KHSL-TV

KHSL-TV is a local television station based in Chico, California, serving viewers across the Chico–Redding television market. The station broadcasts on channel 12 and operates as a CBS affiliate, while also carrying programming from The CW Plus on a digital subchannel. Its local news operation is presented under the Action News Now identity and is produced in a shared operating arrangement with KNVN, the market's NBC and Telemundo affiliate. Although KHSL-TV and KNVN are owned by different companies, they share facilities, production resources, engineering support, promotional activity, and elements of their news operation. The station began broadcasting on August 29, 1953, making it the first television station in the region. It was established by Golden Empire Broadcasting Company as a television extension of Chico radio station KHSL. The original transmitter was located in Paradise, California, but the site produced weak and distorted reception in Redding. KHSL-TV moved its transmitter to the higher Cohasset Ridge location in 1954, substantially expanding its reliable coverage and helping establish the station as a regional broadcaster rather than a Chico-only service. At launch, KHSL-TV carried programming from CBS and NBC and also had relationships with ABC and, briefly, the DuMont Television Network. It dropped NBC in 1956 and retained CBS and ABC for many years. Local programming was an important part of its early identity. Among the station's notable productions were The Paul Bunyan Show, which briefly featured actor Richard Kiel, and The Moriss Taylor Show, a long-running music program hosted by local performer and radio personality Moriss Taylor. For four decades, KHSL-TV operated from studios at Fourth and Wall streets in Chico. In 1984 it moved to a larger facility at Eaton and Silverbell roads, a site it continues to share with related broadcast operations. The move also created space for the launch of KCPM, the station that later became KNVN. Ownership changed in 1994, when United Communications Corporation acquired the television station from the McClung family's Golden Empire Broadcasting Company. Catamount Broadcasting purchased KHSL-TV in 1998. The relationship with KNVN became central to KHSL-TV's modern business model. After Bill Evans Communications acquired KNVN in 2000, the stations developed a shared-services arrangement. News cooperation expanded during 2001 and 2002, eventually producing common newscasts and a unified regional news operation. KHSL-TV became a CW outlet in 2006 and added a 10 p.m. newscast for the CW service. The news brand evolved from Action News to Action News Now during the 2010s. KHSL-TV's ownership changed several times in the 2010s. GOCOM Media acquired the station in a 2013 transaction, and the station's local news operation was later upgraded to high-definition production. USA Television Holdings, a joint venture of Heartland Media and MSouth Equity Partners, acquired KHSL-TV in 2015. Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios, now operating within Allen Media Group, announced the acquisition of KHSL-TV and other Heartland stations in 2019; the transaction closed in 2020. The station remains a local broadcast outlet with a business centered on network television, local news, weather, sports, advertising, digital publishing, and community coverage. Its over-the-air service reaches Chico, Redding, and surrounding areas through primary transmitters, translators, and multiplexed digital facilities. In 2025, Allen Media Group briefly proposed replacing local weather positions with a centralized Weather Channel weather hub, but reversed that plan after opposition from viewers and advertisers. Later that year, the owner disclosed that it was reviewing strategic options amid financial pressure and rising debt, including a possible sale of television assets.

Golden Empire Broadcasting Company applied in 1952 to establish a television station on channel 12 for Chico. The Federal Communications Commission approved the construction permit on March 11, 1953. KHSL-TV began regular broadcasting on August 29 of that year from a transmitter in Paradise and studios in a former automobile garage at Fourth and Wall streets in Chico. The station was the first television broadcaster in the region. The Paradise transmitter provided satisfactory reception in Chico and Red Bluff but performed poorly in Redding because of weak signal strength and multipath interference. KHSL-TV moved to Cohasset Ridge in September 1954, adding a substantial number of households to its service area. A fire damaged the station's control panel shortly afterward, but repairs were completed in time for the station to carry the second game of the 1954 World Series. KHSL-TV initially carried CBS and NBC programming and developed additional affiliations with ABC and DuMont during its first years. DuMont ceased operations in 1955, and KHSL-TV ended its NBC affiliation in July 1956, retaining CBS and ABC. The station also built a local programming tradition. The Paul Bunyan Show was hosted for a period by Richard Kiel, who later became known for film and television acting. The Moriss Taylor Show, presented by a local country musician who also worked at KHSL radio, remained on the station from 1956 into the 1990s. The station stayed at its original Chico studios until June 1984, when it moved to a larger complex at Eaton and Silverbell roads. The facility was shared with KHSL radio and later became associated with the development of KCPM, a new channel 24 station that ultimately became KNVN. In October 1994, United Communications Corporation purchased KHSL-TV from the McClung family's Golden Empire Broadcasting Company. Catamount Broadcasting acquired the station in 1998. A major structural change occurred after Bill Evans Communications purchased KNVN in 2000. Catamount and Evans established a shared-services relationship under which KHSL-TV supplied support in engineering, promotion, production, and some news functions. News operations that had initially remained separate were gradually consolidated. The stations combined their morning newscasts in late 2001 and began common weekend newscasts under the Northern California News, or NCN, identity in January 2002. The combined operation later adopted the Action News and Action News Now brands. KHSL-TV became a CW outlet in 2006 and added a 10 p.m. newscast. It ended analog transmission in December 2008, along with KNVN and KCVU, as part of an early digital conversion. In 2013, KHSL-TV was sold to GOCOM Media in a transaction paired with the sale of KNVN to K4 Media Holdings. GOCOM upgraded the stations' facilities and converted local news production to high definition. USA Television Holdings, a venture of Heartland Media and MSouth Equity Partners, acquired KHSL-TV in 2015 for a reported transaction value of $40 million. In 2019, Entertainment Studios, the media company controlled by Byron Allen, announced an agreement to acquire eleven Heartland stations, including KHSL-TV. The deal closed in 2020, placing the station under Allen Media Group. KNVN remained separately owned by Maxair Media, while KHSL-TV continued providing services and selling a limited share of KNVN advertising inventory. In January 2025, Allen Media Group announced a plan to replace local weather staff at KHSL-TV and KNVN with centralized weather content from The Weather Channel. The plan was withdrawn within a week after reaction from viewers and advertisers. In June 2025, Allen Media Group said it was examining strategic alternatives because of financial difficulties and increased debt, including a possible sale of television stations and the arrangement involving KNVN.

1. 2020Allen Media Group ownership begins

   Entertainment Studios completed its acquisition of KHSL-TV and other Heartland stations.

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2. 2015Heartland Media acquisition

   USA Television Holdings, a Heartland Media and MSouth Equity Partners venture, acquired the station.

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3. 2013GOCOM Media acquisition

   GOCOM Media acquired KHSL-TV in a paired transaction involving KNVN.

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4. 2008Analog transmission ends

   KHSL-TV completed an early digital transition on December 22.

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5. 2006CW programming added

   KHSL-TV became a CW outlet and launched a related late-evening newscast.

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6. 2000Shared-services relationship with KNVN begins

   Following KNVN's acquisition by Bill Evans Communications, KHSL-TV began supplying operational support to the station.

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7. 1998Catamount Broadcasting acquisition

   Catamount Broadcasting purchased KHSL-TV.

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8. 1994United Communications acquisition

   United Communications Corporation acquired KHSL-TV from Golden Empire Broadcasting Company.

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9. 1984New Eaton and Silverbell facility opens

   The station moved from its original downtown Chico studios to a larger shared broadcast complex.

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10. 1956NBC affiliation ends

    KHSL-TV discontinued NBC programming while retaining CBS and ABC affiliations.

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11. 1954Transmitter moved to Cohasset Ridge

    The move improved reception in Redding and expanded the station's regional coverage.

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12. 1953KHSL-TV begins broadcasting

    The station commenced regular service on August 29 as the first television station in the Chico–Redding region.

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13. 1952Construction application submitted

    Golden Empire Broadcasting Company applied to build a channel 12 television station serving Chico.

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A regional broadcast news and entertainment outlet serving the Chico–Redding area, with a strong emphasis on local journalism, weather, community information, and CBS programming.

• Action News NowLocal news

  KHSL-TV's principal local news identity, covering Chico, Redding, and surrounding Northern California communities. The operation is produced in coordination with KNVN and includes regularly scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, weather, regional public-affairs coverage, and digital video content.

• CBS programmingNetwork television1953

  KHSL-TV's primary network affiliation, supplying national news, entertainment, sports, and special-event programming to the Chico–Redding market.

• The CW PlusNetwork television2006

  A CW Plus service carried by KHSL-TV as a digital offering, extending the station's entertainment schedule beyond its primary CBS service.

• Regional weather serviceWeather information

  On-air and digital weather reporting for the Chico–Redding region, including forecasts, severe-weather information, and localized coverage associated with the Action News Now operation.

• 2025Proposed centralization of weather productionStrategy

  Allen Media Group announced a plan to reduce local weather positions and use a centralized service produced by The Weather Channel.

  What changed. The proposed change would have replaced local meteorologist and weather forecaster roles at KHSL-TV and KNVN with a weather hub.

  Aftermath. Management withdrew the plan within approximately one week after viewer and advertiser reaction.

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• 2008End analog transmission ahead of the national transitionGeneration change

  The stations sought to reduce electricity use and retire aging analog transmission equipment.

  What changed. KHSL-TV shut off its analog signal on December 22 and continued through digital transmission facilities.

  Aftermath. The station moved fully into digital broadcasting before the broader United States transition.

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• 2006Add CW programming and a 10 p.m. newscastProduct launch

  The launch of The CW created an opportunity to add a network service and expand local late-evening news.

  What changed. KHSL-TV began carrying CW programming and introduced a 10 p.m. newscast for the service.

  Aftermath. The station broadened its digital and local-news offering in the Chico–Redding market.

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• 2000Create a shared-services operation with KNVNStrategy

  KNVN's new owner sought operational efficiencies and cooperation with KHSL-TV in a relatively small regional television market.

  What changed. The stations began sharing engineering, promotion, production, and progressively more news resources.

  Aftermath. The arrangement evolved into a consolidated regional news operation while the stations retained separate network affiliations.

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• 2025Allen Media Group reverses proposed local weather staffing cuts

  Allen Media Group announced plans to remove local meteorologist and weather forecaster positions at stations including KHSL-TV and KNVN and use a centralized weather hub produced by The Weather Channel. Management reversed the decision within about a week after negative reactions from viewers and advertisers.

  Leadership changeOther
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• 2025Allen Media Group explores strategic options amid financial pressure

  Allen Media Group said it would consider strategic alternatives, including a potential sale of television stations such as KHSL-TV and its local marketing agreement involving KNVN, amid reported debt and financial pressures.

  M&A
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• 2008KHSL-TV and partner stations complete early digital transition

  KHSL-TV, KNVN, and KCVU ended analog transmission on December 22, 2008, ahead of the broader United States digital television transition.

  Product generationRegulation
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• 2006KHSL-TV becomes a CW outlet

  KHSL-TV began carrying programming from the newly formed CW network and introduced a 10 p.m. local newscast associated with the CW service.

  Product launch
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1. KHSL-TV
2. Action News Now