KVIE explained

Callsign:KVIE
City:Sacramento, California
Logo Alt:The PBS network logo next to the blue letters PBS and, in thinner text, the letters K V I E
Branding:PBS KVIE
Digital:9 (VHF)
Virtual:6
Owner:KVIE, Inc.
Location:Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto, California
Country:United States
Airdate:February 23, 1959
Callsign Meaning:"Valley Information and Education"; contains VI, the Roman numeral for 6
Former Channel Numbers:Analog: 6 (VHF, 1959–2009)
Former Affiliations:NET (1959–1970)
Erp:33 kW
Haat:596.80NaN0
Facility Id:35855
Coordinates:38.2717°N -121.505°W
Licensing Authority:FCC

KVIE (channel 6) is a PBS member television station in Sacramento, California, United States. The station is owned by KVIE, Inc., a community-based non-profit organization. KVIE's studios are located on West El Camino Avenue in the Natomas district of Sacramento, and its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California.

After years of interest in educational television in the Sacramento area, KVIE began broadcasting in February 1959, airing evening educational programs from PBS predecessor National Educational Television and daytime instructional output for schools. Originally located in studios in Sacramento used by a previous UHF station that had become outdated and run down by the 1980s, KVIE relocated to its present studios in 1990. KVIE's local programming has focused on topics including agriculture and activity at the California state capitol.

History

Construction

Channel 6 was allocated for educational use in Sacramento in 1952 after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted its four-year freeze on new TV station applications in 1952.[1] The next year, the first interest was expressed in the educational channel by a consortium of school officials in 15 Superior California counties.[2] [3] In 1955, it joined forces with a similar group in the Stockton area, the Delta-Sierra Educational Television Corporation, after previously forming a joint study committee with the Stockton group.[4] [5] The combined group, Central California Educational Television (CCET), had board members from Ceres in the south to Chico in the north and represented a total of 20 counties.[6] [7] Both groups continued to also exist separately.[8]

In October 1957, CCET approved a fundraising project to raise necessary money for staffing.[9] The fund drive needed to raise money from the community to support matching funds from the Fund for Adult Education;[10] John C. Crabbe, one of KVIE's founders, traveled the region and gave 92 speeches in 90 days. This drive raised $205,000, enough to qualify for the matching funds.[11] In April, KOVR extended an offer to the station, which was accepted, to use facilities it had acquired when it purchased the assets of UHF station KCCC-TV the year prior on Garden Highway; KOVR would also carry demonstration programs to present educational television to the area until the station launched.[12]

The FCC granted CCET a construction permit on July 30, 1958.[13] The consortium invited proposals for call signs,[14] selecting KVIE (for "Valley Information and Education" as well as containing VI, the Roman numeral for 6).[15] The pilot programs on KOVR ended in December 1958 in preparation for the launch of channel 6.[16]

Early years

KVIE began broadcasting on February 23, 1959, with evening educational programming.[17] The first educational programs for schools were broadcast at the end of March.[18] In 1964, KIXE-TV began broadcasting to the Northstate; KVIE programs were received by microwave at Chico State College, local programs and identifications were added, and the result was transmitted to the region.[19] [20] Founding manager and director John C. Crabbe resigned in 1968 at the request of the board of directors over budgetary issues;[21] this was later rescinded, and he resigned the next year instead. While bickering with the consortium of schools using its instructional programming and financial issues confronted KVIE at this time, 1970 also saw the station move its transmitter to Walnut Grove, giving its broadcasts parity with the market's three VHF commercial stations.[22] Previously, limited power and the orientation of many Sacramento-area TV antennas away from KVIE's transmitter near Placerville and toward Walnut Grove hindered reception.[23]

KVIE steadily increased its local programming. Most of its early efforts centered around activities at the state capitol. The station televised the full 14-hour death penalty hearing for Caryl Chessman, a man who was convicted for a series of crimes in the late 1940s, and also aired governors' press conferences and legislative hearings at a time when longform coverage of such events was rare on television.[24]

