History of KTLA in Timeline
KTLA is a television station based in Los Angeles, California. It serves as the West Coast flagship station for The CW network. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, KTLA operates from studios at Sunset Bronson Studios in Hollywood, with its transmitter situated on Mount Wilson. As the largest directly owned property of Nexstar and the second-largest overall, KTLA is a significant broadcasting entity in the Los Angeles market.
1927: Filming of The Jazz Singer
In 1927, Al Jolson's film "The Jazz Singer" was supposedly filmed at the Warner Bros. Sunset Studios, which later became Stage 6 at KTLA. However, Stage 6 did not exist at the time.
1939: KTLA Licensed as Experimental Station W6XYZ
In 1939, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licensed KTLA as the experimental station W6XYZ, which broadcast on VHF channel 4.
September 1942: W6XYZ (KTLA) Signs On the Air
In September 1942, experimental station W6XYZ, later to become KTLA, officially signed on the air.
January 1947: KTLA Begins Operations
In January 1947, KTLA began operations as the first commercially licensed television station in the western United States.
January 22, 1947: KTLA Licensed for Commercial Broadcasting
On January 22, 1947, KTLA was licensed for commercial broadcasting, becoming the first commercial television station in California, Los Angeles, and west of the Mississippi River. Bob Hope emceed the inaugural broadcast, "The Western Premiere of Commercial Television".
1948: KTLA Disaffiliates from DuMont Network
In 1948, KTLA disaffiliated from the DuMont Television Network and converted into an independent station. Paramount also launched the Paramount Television Network in 1948 with KTLA and WBKB-TV as flagship stations.
1949: Los Angeles Times Original Owner of KTTV
In 1949, the Los Angeles Times became the original owner of KTTV under a joint venture with CBS.
1951: Joint venture between Los Angeles Times and CBS through 1951
The Los Angeles Times owned KTTV in a joint venture with CBS through 1951.
1956: Demise of DuMont Network
The DuMont Television Network ceased operations in 1956; its programming was splintered among other Los Angeles stations after the FCC didn't allow DuMont to buy additional VHF stations.
July 4, 1958: KTLA First Helicopter News Broadcast
On July 4, 1958, KTLA pioneered the use of a helicopter for news broadcasting. Engineer John D. Silva outfitted a Bell 47G-2 with transmitters, achieving the first successful in-flight broadcast.
1958: KTLA Moves to Paramount Sunset Studios
In 1958, KTLA moved its operations to the Paramount Sunset Studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, which is now known as Sunset Bronson Studios.
November 1963: Gene Autry Purchases KTLA
In November 1963, Gene Autry purchased KTLA for $12 million.
1963: Los Angeles Times Sells KTTV
In 1963, the Los Angeles Times sold KTTV to Metromedia.
May 1964: Finalization of KTLA Sale to Gene Autry
In May 1964, the sale of KTLA to Gene Autry was finalized, and Autry merged the station with his other broadcasting properties under Golden West Broadcasters.
1965: KTLA Launches 10 p.m. Newscast
In 1965, KTLA launched its 10 p.m. newscast, originally titled Newscene, later known as The George Putnam News, NewsWatch, Channel 5/KTLA News at Ten and KTLA Prime News.
1967: KTLA Carries Los Angeles Lakers and Kings Road Games
From 1967 to 1977, KTLA carried selected Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings road games.
August 1, 1977: KNBC Telecopter Crash
On August 1, 1977, the Telecopter, previously owned by KTLA and later sold to KNBC, crashed, killing pilot Francis Gary Powers and cameraman George Spears.
1978: Stage 6 filming
In 1978, Mark Evanier, while writing for a show filmed on Stage 6, debunked the myth that "The Jazz Singer" was filmed there because Stage 6 did not exist at the time.
1979: KTLA Acquires Programming from KBSC-TV
In 1979, KTLA acquired much of the programming inventory of struggling independent competitor KBSC-TV (channel 52), including "The Little Rascals", "The Three Stooges", "The Munsters", "The Addams Family", "Gilligan's Island", and "Leave It to Beaver", among others.
1981: KTLA Acquires Laverne & Shirley and Little House on the Prairie
In 1981, KTLA acquired "Laverne & Shirley" and "Little House on the Prairie".
November 1982: Golden West Sells KTLA to KKR
In November 1982, Golden West sold KTLA to investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) for $245 million.
1982: KTLA Acquires Taxi and CHiPs
In 1982, KTLA acquired "Taxi" and "CHiPs".
May 1985: KKR Sells KTLA to Tribune Broadcasting
In May 1985, KKR sold KTLA to Chicago-based Tribune Broadcasting for $510 million, a then-record price.
October 1986: KTLA Becomes Top Independent Station
In October 1986, KTLA became the top-rated independent station in Southern California after KTTV became a Fox affiliate.
