History of KOCO-TV in Timeline
KOCO-TV is a television station based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It functions as an ABC affiliate and is owned by Hearst Television. The station's studios and transmitter are situated on East Britton Road in the McCourry Heights neighborhood, in northeast Oklahoma City.
1932: Hearst acquires KOMA
In 1932, the Hearst Corporation acquired radio station KOMA (now KOKC).
1938: Hearst sells KOMA
In 1938, Hearst sold radio station KOMA to John T. Griffin.
1948: Alfred Lee Whittle character developed for radio
In 1948, Tom Gilmore developed the Alfred Lee Whittle character for radio, later using a puppet version of it on "Captain Tom's Popeye Theatre".
June 6, 1949: WKY-TV Signs On
On June 6, 1949, WKY-TV (now KFOR-TV) signed on the air, becoming the first television station in the Oklahoma City market.
June 1949: WKY-TV Begins Airing Select ABC Shows
From June 1949, WKY-TV aired select ABC shows under a secondary basic affiliation.
June 1949: KFOR-TV sign-on
KFOR-TV signed on in June 1949 and was co-owned with The Oklahoman.
1949: Chronicle built and signed on KRON
In 1949, Chronicle built and signed on KRON-TV, its NBC-affiliated Bay Area flagship station
July 1952: Enid Radiophone Company Applies for Channel 5 License
In July 1952, shortly after the FCC lifted a four-year moratorium on new television station license applications, the Enid Radiophone Company filed an application with the FCC to obtain a construction permit and license to operate a television station on VHF channel 5.
October 28, 1953: KTVQ Signs On
On October 28, 1953, KTVQ (channel 25, now KOKH-TV) signed on the air in Oklahoma City.
November 8, 1953: KLPR-TV Signs On
KLPR-TV (channel 19, now KUOT-CD) signed on the air on November 8, 1953, in Oklahoma City.
November 1953: KTVQ Begins Primary ABC Affiliation
From November 1953, fledgling UHF outlet KTVQ maintained a full-time primary affiliation with ABC.
December 20, 1953: KWTV Signs On
On December 20, 1953, KWTV (channel 9) signed on the air, becoming another television station in the Oklahoma City market.
1953: KWTV founded
John T. Griffin, who previously bought KOMA radio station from Hearst, founded KWTV in 1953.
February 11, 1954: FCC Awards Channel 5 License to George Streets
On February 11, 1954, the FCC awarded the license and permit for VHF channel 5 to George Streets and his ownership group. The group would operate the television station, KGEO-TV, in Enid, Oklahoma. The Enid Radiophone Company, which also applied for the license, was given an option to acquire a 20% stake in the station as consolation.
June 1954: KTEN sign-on
In June 1954, KTEN signed on and was affiliated with ABC on a part-time basis.
July 2, 1954: KGEO-TV Signed On
On July 2, 1954, Channel 5's news department began operations when the station signed on as Enid-based KGEO-TV, initially consisting of a half-hour, weekday-only 12:30 p.m. newscast.
July 6, 1954: KGEO-TV Begins Test Broadcasts
KGEO-TV began test broadcasts on July 6, 1954, preceding its official sign-on date. The station was initially intended to debut three weeks prior on June 15.
January 11, 1955: Streets Electronics Files to Build New Tower
On January 11, 1955, Streets Electronics filed a construction permit application to build a new 1,386-foot tower west-northwest of Crescent, seeking to move channel 5 closer to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
December 1955: KTVQ Ceases Operations
In December 1955, KTVQ ceased operations.
May 4, 1956: FCC Grants Permit Change for KGEO Tower
On May 4, 1956, the FCC granted the permit change application by Streets Electronics for the KGEO tower, with requirements for sufficient lighting and hazard markings. Petitions to deny the permit were also rejected.
August 1956: WKY-TV Ends Secondary ABC Affiliation
In August 1956, WKY-TV ended its secondary basic affiliation with ABC.
October 5, 1956: FCC Hearing on NTA Contracts
On October 5, 1956, an FCC hearing addressed accusations that National Telefilm Associates (NTA)'s contracts with NTA Film affiliates violated FCC rules.
October 9, 1956: Enid Broadcast Tower Collapses
On October 9, 1956, the Enid broadcast tower collapsed as construction crews prepared to relocate the station's transmitter antenna to the newly built Crescent tower, resulting in an estimated $140,000 in damage. KGEO-TV temporarily switched to an auxiliary tower.
October 15, 1956: KGEO-TV Affiliates with NTA Film Network
On October 15, 1956, KGEO-TV began a secondary affiliation with the NTA Film Network.
August 1957: KTVX Moves from Muskogee to Tulsa
In August 1957, fellow ABC affiliate KTVX (now KTUL) moved from Muskogee to Tulsa.
October 11, 1957: KGEO-TV Sold to Caster-Robison Television Corporation
On October 11, 1957, Streets Electronics sold KGEO-TV to the Caster-Robison Television Corporation for $950,000 plus the assumption of approximately $500,000 in debt.
March 1, 1958: Call Letters Changed to KOCO-TV
On March 1, 1958, the station's call letters were changed to KOCO-TV, reflecting its new secondary city of service in Oklahoma City. The station also moved its studio operations to Oklahoma City.
March 5, 1958: Caster's Interest in KOCO Transferred to Estate
On March 5, 1958, Caster's interest in the Caster-Robison Television Corporation was transferred to his estate, following his recent death.
1958: Move to Oklahoma City
By the time the station moved to Oklahoma City in 1958, the re-called KOCO was running a five-minute newscast at 6:25 p.m. and a half-hour newscast at 10 p.m. each weeknight.
