KOBI
Encyclopedia
KOBI is a local NBC
affiliate based in Medford, Oregon
. It is owned by Patricia Smullin. The company, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.
, is the longest continuously independent broadcast group in the West and one of the three oldest in the country.
The station also operates a satellite station in Klamath Falls, KOTI
on channel 2, as well as a large network of translators. Together, the two stations serve 12 mostly rural counties in southern Oregon and northern California
.
The station's vice president and general manager is Robert Wise, who served as general manager of KOBI's former sister station KRCR-TV
in Redding, California
, from 1995 to 2005. The studios, located on Main and Fir Streets in downtown Medford, cover an entire city block.
affiliate. It was the second television station in Oregon, and the first on VHF, following KPTV-TV, Portland, Oregon, by eleven months.
Smullin soon realized that KBES' signal was not strong enough to cover all of southern Oregon, which the FCC had ruled was part of the Medford market. Fortunately, he was able to buy the license for channel 2 in Klamath Falls, and KOTI debuted on August 12, 1956.
In 1962, Smullin changed the call letters to KTVM. When channel 10 was allocated to Medford, Smullin helped the owners of KMED-AM
get the license, as well as space on his transmitter on Blackwell Hill. Partly because of his help, KMED-TV (now KTVL
) signed on in 1961. In 1968, KTVM moved to a powerful transmitter on King Mountain and changed its calls to KOBI.
In 1983, KOBI traded affiliations with KTVL and became an NBC affiliate. It carried a few ABC programs for another year until KDRV
signed on.
For many years, KOBI branded itself as "Channel 5M," with a logo showing a "5" on an interstate highway sign, reflecting the interstate that goes through the Medford area, Interstate 5
. The interstate sign motif was later extended to KOTI and KRCR. KOBI rebranded itself as "The News Channel" in 1998 and as "NBC 5" in 2004, but the highway sign remains today.
The station has a UHF translator, K32DY, to serve non-antenna-rotator-equipped households between Medford and Ashland. It is located on Grizzly Peak.
KOBI has brought many firsts to Southern Oregon and Northern California. It was the first station in Medford to offer local color programming, the first station to operate in stereo, the first Medford station to employ electronic news gathering technology, and was the first Medford station with statewide microwave news coverage.
Bill Smullin retired in 1985 and was succeeded by his daughter, Patricia C. "Patsy" Smullin, who serves as owner and president today.
KOBI added a DT2 channel
for AccuWeather's local weather and national weather digital channel to KOBI's digital signal were instituted in early 2008.
Lyle Ahrens serves as the markets only Klamath Basin bureau chief at KOTI-TV 2. In 2006, Fox
affiliate KMVU
began broadcasting a half-hour newscast, "First at Ten," anchored by Audrey Kuchen (now anchored by Dan Joseph) and produced by KOBI.
On January 10, 2011, a 7am news program called FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven anchored by Anne McCloy, Austin Reed and Cameron Loughlin debuted.
KOBI (as well as competitor KTVL
) does not currently have a local sportscast.
News Team:
Anchors
Weather
Reporters
Notable former on-air staff
. Jackpot Bingo gave contestants the opportunity to win up to $5,000 in cash by playing blackout bingo. However, contestants usually won the minimum $200 prize. Carnes was replaced by Sally Holliday in 1987 and the show was renamed $10,000 Jackpot Bingo as the prize money doubled. Still, contestants usually won $200. The show garnered the highest ratings for its time slot , although it was cancelled in 1988.
Jackpot Bingo takes after the popular Dialing for Dollars
format.
Twenty high schools from all over Southern Oregon are participating in the NBC Academic Challenge. Each school brings in a team of five students, four participating and one alternate, who answer a series of questions from the host, NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist Jeff Heaton, on topics such as history, math, literature, current events and a variety of other categories.
At the end of this double-elimination competition the final two teams will split the scholarship money, 60% to the championship team, 40% to the second place team.
