KVOS-TV

[Bongwater]

Now that Clear Channel has been spinning off it's small market radio and it's TV stations, what would YOU suggest a new owner of KVOS-TV do with Channel 12?

KVOS has been languishing in rerun/syndicated/tired movie/informercial hell for much of the last 30 years. KVOS also has been moved down the BC cable grids as newer Canadian stations occupy the once exclusive Channel 12 spot for KVOS, forcing KVOS to refer to themselves by their call letters. Most Seattle area cable lineups don't even carry KVOS at all.

I would like to see KVOS get a decent network affiliation again, one that can put it back into Seattle. It was a CBS affiliate until the early '80s when KIRO-TV demanded (and got) the exclusive CBS affiliation for all of Western Washington. As KVOS became more dependent on syndicated TV shows, those shows got market exclusive-rights in the Seattle area and since KVOS carries most of those shows (Judge Cristina, Family Feud, Montell Williams and many others), that's pretty much why they were bumped off Seattle cable grids.

I'm hoping KVOS can someday get a popular upstart broadcast network or independently try an innovative new format of TV beyond the conventional. It's the only ways that can save and revitalize KVOS.

Any suggestions? I'm sure they can use them. KVOS can be a POWERHOUSE in not just one, but TWO major markets. And two mediums (Bellingham and Victoria)....

KVOS is an overlooked gem. Hope somebody with a vision as clear as it's signal in Northwest Washington/Southwest BC can bring new life into one of the Northwest's historic and unique TV stations.

 

[Steenman]

It's interesting the interest and apparently obvious money there is to be made bringing a new FM frequency into the Seattle market (104.5) but apparently the same metrics don't apply to a TV station. Meantime, Tacoma PBS sits at Cable 12 just in case KVOS ever wants to again target Seattle (by rights as a W, Wash TV station in this ADI they have to be put on a channel no higher than their dial position so that's why Tacoma UHF PBS sits there). Ackerley tried it a few years ago when they put the Sonics on there, it was a pretty dismal failure revenue wise. Because of Syndication rules they had to declare a market, they've targeted Vancouver ever since so they must think that's where the money is, if they can back here they'd be the 3rd indie after KONG, MY Q and half indie KSTW. The only way they could target both markets is to buy specific program rights in both (virtually impossible given the multi year lead time to even get programming) or do all local original programming (never happen). They could go ethnic (Spanish? Chinese?) or some other kind of random niche programming or catch a new network noone else wanted (Ie PAX) otherwise they are kinda stuck unless they want to give up Vancouver to target Seattle.

 

[Stephen_TheMCO]

It is very possible that KVOS might abandon the market north of the border, and convert KVOS to Spanish, for the Seattle Market.  KVOS's new owner, Providence Equity Partners, is planning to re-sell KVOS, as well as KFTY in Monterey, CA (which was also spun off by Clear Channel), to LK Station Group.

Here's a couple articles I found:
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20071013/NEWS/71013015/0/BUSINESS01
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20071012/NEWS/710120352/1033/NEWS01

LK has been converting stations it owns to Spanish.  This could mean we may have a future Telemundo or Telefutura station in the market....

Stay tuned, I guess... You'll never know...

It's interesting the interest and apparently obvious money there is to be made bringing a new FM frequency into the Seattle market (104.5) but apparently the same metrics don't apply to a TV station.  Meantime, Tacoma PBS sits at Cable 12 just in case KVOS ever wants to again target Seattle (by rights as a W, Wash TV station in this ADI they have to be put on a channel no higher than their dial position so that's why Tacoma UHF PBS sits there).  Ackerley tried it a few years ago when they put the Sonics on there, it was a pretty dismal failure revenue wise.  Because of Syndication rules they had to declare a market, they've targeted Vancouver ever since so they must think that's where the money is, if they can back here they'd be the 3rd indie after KONG, MY Q and half indie KSTW.  The only way they could target both markets is to buy specific program rights in both (virtually impossible given the multi year lead time to even get programming) or do all local original programming (never happen).  They could go ethnic (Spanish? Chinese?) or some other kind of random niche programming or catch a new network noone else wanted (Ie PAX) otherwise they are kinda stuck unless they want to give up Vancouver to target Seattle. 

If KVOS ended up back on the Comcast's dial, I think Discovery might end up getting the boot off the 2-13 portion of the lineup on channel 8 (in most areas), with KBTC taking over the 8 position in the areas where they have them on 12.  Be interesting to have 2 PBS stations, KBTC and KCTS, side-by-side on the lineup.  As for Comcast in Tacoma and Bremerton, TV Tacoma and Bremerton-Kitsap Access Television might be forced to ID with a new channel number.  Both are on Channel 12 currently, with KBTC on 3, and KWPX on 15 in those areas...

