KGET-TV
A Bakersfield, California television station affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KGET-TV is a full-power television station serving Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County market in California. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 17 and is affiliated with NBC, while also carrying programming from The CW Plus. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group and operates alongside low-power Telemundo affiliate KKEY-LD. The stations share studios on L Street in downtown Bakersfield, while KGET-TV's transmitter is located on Mount Adelaide. The station began broadcasting on November 8, 1959, under the call sign KLYD-TV. It was founded by businessman Ed Urner and was initially linked with KLYD-AM 1350, now known as KLHC. Its launch was unusual because the television station was associated with a daytime-only radio station, a relatively uncommon origin for a U.S. television outlet. KLYD-TV began as an ABC affiliate and originally operated from studios on Eye Street in Bakersfield. The station changed ownership and identity several times during its early decades. Dellar Broadcasting acquired it in 1962, and the call letters changed to KJTV in 1969. That same year, the Dellar interests sold the station to Atlantic States Industries. In 1974, KJTV exchanged affiliations with KBAK-TV and became a CBS affiliate. Gillett Broadcasting, led by George N. Gillett Jr., acquired the station in 1978. Later that year, its call sign changed to KPWR-TV as the station increased its power to 5 million watts. The Ackerley Group purchased the station in 1983. On February 1, 1984, it adopted the KGET call sign. The station added the “-TV” suffix in 2002, around the time it switched affiliations with KERO-TV and became Bakersfield's NBC affiliate. That NBC affiliation remains central to the station's identity. Through its history, KGET-TV has held primary affiliations with ABC, CBS, and NBC, making it one of the relatively small number of U.S. stations to have been affiliated with all three major broadcast networks. KGET-TV moved from its original Eye Street facilities to its present L Street studios in 1997. The building had previously been associated with Pacific Bell. Clear Channel Communications acquired the station in 2001 as part of its television-station portfolio. A later ownership restructuring transferred the station to Newport Television's operating structure, followed by a period in which High Plains Broadcasting held the license while Newport continued operating KGET under a shared-services agreement. Nexstar acquired KGET and related stations in 2013, bringing the station into the Nexstar broadcasting group. The station's branding reflects its connection to the local region: KGET has been described as standing for “Kern Golden Empire Television,” a name associated with former longtime vice president and general manager Ray Watson. Current local management identified in reference material is Derek Jeffery. In addition to NBC network programming and local news, KGET carries syndicated and special programming. Its sports output has included Las Vegas Raiders preseason games and other Raiders-related programming, as well as a package of Los Angeles Clippers regular-season games syndicated from Nexstar sister station KTLA beginning in 2022. KGET-TV completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting on June 12, 2009. Its former analog signal used UHF channel 17; its post-transition digital signal used UHF channel 25 while retaining virtual channel 17. The station continues to operate as a local broadcast outlet under Nexstar ownership.
History
KGET-TV began broadcasting in Bakersfield on November 8, 1959, as KLYD-TV. Businessman Ed Urner founded the station, which was initially co-owned with KLYD-AM 1350, a daytime-only radio station. This connection made the television outlet an unusual example of a station originating from a daytime radio operation. KLYD-TV launched as an ABC affiliate and operated from Eye Street facilities. Dellar Broadcasting bought the station in 1962. The call sign changed to KJTV in 1969, the same year the Dellar interests sold the outlet to Atlantic States Industries. On August 5, 1974, KJTV exchanged affiliations with KBAK-TV and became a CBS affiliate. Gillett Broadcasting acquired the station from ASI Communications in 1978. Later in 1978, the station adopted the KPWR-TV call letters after increasing its effective power to 5 million watts. The Ackerley Group purchased the station in 1983. On February 1, 1984, it became KGET. The station later added the “-TV” suffix in 2002. Around that period, it exchanged affiliations with KERO-TV and became Bakersfield's NBC affiliate, a role it continues to hold. The station's network history is notable because it has had primary affiliations with ABC, CBS, and NBC, the three major U.S. broadcast networks. KGET-TV moved its operations from Eye Street to studios on L Street in 1997. The L Street building had previously been owned by Pacific Bell and remains the station's primary studio location. Clear Channel Communications acquired KGET-TV in 2001. In 2007, Clear Channel agreed to sell its television group to Newport Television, a holding company controlled by Providence Equity Partners. Regulatory concerns arose because Providence also held an interest in Univision, whose ownership included Bakersfield station KUVI-TV. Because the Bakersfield market did not have enough full-power stations to support the proposed ownership arrangement under applicable rules, approval was conditioned on the divestiture of either KGET-TV or the Providence interest in Univision. The divestiture requirement was completed in March 2008. In May 2008, Newport agreed to sell KGET-TV and several other stations to High Plains Broadcasting. The transaction closed on September 15, 2008, while Newport continued operating KGET under a shared-services arrangement. Newport later agreed to sell KGET-TV, low-power Telemundo affiliate KKEY-LP, and Fresno station KGPE to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction on January 23, 2013, and the sale closed on February 19, 2013. Nexstar's 2018 agreement to acquire Tribune Media further expanded the corporate network surrounding KGET-TV. The transaction was expected to add nearby-market sister stations, including Los Angeles CW affiliate KTLA and San Diego Fox affiliate KSWB-TV. The station also experienced a carriage interruption in 2019 when it was removed from AT&T U-verse and DirecTV during a retransmission dispute between AT&T and Nexstar. KGET-TV completed the U.S. full-power television transition from analog to digital on June 12, 2009. Its analog service had used UHF channel 17, while its digital signal remained on UHF channel 25 and continued to use virtual channel 17. The station currently operates as an NBC and CW Plus outlet owned by Nexstar Media Group, with studios shared with KKEY-LD on L Street and a transmitter located on Mount Adelaide.
