View source for KRCR-TV

{{short description|Television station in Redding, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Missing information|KRCR's news operation|date=May 2023}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=August 2013}}
}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = KRCR-TV
| logo                   = LOGO KRCR ABC7 solid calls horz blu.png
| logo_size              = 250px
| branding               = KRCR ABC 7; ''The Northstate's News''
| digital                = 15 ([[UHF]])<ref name="krcrchanges">{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff37529362a01754720d8062213&id=25076ff37529362a01754720d8062213|title=Channel Substitution/Community of License Change|work=Licensing and Management System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|date=November 27, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2021}}</ref><ref>[https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-848A1.pdf "Report & Order"], Media Bureau, [[Federal Communications Commission]], July 16, 2021, Retrieved July 16, 2021.</ref>
| virtual                = 7
| translators            = {{ubl|34 ([[UHF]]) Redding|''for others, see {{section link||Translators}}''}}
| subchannels            =
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''7.1:''' [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|'''[[KCVU|20.1]]:''' [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| network                = 
| country                = United States
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1956|8|1|p=y}}
| last_airdate           = 
| location               = [[Redding, California|Redding]]–[[Chico, California]]
| city                   = Redding, California
| callsign_meaning       = Redding, Chico, [[Red Bluff, California|Red Bluff]]
| former_callsigns       = {{ubl|KVIP (1956–1957)<ref>{{Cite web|title=FCC History Cards for KRCR-TV|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=85382}}</ref>|KVIP-TV (1957–1963)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 7 (VHF, 1956–2009)|'''Digital:''' 34 (UHF, 2003–2009), 7 (VHF, 2009–2024)}}
| owner                  = [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]]
| licensee               = Sinclair Media Licensee, [[LLC]]
| sister_stations        = [[KAEF-TV]], KCVU, [[KXVU-LD]], [[KRVU-LD|KRVU-LD/KZVU-LD]], [[KUCO-LD]], [[KKTF-LD]], [[KTVL]]
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[NBC]] (1956–1978)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcsittel.com/html/tvg-nca.htm|title=Northern California Edition|website=Matt's TV Guide Edition History Page|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113051119/http://www.mcsittel.com/html/tvg-nca.htm|archive-date=January 13, 2006|url-status=usurped}}</ref>|Fox (secondary, 1986–1994)}}
| erp                    = 1,000 kW (CP)<ref name="krcrchanges"/>
| haat                   = {{convert|1095|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 8291
| coordinates            = {{coord|40|36|9.5|N|122|39|4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://krcrtv.com/}} 
}}

'''KRCR-TV''' (channel 7) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Redding, California]], United States, serving as the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate for the [[Chico, California|Chico]]–Redding [[media market|market]]. It is owned by [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] alongside five [[Low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] stations: [[Antenna TV]] affiliate [[KXVU-LD]] (channel 17); [[MyNetworkTV]] affiliates [[KRVU-LD]] (channel 21) and KZVU-LD (channel 22); [[Univision]] affiliate [[KUCO-LD]] (channel 27); and [[UniMás]] affiliate [[KKTF-LD]] (channel 30). Sinclair also provides certain services to [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate [[KCVU]] (channel 20) under a [[local marketing agreement]] (LMA) with [[Cunningham Broadcasting]]; however, Sinclair effectively owns KCVU as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The stations share studios on Auditorium Drive east of downtown Redding and maintain a news bureau and sales office at the former [[Sainte Television Group]] facilities on Main Street in downtown Chico. KRCR's transmitter is located atop Shasta Bally, west of Redding.

'''[[KAEF-TV]]''' (channel 23) in [[Arcata]] operates as a [[semi-satellite]] of KRCR, serving the [[Eureka, California|Eureka]] market. As such, it clears all network programming as provided through KRCR but airs a separate offering of [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programming; there are also separate local newscasts, commercial inserts and legal [[station identification]]s. Although KAEF maintains its own studios (shared with LMA partner [[KBVU (TV)|KBVU]]) on Sixth Street in downtown Eureka, [[master control]] and some internal operations are based at KRCR's facilities.

