KNBC
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| KNBC | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 Los Angeles, California |
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| Branding | NBC4 (general) The Channel 4 News (newscasts) |
| Slogan | Trust Experience |
| Channels | 4 (VHF) analog, 36 (UHF) digital |
| Affiliations | NBC NBC Weather Plus (DT2) |
| Owner | NBC Universal |
| Founded | January 16, 1949 |
| Call letters meaning | K National Broadcasting Company |
| Former callsigns | KNBH (1949-1954) KRCA-TV (1954-1960) |
| Former affiliations | None |
| Transmitter Power | 43.7 kW/984 m (analog) 665 kW/991 m (digital) |
| Website | www.nbc4.tv |
KNBC, "NBC4", is the NBC-owned and operated station in Los Angeles and the network's West Coast flagship. The station is seen via satellite through Dish Network and DirecTV. Its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.
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[edit] History
This station went on the air on January 16, 1949 as KNBH-TV. In 1954, KNBH changed its call letters to KRCA-TV. The station was originally located at the NBC Radio City Studios on Sunset Blvd. and Vine Street in Hollywood. KRCA changed its call letters to the present KNBC-TV in 1960. In 1962, Channel 4 relocated to the newly built NBC Studios (also known then as NBC Color City) in suburban Burbank. The KNBC call letters originally belonged to NBC's former San Francisco AM station, which now called KNBR (680 AM). Former callsign meanings: KNBH = NBC Hollywood; KRCA = Radio Corporation of America, after its former parent company, RCA. Ironically, KRCA would have originally belonged to Sacramento NBC station KCRA, but the FCC callsign application was misspelled.
KNBC has remained one of the most consistently watched television stations in Southern California. For over 30 years it battled KABC-TV for the top spot as the most watched news station among English-language local TV stations in the area. For much of the late 1990s and into the 2000s (with a few exceptions), its 11PM newscast was #1 in the Los Angeles market, with KABC being a very strong #2. Following the most recent sweeps period, KABC is now #1. KABC almost consistently wins the early evening newscasts due in part to good lead ins, but the two stations have also been competitive in the early morning.
The station has long been active in community events throughout the Los Angeles area, including its annual live coverage of the Kingdom Day Parade (an annual event that takes place every year on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, along King Boulevard in South Los Angeles) and the Los Angeles Marathon, which it has televised yearly since 2001.
During the 1950's, KNBC began the KNBC News Service, a competitor to KNXT's (now KCBS-TV) Big News. In 1975, it was rebranded NewsCenter 4 (a la WNBC), and later News4LA, before becoming the current Channel 4 News. KNBC's news department is so well respected that even after KNBC renamed itself "NBC4" on-air in 1995, the newscast was and still is called "The Channel 4 News". In 1986, KNBC premiered Today In LA, the first early-morning local newscast in Los Angeles. Now, Today In LA is the #1 Morning news program in Southern California.
Note that the current television station KRCA in the Los Angeles area is now unrelated to NBC and Channel 4.
[edit] Personalities
Longtime NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw began his long association with NBC, as an anchor and reporter for KNBC, starting in 1966. He left the station to work exclusively for the network in 1973, as a correspondent. Others that have started their careers at KNBC include Bryant Gumbel, Pat Sajak, Kent Shocknek, David Horowitz, John Beard & Tom Snyder. Horowitz's long-running syndicated series, Fight Back!, originated from KNBC, aired on many NBC-owned and affiliated stations, and was produced and distributed by NBC and Group W Broadcasting.
In 1987 during a KNBC afternoon newscast, a gun-wielding mental patient gained access to NBC Studios, and took Horowitz hostage live on the air. With the gun pressed on his side, Horowitz calmly read the gunman's statements on camera. The unidentified man was caught with a toy gun, and was arrested by local police. It led Horowitz to start a successful campaign to ban "look-alike" toy guns in several states, including California and New York. [1]
Current KNBC personalities include Paul Moyer, Colleen Williams, Chuck Henry, chief weathercaster Fritz Coleman, and sports director Fred Roggin. Moyer, Williams, Coleman, and Roggin make up the station's 5 and 11PM Monday-Friday news team, while Henry co-anchors the 6PM weeknight newscasts with Ana Garcia. Roggin and Coleman are KNBC's most notable current personalities. Roggin is nationally known because of his work with NBC Sports and for his appearances on The Tonight Show. Roggin also hosted a syndicated program, Roggin's Heroes and can also be seen on Early Today .Roggin also is a sports announcer for the Olympic Games . Coleman also makes occasional appearances on the Tonight Show, and once hosted a late night variety show for KNBC (airing after Saturday Night Live), and it aired during the late 80's to the early 90's.