The idea for Academic Challenge originally started at KRCR-TV
in Redding in 1998 and was hosted by Gary Gunter from '98 to 2005, then Tim Mapes from then on. NBC 5's newly-hired general manager Bob Wise brought the identically-formatted program to southern Oregon in 2005.
The program regularly airs on Sundays at 6:30pm, yet does air after NBC Sunday Night Football
and NBC 5 News during the NFL season.
in Sacramento
in 2010. Information can be found at www.somp.org.
This statement was replayed on Eyewitness News in August 2003 in celebration of the station's 50th anniversary.
Digital channels>
Channel
Name
Programming
5.1
KOBI-DT
Main KOBI programming / NBC
HD
5.2
The AccuWeather Channel
NBC 5 WeatherNOW
Medford stations KOBI (NBC), KDRV
(ABC), KMVU
(FOX) and KSYS (PBS) broadcast only digital signals, effective February 17, 2009.
KOBI shut down
its analog signal on February 17, 2009, returning to channel 5.
City Grade Translators:
>
LPTV Translators:
Repeater Stations:
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate based in Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
. It is owned by Patricia Smullin. The company, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.
California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.
California Oregon Broadcasting Incorporated is a family-owned broadcast franchise based in Medford, Oregon. It was founded in 1953 by William B. Smullin and is the owner of KOBI-TV Channel 5M in Medford and KOTI-TV Channel 2K in Klamath Falls, Oregon...
, is the longest continuously independent broadcast group in the West and one of the three oldest in the country.
The station also operates a satellite station in Klamath Falls, KOTI
KOTI
KOTI is a local NBC affiliate based in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Founded on August 12, 1956 by William B. Smullin of California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc., the station now serves as a repeater facility for sister station KOBI-TV NBC 5 of Medford, Oregon...
on channel 2, as well as a large network of translators. Together, the two stations serve 12 mostly rural counties in southern Oregon and northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The station's vice president and general manager is Robert Wise, who served as general manager of KOBI's former sister station KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV is an ABC affiliated television station in California, USA, that serves the northern Sacramento Valley, including the towns of Redding and Chico. Its studios are located in Redding, where the station is licensed...
in Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, from 1995 to 2005. The studios, located on Main and Fir Streets in downtown Medford, cover an entire city block.
History
It was founded on August 1, 1953 by Bill Smullin, a 20-year veteran of the television industry. The station's call letters were originally KBES-TV (BESt TV), and it carried programming from all four major networks.http://www.wsmb.org/Page.asp?NavID=17 However, for its first 30 years, it was a primary CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. It was the second television station in Oregon, and the first on VHF, following KPTV-TV, Portland, Oregon, by eleven months.
Smullin soon realized that KBES' signal was not strong enough to cover all of southern Oregon, which the FCC had ruled was part of the Medford market. Fortunately, he was able to buy the license for channel 2 in Klamath Falls, and KOTI debuted on August 12, 1956.
In 1962, Smullin changed the call letters to KTVM. When channel 10 was allocated to Medford, Smullin helped the owners of KMED-AM
KMED
KMED is a radio station broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Medford, Oregon, USA, the station serves the Medford-Ashland area. The station is currently owned by Bicoastal Media Licenses Vi, LLC....
get the license, as well as space on his transmitter on Blackwell Hill. Partly because of his help, KMED-TV (now KTVL
KTVL
KTVL, channel 10 is a CBS television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon and broadcasts from a transmitter high atop Mount Ashland, 15 miles south of the city. The station covers eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. The studios are located on Rossanley Drive in northwest...
) signed on in 1961. In 1968, KTVM moved to a powerful transmitter on King Mountain and changed its calls to KOBI.
In 1983, KOBI traded affiliations with KTVL and became an NBC affiliate. It carried a few ABC programs for another year until KDRV
KDRV
KDRV, channel 12, is an ABC television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station is located near Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in north Medford. The station is owned by Chambers Communications Corporation of Eugene, Oregon....
signed on.
For many years, KOBI branded itself as "Channel 5M," with a logo showing a "5" on an interstate highway sign, reflecting the interstate that goes through the Medford area, Interstate 5
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the main Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific Ocean coastline from Canada to Mexico . It serves some of the largest cities on the U.S...