==History==
The station was founded in 1956 as KVIP (adding the "-TV" suffix to its callsign on August 15, 1957) by William B. Smullin of [[California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.]] (COBI), owners of [[KOBI (TV)|KOBI]] in [[Medford, Oregon]], and [[satellite station]] [[KOTI (TV)|KOTI]] in [[Klamath Falls]], as a primary NBC affiliate with a secondary ABC affiliation. By 1963, network emphasis had shifted towards ABC, as only the Saturday morning and Sunday night prime time schedules, a few daytime [[game show]]s and ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'' were carried in NBC's schedule pattern.<ref>TV Guide magazine, Northern California edition, July 13–19, 1963.</ref> The full ABC schedule was available by way of translators of [[Stockton, California|Stockton]]'s [[KOVR]] in Chico and Redding. Channel 7 became KRCR in 1963.

It dropped NBC and took on a full-time ABC affiliation in 1978, which in turn started the seven-year process for building KCPM (channel 24, now [[KNVN]]). This was an unusual arrangement for a two-station market especially one of the size of Chico–Redding, but after 15 years of unsuccessful attempts the area was served by a local ABC affiliate.

[[File:KRCR_7R_logo,_1960s.png|thumb|7R logo used by KRCR television in Redding, California in the 1960s.]]
Under COBI ownership, KRCR used a logo consisting of an [[Interstate Highway System#Interstate shield|Interstate shield sign]] like its sister stations, placing "7R" where the number would be. 7R was adapted as branding for the station at that time, as the Northern California ''[[TV Guide]]'' edition identified it with a "7R" 'channel bullet' to differentiate it from ABC [[owned-and-operated station]] [[KGO-TV]] in [[San Francisco]] and its similar network schedule.

KRCR, KAEF, and KFWU in [[Fort Bragg, California|Fort Bragg]] (now [[KQSL]] in [[Cloverdale, California|Cloverdale]], part of the San Francisco TV market), aired [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] full-time on off-network hours from the network's launch in 1986 until 1994 when now-sister station [[KCVU]] switched to Fox and [[KBVU (TV)|KBVU]] signed on.

KRCR was purchased by Lamco Communications of Texas in 1995 and was rebranded ''News Channel 7'', which remains the branding for the newscasts. The station was operated by California Broadcasting, Inc., and run by general manager Bob Wise (now of [[KOBI (TV)|KOBI]]) until 2004 when the station was sold to [[Bluestone Television]]. In December 2006, the station was sold (along with 12 other Bluestone stations) to [[Diamond Castle Holdings]], a New York-based private equity firm, which later became [[Bonten Media Group]].

The station also operates a semi-satellite in [[Eureka, California|Eureka]], KAEF-TV (channel 23). It operated a local cable-only [[The WB|WB]] affiliate [[KIWB (The CW Plus)|KIWB]], but that station was sold to [[Catamount Broadcasting]] following the merger between the WB and [[UPN]] to form the new [[CW Network]]. [[KRVU-LD]] was previously a UPN affiliate but is now a [[MyNetworkTV]] affiliate.

KRCR was one of a select few ABC affiliates that broadcast on channel 7, but chose not to license the network's [[Circle 7 logo]], until April 11, 2006, when the station rebranded and introduced its new set, along with the digital age allowing clear differentiation of both KRCR and KGO's signals via [[virtual channel]] data if a viewer was in position to receive both stations.

===Merger with KCVU and KBVU===
In December 2012, KRCR/KAEF took over sales operations of KCVU in Chico, as well as [[KVIQ]] and KBVU in Eureka. They still maintain separate operations.

In August 2012, Bonten Media announced that KCVU and KBVU would be sold to Esteem Broadcasting, effectively merging both the ABC and Fox affiliates' operations to create a media powerhouse north of Sacramento and south of the Oregon border.