As with its East coast sister WNBC, KNBC has a very stable news team. There have been some changes among the reporting staff in recent years, but the anchors have remained unchanged. Williams, Roggin, and Coleman have been at KNBC for at least 20 years each, while Moyer arrived from rival KABC-TV in July 1992, replacing veteran anchor John Beard who anchored at KNBC for many years. Moyer started his Los Angeles broadcasting career at KNBC in 1972, as an anchor and reporter, before beginning a 13 year stint at KABC in 1979. Much like Moyer, Chuck Henry was also a mainstay at KABC, before making the move to Burbank in January 1994. He currently produces (through his self-titled production company) the travelouge series, Travel Cafe, which airs weekends on KNBC.
The most controversial departure was that of Christopher Nance, a popular longtime weathercaster on the weekend and, later, Today in L.A. newscasts. In 2002 Nance was fired from KNBC after years of what some say was "menacing and profane off-air behavior" contrary to Nance's on-air flamboyant and cheerful nature, a popular staple at KNBC, a reason for Today in L.A.'s high ratings. Shortly after he was fired, Los Angeles Magazine published an article on Nance and KNBC, further detailing his behavioral problems, including allegations that he had been involved with an intern at KNBC, and had been in altercations with many staff members. He alleges that the station fired him because of his religious beliefs. He is a Christian, and was known to have read the bible during breaks, according to his website and the article on Los Angeles Magazine. In 2004 Nance sued his former employer citing he was fired due to racial and religious discrimination. [2][3]
[edit] Current Anchors/Hosts
- Kim Baldonado - Weekend Evening Co-Anchor; also fills in on the Midday Report
- Carl Bell - Weekend Today In LA Weathercaster
- Jennifer Bjorklund - Today In LA/Midday Report Co-Anchor
- Rachel Boesing - Today In LA/Midday Report Weathercaster and yourLA TV Host
- Furnell Chatman - Weekend Evening Co-Anchor
- Ted Chen - Weekend Today In LA Co-Anchor
- Fritz Coleman - Chief Weathercaster
- David Cruz - Midday Report Co-Anchor and Early Evening Reporter
- Laurel Erickson - Senior Correspondent and News Conference Co-Anchor
- Ana Garcia - 6 p.m. Co-Anchor and Investigative Reporter
- Chuck Henry - 6 p.m. Co-Anchor and Nightside Reporter
- Paul Johnson - Today In LA Traffic Reporter
- Mekahlo Medina - News Raw Anchor
- Paul Moyer - 5 and 11 p.m. Co-Anchor
- Conan Nolan - Senior Correspondent and News Conference Co-Anchor
- Pablo Pereira - Weekend Evening Weathercaster
- Fred Roggin - Sports Director
- Chris Schauble - Today In LA Co-Anchor
- Mario Solis - Weekend Sports Anchor
- Beverly White - Weekend Today In LA Co-Anchor
- Colleen Williams - 5 and 11 p.m. Co-Anchor
[edit] Other Reporters
- Cary Berglund - Feature Reporter
- Joel Grover - Investigative Reporter
- Patrick Healy - Nightside Reporter
- Dr. Bruce Hensel - Health Correspondent
- Desiree Horton - Helicopter Pilot/Breaking-News Reporter
- Robert Kovacick - Today In LA Reporter
- Doug Kriegel - Reporter
- Kelly Mack - Special Reports Correspondent
- Mary Parks - Chief Correspondent, Inland Empire Bureau
- Bill Seward - Sports Reporter
- Gordon Tokumatsu - Reporter
- Vikki Vargas - Chief Correspondent, Orange County Bureau
[edit] Alumni
- Linda Alvarez - anchor/reporter (1985-1993, now at KCBS-TV)
- Carla Aragon - Today In LA anchor (1986-1994, now at KOB-TV in Albuquerque)
- John Beard - anchor/reporter (1981-1993, now at KTTV)
- Dave Bender - weather (1991-1996, now at KOVR in Sacramento)
- Tom Brokaw - anchor/reporter (1966-1973)
- Doug Bruckner - investigative reporter (1980-1989)
- Larry Carroll - anchor/reporter (1993-1996)
- Rick Chambers - anchor/reporter (1992-1999, now at KCBS/KCAL)
- Nick Clooney - anchor (1984-1986)
- Paul Dandridge - anchor/reporter (1975-1982)
- Carlos Del Valle - reporter (1995-2004)
