KCNS
A San Francisco television station serving the Bay Area on virtual channel 38, currently associated with Shop LC programming.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
KCNS is a full-power television station licensed to San Francisco, California, and serving the wider San Francisco Bay Area. Although the call sign is commonly treated as the station's brand, KCNS is not a standalone consumer-electronics brand or a national commercial brand; it is a local broadcast outlet whose identity and programming have changed repeatedly as ownership, network affiliations, and business models shifted. Its signal is transmitted from Sutro Tower, and its digital facilities are shared with other Bay Area stations. The station first went on the air on December 28, 1968, as KUDO. Its original schedule emphasized locally produced and live programming, including financial shows and an interview program hosted by baseball player Willie Mays. The station did not achieve financial stability, entered bankruptcy, and ceased broadcasting in April 1971. Faith Center subsequently acquired the facility and returned it to the air in 1974 under the call sign KVOF-TV. Under Faith Center, the station carried Christian programming, eventually becoming a near-continuous outlet for programming associated with pastor Gene Scott and the University Network. KVOF-TV's license renewal became entangled with a Federal Communications Commission proceeding concerning Faith Center's refusal to provide private donor records in a case involving alleged misuse of funds. The FCC ultimately rejected the renewal application. After appeals and further proceedings, a new applicant, West Coast United Broadcasting Company, received authorization to operate a replacement station on channel 38. That station began broadcasting as KWBB in January 1986 with a mixture of secular and religious programming. In 1989, the station moved its transmission facilities to Sutro Tower. The call sign changed to KCNS on June 24, 1991. During the early KCNS era, the station developed a multicultural programming identity, carrying imported and locally produced shows in Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean. Much of the programming was supplied by third parties, and the station also used daytime home-shopping content. It reached notable local programming arrangements, including a Cantonese simulcast of KRON-TV's evening newscast in 1992 and selected Oakland Athletics baseball broadcasts in 1993, but cable carriage remained a challenge in the period before stronger must-carry protections for local stations. Ramcast Corporation acquired KCNS in 1996. The transaction was reported at $30 million, and Ramcast subsequently reduced the station's Asian-language schedule while expanding home-shopping programming. After Global Broadcasting Systems, Ramcast's parent, entered bankruptcy, its assets were acquired by the Shop at Home Network. KCNS later carried Shop at Home and Jewelry Television programming during the restructuring and shutdown of the Shop at Home service in 2006. Multicultural Television acquired KCNS from the E. W. Scripps Company in December 2006 as part of a broader purchase of Shop at Home stations. In 2007, the station moved away from its Shop at Home simulcast, added educational and informational programming in the early weekday hours, and resumed substantial Chinese-language programming through the Sino TV banner. It also carried Retro Television Network programming during daytime hours. Financial problems at Multicultural led to KCNS being placed in a trust. NRJ TV acquired the station in 2011, with Titan Broadcast Management involved in management and, for a period, ownership of an equity interest in NRJ TV. KCNS became a charter affiliate of MundoFox in August 2012; the network was later renamed MundoMax. On September 1, 2016, KCNS left MundoMax and affiliated with the SonLife Broadcasting Network. WRNN-TV Associates announced an agreement to acquire KCNS and other NRJ stations in December 2019. The FCC approved the transaction in January 2020, and the sale closed on February 4, 2020. Following the transaction, SonLife programming moved to another subchannel, while KCNS carried infomercials for much of the day and a simulcast of Richard French Live. In 2021, the station joined a group of RNN stations affiliating with the ShopHQ home-shopping network. KCNS began carrying ShopHQ on June 28, 2021. After the financial collapse and subsequent sale process involving ShopHQ's parent, iMedia Brands, KCNS switched to Shop LC in October 2023. The station remains a Bay Area broadcast outlet whose schedule is primarily shaped by its network and shopping affiliations rather than by a single permanent programming format.
