KOVR

KOVR

Company type	Television station
Industry	Broadcasting
Founded	September 6, 1954 (1954-09-06)
Headquarters	West Sacramento, California , United States
Area served	Sacramento television market
Owner	CBS News and Stations
Parent	CBS
Website	www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/

KOVR (channel 13) is a television station licensed in Stockton, California, functioning as the CBS affiliate for the Sacramento television market. It is owned and operated by CBS News and Stations, alongside its independent sister station KMAX-TV (channel 31), with both stations sharing production facilities in West Sacramento. The transmitter for KOVR is situated in Walnut Grove, California.

Following a protracted application process that began in 1948, KOVR commenced broadcasting in September 1954 from studios located in Stockton, utilizing a transmitter placed on Mount Diablo. This setup allowed the station to deliver programming across a wide area from San Francisco to Sacramento. However, due to the absence of a San Francisco network partnership and the burden of expensive programming fees, KOVR shifted its strategy in 1957 by moving its transmitter to focus exclusively on Stockton and Sacramento. This transition included securing an affiliation with the ABC and involved a partial merger with Sacramento’s initial ABC affiliate, the struggling UHF broadcaster KCCC-TV.

Ownership of the station changed hands twice before it was acquired by newspaper publisher McClatchy in 1963. This acquisition aligned KOVR with Sacramento’s KFBK radio stations and the The Sacramento Bee newspaper, marking McClatchy’s first successful entry into local television after previous unsuccessful attempts. Due to regulatory pressures concerning media cross-ownership, McClatchy divested KOVR in 1980. Between 1983 and 1996, the station underwent six additional ownership changes. In 1995, KOVR switched its network affiliation to CBS and was subsequently purchased by CBS in 2005. A distinctive feature of KOVR’s schedule is that it broadcasts prime time shows one hour earlier than other West Coast stations. Historically ranking third in local news viewership, KOVR’s newscasts have seen consistent growth since the 1990s.

The Mount Diablo era

On March 5, 1948, Radio Diablo, Inc. (later renamed Television Diablo) submitted an application for a new television station on channel 13, which was originally assigned to San Francisco and then reassigned to San Jose, with plans to broadcast from Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County. The company also operated FM station KSBR from Mount Diablo, which had a strong signal extending from Oregon down to Bakersfield. By late 1948, two additional groups had submitted applications for the channel; however, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) imposed a freeze on new TV station licenses that October.

When this freeze was lifted in 1952, channel 13 was reassigned from San Jose to Stockton but still broadcast from Mount Diablo. Stockton radio station KXOB filed a competing application for the channel. Led by O. H. Brown, Radio Diablo projected coverage reaching approximately 3.5 million people across San Francisco, Stockton, and Sacramento. To resolve competing claims, KXOB’s owners received shares in Radio Diablo and withdrew their application; broadcaster Edward Peffer reached a similar settlement. The FCC awarded Radio Diablo the construction permit on February 11, 1954. Initially intending to use call letters KHOF under president Leslie Hoffman, the station opted for KOVR ("coverage") instead to avoid unfavorable associations.

KOVR launched operations on September 6, 1954, with studios based in Stockton and equipped with mobile broadcast units. It became Stockton’s second television outlet following UHF station KTVU (channel 36), which had begun broadcasting the previous December. Operating as an independent station with a secondary affiliation with DuMont for NFL broadcasts and programs like Life Is Worth Living, KOVR emphasized local content including talent shows, sports coverage hosted by Bob Fouts who commuted from San Francisco, regional news segments, and children’s programming such as Toonytown hosted by Art Finley.

By 1955, KOVR established offices at San Francisco’s Mark Hopkins Hotel, where it also moved its secondary studio. NBC considered affiliating with or acquiring KOVR due to conflicts with its San Francisco affiliate KRON-TV and its interest in owning a Bay Area station; however, the FCC rejected KOVR’s request to relocate its main operations to San Francisco because it would reduce Stockton’s sole VHF service and because Bay Area channels were fully allocated.

In December 1955, Variety reported that CBS was bidding for KOVR as part of its effort to own a VHF station in San Francisco beyond its affiliate KPIX-TV.

Without a major network affiliation, KOVR faced challenges maintaining high-quality programming and generating revenue; it struggled to attract sponsorships while incurring elevated program costs typical of the San Francisco market but selling advertising at Stockton rates. Although DuMont ceased network operations in 1955, KOVR continued airing its final program Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena. Relocating out of the San Francisco market promised to reduce film acquisition expenses by about half.

