KEZI
KEZI is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Eugene and southwestern Oregon.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KEZI is a commercial television station based in Eugene, Oregon, and affiliated with the ABC television network. Broadcasting on virtual channel 9, the station serves Eugene and a broad portion of southwestern Oregon through its main transmitter, digital translators, cable distribution, local news operations, and online platforms. Its studios are located on Chad Drive in Eugene, while its transmitter is situated on East Prairie Mountain near Horton, Oregon. The station originated from a regulatory and competitive effort to convert Eugene's channel 9 allocation from noncommercial to commercial use. Liberty Television, a group of Eugene investors led by president Donald A. McDonald, argued that the market needed another commercial station to expand viewers' access to network programming and increase local advertising capacity. After the Federal Communications Commission approved the redesignation, Liberty received the construction permit in 1960 following a comparative proceeding against Springfield radio broadcaster KEED. KEZI selected ABC as its network partner and began broadcasting on December 19, 1960, after construction delays associated with a General Electric strike. During its early decades, KEZI operated primarily as an ABC affiliate but also carried selected CBS programming outside the main network schedule. It broadcast CBS National Football League games from 1965 into the mid-1970s. The launch of KMTR as a full-time NBC station in 1982 helped clarify Eugene's network structure: KEZI became a full-time ABC affiliate, while KVAL-TV became the market's primary CBS outlet. Ownership changed several times. Liberty's television and cable assets were acquired by Tele-Communications Inc. in 1983. Carolyn Chambers subsequently formed Chambers Communications and acquired KEZI and other former Liberty properties. Under Chambers, the station moved in 1998 from its Coburg Road facilities to the Chambers Media Center, a large Eugene production complex that also supported film and television production. Chambers expanded its regional broadcast portfolio, including the creation of Bend ABC affiliate KOHD, and KEZI became part of a broader Oregon station group. Chambers Communications announced its exit from broadcasting in 2014, selling its stations to Heartland Media. Allen Media Group agreed in 2019 to acquire KEZI and ten other Heartland stations for $290 million; regulatory approval followed in November and the transaction closed in February 2020. In June 2025, Allen Media Group said it was exploring strategic alternatives for its television business, including a possible station sale, but KEZI remained an operating station. KEZI's programming combines ABC network content, locally produced news, weather, community features, sports, and syndicated material. Its coverage area includes Eugene and communities across southwestern Oregon, supported by bureaus and translators in locations such as Corvallis, Roseburg, Coos Bay, and the southern Oregon coast. The station has also developed digital multicast services. KEZI 9+ Nonstop News launched on digital channel 9.2 in 2011, was replaced by Live Well Network Western Oregon in 2013, and then became a MeTV service in 2014. Local high-school sports programs, including Friday Night Blitz and Roundball Wrap, have continued to receive distribution through the station's digital platform. KEZI has been an important local television technology adopter. It coordinated an Oregon Ducks football broadcast with the Oregon Sports Network and ESPN Plus in high definition in late 2005, and on April 26, 2010, became the first Eugene station to present locally produced news in high definition. The station completed its transition from analog broadcasting in February 2009, moving its digital signal to VHF channel 9. Its news operation continues to rely on local reporting supplemented by ABC NewsOne, CNN, and material from regional broadcast partners.
