KATU is an ABC-affiliated television station serving Portland, Oregon, and surrounding communities.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
KATU is a full-power commercial television station licensed to Portland, Oregon, and identified on air as channel 2. It is affiliated with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates the La Grande-licensed independent station KUNP. KATU and KUNP share facilities on Northeast Sandy Boulevard in Portland, while KATU's main transmitter is located in the city's Sylvan-Highlands area. The station originated in the competition for Portland's channel 2 allocation. The Federal Communications Commission assigned the frequency to Portland in 1957, prompting applications from several local and regional media interests. Fisher Broadcasting Company, which owned KOMO radio and television in Seattle, ultimately received the construction permit in February 1961 after a contested allocation process. Construction began that year in a former laundry facility on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, which was converted into a television operation with two production studios. The station was initially assigned the call sign KOXO but adopted KATU before launching. KATU began broadcasting on March 15, 1962, as Portland's fourth commercial television station and initially operated as an independent. Actress and Portland native Jane Powell participated in the opening ceremonies. Its original transmitter site was on Livingston Mountain near Camas, Washington, a location chosen partly because of federal spacing requirements involving another proposed channel. A new transmitter in Portland's West Hills later improved coverage and supported the station's transition into a more competitive local broadcaster. In 1964, KATU became an ABC affiliate after the network moved its Portland affiliation from KPTV. The change was legally contested by KPTV, which alleged that Fisher had improperly influenced ABC through its broader ownership relationship in the Pacific Northwest. KATU nevertheless retained the affiliation, which became the foundation of its long-term business model. During its first decade, the station struggled to establish a strong identity against established Portland broadcasters, but it gained momentum in the early 1970s by expanding locally produced programming. Public-affairs programs, children's programming, morning television, documentaries, and regional news helped KATU develop a distinct profile. The station's local-news operation has been central to its brand. KATU produced newscasts from its first day on air and eventually expanded from a small early staff into a large newsroom. Its coverage of Oregon events, investigative reporting, documentaries, commentary, and public-affairs programming contributed to its competitive position. The station's archive also includes the widely circulated 1970 news film of a failed attempt to dispose of a beached sperm whale near Florence, Oregon. KATU later commemorated the event through anniversary coverage and a restoration of the footage. KATU has also experimented with distinctive promotional and technical initiatives. In the 1970s it exchanged documentary material with Hokkaido Television Broadcasting in Japan under a sister-station relationship connected to the Portland-Sapporo city relationship. In 1998 it became Portland's first commercial television station to broadcast digitally, and on June 12, 2009, it ended analog transmission under the nationwide digital television transition. Its digital service continued using virtual channel 2. The station participates in Portland's NextGen TV deployment and carries certain partner programming through digital subchannels. Fisher Communications was acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013, bringing KATU into one of the largest television station groups in the United States. A proposed Sinclair acquisition of Tribune Media in 2017 would have created additional regulatory complications in Portland, but the transaction was ultimately terminated after FCC scrutiny. KATU remains an active ABC affiliate f…
History
Portland's channel 2 allocation was created by the Federal Communications Commission in 1957. The valuable frequency attracted applications from local newspapers, broadcasters, and regional media companies. Fisher Broadcasting Company, owner of KOMO radio and television in Seattle, prevailed in the proceeding and received the construction permit on February 23, 1961. Fisher converted a former Crystal Laundry building on Northeast Sandy Boulevard into KATU's original headquarters, including two production studios. Although the station was initially assigned the call letters KOXO, it adopted KATU before going on air. KATU launched on March 15, 1962. It was Portland's fourth commercial television station and initially operated independently rather than carrying a major network. Jane Powell, a Portland-born film actress, hosted the opening ceremonies. The station's first transmitter was at Livingston Mountain near Camas, Washington, where it operated under spacing constraints