- 2022
Los Angeles Clippers programming added
[1]The station begins carrying 11 Clippers regular-season games annually through a package syndicated from KTLA.
- 2013
Nexstar acquisition closes
[1]Nexstar completes its acquisition of KGET-TV and related stations on February 19.
- 2009
Digital television transition
[1]KGET-TV ends regular analog broadcasting on June 12 and continues digitally on UHF channel 25 using virtual channel 17.
- 2008
High Plains Broadcasting transaction closes
[1]The sale of KGET-TV to High Plains Broadcasting closes on September 15, with Newport continuing operational responsibility under a shared-services agreement.
- 2002
NBC affiliation begins
[1]KGET-TV becomes Bakersfield's NBC affiliate after an affiliation exchange with KERO-TV.
- 2001
Clear Channel acquisition
[1]Clear Channel Communications purchases the station as part of its television portfolio.
- 1997
Studios move to L Street
[1]KGET-TV relocates from its original Eye Street facilities to its current downtown Bakersfield studios.
- 1984
KGET call sign adopted
[1]The station changes its call letters to KGET on February 1.
- 1983
Ackerley Group purchases the station
[1]The Ackerley Group acquires the Bakersfield station.
- 1978
Gillett Broadcasting acquisition and KPWR-TV rebranding
[1]Gillett Broadcasting buys the station, which later changes its call sign to KPWR-TV after a power increase.
Products and positioning
A locally focused network-affiliated television station serving Bakersfield and Kern County, combining local news and community coverage with NBC, The CW Plus, and selected syndicated sports programming.
Television news
Local news programming
KGET-TV's local-news output serves Bakersfield and the wider Kern County area. As a local network affiliate, the station combines regional reporting, weather, traffic, public-affairs coverage, and community information with its network schedule. Specific program names and current broadcast times are not established in the supplied reference material.
Network television · 2002
NBC programming
KGET-TV has served as Bakersfield's NBC affiliate since its 2002 affiliation exchange with KERO-TV. The NBC relationship supplies the station with network entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming while complementing KGET's locally produced broadcasts.
Network television
The CW Plus programming
In addition to NBC, KGET-TV carries programming from The CW Plus, a distribution arrangement used by CW affiliates in smaller and mid-sized television markets. The CW Plus schedule expands the station's entertainment and syndicated programming offer beyond its primary NBC affiliation.
Sports broadcasting
Las Vegas Raiders programming
KGET-TV airs Las Vegas Raiders preseason games and special programming under an arrangement between the team and Nexstar Broadcasting. This provides selected professional football content to viewers in the Bakersfield market outside the station's regular network schedule.
Sports broadcasting · 2022
Los Angeles Clippers games
Since 2022, KGET-TV has carried 11 Los Angeles Clippers regular-season games each year through syndication from Nexstar sister station KTLA. The package extends Nexstar's regional sports distribution into the Bakersfield market.
Brand decisions
2022
Addition of Clippers game packageProduct launchBackground
Nexstar distributed selected programming from sister station KTLA to other stations in its group.
Action taken
KGET-TV began airing 11 Los Angeles Clippers regular-season games annually.
Aftermath
The station expanded its sports programming beyond Raiders preseason and special programming.
2019
Carriage interruption during AT&T-Nexstar disputeOtherBackground
AT&T and Nexstar were involved in a retransmission-consent dispute affecting Nexstar-owned stations.
Action taken
KGET-TV was removed from AT&T U-verse and DirecTV on July 4.
Aftermath
The removal temporarily interrupted distribution of KGET-TV programming to customers of the affected services.
2013
Nexstar acquisitionM&ABackground
Newport Television agreed to sell KGET-TV, KKEY-LP, and KGPE to Nexstar Broadcasting Group.
Action taken
Nexstar completed the acquisition on February 19 after FCC approval.
Aftermath
KGET-TV became part of Nexstar's national station portfolio and continued operating as an NBC affiliate.
2008
License sale to High Plains BroadcastingM&ABackground
Ownership approval issues involving Providence Equity Partners' interest in Univision affected the proposed Newport Television transaction.
Action taken
Newport agreed to sell KGET-TV and other stations to High Plains Broadcasting, while Newport retained operational responsibility through a shared-services agreement.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on September 15, 2008, resolving the ownership conflict while preserving Newport's operational role.
2002
Switch to NBC affiliationStrategyBackground
KGET-TV exchanged affiliations with KERO-TV during a broader change in Bakersfield network relationships.
Action taken
The station became the market's NBC affiliate, a role it has retained.
Aftermath
The affiliation established NBC programming as the station's principal network offering.
Sources2 sources
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