KGPE
Encyclopedia : K : KG : KGP : KGPE
KGPE is the CBS television affiliate for the Fresno, California market. It transmits its analog signal on UHF channel 47, and its digital signal on UHF channel 34. It is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its transmitter is located in Auberry, California.
History
The station first signed on air in 1953 as KJEO, Fresno's second television station. Originally a CBS affiliate, it became the market's ABC after KFRE-TV (now KFSN-TV signed on in 1956. In 1986, KFSN's owner, Capital Cities Communications merged with ABC. KFSN-TV became an ABC owned and operated station, sending the CBS affiliation to KJEO.
KJEO had lagged behind its competitors in the ratings for much of its history. The station tried to address that issue in 1995 by adopting a more interactive format for its newscasts. Pre-recorded segments of viewer reactions to particular news stories were shown throughout the broadcasts, and viewers were also invited to e-mail their comments to be shown on air, as part of a feature called "Your Turn". The newscasts were renamed from 47 Eyewitness News to 47 On Your Side to match the new format. This new approach did not help with the station's ratings, and it was abandoned in 1996, although the "On Your Side" branding remained.
Fisher Broadcasting purchased the station from Retlaw Broadcasting (a company owned by relatives of Walt Disney) in 1998, then proceeded to sell the station to The Ackerley Group in 2000. Under Ackerley, the station changed its call letters to KGPE, and revamped its news operation as News 47.
Clear Channel Communications acquired the Ackerley Group in 2001. The purchase was approved in 2002, and Clear Channel became KGPE's new owner. Under Clear Channel, KGPE re-branded as CBS 47 On Your Side in October of 2004.
In 1997, the station became the first in the Fresno area to operate a news helicopter. Known as "Eagle 47", the chopper was named after its exclusive sponsor, Table Mountain Casino, which uses an "Eagle" for its logo. "Eagle" refers to one of the restaurants inside the Casino called Eagles Landing Spot. After the Ackerley Group took over the station in 2000, Eagle 47 was grounded for good.
External links
| Broadcast television in the Fresno / Visalia market [(Nielsen DMA #56)] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| KVHF 4 (JTV) - KCWB 13 (AMV) - KHSC 16 (HSN) - KVPT 18 (PBS) - KFTV 21 (UNI) - KZMM 22 (MMA) - KSEE 24 (NBC) - KMPH 26 (Fox) - KFSN 30 (ABC) KJEO 32 (A1) - KSDI 33 (TSC) - KMCF 35 (AS) - KGMC 43 (Ind/JTV/A1) - KGPE 47 (CBS) - KNXT 49 (Ind) - KNSO 51 (TEL) - KAIL 53 (UPN/MNTV) KMSG 55 / KFAZ 8 (AZA) - KFRE 59 (The WB/The CW) - KTFF 61 (TFU) | |||
| '''CBS Network Affiliates in the state of California | |
|---|---|
| KCBS 2 () - KPIX 5 () - KVIQ 6 () - KFMB 8 () - KCOY 12 () - KHSL 12 () - KOVR 13 () - KBAK 29 () - KPSP 38 () - KION 46 () - KGPE 47 () | |
| See also: , , , , , , , , , , , , and stations in California | |
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