1958: Ida Blackburn hosted local version of Romper Room
In 1958, Ida Blackburn began hosting a local version of "Romper Room" for the station, continuing until 1960.
March 1959: Debut of "Lunch With HoHo"
In March 1959, Ed Birchall debuted his local children's program "Lunch With HoHo" on channel 5. He hosted the show for 29 years.
May 15, 1960: Death of Louis Caster
Louis Caster died on May 15, 1960, due to a heart attack. Following Caster's death, Ashley Robison and the inheritors of Caster's estate sought offers to sell off KOCO.
1960: End of Romper Room with Ida Blackburn
In 1960, Ida Blackburn's run as host of the local version of "Romper Room" came to an end.
May 1961: KOCO Sold to Cimarron Television Corporation
In May 1961, Caster-Robison Television sold KOCO to the Cimarron Television Corporation for $3 million. The sale received FCC approval on September 27 of that year.
May 1961: FCC Denies KOCO Waiver Request
In May 1961, the FCC denied KOCO's request for a waiver of station identification rules to identify as an Enid-Oklahoma City station on-air and in license documents.
November 1961: KGEO-TV Becomes Exclusive ABC Affiliate
In November 1961, KGEO-TV became an exclusive ABC affiliate after National Telefilm Associates discontinued the NTA Film Network service.
1962: KOCO Local Broadcaster of the United Cerebral Palsy Star-athon
From 1962 to 1996, KOCO served as the local broadcaster of the United Cerebral Palsy Star-athon, a telethon to raise money for the cerebral palsy research organization.
1963: FCC Approves KOCO Channel Allocation Shift to Oklahoma City
In 1963, despite voting against relocating short-spaced VHF channels into seven of the eight proposed markets, the FCC twice granted permission for KOCO's channel allocation to be shifted to Oklahoma City, with requirements to observe standard mileage separation requirements to limit interference with KFSA-TV.
March 1964: KOCO Moves Transmitter to Oklahoma City
In March 1964, KOCO moved its transmitter facilities to a 1,563-foot tower on East Britton Road in northeast Oklahoma City. The tower was dedicated with ceremonies including guests such as Howard K. Smith and Phil Ford and Mimi Hines.
1964: KOCO Newscast Changes
In 1964, KOCO was running half-hour newscasts at 5:30 p.m. weeknights and at 10 p.m. seven nights a week.
September 1965: Sundayscope Program Debut
From September 1965 until September 1970, KOCO produced a Sunday evening news and features program, Sundayscope, which featured a viewer mail segment hosted by general manager Ben K. West.
1966: KWTV Used Eyewitness News Format
Between 1966 and 1971, KWTV used the Eyewitness News format.
1968: Newscast airing at 5pm
From 1968 to 1972, KOCO aired its early-evening newscast at 5 pm.
1968: Weeknight Newscast Reformatted
In 1968, KOCO reformatted the weeknight newscasts as The Hickox-Halburnt Report, anchored by news director Richard Hickox and assistant news director Joe Halburnt Jr.
November 1969: Sale of KOCO-TV Announced
In November 1969, Cimarron Television announced the sale of KOCO-TV to Combined Communications Corporation (CCC) for $6.5 million.
July 17, 1970: FCC Approval of KOCO-TV Sale
On July 17, 1970, the FCC approved the sale of KOCO-TV to Combined Communications Corporation.
September 1970: Sundayscope Program End
From September 1965 until September 1970, KOCO produced a Sunday evening news and features program, Sundayscope, which featured a viewer mail segment hosted by general manager Ben K. West.
1970: Joyce Jackson-Combs Joins KOCO
In 1970, Joyce Jackson-Combs began at KOCO as a clerical assistant.
1971: The News on 5 Title
In 1971, Dean Swanson replaced Hickox and Halburnt, at which point, the newscasts were retitled The News on 5.
September 1972: Newscast time shifted to 5:30 pm
In September 1972, KOCO's early-evening newscast was shifted to 5:30 p.m., following ABC's initial 5 p.m. Central Time feed of the ABC Evening News.
July 1973: Coverage of Oklahoma State Penitentiary Riot
In July 1973, KOCO-TV provided live and filmed coverage of a riot at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, which was compiled into a one-hour documentary.
1973: Ben Tipton Joins KOCO
In 1973, Ben Tipton joined KOCO as the station's first African American on-air personality and the first black news anchor in the Oklahoma City market.
1974: Channel 5 Eyewitness News Title
In 1974, KOCO-TV renamed its newscasts to Channel 5 Eyewitness News as the Eyewitness News format was growing in popularity.
October 1975: Sale of KFOR-TV
In October 1975, Gaylord Broadcasting's sale of KFOR-TV to the Evening News Association was completed.
September 1976: WXIA-TV Identified as "11 Alive"
In September 1976, Atlanta sister station WXIA-TV began identifying as "11 Alive", using a similar logo to KOCO.
February 1977: KOCO Adopts "5 Alive" Branding
In February 1977, KOCO adopted "5 Alive" as its on-air branding, part of Combined Communications' rollout of the "Alive" concept.
March 31, 1977: Washington Star Communications Announces Trade with Combined Communications
On March 31, 1977, Washington Star Communications announced it would trade WMAL-TV for KOCO-TV and $65 million of CCC stock.
1977: Ben Tipton Leaves KOCO
In 1977, Ben Tipton left KOCO to become the Ward 7 councilman on the Oklahoma City Council.
1977: Airing of "Wednesday's Child"
In 1977, KOCO began airing "Wednesday's Child", a weekly segment on the 10 p.m. newscast presented by Jack Bowen, profiling children in need of adoptive families.