By 1956, Sacramento had three stations: CBS affiliate KBET-TV (channel 10), NBC affiliate KCRA-TV (channel 3), and UHF ABC affiliate KCCC-TV (channel 40). Due to limited compatibility of UHF receivers at the time, UHF stations were at a disadvantage. To obtain ABC affiliation while avoiding competition with ABC-owned KGO-TV in San Francisco, KOVR applied in August 1956 to move its transmitter from Mount Diablo to Butte Mountain near Jackson, California, surprising incumbent KCCC-TV.

The FCC initially approved this move in November 1956 but put the permit on hold in January 1957 following protests by KCCC-TV over potential encroachment into Sacramento’s market.

In February 1957, prior to final approval of its transmitter relocation, KOVR announced it would become an ABC affiliate starting February 17—contradicting ABC’s earlier assurances to KCCC-TV. After KCCC-TV withdrew opposition, the FCC reapproved the relocation in April.

On May 31, 1957, KCCC-TV ceased operations as part of what amounted to a partial merger; its owner Lincoln Dellar acquired stock in Television Diablo. The Butte Mountain transmitter move took effect October 28, 1957, repositioning KOVR as a Stockton-based station serving Sacramento rather than San Francisco and resolving conflicts with Bay Area broadcasters.

Gannett and Metromedia ownership

During the development of the Butte Mountain transmitter, Television Diablo began searching for a purchaser for KOVR. Their initial plan involved selling the station to Hudson Valley Broadcasting Company based in Albany, New York, which was in the process of rebranding as the Capital Cities Broadcasting Company. Despite receiving FCC approval, this transaction was ultimately canceled in November. Shortly thereafter, the Gannett Company from Rochester, New York reached an agreement to purchase KOVR, with the acquisition finalized in February 1958. For Gannett, KOVR represented a geographically isolated asset compared to its other holdings, which included radio and television outlets in New York and Illinois as well as newspapers across those states plus New Jersey and Connecticut.

In 1958, KOVR resumed operations at the former Sacramento studios of KCCC-TV located on Garden Highway, simultaneously offering studio space to the emerging educational broadcaster KVIE.

After less than two years under Gannett’s control and following discontinued negotiations with 20th Century Fox, Gannett filed to transfer ownership of KOVR to Metropolitan Broadcasting Company, owned by John Kluge, in 1959. This entity later rebranded itself as Metromedia in 1961. During Metromedia’s tenure, KOVR became part of the Trans-Tower initiative, which involved building a shared transmission site for Sacramento’s three commercial television stations in Walnut Grove. As commercial programming grew, KOVR relocated from Garden Highway to a renovated former Red Heart bakery on Arden Way, establishing it as its main Sacramento studio and news hub while continuing operations at the Stockton Miner Avenue facility.

The McClatchy years

On October 4, 1963, Metromedia revealed plans to sell KOVR for $7.65 million to McClatchy Newspapers, publisher of The Sacramento Bee and The Modesto Bee, which also owned radio stations KBEE (970 AM) in Modesto and KFBK (1530 AM) along with KFBK-FM 92.5 in Sacramento. For McClatchy, securing a television station in Sacramento fulfilled a long-standing ambition dating back to 1948 when it first applied for channel 10. Although an FCC examiner initially favored McClatchy’s bid, the commission ultimately awarded the license to Sacramento Telecasters to promote diversity in media ownership. McClatchy pursued legal challenges until 1958 but eventually ceased efforts to reclaim the channel.

The sale raised concerns about media consolidation, facing early opposition from the Citizens Committee to Promote Fair Coverage due to fears of a "news monopoly," as well as resistance from the Stockton city council worried about diminished local representation. Following assurances from Eleanor McClatchy that the station would maintain its local presence, the council withdrew its objections. Although the FCC initially scheduled a hearing on the matter, it reversed its decision and approved the acquisition by a 5–2 vote in July 1964.

During McClatchy’s stewardship, antitrust issues emerged in the late 1960s. In 1969, McKeon Construction sought to annul the FCC’s approval on grounds that McClatchy monopolized regional advertising—a move likely influenced by critical reporting and political factors—but this lawsuit was abandoned in 1971. In 1974, the San Joaquin County Economic Development Association petitioned the FCC to investigate whether KOVR was sufficiently serving Stockton’s interests.

