Some KBCB History

[valvashon]

Undated article from unknown source.

 

[valvashon]

Bellingham Herald, unknown date.
I was doing some cleanup of the files here at KWPX (and also trying to write up our history and ran across these.

Val

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

It's too bad Dave Richardson is no longer with us. He was a walking encyclopedia of PS Radio/TV history; and in the later years of his career worked as transmitter engineer for KVOS. He'd probably be able to come up with all kinds of memories to help you fill in the gaps.

 

[TexasTom]

Thanks for these. Interesting bit of history.

 

[fordranger797]

Very interesting article. I think the story of KBCB is somewhat sad, as it never really had an opportunity to become much more than a location on the tv dial for brokered or religious programming. Obviously, they can’t do much more than broadcast donation-funded Christian programming if they’re trying to target Vancouver, but a decent cable channel in Seattle is far from the worst thing to have. It’s no wonder that Fox kicked the tires on it a number of years ago.

 

[TexasTom]

Very interesting article. I think the story of KBCB is somewhat sad, as it never really had an opportunity to become much more than a location on the tv dial for brokered or religious programming. Obviously, they can’t do much more than broadcast donation-funded Christian programming if they’re trying to target Vancouver, but a decent cable channel in Seattle is far from the worst thing to have. It’s no wonder that Fox kicked the tires on it a number of years ago.

I can't help but wonder if KBCB didn't just come on the air a couple decades too late. At one time, Bellingham actually was defined as a separate TV market from Seattle-Tacoma, but it lost that designation sometime in the eighties (which is before KBCB came on the air). Had it come on the air when Bellingham was still a separate market, KBCB might have had an easier time buying syndicated programming and could perhaps have even gained a network affiliation. Of course the problem there is that Bellingham itself probably wasn't large enough to support a second station, and the UHF signal might not have been competitive in Vancouver.

 

[fordranger797]

I can't help but wonder if KBCB didn't just come on the air a couple decades too late. At one time, Bellingham actually was defined as a separate TV market from Seattle-Tacoma, but it lost that designation sometime in the eighties (which is before KBCB came on the air). Had it come on the air when Bellingham was still a separate market, KBCB might have had an easier time buying syndicated programming and could perhaps have even gained a network affiliation. Of course the problem there is that Bellingham itself probably wasn't large enough to support a second station, and the UHF signal might not have been competitive in Vancouver.

Very true. It’s too bad that it had such a rough start. Nevertheless, cable channel 14 is not a bad place if a major network wanted to kick the tires on it at some point. I’ve heard that KSTW will likely go independent sometime this year and lose their affiliation with the CW. Maybe CBS would want to look at another option for the CW in the market.

But then again, if my memory of the current ownership structure is correct, KSTW is already CBS owned and operated, so that scenario wouldn’t happen. A major station in Seattle would probably have to lose their affiliation for anything like that to happen. The closest we got to a shakeup was when Fox wanted to own their local affiliate in Seattle, and almost tried to make a move at KBCB.

 

[Kelly A]

I can't help but wonder if KBCB didn't just come on the air a couple decades too late. At one time, Bellingham actually was defined as a separate TV market from Seattle-Tacoma, but it lost that designation sometime in the eighties (which is before KBCB came on the air).

With too small of a population and revenue potential to support a full class local TV station.

Had it come on the air when Bellingham was still a separate market, KBCB might have had an easier time buying syndicated programming and could perhaps have even gained a network affiliation. Of course the problem there is that Bellingham itself probably wasn't large enough to support a second station, and the UHF signal might not have been competitive in Vancouver.

As an example when KVOS was around; it made more than 90% revenue selling across the border. When Shaw cable kicked it's long standing cable channel to a much higher channel number, then right after, the Canadian government banned U.S. broadcasters from making money via Canadian advertiser's, revenue for KVOS went from $15M per year, to $300,000.

 

[TexasTom]

Very true. It’s too bad that it had such a rough start. Nevertheless, cable channel 14 is not a bad place if a major network wanted to kick the tires on it at some point. I’ve heard that KSTW will likely go independent sometime this year and lose their affiliation with the CW. Maybe CBS would want to look at another option for the CW in the market.

But then again, if my memory of the current ownership structure is correct, KSTW is already CBS owned and operated, so that scenario wouldn’t happen. A major station in Seattle would probably have to lose their affiliation for anything like that to happen. The closest we got to a shakeup was when Fox wanted to own their local affiliate in Seattle, and almost tried to make a move at KBCB.

As you correctly note, KSTW is CBS owned and operated -- and, in fact, that is the reason why they're dumping their CW affiliation. CBS is disaffiliating in all markets where they currently have CW affiliates. Note, also that CBS is no longer a major owner of the CW network -- they and Warner sold 75% of the network to Nexstar, leaving CBS and Warner each with a 12.5% interest in the network.

So the bottom line is that Nexstar will be looking for a new affiliate for the CW in the Seattle/Tacoma market. It's remotely possible that they could seek to buy a station so that they could put a CW O&O into the market, in which case KBCB could be a possibility. But I suspect that they're more likely just to sign a carriage deal with someone already in the market, which would give them multiple options on either a primary channel (such as KONG-TV), or on a subchannel of pretty much anyone except KSTW.

 

[crainbebo]

Yes, there were a lot of Canadian advertisers on KVOS. Not as many from their home county (Whatcom), or even Skagit/Island. Most commercials were Vancouver-oriented.

 

[fybush]

As you correctly note, KSTW is CBS owned and operated -- and, in fact, that is the reason why they're dumping their CW affiliation. CBS is disaffiliating in all markets where they currently have CW affiliates. Note, also that CBS is no longer a major owner of the CW network -- they and Warner sold 75% of the network to Nexstar, leaving CBS and Warner each with a 12.5% interest in the network.

So the bottom line is that Nexstar will be looking for a new affiliate for the CW in the Seattle/Tacoma market. It's remotely possible that they could seek to buy a station so that they could put a CW O&O into the market, in which case KBCB could be a possibility. But I suspect that they're more likely just to sign a carriage deal with someone already in the market, which would give them multiple options on either a primary channel (such as KONG-TV), or on a subchannel of pretty much anyone except KSTW.

Nexstar.(well, Mission, its sidecar operator) had to buy a station in Detroit to keep CW going there, but that was a special case. There are fewer stations there than in most big markets, and all owned by CW-unfriendly groups (CBS, Fox, Scripps)

 

[TexasTom]

Nexstar.(well, Mission, its sidecar operator) had to buy a station in Detroit to keep CW going there, but that was a special case. There are fewer stations there than in most big markets, and all owned by CW-unfriendly groups (CBS, Fox, Scripps)

So in Detroit, WADL channel 38 will be the new CW affiliate?