January 1978: Initial FCC Approval of WJLA-KOCO Trade
In January 1978, the FCC initially approved the trade of WJLA-TV for KOCO-TV between Washington Star Communications and Combined Communications Corporation.
February 3, 1978: Sale of The Washington Star to Time Inc.
On February 3, 1978, Star Communications sold The Washington Star to Time Inc. for $20 million plus debt assumption.
February 1978: Acquisition of "Sky 5" helicopter
In February 1978, KOCO acquired an Aerospatiale Astar 350 helicopter, branded as "Sky 5". This was the first helicopter used for aerial newsgathering in the Oklahoma City market.
May 9, 1978: Gannett Announces Purchase of Combined Communications
On May 9, 1978, Gannett Company announced its acquisition of Combined Communications in an all-stock transaction worth $370 million.
September 1978: KOCO Debuts Noon Newscast and Airs All My Children on Delay
In September 1978, after KOCO debuted a noon newscast, the station aired All My Children on a day-behind basis at 11 a.m.
1978: Seattle SuperSonics' NBA Finals Appearance
In 1978, the Seattle SuperSonics appeared in the NBA Finals.
January 1979: FCC Rulemaking Compliance Deadline
January 1979 was the deadline for Star Communications to divest itself of all but one of its D.C.-area media properties due to FCC regulations.
June 7, 1979: Gannett and Combined Boards Consummated
On June 7, 1979, the boards of Gannett and Combined Communications consummated the sale.
June 1979: Arrest of KOCO reporters
In June 1979, KOCO anchor/reporter Ron Stahl and photographer Bill Collard were arrested for trespassing while covering a protest against a nuclear power plant construction in Inola. They crossed a utility fence to cover the protest.
September 1979: Saturday Review Title
From September 1979 to March 1989, The Black Review was retitled Saturday Review.
1979: Seattle SuperSonics' NBA Finals Appearance
In 1979, the Seattle SuperSonics appeared in the NBA Finals.
January 1980: Conviction of reporters
In January 1980, KOCO's Ron Stahl and Bill Collard, along with other reporters, were convicted and fined $25 each for trespassing during a protest coverage in June 1979.
February 1980: KOCO Airs The Iran Crisis: America Held Hostage on Delay
Beginning in February 1980, KOCO ran the ABC News special report The Iran Crisis: America Held Hostage, which was retitled into the newsmagazine Nightline, on a half-hour tape delay from the ABC network feed to air syndicated M*A*S*H reruns.
1980: Ratings Improvement
From 1980 to 1982, KOCO's ratings improved, briefly overtaking KWTV for second place after the installment of Jack Bowen and Mary Ruth Carleton as primary anchors.
1980: KOCO Relocates to New Studio Facility
In 1980, KOCO's operations were relocated to a new studio facility near the Britton Road transmitter site.
September 1981: KOCO began offering all-night classic film block
From September 1981 KOCO began offering all-night classic film block.
1981: KOCO held "5 Who Care Awards"
From 1981, the station held the "5 Who Care Awards", an annual awards telecast recognizing outstanding public service contributions by local volunteers.
1981: Collaboration with ABC News on "Throwaway Kids"
In 1981, KOCO collaborated with ABC News' 20/20 on the undercover investigative report "Throwaway Kids", which investigated abuse, neglect, and preventable deaths of vulnerable individuals. Reported locally by Pam Henry.
May 31, 1982: Live at Five Retitled
On May 31, 1982, KOCO's early-evening newscast, which had been airing at 5:30 p.m. since September 1972, was shifted to 5 p.m. and retitled Live at Five.
September 1982: Attempted Telecast of Sooners-Trojans Game
In September 1982, the University of Oklahoma sold KOCO-TV the local television rights to a game between the Sooners and the USC Trojans. However, the university abandoned its effort to telecast the game on KOCO.
September 25, 1982: Gannett Announces Sale of KOCO to Chronicle Publishing
On September 25, 1982, Gannett announced it would sell KOCO to Chronicle Publishing in exchange for KRON-TV.
May 1983: KOCO Becomes Affiliate of Children's Miracle Network Telethon
In May 1983, KOCO-TV became the Oklahoma City affiliate of the Children's Miracle Network Telethon.
September 12, 1983: Adoption of the Newscope format
On September 12, 1983, KOCO's 5 p.m. newscast adopted the Newscope format, a customizable syndicated news concept for local stations.
September 28, 1983: Termination of Sale Agreement Between Gannett and Chronicle
On September 28, 1983, Chronicle and Gannett mutually agreed to terminate the sale agreement for KOCO.
1983: Jeopardy! Debut on KWTV
In 1984, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were seen on KWTV from their respective debuts in 1983 and 1984.
1983: KOCO Delays Nightline for Thicke of the Night
In the summer of 1983, station management sought ABC's permission to further delay Nightline by 90 minutes (to 12:30 am), so it could air Thicke of the Night after M*A*S*H once the syndicated late-night talk show premiered that September. ABC vetoed the request and moved Nightline to then-independent station KOKH-TV, which agreed to carry the program live-to-air
January 1984: Newscast name shortened, Defamation lawsuit
In January 1984, KOCO's newscasts were shortened to 5 Alive News. In 1984, the station was sued for defamation by OB-GYN William Crittendon, who claimed a report on a medical malpractice case had misquoted an expert witness. The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that station management must pay Crittendon $550,000 in damages.
January 1984: Supreme Court declines appeal
In January 1984, the Supreme Court declined to review the appeal of the convictions of Ron Stahl and other reporters, letting stand the convictions from the June 1979 trespassing incident.
April 1984: KOCO Resumes Airing Nightline on One-Hour Delay
In April 1984, KOCO relented and received permission to resume airing Nightline on a one-hour delay, pushing back the near-cancellation Thicke of the Night by an extra half-hour.
