KOHD

KOHD is a television station broadcasting on channel 18 in Bend, Oregon, and serving the Central Oregon market as an affiliate of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The station operates alongside low-power CBS affiliate KBNZ-LD. Both stations are associated with BendBroadband and share studio facilities on Sherman Road in Bend, while KOHD's transmitter is located on Awbrey Butte west of U.S. Route 97. The station was established by Chambers Communications and began broadcasting on September 9, 2006. It launched as a digital-only station, making it an early example of a primary digital television station carrying a major network affiliation. Because it did not operate a full-power analog signal before the 2009 nationwide analog television shutdown, KOHD's initial service was delivered entirely through digital broadcasting. At launch, the station replaced KEZI from Eugene and KATU from Portland on some local cable systems, giving Central Oregon viewers a local ABC outlet. During its first year, KOHD relied on weeknight newscasts simulcast from co-owned KEZI while it developed a local news operation. A dedicated 11,000-square-foot facility at Brinson Business Park was completed in August 2007. KOHD began locally presented high-definition newscasts on September 26, 2007, with morning, evening, and late-night broadcasts. Its news strategy subsequently changed several times. Weekend broadcasts were discontinued in 2009, the news department was sharply reduced in 2010, and later newscasts were restored or replaced through a combination of local updates, syndicated programming, and simulcasts from KEZI. Ownership changed in July 2013, when Chambers Communications sold KOHD to Zolo Media, the Bend-based media division associated with BendBroadband and owner of KBNZ-LD. In 2014, BendBroadband announced that it would be acquired by TDS, a communications company focused primarily on telephone and broadband services. KOHD therefore became part of a broader communications group rather than remaining under its original television-station owner. The station also experienced a temporary carriage dispute with Dish Network in December 2010. When negotiations over a long-term retransmission agreement failed, KOHD and other Chambers-owned stations were removed from Dish's local lineups after the prior agreement expired. Service resumed on December 30, 2010, after the parties reached an agreement. KOHD changed its primary over-the-air digital channel from 51 to 18 in June 2015, with the Federal Communications Commission licensing channel 18 operation the following month. Its local programming later became more closely coordinated with KBNZ-LD. In 2016, Zolo Media announced Central Oregon Daily, a local news program intended for broadcast on both stations. KOHD remains a local ABC television outlet for Central Oregon, combining network programming, locally oriented news, syndicated programming, and digital broadcasting.

KOHD was created by Chambers Communications to provide Central Oregon with a local ABC television outlet. It signed on September 9, 2006, as a digital-only station on channel 18, an unusual arrangement at the time because it carried a major network affiliation without first operating a conventional full-power analog service. The station replaced ABC programming previously available through cable carriage of KEZI in Eugene and KATU in Portland. KOHD initially lacked a fully independent news department and simulcast weeknight newscasts from sister station KEZI. Chambers expanded the operation by completing an approximately 11,000-square-foot facility at Brinson Business Park in Bend in August 2007. On September 26 of that year, KOHD introduced locally presented high-definition newscasts covering morning, evening, and late-night time periods. The news operation underwent repeated restructuring. Weekend newscasts were canceled in July 2009. Following the March 5, 2010, late-night broadcast, the station reduced its news staff to three reporters and eliminated fourteen positions. Longer-form broadcasts were replaced by shorter news and weather updates. Half-hour weekday evening and late-night newscasts returned in September 2010. In September 2011, KOHD began carrying most KEZI weekday newscasts and selected weekend broadcasts, with some morning and evening exceptions. KOHD's distribution also involved a notable carriage dispute. In December 2010, Chambers Communications announced that it had not reached a long-term agreement with Dish Network. The existing agreement expired on December 15, and the station was removed from Dish's local lineups. The dispute ended when service resumed on December 30 after the parties reached a new agreement. On July 26, 2013, Chambers sold KOHD to Zolo Media, which was connected to BendBroadband and also owned KBNZ-LD, the local CBS affiliate. BendBroadband subsequently announced on May 1, 2014, that TDS would acquire the company and its Zolo Media operations for $261 million. This placed KOHD within a communications group whose core activities included local telephone and broadband services. A technical transition occurred in 2015. KOHD moved its primary digital over-the-air broadcast from channel 51 to channel 18 on June 24, and the Federal Communications Commission licensed channel 18 operation on July 6. The station later discontinued its KEZI newscast simulcasts in August 2015, replacing most affected time periods with syndicated programming while retaining limited locally produced content. Zolo Media announced a renewed shared local-news initiative in April 2016. Called Central Oregon Daily, the program was scheduled to debut on both KOHD and KBNZ on May 2, 2016. KOHD's documented programming mix subsequently included weekday evening and late-night newscasts, selected weekend broadcasts, network ABC content, syndicated programming, and local news and weather coverage for Central Oregon.

