KTNL-TV

KTNL-TV is a television station licensed to Sitka, Alaska, and historically the community's only over-the-air broadcast television station. The station began broadcasting on July 28, 1966, under the call sign KIFW-TV, after the Federal Communications Commission granted its construction permit on June 7 of that year. It joined CBS in October 1966 and spent most of its first 55 years as a CBS affiliate, although its early network service was constrained by the absence of a live interconnection to the national network. The station's early operating model reflected the communications limitations of rural Alaska. Before a satellite dish was installed in 1985, CBS programs were generally recorded from KIRO-TV in Seattle and shipped to Sitka on videotape, resulting in delays of roughly two weeks. Live news and sports were supplied through the Rural Alaska Television Network. The satellite installation enabled KTNL-TV to receive live CBS programming and materially improved the station's usefulness as a network outlet for Southeast Alaska viewers. Ownership and identity changed several times. Kathie and Dan Etulain acquired the station in 1983, after which the call letters changed from KIFW-TV to KTNL. The station continued to share facilities with KIFW radio for a period, while also carrying some Christian programming through a relationship with Alaska Christian Television Services. KTNL moved to separate premises in 1989. In 1992, Sitka News Bureau, owned by the Baggen family, purchased the station and relocated it to Harbor Drive. The company introduced a local newscast connected with its public-access operation, but discontinued the newscast in November 1993 to focus resources on local commercial production. Although KTNL announced an intention to operate solely as a CBS outlet, it continued to carry selected ABC programming, including important events such as Monday Night Football. Wright Home, Inc. acquired KTNL-TV in 1996. In 2000, the station was sold to GreenTV of Evergreen, Colorado, controlled by Penny and David Drucker, who also owned television properties in Anchorage and Ketchikan. GreenTV was subsequently renamed Ketchikan TV. In 2014, Ketchikan TV sold KTNL-TV, along with KUBD and KXLJ-LD, to Denali Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Alaska telecommunications company GCI. This placed KTNL within a broader Southeast Alaska media portfolio that also included properties associated with GCI's Anchorage and Juneau operations. GCI exited the broadcasting business in 2020. Gray Television acquired the CBS programming rights for Anchorage and Southeast Alaska, together with several stations and related assets. Because KTNL's programming, network affiliation, and operating assets were included in the transition, Denali Media took KTNL-TV off the air on October 31, 2020. Denali Media sold the station back to Ketchikan TV in 2021. A further ownership transfer was announced in December 2023, when Ketchikan TV agreed to sell KTNL, KDMD, and three low-power stations to Bridge News LLC, backed by entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava. The transaction closed on March 12, 2024. As of December 2024, KTNL-TV remains silent because of equipment failure. The station therefore represents an operating broadcast license and local television identity without current over-the-air programming. Its history illustrates the development of rural Alaskan broadcasting from delayed videotape distribution to satellite-delivered network service, followed by consolidation and eventual withdrawal from active transmission.

KTNL-TV was established to provide Sitka, Alaska, with its first local over-the-air television service. The Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit to Sitka Broadcasting Company on June 7, 1966, for a station on channel 13. Broadcasting began on July 28, 1966, as KIFW-TV. The station joined CBS that October, although it initially operated as a non-interconnected affiliate and could not receive live network programming through long-line facilities. During its early years, network distribution was laborious. CBS programs were recorded from KIRO-TV in Seattle and shipped to Sitka on videotape, producing delays of approximately two weeks. The Rural Alaska Television Network supplied live news and sports. This arrangement changed in 1985, when the station installed a satellite dish and gained access to live CBS programming. The technical upgrade was a major turning point for the station and for viewers in Southeast Alaska. Kathie and Dan Etulain purchased the station in 1983. Under their ownership, the call letters changed to KTNL, while the station remained in the same building as KIFW radio for several years. KTNL continued to carry CBS programming and also broadcast Christian material through a relationship with Alaska Christian Television Services. An attempted relocation was rejected by a zoning board in 1988, but the station moved to new premises in 1989, giving the co-located radio operation additional space. In 1992, the Baggen family's Sitka News Bureau acquired KTNL. The station moved to the News Bureau's Harbor Drive facilities and developed a local newscast associated with the company's public-access cable operation. The newscast ended in November 1993 as the station redirected resources toward local advertising production. KTNL announced plans to remove non-CBS network programming, but it continued to act as a secondary ABC affiliate for selected high-value programs, including Monday Night Football. The station's former owners continued video-production activities and later returned to television through low-power service in Sitka. Wright Home, Inc. bought KTNL-TV in 1996. GreenTV of Evergreen, Colorado, acquired the station in 2000. GreenTV was controlled by Penny and David Drucker, who also owned KDMD in Anchorage and KUBD in Ketchikan. In 2014, Ketchikan TV, the renamed GreenTV operation, sold KTNL-TV, KUBD, and KXLJ-LD to Denali Media Holdings, a subsidiary of GCI. GCI had already expanded into broadcasting through ownership of KTVA in Anchorage and related Southeast Alaska media properties. GCI withdrew from broadcasting in 2020. Gray Television acquired the CBS rights covering Anchorage and Southeast Alaska, together with programming, assets, and network affiliations associated with several stations. Denali Media took KTNL-TV off the air on October 31, 2020. The station was sold back to Ketchikan TV in 2021, but it did not resume regular broadcasting. In December 2023, Ketchikan TV announced an agreement to sell KTNL, KDMD, and three low-power stations to Bridge News LLC, backed by entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava. The transaction closed on March 12, 2024. By December 2024, KTNL-TV was still silent because of equipment failure. The station's history combines the challenges of rural broadcast distribution, the importance of satellite technology in Alaska, repeated ownership consolidation, and the eventual loss of its long-standing CBS affiliation.

