PACIFIC GROVE, CALIF. — The CBS affiliate serving the Monterey-Salinas market as of today brands itself as a “weather authority.” As of Tuesday, that promise to viewers “expanded” with new local reporting and weather coverage supplied by the CBS News & Stations property just to the north in San Francisco.
It effectively killed a local TV news operation, leaving a Hearst Television competitor and longtime ratings leader the lone source locally based.
Thanks to the newly signed pact between News-Press & Gazette Co.‘s KION-46, found across the market’s cable TV service providers on Channel 5, and KPIX-5 “CBS Bay Area,” the latter is now the exclusive source of news and information for viewers from Santa Cruz south to Carmel.
KION dates to 1969 and at one point in its past was owned by iHeartMedia predecessor Clear Channel Communications, as well as Ackerley. The Channel 5 dial position on cable systems aligns with KPIX’s broadcast signal and the early days of UHF Channel 46, which was KMST and served as a semi-satellite of KPIX. However, in recent times KION has had a formidable news service competing against Hearst’s KSBW-8, the duo NBC and ABC affiliate.
For KPIX President/GM Scott Warren, “CBS Bay Area is proud to serve viewers who call the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz communities home, by telling their stories. We are also excited for viewers to now see and experience their local weather forecasting in a more dynamic and accessible way through our cutting-edge AR/VR presentation technology.”
The arrangement with KION will see the KPIX team add more resources to covering the Santa Cruz–Monterey–Salinas region as it extends its weather forecasting to include local coverage for those communities. But, there was no direct comment from KION or from NPG on the unexpected end of its own local news product.
“Our partnership with KPIX ensures that viewers across the Monterey, Salinas and Santa Cruz region continue to receive the high-quality local journalism they deserve,” said Rall Bradley, EVP of Broadcast at News-Press & Gazette Company. “This collaboration brings together KION’s deep roots in the community with the trusted reporting and innovative storytelling of CBS Bay Area — delivering a seamless experience for viewers during a time of change.”
NPG maintains a large news operation in Santa Barbara, Calif., where its ABC, CBS, FOX and Telemundo stations compete against San Luis Obispo-centric NBC affiliate KSBY-6, owned by The E.W. Scripps Co.
