KDTV-DT
KDTV-DT is TelevisaUnivision's Spanish-language Univision station serving the San Francisco Bay Area.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KDTV-DT, branded as Univision 14, is a Spanish-language television station licensed to San Francisco, California, and serving the wider San Francisco Bay Area. It is part of the Univision station group operated by TelevisaUnivision and is paired in the market with UniMás affiliate KFSF-DT. The stations share a broadcast center on Zanker Road in San Jose, near the North San Jose Innovation District. KDTV-DT's main transmitter is located on Mount Allison in Fremont, while KDTV-CD, a Class A translator based near Santa Rosa, extends the station's Univision service into the northern part of the market. The station originated with the Bahía de San Francisco Television Company, whose principals included Rene Anselmo and Danny Villanueva of the Spanish International Network. The company applied in 1973 for authority to construct a commercial station on channel 60. After receiving Federal Communications Commission approval in 1974, the station began broadcasting on August 10, 1975, from San Francisco studios on Palou Avenue and transmitting facilities formerly associated with KBHK-TV on San Bruno Mountain. KDTV became the Bay Area's first full-time Spanish-language television station, establishing a dedicated broadcast platform for the region's growing Spanish-speaking population. KDTV changed channels in 1979 through an arrangement with the College of San Mateo. The station moved from channel 60 to channel 14, while KCSM-TV received improved technical facilities and equipment. The lower channel position increased the station's visibility and helped establish the identity it retains today. During the 1980s, the station expanded its local profile under general manager Emilio Nicolas Jr. Its coverage and relief efforts following the 1985 Mexico City earthquake earned a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for community service, a notable recognition for a Spanish-language television station in the United States. Local news has been central to KDTV's development. The station broadcast a local early-evening newscast at launch, later adding an 11 p.m. newscast in December 1996. Its news operation has included anchors and journalists such as Luis Echegoyén, Enrique Gratas, and Guillermo Descalzi. By 2000, KDTV's news ratings had strengthened substantially, including performance that surpassed some English-language stations among younger viewers. In November 2007, its 6 p.m. newscast became the highest-rated Bay Area newscast among adults aged 25 to 54, marking an important achievement for Spanish-language local television in the market. KDTV relocated its studios and offices in 1997 to the 41st floor of 50 Fremont Center in downtown San Francisco. The move was intended to provide a substantially stronger facility as the station expanded. In the same period, its transmission footprint developed through the establishment of the Santa Rosa low-power operation and the relocation of the main transmitter to Mount Allison. Univision later opened a Santa Rosa office in 2001. In 2016, KDTV moved to a newer studio facility in San Jose. The relocation addressed the high cost of operating in San Francisco and placed the station closer to the expanding Hispanic population in Santa Clara County and the southern Bay Area. KDTV retains a smaller San Francisco bureau for coverage of the city and the northern and eastern parts of the region. Technically, the station ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, retaining virtual channel 14 through its digital transmission. Following the post-2016 broadcast-spectrum incentive auction, KDTV entered a channel-sharing arrangement with KTSF after KTSF sold spectrum in 2018.
