KGET-TV
KGET-TV, branded as KGET 17, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Bakersfield, California, United States, serving Kern County in the Bakersfield media market.[1][2] The station broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 25, using virtual channel 17, and its subchannels include NBC on 17.1, The CW Plus on 17.2, Telemundo on 17.3, and LAFF on 17.4.[3][2][4] Owned by Nexstar Media Group, KGET-TV operates alongside low-power sister station KKEY-LD (channel 13), a Telemundo affiliate, with shared studios at 2120 L Street in downtown Bakersfield.[5][1] KGET-TV provides local news, weather, sports, and syndicated programming to the region, emphasizing coverage of Kern County communities including Bakersfield, Tehachapi, and surrounding areas.[1][6] The station signed on the air on November 8, 1959, as KLYD-TV, an ABC affiliate founded by local businessman Ed Urner, with initial studios on Eye Street in Bakersfield.[5] Over the years, it underwent several call sign changes—becoming KJTV in 1969 and KPWR in 1978—while shifting affiliations from ABC (1959–1973) to CBS (1973–1984) before adopting its current NBC affiliation and KGET-TV callsign in 1984.[5] Ownership transitioned to The Ackerley Group in 1984, followed by Newport Television in 2008, and Nexstar Media Group in 2013, under which it has expanded digital services and newscasts.[5] Notable milestones include a 1978 transmitter upgrade to 55 kilowatts for broader coverage, the 1997 relocation to its current L Street facility, the 2003 launch of digital broadcasting, and the addition of high-definition newscasts in 2011.[5] KGET-TV has established itself as a leading news provider in the market for over two decades, producing original content such as the lifestyle show Central Valley Today and maintaining a strong focus on community stories.[6]History
Founding and early operations
KGET-TV traces its origins to November 8, 1959, when it signed on as KLYD-TV, an ABC affiliate broadcasting on ultra high frequency (UHF) channel 17 to serve Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County region.[5] Founded by local businessman Ed Urner, who co-owned the station with his AM radio counterpart KLYD (now KLHC), KLYD-TV filled a key gap in local television service by providing network programming from ABC alongside original content focused on community interests.[7] The station's initial operations emphasized a balance of national shows, such as prime-time series and sports events from ABC, with locally produced fare including news bulletins, weather reports, and features highlighting Kern County's agricultural and oil industries.[8] From its launch, KLYD-TV operated out of modest studios on Eye Street in downtown Bakersfield, a central location that facilitated quick connections to local talent and events.[9] The transmitter was situated atop Mount Adelaide, approximately 20 miles northeast of the city, with an initial effective radiated power of 234 kW visual and a 417-foot tower height above ground to ensure coverage across the expansive rural areas of Kern County.[8] This setup allowed the station to reach an estimated 200,000 potential viewers in its early years, though UHF reception challenges in the pre-cable era required many households to invest in specialized antennas.[10] In 1962, the station relocated to a larger 34,000-square-foot facility at 2120 L Street. In 1962, Urner sold KLYD-TV to Dellar Broadcasting, a company headed by Lincoln Dellar, marking a significant ownership transition that spurred further development.[11] Under Dellar's leadership, the station expanded its facilities and programming capacity, investing in upgraded equipment and increasing local production to include more talk shows and public affairs segments reflecting the region's growth during the 1960s oil boom.[12] During this foundational decade, the station established its identity tied to Kern County's nickname as the "Golden Empire," a reference to its rich agricultural heritage and economic vitality, which would later inspire its enduring branding as Kern Golden Empire Television.[5]Affiliation and call sign changes
KGET-TV, originally signing on as an ABC affiliate in 1959 under the call sign KLYD-TV, maintained that network alignment until the mid-1970s. On August 5, 1974, channel 17, then known as KJTV, swapped affiliations with KBAK-TV (channel 29), transitioning from ABC to CBS while KBAK assumed ABC duties.[13] This exchange, announced in July 1974, allowed KJTV to adopt the CBS programming slate, including morning shows like Captain Kangaroo and primetime series such as The Waltons and MAS*H, prompting adjustments to its local schedule to accommodate the network's feeds without altering staff or facilities.[13] The move aligned the station with CBS's growing popularity in the region, though specific viewership shifts were not immediately quantified; it marked the end of ABC programming on channel 17 after 15 years and lasted for a decade.[5] The station's call letters evolved alongside technical upgrades. Adopted as KJTV in 1969, the callsign shifted to KPWR-TV on September 27, 1978, coinciding with a power increase from 12 kW to 55 kW to enhance signal coverage across Kern County.