September 1984: Cancellation of Daybreak
In September 1984, KOCO cancelled Daybreak.
September 1984: KOCO reformatted show
In September 1984, KOCO reformatted the 5 p.m. show as a traditional local newscast after Newscope was discontinued nationally.
1984: Wheel of Fortune Debut on KWTV
In 1984, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were seen on KWTV from their respective debuts in 1983 and 1984.
1984: Acquisition of College Football Game Rights
In 1984, after NCAA regulations restricting the number of college football games were overturned, KOCO acquired the local rights to a Katz Sports-syndicated package of college football games involving Big Eight Conference teams.
September 5, 1985: Gannett Announces Purchase of Evening News Association
On September 5, 1985, Gannett announced it would purchase the Evening News Association for $717 million, creating an ownership conflict.
November 15, 1985: Gannett Sells KTVY
On November 15, 1985, Gannett chose to keep KOCO and sold KTVY to Knight Ridder Broadcasting for $160 million.
1985: Sale of College Football Game Rights
After the 1985 NCAA Division I college football season, Katz sold the rights to the college football games and certain other sports events to Raycom Sports.
February 1986: Finalization of KTVY Sale
In February 1986, the sale of KTVY was finalized after Gannett was granted a temporary waiver to jointly own KOCO and KTVY.
1986: KTEN primary NBC affiliation
In 1986, KTEN switched to a primary NBC affiliation, resulting in the steady reduction of ABC-provided content on KTEN's schedule.
1986: WLKY discontinued "Alive" moniker
Until 1986, WLKY in Louisville, Kentucky also used the "Alive" moniker.
August 3, 1987: Debut of Good Morning Oklahoma
On August 3, 1987, KOCO debuted Good Morning Oklahoma, a new hour-long weekday news and features program.
September 1987: KOCO resumed signing off on weekends
In September 1987 KOCO resumed signing off on weekends.
1987: Preemption of ABC Saturday Morning Lineup
In 1987, Channel 5 preempted portions of ABC's Saturday morning lineup intermittently, for example, The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show and Ewoks were preempted in favor of the local real estate program Home Showcase.
July 1988: Death of Ed Birchall
In July 1988, Ed Birchall, host of "Lunch With HoHo", passed away after battling advanced-stage cancer. A memorial service was held at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and broadcast on multiple local stations.
September 2, 1988: Premiere of Prep Sports Extra
On September 2, 1988, KOCO premiered Prep Sports Extra, a Friday night program covering high school football games.
September 1988: Launch of academic quiz show Challenge Bowl
In September 1988, KOCO launched academic quiz show Challenge Bowl.
December 1988: End of Ryan's Hope soap opera
In December 1988, the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope ended, which had been occupying the 12:30 half-hour locally.
1988: Beverly Glover Succeeded Jackson-Combs
In 1988, Beverly Glover succeeded Jackson-Combs as public service director.
March 1989: Saturday Review End
From September 1979 to March 1989, The Black Review was retitled Saturday Review.
1989: "Kids Who Care Awards" and "Project Challenge" Campaign
In 1989, KOCO expanded its community outreach with the "Kids Who Care Awards" and the "Project Challenge" campaign.
May 14, 1990: KOCO Began 24-Hour Programming Schedule
On May 14, 1990, KOCO began maintaining a 24-hour-a-day programming schedule.
July 1990: 5 Alive WeatherTrack Launched
In July 1990, "5 Alive WeatherTrack", a toll phone service providing weather information, was launched.
September 1990: KOCO Replaces Loving with Home
In September 1990, KOCO replaced Loving with the hour-long version of Home.
November 1990: Change to slogan
In November 1990, KFOR changed its slogan to reference its use of the "24-Hour News Source" format obliquely.
September 1991: KOCO Premieres Hollywood Spotlight
In September 1991, KOCO premiered "Hollywood Spotlight", a movie review and interview program hosted by Dino Lalli.
December 27, 1991: KOCO Resumed Daily Overnight Sign-Offs
On December 27, 1991, KOCO resumed daily overnight sign-offs.
April 9, 1992: "First Pix" Unveiled
On April 9, 1992, KOCO unveiled "First Pix" to transmit photographs of a tornado using cellular telephone technology.
April 1992: Preemption of ABC Saturday Morning Lineup
In April 1992, KOCO preempted all but 90 minutes of ABC's Saturday morning lineup to accommodate a local Saturday morning newscast and other syndicated programming.
April 18, 1992: Debut of Saturday Morning Newscast
On April 18, 1992, KOCO debuted a three-hour-long Saturday morning newscast from 9 a.m. to noon.
May 1992: Hot Country Hits music video programs launch
In May 1992, KOCO launched Hot Country Hits.
August 1992: Mike Morgan Leaves KOCO
In August 1992, Mike Morgan left KOCO to become chief meteorologist at KFOR-TV.
September 1992: ABC Gains Control of 11 a.m. Hour
In September 1992, ABC gained control of the 11 a.m. hour, ending KOCO's day-behind airing of All My Children.
September 1992: Wheel of Fortune Moves to KOCO
In September 1992, Wheel of Fortune moved to KOCO from KWTV.
1992: Carrying of Oklahoma City Cavalry Games
From 1992 to 1994, KOCO carried select basketball games involving the Oklahoma City Cavalry.
1992: Local Rights to Sooners Magazine Programs Held by KOKH
In 1992, Fox affiliate KOKH held the local rights to the Sooners magazine programs.
1992: Showing of Far and Away
In 1992, KOCO chose to air the film Far and Away in place of Saving Private Ryan in 2004.