On April 21, 2017, [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] announced its intent to purchase the Bonten stations (including KRCR) for $240 million.<ref name="tvnc-sinclairbonten">{{cite web|last=Jessell|first=Harry A.|date=April 21, 2017|title=Sinclair Buying Bonten Stations For $240M|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/103465/sinclair-buying-bonten-stations-for-240m|access-date=April 21, 2017|website=TVNewsCheck}}</ref> Sinclair's sidecar [[Cunningham Broadcasting]] acquired the Esteem stations (including KCVU).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sbgi.net/pr-news/sinclair-announces-agreement-to-purchase-bonten-media-group-tv-stations/ |title=SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE BONTEN MEDIA GROUP TV STATIONS - Sinclair Broadcast Group |access-date=April 21, 2017 |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422130342/http://sbgi.net/pr-news/sinclair-announces-agreement-to-purchase-bonten-media-group-tv-stations/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The sale was completed September 1.<ref>[http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765838&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=308 Consummation Notice], ''CDBS Public Access'', [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref>

[[File:KRCR TV studios and offices.jpg|thumb|KRCR's studios and offices located at 755 Auditorium Drive in Redding]]
[[File:KRCR The Northstate's News.png|150px|right|thumb|The Northstate's News logo (2023-present)]]

==Notable former on-air staff==
* [[Rich Eisen]] – sports anchor/reporter
* [[Mark Eubank]] – meteorologist
* [[Sandra Maas]] – news anchor/reporter
* [[Craig Padilla]] – chief creative services editor and production manager
* [[Kristen Welker]]

==''What Makes News Channel 7?''==
In the fall of 1995, [[Continental Cablevision]] of Mt. Shasta (now part of [[Vyve Broadband]]) filmed, produced and broadcast a 30-minute documentary special called ''What Makes News Channel 7?'' as part of its newsmagazine series ''In Focus: Siskiyou Magazine''. It took a look behind the scenes at what went on at the station and focused mainly on the news team featuring a behind-the-scenes look at how a newscast is produced as well as interviews with key personalities such as Mike Mangas, [[Rich Eisen]], Sandra Geist, Warren Wright, Gary Gunter and Katy Brown. The program aired on Mt. Shasta cable channel 3 in the winter and spring of 1996 and starting showing on YouTube and MySpace in February 2010.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo32_YNpCpk In Focus: Siskiyou Magazine Episode #4 - "What Makes News Channel 7?" Christmas 1995], YouTube, January 6, 2016</ref> It was rebroadcast over Mt. Shasta cable airwaves again on MCTV 15 in 2010 leading to that program's relaunch.

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's digital signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KRCR-TV<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KRCR#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KRCR|website=[[RabbitEars]]|accessdate=March 20, 2025}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 7.1 
| [[720p]] || rowspan=4|[[16:9]] || KRCR-TV || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] 
|-
! scope = "row" | 7.2 
| rowspan=2| [[480i]] || TBD || [[Roar (TV network)|Roar]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 7.3 
| COMET || [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]]
|- style="background-color: #E6FFF7;"
! scope = "row" | [[KCVU|20.1]] 
| 720p || KCVU-DT || [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] ([[KCVU]])
|}
{{legend|#E6FFF7|Simulcast of subchannels of another station}}

On August 23, 2011, [[Disney-ABC Television Group]] announced that KRCR would carry [[Live Well Network]] as part of an affiliation agreement with Bonten Media Group; the network was added to a new third subchannel.<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/08/23/53444/live-well-adds-7-affils-tops-40-clearance Live Well Adds 7 Affils, Tops 40% Clearance], ''TVNewsCheck'', August 23, 2011.</ref> Live Well Network was replaced by [[Movies!]] on November 18, 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://moviestvnetwork.com/where-to-watch.php |title=''Movies! TV Network - Where to Watch'' |access-date=November 12, 2013 |archive-date=July 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722143040/http://moviestvnetwork.com/where-to-watch.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> only for it to be replaced by [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]] on September 1, 2022.

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KRCR-TV discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 7, on June 12, 2009, the official date when full-power television stations in the United States [[Digital television transition in the United States|transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |format=PDF |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref> The station's digital signal relocated from [[UHF]] channel 34 to VHF channel 7. The station's pre-transition channel position on channel 34 was later converted to a translator.

===Translators===
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|8244|3=K12JJ-D}}''' [[Benbow, California|Benbow]], etc.
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|8314|3=K05DQ-D}}''' [[Burney, California|Burney]], etc.
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|8256|3=K15CX-D}}''' [[Oroville, California|Oroville]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|8281|3=K05EM-D}}''' [[Paradise, California|Paradise]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|8291|3=KRCR-TV (DRT)}}''' [[Redding, California|Redding]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|71381|3=K05CF-D}}''' [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]]

====Former translators====
In the early 1990s, KRCR operated a satellite, KFWU (channel 8), in Fort Bragg; originally serving as an ABC affiliate for the [[Mendocino County]] portion of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] television market; the station would be sold in 1996. It is currently [[independent station]] [[KQSL]].