History
KDTV-DT traces its origins to the Bahía de San Francisco Television Company, a company associated with Spanish International Network principals Rene Anselmo and Danny Villanueva. On July 20, 1973, the company sought a construction permit for a commercial television station on San Francisco's channel 60. The Federal Communications Commission approved the application on November 13, 1974. Channel 60 had previously been reserved for noncommercial use, but that status changed after KQED accepted a facility on another channel. The station launched on August 10, 1975, from studios on Palou Avenue in San Francisco. It used former KBHK-TV transmission facilities on San Bruno Mountain. At launch, KDTV was the Bay Area's first full-time Spanish-language television station, although other stations carried some Spanish-language programming. Its initial local production included an early-evening newscast. Luis Echegoyén became one of the station's longstanding anchors, while Enrique Gratas served as news director beginning in 1976. Gratas later moved to KMEX in Los Angeles, and Guillermo Descalzi succeeded him at KDTV before taking on broader roles within the Spanish International Network. KDTV moved to its present channel identity in 1979. Seeking a lower channel number, the station arranged an exchange with the College of San Mateo, which operated KCSM-TV. The transaction, approved in March 1977 and completed on March 5, 1979, moved KDTV from channel 60 to channel 14. In return, KCSM-TV received expanded technical capability and equipment. The change gave KDTV a more prominent channel position and helped consolidate its long-term market identity. The station expanded during the 1980s under general manager Emilio Nicolas Jr. Its response to the 1985 Mexico City earthquake was particularly important to its community role. KDTV organized relief efforts and received a Peabody Award, while also earning an Emmy nomination for community service. This recognition highlighted the ability of Spanish-language local television to provide both information and practical assistance to a transnational community during a major disaster. By the 1990s, KDTV was expanding its facilities and local reach. It launched an 11 p.m. newscast in December 1996, strengthening its daily news service. The station moved its studios and offices in 1997 to the 41st floor of 50 Fremont Center in downtown San Francisco. Around the same time, its transmission arrangement developed through the establishment of a Santa Rosa low-power operation and the relocation of the main transmitter to Mount Allison in Fremont. Univision opened a Santa Rosa office in 2001, further supporting coverage in the northern part of the market. KDTV's local news operation gained significant audience momentum by 2000. Its broadcasts performed strongly among younger viewers and competed effectively with English-language stations. In November 2007, the station's 6 p.m. newscast achieved the highest rating in the Bay Area among adults aged 25 to 54, an important milestone for Spanish-language news in the region. The station ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, as part of the national digital television transition. Its digital signal retained virtual channel 14. In 2016, KDTV moved from San Francisco to a new studio facility in San Jose. The decision reflected both the high cost of operating in San Francisco and the growing importance of Santa Clara County's Hispanic population. KDTV kept a smaller San Francisco bureau for reporting on the city and the northern and eastern parts of the Bay Area. KDTV-DT now operates as part of TelevisaUnivision's Bay Area television portfolio alongside UniMás station KFSF-DT. The two stations share the Univision San Jose Broadcast Center. KDTV's main transmitter is on Mount Allison in Fremont, and KDTV-CD, a Class A translator near Santa Rosa, extends Univision programming into northern portions of the market. Following the 2016 incentive auction, KDTV also entered a channel-sharing arrangement with KTSF after KTSF sold spectrum in 2018.
- 2018
Channel-sharing agreement with KTSF
[1]KDTV began sharing spectrum with KTSF after KTSF sold its spectrum through the incentive-auction process.
- 2016
Operations move to San Jose
[1]KDTV opened a new studio facility in San Jose and reduced its San Francisco presence to a smaller reporting bureau.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]KDTV completed its federally mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcasting.
- 2007
Local news reaches top Bay Area 6 p.m. rating
[1]KDTV's 6 p.m. newscast led the market among adults aged 25 to 54 in November.
- 2001
Santa Rosa office opens
[1]Univision expanded KDTV's presence in the northern portion of the Bay Area by opening a Santa Rosa office.
- 1997
Downtown San Francisco relocation
[1]The station moved its offices and studios to 50 Fremont Center and expanded its transmission footprint.
- 1996
Late-night newscast introduced
[1]KDTV launched its 11 p.m. local newscast in December.
- 1985
Earthquake relief work earns Peabody recognition
[1]KDTV's community response following the Mexico City earthquake received a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination.
- 1979
KDTV moves to channel 14
[1]A channel exchange with KCSM-TV moved KDTV from channel 60 to channel 14.
- 1975
Station launches on channel 60
[1]KDTV began broadcasting on August 10 as the Bay Area's first full-time Spanish-language television station.
Products and positioning
Spanish-language broadcast television station serving Hispanic and Spanish-speaking audiences across the San Francisco Bay Area, with a strong emphasis on local news, regional community coverage, and Univision network programming.
Spanish-language broadcast television · 1975
KDTV-DT Univision service
KDTV-DT carries Univision programming over virtual channel 14 for viewers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its service combines national Spanish-language entertainment, news, sports, and other network programming with locally produced broadcasts and market-specific community coverage.
Local television news · 1975
KDTV local news
KDTV's local news operation provides Spanish-language reporting for the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Santa Clara County, and other communities within the station's market. The operation began with an early-evening newscast, later expanded with an 11 p.m. edition, and became a major part of the station's audience and community identity.
Class A translator station · 1997
KDTV-CD
KDTV-CD is KDTV's Class A translator serving Santa Rosa and the northern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. It relays Univision programming and helps extend the main station's Spanish-language service beyond the core coverage area.