History
KCNS traces its history to the launch of a television station on San Francisco's channel 38 on December 28, 1968. Operating as KUDO, the station attempted to differentiate itself with live and local shows, financial programming, and an interview program hosted by Willie Mays. The business struggled, however, and KUDO went bankrupt before leaving the air on April 15, 1971. Faith Center acquired the dark station and restored service in 1974 as KVOF-TV. The new owner used the facility primarily for Christian broadcasting. Programming initially occupied roughly half of the broadcast day and included material produced by Faith Center and outside religious organizations. After Gene Scott became pastor of Faith Center in 1975, the station expanded toward a full-day schedule. By 1978, it was carrying the University Network almost continuously. The Faith Center era ended after a contested FCC license proceeding. The regulator required information relating to the center's finances and donors in a case involving allegations that funds had been used for purposes different from those represented to contributors. Faith Center refused to provide private donor records, and the FCC rejected the station's renewal application. A proposed distress sale was denied, and competing applicants sought authority to operate a new station on channel 38. In 1983, an administrative law judge favored West Coast United Broadcasting Company, whose proposal was judged stronger on the integration of ownership, management, and staff. The FCC rejected Faith Center's appeal in 1984, and subsequent efforts to obtain Supreme Court review failed. West Coast United launched KWBB in January 1986. Its programming combined secular material with religious shows, including several hours purchased by Gene Scott. The new operation also obtained continued use of facilities connected with the former KVOF-TV. In 1989, channel 38's transmission site moved to Sutro Tower. In 1991, former KRON-TV anchor Jim Paymar became general manager, and the station adopted the KCNS call sign. KCNS pursued a multicultural strategy, carrying programming in Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean. The station was based in a former Hamm's Brewery facility, while much of its local schedule was produced by independent third parties. Home-shopping shows occupied part of the broadcast day. Despite difficulties obtaining cable carriage, KCNS secured several notable programming arrangements, including a Cantonese version of KRON's 6 p.m. newscast in 1992 and selected Oakland Athletics games in 1993. Ramcast Corporation purchased KCNS in 1996. The reported $30 million acquisition was followed by a reduction in Asian-language programming and a substantial expansion of home shopping. Global Broadcasting Systems, Ramcast's parent, entered bankruptcy in 1997. Its assets were acquired by the Shop at Home Network, and KCNS became part of the evolving Shop at Home and Jewelry Television distribution arrangements. In 2006, after the E. W. Scripps Company suspended Shop at Home operations, KCNS carried Jewelry Television and mixed programming associated with the network's later revival. Multicultural Television announced its acquisition of KCNS from Scripps in 2006, completing the purchase on December 20. In January 2007, KCNS ended its Shop at Home simulcast and adopted a schedule of early-morning educational and informational material followed largely by infomercials. In April, the station restored a substantial Chinese-language block under the Sino TV name, with Mandarin and Cantonese news, and added Retro Television Network programming during the daytime. Multicultural later experienced financial problems and defaulted on its loans. KCNS was placed into a trust and sold in 2011 to NRJ TV, a company unrelated to the European radio broadcaster with a similar name. Titan Broadcast Management had managed the station and held a minority interest in NRJ TV for a period. The station's affiliation then moved through several national networks. KCNS joined MundoFox in 2012, continued with the network after its name changed to MundoMax, and switched to SonLife Broadcasting Network in September 2016 as MundoMax's future became uncertain. WRNN-TV Associates agreed in 2019 to acquire KCNS and other NRJ stations. The FCC approved the transaction in January 2020, and it closed on February 4. The transaction separated KCNS from NRJ's Bay Area ownership structure, although KCNS and KTNC-TV continued sharing a digital channel. After the sale, SonLife programming was moved to another subchannel. KCNS's main schedule consisted largely of infomercials and a simulcast of Richard French Live, whose presentation was later reworked. In 2021, RNN and iMedia Brands arranged for KCNS and other RNN stations to affiliate with ShopHQ. KCNS began the ShopHQ schedule on June 28. iMedia Brands entered Chapter 11 proceedings in June 2023, and proposed transactions involving ShopHQ changed during the following months. By October 2023, KCNS had moved to Shop LC programming. Its current identity is therefore best understood as a local broadcast station and distribution outlet whose programming reflects the commercial and religious networks that lease or supply its schedule.
- 2023
Shop LC programming begins
[1]KCNS changes its home-shopping affiliation from ShopHQ to Shop LC.
- 2021
ShopHQ programming begins
[1]KCNS joins the ShopHQ home-shopping distribution arrangement.
- 2020
WRNN-TV Associates completes purchase
[1]WRNN-TV Associates completes its acquisition of KCNS from NRJ TV.
- 2016
SonLife affiliation begins
[1]KCNS leaves MundoMax and begins carrying SonLife Broadcasting Network programming.
- 2012
MundoFox affiliation begins
[1]KCNS becomes a charter affiliate of MundoFox, later known as MundoMax.
- 2011
NRJ TV acquisition closes
[1]KCNS is sold to NRJ TV after financial problems at Multicultural Television.
- 2007
Sino TV programming returns
[1]KCNS launches an evening Mandarin- and Cantonese-language block under the Sino TV banner.
- 1996
Ramcast acquisition
[1]Ramcast Corporation acquires KCNS and expands home-shopping programming.
