KIMO
Encyclopedia
KYUR, virtual channel
13 (digital channel 12) in Anchorage, is the flagship station of a trio of ABC
and digital CW
affiliates covering "The Last Frontier"
under the "Alaska's Superstation" banner, which also includes KATN
and KJUD
. It is owned by Vision Alaska. Its transmitter is located at the Knik TV Mast
in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
This station's digital signal is multiplexed:>
Virtual
channel
Physical
channel
Video
Aspect
Name
Programming
13.1
12.1
720p
16:9
KYUR-DT
Main KYUR programming / ABC HD
13.2
12.2
480i
4:3
Anchorage CW "KWBX-DT"
CW network and syndicated programming
and KENI-TV (now KTUU-TV
). The station was launched by Willis R. "Bill" Harpel, who operated under the corporate name of Sourdough Broadcasters, Inc. Harpel began his broadcasting career in the early 1940s at Anchorage radio station KFQD
, and was previously the owner of radio stations in Ellensburg and Mercer Island, Washington. Prior to the launch of the television station, he started Anchorage radio stations KHAR-AM
in 1961 and KHAR-FM (now KBRJ
) in 1966. A short time after the television station signed on the air, on January 13, 1968, Harpel died in a snowmobile
accident near Girdwood, south of Anchorage. He was 46 years old. His widow, Patricia, took over the rein
s at a time when the station's future was uncertain. KHAR was, at the time, unable to obtain a network affiliation, forcing it to operate as an independent station. Finally, in 1970, it took the NBC
affiliation from KENI. Patricia Harpel became sole owner of Sourdough Broadcasters at around the same time. KHAR swapped affiliations with KENI a year later and joined ABC; that same year, it changed its call letters to KIMO.
In 1972, KIMO opened its own taping facility in Seattle so it could tape ABC shows directly off the network feed without having to use Hawaii as a middleman. The station brought Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
and some other PBS
programs to Anchorage in the early 1970s, before KAKM
signed on in 1975. The station had the top local newscasts in Anchorage from 1977 until 1986, when it was surpassed by KTUU. The station became the flagship of the "Alaska's Superstation" network in 1995, along with KATN
and KJUD
.
Smith Media sold KIMO and the remainder of the "ABC Alaska's Superstation" system to Vision Alaska LLC in 2010. The station was taken over by Coastal Television, owners of Fox
affiliate KTBY
, under a shared services agreement that June; on January 1, 2011, KIMO changed its call letters to KYUR.
Reporters
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
13 (digital channel 12) in Anchorage, is the flagship station of a trio of ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and digital CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliates covering "The Last Frontier"
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
under the "Alaska's Superstation" banner, which also includes KATN
KATN
KATN, virtual channel 2 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Fairbanks, Alaska. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC.-Digital television:-History:...
and KJUD
KJUD
KJUD, virtual channel 8 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Juneau, Alaska. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC.-Digital television:KJUD-DT broadcasts on digital channel 11.- History :...
. It is owned by Vision Alaska. Its transmitter is located at the Knik TV Mast
Knik TV Mast
Knik TV Mast, located near Knik, Alaska, is a tall guyed mast used for FM radio and television broadcasting. The mast is operated by Alaska Public Telecommunications, Inc...
in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
Digital television
KYUR-DT broadcasts on digital channel 12.channel
channel
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
480i
480i is the shorthand name for a video mode, namely the US NTSC television system or digital television systems with the same characteristics. The i, which is sometimes uppercase, stands for interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution of 480 lines containing picture information; while NTSC...
History
KYUR signed on the air on October 31, 1967 as KHAR-TV. It was the third television station in Anchorage, after KTVAKTVA
KTVA, channel 11, is a station in Anchorage, Alaska. The station is the only television station owned by the MediaNews Group newspaper chain until a reorganization plan forced MediaNews to move the station to Affiliated Media, a holding company....
and KENI-TV (now KTUU-TV
KTUU-TV
KTUU-TV is an NBC affiliated television station serving Anchorage, Alaska. The station is owned by Schurz Communications of South Bend, Indiana....
). The station was launched by Willis R. "Bill" Harpel, who operated under the corporate name of Sourdough Broadcasters, Inc. Harpel began his broadcasting career in the early 1940s at Anchorage radio station KFQD
KFQD
KFQD is a class A , AM radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, operating on 750 kHz. It is owned by Morris Communications and broadcasts in a news/talk format. KFQD was the first radio station in Alaska, signing on on May 17, 1924....
, and was previously the owner of radio stations in Ellensburg and Mercer Island, Washington. Prior to the launch of the television station, he started Anchorage radio stations KHAR-AM
KHAR
-External links:*...
in 1961 and KHAR-FM (now KBRJ
KBRJ
KBRJ is a commercial country music radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, broadcasting on 104.1 FM.-External links:*...