[3] This change reflected efforts to strengthen the CBS affiliate's reach amid competitive broadcasting in Bakersfield. In early 1984, under new ownership by The Ackerley Group, the station rebranded with the call letters KGET—standing for "Kern Golden Empire Television"—effective February 1, and completed the switch to KGET-TV in 2002.[3] [5] On March 5, 1984, KGET swapped affiliations again, this time with KERO-TV (channel 23), becoming Bakersfield's NBC outlet while KERO took CBS, a decision driven by perceptions of NBC's robust primetime lineup suiting local audiences better.[14] The transition involved retooling programming to feature NBC staples like The Cosby Show and Miami Vice upon their debuts, alongside intensified local news promotion under the new network banner, which helped stabilize viewership in a market shifting toward NBC's national momentum.[5] This affiliation secured KGET's role as the market's NBC affiliate for the long term, with the call sign change reinforcing the station's regional identity during the rebranding.[5]Ownership transitions and expansions
In 1984, KGET-TV was purchased by the Ackerley Group, which also prompted the adoption of the station's current call letters coinciding with a switch to NBC affiliation.[5] The Ackerley Group itself was acquired by Clear Channel Communications in 2001 for approximately $500 million in stock, bringing KGET-TV under Clear Channel's expanding portfolio of radio and television assets.[15] In November 2006, Clear Channel announced the sale of its entire group of television stations, including KGET-TV, to Newport Television—a new entity formed by Providence Equity Partners—for $1.2 billion; the transaction closed in March 2008 after FCC approval.[16] To address FCC local ownership limits in certain markets, Newport divested KGET-TV in May 2008 to High Plains Broadcasting while retaining operational control through a local marketing agreement. On November 5, 2012, Nexstar Media Group agreed to acquire KGET-TV along with low-power sister station KKEY-LD (a Telemundo affiliate) from Newport Television for $35.4 million, with the deal closing on February 1, 2013; the stations have since shared studios and operational resources under Nexstar.[17] Nexstar further expanded through its September 2019 completion of a $7.2 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Company, which integrated additional stations into Nexstar's network but did not directly alter KGET-TV's local operations.[18] Under Nexstar ownership since 2013, KGET-TV has seen facility upgrades, including the construction of a new high-definition broadcast studio between 2010 and 2011, enabling the station's first HD newscast in January 2011, and a redesigned news set debuted in July 2020 to modernize on-air presentation.[5][19]Programming
Network and subchannel affiliations
KGET-TV has served as the NBC affiliate for the Bakersfield market since February 1, 1984, following an affiliation swap with ABC affiliate KERO-TV that year.[5] As the primary channel (17.1), it simulcasts NBC's national programming, including prime-time shows, daytime content, and special events, while integrating local insertions for commercials and news.[20] The station's digital subchannel lineup expands its offerings through multicasting. Subchannel 17.2 operates as an affiliate outlet for The CW via The CW Plus, a service tailored for smaller markets, which launched nationally on September 18, 2006; KGET-TV added this affiliation on its subchannel around that time to serve the combined legacy WB and UPN audiences in Bakersfield.[21] Owned by Nexstar Media Group, which holds a majority stake in The CW since 2022, the subchannel airs the network's schedule of dramas, reality series, and sports programming without local content.[22] Subchannel 17.3 provides a simulcast of Telemundo programming from low-power sister station KKEY-LD (channel 13), also owned by Nexstar Media Group. This arrangement began in late 2009 after KKEY-LD's analog signal ceased operations during the digital transition, allowing broader over-the-air distribution of Telemundo's Spanish-language news, telenovelas, and entertainment to the Kern County Hispanic community.[5] KKEY-LD itself had debuted as a Telemundo affiliate on October 25, 2004.[23] Completing the lineup, subchannel 17.4 is dedicated to Laff, a comedy-focused multicast network owned by Katz Broadcasting (an E. W. Scripps Company subsidiary). Launched nationally on April 15, 2015, Laff features a mix of classic sitcoms, stand-up specials, and comedic films from the 1980s and 1990s, such as episodes of Home Improvement and According to Jim. KGET-TV added this subchannel shortly after the network's rollout to provide additional niche entertainment options.[24]| Virtual Channel | Network | Format | Audio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.1 | NBC | 1080i | DD 5.1 | Primary affiliation since 1984 |
| 17.2 | The CW Plus | 720p | DD 2.0 | Affiliate; launched 2006 |
| 17.3 | Telemundo | 480i | DD 2.0 | Simulcast of KKEY-LD; added 2009 |
| 17.4 | Laff | 480i | DD 2.0 | Comedy network; launched 2015 |