KQCA
KQCA is a Hearst-owned television station licensed to Stockton, California, serving the Sacramento market as an affiliate of The CW and MyNetworkTV.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KQCA is a commercial television station licensed to Stockton, California, and serving the broader Sacramento, California, designated market area. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 58 and is owned by Hearst Television alongside NBC affiliate KCRA-TV. KQCA and KCRA operate from shared studios on Television Circle near D Street in downtown Sacramento, while KQCA's transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California. The station began broadcasting on April 13, 1986, under the call sign KSCH-TV. It was established by William H. Schuyler and SFN Communications as the Sacramento market's third independent station. Its early schedule relied heavily on classic films, syndicated television series, selected sports, cartoons, and limited locally produced programming. Local content included agricultural programming originating in Stockton and the return of children's television personality Mitch Agruss, known on air as Cap'n Mitch. Ownership and programming changed substantially during the station's first decade. Financial problems affecting its ownership led to a 1990 acquisition by GE Capital and subsequent efforts to sell the station. At the same time, KSCH developed a relationship with KCRA-TV. In September 1993, it began carrying a KCRA-produced 10 p.m. newscast, creating a programming and news partnership that later became central to the station's identity. In 1994, Kelly Broadcasting, then KCRA's owner, obtained operational control through a local marketing agreement after the station was sold to Channel 58, Inc. Because of regulatory limits on common ownership at the time, Kelly leased the station's airtime rather than immediately owning the license outright. The station adopted the call sign KQCA on February 1, 1995, when it became an affiliate of the newly launched United Paramount Network, or UPN. It carried extensive coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1995 and expanded KCRA-produced morning programming. In January 1998, following an affiliation change involving the market's other major independent outlet, KQCA became Sacramento's affiliate of The WB. Hearst-Argyle Television acquired KCRA-TV and its relationship with KQCA in a transaction announced in 1998 and completed in January 1999. Hearst subsequently acquired KQCA outright when federal rules permitted television duopolies in the market. The station continued to combine national network or syndicated programming with locally produced news from KCRA. Its schedule evolved in response to audience performance, including the replacement of an underperforming morning simulcast with a new local morning-news extension and the expansion of its 10 p.m. newscast. When The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW and MyNetworkTV in 2006, KQCA joined MyNetworkTV, while competing KMAX-TV became Sacramento's initial CW affiliate. KQCA continued to air MyNetworkTV programming for many years, generally in a late-evening or overnight window after the 2023 affiliation transition. Hearst and The CW reached a new agreement in 2023, and KQCA became Sacramento's CW affiliate after KMAX-TV lost the affiliation. The station therefore combines CW programming with a limited MyNetworkTV schedule and KCRA-produced local news. KQCA's current local-news offering includes weekday morning programming, an evening 10 p.m. newscast, and simulcasts of selected KCRA newscasts. The station has also carried sports programming, including Los Angeles Chargers preseason coverage and UC Davis Aggies football. Its digital broadcasting history includes a 2003 launch of its own digital signal, the 2009 shutdown of analog broadcasting, a 2020 post-spectrum-auction channel move, and designation as Sacramento's ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV lighthouse station in 2021.