- Diane Diaz - anchor/reporter (1990-2002)
- Linda Douglass - political reporter (1985-1993, now an ABC News Washington correspondent)
- Bryant Gumbel - sports anchor/reporter (1972-1980)
- Saul Halpert - reporter (1979-1990)
- Jim Giggans- Anchor/reporter (1981-2004)
- David Horowitz - consumer reporter (1973-1992)
- Lee Irwin - reporter (1972-1973)
- Bill Lagatutta - reporter (1985-1992)
- Kyung Lah - reporter (2003-2006, now at CNN Newsource in Washington)
- Kelly Lange - anchor/reporter (1971-1998, now an author)
- Jess Marlow - anchor/reporter (1966-1980 and 1986-1997)
- John Marshall (husband of Joan Van Ark) - reporter (1971-1992)
- Robert W. Morgan - host of Everywhere (late 1970s)
- Keith Morrison - anchor (1986-1992)
- Stu Nahan - sportscaster (1976-1986)
- Christopher Nance - weather anchor (1985-2002)
- Bob Navarro - reporter (1978-1988)
- Kevin O'Connell - weather anchor (1982-85)
- Warren Olney - anchor/reporter (1975-1981)
- Jack Perkins - anchor/reporter (1982-1986)
- Bob Pettee - Chopper 4 pilot (1984-2001)
- Ross Porter - sportscaster (1967-1977)
- Joe Rico - reporter (1979-2001)
- Danny Romero - weathercaster (2002-2005)
- Michele Ruiz - anchor (1998-2005)
- Pat Sajak - weathercaster (1977-1981, now current host of Wheel of Fortune)
- Tracie Savage - anchor/reporter (1994-2001)
- Bill Seward - reporter (2002-2004)
- Phil Shuman - reporter (1982-1995, now with KTTV)
- John Schubeck - anchor (1974-1983)
- David Sheehan - entertainment reporter (1984-1994)
- Kent Shocknek - Today In LA anchor/reporter (1983-2000, now at KCBS/KCAL)
- Tom Snyder - anchor/host/reporter (1970-1974)
- Jim Thomas - anchor/reporter (1982-1984) "Team 4" correspondent first with Kirstie Wilde, then Laurel Erickson, joined CNN as west coast correspondent 1985-86
- Howard Thompson - weathercaster (1977-1981)
- Tritia Toyota - anchor/reporter (1976-1985)
- Wendy Tokuda - anchor (1992-1997, later KRON In San Francisco now at KPIX-TV in San Francisco)
- Kathy Vara - Today In LA anchor/reporter (1994-2000, now at KABC)
- Noelle Walker - reporter (2003-2005, now at KNTV in San Jose/San Francisco)
- Kirstie Wilde - anchor/reporter (1984-1988)
- Warren Wilson - reporter (1969-1984)
[edit] Newscasts
KNBC produces many hours of news. It is notable in the Los Angeles area for not showing car chases. Thus, when direct competitors KCBS-TV and KABC-TV switch to police chase coverage, KNBC continues on its regularly scheduled newscast, while staffers prepare a regular news story on the pursuit for airing on a later newscast.
The newscasts generally take a more "serious" tone covering the issues, including politics, government, education, and the economy, than other Los Angeles newscasts. On election nights, KNBC runs a special extended edition of their 11PM newscast to show early election results. KNBC's newscasts are well known in Los Angeles for the longetivity of their anchors and reporters, and based on that experience and serious coverage, they has been very competitive in the ratings.
In 2006 KNBC embarked on an all-news channel called News Raw, hosted by Mekahlo Medina. The news channel, on digital channel 4.4 and also on many local digital cable systems, provides news updates every hour, teases news stories in future newscasts on standard channel 4, and provides additional information about breaking news stories. News Raw only runs Monday through Friday, and coverage occurs between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. During off hours, previous broadcasts repeat. [4] Also, a new program, The Local Story, began in July 2006. The program takes an in-depth look at one major local story in the news, and was hosted by veteran television journalist Ross Becker. The program was cancelled in September to make way for The Ellen DeGeneres Show but still airs online. In October, the program returned to the airwaves, airing at 4:30 p.m, but was removed again in mid-November for good.
