KCPQ

KCPQ is a television station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, and serving the broader Seattle–Tacoma media market. It operates as an owned-and-operated affiliate of the Fox network through Fox Television Stations and uses the consumer-facing brand FOX 13 Seattle. The station is paired with KZJO, channel 22, an independent station carrying MyNetworkTV programming. Both operations share studios on Westlake Avenue in Seattle's Westlake neighborhood, while KCPQ's principal transmitter is located on Gold Mountain near Bremerton. The station began broadcasting on August 2, 1953, as KMO-TV, an outgrowth of Tacoma radio station KMO. It briefly carried NBC programming before KOMO-TV began service in Seattle later that year. After the short network affiliation ended, the station relied primarily on locally produced and syndicated programming. In 1954, ownership passed to Seattle broadcaster J. Elroy McCaw, and the call sign changed to KTVW. Under McCaw, channel 13 operated as an independent station. Its programming included local entertainment, children's programming, sports coverage, movies, syndicated series, and a distinctive stock-market program. The station's limited resources and continued operation in black and white, however, constrained its competitiveness. Following McCaw's death in 1969, his financially troubled estate sold KTVW in 1972 to Blaidon Mutual Investors Corporation. Blaidon attempted to modernize the operation by introducing color broadcasting, improving the signal, buying additional syndicated programs, and launching new local shows. These efforts did not resolve the station's financial problems. Employee payment disputes, creditor pressure, failed sale attempts, and the appointment of a receiver culminated in the station leaving the air on December 12, 1974. The Clover Park School District acquired the station's facilities and license at bankruptcy proceedings in 1975. It returned to the air in January 1976 with the KCPQ call sign as a noncommercial educational station, effectively replacing the district's older KPEC-TV operation on channel 56. Changes in Washington school financing and the failure of a proposed school bond eventually led the district to return the station to commercial ownership. After a transmitter relocation and a period off the air during 1980, Kelly Broadcasting rebuilt KCPQ as a stronger independent station. During Kelly's ownership, KCPQ joined Fox, moved its studios from Lakewood to Seattle, and established the local news operation that became central to its identity. Kelly Broadcasting sold KCPQ to Tribune Broadcasting in 1999. Tribune expanded the station's news programming while Fox repeatedly explored acquiring the station directly because of its importance in the Seattle market. Tribune later became part of Nexstar Media Group in 2019. As a condition of transactions involving Fox affiliates, Nexstar exchanged KCPQ to Fox, making it a directly owned Fox station. Today KCPQ combines network entertainment and sports programming with local news, weather, traffic, investigations, community coverage, and digital publishing aimed at viewers throughout the Seattle–Tacoma region.

KCPQ traces its history to Tacoma's first channel 13 television operation, KMO-TV, which began broadcasting on August 2, 1953. The station was established by the owners of Tacoma radio station KMO and initially carried NBC programs for a short period. Once KOMO-TV began broadcasting in Seattle, KMO-TV lost that temporary NBC connection and became primarily an independent outlet using local and syndicated programming. In 1954, J. Elroy McCaw acquired the television station separately from KMO radio. The call sign changed to KTVW, and the operation became associated with McCaw's Seattle broadcasting interests. KTVW attempted to build a local identity through programs such as movie presentations, children's entertainment, sports, and business coverage. It televised Seattle Americans hockey and at times provided distinctive local programming, including a lengthy stock-market broadcast. McCaw considered technical and studio improvements, including color transmission and a possible transmitter move toward Seattle, but many of those plans did not materialize. The station remained comparatively under-resourced and continued to broadcast in black and white for much of his ownership. McCaw died in 1969, leaving an indebted estate and broadcasting businesses that required liquidation. In 1972, KTVW was sold to Blaidon Mutual Investors Corporation. Blaidon introduced color-capable facilities, expanded syndicated programming, increased the signal, and tried to create original entertainment shows. Its projects included The Tony Visco Show and a children's program built around the character Flash Blaidon. The station's underlying liabilities and weak advertising position, however, prevented the turnaround from succeeding. Employee unrest, unpaid wages, creditor actions, and unsuccessful proposed sales to outside buyers worsened the situation. A receiver was appointed in 1974, and KTVW ceased broadcasting on December 12 of that year while showing a repeat episode of Batman. The station was purchased at bankruptcy auction by the Clover Park School District in 1975. The district had operated KPEC-TV on UHF channel 56, but its aging equipment made acquisition of the more powerful VHF channel 13 facilities attractive. Channel 13 returned in January 1976 as KCPQ, operating on a noncommercial educational basis and serving as a replacement for KPEC-TV. Financial and political changes affecting school districts in Washington later made continued educational ownership difficult. The district therefore returned the station to commercial use. KCPQ was off the air for much of 1980 while its transmitter was relocated. Kelly Broadcasting then rebuilt KCPQ as a more competitive independent station. The company expanded the station's programming, moved its studios from Lakewood to Seattle, joined Fox, and developed a local news department. These changes gave channel 13 a durable position in the Seattle–Tacoma market. Kelly sold KCPQ to Tribune Broadcasting in 1999. Tribune invested in additional news output, while Fox periodically sought direct ownership of the station because of its strategic value as the network's Seattle affiliate. Nexstar Media Group acquired Tribune in 2019. To address regulatory and portfolio considerations and to rearrange Fox affiliations, Nexstar exchanged KCPQ to Fox. KCPQ consequently became part of Fox Television Stations and is now operated alongside KZJO. The stations share Seattle facilities, while KCPQ continues to be licensed to Tacoma and transmits from Gold Mountain near Bremerton. Its present identity is centered on the FOX 13 Seattle brand, local news and weather, regional reporting, Fox network programming, sports, and digital content.

