KPTV

KPTV is a commercial television station serving the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan market and nearby communities in southwest Washington. It broadcasts on virtual channel 12 and is affiliated with the Fox television network. KPTV is owned by Gray Media and operates alongside KPDX, a Vancouver, Washington–licensed independent station that carries MyNetworkTV programming. The stations share facilities on NW Greenbrier Parkway in Beaverton, while KPTV's transmitter is located in Portland's Sylvan-Highlands area. The station began broadcasting on September 18, 1952, as Oregon's first television station. It initially transmitted on UHF channel 27, making it one of the earliest commercial UHF stations in the United States. Because it was Portland's only television outlet at launch, KPTV carried programming from several networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and DuMont, as well as selected programs from the short-lived Paramount Television Network. Empire Coil was the original owner, and Storer Broadcasting acquired the station in 1954. KPTV also became Portland's first station to transmit color programming in 1954. KPTV moved to the stronger VHF channel 12 allocation in 1957 after the station was combined with KLOR-TV. It became an ABC affiliate in 1959, but lost that affiliation in 1964 when KATU entered the market. KPTV then developed into a prominent independent station, distributing its programming widely by cable across Oregon and parts of Washington and Idaho. Its identity during this period was built not only on syndicated entertainment and news but also on locally recognizable programming. Children's hosts Rusty Nails and Ramblin' Rod became especially important figures in Portland television history, while the station's presentation of Portland Wrestling created another durable local connection. The station briefly joined Fox at the network's 1986 launch, becoming one of its original affiliates. Dissatisfied with Fox's limited schedule and early ratings performance, KPTV dropped the affiliation in 1988 and returned to independent status. It later became a charter affiliate and owned-and-operated station of UPN when that network launched in 1995. After Fox Television Stations acquired Chris-Craft's UPN stations, KPTV was traded to Meredith, which already owned KPDX. Meredith moved Fox programming back to KPTV in September 2002, while KPDX became the market's UPN affiliate. KPTV adopted the branding Fox 12 Oregon and its news operation was consolidated with KPDX's. KPTV has maintained a strong local-news and weather presence while carrying Fox's national schedule, including prime-time entertainment, sports and selected news programming. The station has also been associated with long-running syndicated programming. Its weekday noon broadcast of Perry Mason, which began in 1970, became a distinctive local viewing tradition before ending on KPTV in 2012 and disappearing from KPDX's schedule in 2014. In 2021, Gray Television announced its acquisition of Meredith's local-media business. The transaction closed on December 1, 2021, placing KPTV and KPDX within Gray's station portfolio and giving Gray its first stations in the contiguous western United States.

KPTV began service on September 18, 1952, under the ownership of Empire Coil. Its original channel 27 assignment was notable because it made KPTV both Oregon's first television station and one of the earliest commercial UHF broadcasters in the United States. As Portland's only station at launch, it carried a mixture of programming from ABC, CBS, NBC and DuMont, along with selected shows from Paramount's short-lived television network. Storer Broadcasting purchased KPTV in 1954. The station transmitted its first color programming that same year, before any other Portland television station. The VHF channel 12 facility KLOR-TV entered the market in 1955. After its network relationships weakened, George Haggerty acquired both KLOR and KPTV in 1957. The operations were combined under KPTV's license, with the stronger channel 12 signal becoming the station's primary home. KPTV exchanged its NBC affiliation with KGW for ABC in 1959. Later that year, it was sold to NAFI Corporation, which subsequently became Chris-Craft Industries. Color broadcasting was interrupted during the affiliation change but returned in 1962 as ABC expanded its color schedule. KPTV became an independent station in 1964 after losing ABC to KATU. A contract dispute involving ABC and KATU resulted in a settlement that helped KPTV invest in color production facilities and a color mobile unit. During the following years, the station established itself as a major regional independent. Its signal and programming were distributed by cable throughout Oregon and into portions of Washington and Idaho. Local personalities were central to its identity. Rusty Nails and Ramblin' Rod hosted popular children's programs, with Ramblin' Rod's show continuing from 1964 to 1997. KPTV also carried Portland Wrestling for extended periods, including a run that began in 1967, and broadcast Portland Trail Blazers games from 1970 through the 1977–78 season. KPTV joined the newly created Fox network on October 9, 1986. Fox initially offered only a limited amount of programming, and KPTV left the network on August 29, 1988, returning to independent operation. In the early 1990s it carried programming from Prime Time Entertainment Network. When UPN launched in January 1995, KPTV became a UPN owned-and-operated station through Chris-Craft's ownership interest in the network. Viacom's acquisition of Chris-Craft's interest ended that ownership relationship in 2000, although KPTV remained affiliated with UPN until 2002. Chris-Craft sold its UPN stations to News Corporation's Fox Television Stations subsidiary in a transaction announced in 2000 and completed in 2001. Fox then traded KPTV to Meredith in 2002 for stations in Florida. Because Meredith already owned KPDX, the transaction created Portland's first television duopoly. Meredith shifted Fox programming to KPTV on September 2, 2002, and moved UPN programming to KPDX. KPTV adopted the Fox 12 Oregon identity, and the stations consolidated their news operations at KPDX's newer Beaverton facility. KPTV continued to combine Fox programming with locally produced news, weather and sports coverage. It revived Portland Wrestling as Portland Wrestling Uncut in 2012, first airing the program on KPTV before moving it to KPDX; the revival ended in 2014. Another important part of the station's history was its weekday noon presentation of Perry Mason. The program occupied that slot for most of the period from 1970 to 2012 and became a distinctive Portland television habit. KPTV moved the program to KPDX in September 2012, and it left the duopoly's schedule in 2014. Gray Television announced its proposed purchase of Meredith Local Media on May 3, 2021, for a reported transaction value of $2.7 billion. The sale closed on December 1, 2021. KPTV and KPDX consequently became Gray's first stations in the contiguous western United States. KPTV remains an active Fox affiliate serving Portland and southwest Washington.

