KHSL-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KHSL-TV
city =
station_|]
station_slogan = Live, Local, Late Breaking
station_branding = CBS 12 (Action News)
analog = 12 (VHF)
digital = 43 (UHF)
other_chs = (see article)
subchannels = 12.1 HD 12.2 The CW
affiliations = CBS
The CW (DT2)
network =
founded =
airdate = August 29, 1953
location = Chico/Redding, California
callsign_meaning = Harry Smithson
and
Sidney Lewis
(founders of KHSL-AM)
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Catamount Broadcast Group, LLC
licensee = Catamount Broadcasting of Chico-Redding, Inc.
sister_stations = KNVN
former_affiliations = All secondary:
ABC (1953-1977?)
NBC (1977?-1985)
DuMont (1953-1955)
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
235 kW (digital)
HAAT = 396 m (analog)
387.5 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 24508
coordinates = coord|39|57|28.3|N|121|42|54|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.khsltv.com/ www.khsltv.com]
[http://www.thecw10.com/ www.thecw10.com]

KHSL-TV Channel 12 is a CBS affiliate based in Chico, California. Its transmitter is located in Cohasset, California. The station is owned and operated by Catamount Broadcasting of Norwalk, Connecticut, which also operates KNVN Channel 24, an NBC affiliate owned by Evans Broadcasting. As a duopoly, both stations telecast "Action News" and "Action News Weekend Report". The station's Redding offices are located in the [http://www.mtshastamall.com Mt. Shasta Mall] .

For many years, KHSL-TV has been the dominant television station in the Central Valley north of Sacramento. News presenters have referred to the viewing area on air as the "North State." Until recently, the "San Francisco Chronicle" included KHSL-TV in its television listings. Under certain weather conditions, KHSL's signal can be received as far south as the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Other notable personalities that have worked at KHSL-TV over the years include television host and producer Moriss Taylor, actor Richard Kiel, voiceover announcer and vocalist Ron Palmer, news reporter Rick Rigsby, news anchor Dean Reeter (the former anchor at Channel 7R in Redding), meteorologist Anthony Watts and legendary sports directors Ray Narbietz and Royal Courtain. Former California state assemblyman Stan Statham also anchored news at KHSL-TV and is currently the president of the California Broadcasters Association.

History

KHSL-TV signed on in 1953, owned by the McClung family's Golden Empire Broadcasting Company along with KHSL-AM 1290. The call letters are in honor of Harry Smithson and Sidney Lewis, who founded KHSL-AM in 1935 and sold it to the McClungs a year later. Ruth "Mickey" McClung was one of the first women to own a television station.

The McClungs owned the station until 1994, when they sold it to United Communications Corporation. On September 14, 1998, KHSL-TV was purchased by Catamount Broadcasting.

KHSL operates a large network of translators to serve its mostly rural and mountainous viewing area.

Merger with KNVN

In February 2000, it merged news departments with KNVN because KNVN was at risk of having all of its newscasts dropped because of low viewership, but it still wanted to have some form of local news on. It didn't want to use Bay Area or Sacramento news because it still wanted Chico or Redding news, so it merged with KHSL to form Northern California News, or more commonly known as NCN. It dropped NCN in 2005 in favor of "The (hour) News" brand. It finally came up with a more permanent name in September 2006 called "Action News", and KHSL still plans to use that branding even if KHSL sells KNVN.

There have been a few rumors that KNVN and KHSL will separate news departments and become rivals again after the analog switch-off in 2009. If KHSL sells KNVN in 2009, KHSL will have the AccuWeather Channel on a new third digital subchannel. KNVN would have NBC Weather Plus on its second digital subchannel.

Chico-Redding CW

Starting in September 2006, its DT2 subcarrier added programming from The CW Television Network. This coincided with the company's acquisition of KIWB from Bluestone Television in July 2006. It has its own 10:00 newscast titled "CW Action News at Ten". It broadcasts on cable channel 10 on both Comcast and Charter systems; however, DCA Cablevision in Palo Cedro has started to air The CW Plus via national feed on channel 10. It is also available on Dish Network channel 43, but DirecTV has another CW affiliate in place of KHSL-DT2.

