KBVU (channel 28) is a television station in Eureka, California, United States, airing programming from the digital multicast network Roar. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Arcata-licensed ABC/Fox affiliate KAEF-TV (channel 23) and two low-power stations: dual CW/MyNetworkTV affiliate KECA-LD (channel 29) and Univision affiliate KEUV-LD (channel 35). The four stations share studios on Sixth Street in downtown Eureka; KBVU's transmitter is located along Barry Road southeast of Eureka.
Although it identifies as a station in its own right, KBVU is considered a semi-satellite of KCVU (channel 20) in Paradise–Chico–Redding, with the only difference between the two stations being the hourly station identification as Roar uses a master default schedule.
History
KBVU signed on the air as a Fox affiliate on July 20, 1994. Prior to its launch, Fox's programming was only available via a secondary affiliation with ABC affiliates KAEF and KFWU (both satellites of KRCR-TV), while out-of-market affiliates KTVU and KTXL were imported by some cable providers.
On April 21, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group purchased KAEF and the LMA with KBVU as part of a four-station deal.[2] The sale was completed on September 1.[3]
Sinclair filed to buy KBVU outright from Cunningham in August 2025, following a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that struck down limitations on ownership of two of the four highest-rated TV stations in a market.[4] On December 9, 2025, the Fox affiliation was moved to KAEF-TV's second subchannel, while KBVU's main channel flipped to Roar.[5] The sale was completed on March 1, 2026.[6]
Technical information and subchannels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
Analog-to-digital conversion
KBVU shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 29, on December 22, 2008, along with KCVU, due to financial hardship.[8] The station's digital signal broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 28.
References
- TV Query Results -- Video Division (FCC) USA transition.fcc.gov^
- Will Houston. Media giant Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy four Eureka stations April 4, 2017, retrieved July 10, 2017^
- Consummation Notice CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, September 5, 2017, retrieved September 6, 2017^
- Assignments Licensing and Management System, Federal Communications Commission, August 15, 2025, retrieved August 16, 2025^
- Adam Robinson. Fox 20 (Chico/Redding) and Fox 28 (Eureka) to change channels for some viewers December 9 KRCR-TV, December 4, 2025, retrieved December 8, 2025^
- Notification of Consummation Licensing and Management System, Federal Communications Commission, March 2, 2026, retrieved March 2, 2026^
- RabbitEars TV Query for KBVU RabbitEars, retrieved March 20, 2025^
- DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds retrieved March 24, 2012^