KBOI-TV

KBOI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Idaho's Treasure Valley licensed to Boise. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 (virtual channel 2.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter at the Bogus Basin ski area summit in unincorporated Boise County, Idaho. The station can also be seen on Cable One channel 8 and in high definition on digital channel 460. Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station is sister to low-powered CW affiliate KYUU-LD and the two share studios on North 16th Street in Western Downtown Boise. Syndicated programming on KBOI includes Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Dr. Phil and The Meredith Vieira Show.

History
KBOI-TV signed on November 26, 1953 as the Treasure Valley's second television station, after NBC affiliate KIDO-TV (now KTVB). It aired an analog signal on VHF channel 2, and was owned by Boise Valley Broadcasters along with KBOI radio (670 AM and 97.9 FM, now KQFC). It has always been a primary CBS outlet, but initially shared secondary ABC and DuMont affiliations with KIDO. KBOI lost the latter network after it shut down in 1955 and ABC with the launch of Nampa's KITC (now KIVI-TV) in 1974. The following year, after KBOI radio was sold off to a separate entity, the television station changed its call letters to KBCI-TV. At that time, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations required separately-owned stations to have distinct base call signs.

Soon after the sale of the radio stations closed, Boise Valley Broadcasters decided to sell KBCI as well. A 1975 deal to sell the station to Donrey Media Group collapsed when the FCC deferred action on the deal due to regulatory issues surrounding the license renewal of Donrey's KORK-TV in Las Vegas, Nevada. Instead, Boise Valley sold it to Eugene Television, owner of KVAL-TV in Eugene, Oregon, in 1976. The company, later known as Northwest Television, was acquired by Retlaw Enterprises, the company controlled by the family of Walt Disney, in 1996; three years later, Retlaw sold its television station group to Fisher Communications. The acquisition prompted massive layoffs and staff reassignments at KBCI. In 2007, KBCI, along with other northwest Fisher stations outsourced their master control operations to Seattle's KOMO Plaza (formerly Fisher Plaza), in turn laying off nearly all of the master control operators in Boise. In July 2007, KBCI debuted state-of-the-art Ignite newscast automation, effectively reducing the number of studio crew members from 9 down to 3.

Taking advantage of both a new partnership with KBOI radio (now owned by Cumulus Media) and a 1980s change in FCC regulations that allowed separately-owned stations to share base call signs, Fisher Communications returned the station to its original call letters, KBOI-TV, on February 2, 2010. On April 11, 2013, Fisher announced that it would sell its properties, including KBOI-TV, to the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The deal was completed on August 8, 2013.

Digital television
The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Digital channels After the digital transition on June 12, 2009, KBCI stayed on its pre-transition channel 28. On October 2, 2009, the station filed a minor change application to move from channel 28 to channel 9, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted it a construction permit on April 16, 2010.[2]

Awards
In 2004, the station's (at that time KBCI-TV) news team received the prestigious DuPont and Edward R. Murrow awards for the 2002/2003 investigation into former Boise Mayor Brent Coles.[3] [4] The investigation into Cole's mismanagement of public funds led to the mayor's resignation and subsequent prosecution by the Idaho Attorney General's Office. In 2009, Idaho Press Club recognized the station in May with awards for Best Investigative Reporting and Best Light Feature. Later in the year, the station won "Best Newscast" from the Idaho State Broadcaster's Association.

News/station presentation
KBOI operates a news department with a focus on high impact community advocacy journalism. There is an investigative unit known as the "Truth Squad" normally consisting of two reporters assigned to the beat. In 2004, the station (then KBCI-TV) received the prestigious DuPont and Edward R. Murrow awards for the 2002/2003 investigation into former Boise Mayor Brent Coles. The investigation into Cole's mismanagement of public funds led to his resignation and subsequent prosecution by the Idaho Attorney General's Office.[21][22] In May 2009, the Idaho Press Club recognized KBCI with awards for "Best Investigative Reporting" and "Best Light Feature". Later in the year, it won "Best Newscast" from the Idaho State Broadcaster's Association.

KBOI broadcasts a total of 22 hours of local news each week. KBOI recently added a midday newscast that airs at 11:00 a.m. KBOI 2 News, First at 4:00 is the market's first-ever newscast at 4:00 p.m. On weeknights, KBOI airs the CBS Evening News live at 5:00 p.m. and there is a 30-minute local newscast at 5:30 p.m. The station produces two 30-minute newscasts for sister station KYUU, one at 7:00 a.m. and one at 9:00 p.m. The prime time newscast airs against a broadcast airing on KNIN.

Newscast titles

 * News Today/Ten Thirty Report
 * Eyewitness News (1970–1975 & 1980s–1990s)
 * NewsCenter 2 (1975–19??)
 * Action News
 * Channel 2 News (19??–1980s)
 * 2 News (1990s–2001)
 * Idaho 2 News (2001–2004)
 * Local 2 News (2004–2005)
 * KBCI CBS 2 News (2005–2007)
 * CBS 2 Eyewitness News (2007–2010)
 * (KBOI) 2 News (2010–present)

Station slogans

 * Here's 2 Idaho (late 1970s)
 * There's Only One 2 (early 1980s)
 * Idaho, Get Ready for Channel 2! (1989–1990; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
 * You're on KCBI Channel 2 (1995-1996; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
 * Welcome Home to Channel 2 (1996-1997; localized version of CBS ad campaign)
 * Accurate. Objective. Fair
 * Watching Out for You (2007–present)

Current on-air news staff
Anchors Reporters Weather Sports
 * Natalie Hurst - weekday evenings
 * Mike Murad - weekday evenings
 * Kayna Whitworth - weekday mornings
 * Brian Morin - weekday mornings
 * Tami Tremblay - weekend evenings
 * Scott Logan
 * Jen Wahl
 * Alana Brophy (weekend weather)
 * Michael Calcagno
 * Jennifer McGraw
 * Vin Crosby - weekday evenings
 * Adam Behrman - weekday mornings
 * J Bates - weeknights, 5:30, 10
 * Troy Oppie - weekends
 * Doug Plagens - fill-in sports

Former staff

 * Kiersten Throndsen, reporter
 * Adam Rodriquez, weekend anchor (currently a reporter at KARK-TV, in Little Rock, AK)
 * Nicole Navarro, morning reporter (moved to producer)
 * Brian Carrington, weather
 * Larry Chase, weather 1969-1976
 * Scott Dorval, weather (currently at KIVI in Boise, ID)[5]
 * Danielle Folquet, anchor
 * Kelly Franson, weather (currently at WBTV in Charlotte, NC)
 * Gemma Gaudette, anchor/reporter
 * Lisa Hughes, anchor (currently at WBZ-TV in Boston, MA)
 * Blake McCoy, anchor/reporter (currently at KTNV in Las Vegas, NV)
 * Joni Shriver, weather/reporter
 * Rachel Smith, anchor/reporter (currently at KVVU in Las Vegas, NV)
 * Callie Zanandrie, weather/reporter (currently at KUSA in Denver, CO)
 * Tracy Turner, Anchor/producer (currently News Director, TV 3 Winchester, Winchester, VA)