In September 2006, a new program called YourLA TV began. The program features videos about interesting things happening in the Southern California area. User-submitted videos and comments via MySpace are mixed with profiles of ordinary people similar to PM Magazine. The broadcast currently replaces the second half-hour of The Channel 4 News Mid-Day Report
The station's radar is called "Live Weather Plus Doppler."
For many years, KNBC had a 4 p.m. newscast. It was dropped in 2002, in favor of Dr. Phil which moved to KCBS-TV in 2005, that slot was replaced by The Ellen Degeneris Show.
Sometime in 2007, KNBC will follow the lead of sister station WNBC-TV in New York and begin broadcasting newscasts in High Definition. Although it is not in HD yet, KNBC in March 2007 - after requests by viewers on widescreen sets for a larger picture area, began broadcasting its newscasts in the 14:9 compromise aspect ratio instead of the 4:3 aspect ratio. KNBC is currently the only North American station to do this.
[edit] Investigations
KNBC is famous for their hard-hitting large scale investigations. One of them is their Home Depot investigation, uncovering internal problems in the company. That investigation is on their website HereAlso, they undercovered more overcharging for the popular Oil company, Jiffy Lube. That investgation is Here.
[edit] Weekdays
- Today In LA - 5:00 - 7:00AM
- The Channel 4 News Mid-Day Report - 11:00 - 11:30AM
- YourLA TV - 11:30AM-Noon
- The Channel 4 News at 5PM - 5:00 - 6:00PM
- The Channel 4 News at 6PM - 6:00 - 6:30PM
- The Channel 4 News at 11PM - 11:00 - 11:35PM
Until 2006 KNBC aired rebroadcasts of "The Channel 4 News at 11PM" at 11:30pm on KPXN. In 2002 KPXN aired a rebroadcast of "The Channel 4 News at 6pm", but KPXN discontinued the rebroadcasts of KNBC newscasts in 2006. "The Channel 4 News at 11PM" is rebroadcasted at 4am and Fridays at 4:35am on KNBC.
[edit] Saturdays
- Today In LA Weekend- 7:00 - 8:00AM
- The Channel 4 News at 5PM - 5:00 - 6:00PM
- The Channel 4 News at 11PM - 11:00 - 11:30PM
[edit] Sundays
- Today In LA Weekend - 7:00 - 8:00AM
- News Conference (Public Affairs) - 9:00 - 9:30AM with Conan Nolan and Laurel Erickson
- The Channel 4 News - 4:30 - 5:30PM
- The Channel 4 News at 11PM - 11:00 - 11:45PM
[edit] Newscast Titles
- Ford News (1950-1954)
- Jack Latham & The News (1954-1960) And the news was used By WNBC-TV too.
- The 5th, 6th & 11th Hour Report (1960-1971)
- KNBC News Service (1971-1975)
- NewsCenter 4 (1975-1982) NewsCenter 4 was also used on other NBC O&Os WRC, and WNBC.
- News 4 LA (1982-1985)-News 4 New York was used by WNBC
- The Channel 4 News (1985-present)
[edit] Programming Notes
In Los Angeles, national news from the three major networks air at 6:30 PM instead of earlier, as in other West Coast cities. This includes NBC Nightly News here on KNBC.
[edit] Station Slogans
- Number One in Southern California (1985-early 90s) Same slogan that KABC-TV used on their newscasts in the 1980s.
- Live from NBC4, This is The Channel 4 News (2000-present)
- Trust Experience
[edit] Rebroadcasters
KNBC is rebroadcast on the following translator stations:
- K30GU Morongo Valley
- K19BS Daggett
- K12JI Newberry Springs
- K41CB Lucerne Valley
- K47IB Twentynine Palms
- K04HX Ridgecrest
- K55AB Ridgecrest
- K59AO Ridgecrest
[edit] See Also
[edit] External links
| NBC Network Affiliates in the state of California | |
|---|---|
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KCRA 3 (Sacramento) - KIEM 3 (Eureka) - KNBC 4 (Los Angeles) - KSBY 6 (San Luis Obispo) - KSBW 8 (Salinas) - KNTV 11 (San Jose/San Francisco) - KGET 17 (Bakersfield) - KNVN 24 (Chico) - KSEE 24 (Fresno) - KMIR 36 (Palm Desert) - KNSD 39 (San Diego) |
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| See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, PBS, Telefutura, Telemundo, Univision, Independent, Other Spanish Network, Religious, Home Shopping and Other stations in California | |