The 1970s were turbulent times for station leadership. Art Paul succeeded Crabbe in 1970, and while he was successful at managing KVIE's finances—an issue in Crabbe's last years—station board members desired to increase local programming, and there were objections to several decisions and use of station funds.[25] [26] The board of directors recommended not rehiring Paul when his contract expired.[27] Instructional programs also went by the wayside in 1978 as a result of Proposition 13, which capped and reduced property taxes and severely restricted new tax increases; schools could no longer afford the programs as a result of declining tax receipts.[28]

Under John Hershberger, general manager from 1979 to 1994, KVIE renewed its emphasis on local program production, which had been a sore point under Paul.[29] KVIE supporter organization Friends of Six, in a unique attempt to help raise funds for the station, opened At Six, a restaurant in the Sierra 2 performing arts center.[30] The cafe lasted a year, beset by management turnover and poor advertising, and its closure left the station out $35,000 in money it gave for setup costs.[31]

A new building and digitalization

The Garden Highway building, which had been constructed by KCCC-TV in stages in the early 1950s, was no longer adequate for KVIE after several decades of use and decay. In 1984, the station conducted studies to identify a site for a new station facility. KVIE had to lease other office space, and during the winter, portable toilets were necessary because the plumbing did not always work. Fundraising efforts began in 1985; at the same time, it was announced that KVIE would move to a new tower being erected by KTXL (channel 40) in Walnut Grove.[32] Ground was broken on the present Natomas studios in 1988,[33] and the station moved in in January 1990.[34] In Hershberger's final years, the station made three controversial rounds of layoffs, totaling 31 positions, in response to a soft economy, but KVIE's finances improved despite the recession.[35]

After three years during which KVIE was led by former CBS News executive Van Gordon Sauter, who launched several new TV programs including California Heartland and Central Valley Chronicles,[36] [37] David Hosley's nine-year tenure as general manager was dominated by the construction of digital transmission facilities and the upgrading of the physical plant.[38] Early in his tenure, in July 1999, KVIE managed the highest prime time rating of any public television station in the United States, surpassing KQED in San Francisco, which had attracted the most viewers for seven consecutive years.[39]

David Lowe became KVIE's general manager in 2008; at the nadir of the Great Recession, membership fell to 40,000 but had increased to 50,000 by 2018. That year, the station and Lowe received a "Pillar of Public Service" award from America's Public Television Stations for testing datacasting of earthquake early warning alerts to businesses and public agencies.[40]

Local programming

In addition to PBS programming, KVIE produces in-house programs for distribution locally, regionally and nationwide. Having the widest distribution is America's Heartland, a program covering agriculture issues nationally that debuted in 2005; this replaced the similarly themed California Heartland, which aired for nine seasons.[41]

As the public television station in the state capital, KVIE has also historically produced public affairs programs of statewide interest. Until its cancellation in the early 1980s, the statewide political roundtable California Week in Review originated at the station.[42] From 2002 to 2007, it was one of four co-producers of the statewide newsmagazine California Connected.[43] More recently, Inside California Education, aired statewide, profiles issues facing the state's education system.

KVIE's local programs include Viewfinder, a documentary series; KVIE Arts Showcase, an arts magazine; Rob on the Road, a series of regional travel profiles; and Studio Sacramento, covering public affairs issues in the region.

Funding

In fiscal year 2021, KVIE raised $16.75 million in revenue, nearly half of the total coming from membership contributions. Funds from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting account for 11 percent of revenue.[44]

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Channel! scope = "col"
Res.AspectShort nameProgramming
6.1 KVIE-HD PBS
6.2 KVIE2 Reairs of PBS shows
6.3 KVIEWLD World
6.4 KVIEKID PBS Kids

Analog-to-digital conversion

KVIE ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 6, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. The station's digital signal relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 53, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to VHF channel 9, using virtual channel 6.[45]

