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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Oak999 (talk | contribs) at 13:16, 21 July 2009 (Changed "nearby" and replaced with suburb. The studios of KPNX in downtown Phoenix are about 10 miles from Mesa). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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KPNX is a full-service television station, serving the Phoenix, Arizona television market as the NBC affiliate. Its studios and offices are located in Phoenix, and its transmitter is on South Mountain in Phoenix, but it is licensed to the suburb of Mesa. It is owned by the Gannett Company, which also owns The Arizona Republic newspaper.

The station broadcasts on VHF channel 12. As a full-service station, it is carried on all local cable television systems, and appears on the local stations lineup on all of the satellite television systems. It is rebroadcast on full power satellite station KNAZ-TV in Flagstaff and on a network of low-power translators throughout northern and central Arizona.

History

KPNX is the only major English-language commercial television station in Phoenix to never change its primary affiliation. It was founded in 1953 as KTYL-TV, owned by the Harkins Theatre Group, and was a sister station to KTYL radio AM 1490, now KXAM, and FM 104.7, now KZZP. The original studios were located in Mesa, its city of license. Its appearance brought the metro Phoenix area a full-time NBC affiliate; the other three networks shared time on KPHO-TV, as did NBC prior to 1953. Channel 12 carried some DuMont programming prior to that network's demise in 1956.

John J. Louis, owner of KTAR-AM 620, bought channel 12 in 1955 and changed its calls to KVAR. The station then became KTAR-TV four years later. It moved into its current facility in Phoenix in 1959, after the FCC allowed stations to locate their studios outside the city of license. Over the years, the Louis family bought several other broadcasting outlets, including WQXI-TV in Atlanta, Georgia (now WXIA-TV) and WPTA-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Eventually, the Louis family's broadcasting interests became known as Pacific & Southern Broadcasting, headquartered in Phoenix with KTAR-AM-TV as the flagship stations.

Advertising mogul Karl Eller bought Pacific & Southern in 1968, and combined it with his existing business to form Combined Communications. Eller was also one of the original founding owners of the city's first major professional sports team, the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. Channel 12 carried Suns games for years, from the team's 1968 inception until the 1980s, when Suns telecasts moved to KNXV-TV channel 15.

KTAR-TV was the Phoenix pioneer of what some call "happy-talk" news when it debuted "Action News" in late 1973, with long-time anchor Ray Thompson paired up with Bob Hughes, weatherman Dewey Hopper (lately with Air America Radio affiliate KPHX 1480, and a long-time weather forecaster in Sacramento) & sportscaster Ted Brown.

Combined Communications merged with Gannett in 1979, in what was at that time the biggest media merger in U.S. history. Combined's ownership of KTAR-AM-TV had been grandfathered earlier in the decade when the FCC forbade common ownership of television and radio stations in the same market, but with the Gannett merger, KTAR-AM-TV lost its grandfathered protection. Gannett opted to keep channel 12 and sell off the radio station. KTAR-TV then renamed itself KPNX, since the radio station had held the call letters first.

The station had ranked third in the ratings for many years behind ABC affiliate KTVK and CBS affiliate KTSP (now KSAZ). That changed in 1994, when every major English-language commercial station in Phoenix changed affiliations except KPNX. After the market shake-up, KPNX finally reached the number one position in the ratings, dropping former leader KTVK to second place.

In 1997, the FCC allocated UHF channel 36 as the station's digital companion channel, and construction began the following year. KPNX launched its digital channel in June 2000. On 29 December 2005, the station began carrying NBC Weather Plus on subchannel 12.2, making it the first station in Phoenix to offer a 24-hour local weather channel. KPNX achieved another first in Arizona on November 2, 2006 when it began broadcasting local news programming in high definition with a set designed by broadcast powerhouse Jack Morton Design/PDG and fabricated by HD specialists blackwalnut, llc.

On February 24, 2009 it was announced that KTVK, KPHO-TV and KPNX will share a helicopter starting March 1, 2009.[1][2][3]

In March 2009, KPNX switched its weather subchannel system to The Local AccuWeather Channel. KNXV already implements this service, but its GoAZ.tv product focuses on traffic. KPNX offers a more traditional Local AccuWeather product with the Weather Plus brand name.

Digital Television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Digital channels
Channel Format Programming
12.1 1080i KPNX-DT
12.2 480i 12 News Weather Plus (AccuWeather)

KPNX ceased analog broadcasts at 10:12PM on 12 June 2009, the day mandated by the Federal government for TV stations to cease analog transmissions across the country. The switch occured during the station's 10PM newscast. After the analog switchoff [4], KPNX returned its digital broadcasts to channel 12 at 10:38PM. [5]

Programming

File:KPNX station ID 080405.png
FCC-compliant station identification used by KPNX beginning in 2008.
File:KPNX WX plus 20080416.png
Weather Plus local insert with former meteorologist Bill Kelly.

KPNX's news operations (12News) is among one of the highest rated news operations in Arizona during primetime news hours[6]. Its evening newscasts have dominated ratings for the several ratings periods.

