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KEYT-TV

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A Santa Barbara television station serving California's Central Coast as an ABC affiliate, with CBS programming and additional digital-channel services.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

KEYT-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Santa Barbara, California, and serving the Santa Barbara–Santa Maria–San Luis Obispo television market. The station operates on virtual channel 3 and is primarily associated with ABC programming under the NewsChannel 3 identity. It also carries CBS programming on a digital subchannel and has used additional digital capacity for MyNetworkTV, local news, public-affairs programming, and other syndicated or network content. The station began broadcasting on July 26, 1953, after receiving a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission in late 1952. Its original owner was Santa Barbara Broadcasting & Television Corporation, with local radio operator Harry Butcher among the investors. During its early years, KEYT carried programming from all four major television networks then operating in the market, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and the DuMont Television Network. The end of DuMont in 1956 and the later arrival of KCOY-TV in Santa Maria changed the regional affiliation structure. KEYT lost NBC programming in 1964 and shared CBS programming with KCOY until 1969. Once San Luis Obispo County was incorporated into the broader television market, KEYT became an exclusive ABC affiliate, while KCOY assumed CBS and KSBY became the area's NBC station. Ownership changed several times. Key Television acquired the station in 1957 for a reported $1.64 million. Shamrock Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Shamrock Holdings, purchased KEYT in 1984, and Smith Broadcasting later became its owner. During the Smith era, the station expanded its local media presence through a short-lived radio operation. In 1998, Smith acquired KTMS and relaunched it with KEYT-related branding and an all-news format. The radio project lost money and was sold in 2003. KEYT expanded its digital-channel portfolio during the 2000s. It obtained the Central Coast MyNetworkTV affiliation in 2006 and formally launched a second digital subchannel in 2007. That service also carried Retro Television Network programming outside MyNetworkTV hours, using several related identities including My RTN, My RTV, and My Retro TV. In 2017, the station replaced the Retro TV schedule with News Now, a local-news and public-affairs service featuring simulcasts and rebroadcasts from KEYT and sister station KKFX-CD, while continuing to air MyNetworkTV programming in prime time. News-Press & Gazette Company announced its acquisition of KEYT from Smith Media in September 2012. The FCC approved the transaction in November, and the sale closed on November 19, 2012. After the acquisition, the station retired its long-standing KEY News branding and adopted NewsChannel 3, aligning its presentation with other News-Press & Gazette stations. Local newscasts transitioned to high definition on April 1, 2013, following earlier carriage agreements that made the station's HD signal available through major cable providers in the region. KEYT's current broadcast operation includes its main ABC service, CBS programming on KEYT-DT2, and additional digital services. The station's facilities are located on Miramonte Drive on TV Hill overlooking downtown Santa Barbara, while its transmitter is situated atop Broadcast Peak in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Its coverage and local-news role focus on communities along California's Central Coast, including Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and surrounding areas.

History

KEYT-TV signed on July 26, 1953, after receiving an FCC construction permit on November 13, 1952. Santa Barbara Broadcasting & Television Corporation owned the original station, with radio broadcaster Harry Butcher holding a minority interest. In its first years, KEYT carried programming from ABC, CBS, NBC, and DuMont, reflecting the limited network infrastructure of the early television market. DuMont ceased operations in 1956, and the station was sold to Key Television in May 1957. The regional television landscape changed after KCOY-TV began broadcasting from Santa Maria in 1964. KEYT lost NBC programming and shared CBS with KCOY until 1969. The expansion of the Santa Barbara–Santa Maria market to include San Luis Obispo County led to a more stable affiliation structure: KEYT became the area's ABC station, KCOY became the CBS outlet, and KSBY served as the NBC affiliate. Shamrock Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Shamrock Holdings, acquired KEYT in June 1984. Smith Broadcasting later owned the station and expanded into radio. In September 1998, Smith purchased KTMS, an AM station, for a reported $1.6 million and relaunched it with an all-news format and KEYT-related call letters. The radio operation carried Associated Press reports and simulcast KEYT-TV newscasts, but it lost approximately $1 million over five years and was sold to Lazer Broadcasting in October 2003. KEYT entered the digital-multicast era by obtaining the MyNetworkTV affiliation in June 2006. A second digital channel formally launched in October 2007 as MyNetworkTV Central Coast. It initially used a standard-definition simulcast of the main station outside MyNetworkTV hours and later added Retro Television Network programming. The channel went through several branding changes before becoming My Retro TV. In April 2017, management discontinued Retro TV because of concerns about the network's declining affiliate base and restrictions affecting the channel's use during breaking news. KEYT-DT2 then became News Now outside MyNetworkTV programming hours, carrying local-news simulcasts and replays, political and public-affairs coverage, and local-interest material. News-Press & Gazette Company announced its purchase of KEYT from Smith Media on September 7, 2012. The FCC approved the transaction on November 6, and the sale closed on November 19. The new ownership introduced a broader group-wide visual identity. On January 28, 2013, the station replaced the long-running KEY News branding with NewsChannel 3. Its local newscasts moved to high definition on April 1 of that year. The station also underwent changes in signal distribution and technology. During the transition to high-definition transmission between March and September 2007, cable carriage negotiations temporarily prevented some Central Coast subscribers from receiving KEYT's HD service. Agreements were subsequently reached with Cox Communications, Comcast, and Charter, and Time Warner Cable added the HD feed in Ventura County in 2012. KEYT ended its analog VHF service on February 17, 2009, retaining virtual channel 3 while transmitting digitally on UHF channel 27. In 2018, News-Press & Gazette Company announced an ATSC 3.0 plan involving KSBB-CD and the News Now service. On January 1, 2021, CBS programming moved from sister station KCOY-TV to KEYT-DT2, while News Now and MyNetworkTV moved to a new third digital subchannel. KEYT's main studios are on Miramonte Drive on TV Hill in Santa Barbara. Its transmitter is located at Broadcast Peak in the Santa Ynez Mountains, between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez. The station is operated within a local media cluster that includes low-power Fox affiliate KKFX-CD and sister station KCOY-TV, with the latter using facilities in Santa Maria.