Former News Titles

* "Newscope 12" (1970s)
* "News 12" (1980s)
* "Channel 12 News" (1985-2006)
* "Northern California News" (w/ KNVN) (2001-2005)
* "CBS 12 Action News" (Summer 2006)

Former anchors & reporters

*Stan Statham (news anchor) (1960s-1970s) Former California state assemblyman, now president of the California Broadcasters Association
*Royal Courtain (news/sports anchor) (1982-2004)
*Rick Rigsby (news reporter) (1970s-1985) Now an ordained minister
*Anthony Watts (chief meteorologist) (1987-2002, 2004) Now at KPAY-AM radio in Chico
*Bruce Lang (news director) (1986-2003) Now at KPAY-AM radio in Chico
*Maureen Naylor (NCN news anchor) (2001-2005) Now at KTVU in Oakland, CA
*Louisa Hodge (NCN "Wake Up!" host (2003-2005) Now at KTXL in Sacramento, CA
*Matt Keller (NCN news anchor) (2001-2005) Now at KGO-TV in San Francisco, CA
*Dana Howard (Reporter, Now at KXTV 10 in Sacramento, Ca)
*Becky Quinlan (Reporter, Weekend Anchor, 1997-99) Now at Eastwick Communications in Mountain View, CA

Current Personalities

Anchors
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=7b108f9d-f1fa-4e66-a9c8-3dc2601f11bd Kelli Saam] - 5, 6:30 and 11p.m. weekdays
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=73328a0a-8d57-406c-96f0-9c1a8c1bd6fb Jerry Olenyn] - 5p.m. weekdays
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=097f40fe-f697-4e00-99ba-6f54bfeae435 Alan Marsden] - 6:30pm, 10, and 11p.m. weeknights
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=d37cdb33-c1c0-46c1-8614-eaac3154440e Megan McDonald] - Wake Up! Anchor 5:30-7a.m. weekday mornings
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=04180e51-b9b4-4f2c-b168-d8e5d9247228 Linda Watkins-Bennett] noon - anchor
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=80cfc5f4-ee53-4239-8fcc-8be55f54c041 Debbie Cobb] - 6:30 and 11p.m. weekends
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=89e99931-1b39-4672-92f0-97c0a802a454 Britt Carlson] - CW Action News at 10 weeknights

Weather
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=79397ad9-1a4f-4af5-a0bb-c26ed10195dc Kris Kuyper] - 5, 6:30, 10 and 11p.m. weekdays and evenings (AMS/NWA)
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=30ef3dee-2696-4982-a78e-cb5c71fe93a7 Rob Blair] - 5:30-7a.m. mornings & noon
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=5c7977b2-72f1-42c2-8c20-7ebbfed430ba Cort Klopping] - 6:30 and 11:00 p.m. weekends
* Eric Elliott - fill-in meteorologist (AMS)
* Eric Laughlin - fill-in weathercaster

Sports
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=32fae82c-4ad8-4e93-a3aa-91255b0b3690 Geraud Moncuré] - 5, 6:30, 10, and 11p.m. weekdays and evenings
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=f8dec5c4-f527-47cd-b477-826c7d766c25 Lee Carrell] - 6:30 and 11p.m. weekends
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=0273bd2e-615f-4813-a1c4-1eb466377f16 Ross Field] - Sports Reporter

Reporters
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/owen.aspx Owen Clark]
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/nixon.aspx Cindy Nixon]
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/nitin.aspx Nitin Lal]
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/jane.aspx Jane Tran] (Redding Area)
* [http://www.khsltv.com/content/aboutus/meetourteam/bios/story.aspx?content_id=fa736fbb-2e75-4d05-860a-67a0efffc882 Karli Bulnes]
* Jennifer MacDonald
* Mike Luery (Capitol Correspondent)
* Sarah Hoxie
* Melissa Houston

Locally Produced Programs

* "The Moriss Taylor Show" (1956-1995) (now airs on KRVU-TV My 21 & KFBI-TV My 48)
* "Sunday Evening" with Bruce Lang (1980s-1998)
* KNVN's "Your Show Live" with Shaye Leeper and Dave Tappan (2002-2004)