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

It is very possible that KVOS might abandon the market north of the border, and convert KVOS to Spanish, for the Seattle Market.

Call letters initially assigned as K-"Voice of Seattle". Does this mean they would now be changed to refer to K-"Voice of Spain"???

 

[Bongwater]

Si éste es el caso, entonces KVOS se convertirá en un powerhouse IMPORTANTE de Telemundo. No que todavía lo desearía personalmente, yo piense que puede KVOS INMÓVIL se convierte en un POWERHOUSE de una estación INGLESA. No se sentaría bien con uno demográfico, sino que para otro (la población de habla hispana ENORME de Washington del noroeste) sería PERFECTO.

 

[Bongwater]

Umm....I meant....(for the rest of you.)

If this is the case, then KVOS will become a MAJOR powerhouse of Telemundo.

Not that I would personally want it, I still think KVOS can STILL become a POWERHOUSE of an ENGLISH station. It would not sit well with one demographic, but for another (the HUGE Spanish speaking population of Northwest Washington) it would be PERFECT.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

or let's think bigger picture. Put on subliminal programming and beam it over the border convincing the Canadians to get their damn dollar back down where it is supposed to be for the pure selfish benefit of us yanks. It's just no fun staying in a hotel and seeing FULL CHARGE on your visa bill a month later.

 

[Stephen_TheMCO]

.......as well as KFTY in Monterey, CA (which was also spun off by Clear Channel), to LK Station Group.

My correction.... KFTY is in Santa Rosa, CA

 

[radioplayer]

This tread brings back memories! I remember when KVOS was up on top of Mt. Constitution and you could get channel 12 back in the early 70's and 80's all the way down past Federal Way, better than some of the other local stations and in color no less! It is sad to see a good station fade like this over the years. I realize that the money's changed since the Canadians played around with the advertising dollars, but this is still a prime example of a good local station that does still reach into the community. I hope ch 12 can continue to provide better programming and choices for NW Washington and beyond!

 

[Bongwater]

Yes, KVOS originally stood for "Kessler's Voice Of Seattle". It was originally a radio station on Queen Anne in the '20s, owned by a guy named Kessler.

But stations were popping up everywhere in Seattle and with no FCC to regulate and monitor it all, KVOS was forced to move. They decided on Bellingham.

KVOS finally gets it's frequency stablized on 790 kHz by 1941, when TV began booming, KVOS was an innovator because it was one of the very first small-town TV stations.

When KVOS TV was spun off from KVOS Radio in the eary '60s, the call letters went with it (back in the day, you couldn't have seperate ownerships with the same call letters.) KVOS-AM became KGMI.

And the rest, is history.....

 

[Joe_Capitano]

I remember when KVOS was up on top of Mt. Constitution ...

They still are. The transmitter's just 50 yards away from an old Conservation Corps lookout tower - which means anyone going up it gets a great view and a lot of RF They made a fair sell of that site during the sign-on film they played during the Wometco days.

...but this is still a prime example of a good local station that does still reach into the community.

Provided that community is the future home of a Winter Olympics. They really don't do very much on this side of the border, identity wise. At least, I don't see it.

I hope ch 12 can continue to provide better programming and choices for NW Washington and beyond!

Me, three.

 

[Bongwater]

I always thought Mt. Constitution was one of the BEST places in the Northwest to put a transmitter. Just 50,000 watts and you're covering the entire Puget Sound as well as most of Lower Mainland BC and Vancouver Island as well as the hard to reach Port Angeles/Sequim area...

That was until everyone started shoehorning in stations in what used to be impossible places (CKYE 93.1 Vancouver anyone?) Last year when KISM, KAFE and KWPZ were knocked off the air during a windstorm, Northwest Washington radio listeners were treated to 4 whole days of CKYE and their South Asian format. The signal reached clear down to Stanwood. (I even got 103.9 out of Forks in Bellingham...)

You can still get CKYE with a VERY selective FM tuner in Skagit and North Snohomish County, but there is a bit of splash from KISM in some areas....

I loved going up that tower whenever I was camping on Orcas. The view is AWESOME!

 

[flamemaker]

There is the challenge of moving KVOS-TV to Seattle because KXPT-TV in Portland is on channel 12. Generally the FCC will not allow neighboring markets to have same channel overlap (two channel 12's). There also has been interest by some established Seattle stations to acquire KVOS-TV to form a possible duo/triopoly.