KOFY-TV
A San Francisco-licensed television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area, currently affiliated with Estrella TV.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KOFY-TV is a San Francisco, California television station serving viewers across the San Francisco Bay Area on virtual channel 20. The station has operated under several call signs and ownership structures since its eventual launch in 1968. It was initially associated with the KEMO-TV call sign, later became KTZO, then adopted KOFY-TV in 1986. Its history reflects the changing economics of American local broadcasting: it began as a general-entertainment independent, experimented with ethnic, religious, financial and specialty programming, joined The WB in 1995, returned to independent operation after the creation of The CW, and subsequently took on additional network and multicast affiliations. The channel 20 construction permit was first awarded in 1953, but the station was not built for many years. After several ownership transfers and call-sign changes, the facility signed on as KEMO-TV on April 1, 1968. Early programming combined syndicated entertainment with locally produced shows, Japanese programs dubbed into English and specialty offerings such as films and foreign-language programming. Financial difficulties led to a shutdown in 1971, after which Leon Crosby returned the station to the air in 1972. During Crosby’s ownership, the schedule included stock-market programs, religious shows, Spanish-language productions, Italian and Japanese programming, movies and other low-cost independent fare. The station again went dark in 1980. James Gabbert, a Bay Area radio broadcaster, revived channel 20 as KTZO in October 1980. He developed a more conventional independent schedule consisting of syndicated dramas and sitcoms, movies, music programs, religious shows and programming not carried by the market’s major network affiliates. After Gabbert acquired a radio station using the KOFY call sign, the television station became KOFY-TV in March 1986. The KOFY identity became closely associated with local-programming experiments, including pet-themed station identifications, cartoon presentations, music and dance programs, holiday broadcasts modeled on the Yule Log format, and occasional unusual programming such as a televised 3D film presentation. KOFY joined The WB when the network launched in January 1995. The affiliation encouraged the station to improve its syndicated-programming inventory and gave it a more defined network role. In 1998, Gabbert sold the station to Granite Broadcasting for a reported $170 million, and the call sign changed to KBWB in September of that year. Its operations were later coordinated with sister station KNTV, including news simulcasts and a 10 p.m. newscast. Proposed sales of KBWB in 2005 and 2006 were not completed, while Granite entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in late 2006. The station lost its WB affiliation when The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW in 2006. The CW selected the stronger UPN station in the market, KBHK-TV, which became KBCW, while KBWB became independent again in September 2006. It adopted the TV20 and Your TV20 identities and later resumed the KOFY-TV call sign in October 2008. The station continued to carry locally recognizable material, including revived dance-party programming and earlier station-branding elements, while also serving as an alternate outlet for ABC programming when KGO-TV preempted scheduled network content. KOFY-TV is now owned by CNZ Communications, LLC, alongside Class A station KCNZ-CD and low-power station KMPX-LD. The stations share transmitter facilities on San Bruno Mountain. KOFY’s former studios on Marin Street in the Bayview–Hunters Point area were vacated in 2018; the station has since maintained space at KGO-TV’s North Waterfront facilities. Its present role is that of a Bay Area broadcast outlet affiliated with Estrella TV, with its identity shaped by local service, syndicated and network programming, and a long history of independent television operation.
History
The channel 20 license originated with a construction permit awarded to Lawrence A. Harvey in 1953 for KBAY-TV. The permit changed hands several times and was associated with the KEZE-TV call sign from 1961 to 1963, but the station was not constructed. In the mid-1960s, the permit became connected with Overmyer Communications and was renamed KEMO-TV, a name derived from Daniel H. Overmyer’s son. Most of the ownership interest was subsequently transferred to U.S. Communications Corporation. KEMO-TV finally began broadcasting on April 1, 1968. Its schedule was that of a broad-format independent station, combining syndicated shows, movies, locally produced programs, Japanese live-action series and cartoons dubbed into English. Financial pressure forced the station to cease broadcasting at midnight on March 31, 1971. Leon Crosby, previously associated with KMPX-FM, acquired the dormant operation and relaunched it in February 1972. Under Crosby, KEMO served a diverse audience through stock-market programming, religious content, Spanish-language programs, Italian and Japanese shows, and low-budget films. It shut down again in September 1980. James Gabbert revived the station as KTZO in October 1980. His version of channel 20 emphasized general entertainment, syndicated dramas and sitcoms, old movies, music videos, religious programs and shows preempted by larger network affiliates. The station developed a distinctive local personality through viewer-submitted pet station identifications, the TV-20 Dance Party, cartoon blocks, movie presentations and holiday programming. In 1986, after Gabbert’s acquisition of radio station KOFY, the television station changed its call sign to KOFY-TV. KOFY expanded its syndicated inventory during the early 1990s and joined The WB at the network’s January 1995 launch. A later labor dispute arose in 1996 when employees attempted to organize with the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians; the National Labor Relations Board ultimately ruled against the station. In 1998, Granite Broadcasting acquired KOFY for a reported $170 million and renamed it KBWB. Its operations were coordinated with KNTV, including news programming and temporary affiliation arrangements. The station’s planned sales in 2005 and 2006 were abandoned. Granite subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in December 2006. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, the Bay Area affiliation went to the stronger UPN outlet, leaving KBWB independent in September 2006. The station used TV20 and Your TV20 branding, restored selected elements of its earlier identity and resumed the KOFY-TV call sign in 2008. It also carried ABC programming when KGO-TV preempted scheduled network material. KOFY-TV later became part of CNZ Communications, LLC. It operates alongside KCNZ-CD and KMPX-LD, sharing transmission facilities on San Bruno Mountain. The station’s former Marin Street studios in Bayview–Hunters Point were replaced by space at KGO-TV’s North Waterfront facilities after 2018. KOFY-TV currently serves the Bay Area as an Estrella TV affiliate.
