User:CHAK 001/KSBW-DT2

KSBW-DT2

Salinas/Monterey, California
City	Salinas
Channels	Digital: 8 (VHF)
Branding	Central Coast ABC (general) Action News 8 (newscasts)
Programming
Affiliations	ABC
Ownership
Owner	Hearst Television, Inc. (Hearst Stations, Inc.)
History
First air date	2005
Former affiliations	NBC Weather Plus
Call sign meaning	see KSBW
Technical information
Facility ID	19653
ERP	20.6 kW
HAAT	760 m
Transmitter coordinates	36°45′21.9″N 121°30′9.4″W
Links
Website	www.ksbw.com

KSBW-DT2 is the second digital subchannel of NBC affiliate KSBW, which is owned by Hearst Television. The second digital subchannel is the future subchannel for it's new ABC affiliate, which is scheduled for April 18, 2011. The channel previously used it's channel for NBC Weather Plus, along with additional local newscasts. The subchannel was also used for an alternate set of primetime programming.

History

Localized Version of NBC Weather Plus

In early 2005, KSBW debuted its localized version of NBC Weather Plus, branded as KSBW Weather Plus. Its only local preemption was their debut of their 10pm newscasts at that time. KSBW first offered Weather Plus on its digital channel (on KSBW-DT2), as well as on Comcast cable. NBC's national Weather Plus operations were shut down on December 1, 2008 after the network's parent company, NBC Universal, purchased The Weather Channel. However, KSBW remains one of the few to continue the use of the "L" bar Weather Plus, with weather updates 8 times per hour. After the national shutdown, KSBW Weather Plus ran a three-hour children's block on Saturday mornings that consists of Eco Company, Teen Kids News, and Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller while the "L" bar is still in effect.

Its 10pm newscasts continued to run even after the shutdown, and was replaced with background music. Additionally, although KSBW anchors Dan Green and/or Erin Clark claims that its 10 p.m. newscasts are offered on its website in addition to its second digital subchannel and Comcast, it also ran KSBW Weather Plus on its website.

On August 2, 2010, KSBW started broadcasting an alternative set of primetime programming on its second digital subchannel, branded as KSBW Prime Plus, although it is broadcast Monday through Friday nights. Programming included a rebroadcast of its 5pm newscast at 7pm, Access Hollywood, reruns of Dr. Phil and Oprah during primetime, and KSBW's 10pm newscast. KSBW Weather Plus would still retain its branding during the time that Prime Plus is not on the air. KSBW's logo on its second digital subchannel is branded as "8.2", with the ".2" logo replacing the "peacock" logo and is used only during syndicated programming and its newscasts. (Its nearby Hearst station KCRA also does the same, though it is branded as "moreTV Sacramento.") Although KSBW does not use the localized version of the "moreTV" branding, the subchannel uses the "moreTV" concept previously used by its sister station in Tampa, WMOR-TV.

The beginning of Central Coast ABC

The Monterey-Salinas market has gone without a local ABC station since July 2000 when KNTV disaffiliated from the network due to KGO-TV asserting market exclusivity for ABC within San Jose, though to the disadvantage of the more southern Monterey-Salinas area. KNTV became the NBC affiliate in January 2002 for the San Francisco Bay Area market and eventually, owned and operated by NBC as of today. Viewers who wanted to view ABC programming had to rely mainly on "ABC 7", a localized version of San Francisco's KGO-TV for ABC programming which was exclusively cable and satellite-only. While KSBW will continue to offer NBC programming on its main channel (8.1), the station announced that KSBW will offer ABC programming over on its second digital subchannel, which will take over programming that is formerly occupied by KSBW Weather Plus. This will mark Hearst's 14th television station affiliated with ABC.

The station began to remind viewers two days prior to the shutdown on January 31, 2011 that those who are turning in to KSBW Weather Plus over on its second digital subchannel that the station is shutting down temporarily, however, Weather Plus' branding is kept and will continue to operate it on its website. This is due to the station receiving equipment that will capable of transmitting ABC programming, as well as on cable and satellite. The shutdown became effective on the morning of February 1, 2011, and began to mirror 8.1 at that time.

On February 11, 2011, KSBW announced that beginning in April, KSBW will debut ABC programming known as "Central Coast ABC", with a simulcast of local news at 5 a.m., 6 a.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. on weekdays, however, no schedule has been released for the weekends. Simulcast of local news does not include the noon newscast, which will continue on the main channel (8.1).

The weekday schedule and new logo for Central Coast ABC debuted on March 5, 2011. Upon the launch of the new channel, selected syndicated programming on KSBW-DT2 will include Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Extra, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, and The Oprah Winfrey Show; the latter three airing at different times. The official launch of the channel is scheduled for April 18, 2011. As in the case of the main channel (8.1), it will broadcast in HD.

In mid-March 2011, to promote the channel, the station shared the good news that also featured Tom Bergeron, the host of two ABC programs, Dancing with the Stars and America's Funniest Home Videos. On April 1, 2011, KSBW-DT2 began using a test pattern in preparations for Central Coast ABC, using the 720p format like most ABC stations.

News Operation

KSBW-DT2 will simulcast the majority of the newscasts produced by KSBW, branded as "Action News 8". Local newscast at noon will only air on KSBW's primary subchannel (8.1). Weekday morning newscasts consist of Dale Julin, traffic anchor Michelle Allen, and meteorologist Lee Solomon, while the evening newscasts consists of Dan Green, Erin Clark, sports director Dennis Lenhen, and chief forecaster Jim Vanderswaan. Weekend morning newscasts consist of Stephanie Chuang (news) and meteorologist Carl Thormeyer, while weekend evening newscasts are headed by Brittany Neisen and meteorologist Art Jarrett. A number of reporters and additional news personnel are used; see the KSBW article for more.

As in the case of KSBW, the newscasts will be in HD when the channel launches, although it is not mentioned.

References

• 'Dancing With the Stars' host helps launch Central Coast ABC affiliate Off 68, The Salinas Californian.