April 1993: KOCO Uses Night Vision for Storm Footage
In April 1993, KOCO became the first station in the United States to disseminate live storm footage using night vision technology.
November 28, 1993: KOCO Instituted Permanent 24-Hour Schedule
On November 28, 1993, KOCO permanently instituted a 24-hour schedule.
1993: Chartbusters music video program
In 1993, KOCO aired music video program Chartbusters.
1993: Tom Kirby Resignation
In 1993, news director Tom Kirby, who was later promoted to president and general manager of KOCO, resigned to pursue consulting work.
May 1994: Argyle Television stations sold
In May 1994, Argyle Television sold most of its television stations to New World Communications.
May 1994: Ben and Butch McCain Pulled From Good Morning Oklahoma
In May 1994, Ben and Butch McCain were removed from "Good Morning Oklahoma" after KOCO decided to change its morning show to a conventional news format.
May 1994: KOCO Dropped "5 Alive" Moniker
In May 1994, KOCO dropped the "5 Alive" moniker from general promotional use and introduced a new logo.
May 1994: Hot Country Hits music video programs end
In May 1994, KOCO ended Hot Country Hits.
September 4, 1994: Sports Final Debuts
On September 4, 1994, "Sunday Sports Xtra" debuted as "Sports Final".
September 1994: KOCO Expands Midday Newscast
After September 1994, KOCO expanded its midday newscast in its standard network slot, preempting ABC's half-hour soap operas.
September 1994: Ended academic quiz show Challenge Bowl
In September 1994, KOCO ended academic quiz show Challenge Bowl.
1994: Carrying of Oklahoma City Cavalry Games
From 1992 to 1994, KOCO carried select basketball games involving the Oklahoma City Cavalry.
1994: KTEN additional Fox affiliation
In 1994, KTEN added an additional primary affiliation with Fox.
1994: Rick Mitchell became chief meteorologist
In 1994, Rick Mitchell took over as chief meteorologist, after which the station became the first to use a mobile Doppler radar system.
February 1995: KOCO Subsequent Rebranding
In February 1995 KOCO Introduced current "circle 5" logo.
July 24, 1995: Gannett to Acquire Multimedia, Inc.
On July 24, 1995, Gannett announced it would acquire Multimedia, Inc. for $1.7 billion plus debt.
September 9, 1995: Shift of Saturday Morning Newscast
On September 9, 1995, KOCO's Saturday morning newscast shifted to 8 a.m.
September 11, 1995: Expansion of Noon Newscast
On September 11, 1995, KOCO expanded the noon newscast to one hour.
September 1995: KOCO Shifts Nightline to Network Slot and Delays Politically Incorrect
In September 1995, KOCO eventually shifted Nightline to its network slot. Similarly, channel 5 tape-delayed other ABC late night shows that directly followed Nightline to air additional syndicated programming in late access: Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher aired on a half-hour delay from its then-recommended 11:05 p.m. Central timeslot from its ABC debut in September 1995.
November 1995: Jack Bowen Departs for KOKH
In November 1995, Jack Bowen left KOCO to join Fox affiliate KOKH as co-anchor of its new 9 p.m. newscast.
November 1995: FCC Approves Gannett-Multimedia Merger
In late November 1995, the FCC approved the merger between Gannett and Multimedia, Inc. with stipulations.
December 4, 1995: Finalized sale of Multimedia Inc.
On December 4, 1995, The sale of Multimedia Inc. to Gannet was finalized.
1995: Closure of Enid News Bureau
In 1995, KOCO closed its news bureau at its original Randolph Street facility in Enid.
September 1996: ABC Children's Programs Airing Delay
From September 1996 until December 2007, the ABC children's programs meant to air during the 10 a.m. hour aired instead on a one-week delay at 7 a.m.; KOCO aired the remaining two hours in pattern from the ABC off-air feed.
September 1996: McCains File Wrongful Termination Lawsuit
In September 1996, Ben and Butch McCain filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against KOCO, stemming from their firing earlier.
November 20, 1996: Gannett to sell KOCO-TV
On November 20, 1996, Gannett announced that it would sell KOCO-TV and WLWT to Argyle Television Holdings II for $20 million, in exchange for WZZM and WGRZ.
December 1996: Deadline for Gannett to Divest Multimedia Cablevision or KOCO-TV
December 1996 was the deadline for Gannett to divest either Multimedia Cablevision or KOCO-TV due to FCC rules.
1996: KOCO Ends Affiliation with United Cerebral Palsy Star-athon
From 1962 to 1996, KOCO served as the local broadcaster of the United Cerebral Palsy Star-athon, a telethon to raise money for the cerebral palsy research organization.
1996: Brief suspension and reinstatement of Prep Sports Extra
In 1996, KOCO briefly suspended Prep Sports Extra for the fall season due to Mick Cornett's promotion, but reinstated it midway through the academic football season due to viewer outcry.
1996: Seattle SuperSonics' NBA Finals Appearance
In 1996, the Seattle SuperSonics appeared in the NBA Finals.
January 27, 1997: FCC approves sale of KOCO-TV to Argyle
On January 27, 1997, the FCC approved the sale of KOCO-TV from Gannett to Argyle Television Holdings II. The sale required Gannett to sell the Niagara Gazette to alleviate a cross-ownership conflict with WGRZ.
March 1997: KWTV Introduces News 9 Brand
In March 1997, rival station KWTV began using the "A Package" theme music with its introduction of the "News 9" brand, preventing KOCO from using the same theme.
March 27, 1997: Hearst to purchase KOCO-TV
On March 27, 1997, the Hearst Corporation announced that it would purchase five Argyle Television stations, including KOCO-TV, for $525 million.
