1984–present
In 1984, KOMO became the first television station to broadcast daily programming in full stereo sound.[12]
In 1994, KOMO applied for the first test license for broadcasting new high-definition signals. KOMO began broadcasting a high-definition digital signal[13] in 1997; on May 18, 1999, KOMO became the first television station in the United States to broadcast its daily newscasts in high definition.[14] This statement, however, comes into conflict with a claim made by WFAA in Dallas (a sister station to KING-TV) that it is the first station in the nation to broadcast its daily news programs in high definition, on February 28, 1997.[15] It also conflicts with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On July 2, 2009, a large electrical fire[16] that started in an electrical vault at the Fisher Plaza complex at 11:15 p.m. that evening knocked KOMO off the air during its 11 p.m. newscast.[17][18]
On April 10, 2013, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would acquire Fisher Communications for $373.3 million.[19][20] However, the deal was subjected to financial scrutiny; the law firm Levi & Korsinsky notified Fisher shareholders with accusations that Fisher's board of directors were breaching fiduciary duties by "failing to adequately shop the Company before agreeing to enter into the transaction", and Sinclair was underpaying for Fisher's stock.[21] Shortly after the announcement, a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder.[22] On August 6, the shareholders voted to approve the sale, after they approved that the shareholders would get $41 per share.[23] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted approval of the deal on August 6,[24] and the sale was consummated on August 8.[25]
On March 18, 2014, KOMO-TV's news helicopter crashed at the Seattle Center, as it was taking off from Fisher Plaza around 7:40 a.m., falling onto at least one car.[26] A second car and pickup truck, also involved, caught fire. Fuel from the crashed helicopter, which was leased to the station by St. Louis-based Helicopters Inc.[27] and was also used by KING-TV under a Local News Service agreement,[28] ran down Broad Street (along and south of the crash site), later bursting into flames.[29][30][31] Helicopter pilot Gary Pfitzner and photographer Bill Strothman were both killed in the crash. A 37-year-old man in one of the cars was also critically injured, reportedly suffering burns covering up to 20% of his body (revised from an earlier report of burns at up to 50%) according to the Seattle Fire Department.[32]
On September 27, 2015, KOMO introduced a new studio for its newscasts, which was designed by Devlin Design Group—Sinclair's primary set design firm. The new design contains nods to Seattle's scenery, including tribal designs on the floor, a desk inspired by whale pods, as well as a helicopter blade—serving as a memorial to Pfitzner and Strothman.[34]
On May 8, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group entered into an agreement to acquire Tribune Media—owner of Fox affiliate KCPQ (channel 13) and MyNetworkTV affiliate KZJO (channel 22)—for $3.9 billion, plus the assumption of $2.7 billion in debt held by Tribune, pending regulatory approval by the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. As KOMO and KCPQ rank among the four highest-rated stations in the Seattle−Tacoma market in total day viewership and broadcasters are not currently allowed to legally own more than two full-power television stations in a single market, the companies would have been required to sell either the KOMO/KUNS or the KCPQ/KZJO duopolies to another station group in order to comply with FCC ownership rules preceding approval of the acquisition; however, a sale of either station to an independent buyer was dependent on later decisions by the FCC regarding local ownership of broadcast television stations and future acts by Congress.[35][36][37][38][39]
On July 18, 2018, the FCC voted to have the Sinclair–Tribune acquisition reviewed by an administrative law judge amid "serious concerns" about Sinclair's forthrightness in its applications to sell certain conflict properties.[44][45] Three weeks later on August 9, Tribune announced it would terminate the Sinclair deal, intending to seek other mergers and acquisitions opportunities.[46]
In September 2021, radio sister stations KOMO (1000 AM and 97.7 FM), KVI (570 AM), and KPLZ-FM (101.5) were sold to Lotus Communications, leaving KUNS-TV as the sole sister station to KOMO-TV in Seattle; KOMO-TV and KOMO radio were separated after 68 years with the sale.[47] Sinclair retained full control over the KOMO call sign; on February 2, 2022, Lotus changed KOMO radio's call sign to KNWN, though it continues to maintain a partnership with KOMO-TV, and the Lotus stations have not departed KOMO Plaza.[48]
On September 1, 2023, the station's second subchannel began to carry The CW temporarily, replacing KSTW, after CBS News and Stations exercised its option to withdraw its affiliations with the network after Nexstar acquired a majority stake. The subchannel continued to carry programming from Comet in all other time periods.[49][50][51] On January 1, 2024, KUNS-TV discontinued its Univision affiliation (which moved to Bellingham-licensed KVOS-TV) and became the new affiliate of The CW for the Seattle market.[52]