1986: Fox Television Stations Formed
In 1986, Metromedia merged with News Corporation to become Fox Television Stations.
March 1991: KTLA First to Air Rodney King Beating Video
In March 1991, KTLA was the first station to air the video of Rodney King's beating by Los Angeles police officers.
July 1991: KTLA Debuts KTLA Morning News
In July 1991, KTLA debuted the Los Angeles market's first live, local morning two-hour newscast, the KTLA Morning News.
1991: KTLA Debuts Morning Newscast
In the summer of 1991, KTLA debuted a two-hour weekday morning newscast, which was followed by sitcoms from 9 a.m. to noon.
1992: LA Riots Sparked by Rodney King Verdict
In 1992, the acquittal of the officers involved in the Rodney King beating, which KTLA aired, sparked rioting in Los Angeles.
November 2, 1993: Formation of The WB Television Network Announced
On November 2, 1993, the formation of The WB Television Network by Warner Bros. Television and the Tribune Company was announced.
1993: KTTV Launches Good Day L.A.
In 1993, rival station KTTV launched its own morning newscast, Good Day L.A., after the success of KTLA Morning News.
January 1994: KTLA Adds Action Pack Programming Block
In mid-January 1994, KTLA added the syndicated Action Pack programming block to its schedule.
1994: KTLA Airs Gavel to Gavel Coverage of O. J. Simpson Trial
From 1994 to 1995, KTLA aired gavel to gavel coverage of the O. J. Simpson trial, anchored by Marta Waller.
January 11, 1995: KTLA Becomes a WB Affiliate
On January 11, 1995, KTLA became an affiliate of The WB Television Network, marking its first network affiliation in 47 years.
September 1995: KTLA Adds Kids' WB Cartoons
In September 1995, KTLA added afternoon and Saturday morning cartoons from The WB's Kids' WB block, bringing weekday children's programs back to channel 5.
1996: Television Rights to Angels Games Move to KCAL-TV
In 1996, the television rights to Los Angeles/California Angels games moved to KCAL-TV from KTLA.
1997: KTLA Rebrands to "KTLA 5, L.A.'s WB"
In 1997, KTLA overhauled its on-air branding to "KTLA 5, L.A.'s WB", changing from simply using the "Channel 5" brand with The WB logo.
October 28, 1998: KTLA-DT signs on with high definition programming
On October 28, 1998, KTLA-DT signed on with the West Coast's first commercially broadcast high definition programming on UHF channel 31 in 1080i 16:9 format.
September 1999: WB Expands to Six Nights a Week
By September 1999, The WB had expanded its prime time programming to six nights a week, Sunday through Friday.
2000: Tribune Acquires Times Mirror Company
In 2000, The Tribune Company purchased the Times Mirror Company, bringing the Los Angeles Times into common ownership with KTLA.
January 1, 2005: KTLA Unveils New Branding Campaign
On January 1, 2005, KTLA unveiled a new branding campaign that initially omitted all references to its over-the-air channel 5 position, using a modernized logo and branding as "KTLA, The WB".
January 24, 2006: The CW Network Announced
On January 24, 2006, Warner Bros. and CBS Corporation announced the shutdown of The WB and UPN, and the creation of The CW network.
September 17, 2006: KTLA Becomes a CW Affiliate
On September 17, 2006, KTLA became a charter affiliate of The CW, changing its branding to "KTLA 5, The CW" immediately after The WB's final broadcast.
January 13, 2007: KTLA broadcasts newscasts in high definition
On January 13, 2007, KTLA became the second television station in the Los Angeles market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.
January 22, 2007: KTLA Celebrates 60th Anniversary
On January 22, 2007, KTLA celebrated its 60th anniversary of continuous broadcasting.
January 24, 2007: KTLA Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On January 24, 2007, KTLA became the first television entity to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Six individuals associated with KTLA have also received stars: Gene Autry, Hal Fishman, George Putnam, Stan Chambers, Larry McCormick, and Klaus Landsberg.
July 30, 2007: Hal Fishman anchors final newscast
On July 30, 2007, Hal Fishman anchored what would be his final newscast for KTLA.
August 7, 2007: Hal Fishman's death
Hal Fishman died on August 7, 2007, following hospitalization for a liver infection. KTLA's newscasts that day were dedicated to Fishman.
February 14, 2008: Tribune Company Sells Tribune Studios
On February 14, 2008, the Tribune Company sold Tribune Studios to Hudson Capital LLC for $125 million, renaming it Sunset Bronson Studios.
January 2009: Don Corsini appointed as KTLA's president and general manager
In January 2009, Don Corsini was appointed as KTLA's president and general manager, leading to an expansion of news programming.
