KIVA (TV)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1953-10-08 |
| Defunct | 1970-01-31 |
| Fate | Ceased operations due to market competition |
| Headquarters | Yuma, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
| Owner | Bruce Merrill (majority owner during much of tenure) |
KIVA (channel 11) was a television station based in Yuma, Arizona, United States. It holds the distinction of being Yuma's inaugural local television outlet and remained the only local broadcaster for more than half of its operational period. The station commenced transmissions on October 8, 1953, and ceased operations on January 31, 1970, consistently maintaining an affiliation with NBC throughout its lifespan. Ownership largely rested with Bruce Merrill during much of its tenure. Economic difficulties stemming from competition among three local stations ultimately led to its closure.
Construction and early years
The Imperial Valley region received authorization for its first television station on March 25, 1953, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Valley Telecasting permission to establish a VHF channel 11 station. Studios and the transmission facility were situated at Pilot Knob, located approximately west of Yuma. The original studio site remains near the Frontage Road adjacent to the Winterhaven Agricultural Inspection Station along Interstate 8.
On October 6, 1953, KIVA broadcast a faint test pattern that was picked up by some local viewers. Two days later, full-power test transmissions commenced, with regular programming beginning on October 18. This made KIVA the first television station in Arizona outside of Phoenix and Tucson.
Initially serving as the only local broadcaster, KIVA aired selected shows from NBC, ABC, CBS, and the DuMont Television Network. Because it operated on Pacific Time while Yuma observed Mountain Time, program start times were delayed by one hour locally. By 1957, facing financial distress with debts owed to program suppliers and a dance school in El Centro—despite assets surpassing liabilities by $200,000—the station was acquired by Harry C. Butcher. In 1959, Butcher brought in additional partners under the Electro Investors group.
Merrill ownership and shutdown
During the 1960s, cable television innovator Bruce Merrill entered the scene with plans to establish a cable network delivering broadcasts from Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, and Los Angeles to the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. At that time, KIVA was operating at a loss, and its proprietor, Butcher, resisted Merrill’s initiative due to concerns over competition. When negotiations failed, Merrill acquired Butcher’s stake and proceeded to develop the cable infrastructure. This expansion enabled KIVA to improve financially, supported by the cable revenues, and led to the construction of new studio facilities in Yuma. The station directly served Yuma while also providing content to cable systems in El Centro and Mexicali; however, this success drew rival broadcasters into the market.
The Federal Communications Commission issued three new construction permits: one for KBLU-TV (which later became KSWT and is now KYMA-DT) in July 1962 targeting Yuma, along with two additional stations authorized for El Centro in April 1963. Merrill contended that the market could not sustain multiple outlets and opposed these new competitors, warning that KIVA’s survival would be jeopardized if KBLU-TV commenced operations. KBLU-TV secured affiliation with CBS, resulting in KIVA losing its ABC partnership. Despite facing profitability issues, KIVA remained on air following KBLU-TV’s debut in December 1963.
In 1966, Merrill reached an agreement to acquire KXO AM and its pending construction permit for channel 7 (KXO-TV) for $430,000—a move that would have effectively ended channel 11 by relocating it to El Centro—but this transaction ultimately did not materialize. The following year, Merrill separated his cable enterprise and retained exclusive ownership of KIVA under the name Merrill Telecasting. A third station, KECC-TV (currently known as KECY-TV), launched in December 1968. Given the limited market size unable to support three stations, Merrill announced on January 14, 1970, that KIVA would discontinue broadcasting at the end of that month, citing the need for a fivefold market expansion to sustain all three outlets. Subsequently, KIVA’s NBC affiliation was transferred to KBLU-TV, which also assumed control of KIVA’s production facilities.
In September 1982, Manning Telecasting received a construction permit for a new channel 11; however, financial challenges led to several ownership changes before the station finally began broadcasting as KYMA in January 1988. This station later merged with KSWT in 2020 under the KSWT license.