KTVZ

KTVZ is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Oregon that is licensed to Bend. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHFchannel 21 from a transmitter in the city on Awbrey Butte west of U.S. 97. Owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company, the station is sister to low-powered Fox affiliate KFXO-LP and low-powered Telemundo affiliate KQRE-LP. All three share studios on Northwest O.B. Riley Road in Bend. Syndicated programming on KTVZ includes: Wheel of Fortune, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy! Jeopardy!], Oprah, Live with Regis and Kelly, and Dr. Phil''.

Digital programming
It operates the area's CW affiliate on a second digital subchannel that is known on-air as Bend CW which can also be seen onBendBroadband digital channel 12. Over-the-air, this is available on analog K13JF channel 13 in La Pine from a transmitter on Finley Butte and digital K22IL-D channel 22 in Prineville from a transmitter on Grizzly Mountain. KTVZ-DT2 gets all of its programming from The CW Plus. Although KFXO airs a digital signal of its own, it can be viewed on KTVZ's third digital subchannel.

Rebroadcasters
KTVZ is rebroadcast on the following translator stations.

History
KTVZ went on-the-air November 6, 1977. It was started by former owners Ray Johnson of KMED-AM-TV (now KTVL) in Medford and C. Howard Lane from KOIN-TV in Portland who formed Ponderosa Broadcasting, Inc. The station has always been an NBC affiliate but also began to carry CBS programming on a secondary basis. Efforts to carve out Deschutes County from the Portland television market began in 1980. By Fall 1981, Nielsen formed the newly created Bend DMA. In 1986, the station was sold to Stainless Broadcasting Companywhich later became known as Northwest Broadcasting, Inc. based in Spokane, Washington.

By 1997, KTVZ discontinued CBS programing since KOIN in Portland (now seen through semi-satellite KBNZ-LD) already had full translator and cable coverage in the Bend area. Later in 2002, Northwest Broadcasting sold KTVZ to the News-Press & Gazette Company. By 2006, they added more network affiliations to the growing Central Oregon area when The CW was added as a second digital channel. In late 2006, it was announced that Meredith would sell KFXO to the News-Press & Gazette Company which occurred on May 24, 2007. BendBroadband filed a petition with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to block the proposed sale but it still went through. KQRE-LP was originally a repeater of KTVZ. In January 2007, that station completed a transmitter move that brought it closer to Bend making the rebroadcast redundant. The station then began airing Telemundo's schedule.

Newscasts
On June 22, 2007, KFXO's own prime time news at 10 pm was replaced by one produced by KTVZ. In September of that year, this station began to air its newscasts in 16:9 widescreen format. It broadcasts four and a half hours of local news every weekday. It produces a two-hour weekday morning show and nightly thirty minute newscast for KFXO. Like all CW Plus affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, KTVZ-DT2 airs the nationally syndicated morning show The Daily Buzz on weekdays from 6 to 9. There is no weekend sports anchor.

Newscast titles


 * TV-21 News (1977–1984)
 * NewsCentral 21 (1984-1990s)
 * Z-21 News (1990s-2005)
 * NewsChannel 21 (2005–present)

Station slogans

 * "Your Hometown News" (1999–2005)
 * "Central Oregon's News Leader" (2005–present)

News team
Anchors


 * Matt McDonald - weekday mornings and reporter
 * Kelsey Watts - weekday mornings and reporter
 * Nina Melhaf - weeknights
 * Adam Aaro - weeknights and reporter
 * Jim Murray - Sports Director seen weeknights at 6, 6:30, 10, and 11

NewsChannel 21 Local Alert Meteorologists


 * Ben Burkel - weeknights
 * Bob Shaw - weekday mornings and Community Affairs Director
 * Shanna Mendiola - weekends and news reporter

Reporters


 * Barney Lerten - Digital Content Director and Assignment Manager
 * "Leave it to Barney" segment producer
 * Alicia Inns
 * Kim Tobin
 * Joe Burns
 * Mackenzie Wilson

Former staff
Anchors


 * Jason Carr
 * Houri Arakelian
 * Shaliz Koleini
 * Dana Walters
 * Molly Hendrickson
 * Melissa Burgess
 * Stephanie Nutt
 * Christian Lasher
 * Rebecca Meade
 * Corneil Romero
 * Brooke Snavely
 * Victoria Adelus

Meteorologists


 * Jaymie Turner
 * Christian Boris
 * Keshia Burns
 * Marc Toy

Sports


 * Vic Quick
 * Ryan Bennett
 * Alex Drude
 * Lars Peterson
 * Justin Luce

Reporters


 * Brittney Hopper
 * Molli Graham
 * Leanna Humphreys
 * Helen Mondia
 * Chris Warren