related to a proposed Salem television allocation. Construction of a transmitter in Portland's West Hills later strengthened the station's local coverage. The station's strategic turning point came in December 1963, when ABC announced that it would replace KPTV with KATU as its Portland affiliate on March 1, 1964. KPTV challenged the switch in court, alleging that Fisher had used its ownership interests in the region to pressure ABC. The affiliation nevertheless proceeded and gave KATU access to network programming and a more stable commercial position. For much of the 1960s, KATU remained behind Portland's established news broadcasters. Its competitive improvement began in the early 1970s, when it invested in local programming and expanded its news operation. Programs including the public-affairs series Town Hall, the children's program Bumpity, and the morning show AM Northwest helped the station create a more recognizable local identity. AM Northwest became a continuing part of KATU's schedule, while several other locally produced programs ended during the 1980s. KATU's news history includes coverage of a 1970 beached sperm whale near Florence, Oregon. Reporter Paul Linnman and a KATU crew recorded the unsuccessful attempt to dispose of the carcass with explosives. The footage became a recurring subject of public interest, leading to anniversary coverage in 1995 and a restored version released in 2020. The Oregon Historical Society preserved the original film, and the later restoration made the material available in improved quality. In 1975, KATU formed a sister-station relationship with Hokkaido Television Broadcasting in Sapporo, reflecting the cities' sister-city relationship. The stations exchanged documentary footage. That year also brought major news leadership changes: Richard Ross joined as news director, and former Oregon governor Tom McCall began providing commentary. Under Ross, KATU developed projects such as Kidwitness News, a children's news program using puppet anchors. The station's documentary work later received a Peabody Award in 1981. McCall continued appearing as a commentator until shortly before his death in 1983. The newsroom grew substantially over the following decade. Former staff included anchors, reporters, meteorologists, and commentators who later became prominent in other markets. By 1985, the news department had expanded from the small staff of the station's early years to approximately 60 people. KATU reached the top of Portland's local-news ratings in 1997, although its position subsequently weakened. A highly visible promotional initiative called the Power of 2 attempted to reverse that decline through the use of two news helicopters. One leased helicopter crashed and burned while harvesting Christmas trees in November 1997, shortly after the campaign's launch. KATU became Portland's first commercial broadcaster to transmit digitally in 1998, alongside Oregon Public Broadcasting. On June 12, 2009, it ended its analog service as part of the federally mandated transition to digital television. Its digital signal continued to use virtual channel 2, although the physical transmission channel changed. The station later participated in local ATSC 3.0 deployment through arrangements involving KRCW-TV and shared digital facilities. Fisher Communications and its stations, including KATU, were acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013. Sinclair's later proposed purchase of Tribune Media raised ownership issues in Portland because Tribune owned KRCW-TV. The FCC designated the transaction for further hearing, and the deal was terminated in 2018. KATU continued operating under Sinclair ownership and remained an ABC affiliate. In the 2020s, KATU maintained its emphasis on local news and community programming while addressing newsroom workload and burnout. In 2021 it suspended a full day of newscasts for employee stress-management training. In 2024, Sinclair announced the Rip City Television Network, a regional distribution arrangement for Portland Trail Blazers games. KATU was designated to carry selected games on its ABC service and digital channels, with additional distribution through KUNP beginning in 2025.
- 2024
Rip City Television Network announced
[1]Sinclair announced a regional Portland Trail Blazers television arrangement involving KATU.
- 2021
Newsroom stress-management training
[1]KATU paused a day's newscasts to provide stress-management training for staff.
- 2013
Sinclair ownership begins
[1]Sinclair completed its acquisition of Fisher Communications and KATU in August.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]The station ended analog broadcasting on June 12 during the nationwide digital television transition.
- 1998
Digital broadcasting begins
[1]KATU became Portland's first commercial station to broadcast digitally.
- 1981
Documentary unit wins a Peabody Award
[1]KATU's documentary operation received a Peabody Award.
- 1975
Hokkaido Television sister-station relationship
[1]KATU began exchanging documentary footage with Hokkaido Television Broadcasting in Sapporo.