• 2016

  Central Oregon Daily introduced

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  Zolo Media announced a new shared local news program for KOHD and KBNZ.

• 2015

  Digital channel relocation

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  KOHD moved its primary over-the-air digital service to channel 18 and received FCC licensing for the operation.

• 2014

  BendBroadband acquisition announced

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  TDS announced plans to purchase BendBroadband, including Zolo Media, for $261 million.

• 2013

  Acquired by Zolo Media

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  Chambers Communications sold KOHD to Zolo Media.

• 2010

  Dish Network carriage interruption

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  KOHD was temporarily removed from Dish Network after a retransmission agreement expired, then returned after negotiations concluded.

• 2007

  Dedicated Bend facility completed

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  KOHD completed an approximately 11,000-square-foot facility at Brinson Business Park and began producing local high-definition newscasts.

• 2006

  KOHD signs on

  [1]KOHDen.wikipedia.org

  Chambers Communications launched KOHD as a digital-only ABC affiliate serving Central Oregon.

A local broadcast television station providing ABC network programming and Central Oregon news coverage to viewers in and around Bend, Oregon.

• Broadcast television · 2006

  ABC affiliate television service

  KOHD's core offering is local over-the-air and distributed television service carrying ABC network programming for the Central Oregon market. The service is delivered from Bend through the station's digital transmitter and may also be distributed through local pay-TV systems.

• News broadcasting · 2007

  Local news programming

  KOHD has operated several forms of local news coverage, including independently produced high-definition newscasts, shorter news and weather updates, simulcasts from KEZI, and later programming coordinated with KBNZ. Its local-news schedule has changed over time in response to staffing and programming decisions.

• Local news program · 2016

  Central Oregon Daily

  Central Oregon Daily is a shared local news program announced for broadcast on KOHD and KBNZ. It was designed to provide coordinated coverage of the Central Oregon area across the two Zolo Media-associated stations.

• 2016

  Launch of Central Oregon DailyProduct launch

  Background

  Zolo Media sought to strengthen local news coverage across its two Central Oregon television stations.

  Action taken

  The company announced Central Oregon Daily for joint broadcast on KOHD and KBNZ.

  Aftermath

  The initiative created a shared local-news offering for both stations.

  Source

• 2015

  Primary digital channel relocationStrategy

  Background

  KOHD's over-the-air digital broadcast configuration was changed as part of its spectrum and transmission operations.

  Action taken

  The station moved its primary digital broadcast from channel 51 to channel 18, with FCC authorization following in July.

  Aftermath

  KOHD continued its digital service using channel 18 as its primary over-the-air channel.

  Source

• 2013

  Sale from Chambers Communications to Zolo MediaM&A

  Background

  Chambers Communications decided to divest KOHD after operating the station since its launch.

  Action taken

  KOHD was sold to Zolo Media, the BendBroadband-associated media company that also owned KBNZ-LD.

  Aftermath

  KOHD became part of a Bend-centered television and broadband media operation.

  Source

1. 1KOHDen.wikipedia.org