KSBY History
KSBY-TV made its on-air debut in May of 1953. Today, it is the NBC, CW and LAFF affiliate serving San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties along California’s beautiful Central Coast. It went on the air, however, as KVEC-TV. The VEC call letters stood for Valley Electric Company. KVEC-TV was the first local television station built in the Central Coast. Originally, the station carried all three television networks: NBC, CBS & ABC.
Ownership History
- On June 13, 1956, the TV station, along with KVEC Radio, was purchased by John C. Cohan (founder of Sonic Cable) and Jerome Kantro.
- Central California Communications Corporation purchased the station on July 18, 1957. This company was formerly named Salinas Valley Broadcasting Corporation and owned KSBW in Salinas, California. It was at this time that the call letters were changed to KSBY.
- On February 14, 1979, both KSBY and KSBW were purchased by John Blair and Company – a New York-based broadcast sales representative firm.
- Seven years later, Gillett Holdings, Inc. purchased the stations on December 30, 1986. Gillett owned several television stations and was a major developer of the resort city of Vail, Colorado.
- EP Communications (Elkin Pianim and Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of media mogul Rupert Murdoch) purchased the stations on September 22, 1994.
- SJL of California, L.P., purchased KSBY on January 17, 1996. At that time, KSBW and KSBY were separated, Hearst Argyle purchased KSBW.
- In September 2002, KSBY-TV was purchased by New Vision Group; an Atlanta-based broadcast owner and operator.
- On February 18, 2005, KSBY-TV joined the Evening Post Publishing Company (later renamed, Evening Post Industries) becoming the eleventh network-affiliated television station in the broadcast section of the company: Cordillera Communications.
- On August 1, 2018, Evening Post Industries announced they were putting Cordillera Communications, along with its portfolio of 11 television stations including KSBY-TV, up for sale.
- On May 1, 2019, KSBY-TV was purchased by The E.W. Scripps Company, one of the nation’s largest independent TV station owners. At the time of purchase, the Scripps local television station footprint grew to 52 stations in 36 markets across the country.
About KSBY Coverage
KSBY-TV is on the air in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties along the Central Coast of California. Digital channel 6.1 provides NBC. Digital channel 6.2 (NSBY) provides The CW and digital channels 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5 carry Grit, Court TV and Newsy networks respectively.
A UHF or all-channel antenna (VHF if you live in Santa Barbara) connected to a digital-to-analog converter box or to a digital-ready television is required to receive the new signal. If you are already set up to receive a digital broadcast, all that is necessary is to re-scan channels on your converter box or television.
About Scripps News
Scripps News is the national news network of The E.W. Scripps Company. With reporters in more than 50 cities across the country, Scripps News is focused on providing an independent point of view to coverage of politics, the economy, foreign affairs, technology, health, and science. Visit the Scripps News website for more coverage.