June 2, 1997: FCC approves Hearst purchase of KOCO-TV
On June 2, 1997, the FCC approved the merger of Hearst Corporation and Argyle Television stations, including KOCO-TV. The combined group became known as Hearst-Argyle Television.
August 1997: Hollywood Spotlight Ends
In August 1997, "Hollywood Spotlight" ended after Dino Lalli left KOCO.
August 1997: Sports Extra Relaunched
In August 1997, "Sunday Sports Xtra" was relaunched after a seven-month hiatus as "Sports Extra".
September 13, 1997: Shift of Saturday Morning Newscast
On September 13, 1997, KOCO's Saturday morning newscast shifted to 10 a.m.
1997: Mike LaPoint joins KOCO as weekend meteorologist
In 1997, Mike LaPoint began his tenure as the weekend evening meteorologist at KOCO.
1997: End of "5 Who Care Awards"
In 1997, the station stopped holding the "5 Who Care Awards".
February 2, 1998: Expansion of Weekday Morning Newscast
On February 2, 1998, KOCO's weekday morning newscast was expanded into a 90-minute broadcast, starting at 5:30 am.
June 13, 1998: KOCO Studio Struck by Downdraft Winds
On June 13, 1998, rear flank downdraft winds approaching 105 mph struck KOCO's Britton Road studio, causing minor damage during live coverage of a supercell thunderstorm. The KOCO broadcast signal was off-the-air for almost 24 hours.
July 1998: Eyewitness News 5 Re-Launch
In July 1998, KOCO-TV renamed its newscasts to Eyewitness News 5.
September 7, 1998: Midday newscast reverted to a half-hour
On September 7, 1998, KOCO's midday newscast reverted to a half-hour to accommodate the ABC soap opera Port Charles.
September 1998: KOCO Clears Port Charles
By September 1998, KOCO began clearing Port Charles in its standard network slot.
September 1998: KOCO Becomes Default ABC Station for Sherman-Ada Market
In September 1998, after KTEN disaffiliated from ABC, KOCO-TV began serving as a default ABC station for areas on the Oklahoma side of the Sherman-Ada market.
1998: KOCO retooled version of the concept
From 1998 to 2001, KOCO used a retooled version of the "24-Hour News Source" concept, providing top-of-the-hour weather updates from the newly branded "24-Hour First Alert Weather" team.
1998: Saving Private Ryan film release
In 1998, Saving Private Ryan, the film deemed too violent for broadcast TV in 2004, was originally released.
February 1, 1999: Expansion of Weekday Morning Newscast
On February 1, 1999, KOCO's weekday morning newscast expanded again to two hours, starting at 5 am.
May 3, 1999: Coverage of F5 Tornado
On May 3, 1999, KOCO's coverage of an F5 tornado that killed 36 people in Oklahoma City's southern suburbs earned the station a special recognition award from Governor Frank Keating.
September 1999: KWTV Drops Jeopardy!
In September 1999, CBS affiliate KWTV initially dropped Jeopardy! when that station moved its 4:30 p.m. newscast back to 4 p.m. and expanded it to an hour.
January 2000: Gannett Sold Multimedia Cablevision Assets to Cox
In January 2000, Gannett sold most of Multimedia Cablevision's assets to Cox Communications.
March 2000: Unveiling of Neighborhood Network and Predictor
In March 2000, KOCO unveiled the "Neighborhood Network", a network of sensors relaying real-time weather observations from sites throughout central Oklahoma, and "Predictor", which compiles computer model data to display hour-by-hour forecasts up to 48 hours in advance.
2001: Mike LaPoint leaves KOCO as weekend meteorologist
In 2001, Mike LaPoint ended his tenure as the weekend evening meteorologist at KOCO.
November 1, 2002: Digital Television Signal Transmission Begins
On November 1, 2002, KOCO-TV began transmitting a digital television signal on VHF channel 7.
December 2002: Politically Incorrect Ends
In December 2002, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher ended.
January 2003: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Premieres on KOCO on One-Hour Delay
From its January 2003 premiere, Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired on KOCO on a one-hour delay, in favor of a same-day Oprah rebroadcast, until KOCO pushed Kimmel to the show's network "live" slot in September 2011.
September 2003: Power Rangers Airing Delay
From September 2003 until September 2006, the various Power Rangers series that aired as part of the ABC Kids block were aired on a one-week delay from 5 to 6 am.
November 2004: Refusal to Air Saving Private Ryan
In November 2004, KOCO declined to air ABC's telecast of "Saving Private Ryan" due to concerns about intense war violence and strong profanity, and instead aired the 1992 film "Far and Away".
2004: Melissa Newton joins station
In 2004, Melissa Newton (later wife of Damon Lane) joined KOCO as a reporter.
2004: KOCO Airs First Hour of Telethon on Tape Delay
Until 2004, KOCO typically aired the first hour of the Children's Miracle Network Telethon on tape delay after the Saturday edition of its late-evening newscast.
2005: Launch of Digital Subchannel
In 2005, KOCO launched a digital subchannel on virtual channel 5.2, which originally carried a live feed of the station's Doppler radar, then known as "Advantage Doppler HD", accompanied by an audio simulcast of NOAA Weather Radio station WXK85.
2005: Tape-Delayed Broadcasts
In 2005, KOCO tape-delayed Kim Possible and Power Rangers SPD for broadcast on early Monday mornings before World News Now.
February 2006: KOCO Extends Weekend Morning News
In February 2006, KOCO extended its weekend morning news programming to Sundays, adding a two-hour 7 a.m. newscast and expanding the Sunday 10 p.m. newscast to a full hour.