. The interstate sign motif was later extended to KOTI and KRCR. KOBI rebranded itself as "The News Channel" in 1998 and as "NBC 5" in 2004, but the highway sign remains today.
The station has a UHF translator, K32DY, to serve non-antenna-rotator-equipped households between Medford and Ashland. It is located on Grizzly Peak.
KOBI has brought many firsts to Southern Oregon and Northern California. It was the first station in Medford to offer local color programming, the first station to operate in stereo, the first Medford station to employ electronic news gathering technology, and was the first Medford station with statewide microwave news coverage.
Bill Smullin retired in 1985 and was succeeded by his daughter, Patricia C. "Patsy" Smullin, who serves as owner and president today.
KOBI added a DT2 channel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
for AccuWeather's local weather and national weather digital channel to KOBI's digital signal were instituted in early 2008.
News
KOBI is the home for NBC 5 News at Sunrise anchored by Austin Reed, Anne McCloy, and weather from Cameron Loughlin. The Five On Five newscast is hosted by Craig Smullin. The 6:00pm and 11:00pm newscasts are anchored by Dan Joseph, Laura Cavanaugh, and weather from Jeff Heaton.Lyle Ahrens serves as the markets only Klamath Basin bureau chief at KOTI-TV 2. In 2006, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate KMVU
KMVU
KMVU-DT is a local Fox television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station serves the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and the Shasta Cascade region in northern California, and is owned by Stainless Broadcasting Company...
began broadcasting a half-hour newscast, "First at Ten," anchored by Audrey Kuchen (now anchored by Dan Joseph) and produced by KOBI.
On January 10, 2011, a 7am news program called FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven anchored by Anne McCloy, Austin Reed and Cameron Loughlin debuted.
KOBI (as well as competitor KTVL
KTVL
KTVL, channel 10 is a CBS television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon and broadcasts from a transmitter high atop Mount Ashland, 15 miles south of the city. The station covers eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. The studios are located on Rossanley Drive in northwest...
) does not currently have a local sportscast.
News Team:
Anchors
- Dan Joseph - 6, 10 (on FOX 26), and 11PM
- Craig Smullin - 5PM & Reporter
- Anne McCloy - Weekday Mornings/Midday Reporter (and on, FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven)
- Austin Reed - Weekday Mornings (and on FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven)
Weather
- Jeff Heaton - Chief Meteorologist; weeknights 5, 6, 10 (on FOX 26), and 11PM
- Cameron Loughlin - Weekday Mornings (and on FOX 26 Morning News Live at Seven)
- Courtney Olish - Weekends
Reporters
- Christine Pitawanich - General Assignment
- Travis Koch - General Assignment
- Joe Camarlinghi - Features
- Dr. Robin Miller - Medical
- Lyle Ahrens - Klamath Basin bureau chief
Notable former on-air staff
- Christina Anderson - News Anchor/Reporter (now at KOVRKOVRKOVR, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated station of the CBS Television Network located in Sacramento, California and licensed to Stockton. KOVR-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KMAX-TV in West Sacramento, California, and its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove,...
-TV CBS 13 & KMAX-TVKMAX-TVKMAX-TV, channel 31, is the CW affiliate serving the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, California broadcast area. The station is owned by CBS Television Stations along with the local CBS station, KOVR; the two stations are two of the 3 English network O&Os in the market, along with Ion Television...
CW 31 in SacramentoSacramentoSacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
) - Chris Corcoran - News Anchor (now a councilman on the Medford City Council)
- Audrey Kuchen - News Anchor (both NBC 5 and FOX 26; now with FOX Connecticut)
- Leon Hunsaker - Meteorologist
- Gayle Wilson - News Anchor/Reporter
Newscast titles
- I-Five News (1970s?)
