
Switching to CBS
On March 6, 1995, KOVR swapped affiliations with longtime CBS affiliate KXTV (then owned by Belo Corporation; now owned by Gannett). Despite becoming a CBS affiliate, KOVR chose not to air Guiding Light, a practice continued from KXTV during its CBS days (due to the show's below-average ratings in the area). Another CBS affiliate, WNEM-TV in Bay City, Michigan; also did not air the soap opera until the launch of its My Network TV subchannel in 2006.
A more notable oddity with KOVR's affiliation with CBS is that the station runs the network's primetime schedule an hour earlier than typical. CBS programming that is seen from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in other Pacific Time Zone markets (as well as many Eastern Time Zone markets) is shown from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (typically used by stations in TV markets in both Central and Mountain time zones) instead on KOVR. When KOVR was an ABC affiliate, the station had an 11 p.m. newscast like most stations on the coasts. Upon the network switch, the station followed the practice of now-sister KPIX in having a 10 p.m. hour-long newscast (KPIX later on moved the newscast back up to 11 p.m. in 1998). In recent ratings periods KTXL Fox 40 has been closing the ratings gap with KOVR. However, in the November 2007 sweeps period, KOVR has widened its 10 p.m. lead over KTXL, which made it the second-highest-rated late evening newscast behind KCRA's 11 p.m. newscast.
Gary Condit/Chandra Levy
In 2001, KOVR gained attention when it landed an "local exclusive" interview with Congressman Gary Condit regarding the Chandra Levy murder (Condit appeared the same evening on ABC, in an interview with Connie Chung). The station televised an interview on August 30 in which he claimed that he did not kill Chandra Levy after a visit with the slain intern. Despite numerous KOVR reports filed by reporter Gloria Gomez, the Condit interview was granted to another KOVR reporter, Jodi Hernandez. Much of the national interest in the case would be lost days later, in the aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks.
Becoming a CBS O&O
In May 2005, Sinclair sold KOVR to Viacom's television stations unit (now part of CBS Corporation), creating CBS' third California duopoly with O&O KMAX-TV, the local CW station. Viacom was forced to sell KFRC-AM in San Francisco as a condition of the sale, as the station's city-grade signal reaches Sacramento.
Programming
After the purchase was announced, some had speculated that KOVR would eventually move CBS's primetime lineup back to 8-11 p.m. and add Guiding Light to its schedule, along with dropping The Jerry Springer Show. However, on August 11, 2005, CBS announced that the 7-10 p.m. prime-time lineup, the 10 p.m. local newscast and the 11 p.m. airing of The Late Show with David Letterman would remain in place. The success that the station has had with the early prime-time schedule and its 10 p.m. newscast is cited as the reason for maintaining the status quo. At that point, they also stated that Guiding Light would not be moving to KOVR for the 2005 season. The station did, however, change its on-air branding from the long-standing "KOVR 13" to "CBS 13" in compliance with the CBS Mandate. Coincidentally, WJZ-TV channel 13 in Baltimore, which has been owned by CBS since 1995, does not follow the CBS Mandate, instead using their call letters.
On July 31, 2006, the station received approval from the network to move the weekend lineup back an hour in order to maintain an hour-long 10 p.m. newscast throughout the week. The new weekend schedule, which began August 27, will, for example, have 60 Minutes airing at 6 p.m. on Sunday nights. KOVR is now the only Pacific Time Zone CBS station to run the entire network primetime lineup beginning at 7 p.m. Technically, it is also one of two TV stations in the Sacramento market and in the Pacific Time Zone to start their network primetime lineup early, as KQCA started airing its 2-hour My Network TV schedule from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, on September 5 that same year.