Marketing campaigns
- 1985Mexico City earthquake relief effort
San Francisco Bay Area · Mexico
KDTV organized and publicized relief efforts following the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, responding to the strong cultural and family ties between Bay Area viewers and Mexico.
Outcome. The effort earned the station a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for community service.
Brand decisions
2018
Share broadcast spectrum with KTSFStrategyBackground
The post-2016 incentive auction changed the local broadcast-spectrum environment after KTSF sold its spectrum.
Action taken
KDTV entered a channel-sharing arrangement with KTSF.
Aftermath
The arrangement allowed both stations to continue operating within the revised digital broadcasting framework.
2016
Move studio operations from San Francisco to San JoseStrategyBackground
Operating costs in San Francisco had become difficult to sustain, while Santa Clara County represented an increasingly important Hispanic population center.
Action taken
KDTV moved into a new studio facility in San Jose and retained a smaller San Francisco bureau for reporting.
Aftermath
The station placed its main production operation closer to southern Bay Area audiences while preserving reporting coverage of San Francisco.
2009
Convert from analog to digital transmissionGeneration changeBackground
Federal requirements required full-power television stations in the United States to end analog broadcasting.
Action taken
KDTV shut down its analog UHF channel 14 signal on June 12 and continued digitally using virtual channel 14.
Aftermath
The station continued its channel 14 brand identity within the digital television environment.
1997
Relocate to expanded downtown facilitiesStrategyBackground
The station needed more space and stronger facilities as the Bay Area Hispanic population and KDTV's operations grew.
Action taken
KDTV moved its offices and studios to the 41st floor of 50 Fremont Center in downtown San Francisco and developed additional northern-market transmission resources.
Aftermath
The relocation strengthened the station's physical presence and supported later expansion into Santa Rosa and other parts of the market.
1996
Add an 11 p.m. local newscastProduct launchBackground
KDTV was expanding its local news operation and seeking to serve viewers during a later evening time period.
Action taken
The station introduced an 11 p.m. newscast in December.
Aftermath
The expanded schedule contributed to the development of KDTV's broader local-news presence.
1979
Exchange channel 60 for channel 14StrategyBackground
KDTV sought a lower and more visible channel position in the Bay Area market.
Action taken
The station completed a channel exchange with the College of San Mateo, moving to channel 14 while KCSM-TV received improved technical facilities and equipment.
Aftermath
The move established the channel 14 identity associated with KDTV's later Univision branding.
Recent events
- 2018
KDTV enters a channel-sharing arrangement with KTSF[1]
Regulation
After KTSF sold spectrum in the incentive auction, the two stations entered a digital channel-sharing agreement.
- 2016
KDTV moves operations to a new San Jose facility[1]
Other
KDTV moved to a modern San Jose studio complex to lower operating costs and concentrate more closely on the growing Hispanic population in Santa Clara County.
- 2009
KDTV completes its transition to digital broadcasting[1]
Product generation · Regulation
The station ended analog transmissions on UHF channel 14 as part of the federally mandated transition to digital television; its digital service continued to use virtual channel 14.
- 2007
KDTV's 6 p.m. newscast leads Bay Area ratings among adults 25 to 54[1]
Other
In November 2007, KDTV's 6 p.m. news ranked highest in the Bay Area among adults aged 25 to 54, exceeding the ratings of English-language competitors in the market.
- 2001
KDTV establishes a stronger Santa Rosa presence[1]
Other
Univision expanded KDTV's northern-market presence by opening a Santa Rosa office.
- 1997
KDTV relocates to downtown San Francisco[1]
Other
The station moved its studios and offices to the 41st floor of 50 Fremont Center as part of an expansion and facilities upgrade.
- 1996
KDTV launches a late-night local newscast[1]
Product launch
KDTV added an 11 p.m. local newscast, expanding its news schedule beyond the early-evening broadcast.
- 1985
KDTV receives recognition for Mexico City earthquake relief coverage[1]
Other
The station's relief efforts after the Mexico City earthquake received a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for community service.
- 1979
KDTV moves from channel 60 to channel 14[1]
Other
A channel exchange with the College of San Mateo moved KDTV to the lower-numbered channel 14 and improved KCSM-TV's technical facilities.
- 1975
KDTV begins broadcasting as the Bay Area's first full-time Spanish-language television station[1]
Other
The new channel 60 station launched from San Francisco, creating a dedicated full-time Spanish-language television service for the Bay Area.
Sources2 sources
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