April 1, 2009: Expansion of KTLA Morning News and debut of midday newscast
On April 1, 2009, the KTLA Morning News was expanded to start at 4:30 a.m. and a midday newscast at 1 p.m. debuted.
June 12, 2009: KTLA ends regular programming on its analog signal
On June 12, 2009, KTLA ended regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 5, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 31, using virtual channel 5.
June 26, 2009: KTLA ends temporary restoration of analog signal
On June 26, 2009, KTLA ended the temporary restoration of its analog signal, which was used to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop of public service announcements.
October 14, 2009: KTLA Unveils New Logo and Set
On October 14, 2009, KTLA unveiled a new logo and a redesigned news set, bringing back the classic stylized number "5" and emphasizing the "LA" in the callsign.
December 2009: WTIC-TV/WTXX Move to Hartford Courant Building
In December 2009, the Hartford duopoly of WTIC-TV and WTXX moved into new facilities in the Hartford Courant building.
April 2011: KTLA added weekend morning newscasts
In April 2011, KTLA added weekend morning newscasts, beginning with an hour-long newscast at 6 a.m. on Saturdays.
August 2011: KTLA adds prime time newscast
In August 2011, KTLA added a two-hour prime time newscast titled the KTLA 5 Sunday Edition from 8 to 10 p.m. on Sunday evenings.
February 2, 2012: KTLA Morning News expands to 4 a.m.
On February 2, 2012, KTLA expanded the weekday edition of the KTLA Morning News to begin at 4 a.m.
September 2012: Expansion of Saturday morning newscast
In September 2012, KTLA's Saturday morning newscast expanded to two hours at 5 a.m.
September 2013: Dish Network Halts Superstation Sales
In September 2013, Dish Network halted sales of its a la carte superstation tier, which included KTLA, to new subscribers.
September 2013: Changes to the KTLA 5 Sunday Edition
In September 2013, the 8 p.m. hour of the KTLA 5 Sunday Edition was dropped.
May 9, 2014: Expansion of Saturday morning newscast
On May 9, 2014, the Saturday morning newscast was expanded to three hours and moved to 6–9 a.m., causing The CW's children's program block at the time, Vortexx, to be aired to a two-hour tape delay.
May 2014: KTLA Expands Saturday Morning Newscast
In May 2014, KTLA expanded its Saturday morning newscast, leading to a delay in airing The CW's children's block, One Magnificent Morning.
August 4, 2014: Tribune Spins Off Publishing Division
On August 4, 2014, The Tribune Company spun off its publishing division, including the Los Angeles Times, into a separate company, while KTLA remained with the original company, renamed Tribune Media Company.
December 2014: KTLA Launches Mid-Afternoon Newscast
In December 2014, KTLA launched its mid-afternoon newscast, leading to changes in the scheduling of syndicated programming, including The Jerry Springer Show and The Bill Cunningham Show.
December 26, 2014: KTLA adds afternoon newscasts
On December 26, 2014, KTLA added separate hour-long, weekday afternoon newscasts at 2 and 3 p.m.
December 31, 2014: End of temporary 2 p.m. newscast
On December 31, 2014, the 2 p.m. newscast was intended as a temporary fill-in that ran until this day.
January 2, 2015: Celebrity Name Game replaces 2 p.m. newscast
On January 2, 2015, the 2 p.m. newscast was replaced by a double-run of Celebrity Name Game.
July 5, 2015: Expansion of Sunday morning newscast to four hours
On July 5, 2015, KTLA expanded its Sunday morning newscast into the same four-hour slot from 6 to 10 a.m., pushing the One Magnificent Morning block back by an additional hour.
July 2015: KTLA simulcasts newscasts on iHeartRadio
In July 2015, KTLA became the first television station in Los Angeles to carry live audio simulcasts of its newscasts on the iHeartRadio app.
2015: KTLA Launches Internet Radio Channel
In 2015, KTLA launched an internet-only news radio channel on iHeartRadio.
2015: KTLA Resumes Role as Host Broadcaster of Hollywood Christmas Parade
In 2015, KTLA resumed its role as host broadcaster of the Hollywood Christmas Parade, when The CW received the national broadcast rights.
August 6, 2016: Saturday morning newscast expanded to four hours
On August 6, 2016, the Saturday morning newscast was expanded to four hours from 6 to 10 a.m.
September 2, 2016: KTLA Simulcasts Dodgers Games with SportsNet LA
On September 2, 2016, KTLA entered into an agreement with Charter Communications to simulcast six Los Angeles Dodgers regular season games from SportsNet LA.
March 8, 2017: SportsNet LA Agrees to Simulcast Dodgers Games on KTLA
On March 8, 2017, SportsNet LA agreed to simulcast ten Los Angeles Dodgers games on KTLA during the first and last five weeks of the 2017 regular season.