The Late Late Show (which had been airing at 1 a.m.) moved up one hour, pushing back the Midnight showing of The Jerry Springer Show to a later time (which was seen on the station weekdays at 3 p.m. until September 8, 2006). On September 11, 2006, NBC Universal's Jerry Springer was dropped and moved to KMAX-TV, where it ran until 2007, when it was picked up by KQCA, who now airs the show at Noon and 2 PM. KOVR became the market's new home of CBS-owned King World's Dr. Phil, which the station airs at 3 p.m. on weekdays. Montel Williams, which continued to air at 2 p.m. weekdays. Despite being cancelled by co-owned CBS Paramount Television in September 2008, it continues to air in reruns at 9 A.M. weekdays, its old time slot now occupied by the Dr. Phil spin-off, The Doctors.
Until late 1999, Live with Regis & Kelly (then Live with Regis & Kathie Lee) aired on KOVR, even during its affiliation with ABC. The show now airs on KCRA.
News Department
While under Sinclair ownership, KOVR had worked with a small-to-moderate news staff, which was unusual since Sacramento's dramatic growth during the 1980s had made it a top-20 market. However, with CBS' purchase, the KOVR and KMAX-TV newsrooms have been combined at KOVR's West Sacramento location. Personalities from KMAX-TV now also make appearances on KOVR and vice versa.
On February 1, 2006, KOVR debuted its new graphics along with new music, a new set, and a new main anchor team of Sam Shane (from MSNBC and KCRA) and Pallas Hupé (from Detroit Fox station WJBK). The evening newscast has instituted a three-anchor format. The program begins with Shane and Hupé anchoring the major news stories of the day, deferring to anchor/reporter Brandi Hitt for World and National News stories. The unique three-anchor setup remains during Weekend prime-time newscasts with rotating anchors.
The news department has also launched a daily sports segment during its newscasts with sports anchor Arran Andersen (from KOLD-TV). KOVR had been without a competitive sports department since the departure of John Henk in the late 1990s.
Most KOVR personalities with the station during the Sinclair years have either been fired or have resigned. Dismissals of former lead anchors Paul Joncich and Jennifer Whitney were sudden and unannounced whereas personalities Marcy Valenzuela and Jennifer Krier were allowed to say farewell to viewers on air. Remaining on-air staff include Chief Weatherman Dave Bender, Investigative Reporter Kurtis Ming,and Health Reporter Diana Penna.
KOVR newscasts are now broadcast in High Definition as of October 2008.
CBS13.com Rush Limbaugh controversy
In May 2007, KOVR revamped its morning news program with an emphasis on its website. The 5AM to 6AM newscast, called "CBS13.com" featured anchor Chris Burrous, reporter Lisa Gonzales and weather personality Jeff James in a show centered around viewer feedback through the web, viral videos and news found on the Internet.
On May 7, 2007, CBS13.com reported on a song that conservative radio broadcaster Rush Limbaugh played heavily on his nationally-syndicated program called "Barack the Magic Negro" that spoofed the now President-Elect Barack Obama. CBS13.com ran a poll asking people whether they thought the song was . Limbaugh, in turn, claimed KOVR was a part of the "liberal media" and called the Burrous-Gonzales-James team . In newscasts throughout the day, KOVR covered Limbaugh's lashout against the station, adding with a disclaimer after every story that KOVR and admitting that the station found the song on video sharing website YouTube.
News Logo History
In the 1970s, KOVR-TV used a logo for Channel 13 Action News. The logo consisted of a middle-sized word saying "Action", and a larger word saying "News". Below the words there was KOVR's 1960s-1970s logo, and arrows pointing both ways on both sides of the logo. In the 1980s, KOVR used a new logo for NewsWatch 13. The logo had the italicized word "News" and the stylized "13" logo on the side, with the word "Watch" on the bottom.
