KAIL
Encyclopedia
KAIL is a VHF television station
affiliated with MyNetworkTV
, based in Fresno, California
, operating on digital channel 7. Its transmitter is on top of Auberry Mountain. They are locally owned by Trans-America Broadcasting Corporation. They are one of the few commercial stations that are independently owned and one of the few stations to have never been sold it its long life.
Through the 1970s KAIL ran older cartoons, drama shows, several hours a day of religious shows, and specialty shows. As new syndicated cartoons became abundant in the mid-1980s, KAIL added more of those. They also continued to lean toward barter syndicated shows. Their ratings continued to be modest throughout the 1980s.
In the 1995, the station became a charter affiliate of UPN, when the network launched in January 1995. In the 1990s, KAIL added stronger programs such as recent off network sitcoms, talk shows, reality shows, and court shows. The station began gradually phasing out cartoons around 2000 and dropped the weekday cartoons in the fall of 2003, when UPN ended its DIsney kids' block. When UPN affiliation was dropped (several weeks before the network's already announced demise), the station became a charter affiliate of MyNetworkTV on September 5, 2006.
KAIL holds the record for the longest continuous usage of a station's original call letters in the Fresno market, having used the callsign since its sign-on in 1961; it has held the record since 2000, when KJEO-TV (which signed on under those call letters in 1953) changed its call letters to KGPE-TV. (Several other stations have had the same call letters since their original licensing, but are younger than KAIL.) Also the station was the only station to never change ownerships since its 1961 sign on.
Prior to the licencing of KAIL-TV, Channel 53 broadcast as KBID-TV for a few months in 1954. The station was owned by veteran broadcaster John Poole
, original owner of channel 22 in Los Angeles
, originally KBIC-TV. KBID left the air when the station was unable to acquire a network affiliation. At the time, only CBS did not have an affiliate in Fresno. CBS would eventually affiliate with channel 12 (now channel 30) in 1956.
In 2008, KAIL became the flagship for Fresno State Bulldogs
sports, which moved from KFRE-TV
. On April 1, 2008, KAIL launched a Retro Television Network
affiliate on its digital subchannel 7.2. and that channel is the new home to the San Francisco Giants
which moved from conter rival station, KFRE
.
In February 2010 KAIL began simulcasting both channels 7.1 My Network and 7.2 RTV in the new Mobile TV format becoming the first TV station in the Market to do so.
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
affiliated with MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
, based in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, operating on digital channel 7. Its transmitter is on top of Auberry Mountain. They are locally owned by Trans-America Broadcasting Corporation. They are one of the few commercial stations that are independently owned and one of the few stations to have never been sold it its long life.
History
KAIL-TV became Fresno's first independent TV station on December 18, 1961, beating out soon to be competitor, KICU-TV (now KGMC) by 5 days. In its early years, it produced a great deal of its own programming, including children's shows such as Leebo the Clown and others. During the 1960s, KAIL ran religious shows, public affairs programs, a few older syndicated shows, some cartoons, older movies, and some sports. The station was on the air about 8 hours a day.Through the 1970s KAIL ran older cartoons, drama shows, several hours a day of religious shows, and specialty shows. As new syndicated cartoons became abundant in the mid-1980s, KAIL added more of those. They also continued to lean toward barter syndicated shows. Their ratings continued to be modest throughout the 1980s.
In the 1995, the station became a charter affiliate of UPN, when the network launched in January 1995. In the 1990s, KAIL added stronger programs such as recent off network sitcoms, talk shows, reality shows, and court shows. The station began gradually phasing out cartoons around 2000 and dropped the weekday cartoons in the fall of 2003, when UPN ended its DIsney kids' block. When UPN affiliation was dropped (several weeks before the network's already announced demise), the station became a charter affiliate of MyNetworkTV on September 5, 2006.
KAIL holds the record for the longest continuous usage of a station's original call letters in the Fresno market, having used the callsign since its sign-on in 1961; it has held the record since 2000, when KJEO-TV (which signed on under those call letters in 1953) changed its call letters to KGPE-TV. (Several other stations have had the same call letters since their original licensing, but are younger than KAIL.) Also the station was the only station to never change ownerships since its 1961 sign on.
Prior to the licencing of KAIL-TV, Channel 53 broadcast as KBID-TV for a few months in 1954. The station was owned by veteran broadcaster John Poole
John Poole
John Silas Poole was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1936 to 1949. Initially as a Conservative, he became a Progressive Conservative in 1943 when the party changed its name.-Biography:Poole was educated at Kemptville and in Winnipeg,...
, original owner of channel 22 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, originally KBIC-TV. KBID left the air when the station was unable to acquire a network affiliation. At the time, only CBS did not have an affiliate in Fresno. CBS would eventually affiliate with channel 12 (now channel 30) in 1956.
Fresno State Bulldogs
The Fresno State Bulldogs represent California State University, Fresno in 19 NCAA Division I sports. The teams have been members of the Western Athletic Conference since 1992. Before that, it had been a member of the Big West Conference since 1969...
sports, which moved from KFRE-TV
KFRE-TV
KFRE-TV is the CW affiliate for the Fresno, California market. It broadcasts on digital UHF channel 36. The station is a sister station of KMPH-TV. KFRE-TV is owned by Titan Broadcast Group. The station is licensed to Sanger, with studios in Fresno and a transmitter in Auberry.-History:KFRE-TV...
. On April 1, 2008, KAIL launched a Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
affiliate on its digital subchannel 7.2. and that channel is the new home to the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
which moved from conter rival station, KFRE
KFRE-TV
KFRE-TV is the CW affiliate for the Fresno, California market. It broadcasts on digital UHF channel 36. The station is a sister station of KMPH-TV. KFRE-TV is owned by Titan Broadcast Group. The station is licensed to Sanger, with studios in Fresno and a transmitter in Auberry.-History:KFRE-TV...
.
In February 2010 KAIL began simulcasting both channels 7.1 My Network and 7.2 RTV in the new Mobile TV format becoming the first TV station in the Market to do so.