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KFMB-TV
	San Diego, California
Branding	CBS 8 (general); News 8 (newscasts)
Slogan	The Pictures. The Stories. Your World.
Channel	Digital: 8 (VHF);
Subchannels	8.1 CBS
Affiliations	CBS Television Network
Owner	Midwest Television, Inc.
First air date	May 16, 1949
Sister station(s)	KFMB (AM); KFMB-FM
Former channels	Analog: VHF 8; (1949-2009)
Former affiliations	All secondary:; ABC (1949-1956); NBC (1949-1953); DuMont (1949-1955)
Effective power	14.87 kW
Height	227 m
Facility ID	42122
Antenna coordinates	32°50′17.8″N 117°14′59.4″W / 32.838278°N 117.249833°W
Website	www.cbs8.com

KFMB-TV is the local CBS television affiliate of San Diego. Its transmitter is located atop Mount Soledad above La Jolla, California and broadcasts over the air in digital on channel 8. It is available to all of the San Diego area cable providers on Cox Communications, AT&T U-verse, and Time Warner Cable on standard definition cable channel 8. Cox and Time Warner Cable carry its high definition signal on cable channel 708, while U-verse carries it on channel 1008. The station is also available on its customary Channel 8 position (in both standard defintion and in high definiton) on both of DirecTV and Dish Network's local channels packages. KFMB-TV discontinued analog service on February 17, 2009, moving the ATSC digital signal from pre-transition channel 55 to KFMB's traditional channel 8.

[edit] History

KFMB-TV went on the air on May 16, 1949. It was founded by Jack O. Gross. San Diego Mayor Harley E. Knox was present at its first broadcast. It is San Diego's oldest television station, and is the only major station in the market to remain with its original network affiliation (CBS) since the beginning. Although in the early years, KFMB carried programs from ABC, NBC, and DuMont until other stations signed on, CBS has always been KFMB's primary network affiliation. In 1953, Gross sold KFMB-AM-TV to Wrather-Alvarez Broadcasting. When the Wrather-Alvarez partnership broke up in 1957, Wrather kept KFMB-AM-FM-TV as part of Marietta Broadcasting. In 1959, Wrather sold Marietta Broadcasting to Transcontinent Broadcasting of Buffalo, New York. Transcontinent merged with the Taft Television and Radio Co., Inc. in 1964. However, the merger left Taft two television stations and several radio stations over the FCC's ownership limit of the time. As a result, the KFMB stations were sold to their current owner, Midwest Television. In the 1990s, Midwest Television divested its original stations, WCIA in Champaign, Illinois and WMBD/WPBG/WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois, leaving only the KFMB cluster.

In 2005, Midwest Television and CBS signed a 10-year extension for KFMB to remain a CBS affiliate. The station rebranded itself as News 8 on September 19, 2005 after a four year branding campaign as Local 8. In early 2007, KFMB began to rebrand itself as CBS8 with the launch of their new website. Although they follow the CBS Mandate, KFMB is not owned by CBS Corporation.

On January 28, 2007, KFMB became the first station in San Diego to broadcast its news in HD, and unveiled a new set to go with the switch.^[1] On February 17, 2009,^[2] KFMB-TV discontinued its analog signal in order to move its digital signal (temporarily on channel 7) to increased power^[3] on VHF channel 8.^[4]

Some famous KFMB alumni include former weather girl Raquel Tejada (later known as Raquel Welch), talk-show host Regis Philbin, TV host Sarah Purcell, CNN and former CBS anchor Paula Zahn, the first host of Access Hollywood Larry Mendte, and NBC correspondents Don Teague and Dawn Fratangelo.

[edit] California fires of 2007

Main article: California wildfires of October 2007

Reporter Larry Himmel took viewers on a walkthrough of his own destroyed home during the coverage of the California Wildfires Of 2007.^[5] The audio of the TV station's news feed was also simulcasted on KFMB-FM & KFMB 760 AM for an extended period of time.

[edit] Programming

The station is a typical CBS affiliate running just about the entire CBS schedule. It also runs many local news and first-run talk and reality shows. Due to the fact the noon newscast airs an entire hour, KFMB airs Bold and the Beautiful on a delay at 9:30 AM instead of the recommended time slot of 12:30 PM for the majority of west coast CBS affiliates. Recently, their noon newscast moved to 11am with Young and the Restless moving to noon and the revival of Let's Make a Deal airing at 2PM.

During the NFL season, the station carries local broadcasts of all San Diego Chargers games which are not otherwise carried on any of the nationwide NFL broadcasts. Also for the 2009 Chargers Season, KFMB is airing the Chargers games that air on ESPN Monday Night Football and NFL Network. The two games have already been broadcast on ESPN were on Monday, September 14th with the San Diego Chargers at the Oakland Raiders and Monday, October 19th, with the Denver Broncos at the San Diego Chargers with KFMB using the ESPN feed. On December 25th, 2009, KFMB will broadcast the San Diego Chargers at Tennessee Titans game using the NFL Network feed since the game will be on NFL Network to the rest of the country. The reason why the games are available in San Diego on an over-the-air station like KFMB is to satisfy the NFL's requirement of making games available to everyone. This means that each team's home market are guaranteed to be shown their respective teams games (assuming the games are sold out), including those who don't get ESPN or NFL Network.