Current Personalities/ Joined Date
Anchors
- , Weeknight Anchor 5, 6, 10pm (2006)
- , World and National News 5, 6, 10pm (2005)
- , Weeknight Anchor 4pm/ Reporter (2005)
- , Weeknight Anchor 5, 6, 10pm (2006)
- , Weekend Anchor/ Reporter (2004)
- , Noon Anchor (2005)
- , Weekend Anchor/ Reporter (2006)
- , World and National News weekends/ Reporter (2006)
- , Morning Anchor (2005)
- , Morning Anchor (2008)
- Sarah Gardner Fill-In Anchor (2009)
Weather
- , Chief Meteorologist (1996)
- , Weekend Meteorologist/ Reporter (2006)
- , Morning/ Noon Meteorologist (2006)
Sports
- , Sports Director/ Host (2006)
Reporters
- Checkey Beckford, General Assignment Reporter (Dec. 2008)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2007)
- , Consumer Reporter/ Fill-in Anchor (2003)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2007)
- , San Joaquin Valley Reporter (2007)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2006)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2007)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2006)
- ,Health Reporter Noon (1997)
- , "The Scoop" Reporter
- , General Assignment Reporter (2007)
- , General Assignment Reporter (2008)
Spanish Language Interpreters
- , Spanish Language Interpreter
- , Spanish Language Interpreter (2005)
Former newscasters
- Eric Alvarez (freelanced at KPIX, now freelancing at KNTV in San Francisco)
- Stephanie Angelo (1991 as reporter, went to KSAZ-TV in Phoenix, married anchor Troy Hayden (Alan Frio's son), now an interior designer)
- Stan Atkinson (1994-1999 as anchor, previously an anchor at KCRA, now retired running local ads)
- Jon Baird (now freelancing at KXTV in Sacramento)
- Marianne Banister (now at WBAL in Baltimore)
- Ross Blackstone (now Public Information Officer in Texas)
- Susan Blake (long time morning anchor at KRON in San Francisco, now at HGTV)
- Bill Branch (1970's and 1980's as reporter, now retired in Loomis, California)
- Julie Brannon (PM Magazine Host 1983-1986)
- Serene Branson (2005-2008 as reporter, now at KCBS/KCAL in Los Angeles)
- Chris Capra (1998-2000 as reporter, now with Public Relations at PG&E)
- Mike Chamberlin (sports anchor and PM Magazine Host 1980-1986
- Dan Christopher (1980s as anchor)
- Noel Cisneros (1990s as reporter, now reporter for KRON in San Francisco)
- Claudia Cowan (as anchor/reporter, later moved to KRON in San Francisco, now reporter for FOX News)
- Angie Crouch (now reporter at KNBC in Los Angeles)
- Tom Curran (former sports anchor and Kings broadcaster, now at WTVT in Tampa)
- Lynn Diehl (1997-2001 as anchor/reporter, now with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce)
- Ernabel Demillo (1990's as reporter)
- Pat De Silva
- Pat Davis (1991-1999 as morning and noon anchor/reporter, died of breast cancer)
- Jonathan Elias (now at WBZ in Boston)
- Patrick Emory (retired, lives in Florida)
- Charlotte Fadipe (1998-2007 as reporter, now freelancing at KNTV in San Francisco)
- George Franco (as reporter, now at WAGA in Atlanta)
- Alan Frio (as anchor, now at WSMV in Nashville)
- Angelique Frame (2006-2007 as meteorologist, now runs an online video business in San Diego)
- Gary Gelfand (as sports reporter)
- Dan Gray (as anchor, now at KPLR in St. Louis)
- Gloria Gomez (1999-2005 as reporter, now at WTVT in Tampa)
- Juliette Goodrich (now freelance anchor/reporter at KPIX in San Francisco)
- Kristine Hanson (2004-2005 as meteorologist, now freelancing at KGO in San Francisco)
- Lois Hart (as anchor, recently at KCRA, now retired)
- John Henk (1985-2001 as sports director)