As part of the SAFER Act, KVIE kept its analog signal on the air until July 12 to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop of public service announcements from the National Association of Broadcasters.[46]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: FCC Allots Capital Five TV outlets. April 14, 1952. 1. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075117/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560310/fcc-allots-capital-five-tv-outlets/. live.
  2. News: Educators File For TV Channel In North State. May 27, 1953. 1. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115062646/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560342/educators-file-for-tv-channel-in-north/. live.
  3. News: Education TV Governors Pick Hammaker. February 17, 1954. 3. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075119/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560385/education-tv-governors-pick-hammaker/. live.
  4. News: Education TV Group Sets Study On Station. November 11, 1954. 37. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075130/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560427/education-tv-group-sets-study-on-station/. live.
  5. News: Groups Approve Of Unit To Hold TV Band For Education. January 14, 1955. 23. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115062646/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560435/groups-approve-of-unit-to-hold-tv-band/. live.
  6. News: Educational TV Companies Unite At Lodi Parley. January 27, 1955. 12. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115062648/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560452/educational-tv-companies-unite-at-lodi/. live.
  7. News: Future Of Educational TV In Capital Looks Brighter. March 16, 1955. K-8. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115062647/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560492/future-of-educational-tv-in-capital/. live.
  8. News: Educational TV Drive Is Authorized. November 21, 1956. B-1. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. November 7, 2023.
  9. News: Educational TV Group Approves $10,000 Campaign. October 31, 1957. 50. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. November 7, 2023.
  10. News: Educational TV Outlet Depends On Fund Drive. February 1, 1958. D-6. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115062657/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560547/educational-tv-outlet-depends-on-fund/. live.
  11. News: Goal Is Met In Educational TV Campaign. April 1, 1958. E-1. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075138/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560605/goal-is-met-in-educational-tv-campaign/. live.
  12. News: Education TV Trials Are Scheduled. May 22, 1958. C-1. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075118/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560656/education-tv-trials-are-scheduled/. live.
  13. News: Education TV Channel 6 Will Start In Fall. July 31, 1958. C-1. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063706/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560707/education-tv-channel-6-will-start-in/. live.
  14. News: Channel 6 Still Is Accepting Call Letter Proposals. August 15, 1958. B4. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063716/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560727/channel-6-still-is-accepting-call/. live.
  15. News: Educational TV Station Will Be Named KVIE. August 21, 1958. C-14. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063717/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560768/educational-tv-station-will-be-named/. live.
  16. News: KVIE-TV Will Present College Singing Group. December 13, 1958. L-14. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063717/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560817/kvie-tv-will-present-college-singing/. live.
  17. News: Educational TV Station Will Go On Air Tonight. February 23, 1959. A1, A4. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063727/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560843/educational-tv-station-will-go-on-air/. live.
  18. News: TV Goes To School: Children Grasp Spanish From Classroom Screen. April 1, 1959. 21. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115560885/tv-goes-to-school-children-grasp/. live.
  19. News: Educational TV Station Sets Opening. July 18, 1964. 1B. The Chico Enterprise-Record. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075120/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115561015/educational-tv-station-sets-opening/. live.
  20. News: For ETV Channel: 'Dish' Atop CSC Building Cause of Many Comments. October 17, 1964. 10B. The Chico Enterprise-Record. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115561145/for-etv-channel-dish-atop-csc/. live.
  21. News: Channel 6 Manager Is Asked To Quit By Station's Board Of Directors. August 3, 1968. A3. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115561165/channel-6-manager-is-asked-to-quit-by/. live.
  22. News: Will Troubles Of Past Plague Forward Steps For KVIE?. March 29, 1970. A6. Bruce. Keppel. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115561251/will-troubles-of-past-plague-forward/. live.
  23. News: Clear, Sharp Picture: Channel 6 Returns To Air With Widely Increased Range. September 21, 1970. A4. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075135/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115561317/clear-sharp-picture-channel-6-returns/. live.
  24. News: KVIE At 25: The Past, Present And Future Of Public Television. February 22, 1984. F1. Dean. Huber. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112196644/kvie-at-25-the-past-present-and/. live.
  25. ViewFinder: KVIE at Fifty . February 11, 2009 . Video . KVIE . January 1, 2023 . January 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194740/https://vids.kvie.org/video/kvie-viewfinder-kvie-fifty/ . live .
