KDVI

KDVI (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Denver, Colorado, United States, serving as the ABC network affiliate for Denver. It is owned by Allegiant Communications alongside sister station KSLD.
The two stations share studios on Delgany Street in Denver's River North Art District; KDVI's transmitter is located atop Lookout Mountain, near Golden.
== Station History ==
KDVI signed on as KDCO-TV on January 30, 1956, a television station owned by Denver-based Centennial Broadcasting Company along with KDCO-AM and FM.
Due to KDCO Radio's longstanding ties with CBS, the station immediately became a CBS affiliate, taking the affiliation from KDNC, which had CBS as a secondary affiliation. It was the third television station to launch in Denver behind KDNC and KLZ-TV.
For nearly four decades, the station established itself as a strong presence in the market, building a loyal viewership and becoming known for its reliable news coverage and community involvement. It was one of CBS' most successful affiliates. The station changed its call sign to the current KDVI in 1970 when the station was sold to Combined Communications, Inc. based out of Phoenix, Arizona and was split from its radio sisters who continued to be owned by Centennial.
In 1978, Combined Communications merged with The Gannett Company, giving the Rochester, New York-based newspaper chain its first television properties. MountainWest Communications acquired the station in 1983 when Gannett acquired competitor KLZ-TV and had to divest one of the stations to comply with FCC rules and regulations. Gannett favored KLZ-TV, which was higher rated at the time and was affiliated with the higher-rated NBC television network.
=== Affiliation switch ===
Despite the station's long, historically strong ties to CBS, KDVI lost its CBS affiliation to KLZ-TV on September 10, 1995, as part of a three-way affiliation swap involving ABC affiliate KDNC.
This change was driven by CBS's purchase of KLZ-TV in August 1995, aiming to establish a CBS-owned station in Denver after KDVI repeatedly declined CBS's acquisition offers. KDVI initially planned to affiliate with NBC, which was the strongest network at the time and needed a new affiliate after KLZ-TV's switch to CBS. KDVI was a top candidate for the NBC affiliation.
In June 1995, ABC decided not to renew its affiliation with KDNC, one of its weakest affiliates due to its UHF frequency and poor coverage in the mountainous region. The affiliation was set to end on January 1, 1996, and ABC was seeking a new affiliate.
Concurrently, MountainWest sold its remaining television properties, including KDVI, to Hearst Television in early July 1995. ABC quickly approached Hearst for an affiliation deal, given ABC and Hearst's solid relationship with stations in Boston and Milwaukee. With KLZ-TV and now KDVI unavailable, NBC sought other options, even considering purchasing KOLO, a Univision affiliate, before settling on KDNC, which it later acquired outright.
=== As an ABC station ===
The move from CBS to ABC marked a new era for the station, but it also brought challenges. As an ABC affiliate, KDVI initially struggled to maintain the same level of ratings success it had enjoyed as a CBS station. Within weeks of acquiring the station, Hearst also attempted to give the station's newscasts a flashier, more tabloid image and format that proved successful at their Boston station that was not initially well received in Denver, and led to internal issues between talent and management.
By 1997, Hearst (now merged with Argyle Television Holdings II to form Hearst-Argyle Television) poured millions into KDVI, extensively renovating the station's longtime Speer Boulevard building. Hearst-Argyle beefed up the station's news department, implemented a new investigative unit (initially called "Target 6") and became the local broadcasting partner of the Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos, producing preseason games and programs for the team until the 2007 season. The station adopted the "Colorado's Own" slogan and increased its community service initiatives that it continues to this day.
In 1998, Hearst-Argyle purchased independent station KSLD in an effort to form a duopoly with KDVI. KSLD, who had a more powerful transmitter facility, initially operated as a semi-satellite of KDVI during ABC network hours to areas north who had long struggled to pick up the station. KDVI had historically operated at a lower power to avoid interference with a station in western Colorado that also broadcasted on channel 6. In 2000, KSLD was the first station in Denver to power on a digital signal, and added KDVI to its second digital subchannel, an arrangement that continues to this day.
Hearst would trade KDVI and KSLD in 2006 to New Vision Television for a second television station in Orlando, Florida. By this point, KDVI and KSLD were considered to be two of Hearst's weakest stations, especially by market size, and the trade gave Hearst ownership of one of the highest rated CW affiliates in the country to be owned in a duopoly with an existing station they already had in that market.
New Vision would run the stations until they were sold once again in 2010 to Post-Newsweek Stations. In 2014, Post-Newsweek Stations became Graham Media Group.
In 2024, KDVI was acquired by Allegiant Communications which brought it back under common ownership with former sister station KLKE in Salt Lake City, Utah. KDVI and KSLD moved to new studios at 2323 Delgany Street in July 2024.