While rivals KSAZ and KTVK produce more individually separate local newscasts, KPNX airs the largest amount of news (local and national) in the market, running about 30 hours a week of local news, along with 25 hours a week of national news from NBC (Today Show, NBC News, etc). It also runs syndicated first-run talk and reality shows (Live with Regis & Kelly being one of them, which has aired on Channel 12 since its debut [as Live with Regis & Kathie Lee] in the 1980s) along with the entire NBC schedule.

KPNX-DT airs programming from NBC Weather Plus, a 24-hour weather service showing national forecasts and weather conditions, on its 12.2 subchannel, and on a separate channel on the local cable systems. Weather Plus also has local inserts, shown at right, allowing KPNX weather staff to show conditions and forecasts for the Phoenix market, including northern Arizona. In addition, weather conditions and forecasts from around the region are displayed on the left and at the bottom of the screen (known as an "L-bar").

Station identification

Over the years, KPNX has used a legal station identification that did not comply with FCC regulations, which require that in the legal identification broadcast aurally or visually, a station must state its call sign, followed by its city of license. For many years KPNX identified as "Phoenix/Mesa" rather than "Mesa/Phoenix" as required. but beginning in 2008, has begun using a new, FCC-compliant station ID on its analog and primary digital channels (shown at right, top). On its Weather Plus programming on 12.2, KPNX still identifies using non-compliant ID, and does not air separate ID at the top of the hour (shown at right, bottom).


Newscast title

Current news personalities

12News Today

  • Tram Mai
  • Scott Light
  • Meteorologist Sarah Walters

Arizona Midday

  • Jan D'Atri
  • Destry Jetton

12News Midday @ Noon

  • Tram Mai or Scott Light or Kim Covington
  • Meteorologist Sarah Walters or Jerrid Sebesta or Caribe Devine

12News Evening Edition @ 4:30

  • Mark Curtis
  • Fay Fredricks
  • 12News Weather Plus+ Forecaster James Quinones

12News Evening Edition @ 5

  • Mark Curtis
  • Lin Sue Cooney
  • Sports Director Kevin Hunt
  • 12News Weather Plus+ Forecaster James Quinones

12News Evening Edition @ 6

  • Mark Curtis
  • Lin Sue Cooney
  • Sports Director Kevin Hunt
  • 12News Weather Plus+ Forecaster James Quinones

12News at 10:00

  • Mark Curtis
  • Lin Sue Cooney
  • Fay Fredricks (live reporter and substitute anchor)
  • 12News Weather Plus+ Forecaster James Quinones
  • Sports Director Kevin Hunt

12News Today Saturday Mornings

  • Syleste Rodriguez
  • Joe Dana
  • Weather Forecaster Caribe Devine

12News Today Sunday Mornings

  • Melissa Gonzalo
  • Rick DeBruhl -- Sunday Square-off Segment
  • Weather Forecaster Caribe Devine

12News Weekend Evenings

  • Brahm Resnik (Sundays only)
  • Kim Covington
  • Weather Forecaster Caribe Devine
  • Bruce Cooper (Saturday only)

Arizona Highways

  • Robin Sewell -- host and executive producer

12Sports Team

  • Sports Director Kevin Hunt (Sunday -Thursday)
  • Bruce Cooper (Friday, Saturday, and Sports Tonight)
  • Joe Pequeno

12News Weather Plus+

  • Meteorologist James Quinones
  • Meteorologist Sarah Walters (NWA/AMS)
  • Forecaster Caribe Devine
  • Meteorologist Jerrid Sebesta (AMS-CBM)

Call 12 For Action (Consumer/Investigative News Team)

  • Dave Cherry
  • Rick DeBruhl

General Assignment Reporters

  • Melissa Blasius
  • Andy Harvey
  • Kevin Kennedy
  • Brandon Kline
  • Nicole McGregor
  • Hannah Mullins
  • Syleste Rodriguez
  • Veronica Sanchez
  • Jennifer Vogel

Helicopter Pilots/Reporters

(As part of a Local News Service the helicopter is shared with KTVK and KPHO-TV and operated by Helicopters Inc.)