[edit] Presentation

[edit] Newscast titles

Your Esso Reporter (1949-1953)
Tomorrow's News Today (1953-1962)
KFMB-TV News (1962-1970)
Channel 8 News (1970-1975)
Action News '75 (1975)
News 8 (1983-2001; 2005-present)
Local 8 News (2001-2005)

[edit] Station slogans

The Best is Right Here on Channel 8/Channel 8 is Easy on the Eyes (1973–1974; local version of CBS ad campaign)
We're Looking Good on Channel 8 (1979–1980; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Looking Good Together, Channel 8 (1980–1981; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Reach for the Stars on Channel 8 (1981–1982; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Hello San Diego, Channel 8 and You (1979–1983; used during period station used Frank Gari's "Hello News")
Great Moments on Channel 8 (1982–1983; local version of CBS ad campaign)
We've Got the Touch, You and Channel 8 (1983–1984; local version of CBS ad campaign)
You and Channel 8, We've Got the Touch (1984–1985; local version of CBS ad campaign)
We've Got the Touch on Channel 8 (1985–1986; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Share the Spirit on Channel 8 (1986–1987; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Channel 8 Spirit, oh yes (1987–1988; local version of CBS ad campaign)
You Can Feel It On Channel 8 (1988–1989; local version of CBS ad campaign)
Get Ready for Channel 8 (1989–1991; local version of CBS ad campaign)
The Look of San Diego is Channel 8 (1991–1992; local version of CBS ad campaign)
This is CBS, on Channel 8 (1992–1994; local version of CBS ad campaign)
San Diego's #1 Source for News (1994–2005)
Right Here, Right Now (1996–2001)
Clear, Balanced Local News (2001–2005)
The Pictures. The Stories. Your World. (2005–present)

[edit] News

KFMB has been the news leader in San Diego for most of its history, dating back to the 1950s when Ray Wilson was the popular anchorman of the city's first half-hour newscast. When Wilson stepped down in 1973, KFMB slipped to a distant second behind KGTV, rebounding only in the late 1970s and early 1980s when former KGTV producer Jim Holtzman was hired by the station as news director. Holtzman formed a popular and acclaimed news team consisting of anchors Michael Tuck and Allison Ross, weatherman Clark Anthony and sportscaster Ted Leitner. By the end of 1979, KFMB had risen back to the #1 position, remaining there until 1984 when Tuck suddenly moved to KGTV and helped that station overtake KFMB for the remainder of the decade.

Holtzman tried in vain to compete by experimenting with a different format for the 11 p.m. news called This Day which emphasized a softer, humanized format and attempted to find a common thread within the newscast. There was no regular anchor; instead Hal Clement, Loren Nancarrow, Dawn Fratangelo (now with NBC) and Susan Lichtman (now known as Susan Taylor at KNSD) formed an ensemble of anchor/reporters who alternated between anchoring, filing detailed reports and giving live interviews. Computer graphics were used heavily, and Dave Grusin's "Night Lines" served as the newscast's theme music.

Although it was innovative for its time, This Day proved to be a dismal failure as viewers responded negatively to the awkward format, and within nine months KFMB reverted back to a regular newscast. However, the news ratings for KFMB went into a deep decline which would not end for more than a decade as popular mainstays like Marty Levin and Allison Ross (both of whom reappeared on KNSD) either left voluntarily or were fired and were replaced by younger faces like Stan Miller and Susan Rosegen.

Eventually by the 1990s, Hal Clement would assume the early-evening anchor duties alongside Susan Peters and later Denise Yamada to mixed results as the station continued to battle KGTV and KNSD, primarily in the 11 p.m. period where the CBS lead-in at the time was particularly weaker. Then, Michael Tuck's brief return following Clement's departure for KGTV and CBS's resurgence at the start of the Millennium helped bring KFMB back to first place in the early evenings.

As of 2006^[update], KFMB was San Diego's most watched television station, based on Nielsen share sign-on to sign-off.^[6] The station's newscasts are #1 at noon, 5pm, 6:30pm and 11pm weekdays, and at 5 and 6:30pm weekends. KFMB provides video feed from Chopper 8 to KUSI and XETV. As of August 2006^[update], News 8 is the only television station in San Diego to have its chopper covering breaking news at 11 p.m.

