KMAX-TV

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KMAX-TV (Channel 31) is the CBS Corporation's UPN affiliate (and soon to be CW Network, after UPN's merger with The WB in September 2006), serving the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, California broadcast area. In May 2005, the station merged its operations with the local CBS station, KOVR (Channel 13), which the CBS Corp. just recently purchased -- making both the only English network O&O's in the market. It is known on the air as "UPN 31, Cable 12".

History

KMAX originally went on the air as KMUV-TV on October 5, 1974, and was owned by legendary television producer, Norman Lear. It was programmed as an all-movie channel, to counter-program against the other established area stations, particularly then-independent (and current Fox station) KTXL (Channel 40). However on May 1, 1976, KMUV abandoned its all-movie format and became a Spanish-language station with some English-language Religious Programming such as The PTL Club with Jim Bakker. On April 2,1981, Koplar Broadcasting (which owned and founded current St. Louis WB station KPLR) purchased the station and on April 6,1981 transformed it into an English-language/general entertainment independent station to compete directly with KTXL. The station's call letters were changed to KRBK.

Pappas Telecasting of California bought KRBK in 1994, and on January 11,1995, changed its call letters to KPWB to reflect its new affiliation to the then-new WB network, which started in January 1995. Viacom's Paramount Stations Group bought Channel 31 in January 1998, and changed its calls once again on January 5,1998, to the present KMAX-TV. PSG also switched its network affiliation from The WB to UPN (WB programming since then moved to KQCA Channel 58, a Hearst-Argyle television station, co-owned with NBC station KCRA Channel 3). Viacom later bought CBS, and the television stations division, with CBS and UPN O&O's, became known as Viacom Television Stations Group, or VTSG. Now it is called CBS Television Stations Group, or CBSTSG.

Channel 31 was the flagship television home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings from 1988-89 until the middle of the 2002-03 season, when the team's owners, the Maloof family, terminated the station's contract due to the station selling ads featuring the team, without the Kings' permission.

KMAX continues to carry sports programming, broadcasting over-the-air telecasts of the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants baseball teams. KMAX is also home to Good Day Sacramento, the area's second highest rated morning news program (local or network), behind the Today Show on NBC.

In May 2005, KOVR became KMAX's sister station when Viacom bought it from the Sinclair Broadcast Group.

On January 24, 2006, it was announced that KMAX will become an affiliate of The CW Network, which is a merger of UPN and The WB. The changeover will happen in September 2006. The station is now owned by CBS Corporation, due to the split of Viacom into two separate entities (one which retained the Viacom name). And KMAX will broadcast CBS programs when KOVR cannot such as in a news-related emergency.

From its inception until May 2006, UPN 31 was originating from studios off Highway 160 in Sacramento, Now UPN 31 originates from the studios of KOVR in West Sacramento.

Newscasts

• UPN 31 Good Day Sacramento 5:00-10:00 a.m. (Monday - Friday) (with Nick Toma, Marianne Mcclary, Julissa Ortiz, Stefanie Cruz on News, Cody Stark on Weather, Courtney Dempsey and Tina Macuha on Traffic and Mark S. Allen on Entertainment)
• UPN 31 Good Day Sacramento 7:00-10:00 a.m. (Saturday and Sunday) (with Taryn Winter Brill, Chris Burrous and Ron Jones on News)

News Music

• Newsedge - Stephen Arnold Music - 1998-Present

Past Newscasts

• 31 News: 1980s-1995
• 31 Action News: 1996-1998
• UPN 31 Action News: 1998-2002
• Good Evening Sacramento: 2003-2004

External links

• [Query the FCC's TV station database for KMAX-TV]
• [UPN 31/CBS13]

.54 billion USD (2005) | Employees: Unknown at this time. | Stock Symbol: NYSE: [CBS] | Website: [www.cbscorporation.com]

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