KRCR was formerly broadcast on translators channel 2 in [[Lakehead-Lakeshore, California|Lakehead]]; channel 3 in [[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]] and [[Mountain Gate]]; channel 4 in [[Big Bend, California|Big Bend]], etc., [[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]] and [[Covelo, California|Covelo]]; channel 5 in [[Mineral, California|Mineral]] and [[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]]; channel 20 in [[Yuba City]], part of the [[Sacramento]] television market (KRCR no longer broadcasts at all in Yuba City) and channel 21 in [[Susanville]], part of the [[Reno]] market.

==Carriage disputes==
===Mt. Shasta cable dispute===
Since its inception in the mid-1980s, the Mt. Shasta cable system owned by Northland Communications (now Vyve Broadband) had carried KRCR on its cable channel 7. However, in January 2012, Northland dropped KRCR from its cable lineup after the station's current ownership and the cable company failed to come to a mutual agreement to continue the station's coverage on the system and severed ties after a near-30-year working relationship between the two. As a result, Northland replaced KRCR on cable channel 7 with Medford, Oregon's ABC affiliate, [[KDRV]] (channel 12).<ref>[https://archive.today/20120701111826/http://affiliate.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCGrid.do?method=decideFwdForLineup&zipcode=96067&setMyPreference=false&lineupId=CA04562:- Northland Communications Mt. Shasta Cable Schedule]</ref><ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jan/12/northland-pulls-krcr-channel-7-off-air/ Northland pulls KRCR Channel 7 off air in Siskiyou; affiliate out of Oregon takes its spot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519004521/http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jan/12/northland-pulls-krcr-channel-7-off-air/ |date=May 19, 2012 }}, David Benda, Redding.com(''Redding Record Searchlight''), January 12, 2012</ref>

Despite being in California, [[Siskiyou County]] is part of the Medford market according to the FCC. Both KRCR and Northland made several attempts to get the DMA changed but were unsuccessful each time. [[KHSL-TV]], [[KNVN-TV]] and [[KIXE-TV]] were the ''only'' Chico–Redding market stations airing on the Northland system in Mt. Shasta; however, certain programs on KHSL and KNVN are subject to [[blackout (broadcasting)|blackout]] due to the FCC's network non-duplication and [[syndication exclusivity]] rules.

In 2021, KRCR returned to the Vyve Broadband cable line-up on channel 12 (replacing KHSL-TV) and its sister station KRVU returned to cable channel 2. (KIXE-TV remains on channel 9.)

===Disputes with Dish Network===
Under its former Bonten ownership, the company and [[Dish Network]] had two [[retransmission consent]] issues that led to Bonten stations (including KRCR) to be removed from the provider. As a result, on December 8, 2013, Dish stopped carrying KRCR on their system before a later restoration. On January 17, 2017, KRCR and KCVU were once again removed from Dish's lineup as part of a new dispute, returning on February 13.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Benda|first=David|date=January 31, 2017|title=No deal means no KRCR TV for DISH subscribers|url=https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2017/01/31/no-deal-means-no-krcr-tv-dish-subscribers/97311060/|access-date=May 21, 2019|website=Redding Record Searchlight|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Crum|first=Brooke|date=January 19, 2017|title=Dish Network users lose KTXS, ABC38, MeTV channels|url=https://www.reporternews.com/story/news/local/2017/01/19/dish-network-users-lose-ktxs-abc38-metv-channels/96777942/|access-date=May 21, 2019|website=Abilene Reporter-News|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://krcrtv.com/ Official website]
*[http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0,2232,REDD_17533_5191585,00.html KRCR among 13 station to be sold to NY group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206231817/http://redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0%2C2232%2CREDD_17533_5191585%2C00.html |date=December 6, 2006 }}

{{Chico-Redding TV}}
{{California English TV}}
{{SBGI}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krcr-Tv}}
[[Category:1956 establishments in California]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Comet (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group]]
[[Category:Roar (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1956]]
[[Category:Television stations in the Shasta Cascade region|RCR-TV]]