Classic TV Shows that they aired in the past

*The Odd Couple
*Taxi
*America's Top 10
*Barney Miller
*The Cosby Show
*Bewitched
*Solid Gold
*My Three Sons
*Laugh-in
*In Search Of... (hosted by Leonard Nimoy)
*Cheers

Cable Coverage

*Charter Communications
**Redding & Red Bluff (Digital OTA)- Analog 12 & Digital 782
**Alturas (Dish Network Feed) - Channel 12

*Comcast Cable
**Chico (Digital OTA)- Analog 12 & Digital 912
**Yuba City (Digital OTA)- Channel 16
**Arbuckle (Digital OTA)- Channel 16

*Time Warner Cable
**Burney (Microwave Link)- Channel 12
**Susanville (Microwave Link)- Channel 12

*CableVision
**Palo Cedro (Analog OTA)- Channel 12
**Weaverville (Analog OTA)- Channel 12
**Hayfork (Analog OTA)- Channel 2

*Northland Cable
**Mt. Shasta (Microwave Link)- Channel 12
**Yreka (Microwave Link)- Channel 6

*Rapid Communications
**Lake Almanor (Microwave Link)- Channel 12

*Wave Broadband
**Plumas County (Microwave Link)- Channel 12

*Almega Cable
**Trinity Center (Analog OTA)- Channel 12
**Fall River Mills (Analog OTA)- Channel 12

Digital Television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Analog-to-digital conversion

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009, KHSL will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 43. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display KHSL's virtual channel as 12. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf]

Early Switchover

KHSL and KNVN along with KCVU and possibly KRCR will cease analog operations on December 22, 2008. KHSL's new digital tower up and running and has been for the past four months. Since KNVN is moving digital broadcasts back to channel 24, it is almost complete and will not be operational until December 22, 2008.

Problems with Digital Frequency

According to the engineering department, KHSL will not get the option to move its digital signal to channel 12 because Catamount Broadcasting applied for the construction of the new DTV tower way too late. There has been lots of criticism because a VHF signal will satisfy the terrain of the rural, mountainous viewing area in communities as far as Yreka, portions of South Lake Tahoe, Alturas, Weaverville, and Covelo. A number of area viewers have been more satisfied in the more robust analog signal than the weaker, short range digital signal. It has a construction permit at 235 kW at channel 43, which that power is less than that of the analog station, but the antenna height might make up for some of it.

HD News

As of March 20, 2007, the Newscasts on KHSL are not broadcasted in High Definition. Most CBS programs broadcasted from 8 PM, are broadcasted in HD including most sports programming seen on weekends. On April 19, 2007, both KNVN and KHSL began adding High Definition (with their respective digital channel number) on their personality promos that they air on TV, signaling that HD will be coming. According to the GM of the station, KHSL/KNVN tenatively plans on broadcasting their newscasts in HD on or shortly after January 1, 2009.

As of August 19, 2008 the news is still not brocasted in high definition because of the cost and difficulty of new HD equipment [http://www.khsltv.com/guides/dtv/story.aspx?content_id=577ae2ee-aaa6-4e64-9af8-ac5dcb2a4439] . According to Dave Sien, the chief engineer, the stations are currently working on buying new equipment signaling that HD news is in the very near future. However, the equipment is one year overdue and may be delayed even further because of the stations being in debt for many years and the current economic crisis, possibly resulting in the separation and sale of both stations. It is more than likely that both stations would immediately broadcast local news in high definition if KHSL and KNVN become separate news departments. If the stations get out of financial trouble and get the new HD equipment, HD news will start shortly before or after the digital switchover.

Translators

KHSL is rebroadcast on the following translator stations. Half of the translators listed are not presently in the FCC database.

See also

*KHSL-FM

References

External links

* [http://www.khsltv.com/ KHSL-TV CBS 12 website]
* [http://www.knvn.com/ KNVN-TV NBC 24 website]
* [http://www.TheCW10.com/ TheCW10 website]
*TVQ|KHSL
*BIA|KHSL|TV|TV
*TitanTV|KHSL