  26. News: Station Chief Key Issue: KVIE Holding Crucial Vote. September 18, 1978. B3. Doug. Dempster. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063719/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115582997/station-chief-key-issue-kvie-holding/. live.
  27. News: KVIE Directors Recommend Station Chief Not Be Rehired. July 27, 1978. B1. Pam. Slater. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063718/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115583107/kvie-directors-recommend-station-chief/. live.
  28. News: KVIE's VITA Could Be Tuned Out By Prop. 13. June 16, 1978. B2. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194736/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115582182/kvies-vita-could-be-tuned-out-by-prop/. live.
  29. News: PBS In Sacramento. August 10, 1980. Scene 3. Robert A.. Masullo. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194740/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115584575/pbs-in-sacramento/. live.
  30. News: At Six!: Volunteers Are The Power Behind The Scones. June 19, 1983. D7. Michael. Bello. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 2, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063719/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115622932/at-six-volunteers-are-the-power/. live.
  31. News: Fund-raising restaurant's costly closure. July 21, 1984. B1, B2. Hilary. Abramson. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 2, 2023. January 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230102053306/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115622987/fund-raising-restaurants-costly-closure/. live.
  32. News: Channel 6 launches $6 million fund drive for new TV station. May 29, 1985. AA8. Dean. Huber. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075117/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112196569/channel-6-launches-6-million-fund/. live.
  33. News: KVIE breaks ground for studio in Natomas. November 5, 1988. F1. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075121/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112196671/kvie-breaks-ground-for-studio-in-natomas/. live.
  34. News: KVIE: New digs loosen up space at public television's HQ. October 25, 1990. Neighbors 3A, 7A. Tom. Biondi. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101075140/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112196692/kvie-new-digs-loosen-up-space-at/. live.
  35. News: KVIE chief leaving public TV channel. August 6, 1994. B4. Dan. Vierria. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194741/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115584681/kvie-chief-leaving-public-tv-channel/. live.
  36. News: Ex-network titan to run Channel 6: Sauter vows fresh look at PBS. March 23, 1995. A1, A20. Rick. Kushman. The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194738/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115585145/ex-network-titan-to-run-channel-6/. live.
  37. News: Van Gordon Sauter is leaving KVIE. January 8, 1998. F1, F5. Dan. Vierria. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101194735/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115584993/van-gordon-sauter-is-leaving-kvie/. live.
  38. News: Hosley tapped to lead Channel 6 into the digital age. February 19, 1998. C1, C5. Dan. Vierria. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 1, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115063719/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115584039/hosley-tapped-to-lead-channel-6-into/. live.
  39. News: KVIE pushes KQED out as nation's top PBS affiliate. Sacramento Business Journal. September 12, 1999. January 9, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115064219/https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/1999/09/13/tidbits.html. live.
  40. News: David Lowe, KVIE win major public TV award. Sacramento Business Journal. Ed. Goldman. May 9, 2018. January 15, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115064219/https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2018/05/09/ed-goldman-david-lowe-kvie-win-major-public-tv.html. live.
  41. News: Farm show goes national: 'California Heartland' outgrows its Golden State roots. June 13, 2005. D1, D5. Jim. Wasserman. The Sacramento Bee. Newspapers.com. January 2, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115064221/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115622438/farm-show-goes-national-california/. live.
  42. News: On the Radio: Task Force Divided on Funds Issue. March 31, 1984. V:1, 11. Dennis. McDougal. The Los Angeles Times. Newspapers.com. January 2, 2023. January 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230115064221/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115622300/on-the-radio-task-force-divided-on/. live.
  43. News: Public Stations Get 'Connected'. April 24, 2002. F6. Sufiya. Abdur-Rahman. The Los Angeles Times. Newspapers.com. January 2, 2023. January 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230102053313/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115622207/public-stations-get-connected/. live.
  44. Web site: Fiscal Year 2021 Local Content and Service Report. KVIE. January 1, 2023. December 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221221114152/https://www.kvie.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY2021_LocalReport_New.pdf. live.
  45. Web site: May 23, 2006 . DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf . August 29, 2013 . August 29, 2021 . Federal Communications Commission.
  46. Web site: UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program. Federal Communications Commission. June 12, 2009. June 3, 2024.

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