History
Eugene's channel 9 was initially reserved for noncommercial television, alongside commercial VHF channel 13 and UHF allocations. In the late 1950s, Liberty Television, a group of local investors headed by Donald A. McDonald, sought to have channel 9 redesignated for commercial broadcasting. The Eugene city council supported the proposal, emphasizing the potential for additional network programming, advertising inventory, viewer choice, and expanded service to outlying areas. The FCC approved the commercial redesignation and accepted Liberty's construction-permit application in 1957. Springfield radio station KEED also applied, producing a comparative hearing that began in 1958. An FCC hearing examiner recommended Liberty in 1959, citing its stronger programming proposal and criticizing KEED's commercial practices. The full commission adopted that recommendation in March 1960, and the construction permit was issued in July. Liberty selected ABC as the station's primary affiliation. KEZI began broadcasting at 6:30 p.m. on December 19, 1960, after construction delays related to a General Electric strike. Its original facilities were on Coburg Road, and its transmitter was located in the Coburg Hills. Although primarily an ABC station, KEZI carried selected CBS programs during unscheduled hours and aired CBS NFL games from 1965 into the 1970s. When KMTR launched a full-time NBC service in 1982, KEZI moved to a full-time ABC schedule and KVAL assumed the primary CBS role in the market. In 1983, Tele-Communications Inc. bought Liberty's cable and television assets. Carolyn Chambers later established Chambers Communications and acquired KEZI along with other former Liberty properties. Chambers expanded the station group by purchasing KDRV in Medford and its KDKF satellite in Klamath Falls. On February 14, 1998, KEZI moved to the newly built Chambers Media Center. The 100,000-square-foot complex included multiple sound stages and served as a base for several Chambers projects, including film production. Chambers launched KOHD in Bend in 2006 as an ABC-affiliated digital station and sister outlet to KEZI. KOHD was later sold to BendBroadband's Zolo Media division in 2013. In 2014, Chambers announced its departure from broadcasting and sold its stations to Heartland Media. Allen Media Group reached an agreement in October 2019 to acquire eleven Heartland stations, including KEZI. The FCC approved the deal in November, and the transaction closed on February 11, 2020. KEZI expanded its distribution and local programming through digital multicast services. It introduced KEZI 9+ Nonstop News on channel 9.2 in January 2011, including continuous local news and locally relevant high-school sports programming. The subchannel changed to Live Well Network Western Oregon in September 2013 and to MeTV Western Oregon in November 2014. KEZI has continued to use its digital capacity for local sports features such as Friday Night Blitz and Roundball Wrap. The station's news operation serves a large southwestern Oregon region, with reporting resources in Corvallis, Roseburg, and Coos Bay and content-sharing relationships with sister stations and other regional broadcasters. KEZI introduced high-definition local news on April 26, 2010, after a studio and technical upgrade. It also carried an Oregon Ducks football game in high definition in late 2005 through coordination with the Oregon Sports Network and ESPN Plus. KEZI ended its role as the Oregon Sports Network's flagship in 2008. The station ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, and moved its digital transmission to VHF channel 9. In 2025, Allen Media Group announced a proposed centralized weather operation affecting KEZI and KDRV, but reversed the plan within a week after negative reactions from viewers and advertisers. Later that year, KEZI's midday news was consolidated with KDRV under the Oregon News Now at Midday title. Allen Media Group also disclosed that it was evaluating strategic options for its television assets, including possible sales, while KEZI continued operating.
- 2020
Allen Media Group ownership begins
[1]Allen Media Group completed its acquisition of KEZI and ten other Heartland stations.
- 2014
Heartland Media ownership begins
[1]Heartland Media completed its purchase of KEZI and other Chambers Communications stations.
- 2011
KEZI 9+ launches
[1]The station introduced a 24-hour local-news digital service on channel 9.2.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]KEZI discontinued its analog VHF signal and shifted its digital transmission to VHF channel 9.
- 2005
High-definition Oregon Ducks broadcast
[1]KEZI coordinated a locally originated Oregon Ducks football broadcast in high definition with the Oregon Sports Network and ESPN Plus.
- 1998
KEZI moves to Chambers Media Center
[1]The station relocated from Coburg Road to Chambers Communications' newly completed production and media complex.
- 1983
Liberty television assets are acquired by Tele-Communications Inc.
[1]Tele-Communications Inc. purchased Liberty's cable and television assets.
- 1982
KEZI becomes a full-time ABC affiliate
[1]The launch of full-time NBC service by KMTR allowed KEZI to stop carrying selected CBS programming and focus exclusively on ABC as its network affiliation.
- 1960
FCC awards channel 9 to Liberty Television
[1]The FCC selected Liberty Television over competing applicant KEED and issued the construction permit later that year.
- 1960
KEZI begins broadcasting
[1]KEZI signed on December 19 as an ABC-affiliated commercial station in Eugene.
Products and positioning
A locally focused ABC television station combining regional news, weather, sports, community programming, and network entertainment for Eugene and southwestern Oregon viewers.
Local television news · 1960
KEZI 9 News
KEZI's core local-news operation covers Eugene and southwestern Oregon, including reporting on regional government, weather, transportation, public safety, education, health, business, and community events. The operation has used bureaus in Corvallis, Roseburg, and Coos Bay and exchanges material with related stations and regional news providers.
Digital multicast television · 2011
KEZI 9.2 / MeTV Western Oregon
KEZI's second digital channel has hosted several formats over time. It began as KEZI 9+ Nonstop News in 2011, carried Live Well Network Western Oregon from 2013 to 2014, and then adopted MeTV programming featuring television series from earlier decades. The channel has also carried locally produced high-school sports broadcasts.