- 1991
KCNS call sign adopted
[1]KWBB changes its call letters to KCNS and develops a multilingual programming strategy.
- 1989
Transmission moves to Sutro Tower
[1]Channel 38 relocates its transmission facilities to San Francisco's Sutro Tower.
Products and positioning
A local, affiliation-driven television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area, with a history spanning local, religious, multilingual, Spanish-language, shopping, and infomercial programming.
Broadcast television · 1968
Over-the-air television service
KCNS operates a full-power television service licensed to San Francisco and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Its digital service uses virtual channel 38, while the station shares digital-channel capacity with other local broadcasters. The transmitter is located at Sutro Tower.
Television programming · 1991
Multilingual programming
During the 1990s and again in the 2000s, KCNS carried third-party and locally produced programs in several Asian languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Korean. The Sino TV schedule included Mandarin- and Cantonese-language news and occupied evening hours in 2007.
Television programming · 1996
Home-shopping programming
KCNS has repeatedly used home-shopping programming as a core schedule component. Its affiliations and supplied programming have included Shop at Home, Jewelry Television, ShopHQ, and, from October 2023, Shop LC.
Network affiliation · 2012
MundoFox and MundoMax affiliation
KCNS was a charter affiliate of the Spanish-language MundoFox network beginning in 2012. The network was subsequently renamed MundoMax, and KCNS ended the affiliation in 2016.
Network affiliation · 2016
SonLife Broadcasting Network affiliation
KCNS carried programming from the SonLife Broadcasting Network from September 2016 until the schedule was shifted to another subchannel after the station's 2020 acquisition by WRNN-TV Associates.
Controversies
1984
Faith Center license and donor-record dispute
The FCC rejected Faith Center's renewal effort for KVOF-TV after the organization declined to disclose private donor records in a proceeding involving allegations of improper use of funds. The dispute led to the loss of the station's license and a transition to a replacement operation on channel 38.
Brand decisions
2023
Switch to Shop LCStrategyBackground
iMedia Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and proposed transactions concerning ShopHQ changed during the restructuring process.
Action taken
KCNS replaced ShopHQ programming with Shop LC programming in October 2023.
Aftermath
The station returned to a home-shopping-led schedule under a different supplier.
2021
Launch of ShopHQ scheduleProduct launchBackground
RNN and iMedia Brands reached an agreement to distribute ShopHQ through most of RNN's television stations.
Action taken
KCNS began broadcasting ShopHQ programming on June 28, 2021.
Aftermath
The affiliation was later replaced by Shop LC programming in October 2023 after instability involving iMedia Brands and ShopHQ.
2020
Acquisition by WRNN-TV AssociatesM&ABackground
NRJ TV agreed to sell KCNS and several other full-power stations to WRNN-TV Associates.
Action taken
The FCC approved the transaction in January 2020, and the sale closed on February 4, 2020.
Aftermath
KCNS continued sharing digital-channel capacity with KTNC-TV but changed its schedule, moving SonLife programming to another subchannel and emphasizing infomercials and Richard French Live.
2016
Switch from MundoMax to SonLifeStrategyBackground
MundoMax's business outlook had deteriorated, and the network was expected to cease being a viable national service.
Action taken
KCNS ended its MundoMax affiliation and began carrying SonLife Broadcasting Network programming.
Aftermath
SonLife programming later moved to another subchannel after the WRNN-TV Associates acquisition in 2020.
2012
Adopt MundoFox affiliationStrategyBackground
KCNS was seeking a network-based schedule after years of changing between local, multilingual, shopping, and syndicated programming.
Action taken
The station became a charter affiliate of the Spanish-language MundoFox network.
Aftermath
The affiliation continued after the network was renamed MundoMax, ending in 2016.
2007
Return to Chinese-language programmingStrategyBackground
After Multicultural Television acquired KCNS and ended its Shop at Home simulcast, the station needed a new schedule structure.
Action taken
KCNS added evening Sino TV programming in Mandarin and Cantonese, including news, while retaining daytime programming supplied by Retro Television Network.
Aftermath
The station again served Bay Area Chinese-language audiences while continuing to rely on third-party programming for much of its schedule.
1996
Ramcast acquires KCNSM&ABackground
West Coast United sold KCNS during a period when the station was combining multilingual local programming with home-shopping content.
Action taken
Ramcast Corporation purchased the station and reduced the Asian-language schedule while increasing home-shopping programming.
Aftermath
The station became connected to the Shop at Home ownership and programming structure after Global Broadcasting Systems later entered bankruptcy.
Reported acquisition price. $30 million (1996)
Sources1 sources
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