- 2008
KOFY-TV call sign restored
[1]The station returned to the KOFY-TV identity on October 8.
- 2006
Return to independence
[1]KBWB lost The WB affiliation and resumed independent operation after the market’s CW affiliation went elsewhere.
- 1998
Granite acquisition and KBWB rebrand
[1]Granite Broadcasting acquired the station and changed its call sign to KBWB.
- 1995
WB affiliation begins
[1]KOFY became the Bay Area affiliate of The WB at the network’s launch.
- 1986
KOFY-TV name adopted
[1]The station changed its call letters from KTZO to KOFY-TV on March 1.
- 1980
KTZO relaunch
[1]James Gabbert relaunched channel 20 as KTZO on October 6.
- 1972
KEMO-TV relaunched
[1]Leon Crosby returned the station to service with a mixed local, foreign-language and specialty schedule.
- 1971
First shutdown
[1]KEMO-TV left the air after three years of operation.
- 1968
KEMO-TV launches
[1]The station began broadcasting on April 1 as KEMO-TV.
- 1953
Channel 20 construction permit awarded
[1]Lawrence A. Harvey received the initial permit for a proposed station called KBAY-TV, although the station was not built at that time.
Products and positioning
Local broadcast television station with a long-running independent identity and current Spanish-language network affiliation.
Broadcast service · 1968
Local broadcast television
KOFY-TV provides over-the-air television service to the San Francisco Bay Area through its channel 20 identity. Across its history, the station has carried local productions, syndicated entertainment, network programming, specialty shows and alternate network content.
Network-affiliate programming
Estrella TV affiliation
The station’s current programming role includes carriage of Estrella TV content, giving the Bay Area a Spanish-language network outlet through KOFY-TV’s broadcast facilities.
Television programming · 1968
Independent entertainment programming
During its independent eras, the station scheduled movies, syndicated dramas and sitcoms, cartoons, religious programs, music formats, foreign-language content and locally produced entertainment. Its best-known local concepts included pet-themed station identifications, dance-party programs and holiday movie or Yule Log presentations.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Dance Party revival
San Francisco Bay Area
Following the popularity of reruns, the station brought back an 1980s-themed Dance Party program.
Outcome. The program extended one of the station’s most recognizable locally oriented entertainment formats.
- 2008Pet ID revival
San Francisco Bay Area
KOFY revived its earlier dog-centered station-identification style after returning to the KOFY-TV identity.
Outcome. The revival reinforced continuity with the station’s Gabbert-era local branding.
- 1980Viewer pet station identifications
San Francisco Bay Area
KTZO and later KOFY used station identifications featuring pets submitted by Bay Area viewers. The concept became a recognizable part of the station’s local personality and was later connected with animal-adoption promotion.
Outcome. The identifications remained associated with the station for many years and were retired in 1998, with elements later revived.
Brand decisions
2008
Restore KOFY-TV call lettersOtherBackground
The KBWB identity no longer reflected an active WB affiliation after the station’s return to independent operation.
Action taken
The station changed its call sign back to KOFY-TV and commemorated the change with a documentary about its history.
Aftermath
KOFY-TV again became the station’s principal public identity.
2006
Return to independent broadcastingStrategyBackground
The WB and UPN announced a merger of programming into The CW, which selected the market’s stronger UPN outlet rather than KBWB.
Action taken
KBWB adopted TV20 and Your TV20 branding and resumed independent programming in September 2006.
Aftermath
The station later restored the KOFY-TV call sign and continued as an alternate outlet for selected ABC programming.
1995
Join The WBStrategyBackground
The launch of The WB created a new network affiliation opportunity for independent stations.
Action taken
KOFY-TV became the network’s Bay Area affiliate and upgraded portions of its syndicated programming inventory.
Aftermath
The affiliation lasted until 2006, when The WB was replaced by The CW and the market affiliation went to another station.
Sources1 sources
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