May 8, 2017: Sinclair Broadcast Group to Acquire Tribune Media
On May 8, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media for $3.9 billion, plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in Tribune debt, a deal that later collapsed due to regulatory scrutiny and breach of contract lawsuits.
June 12, 2017: KTLA 5 Morning News expanded to 11 a.m.
On June 12, 2017, KTLA expanded the weekday edition of the KTLA 5 Morning News to 11 a.m.
September 30, 2017: KTLA Airs OMM Block on Delayed Basis
On September 30, 2017, KTLA aired the One Magnificent Morning (OMM) block locally on a two-hour delayed basis from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
December 30, 2017: KTLA Airs OMM Block on Delayed Basis
On December 30, 2017, KTLA aired the One Magnificent Morning (OMM) block locally on a two-hour delayed basis from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
January 6, 2018: KTLA Airs OMM Block on Delayed Basis
On January 6, 2018, KTLA began airing the One Magnificent Morning (OMM) block on a three-hour delayed basis, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., due to the expansion of its weekend morning newscast.
May 1, 2018: KTLA debuts 11 a.m. newscast
On May 1, 2018, KTLA debuted an hour long newscast at 11 a.m.
October 7, 2018: KTLA 5 Sunday Edition moves to 7 p.m.
On October 7, 2018, KTLA moved the 9 p.m. hour of its Sunday Edition to 7 p.m. to accommodate the return of The CW's Sunday night two-hour prime time block.
December 3, 2018: Nexstar to Purchase Tribune Media
On December 3, 2018, Nexstar Media Group announced its purchase of Tribune Media for $6.4 billion in cash and debt.
December 27, 2018: Death of Chris Burrous
On December 27, 2018, KTLA Weekend News anchor and reporter, Chris Burrous, was found unconscious and later pronounced dead from a methamphetamine overdose.
2018: KTLA Continues Simulcasting Dodgers Games with SportsNet LA
In 2018, KTLA continued its simulcasting arrangement with SportsNet LA for Los Angeles Dodgers games.
January 12, 2019: KTLA begins producing weekend edition of KTLA 5 Sports Final
On January 12, 2019, KTLA began producing a weekend 30-minute edition of KTLA 5 Sports Final at 11:35 pm after the 11 p.m. newscast.
February 9, 2019: KTLA adds new weekend newscast
On February 9, 2019, KTLA added a new hour-long 5 p.m. weekend newscast.
March 18, 2019: KTLA reallocates to UHF channel 35
On March 18, 2019, KTLA reallocated to UHF channel 35 as part of the spectrum auction repack.
September 19, 2019: Nexstar Completes Acquisition of Tribune Media
On September 19, 2019, the sale of Tribune Media to Nexstar Media Group was completed.
September 21, 2020: KTLA adds a new weekday newscast and LA Unscripted debuts.
On September 21, 2020, KTLA added a new hour-long 12 p.m. weekday newscast that had started months earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic and became permanent on that day. Also on that day, the lifestyle show LA Unscripted debuted.
May 3, 2021: KTLA launches Off the Clock
On May 3, 2021, KTLA launched Off the Clock, a program featuring the Morning News team in a more relaxed environment, on streaming. Subsequently with the ending of Maury, Off the Clock was brought to broadcast airing at 2 p.m.
May 20, 2021: Nexstar Renews Affiliation Deal with The CW
On May 20, 2021, Nexstar renewed their affiliation deal with The CW, which covered KTLA and other CW-affiliated stations.
September 2021: The CW Returns Weekday Hour to Affiliates
In September 2021, The CW returned the weekday hour of programming to its affiliates, and KTLA aired The Jerry Springer Show reruns at 2 p.m.
October 4, 2021: KTLA adds new weekday newscast
On October 4, 2021, KTLA added a new hour-long 5 p.m. weekday newscast.
2022: KTLA Becomes Over-the-Air Home of the Los Angeles Clippers
In 2022, KTLA became the over-the-air home of the Los Angeles Clippers, broadcasting 15 preseason and regular season games starting in the 2022–23 season.
2022: David Lazarus Switches Full Time to KTLA
In 2022, Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus switched full time to KTLA, reporting on consumer stories.
February 20, 2023: KTLA adds new weekday newscast
On February 20, 2023, KTLA added a new hour-long 4 p.m. weekday newscast.
October 1, 2023: CW adds prime time programming on Sundays
On October 1, 2023, The CW added prime time programming on Sundays.
October 8, 2023: KTLA moves its Sunday newscast to 4 p.m.
On October 8, 2023, KTLA moved its Sunday newscast to 4 p.m. due to The CW adding 7 p.m. primetime programming.
September 16, 2024: KTLA adds a new half-hour long 7 p.m. weeknight newscast
On September 16, 2024, KTLA added a new half-hour long 7 p.m. weeknight newscast.
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