KRON-TV
A San Francisco television station serving the Bay Area as a CW network affiliate under the KRON 4 brand.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KRON-TV, branded as KRON 4, is a television station licensed to San Francisco, California, and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is affiliated with The CW and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station operates from the ABC Broadcast Center on Front Street in San Francisco's Northeast Waterfront district, in the same building as KGO-TV, although the two stations are separately operated. Its transmitter is located at Sutro Tower, one of the Bay Area's principal broadcast sites. The station began broadcasting on November 15, 1949, as the third television outlet in the Bay Area and as a full-time NBC affiliate. It was established by the Chronicle Publishing Company, publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle and a company associated with the de Young family. In its early years, KRON benefited from close editorial and operational ties to the newspaper. Its original studios were in the basement of the Chronicle Building at Fifth and Mission Streets. The station later moved with KRON-FM-TV to a facility at 1001 Van Ness Avenue, and its television transmission facilities were transferred to Sutro Tower in 1973. KRON's long NBC relationship was central to its identity and business model for more than five decades. The station carried NBC network programming while developing local news and public-affairs output supported in part by the Chronicle's reporting resources. A distinctive station logo based on the Golden Gate Bridge was introduced during the 1970s and evolved into the circular “4” design associated with KRON 4. The station became particularly important to the Chronicle Publishing Company because its television operation was profitable during periods when the newspaper business was under financial pressure. The ownership transition at the end of the 1990s changed KRON's relationship with NBC. Chronicle Publishing announced the liquidation of its assets in 1999, and Young Broadcasting acquired KRON after outbidding NBC. The transaction became one of the most expensive single-station television acquisitions in the United States. NBC sought unusually strict operating conditions for continued affiliation, including network-style branding, tighter limits on preemptions, and annual payments from the station to the network. Young Broadcasting declined those terms, and KRON's NBC affiliation ended at the close of 2001. NBC programming moved to KNTV in San Jose, while KRON operated as an independent station beginning January 1, 2002. As an independent, KRON replaced NBC programming with syndicated content and additional local news. Its audience declined after losing major NBC series, and the station reduced the size of some news field crews in the mid-2000s. In 2006, KRON joined MyNetworkTV, using the “MyKRON 4” identity for network programming while retaining KRON 4 as its broader station brand. The station subsequently scheduled MyNetworkTV outside the service's usual time period and, after joining The CW, moved the programming to overnight hours. MyNetworkTV programming left KRON in September 2024. Young Broadcasting's debt problems were closely connected to the cost of acquiring KRON. The company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009. Media General acquired Young Broadcasting in 2013, and Nexstar acquired Media General in 2017. Under Nexstar, KRON became a CW affiliate on September 1, 2023, following changes in the Bay Area network-affiliation landscape. Today the station's principal offerings are local news, weather, traffic, syndicated programming, CW network content, digital video, and its KRON4.com news service. Its positioning combines a major-market local-news operation with a national network affiliation and a long-established San Francisco broadcast identity.
History
KRON-TV was authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in 1948 after the Chronicle Publishing Company received a construction permit for a San Francisco television station. Chronicle Publishing, publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle, was associated with the de Young family and already operated KRON-FM. KRON-TV signed on November 15, 1949, as an NBC affiliate. It was the third television station to begin service in the Bay Area and one of the last stations licensed before the FCC's early-1950s freeze on new television construction. The station initially operated from the basement of the Chronicle Building at Fifth and Mission Streets. Its connection with the newspaper gave KRON access to additional reporting resources and helped establish local news as a core part of its identity. In 1967, KRON-FM-TV moved to a new facility at 1001 Van Ness Avenue. The television transmitter moved to Sutro Tower in 1973, while the FM transmission operation remained at San Bruno Mountain. During the 1970s, KRON developed a Golden Gate Bridge-inspired “4” logo that later evolved into its circular 4 mark. KRON remained an NBC affiliate for 52 years. NBC considered acquiring a Bay Area station on several occasions, but those efforts did not displace KRON. In the 1960s, the station's profits helped support Chronicle Publishing while the San Francisco Chronicle was experiencing losses. The de Young family later explored a possible KRON trade with Gannett, but that proposal was abandoned. Chronicle Publishing announced the liquidation of its assets in 1999. Young Broadcasting won the competition for KRON after NBC was outbid. The purchase price grew from approximately $750 million to approximately $820 million by closing, creating substantial financial pressure for Young. NBC sought to impose conditions associated with an owned-and-operated station, including “NBC 4” branding, near-total carriage of the network schedule, and annual payments from Young to NBC. Young rejected the conditions and did not renew the affiliation. NBC instead shifted its Bay Area programming to KNTV, ending KRON's NBC era on December 31, 2001. Beginning January 1, 2002, KRON operated independently. It used syndicated programming to fill former NBC slots and expanded its local news schedule, but lost audience after giving up popular NBC programs. In 2005, it reduced the size of some news-gathering crews, a decision criticized by local media observers. The station joined MyNetworkTV in September 2006 and used the MyKRON 4 identity for network content. Over time, the service was placed in increasingly late overnight time periods, particularly after KRON acquired a CW affiliation. Young Broadcasting's debt difficulties led to a proposed sale in 2008 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009. A planned station auction was canceled, and lenders obtained control through a restructuring arrangement. Media General announced its acquisition of Young in 2013 and completed the transaction that November. Media General later announced plans to move KRON into leased space at the ABC Broadcast Center on Front Street, while Nexstar's acquisition of Media General in 2017 placed the station under its current ownership. KRON became a CW affiliate on September 1, 2023. MyNetworkTV programming continued for a transitional period in overnight hours before moving to KICU-TV in September 2024. The station now presents itself primarily as KRON 4 and distributes local news and information through broadcast television and digital platforms, serving San Francisco and the wider Bay Area.