History
KQCA began as KSCH-TV, a proposed channel 58 station whose construction permit was granted by the Federal Communications Commission in 1981. William H. Schuyler, whose previous broadcasting work included the creation of KMST in Monterey and involvement in the early development of KTVU in Oakland, initially proposed a hybrid conventional and subscription television service. To support financing, Schuyler sold a 49 percent interest to SFN Communications, an educational publishing company that had expanded into broadcasting. KSCH-TV launched on April 13, 1986. It operated from facilities in Rancho Cordova and Stockton and used a transmitter site associated with the KXTV and KOVR tower in Walnut Grove. The station competed as an independent outlet against KTXL and KRBK-TV. Its schedule emphasized classic movies and older television series, supplemented by sports, cartoons, short local news updates, and community-oriented programs. Stockton-originated agricultural programming appeared under names including Agribusiness Report and Valley Farm News. In 1987, the station brought children's host Mitch Agruss, known as Cap'n Mitch, back to Sacramento-area television. The station's ownership became unstable. Schuyler sold his controlling interest to SFN shortly after launch, and SFN later transferred most of its broadcasting holdings through a management buyout that created Pegasus Broadcasting. GE Capital acquired KSCH-TV and two other Pegasus stations in 1990, a transaction associated with financial pressures within Pegasus. GE Capital explored a sale of KSCH-TV in 1993. During this period, the station strengthened ties with KCRA-TV, which sought an outlet for a 10 p.m. local newscast after NBC required KCRA to restore a conventional prime-time schedule. KSCH began airing the KCRA-produced Prime Time News on September 12, 1993. Kelly Broadcasting, owner of KCRA, wanted to acquire KSCH but was restricted by the ownership rules then in effect. In April 1994, Pegasus sold the station for $8 million to Channel 58, Inc., owned by Sacramento-area residents Wing Fat and Barbara Scurfield. Kelly obtained the station's programming inventory and leased its airtime through a local marketing agreement. The arrangement was approved in December 1994. KSCH joined UPN and adopted the KQCA call sign on February 1, 1995. KCRA expanded its morning programming on KQCA, and the station attracted unusually high daytime ratings when it carried O.J. Simpson trial coverage. KQCA changed affiliations again on January 5, 1998, becoming the Sacramento market's WB station while UPN programming moved to channel 31. Hearst-Argyle Television acquired KCRA and Kelly's KQCA operating arrangement in a transaction announced in 1998 and completed in January 1999. Hearst then purchased KQCA outright after FCC rules allowed television duopolies. The station remained closely integrated with KCRA's newsroom and production resources. Programming adjustments followed. In 2002, KQCA replaced its morning news with a simulcast of the Armstrong & Getty radio program, but that arrangement ended in 2007 when a two-hour local morning newscast returned. The 10 p.m. newscast was expanded to one hour in 2005, reduced or adjusted at times, and restored to a full hour in 2014. A Spanish-language Estrella TV service was added as a KQCA digital subchannel in 2015. The creation of The CW in 2006 displaced both the WB and UPN brands. KQCA joined MyNetworkTV, while KMAX-TV became the initial Sacramento CW affiliate. KQCA continued carrying local news produced by KCRA, including morning and late-evening broadcasts. It also added sports programming, including Los Angeles Chargers preseason games in 2021 and UC Davis football games beginning in 2023. The CW's ownership and affiliation structure changed after Nexstar Media Group acquired majority control of the network in 2022. CBS exercised rights to remove the affiliation from KMAX-TV, and Hearst subsequently reached an agreement to place The CW on KQCA. KQCA became the market's CW affiliate in 2023, while MyNetworkTV programming remained in an overnight schedule. Technically, KQCA launched an independent digital signal in 2003, ended analog transmission in 2009, moved its digital allocation from channel 46 to channel 23 in 2020 following the federal spectrum auction, and became Sacramento's ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station in 2021.
- 2023
KQCA became the Sacramento CW affiliate
[1]Hearst and The CW agreed to move the Sacramento affiliation to KQCA after KMAX-TV's disaffiliation.
- 2021
ATSC 3.0 lighthouse designation
[1]KQCA became Sacramento's NextGen TV lighthouse station.
- 2020
Digital transmitter channel changed
[1]KQCA moved its digital signal from channel 46 to channel 23 as a result of the federal wireless spectrum auction.
- 2015
Estrella TV subchannel launched
[1]A local Spanish-language Estrella TV service began operating as a KQCA digital subchannel.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ended
[1]The station ended regular analog programming as part of the United States digital television transition.
- 2006
KQCA joined MyNetworkTV
[1]Following the creation of The CW, KQCA affiliated with MyNetworkTV while KMAX-TV received the Sacramento CW affiliation.