• 2024

  Bridge transaction completed

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The sale of KTNL and related stations to Bridge News LLC closed on March 12.

• 2021

  Return to Ketchikan TV ownership

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Denali Media sold KTNL-TV back to Ketchikan TV.

• 2020

  Station taken off the air

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Denali Media took KTNL-TV off the air on October 31 after the transfer of CBS rights and related broadcast assets to Gray Television.

• 2014

  Denali Media acquisition

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Denali Media Holdings acquired KTNL-TV and related stations from Ketchikan TV.

• 2000

  GreenTV acquisition

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  GreenTV purchased the station from Wright Home.

• 1996

  Wright Home acquisition

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Wright Home, Inc. acquired KTNL-TV.

• 1993

  Local newscast discontinued

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended its Sitka News Bureau newscast in November and concentrated more heavily on local advertising production.

• 1992

  Sitka News Bureau acquisition

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Sitka News Bureau acquired the station and moved it to Harbor Drive.

• 1985

  Live network distribution begins

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A satellite dish allowed KTNL to receive live CBS programming rather than relying primarily on mailed videotapes.

• 1983

  Ownership change and KTNL call sign

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Kathie and Dan Etulain acquired the station, which adopted the KTNL call letters.

• 1966

  Construction permit and launch

  [1]KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC issued a construction permit on June 7, and KIFW-TV began broadcasting in Sitka on July 28. It joined CBS in October.

A local broadcast television station serving Sitka and Southeast Alaska, historically positioned as the area's principal CBS network outlet and a platform for local advertising and limited community programming.

• Broadcast television · 1966

  CBS network television service

  KTNL-TV primarily carried CBS programming for approximately 55 years. Its service began with delayed videotape distribution because Sitka lacked a live network interconnection, then moved to live CBS delivery after the station installed a satellite dish in 1985.

• Local broadcasting

  Local Sitka television programming

  The station offered limited local programming over time, including a newscast associated with Sitka News Bureau. The newscast was discontinued in 1993 as the station shifted its emphasis toward local advertising production.

• Commercial media services

  Local advertising production

  KTNL's operations included producing local advertising and commercial content for the Sitka market. This activity became a greater priority after the station ended its local newscast in 1993.

• 2023

  Agree to sale to Bridge News LLCM&A

  Background

  Ketchikan TV sought to transfer KTNL and several other Alaska television properties.

  Action taken

  Ketchikan TV announced a sale to Bridge News LLC, backed by entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava.

  Aftermath

  The transaction closed on March 12, 2024, placing the station under Bridge Media Networks ownership.

  announced transaction value. $2.4 million (announced December 2023)

  Source

• 2020

  Cease broadcasting after network-rights transitionStrategy

  Background

  GCI exited broadcasting and sold CBS rights for Anchorage and Southeast Alaska, together with related programming, assets, and affiliations, to Gray Television.

  Action taken

  Denali Media took KTNL-TV off the air on October 31.

  Aftermath

  KTNL remained silent through subsequent ownership changes and was still not broadcasting as of December 2024.

  Source

• 1993

  End local newscast and emphasize advertising productionStrategy

  Background

  KTNL had introduced a newscast under Sitka News Bureau ownership after relocating to the company's Harbor Drive facilities.

  Action taken

  The station discontinued the newscast in November and redirected effort toward local advertising production.

  Aftermath

  KTNL continued primarily as a network affiliate with a reduced local-news offering.

  Source

• 1985

  Install satellite reception for live CBS programmingStrategy

  Background

  KTNL had previously relied largely on CBS programs recorded from Seattle and shipped to Sitka, while live news and sports came through another regional network.

  Action taken

  The station installed a satellite dish to receive live CBS network programming.

  Aftermath

  The upgrade removed much of the delay in network programming and improved the station's role as a CBS affiliate in Southeast Alaska.

  Source

1. 1KTNL-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CBS Southeast Alaskacbssoutheastak.com