September 2006: ABC Saturday Morning Lineup Preemptions
In September 2006, KOCO-TV intermittently preempted portions of ABC's Saturday morning lineup. The various Power Rangers series that aired as part of the ABC Kids block were also aired on a one-week delay. Channel 5 also stopped preempting portions of ABC's Saturday morning lineup.
November 2006: KOCO wins at 6 p.m.
In November 2006, KOCO's newscast achieved its first outright win at 6 p.m. in the ratings.
November 2006: Ratings
In November 2006, KOCO's three broadcasts were ranked the market's most-watched news programs during those time periods.
December 2007: End of Delay for ABC Children's Programs
In December 2007, KOCO stopped airing the ABC children's programs meant to air during the 10 a.m. hour on a one-week delay.
2007: KOCO Ranks as Highest-Rated ABC Affiliate
From 2007 to 2009, KOCO claimed to be the highest-rated ABC affiliate overall.
January 2, 2008: KOCO Begins Airing All My Children Live-to-Air
On January 2, 2008, KOCO began carrying All My Children live-to-air at noon.
April 2008: Affiliation with The Local AccuWeather Channel
In April 2008, KOCO's digital subchannel became an affiliate of The Local AccuWeather Channel, under the brand "First Alert Weather 24/7", providing regional and national forecast segments, along with pre-recorded local forecast segments.
September 2008: Simulcast of Hurricane Gustav Coverage
In September 2008, KOCO-DT2 simulcasted coverage of Hurricane Gustav from NBC-affiliated sister station WDSU in New Orleans to provide information on the storm for Louisiana residents who evacuated inland to Oklahoma City.
2008: Carrying of Oklahoma City Thunder Games
Since the team's relocation from Seattle in 2008, channel 5 has carried certain ABC-televised regular season and playoff games featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder.
February 10, 2009: KOCO provides coverage of Lone Grove tornado
On February 10, 2009, KOCO provided extensive live coverage of an EF4 tornado that struck Lone Grove, Oklahoma, killing eight people.
May 2009: Hearst-Argyle Television renamed Hearst Television
In May 2009, Hearst-Argyle Television was renamed Hearst Television.
June 12, 2009: End of Analog Signal
On June 12, 2009, KOCO-TV ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television.
August 2009: Preemption of Saturday Evening Newscasts
Since August 2009, channel 5 regularly preempts its half-hour 5 p.m. Saturday early evening newscast to accommodate ABC's college football game coverage.
October 5, 2009: KOCO Utilized Pillarboxed Presentation
From October 5, 2009, KOCO utilized a pillarboxed presentation for its newscasts.
October 2009: KOCO Upgrades Graphics
In October 2009, KOCO upgraded its severe weather, school closings, and news tickers to be overlaid on high definition programming without downconverting HD content.
2009: KOCO Ranks as One of ABC's Highest-Rated Affiliates
From 2009 to 2012, KOCO ranked as one of ABC's highest-rated affiliates, according to Nielsen Media Research.
2009: Damon Lane joins station
In 2009, Damon Lane joined KOCO as a weekday morning meteorologist.
May 1, 2010: KTEN Launches ABC Subchannel
On May 1, 2010, KTEN launched a digital subchannel affiliated with ABC, providing an ABC station for the Sherman-Ada market. Despite this, KOCO remains available on cable and satellite in that market.
May 2010: Installation of New Digital Transmitter Antenna
In May 2010, KOCO installed a new digital transmitter antenna and dish on the Britton Road tower to help extend its signal reception to affected areas.
July 31, 2010: Weekend Morning Newscasts Extended
On July 31, 2010, KOCO extended its weekend morning newscasts by an hour, airing from 8 to 9 a.m.
August 28, 2010: Power Rangers Dropped
On August 28, 2010, KOCO preempted "Power Rangers" due to its lack of educational content after the series was dropped by the network.
October 11, 2010: KOCO Transmitted Segments in Widescreen Format
From October 11, 2010, KOCO transmitted in-studio segments in and upconverted field news video to the 16:9 widescreen format.
December 2010: KOCO Carries Syndicated Programming in High Definition
In December 2010, KOCO became the second television station in the Oklahoma City market to carry syndicated programming in high definition.
January 24, 2011: Affiliation with This TV
On January 24, 2011, KOCO-DT2 became an affiliate of This TV, through an agreement between Hearst Television and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
September 2011: KOCO Pushes Jimmy Kimmel Live! to Network Slot
Until September 2011, KOCO pushed Jimmy Kimmel Live! to the show's network "live" slot.
September 27, 2011: The Chew Replaces All My Children
On September 27, 2011, The Chew replaced All My Children in KOCO's noon timeslot.
July 2012: Rick Mitchell leaves KOCO
In July 2012, Rick Mitchell, who had been the chief meteorologist since 1994, left KOCO to become an evening meteorologist at KXAS-TV in Dallas–Fort Worth.
July 24, 2012: Agreement to Add MeTV
On July 24, 2012, Hearst Television announced an agreement to add the classic television network MeTV on digital subchannels of KOCO-TV and other sister stations.
September 2012: Renaming of High School Playbook
In September 2012, KOCO's Prep Sports Extra was eventually renamed High School Playbook.
September 17, 2012: KSBI Shares This TV Affiliation
On September 17, 2012, KSBI-DT2 began carrying This TV, sharing the affiliation with KOCO-DT2 temporarily.
October 1, 2012: KOCO-DT2 Affiliates with MeTV
On October 1, 2012, KOCO-DT2 affiliated with MeTV, at which time KSBI became the market's exclusive This TV affiliate.
October 2012: Damon Lane succeeds Rick Mitchell
In October 2012, Damon Lane, who had been with the station since 2009, succeeded Rick Mitchell as chief meteorologist.