- 1964
ABC affiliation begins
[1]KATU replaced KPTV as Portland's ABC affiliate on March 1.
- 1962
KATU launches
[1]KATU began broadcasting on March 15 as an independent commercial station.
- 1961
Fisher receives the construction permit
[1]Fisher Broadcasting Company received the permit for Portland's channel 2 on February 23.
Products and positioning
Local broadcast television station combining ABC network programming with Portland-focused news, weather, public affairs, investigative reporting, digital television, and regional sports coverage.
Local television news · 1962
KATU News
KATU's local news operation provides Portland-area reporting, weather, traffic, investigations, and breaking-news coverage. The station has produced local newscasts since its first day on air and expanded from a small early newsroom into a substantial regional operation. Its programming has included conventional scheduled newscasts, documentaries, public affairs, special reports, and distinctive community-focused projects.
Morning television
AM Northwest
AM Northwest is KATU's long-running locally produced morning program. It combines interviews, lifestyle features, community subjects, and regional information, and was one of the programs that helped the station strengthen its local identity during the 1970s.
Network television · 1964
ABC network service
KATU distributes ABC network programming throughout its broadcast market. The affiliation began in 1964 after ABC moved its Portland relationship from KPTV, giving KATU a central network role that it continues to hold.
Regional sports television · 2024
Rip City Television Network broadcasts
Under Sinclair's regional sports arrangement announced in 2024, KATU carries selected Portland Trail Blazers games through its main ABC service and digital subchannels. The arrangement is part of a broader multi-market network serving areas across Oregon, Washington, and nearby markets.
Marketing campaigns
- 1997Power of 2
Portland, Oregon
KATU launched a heavily concealed promotional campaign built around operating two news helicopters. The initiative was intended to restore attention and improve declining local-news ratings, even though station news leadership had characterized helicopters chiefly as marketing tools.
Outcome. The campaign received substantial publicity, but one leased helicopter crashed and burned in November while harvesting Christmas trees, creating an unusual setback for the promotion.
Brand decisions
2024
Participate in Rip City Television NetworkProduct launchBackground
Sinclair and the Portland Trail Blazers developed a regional broadcast arrangement for games across several markets.
Action taken
KATU was designated to air six games on its ABC service, with additional games distributed through KATU digital services and later KUNP.
Aftermath
The arrangement expanded KATU's role beyond news and network programming into regional free-to-air sports distribution.
2017
Proposed Sinclair-Tribune transactionM&ABackground
Sinclair proposed acquiring Tribune Media, which owned Portland CW affiliate KRCW-TV.
Action taken
The proposed transaction proceeded into regulatory review; Sinclair would have needed to divest one of the affected Portland-area stations.
Aftermath
The FCC designated the deal for an administrative hearing, and the transaction was terminated in 2018.
Announced consideration. $3.9 billion plus assumption of $2.7 billion in Tribune debt (2017 proposed transaction)
2013
Join Sinclair Broadcast GroupM&ABackground
Fisher Communications agreed to sell its television holdings to Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Action taken
Sinclair obtained regulatory approval and completed the acquisition of Fisher, including KATU, in August.
Aftermath
KATU became part of Sinclair's national portfolio of local television stations.
1998
Adopt early commercial digital broadcastingStrategyBackground
U.S. television broadcasters were preparing for the transition from analog to digital transmission.
Action taken
KATU began digital broadcasting, becoming Portland's first commercial station to do so.
Aftermath
The station later ended analog transmission in 2009 while retaining virtual channel 2 for its digital service.
1964
Accept ABC affiliation after leaving independent statusStrategyBackground
KATU had operated independently since its 1962 launch, while ABC decided to replace KPTV as its Portland affiliate.
Action taken
KATU began carrying ABC programming on March 1, 1964.
Aftermath
The affiliation became the station's enduring network relationship, although KPTV challenged the switch in court.
- KPTV — KPTV sued, alleging that Fisher had improperly influenced ABC's decision.
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