| YEAR |
NOTES |
| 1948 |
Sacramentan Mark Goodson begins producing national TV shows with Bill Todman |
| 1953 |
Sacramento's first TV station was NBC affiliate KCCC Channel 40 |
| 1954 |
KOVR Channel 13 debuts at the California State Fair on September 6 |
| 1955 |
KBET debuts on Channel 10 on March 19 |
| 1955 |
KCRA Channel 3 launches on September 3 as an NBC affiliate, founded by Ewing Kelly and Hansen brothers |
| 1957 |
KOVR becomes an ABC affiliate after merging with KCCC Channel 40 |
| 1958 |
Gannett Broadcasting buys KOVR |
| 1959 |
Central California Educational Television (CCET) launches KVIE Channel 6 on February 23 |
| 1959 |
John Kluge's Metropolitan Broadcasting (which later becomes Metromedia) buys KOVR |
| 1959 |
Sacramento Telecasters sells KBET to Corinthian Broadcasting, call letters change to KXTV |
| 1959 |
Stan Atkinson becomes news anchor through 1963 |
| 1959 |
Channel 40 returns to the air as KVUE then goes dark after five months |
| 1960 |
KCRA co-founder Ewing Kelly dies, son Bob Kelly becomes president, son Jon Kelly named GM |
| 1961 |
Transmitter tower site completed in Walnut Grove for KCRA, KOVR and KXTV |
| 1961 |
Mitch Agruss begins working for KOVR Channel 13, forming the Cap'n Delta show |
| 1964 |
Metromedia sells KOVR to Bee owner McClatchy Newspapers |
| 1964 |
All-Channel Receiver Act goes into effect, requiring TV sets to include UHF tuning |
| 1964 |
Bob Wilkins begins hosting an afternoon show on KCRA |
| 1965 |
Former KGMS-AM co-owner Jack Matranga is granted a license for Channel 40 |
| 1965 |
KCRA begins broadcasting its newscasts in color |
| 1966 |
Bob Wilkins introduces Saturday night horror showcase called Seven Arts Theatre on KCRA |
| 1966 |
Charlie Duncan replaces Mitch Agruss as Cap'n Delta on KOVR |
| 1968 |
Channel 40 returns to the air as KTXL |
| 1968 |
Former KOVR Cap'n Delta Mitch Agruss becomes Cap'n Mitch on KTXL through 1984 |
| 1970 |
PBS launches as a non-commercial network, KVIE later becomes affiliate |
| 1970 |
After a brief absence, Bob Wilkins returns to Sacramento TV on KTXL |
| 1972 |
Sacramentan Larry Linville begins appearing on the CBS TV show M*A*S*H |
| 1974 |
Pat Morita from Isleton begins appearing on the ABC TV show Happy Days |
| 1974 |
Future KCRA meteorologist Christine Hanson appears in Playboy in Septemeber |
| 1974 |
KMUV TV signs on Channel 31 as all movie station October 5, owned by Sid Grayson |
| 1975 |
KCRA begins using remote cameras for newscasts |
| 1975 |
KOVR Action News 13 cast: Dave Walker, Steve Somers (sports), Bette Vasquez (weather) |
| 1975 |
KCRA Channel 3 Reports cast: Bob Whitten, Mary Richardson (consumer reporter), Pete Liebengood (sports), Tom DuHain (weather) |
| 1976 |
Stan Atkinson becomes news anchor through 1994 |
| 1976 |
KMUV abandons all-movie format in favor of mainly Spanish programming |
| 1978 |
McClatchy Newspapers sells KOVR to Outlet Communications |
| 1978 |
CBS begins airing PM Magazine in September, featuring Cary Nosler |
| 1979 |
Sacramentan Timothy Busfield lands a role on CBS TV series Trapper John, MD |
| 1979 |
KCRA introduces its news helicopter, LiveCopter3, flown by Dann Shiveley |
| 1980 |
Former KCRA and KOVR anchors Dave and Lois Hart debut on CNN |
| 1981 |
Koplar Broadcasting buys KMUV and relaunches it April 6 as KRBK |
| 1983 |
