KTVB
On the 12th of July 1953, KIDO-TV began broadcasting from studios on 700 Crestline Drive in Boise. Philo Farnsworth, a television pioneer, attended the dedication ceremony as one of the guests of honor. This station became Idaho's second television outlet to launch operations, yet it was the first to receive full licensing from the Federal Communications Commission. A competitor named KFXD-TV had aired test patterns for just over a month before going off air. That rival station relied exclusively on old movies and operated with minimal staff. It lasted less than two months before disappearing from the schedule entirely. KIDO-TV offered network affiliations with CBS, NBC, and DuMont alongside local programming. The station maintained an affiliation with ABC starting in December 1953 after CBS moved its contract to another channel. By 1956, the tower relocated to Deer Point, extending coverage to an additional 80,000 people. Georgia Davidson owned both the radio station KIDO and this new television venture until she sold the radio portion in November 1958.
Georgia Davidson faced financial struggles during the early years of operation. She described living with the spectre of bankruptcy day or night in a 1978 interview. The sale of her radio station to Mesabi Western Corp. helped alleviate cash issues for the television division. In 1979, Davidson announced plans to sell KTVB to King Broadcasting of Seattle. The transaction closed in April 1980 under new ownership. This move left Boise without any locally owned television stations at that time. Davidson believed the sale was necessary to avoid large estate tax burdens upon her death. Her family would have seen profits diminish if they retained full control. King Broadcasting dropped paid religious programming on Sunday mornings to align with company policy. The Providence Journal Company purchased King Broadcasting in 1991, closing the deal in 1992. Belo Corporation acquired Providence Journal three years later in 1996. Gannett bought Belo in 2013, completing the acquisition by December 23 of that year. Tegna Inc. emerged as the broadcast division when Gannett split its companies in 2015.
KTVB received a construction permit on the 18th of December 1963, to build a satellite station in La Grande, Oregon. Channel 13 began broadcasting there on the 6th of December 1964. The facility initially offered local news and information from studios located in La Grande. By 1967, management closed the local operation and converted KTVR into a full-time rebroadcaster of the Boise signal. In 1974, an offer came from the Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Service to acquire the station. KTVB took KTVR out of service on the 7th of March 1975, while negotiations were pending. It did not return under OEPBS ownership until February 1977. This marked the second time KTVB provided facilities for public television in Idaho. The station aired Sesame Street starting in 1969 because no public station existed yet. Engineering resources helped launch KAID-TV in 1971 using their transmitter site. Plans to extend channel 7 to Twin Falls had existed since 1955 when they partnered with KTFI radio. A low-power station debuted on the 1st of July 1986, as K38AS, later renamed KTFT-LD.
Vern Moore became the first voice heard on KIDO-TV when it launched its news coverage on day one. Robert Krueger joined the staff in 1956 and joked that they ranked fifth in a two-station town at the time. By 1978, the station was the undisputed ratings king in the market ahead of competitors like KBCI and KIVI. Under Krueger's management, which lasted forty years, KTVB cemented itself as the local leader. They presented an hour of early evening news called Idaho at Five starting in 1984. Weekend morning news followed in 1992, making them the first Boise station to offer such programming. In November 2010, each local newscast had more viewers than all competition combined. The station added a 4 p.m. news hour in 2013. As of 2024, they aired thirty hours weekly of news and public affairs content. A midday lifestyle program named Idaho Today debuted in 2020. Weeknight 5 p.m. news reformatted into an interactive show called The 208.
Dee Sarton spent nearly 42 years with KTVB anchoring Idaho at Five and other early evening broadcasts. Her co-anchor Carolyn Holly worked at channel 7 for almost 34 years before leaving. Mark Johnson anchored for three decades until his retirement in 2021. Larry Gebert served as meteorologist for 30 years until his death in 2022. Trace Gallagher reported and anchored weekend news from 1990 through 1992. Michael Jenkins handled weekend sports duties during 1998. Eric Johnson filled that same role between 1984 and 1986. David Kerley anchored the news in the early 1980s. Christi Paul hosted weekend morning shows throughout the 1990s. Wayne Walker presented the outdoors program Incredible Idaho from 1994 to 1999. These long-tenured personalities defined the station's identity over multiple generations of viewers. Their careers spanned decades, creating a deep connection with the Boise audience.
KTVB began broadcasting a digital signal on UHF channel 26 starting the 1st of November 2002. The analog signal on VHF channel 7 shut down on the 12th of June 2009, following federal mandate. The digital signal relocated back to channel 7 after the transition was complete. To help viewers receive the new format, authorities authorized an increase in effective radiated power weeks later. The station launched 24/7 NewsChannel on its second subchannel at the end of October 2003. This became one of the first digital secondary feeds in the nation. By 2011, they rebranded it as Idaho's Very Own 24/7. The feed now airs dedicated 6:30 p.m. newscasts and 7 a.m. morning extensions. Recent programming includes local sports coverage like Boise State Broncos basketball games. KTFT-LD carries similar multiplexed signals including Quest, True Crime Network, Shop LC, and QVC. These eight subchannels provide diverse content ranging from independent shows to shopping networks. The main NBC feed remains available alongside these specialized options for different viewer preferences.
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Common questions
When did KTVB begin broadcasting from Boise studios?
KTVB began broadcasting on the 12th of July 1953. The station started operations from studios located at 700 Crestline Drive in Boise.
Who owned KTVB before King Broadcasting purchased it?
Georgia Davidson owned both the radio station KIDO and the television venture until she sold the radio portion in November 1958. She announced plans to sell KTVB to King Broadcasting of Seattle in 1979, with the transaction closing in April 1980.
What happened to the satellite station KTVR in La Grande Oregon?
Channel 13 began broadcasting in La Grande on the 6th of December 1964 as a local news facility. Management closed the local operation by 1967 and converted KTVR into a full-time rebroadcaster of the Boise signal.
Which long-tenured personalities anchored early evening broadcasts for KTVB?
Dee Sarton spent nearly 42 years anchoring Idaho at Five while Mark Johnson anchored for three decades until his retirement in 2021. Larry Gebert served as meteorologist for 30 years until his death in 2022.
When did KTVB switch from analog to digital signals?
KTVB began broadcasting a digital signal on UHF channel 26 starting the 1st of November 2002. The analog signal on VHF channel 7 shut down on the 12th of June 2009 following federal mandate.