Challenges of Cross-ownership

Federal authorities tightened regulations concerning the ownership of both newspapers and broadcast outlets, compelling McClatchy to take action. In 1975, the FCC prohibited any new acquisitions that would result in cross-ownership and required 16 small-market groups to divest their holdings, although some were allowed to continue under grandfather clauses. Two years afterward, a federal appeals court broadened this policy, ordering divestiture of all such combinations unless deemed beneficial to the public.

Soon after, McClatchy and Multimedia, Inc. arranged a station exchange to address their cross-ownership conflicts: McClatchy would obtain WFBC-TV in Greenville, South Carolina, while Multimedia would acquire KOVR in California. This swap was designed to eliminate overlapping newspaper and television ownership within their markets. Nevertheless, local organizations and San Joaquin Communications Corporation opposed the transaction, expressing concerns about unfamiliar market operations and ongoing legal disputes involving KMJ-TV in Fresno. While community resistance eventually diminished, San Joaquin Communications continued its legal challenge, which delayed FCC approval past the March 1, 1978 deadline. Attempts to extend this deadline were unsuccessful, leading both parties to mutually abandon the agreement.

By May 1979, McClatchy agreed to sell KMJ-TV to San Joaquin Communications Corporation to avoid protracted litigation. Subsequently, the company placed KOVR on the market as well, with president C. K. McClatchy II citing "mounting government resistance" toward cross-ownership and stressing the importance of an "orderly transition" serving community interests.

Ownership Shifts and Declining Ratings

On July 5, 1979, McClatchy announced the sale of KOVR to The Outlet Company based in Providence, Rhode Island, for $65 million. Outlet was selected over higher bids due to its pledge to promote local minority ownership by allocating 10 percent of KOVR's stock to minority investors. The transaction closed in May 1980 and ranked as the second-largest single-station TV sale at that time. To fund this acquisition, Outlet divested 91 department stores. Despite efforts and investments aimed at improving news ratings, KOVR's newscasts slipped to third place behind KXTV and a dominant KCRA.

From 1980 through 1996, KOVR experienced seven changes in ownership. In 1983, The Rockefeller Group purchased Outlet after The Coca-Cola Company withdrew from a previous deal. Under Rockefeller’s management, KOVR became Northern California’s pioneer station broadcasting in stereo starting February 1985 and secured local broadcast rights for the relocated Sacramento Kings basketball franchise that same year.

In a management-led buyout, Rockefeller Group sold Outlet Communications in 1986 for $625 million. To raise funds, KOVR was sold for $104 million to Narragansett Capital Corporation—marking its initial venture into television ownership. During these transitions, KOVR laid off ten employees amid low morale and declining ratings partly attributed to ABC’s national difficulties. The Kings’ broadcasts remained a positive highlight until August 1986 when the team sued KOVR for breach of contract; a court ruled in favor of the Kings three years later.

Also in 1986, KOVR initiated construction of a transmission tower at Walnut Grove through a partnership with KXTV. However, Narragansett—primarily functioning as a holding company—generally neglected station investment, with competitors remarking that the company had effectively "stripped the station clean."

AnchorMedia acquisition and relocation to West Sacramento

In 1988, Narragansett received several unsolicited bids for KOVR and ultimately sold the station to AnchorMedia, owned by Texas billionaire Robert Bass, for $162 million—an amount regarded as a premium price. The Bass Group was actively expanding its investments in the Sacramento area, purchasing land in Roseville and acquiring the insolvent American Savings and Loan in Stockton. Subsequently, AnchorMedia initiated legal action against Narragansett, accusing them of concealing information and removing essential staff members.

AnchorMedia prioritized obtaining a new facility due to overcrowding at the Arden Way location. Although Outlet had acquired land in Natomas for a potential studio, Narragansett sold that property; AnchorMedia then sought real estate in West Sacramento. By late 1990, they unveiled a new $8 million, 43,000-square-foot complex equipped with two studios and a helipad to accommodate its news helicopter.

River City and Sinclair ownership; switch to CBS affiliation

In 1994, AnchorMedia—by then known as Continental Broadcasting—was purchased by River City Broadcasting, a media firm based in St. Louis. The three ABC-affiliated stations they acquired represented River City's initial entry into major network ownership. Soon after, during the national broadcast realignment, the A. H. Belo Corporation renewed its ABC contracts in Dallas and Norfolk, Virginia, prompting ABC to transfer its Sacramento affiliation to higher-rated KXTV. As a result, KOVR transitioned to CBS on March 6, 1995.