- Jodi Hernandez (as reporter, now at KNTV in San Francisco)
- Bob Hilton (as anchor, now owner and developer of Holy Cow cleaning products in Rocklin, California)
- Dewey Hopper (1990-2003 as morning weather forcaster, now News Director for 1190 Nova M Radio Phoenix, Arizona)
- Jason Howe (now with Public Relations)
- John Iander (1973-2008 as field reporter)
- "Stormin' Norman" Jacobs (early 1980s as meteorologist)
- Paul Joncich (1990-1995 and 1999-2006 as anchor, now 5:00 & 10:00pm anchor at WOIO/WUAB in Cleveland, Ohio)
- Michelle Kane (1998-2008 as morning and noon anchor/reporter, now working for the State of California)
- Jack Kavanaugh
- Bill Kelly (as weekend weather forcaster, went to KPNX in Phoenix - contract not renewed as of spring of 2008)
- Bora Kim (2005-2007 as reporter)
- Reggie Kumar (2007-2008 as reporter, now at KTXL in Sacramento)
- Kim Khazei (as anchor/reporter, now at WHDH-TV in Boston)
- Jennifer Krier (as weekend sports anchor, now a stay-at-home mom)
- Kristina Lee (2007-2008 as reporter)
- Patti Lee (2003-2006 as anchor/reporter, now at KTVU in Oakland/San Francisco)
- John Lobertini (recently laid off from KPIX from San Francisco as Sacramento bureau chief)
- Tom Loffman (as meteorologist, now living in Placer County, co-owner of Loffman Realty with wife Debbie)
- Cristina Mendonsa (now evening anchor at KXTV in Sacramento)
- Karen Minton (1981-1984 as Weather anchor, now morning/noon anchor at WSB-TV ABC Atlanta, GA)
- Jim Mitchell (reporter 1970's, PROBE series, Capital Correspondent, went on to ABC News in Los Angeles, now living in Temecula)
- Stephanie Nishikawa (1998-2006 as reporter, now owner of Paper Garden Boutique retail shop at the Town and Country Village in Sacramento)
- Keith Norton (2006-2007 as sports reporter, now at KPRC in Houston)
- David Ono (1993-1996 as anchor, now at KABC in Los Angeles)
- Craig Prosser (1970-2005 as reporter, now retired)
- George Reading (as anchor, later host of California Heartland on PBS)
- Susanne Rico (1990's as reporter, now anchor at KCBS in Los Angeles)
- Stephanie Riggs (1991-1992 as anchor/reporter, now anchor at KCNC in Denver)
- Mark Saxenmyer (as reporter, now at WFLD in Chicago)
- Murv Seymour (1990's as reporter, now a comedian in Tampa)
- Dennis Shanahan (2001-2008 as reporter, now at KTXL in Sacramento)
- Frank Simpson (reporter 1978-1988)
- Rebecca Somach (2004-2005 as reporter, now with United Airlines)
- Steve Somers
- Don Strickland
- Marcy Valenzuela (1992-2005 as anchor, now at KPHO in Phoenix)
- Stephanie Vigil (1997 as morning anchor, now anchor at KHQ in Spokane, Washington)
- Bette Vasquez (now retired)
- Dave Walker (as anchor, recently at KCRA, now retired)
- Rafer Weigel (2006-2008 as reporter, now at CNN Headline News)
- Jennifer Whitney (1990-2005 as anchor, now freelancing specials on KVIE)
- Jim Wieder (1990's as reporter, went to KGO in San Francisco, now owns a Bay Area Ace Hardware Store)
Digital television
KOVR-DT
KOVR-DT broadcasts on digital channel 25.
Digital channels>| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|
| 13.1 | KOVR-DT | main KOVR/CBS programming |
Analog-to-digital conversion
After the analog television shutdown scheduled for February 17, 2009 , KOVR will remain at channel 25 using PSIP to display KOVR's virtual channel as 13.
News/Station Presentation
Newscast Titles
- The Sixth Hour Report/The Eleventh Hour Report (1966-1974)
- Channel 13 Action News (1974-1980)
- NewsWatch 13 (1980-1987)
- KOVR 13 News (1987-2005)
- CBS 13 News (2005-present)
External links
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