  • 2021

    CBS moves to KEYT-DT2

    [1]

    CBS programming moved from KCOY-TV to KEYT-DT2, with News Now and MyNetworkTV reassigned to a third subchannel.

  • 2017

    News Now launched

    [1]

    KEYT replaced Retro TV on its second digital subchannel with a local news and public-affairs service.

  • 2013

    NewsChannel 3 identity introduced

    [1]

    The station retired KEY News branding and adopted NewsChannel 3.

  • 2012

    Acquired by News-Press & Gazette Company

    [1]

    News-Press & Gazette Company completed its acquisition of KEYT from Smith Media on November 19.

  • 2009

    Analog transmission ends

    [1]

    The station shut down its analog signal and continued digital broadcasting with virtual channel 3.

  • 2006

    MyNetworkTV affiliation acquired

    [1]

    KEYT obtained the MyNetworkTV affiliation for a digital service.

  • 2003

    KEYT-branded radio operation sold

    [1]

    The loss-making radio operation was sold to Lazer Broadcasting in October.

  • 1998

    Expansion into radio

    [1]

    Smith Broadcasting acquired KTMS and launched an all-news radio operation using KEYT-related branding.

  • 1984

    Acquisition by Shamrock Broadcasting

    [1]

    Shamrock Broadcasting acquired KEYT in June.

  • 1969

    Exclusive ABC affiliation

    [1]

    KEYT became an exclusive ABC affiliate after the regional market's network assignments were reorganized.

Products and positioning

A regional broadcast-news brand focused on local reporting, weather, public affairs, and network television for California's Central Coast.

  • ABC-affiliated television service · 1953

    KEYT-TV main channel

    The station's primary broadcast service on virtual channel 3 carries ABC network programming, syndicated content, local news, weather, and public-service material for the Central Coast. It is presented primarily under the NewsChannel 3 identity and is supported by the station's Santa Barbara newsroom and regional transmission facilities.

  • CBS-affiliated digital subchannel · 2007

    KEYT-DT2

    KEYT-DT2 is a digital subchannel that has carried several services over time, including MyNetworkTV and Retro TV. Beginning January 1, 2021, it became the station's outlet for CBS programming after that affiliation moved from sister station KCOY-TV.

  • Local digital news service · 2017

    News Now

    News Now is a digital multicast service built around local-news simulcasts and replays from KEYT-TV and KKFX-CD, together with live coverage of political events, public-affairs programming, and other local-interest content. Its channel placement has changed as KEYT reorganized its digital subchannels.

  • Local news programming · 2013

    NewsChannel 3 newscasts

    The station's local newscasts, branded NewsChannel 3, provide reporting, weather, traffic, and community coverage focused on Santa Barbara and neighboring Central Coast communities. Production moved to high definition in 2013.

Marketing campaigns

  • 2013NewsChannel 3 rebrand

    Central Coast of California

    Following the News-Press & Gazette Company acquisition, KEYT replaced the long-running KEY News identity with NewsChannel 3 and adopted graphics aligned with other stations in the ownership group.

    Outcome. The NewsChannel 3 identity became the station's principal local-news brand.

    Source

Brand decisions

  • 2021

    Move CBS programming to KEYT-DT2Generation change

    Background

    News-Press & Gazette Company reorganized network and multicast assignments among KEYT and its related Central Coast stations.

    Action taken

    CBS programming moved from KCOY-TV to KEYT-DT2, while News Now and MyNetworkTV moved to a new third subchannel.

    Aftermath

    KEYT's digital portfolio combined its principal ABC service with a CBS subchannel and additional local-news and entertainment services.

    Source

  • 2017

    Replace Retro TV with News NowStrategy

    Background

    Station management cited uncertainty about Retro TV's long-term viability and contractual limits on using the service as an overflow outlet during breaking news.

    Action taken

    KEYT removed Retro TV from its second digital subchannel and introduced News Now, while preserving MyNetworkTV programming in prime time.

    Aftermath

    The digital service emphasized local news, public affairs, political coverage, and local-interest programming.

    Source

  • 2012

    Sell KEYT to News-Press & Gazette CompanyM&A

    Background

    Smith Media agreed to sell the Santa Barbara station to News-Press & Gazette Company.

    Action taken

    The transaction received FCC approval and closed on November 19, 2012.

    Aftermath

    The new owner introduced the NewsChannel 3 branding and integrated KEYT into its regional station group.

    Reported purchase price. $14.3 million (Announced September 7, 2012; transaction closed November 19, 2012)

    Source

  • 2007

    Launch MyNetworkTV Central CoastProduct launch

    Background

    KEYT had obtained the MyNetworkTV affiliation and sought to use its digital capacity for an additional network service.

    Action taken

    The station launched a second digital subchannel carrying MyNetworkTV programming and later added Retro TV outside prime time.

    Aftermath

    The subchannel underwent several branding changes before becoming News Now outside MyNetworkTV hours.

    Source

  • 1969

    Accept exclusive ABC affiliationStrategy

    Background

    The arrival of additional stations and the expansion of the regional television market required a redistribution of network affiliations.

    Action taken

    KEYT moved from a shared or multi-network arrangement to exclusive ABC affiliation.

    Aftermath

    KCOY became the CBS affiliate and KSBY became the area's NBC affiliate.

    Source

Sources2 sources

  1. 1KEYT-TVen.wikipedia.org
  2. 2KEYT-TV official websitekeyt.com

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