- 2024
MyNetworkTV programming leaves KRON
[1]MyNetworkTV programming moves from KRON to KICU-TV in September.
- 2023
CW affiliation begins
[1]KRON becomes the Bay Area CW affiliate on September 1.
- 2017
Nexstar becomes parent company
[1]Nexstar's acquisition of Media General places KRON under Nexstar ownership.
- 2013
Media General acquires Young Broadcasting
[1]The merger brings KRON into Media General's portfolio.
- 2009
Young Broadcasting enters bankruptcy
[1]Young Broadcasting files for Chapter 11 protection amid debt problems.
- 2006
MyNetworkTV affiliation begins
[1]KRON joins MyNetworkTV at the service's launch.
- 2002
Independent-station period begins
[1]KRON's first full day as an independent station is January 1.
- 2001
NBC affiliation ends
[1]KRON broadcasts its final NBC program on December 31, ending a 52-year affiliation.
- 1999
Young Broadcasting acquires KRON-TV
[1]Young Broadcasting wins the sale of KRON after Chronicle Publishing liquidates its assets.
- 1973
Television transmitter moves to Sutro Tower
[1]KRON transfers its television transmission facilities to Sutro Tower.
Products and positioning
A locally focused San Francisco Bay Area television station combining regional news, weather, traffic, digital journalism, syndicated entertainment, and CW network programming.
Local television news · 1949
KRON 4 News
KRON's local news operation provides television and digital coverage of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, including breaking news, weather, traffic, public affairs, and regional reporting. The news service is the station's principal locally produced offering and extends across scheduled newscasts and digital updates.
Network television service · 2023
CW network programming
Since September 2023, KRON has carried The CW's national programming schedule for the San Francisco Bay Area. This affiliation adds scripted entertainment, unscripted programs, sports, and other network content to the station's local-news and syndicated-programming lineup.
Digital news platform
KRON4.com
KRON4.com is the station's digital news service, distributing local reporting, breaking-news updates, weather information, video, and other Bay Area content beyond the linear broadcast schedule.
Brand decisions
2023
Join The CWStrategyBackground
Changes in the Bay Area television affiliation market created an opening for KRON to carry The CW.
Action taken
KRON began broadcasting CW programming on September 1, 2023.
Aftermath
The station continued to use KRON 4 as its primary brand and shifted MyNetworkTV programming to increasingly late overnight hours before ending that carriage in 2024.
2006
Join MyNetworkTVStrategyBackground
The launch of MyNetworkTV followed the announced shutdown of UPN and The WB and created an affiliation opportunity for KRON.
Action taken
KRON affiliated with MyNetworkTV and branded the service as MyKRON 4 during network programming.
Aftermath
The affiliation continued until MyNetworkTV programming moved to KICU-TV in September 2024.
1999
Decline NBC affiliation conditionsOtherBackground
After Young Broadcasting acquired KRON, NBC sought operating conditions associated with an owned-and-operated station, including NBC branding, tighter scheduling requirements, and payments from the station to the network.
Action taken
Young Broadcasting chose not to renew KRON's NBC affiliation under those terms.
Aftermath
NBC programming moved to KNTV, and KRON became an independent station when its NBC contract expired at the end of 2001.
- NBC — NBC accepted KNTV as its Bay Area outlet and later acquired that station.
Recent events
SafeAmerica Credit Union wins two Telly Awards for KRON4 segments[4]
Reported:
SafeAmerica Credit Union's KRON4 Salutes Essential Workers segment won a Silver Telly Award for Campaign Branding in Regional TV and a Bronze Telly Award for Best Campaign for a Not-for-profit.
Sources4 sources
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