- Eyewitness NewsEyewitness NewsEyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
(1970s-1998) - The News Channel (1998-2005)
- NBC 5 News (2005-present)
Station slogans
- No current slogan
- Working for you (2008-2010)
- Local News Comes First (1998-2008)
- We're locally owned (1960s-?)
Jackpot Bingo
During the 1980s, KOBI broadcast a popular interactive game show called Jackpot Bingo, hosted by Tom Carnes. The show aired before Days of our LivesDays of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
. Jackpot Bingo gave contestants the opportunity to win up to $5,000 in cash by playing blackout bingo. However, contestants usually won the minimum $200 prize. Carnes was replaced by Sally Holliday in 1987 and the show was renamed $10,000 Jackpot Bingo as the prize money doubled. Still, contestants usually won $200. The show garnered the highest ratings for its time slot , although it was cancelled in 1988.
Jackpot Bingo takes after the popular Dialing for Dollars
Dialing for Dollars
Dialing for Dollars was a franchised format local television program in the United States and Canada, popular in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.-Format:...
format.
Academic Challenge quiz bowl
This exciting competition, similar to College Bowl, places local high schools in a head to head battle for the championship title and over $40,000 in scholarship money.Twenty high schools from all over Southern Oregon are participating in the NBC Academic Challenge. Each school brings in a team of five students, four participating and one alternate, who answer a series of questions from the host, NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist Jeff Heaton, on topics such as history, math, literature, current events and a variety of other categories.
At the end of this double-elimination competition the final two teams will split the scholarship money, 60% to the championship team, 40% to the second place team.
The idea for Academic Challenge originally started at KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV is an ABC affiliated television station in California, USA, that serves the northern Sacramento Valley, including the towns of Redding and Chico. Its studios are located in Redding, where the station is licensed...
in Redding in 1998 and was hosted by Gary Gunter from '98 to 2005, then Tim Mapes from then on. NBC 5's newly-hired general manager Bob Wise brought the identically-formatted program to southern Oregon in 2005.
The program regularly airs on Sundays at 6:30pm, yet does air after NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
and NBC 5 News during the NFL season.
Southern Oregon Meth Project
In 2005, KOBI started a special program called the Southern Oregon Meth Project to educate viewers and concerned citizens about the dangers of methamphetamine and what can be done to prevent. The project was headed up by KOBI's lead news anchor Christina Anderson, where she remained until her departure for KOVRKOVR
KOVR, channel 13, is an owned-and-operated station of the CBS Television Network located in Sacramento, California and licensed to Stockton. KOVR-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KMAX-TV in West Sacramento, California, and its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove,...
in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
in 2010. Information can be found at www.somp.org.
Mission statement
Bill Smullin, who died in the early 1990s, is best known for a mission statement he shared during a rare television interview in 1983 as the company and the station celebrated their 30th anniversary: "Maintenance-free television is so vitally important to the American people. It's vitally important for the simple reason that communications with the people helps preserve our national institutions and including the freedom which we enjoy under the United States of America flag."This statement was replayed on Eyewitness News in August 2003 in celebration of the station's 50th anniversary.
KOBI-DT
KOBI-DT broadcasts on digital channel 5.NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
HD
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
Medford stations KOBI (NBC), KDRV
KDRV
KDRV, channel 12, is an ABC television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station is located near Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in north Medford. The station is owned by Chambers Communications Corporation of Eugene, Oregon....
(ABC), KMVU
KMVU
KMVU-DT is a local Fox television affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. The station serves the Rogue Valley and Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and the Shasta Cascade region in northern California, and is owned by Stainless Broadcasting Company...
(FOX) and KSYS (PBS) broadcast only digital signals, effective February 17, 2009.
KOBI shut down
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
its analog signal on February 17, 2009, returning to channel 5.
Translators
KOBI is rebroadcast on the following network of translator stations. Some channels currently broadcasting, are not listed in the FCC database:City Grade Translators:
- Analog - K32DY Channel 32 MedfordMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
- Digital - K13JR-D Channel 13 JacksonvilleJacksonville, OregonJacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
/ MedfordMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
>
LPTV Translators:
Repeater Stations: