KBLU-TV
When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted the freeze on new television station applications in 1952, they allocated VHF channels 11 and 13 for broadcast television service in Yuma. Valley Telecasting quickly applied for and opened KIVA on channel 11, becoming the city's first television station in October 1953. Wrather-Alvarez Broadcasting, owners of KFMB-TV in San Diego, followed with a January 1956 application to build KYAT on channel 13, but failed, and in September 1958, the construction permit was dismissed.[3][4][5] By November 1961, more than eight years after the arrival of local television, Yuma was still a one-station town.
In November 1961, Robert Crites, owner and manager of local CBS-affiliated radio station KBLU, formed a partnership, called Desert Telecasting, and applied to the FCC on November 30, 1961, for a construction permit to build a station on channel 13. New England Industries had filed a competing application for the same channel nearly a month earlier, but on July 23, 1962, the FCC granted the construction permit to Desert Telecasting, and KBLU came into existence, to be the market's CBS television affiliate.[1][6] It would not be an easy road to sign-on, as Bruce Merrill, owner of both KIVA and the local cable television system, was convinced that the market could not support a second local television station and fought to keep the new station from opening. Merrill opposed a KBLU-TV partnership restructure, an extension of time to construct the station, and a proposal to increase power, then, in September 1963, filed a "motion to stay" to prevent KBLU-TV from building its facilities.[7][8][9] All of Merrill's petitions were denied, and on the evening of December 2, 1963, one hour after receiving notice of program test authority, KBLU-TV began broadcasting.[2]
The station expanded its coverage to El Centro in 1965 with another increase in power, and relocation of its transmitter from within the city of Yuma to a site atop Black Mountain, 28 mi northwest of Yuma, at a much greater height above average terrain. It also opened an office and studio in El Centro to better serve the Imperial Valley.[10] On December 7, 1966, Desert Telecasting filed an application to transfer the stations to Eller Telecasting, part of Eller Outdoor Advertising Company. Ownership of the station would pass to Karl Eller, but the station would continue to be managed by Crites, who became president of Eller Telecasting.[11] KBLU-TV became part of Combined Communications in 1968, when its parent, Eller Outdoor Advertising Company, merged with KTAR Broadcasting Company.[12][13]
The sudden demise of KIVA on January 31, 1970,[14] spelled more changes for KBLU-TV, which immediately moved to acquire the NBC affiliation, while the CBS affiliation passed to new station KECC-TV (now sister station KECY-TV).[15] KBLU-TV also took over the television studio facilities formerly occupied by KIVA.
In July 1977, Combined Communications announced that it was selling both radio station KBLU and TV station KBLU-TV, but to different owners. The TV station would keep its NBC affiliation, but was to be sold to Chapman Television of Tuscaloosa, effective January 1, 1978, pending FCC approval.[16] As FCC rules in effect at the time prohibited two stations to share call letters unless commonly-owned, and the radio station was keeping the KBLU call letters, Chapman requested the call sign KYEL-TV (for Yuma and El Centro). The call sign was found to be in use, but it was on a ship which had not been in service since 1803.[17] The FCC approved the sale on November 1, 1977, and on January 1, 1978, KBLU-TV became KYEL-TV.[18]
KYEL-TV/KSWT
Chapman Television did not keep the station long, selling it to Service Broadcasters, Inc. in November 1978, who, in turn, sold it to Beam Broadcasters in November 1983 (later known as Beacon Broadcasters). It remained an NBC affiliate until KYMA took the affiliation on February 1, 1991.[19] KYEL-TV took the ABC affiliation previously held by KYMA; the station became one of a few handful of TV stations to have held an affiliation with all of the "Big Three" networks in its history. In September 1991, Beacon Broadcasters sold the station to KB Media, who promptly renamed the station KSWT (for the Southwest Triangle, reflecting the triangular shape between the cities of Yuma, El Centro and Mexicali, Baja California) on September 13.
In September 1994, CBS affiliate KECY-TV flipped to Fox, and KSWT took over the CBS affiliation once again; this left Yuma without an ABC affiliate until KECY launched an ABC-affiliated subchannel in January 2007.[20] For the twelve years and four months after KECY gained the Fox affiliation, ABC programming was provided on cable via San Diego affiliate KGTV (which was carried on cable systems in southeastern California) and Phoenix affiliate KNXV-TV
Consolidation with KYMA-DT
In 2019, Apollo Global Management acquired Northwest Broadcasting and Cox Media Group in acquisitions worth a combined $3.1 billion.[32] The parties were required, after a court ruling annulled changes in media ownership rules, to condition the transaction on the divestiture of one of the two licenses that Northwest held in two markets: Syracuse and Yuma, which would be done by surrender.[33] On January 13, 2020, the two stations switched call letters, with KSWT becoming KYMA-DT and the KYMA-DT license, selected for surrender, becoming KSWT. The KSWT call letters were also removed from all branding collateral for the CBS subchannel. Additionally, KYMA's subchannels were added to the channel 13 multiplex; the station warned antenna viewers to rescan by January 17 to continue receiving all services.[34]
On March 29, 2022, Cox Media Group announced it would sell KYMA-DT and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications, an affiliate of the parent company of the INSP cable channel, for $488 million;[35]