Distinctively, KOVR implemented an early prime time schedule by broadcasting CBS shows from 7 to 10 p.m., rather than the conventional 8 to 11 p.m. slot—a tactic previously employed by stations such as San Francisco’s KPIX-TV and Sacramento’s KCRA-TV. This approach aimed to enhance viewership by airing the late news at 10 p.m., thereby competing directly with other stations’ 11 p.m. newscasts featuring The Late Show with David Letterman. River City president and KOVR interim general manager Rick Blangiardi, formerly of KPIX, regarded this scheduling as a strategic edge.

In 1996, River City Broadcasting sold KOVR to the Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group, marking the station's seventh change of ownership within a span of 16 years.

Acquisition by CBS

By 2004, Sinclair aimed to establish duopolies across several markets and divest stations where this was not possible, including Sacramento. Consequently, in December 2004, Sinclair agreed to sell KOVR to Viacom Television Stations Group—the station ownership arm of CBS—for $285 million (equivalent to $ in dollars). This transaction created a duopoly with then-UPN affiliate KMAX-TV (channel 31). To adhere to Sacramento radio ownership regulations, Viacom divested San Francisco radio station KFRC (610 AM).

Following the sale, KMAX-TV's operations were consolidated into KOVR's West Sacramento studios, resulting in eleven job reductions. Approximately $7 million (equivalent to $ in dollars) was allocated toward upgrading studio facilities and replacing equipment that had remained unchanged since the building's original construction 15 years earlier. Despite rumors that CBS might discontinue KOVR’s early prime time schedule, the practice persisted and was further extended in 2006 by moving weekend programming an hour earlier.

News operation

The station initiated its local news broadcasts in 1954 with a modest crew, featuring Mel Riddle as both anchor and editor. Early reporting heavily relied on film footage and live remote van coverage for events such as the Marysville floods. Historically, KOVR's newscasts occupied the third position within the Sacramento market, frequently trailing behind KCRA-TV even when combined with KXTV’s output. The dual production from studios in Stockton and Sacramento occasionally complicated workflows due to the physical distance between locations. Although KOVR maintained a larger news budget compared to KXTV, it generally matched or slightly lagged behind that competitor.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Sinclair's constrained funding led to cutbacks in resources like helicopters and dedicated sports anchors; however, KOVR’s streamlined news team achieved better ratings. In 1994, seasoned anchor Stan Atkinson transitioned from KCRA-TV to lead weeknight newscasts until 1999. Following Viacom’s reorganization, former KCRA-TV and MSNBC personality Sam Shane was brought on board, programming schedules were adjusted, and a new 4 p.m. newscast was introduced. From 2006 through 2010, KOVR outperformed KXTV in morning and early evening news viewership.

The combined news operation of KOVR and KMAX produces Good Day (previously known as Good Day Sacramento) for KMAX. By 2019, KOVR had also added a local late-night newscast airing at 11 p.m. Enhancing its digital presence, CBSN Sacramento (now CBS News Sacramento) launched on June 16, 2021, as part of CBS’s broader rollout of streaming news platforms.

Notable former on-air staff

• Stan Atkinson – anchor from 1994 to 1999
• Claudia Cowan – anchor and reporter
• Kristine Hanson – meteorologist
• Lois Hart – anchor
• Bob Hilton – anchor
• Kim Khazei – anchor/reporter during 1989–1990
• Kinsey Schofield – anchor/reporter for Good Day Sacramento in 2017
• Steve Somers – sports anchor
• Dave Walker – anchor
• Jim Wieder – reporter and anchor

Subchannels

KOVR broadcasts from its transmitter located on the KXTV/KOVR tower in Walnut Grove, California. The station’s multiplexed signal includes the following subchannels:

Subchannels of KOVR

Channel	Resolution	Aspect Ratio	Identifier	Programming
13.1	1080i	16:9	KOVR-DT	CBS
13.2	480i	16:9	StartTV	Start TV
13.3	480i	16:9	DABL	Dabl
13.4	480i	16:9	FAVE-TV	Fave TV
13.5	480i	16:9	Catchy	Catchy Comedy

Although KOVR does not operate additional subchannels beyond those listed, it participates in the deployment of Sacramento’s ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) service through collaboration with KQCA, which commenced in July 2021.

Analog-to-digital conversion

In compliance with the federally mandated digital transition, KOVR discontinued its analog transmission on VHF channel 13 on June 12, 2009. Its digital broadcasts continue to operate on UHF channel 25.