2012: KOCO Ranks as One of ABC's Highest-Rated Affiliates
From 2009 to 2012, KOCO ranked as one of ABC's highest-rated affiliates, according to Nielsen Media Research.
2012: Thunder's NBA Finals Appearance
In 2012, KOCO aired the Thunder's first NBA Finals appearance as an Oklahoma City-based franchise, where the Miami Heat defeated the Thunder.
2012: ABC Discontinues Afternoon Newsbriefs
Until ABC discontinued the afternoon newsbriefs in 2012, KOCO did not clear the ABC News Brief to run additional local advertising.
January 2013: ABC Switches Scheduling Order of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Nightline
In January 2013, ABC switched the scheduling order of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Nightline.
April 2013: End of Eyewitness News 5
In April 2013, KOCO-TV ended its run of Eyewitness News 5.
April 18, 2013: KOCO Begins Broadcasting Newscasts in High Definition
On April 18, 2013, KOCO began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition and implemented a standardized graphics and music package.
April 18, 2013: KOCO Newscasts Rebranded to KOCO 5 News
On April 18, 2013, KOCO's newscasts were rebranded from "Eyewitness News 5" to the current "KOCO 5 News" identity.
May 20, 2013: Coverage of EF5 Tornado
On May 20, 2013, KOCO's coverage of an EF5 tornado that killed 24 people in Moore, narrowly missing the home of Damon Lane, earned the station a Regional Emmy nomination.
June 2015: Broadcast Holdings Spin Off into Tegna Inc.
In June 2015, Gannett spun off its broadcast holdings into Tegna Inc.
2015: Hearst renews affiliation with MeTV
In 2015, Hearst Television and Weigel Broadcasting announced that Hearst had renewed affiliation agreements with MeTV for eight of the group's affiliates.
April 4, 2016: KOCO 5 Chronicle Premieres
On April 4, 2016, KOCO premiered "KOCO 5 Chronicle", a recurring series of hour-long prime time specials focusing on state and community issues, beginning with a special on the Daniel Holtzclaw investigation and arrest.
April 8, 2016: KOCO Launches Newscasts
On April 8, 2016, KOCO launched an hour-long, weekday newscast at 9 a.m. and a nightly, half-hour 9 p.m. newscast for KOCO-DT2.
June 2016: KOCO Ends Affiliation with Children's Miracle Network Telethon
In June 2016, KOCO-TV ended its affiliation with the Children's Miracle Network Telethon.
2016: Tornado coverage chronicled in In an Instant
In 2016, KOCO's coverage of the May 20, 2013 tornado was chronicled in an episode of the ABC docu-series In an Instant.
August 2017: Abigail Ogle Joins Weeknight Newscasts
In August 2017, Abigail Ogle joined Jessica Schambach and Paul Folger as co-anchor of the 6 p.m. newscast on KOCO.
August 28, 2017: KOCO-DT2 Switches to Widescreen
On August 28, 2017, KOCO-DT2 switched to a 16:9 widescreen standard definition format.
July 2018: Paul Folger Leaves KOCO
In July 2018, Paul Folger departed KOCO to become lead anchor at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis–St. Paul.
March 2019: Evan Onstot Added as Co-Anchor
In March 2019, Evan Onstot was added as co-anchor on KOCO, relegating Abigail Ogle to 6 p.m. anchor and field reporter roles.
August 2019: Preemption of Saturday Evening Newscasts
Since August 2019, channel 5 regularly preempts its hour-long 6 p.m. Saturday early evening newscast to accommodate ABC's college football game coverage.
October 2019: KOCO Preempts Second Hour of Good Morning America Saturday
In October 2019, when Good Morning America Saturday expanded into a two-hour broadcast, KOCO-TV originally preempted the second hour of the broadcast. This lasted until November 2020.
November 2019: Gannett re-enters Oklahoma City market
In November 2019, Gannett re-entered the Oklahoma City market through its merger with GateHouse Media, acquiring The Oklahoman.
October 8, 2020: Commencement of ATSC 3.0 Digital Transmissions
On October 8, 2020, KOCO commenced ATSC 3.0 digital transmissions over the signal of local NextGen TV host station KAUT-TV.
November 2020: KOCO Airs Second Hour of Good Morning America Saturday
In November 2020, KOCO began airing the second hour of Good Morning America Saturday, ending its preemption of that portion of the broadcast.
January 17, 2022: KOCO Debuts 11 AM Newscast
On January 17, 2022, KOCO debuted an hour-long 11 a.m. newscast as a temporary replacement for "The Dr. Oz Show".
2022: WPTA Restores "Alive" Brand
In 2022, WPTA in Fort Wayne, Indiana, restored the "Alive" brand after a six-year hiatus.
February 2023: Abigail Ogle Joins 10 p.m. Newscast
In February 2023, Abigail Ogle joined Evan Onstot and Jessica Schambach as co-anchor of the 10 p.m. newscast.
2023: Sooners and Cowboys Games on KOKH-TV
Until 2023, Oklahoma Sooners games and Oklahoma State Cowboys games not shown on KOCO aired on KOKH-TV.
September 2, 2024: KOCO Restores 11 AM Newscast
On September 2, 2024, KOCO restored an 11 a.m. newscast to its schedule.
September 2024: Hours of Newscasts
As of September 2024, KOCO-TV broadcasts 49 hours of locally produced newscasts each week, with an additional three hours of newscasts for its MeTV-affiliated DT2 subchannel.
2024: "Alive" moniker usage in 2024
As of 2024, of the four former Combined stations, only WXIA and WPTA continue to use the "Alive" moniker.
2025: KOCO to Air Thunder's NBA Finals Appearance
In 2025, KOCO will be carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder's appearance in the NBA Finals.
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