  • Scott Clifton
  • Tammy Rose

Former Personalities

  • Kent Dana, Anchor (1979-2004); now weeknight anchor at KPHO-TV
  • Jineane Ford, Anchor (1991-2007); most recently anchored Arizona Midday'(Still fills in as Arizona Miday Anchor)'[7]
  • Sean McLaughlin, Chief Meteorologist (1992-2004); moved at first to MSNBC/NBC Weather Plus, now at KPHO)
  • Ron Hoon, now morning show host at KSAZ-TV
  • Marianne McClary, Morning anchor (1990-1995); now at KMAX/KOVR Good Day Sacramento in Sacramento, California)
  • Vince Leonard, Anchor (1980-1989); retired
  • Dave Marquis, Reporter (1980s-1993); now at KXTV in Sacramento
  • Blair Meeks, General Assignment Reporter (until 2003)
  • Trayce Hutchins, Reporter (1990s); now co-anchors morning show at WGCL-TV in Atlanta
  • Deiah Riley, Anchor/Reporter (until 1999); now at WFTS-TV in Tampa, Florida)
  • Jill Miles, Weekday Morning Anchor (1990s)
  • Linda Alvarez, Anchor (1977-1985); no longer in broadcasting[8] Last at KCBS-TV (no longer at the duopoly KCBS/KCAL)
  • Andy Cerota, Reporter (Late 1990s-early 2000s); now general assignment reporter at KTRK in Houston
  • Rick Crabbs, Helicopter Pilot; now helicopter pilot at KSAZ-TV
  • Pat Finn Host of "Finn & Friends" 1989-1990 Now host of California Lottery's The Big Spin
  • Aubrey Aquino, Traffic Reporter; now entertainment reporter for DECO Drive in Miami, Florida
  • Kathleen Mascarenas, Anchor/Reporter (1990s); former editor of Latino Future magazine;current owner of Mas Video Productions and Passport Media, LLC
  • Minerva Perez, Anchor/Reporter (1980s); no longer in broadcasting.
  • Carolyn Mungo, Reporter (1990s now managing editor at KRIV in Houston)
  • Kim Holcomb, Reporter (until 2006, currently at KING-TV in Seattle)
  • Dan Plante, Anchor (1990s)
  • Al Owen, Reporter and Entertainment Editor (1980-1984) Moved from KPNX to Entertainment Tonight[9]
  • Jerry Foster, Sky12 Pilot/Reporter
  • Fred Roggin, Sports; now at KNBC-TV
  • Mitch Truswell, Anchor/Reporter (1997-2003); noon anchor and investigative reporter for KVBC in Las Vegas
  • Kathy Kirschner, Reporter/Anchor
  • Mary Kim Titla, Reporter (1993-2005); publisher of Native Youth Magazine online; unsuccessfully sought Congressional seat in 2008[10]
  • Julie Watters, Anchor/Reporter (1991-2002); Executive Producer, Glendale 11, a cable television government access channel[11]
  • Dawn Witt, Reporter (2000-?); Homemaker and author
  • Bill Denney, Sports (1980s-1990s); deceased
  • Bob Salter, Anchor/Reporter
  • Bill Austin, Weather (1980s)
  • Patti Kirkpatrick, Anchor (1980s), now at local independent station KTVK.
  • Steve Pascente, Sports; deceased
  • Bill Kelly, Weather; now Chief Meteorologist at KHQ-TV in Spokane, WA.

Slogans

  • "Hello Phoenix, Hello Arizona" (1980-1990)
  • "Come Home to the Best, Only on Channel 12" (1988-1990 using NBC's Come Home to the Best, Only on NBC campaign)
  • "The 1-2 (pronounced like one-to) watch for NBC" (Used in radio promos for primetime shows, used infrequently for TV promos)
  • "12 Stands for Local News"
  • "The Leader in HD, Local Television Redefined" (2007-Present)
  • "It's All On 12News" (2008-Present)

References In Movies

A reporter for KPNX appears in the 1978 made-for-TV movie A Fire In The Sky. Elizabeth Ashley portrayed fictional Channel 12 reporter Sharon Allan. The movie aired as a three-hour event on NBC.

Previous Logos

Translators

Notes:

  • 1: Not owned by KPNX. Formerly K71AB ch 71.
  • 2: Mohave County-owned. K42CQ was once K74AN channel 74; K50CY was K70AC channel 70; K46GI has been on channel 54 (K54AN) and 7 (K07JH); and K26GF was K80AP channel 80 until 1989, when it became K54DD.
  • 3: Formerly K70BY ch 70. Gannett-owned (through Multimedia Holdings Corporation, owners of KPNX and KUSA-TV). Construction permit for channel 48 expires 23 October 2009.
  • 4: Not owned by KPNX. Formerly K72AE channel 72.
  • 5: Gannett-owned through Multimedia. Took current callsign in 2005.
  • 6: Gannett-owned through Multimedia.
  • 7: Not owned by KPNX. Formerly channel 67/K67BR.

References

  1. ^ "3 TV stations to share helicopter to cover the news". azcentral. February 24, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-25.
  2. ^ "Channels 5, 3, 12 To Share Chopper". KPHO. February 25, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-25.
  3. ^ "Phoenix TV stations to share news helicopter". KTAR. February 25, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  4. ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
  5. ^ CDBS Print
  6. ^ M. Hagerty (2007-05-24). "News Ratings: May 2007". Radio-Info.com. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  7. ^ R. Cordova (2006-12-28). "Signing off". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2007-01-03.
  8. ^ Harriet Steinberg (2007-12-09). "Linda Alvarez Leaves CBS2". Canyon News. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  9. ^ "About AOIP — Al Owen in print". Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  10. ^ John Christian Hopkins (2007-05-09). "Mary Kim Titla to run for Arizona Congress". Gallup Independent. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  11. ^ "Meet Glendale 11's Julie Watters". City of Glendale, Arizona, website. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
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