[edit] Personnel

Station General Manager: Ed Trimble

News Management

Dean Elwood — News Director
Barbara Richards — Daytime Executive Producer
Bonnie Phillips — Nighttime Executive Producer

[edit] Personalities

[edit] Current

Anchors

Dan Cohen — mornings and 11 am
Barbara-Lee Edwards — 5, 6:30 & 11 PM weekdays, also health reporter
Marcella Lee — weekend evenings
Craig McKee — weekend evenings
Nichelle Medina — mornings & 11 am
Carlo Cecchetto — 5, 6:30 & 11 PM weekdays

Weather

Matt Baylow — chief meteorologist
Natasha Stenbock — mornings & 11 am
Shawn Styles — weekend meteorologist

Sports

John Howard — weekends
Kyle Kraska — sports director

Reporters

[edit] Former

Carlos Amezcua (?–?, now with KTTV)
Kathleen Bade — 6:30 and 11 p.m. co-anchor, also consumer reporter (2001–2007, now at KSWB-TV)
Marc Brown (1987–1989, now at KABC-TV in Los Angeles)
Hank Bauer — sports anchor (1987–2003)
Kathy Chin — reporter (1997–2003)
Hal Clement (1979–1998, now at KGTV)
Kevin Cox — investigative reporter (1996–2001)
John Culea — reporter/anchor (1980–2000)
Geni Cavitt — meteorologist (1993–2001, now at KGTV)
Gene Cubbison (1979–1983, now at KNSD)
Bob Dale — host/reporter (1956–1977, died in 2008)
Danuta — talk show host (1978–1983)
Pamela Davis — weekend anchor/reporter (2001–2005)
Pat Gaffey — government reporter (1995–2001)
Gene Gleeson — anchor/reporter (1969–1976, now at KABC-TV in Los Angeles)
Jeff Goldberg — reporter (?–2006, now at KMSP-TV in Minneapolis)
Rebecca Gomez — morning/noon anchor and reporter (?–1996 and 2001–2002, now with Fox News Channel)
Mac Heald — reporter/anchor noon news (1978–1981, fired after arrest and conviction on child-molestation charges)^[7]
Carol Hasson — reporter (1985–2000)
Greg Hurst — reporter/anchor (1982–1989, now at KHOU-TV)
Judy Hsu — anchor (1994–2001, now at WLS-TV in Chicago)
Jill Kuramoto — weather anchor (1990–1992, now at KITV in Honolulu)
Graham Ledger — anchor/reporter (1990–2004)
Bill Lagatutta — reporter (1978–1980, now with CBS News)
Jim Laslavic — sports anchor (1983–1989, now at KNSD)
Ted Leitner — sports anchor (1978–2003)
Marty Levin — anchor (1983–1987, now at KNSD)
Sandra Maas — health reporter/anchor (1990–2001, now at KUSI-TV)
Robin Mangarin — anchor (1993–1996, now at KGET-TV in Bakersfield)
Stan Miller — anchor (late 80's to Early 90's) also (2005–2008)
Andre Moreau — anchor (2003–2008) Now at WAFB
Larry Mendte — weather anchor (1988–1991, last at KYW-TV)
Andrea Nakano — reporter (2004–2007, now at XETV)
Loren Nancarrow — weather anchor (now at KGTV)
Aimee Nuzzo — reporter (1997–2000, now at WNBC-TV in New York)
Susan Peters — anchor (1991–1995, now at KAKE-TV in Wichita, Kansas)
Sarah Purcell — talk show host (1970s)
Margaret Radford — reporter (1991–1994, last at KNSD)
Danny Romero — weather anchor (1977–1993, now at KABC-TV in Los Angeles)
Susan Roesgen — anchor (1989–1991, now a CNN correspondent in Chicago)
Allison Ross — anchor (1977–1989)
Shelley Roupas — reporter/anchor (2000–2002)
Dan Shadwell — morning anchor/reporter (2002–2005)
Beth Shelburne — morning anchor/reporter (2002–2006, now with NECN in Boston)
Greg Starddard — reporter, back-up anchor (1989–1991, left for WJZ-TV Baltimore)
Gail Stewart — investigative reporter (1984–2001), now Special Assistant to the San Diego District Attorney, Legislative Liaison^[8]
Aloha Taylor (2001–2005, now at XETV FOX6)
Susan Taylor — anchor/reporter (1982–1986, now at KNSD)
Don Teague (1998–2002, now with NBC News)
Michael Tuck — anchor (1978–1984 and 1999–2004)
Maria Velasquez — reporter (1983–2001)
Denise Yamada — anchor (1995–2001)
Tracye Hutchins — reporter (2003–2007) Now at WGCL-TV in Atlanta.

[edit] References

^ Local HD News Offered By 24 Stations, TVpredictions, Nov 25, 2006
^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
^ http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9498311&nav=menu1607_11_7
^ CDBS Print
^ Walkthrough of destroyed home, 2007 wildfires
^ Nielsen Media Research, November 2006
^ http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/November-1996/Whatever-Happened-To/
^ http://www.capio.org/docs/boardOfDirectors.htm

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[0] Local HD News Offered By 24 Stations, TVpredictions, Nov 25, 2006

[1] ttp://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf

[2] ttp://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9498311&nav=menu1607_11_7

[3] CDBS Print

[4] Walkthrough of destroyed home, 2007 wildfires

[5] Nielsen Media Research, November 2006

[6] ttp://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/November-1996/Whatever-Happened-To/

[7] ttp://www.capio.org/docs/boardOfDirectors.htm

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