Sacramento Cable is awarded franchise, leading to the creation of Access Sacramento Channel 17 |
| 1984 |
KXTV owner Corinthian sells to A.H. Belo Corporation |
| 1985 |
KCRA, KOVR and KXTV all move to new transmitter sites |
| 1985 |
Don Imus, who had worked on Sacramento radio in the early 70s, debuts as one of VH-1's first VJs |
| 1986 |
Narragansett Television LP buys KOVR |
| 1986 |
KTXL TV 40 becomes part of the new Fox network as one of its first affiliates |
| 1986 |
Renaissance Broadcasting acquires KTXL |
| 1988 |
Anchor Media buys KOVR |
| 1988 |
KPWB 31 becomes flagship station for the Sacramento Kings through 2003 |
| 1988 |
Former KFBK host Morton Downey Jr.'s TV show begins national syndication |
| 1989 |
KCRA former owner Nina Kelly dies at the age of 87 |
| 1990 |
Dave Walker and Lois Hart begin hosting KRCA evening newscasts through 2008 |
| 1991 |
Sacramentan Jane Sibbett begins her role in the Fox TV sitcom Herman's Head |
| 1991 |
KCRA participates experiment running network programming 7-10pm thru 1993 |
| 1992 |
Mark Goodson dies at age 77 |
| 1993 |
KOVR owner Anchor Media merges with River City Broadcasting |
| 1993 |
Mark S. Allen hosts Short Attention Theatre on Comedy Central |
| 1994 |
Jane Sibbett lands a role as Carol Willick on new NBC sitcom Friends |
| 1994 |
Pappas Telecasting purchases KRBK 31 |
| 1994 |
KCRA begins a marketing partnership with KSCH (now KQCA) on Channel 58 |
| 1994 |
Stan Atkinson moves from KCRA to KOVR |
| 1995 |
KRBK becomes KPWB, to mirror its WB Television Network affiliation |
| 1995 |
In a network swap on March 6, KXTV became an ABC affiliate and KOVR picked up CBS |
| 1996 |
Mark S. Allen joins the morning show Good Day Sacramento |
| 1996 |
Tribune Broadcasting acquires KXTL |
| 1996 |
Sinclair Broadcast Group buys KOVR |
| 1997 |
Dale Schornack and Cristina Mendonsa become co-anchors on KXTV newscasts |
| 1998 |
Sacramentan Merrin Dungey begins role on CBS TV series The King of Queens |
| 1998 |
After a network affiliation swap, KPWB becomes a UPN affiliate KMAX while KQCA 58 became a WB affiliate |
| 1999 |
Sacramentan Lisa Ling joins the popular ABC TV show The View |
| 1999 |
KMAX becomes first local station to be owned by a major network when Viacom acquires CBS |
| 1999 |
Hearst-Argyle acquires KCRA from Kelly Broadcasting |
| 1999 |
The Gannett Company acquires KXTV |
| 2000 |
Larry Linville dies at the age of 60 |
| 2000 |
KCRA owner Hearst-Argyle acquires KQCA Channel 58 |
| 2001 |
Morton Downey Jr. dies at age 68 |
| 2002 |
Sacramentan Rene Syler begins co-hosting The Early Show on CBS News |
| 2004 |
KCRA launches a broadcasting exhibit at Arden Fair |
| 2004 |
Sinclair sells KOVR to Viacom Stations Group |
| 2005 |
KOVR 13 becomes CBS 13 on April 29 |
| 2005 |
KXTV launches lifestyle show Sacramento and Company |
| 2005 |
Pat Morita dies at the age of 73 |
| 2008 |
Former KCRA reporter David Gregory becomes moderator of NBC show Meet The Press |
| 2009 |
Bob Wilkins dies in Reno at age 76 |
| 2009 |
Local TV analog VHF signals shut down on June 12, to comply with federal mandate |
| 2009 |
KXTV begins broadcasting in high definition in December |
| 2015 |
Lester Holt, who went to Sac State, becomes NBC Nightly News anchor |
| 2015 |
Mitch Agruss, who played "Cap'n Mitch" on KTXL, dies at age 92 |
| 2017 |
Former KOVR "Cap'n Delta" Charlie Duncan dies at the age of 86 |