High-school sports broadcast · 2011
Friday Night Blitz
Friday Night Blitz is a local sports feature and game-of-the-week format focused on high-school football in the station's viewing region. It was introduced on KEZI's digital service after the launch of KEZI 9+ and has remained part of the station's local sports offering.
High-school sports broadcast · 2012
Roundball Wrap
Roundball Wrap extends KEZI's local sports coverage to high-school basketball, including local live game telecasts and related coverage during the winter sports season.
Regional midday news · 2025
Oregon News Now at Midday
Introduced in 2025, Oregon News Now at Midday consolidated KEZI's midday newscast with programming from sister station KDRV, creating a shared regional news title and presentation.
Brand decisions
2025
Propose centralized weather productionStrategyBackground
Allen Media Group announced a plan to reduce local meteorologist positions and use a centralized weather operation produced by The Weather Channel.
Action taken
The plan was applied to stations including KEZI and KDRV, but management withdrew it within approximately one week.
Aftermath
The reversal followed reported negative reactions from viewers and advertisers.
2019
Sell KEZI to Allen Media GroupM&ABackground
Allen Media Group sought to expand its television station portfolio through the purchase of Heartland Media properties.
Action taken
Allen Media Group agreed to acquire KEZI and ten other Heartland stations for $290 million, subject to regulatory approval.
Aftermath
The FCC approved the deal in November 2019, and Allen Media Group completed the purchase on February 11, 2020.
Acquisition price for eleven Heartland Media stations. $290 million transaction value (Announced October 1, 2019; completed February 11, 2020)
2014
Transfer KEZI from Chambers Communications to Heartland MediaM&ABackground
Chambers Communications announced that it would exit the broadcasting industry.
Action taken
The company sold KEZI and its broadcast properties to Heartland Media; the transaction closed on July 15.
Aftermath
KEZI became part of Heartland's regional television group until its subsequent acquisition by Allen Media Group.
2011
Launch KEZI 9+ Nonstop NewsProduct launchBackground
Digital television capacity created an opportunity to add a continuously available local-news service and expand local sports distribution.
Action taken
KEZI introduced KEZI 9+ Nonstop News on digital channel 9.2, with local news, children's programming, and later high-school sports.
Aftermath
The service was replaced by Live Well Network Western Oregon in 2013, and the channel later became a MeTV outlet.
1960
Select ABC as the primary network affiliationStrategyBackground
At launch, Eugene already had an NBC-oriented station, while CBS and ABC were the principal alternatives for channel 9.
Action taken
Liberty Television affiliated the new station with ABC, establishing the network identity KEZI retains.
Aftermath
KEZI initially supplemented ABC with selected CBS programming but became a full-time ABC affiliate after KMTR began full-time NBC service in 1982.
Recent events
- 2025
Allen Media Group explores strategic options for its television business[1]
Other
Allen Media Group said it was considering strategic alternatives amid financial pressure and rising debt, including a possible sale of television stations such as KEZI.
- 2025
Allen Media Group reverses planned local meteorologist cuts[1]
Leadership change · Other
The company announced plans to eliminate local meteorologist and weather forecaster positions at stations including KEZI and KDRV in favor of a centralized weather service produced by The Weather Channel. Management reversed the decision within a week after viewer and advertiser opposition.
- 2019
Allen Media Group agrees to acquire KEZI and other Heartland stations[1]
M&A
Allen Media Group announced an agreement to purchase eleven Heartland Media television stations, including KEZI, for $290 million. The FCC approved the transaction in November, and the acquisition closed in February 2020.
- 2014
Chambers Communications sells its television stations to Heartland Media[1]
M&A
Chambers Communications announced that it would leave the broadcasting business. The transaction transferring KEZI and related stations to Heartland Media was completed on July 15, 2014.
- 2010
KEZI and Dish Network resolve carriage dispute[1]
Other
Chambers Communications and Dish Network failed to renew their carriage agreement, causing KEZI and related local stations to leave Dish's local lineup after December 15. Service was restored on December 30 after the parties reached an agreement.
- 2010
KEZI becomes first Eugene station with local high-definition news[1]
Product generation · Other
After newsroom and studio upgrades, KEZI began broadcasting locally produced news in high definition on April 26, becoming the first Eugene station to do so.
Sources2 sources
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