) in 1966. A short time after the television station signed on the air, on January 13, 1968, Harpel died in a snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
accident near Girdwood, south of Anchorage. He was 46 years old. His widow, Patricia, took over the rein
Rein
Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.-Use for riding:...
s at a time when the station's future was uncertain. KHAR was, at the time, unable to obtain a network affiliation, forcing it to operate as an independent station. Finally, in 1970, it took the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliation from KENI. Patricia Harpel became sole owner of Sourdough Broadcasters at around the same time. KHAR swapped affiliations with KENI a year later and joined ABC; that same year, it changed its call letters to KIMO.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
and some other PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
programs to Anchorage in the early 1970s, before KAKM
KAKM
KAKM is a Public television station in Anchorage, Alaska, broadcasting locally on digital channel 8 as a PBS member station. The station is owned by Alaska Public Telecommunications, Inc., and is the only PBS station in Alaska that is not part of AlaskaOne. Its program is transmitted from Knik TV...
signed on in 1975. The station had the top local newscasts in Anchorage from 1977 until 1986, when it was surpassed by KTUU. The station became the flagship of the "Alaska's Superstation" network in 1995, along with KATN
KATN
KATN, virtual channel 2 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Fairbanks, Alaska. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC.-Digital television:-History:...
and KJUD
KJUD
KJUD, virtual channel 8 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in Juneau, Alaska. The station is owned by Vision Alaska LLC.-Digital television:KJUD-DT broadcasts on digital channel 11.- History :...
.
Smith Media sold KIMO and the remainder of the "ABC Alaska's Superstation" system to Vision Alaska LLC in 2010. The station was taken over by Coastal Television, owners of Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate KTBY
KTBY
KTBY, Fox 4, is a Fox affiliated television station serving Anchorage, Alaska. The station is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company, LLC....
, under a shared services agreement that June; on January 1, 2011, KIMO changed its call letters to KYUR.
Newscast titles
- KIMO Evening News (1970s)
- Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
13 (1970s-early 1980s) - Alaska Statewide News (1980s-early 1990s, 1999–2001)
- KIMO News 13/KIMO 13 News (1980s-1996)
- Newslink Alaska (1996–1999)
- ABC Alaska News (2001–2010)
- Your Alaska Link (2010–present)
Station slogans
- KHAR-TV Channel 13 in Color (1967-early 1970s)
- Channel 13 is Alaska's Choice (early 1970s)
- Alaska's Most Complete and Comprehensive Coverage of News, Weather and Sports (mid 1970s)
- Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
13: Where the Action Is (late 1970s) - Where The News Comes First (1993–1995)
- Alaska's Superstation (1995–present; general slogan)
- A Difference You Can Trust (1995–2007; news slogan)
- To the Point (2007–2010; news slogan)
- Your Alaska Link (2010–present)
News team
Anchors- Mark Colavecchio - weeknights at 5 p.m.; also News & Views co-host
- Megan Mazurek - weeknights at 9 p.m. (on KTBY); also reporter
- Natasha Sweatte - weeknights at 10 p.m.; also reporter
- John Thompson - host of Alaska Sports NOW!
- Janessa Webb - weather anchor; weeknights at 5 and 10 p.m.
Reporters
- Corinna Delgado - general assignment reporter
- Mike Ford - general assignment reporter
- Jared Mazurek - photographer
- Brandon Reid - photographer; also news producer
- Russ Slaten - general assignment reporter; also photographer
- Fred Stokes - photographer
Former on-air staff
- Maria Downey briefly worked as a news reporter before joining KTUU in 1985.
- Trill Gates was news director and anchor. Previously hosted a children's program on KTBYKTBYKTBY, Fox 4, is a Fox affiliated television station serving Anchorage, Alaska. The station is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company, LLC....
called Fox4Kids under the name "Kitty Fox." Also well known as a disc jockey on KBRJKBRJKBRJ is a commercial country music radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, broadcasting on 104.1 FM.-External links:*...
. - Herb Shaindlin (1930–2008) was the station's first news director. He once remarked that in the early days of the station, he mostly shot news footage with an 8 millimeter film camera. His daughter remarked that he ran a police scanner at home 24 hours a day, often leaving to film footage of events around Anchorage in response to radio traffic picked up on the scanner. Shaindlin would later become the station's news commentator, and hosted various talk shows on KFQDKFQDKFQD is a class A , AM radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, operating on 750 kHz. It is owned by Morris Communications and broadcasts in a news/talk format. KFQD was the first radio station in Alaska, signing on on May 17, 1924....
from 1976 until his retirement ca. 2003. He was inducted into the Alaska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 1998. - Kathy Tebow Sharp, weather anchor (1980s), Miss AlaskaMiss AlaskaThe Miss Alaska competition is a scholarship pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alaska in the Miss America pageant.Alaska's highest placement occurred in 1998, when Joslyn Tinker was selected for the Top Ten. One Miss Alaska won a preliminary swimsuit and another won a...
in 1976. - Cindy Suryan, news anchor (1980-1989). Suryan, a native of KodiakKodiak, AlaskaKodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
, preceded Sharp as Miss Alaska. She anchored the station's newscasts for almost a decade before abruptly leaving Alaska for the Central Valley of CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She is still based there today, focusing on medical reporting. - John Vallentine joined the station as news anchor in the 1970s. Vallentine, mostly in tandem with Suryan, anchored what was the top-rated newscast during the late 1970s and early 1980s (while ABC at the same time was the top-rated network), until being eclipsed by KTUU's team of Downey (not long after her departure from the station) and John Tracy. Vallentine left the station and briefly returned in the mid 1980s before leaving again for good. He also worked as a news anchor in Milwaukee and PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.