• 2021

  Joins Gray Media

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  Gray Television completes its acquisition of Meredith Local Media, acquiring KPTV and KPDX.

• 2002

  Fox returns to channel 12

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  Meredith moves Fox programming from KPDX to KPTV and establishes the Fox 12 Oregon branding.

• 1995

  UPN launch affiliation

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  KPTV joins UPN at the network's launch and initially operates as an owned-and-operated station.

• 1986

  First Fox affiliation

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  KPTV becomes one of Fox's original charter affiliates.

• 1964

  KPTV becomes independent

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  After losing ABC to KATU, KPTV develops into a prominent independent station.

• 1957

  Operations consolidated on channel 12

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  KPTV and KLOR-TV are combined under KPTV's license using the stronger VHF channel 12 signal.

• 1954

  First Portland color broadcast

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  KPTV becomes the first television station in Portland to broadcast in color.

• 1952

  Launch on channel 27

  [1]KPTVen.wikipedia.org

  KPTV begins broadcasting as Oregon's first television station and an early commercial UHF broadcaster.

A locally focused Portland television station combining Fox network programming with regional news, weather, sports and community coverage.

• Broadcast journalism

  Local news

  KPTV produces local newscasts covering Portland, the surrounding Oregon communities and southwest Washington. Its news operation includes general assignment reporting, investigative coverage, traffic, weather and local public-affairs content. The station also produces a weekday noon newscast that followed the end of the long-running Perry Mason noon slot.

• Broadcast journalism

  Weather coverage

  Weather forecasting and severe-weather reporting are central parts of KPTV's local-service role, particularly during winter storms, flooding, wildfire smoke events and other conditions affecting the Pacific Northwest.

• Network television · 2002

  Fox network programming

  KPTV carries most of Fox's entertainment, sports and news schedule, including prime-time programming, Fox Sports coverage, Fox News Sunday and Fox's National Football Conference package. The station has historically placed some network educational programming on sister station KPDX instead.

• Local sports entertainment · 1967

  Portland Wrestling

  KPTV aired Portland Wrestling for many years, beginning with a renewed run in 1967 and continuing through 1991. A later revival, Portland Wrestling Uncut, returned in 2012 before moving to KPDX and ending in 2014.

• Syndicated programming · 1970

  Perry Mason at noon

  Syndicated Perry Mason reruns occupied KPTV's weekday noon schedule for most of the period from 1970 through 2012. The unusually durable placement became a defining local programming tradition before the series moved to KPDX and later left the station group.

• 2021

  Transfer to Gray TelevisionM&A

  Background

  Gray Television agreed to acquire Meredith's local-media division.

  Action taken

  The transaction closed on December 1, 2021, transferring KPTV and KPDX to Gray Television.

  Aftermath

  KPTV became part of Gray's national local-station portfolio and Gray's first station presence on the contiguous West Coast.

  Announced transaction value. (2021)

  Source

• 2012

  Move Perry Mason from the noon slotOther

  Background

  Changing daytime viewing habits and declining ratings reduced the case for retaining the program in its long-standing position.

  Action taken

  KPTV moved Perry Mason to KPDX in September 2012 and replaced it with syndicated programming before expanding local noon news.

  Aftermath

  The move ended a distinctive 48-year Portland television tradition on KPTV; the program left KPDX's schedule in 2014.

  Source

• 2002

  Swap Fox and UPN affiliations with KPDXStrategy

  Background

  Meredith acquired KPTV while already owning KPDX, creating a Portland television duopoly.

  Action taken

  Meredith moved Fox programming to the higher-rated KPTV and placed UPN programming on KPDX.

  Aftermath

  KPTV resumed its role as a Fox affiliate, adopted Fox 12 Oregon branding and consolidated news operations with KPDX.

  Source

• 1995

  Join UPN at network launchStrategy

  Background

  Chris-Craft and Paramount/Viacom created UPN as a new national television network.

  Action taken

  KPTV became a charter UPN affiliate and an owned-and-operated station through Chris-Craft's interest in the network.

  Aftermath

  KPTV retained the affiliation after losing its formal owned-and-operated status, then left UPN in 2002.

  Source

• 1988

  End of the initial Fox affiliationStrategy

  Background

  Fox's early schedule was limited and its first two seasons produced weaker results than KPTV expected.

  Action taken

  KPTV ended its Fox affiliation on August 29, 1988, and returned to independent programming.

  Aftermath

  Fox programming moved to KPDX until Fox returned to KPTV in 2002.

  Source

1. 1KPTVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KPTV official websitekptv.com