• 2019

  Fox becomes the station's owner

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  After Nexstar's acquisition of Tribune, KCPQ is transferred to Fox through a multi-market affiliate exchange.

• 1999

  Tribune Broadcasting acquires KCPQ

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  Kelly Broadcasting sells the station to Tribune as Kelly exits the television business.

• 1980

  KCPQ resumes commercial broadcasting after transmitter relocation

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  Following an extended period off the air, the station returns under Kelly Broadcasting with a rebuilt commercial operation.

• 1976

  KCPQ returns as an educational station

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  Clover Park School District restores channel 13 under the KCPQ call sign as a noncommercial replacement for KPEC-TV.

• 1974

  KTVW leaves the air

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  Financial problems, creditor intervention, and failed sale negotiations culminate in the station's shutdown on December 12.

• 1972

  Blaidon Mutual Investors acquires KTVW

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  Blaidon purchases the financially weak station and begins an attempted programming and technical turnaround.

• 1960

  Transmitter power is increased

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  The station increases effective radiated power from its Ruston transmitter, improving coverage in the region.

• 1954

  Call sign changes to KTVW

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  After acquisition by J. Elroy McCaw, the station separates from KMO radio ownership and adopts the KTVW call sign.

• 1953

  KMO-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KCPQen.wikipedia.org

  The station signs on August 2 as KMO-TV, a Tacoma television outlet affiliated briefly with NBC.

A major local television news and Fox network outlet for the Seattle–Tacoma market, combining regional reporting with national network entertainment, sports, and news programming.

• Local television news

  FOX 13 Seattle local news

  KCPQ's principal programming product is its locally produced news operation, branded FOX 13 Seattle. It covers Seattle, Tacoma, surrounding communities, politics, public safety, consumer issues, investigations, sports, and regional events. The operation also supplies weather, traffic, streaming, website, and social-media content for audiences across Western Washington.

• Network television

  Fox network programming

  As a Fox-owned station, KCPQ carries the Fox network schedule, including entertainment series, national news-related programming, and sports rights distributed by the network. This programming complements the station's local news output and anchors its over-the-air television offering.

• Digital media

  FOX 13 Seattle digital services

  The station extends its television brand through its website, online articles, video reports, weather information, live coverage, alerts, and social platforms. These services allow KCPQ to distribute local reporting beyond scheduled broadcast newscasts.

• Television programming · 1954

  Historical independent programming

  Before becoming a Fox affiliate, channel 13 operated for long periods as an independent station. Historical offerings included syndicated series and films, locally produced talk and children's programs, business coverage, and televised sports such as Seattle Americans hockey.

• 1976

  SEC action involving former owner Blaidon

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Blaidon Mutual Investors Corporation over allegations that it sold stock to non-Washington residents without the required approval and issued misleading financial reports to prospective investors. The matter concerned the former owner and the station's troubled pre-bankruptcy period rather than the current Fox-owned operation.

  Source

Read more

• 2019

  Transfer from Nexstar to FoxM&A

  Background

  Nexstar acquired Tribune Broadcasting and subsequently rearranged several Fox-affiliated stations.

  Action taken

  Nexstar exchanged KCPQ to Fox as part of a multi-city affiliate transaction.

  Aftermath

  KCPQ became an owned-and-operated Fox station and continued operating alongside KZJO in Seattle.

  Source

• 1980

  Rebuild KCPQ as a commercial independentStrategy

  Background

  The station required a transmitter relocation and was off the air for much of 1980.

  Action taken

  Kelly Broadcasting restored the station with a stronger commercial operation and later expanded its Seattle presence, Fox affiliation, and local news capacity.

  Aftermath

  The rebuilt station developed the operating model and local-news identity that defined its later years.

  Source

• 1976

  Reopen channel 13 as an educational stationStrategy

  Background

  Clover Park School District needed a replacement for aging KPEC-TV facilities on UHF channel 56.

  Action taken

  The district acquired the bankrupt station's transmission facilities and returned channel 13 to the air under the KCPQ call sign on a noncommercial basis.

  Aftermath

  KCPQ operated educationally until school-financing changes and local bond difficulties led the district to return the station to commercial ownership.

  Source

• 1954

  Operate as an independent station under the KTVW identityStrategy

  Background

  The station lost its temporary NBC affiliation after KOMO-TV began broadcasting in Seattle.

  Action taken

  Following its sale to J. Elroy McCaw, the station changed its call sign from KMO-TV to KTVW and emphasized local and syndicated programming.

  Aftermath

  KTVW remained an independent outlet for many years, although its limited resources constrained its competitiveness.

  Source

1. 1KCPQen.wikipedia.org
2. 2FOX 13 Seattlefox13seattle.com