- 2003
Independent digital signal launched
[1]KQCA began broadcasting its own digital signal after initially being carried as a KCRA digital subchannel.
- 1999
Hearst acquired KQCA
[1]After acquiring KCRA and its operating relationship with KQCA, Hearst completed an outright purchase of the station.
- 1998
Station became a WB affiliate
[1]KQCA switched from UPN to The WB on January 5.
- 1995
KQCA call sign and UPN affiliation adopted
[1]The station changed its call sign from KSCH-TV to KQCA and joined UPN on February 1.
Products and positioning
Local broadcast television station combining national network entertainment with KCRA-produced news and selected sports coverage for the Sacramento market.
Broadcast news · 1993
Local news
KQCA carries local news produced by KCRA-TV, including weekday morning extensions, selected KCRA simulcasts, and a one-hour 10 p.m. newscast. The service gives the station locally relevant reporting while relying on the newsroom and production infrastructure of its Hearst-owned sister station.
Network television · 2023
The CW programming
KQCA carries The CW's entertainment, scripted, unscripted, and other network programming for viewers in the Sacramento market. The affiliation began in 2023 after the network moved from KMAX-TV.
Network television · 2006
MyNetworkTV programming
KQCA retains MyNetworkTV programming in a late-night or overnight window following its transition to The CW. The service is part of the station's continuing multi-network schedule.
Sports television · 2021
Sports broadcasts
KQCA has carried selected sports programming, including Los Angeles Chargers preseason television coverage and UC Davis Aggies college football. The UC Davis arrangement included five games in 2023 and continued in 2024.
Digital television · 2021
ATSC 3.0 service
KQCA serves as the Sacramento market's ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station, supporting NextGen TV transmission alongside its conventional digital television service.
Brand decisions
2023
Return to The CWStrategyBackground
Following changes in The CW's ownership and CBS's decision to withdraw the affiliation from KMAX-TV, Hearst and The CW negotiated a new Sacramento-market arrangement.
Action taken
KQCA became the local CW affiliate while retaining MyNetworkTV programming overnight.
Aftermath
The station now combines CW network content, limited MyNetworkTV programming, and KCRA-produced local news.
2023
UC Davis football broadcast agreementOtherBackground
KQCA expanded its sports portfolio through a partnership with the University of California, Davis.
Action taken
The station agreed to air five Aggies football games, with two including pregame coverage.
Aftermath
The partnership continued into 2024.
2006
Move to MyNetworkTVStrategyBackground
The WB and UPN were replaced by The CW, and KMAX-TV received the Sacramento CW affiliation.
Action taken
KQCA affiliated with MyNetworkTV and carried its programming in an early-prime-time schedule before later moving it to a late-night window.
1995
Adoption of the KQCA identity and UPN affiliationOtherBackground
The station's local marketing relationship with Kelly Broadcasting and KCRA created an opportunity to reposition channel 58 within the emerging UPN network structure.
Action taken
KSCH-TV changed its call sign to KQCA and became a UPN affiliate on February 1, 1995.
Aftermath
The station later changed affiliations again, becoming a WB affiliate in 1998 and eventually a MyNetworkTV and CW outlet.
Recent events
- 2023
KQCA became Sacramento's CW affiliate[1]
Other · Leadership change
After KMAX-TV lost its CW affiliation, KQCA reached an agreement with The CW and began serving as the network's Sacramento-area affiliate. MyNetworkTV programming continued in a late-night window.
- 2023
KQCA announced UC Davis football broadcast agreement[1]
Other
KQCA announced an agreement to televise five UC Davis Aggies college football games, including two broadcasts with pregame programming. The arrangement continued in 2024.
- 2022
KQCA expanded its morning newscast[1]
Product generation
The station added a third hour of its KCRA-produced weekday morning news programming at 9 a.m.
- 2021
KQCA became a Sacramento ATSC 3.0 lighthouse station[1]
Product launch
The station began serving as the Sacramento market's ATSC 3.0, or NextGen TV, lighthouse station.
Sources1 sources
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