KOMO: Deep roots in NW broadcast history

KOMO-TV, the ABC affiliate serving Seattle and Tacoma, has been a cornerstone of Pacific Northwest broadcasting since its inception. As the fourth-oldest TV station in the market, it traces its roots to pioneering radio efforts and has evolved through technological innovations, dramatic news coverage, and ownership shifts.

(1920s–1953) KOMO’s broadcasting legacy began with radio. In 1926, the Fisher family—originally flour millers and lumber entrepreneurs—launched KOMO radio (now at 1000 AM and 97.7 FM) as part of Fisher’s Blend Station, Inc. The station quickly aligned with the NBC Radio Network, laying the groundwork for television expansion. An often-overlooked milestone came on June 3, 1929, when KOMO radio engineer Francis J. Brott conducted Seattle’s first experimental TV transmission. Over electrical lines, he beamed simple images—a heart, diamond, question mark, letters, and numbers—to tiny one-inch screens viewed by a small audience. This predated “wide audience” TV by nearly two decades but was stalled by the Great Depression and World War II.

By the early 1950s, post-war TV growth prompted the Fishers to pursue a VHF channel 4 license. They outbid competitors tied to KJR radio, securing FCC approval in June 1953. William W. Warren, KOMO radio’s general manager and nephew of co-founder Oliver D. Fisher, led the project.

(1953–1959) KOMO-TV signed on December 10, 1953 (some sources note December 11), as an NBC affiliate and the flagship of Fisher Broadcasting. Studios were established in downtown Seattle, with a transmitter on Queen Anne Hill. It extended KOMO radio’s reach, sharing facilities and talent.

In 1954, a KOMO news photographer pioneered a rapid color film development process (hours instead of days), making KOMO-TV the first U.S. station to broadcast in “true color.”

During the 1950s, it briefly shared ABC programming with KTNT-TV (channel 11, now KSTW) before a 1958 NBC deal with King Broadcasting (KING-TV) forced a swap.

On September 27, 1959, KOMO-TV became a full-time ABC affiliate after KING-TV took NBC exclusivity—a move lobbied by KING owner Dorothy Stimson Bullitt. This shift solidified KOMO’s identity amid Seattle’s growing TV market.

(1960s–1980s)The 1960s brought local flavor through programming like Don McCune’s “Captain Puget,” a children’s show that entertained thousands, and the documentary series Exploration Northwest, showcasing Pacific Northwest history and people.

KOMO-TV’s news team gained national acclaim on May 18, 1980, during the Mount St. Helens eruption. Reporter Dave Crockett, on a personal hunch, captured harrowing footage of ash clouds and mudflows, including 11 minutes of “journey into the dark” narration amid total blackout. His Mercury Monarch car (with faded KOMO lettering) is now a museum exhibit, and the coverage earned worldwide syndication.

The station’s studios moved to the modern Fisher Plaza (now KOMO Plaza) in Lower Queen Anne, near the Space Needle, enhancing its skyline presence.

KOMO-TV embraced digital TV early. In 1994, it applied for the first HDTV test license; by 1997, it broadcast an HDTV signal—one of the U.S.’s first. On May 18, 1999, it claimed the inaugural daily HD newscast (disputed by some stations). News anchors like Kathi Goertzen (1980–2012) became icons, co-anchoring with Dan Lewis and surviving a meningioma diagnosis in 1998, returning after surgeries despite partial facial paralysis. Long-running shows like Northwest Afternoon (24 years of celebrity interviews and pop culture) and consumer segments built viewer loyalty.

July 2, 2009: An electrical fire at Fisher Plaza disrupted the 11 p.m. newscast, knocking the station off-air.
March 18, 2014: A news helicopter crash at Seattle Center killed pilot Gary Pfitzner and photographer Bill Strothman, injuring a bystander; a memorial blade from the Eurocopter AS350 was later incorporated into the studio design.

Family-owned for 60 years, Fisher Broadcasting sold to Sinclair Broadcast Group in a $373.3 million deal announced April 10, 2013, and completed August 8 after FCC approval and a shareholder lawsuit settlement. This ended local control of Seattle’s last independently built station.

Sinclair, a conservative-leaning group owning 185+ stations, integrated KOMO into its portfolio alongside CW affiliate KUNS-TV (channel 51). It introduced “must-run” national segments, sparking local pushback for their perceived right-wing slant in progressive Seattle (e.g., a 2018 “deep state” promo). In 2019, KOMO’s documentary Seattle is Dying drew criticism for its homelessness portrayal.

Sinclair sold radio sisters (KOMO AM/FM, KVI, KPLZ-FM) to Lotus Communications for $18 million; KOMO AM/FM call letters changed to KNWN on February 2, 2022, ending 68 years of radio-TV synergy, though a news partnership persists with KOMO tv.

September 1, 2023: KOMO’s subchannel temporarily carried The CW after KSTW’s affiliation ended.
January 1, 2024: KUNS-TV became the market’s CW affiliate, dropping Univision (moved to KVOS-TV).

In 2023, KOMO celebrated its 70th anniversary with retrospectives on legends like Goertzen, Lewis, and weather coverage.

Today, KOMO-TV broadcasts from KOMO Plaza on digital channel 38 (virtual 4), emphasizing local news, weather, and sports.