==Programming Schedule==
 	SUN (w/o Sports) 	MON 	TUE 	WED 	THU 	FRI 	SAT (w/o Sports)
6:00AM 	Good Morning America Sunday 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	Good Morning America Saturday
6:30AM 	Good Morning America Sunday 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	Good Morning America Saturday
7:00AM 	This Week with George Stephanopoulos 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America Saturday
7:30AM 	This Week with George Stephanopoulos 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America Saturday
8:00AM 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado
8:30AM 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	Good Morning America 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado
9:00AM 	Colorado This Week with Ernie Bjorkman	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	E/I Programming
9:30AM 	Mile High Weekend Life 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	Live with Kelly and Mark 	E/I Programming
10:00AM	48 Hours 	The View 	The View 	The View 	The View 	The View 	E/I Programming
10:30AM	48 Hours 	The View 	The View 	The View 	The View 	The View 	E/I Programming
11:00AM	48 Hours 	ABC 6 News at 11am 	ABC 6 News at 11am 	ABC 6 News at 11am 	ABC 6 News at 11am 	ABC 6 News at 11am 	E/I Programming
11:30AM	48 Hours 	Mile High Life 	Mile High Life 	Mile High Life 	Mile High Life 	Mile High Life 	E/I Programming
12:00PM	Paid Programming 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	48 Hours
12:30PM	Paid Programming 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	GMA3: What You Need to Know 	48 Hours
1:00PM 	Paid Programming 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	48 Hours
1:30PM 	Paid Programming 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	General Hospital 	48 Hours
2:00PM 	Paid Programming 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Cold Case Files
2:30PM 	Paid Programming 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Tamron Hall 	Cold Case Files
3:00PM 	Paid Programming 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	The Rookie
3:30PM 	Paid Programming 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	ABC 6 News at 3pm 	The Rookie
4:00PM 	Jeopardy! (repeat) 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	Station 19
4:30PM 	Wheel of Fortune (repeat) 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	ABC 6 News at 4pm 	Station 19
5:00PM 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm 	ABC 6 News at 5pm
5:30PM 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight 	World News Tonight
6:00PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	Jeopardy! 	Jeopardy! 	Jeopardy! 	Jeopardy! 	Jeopardy! 	Jeopardy! (repeat)
6:30PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	Wheel of Fortune 	Wheel of Fortune 	Wheel of Fortune 	Wheel of Fortune 	Wheel of Fortune 	Wheel of Fortune (repeat)
7:00PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
7:30PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
8:00PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
8:30PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
9:00PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
9:30PM 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming 	ABC Primetime Programming
10:00PM	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm 	ABC 6 News at 10pm
10:30PM	ABC 6 Sports Sunday Extra 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live!	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Station 19
11:00PM	Cold Case Files 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live!	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Jimmy Kimmel Live! 	(10:35pm) Station 19
11:30PM	Cold Case Files 	(11:35pm) Nightline 	(11:35pm) Nightline 	(11:35pm) Nightline 	(11:35pm) Nightline 	(11:35pm) Nightline 	(11:35pm) Station 19
12:00AM	(11:35pm) Station 19 	Cold Case Files 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours
12:30AM	(12:35am) The Rookie 	Cold Case Files 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours 	(12:05am) 48 Hours
1:00AM 	(12:35am) The Rookie 	Paid Programming 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours
1:30AM 	(1:35am) The Rookie 	Paid Programming 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours 	(1:05am) 48 Hours
2:00AM 	(1:35am) The Rookie 	Paid Programming 	(2:05am) ABC 6 News at 10pm (repeat)	(2:05am) ABC 6 News at 10pm (repeat)	(2:05am) ABC 6 News at 10pm (repeat)	(2:05am) ABC 6 News at 10pm (repeat)	(2:05am) Tamron Hall (repeat)
2:30AM 	(2:35am) Paid Programming 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:05am) Tamron Hall (repeat)
3:00AM 	(2:35am) Paid Programming 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(3:05am) Paid Programming
3:30AM 	(2:35am) Paid Programming 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	(2:35am) World News Now 	Cold Case Files
4:00AM 	(2:35am) Paid Programming 	America This Morning 	America This Morning 	America This Morning 	America This Morning 	America This Morning 	Cold Case Files
4:30AM 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado
5:00AM 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado
5:30AM 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado 	ABC 6 Good Morning Colorado
==Newscast History==
KDVI produces 5 1/2 hours of local newscasts per weekday, and 3 1/2 hours of news on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to newscasts, the station produces a 30-minute weekday lifestyle program called Mile High Life, a 30-minute weekend lifestyle program called Mile High Weekend Life, and a one-hour political/current events talk show on Sundays called Colorado This Week with Ernie Bjorkman.
Long a distant runner-up in the ratings against market leader KLZ-TV, the station began challenging and even beating KLZ-TV in certain time slots by the mid-1980s. It was one of the first stations in the country to launch a local morning newscast in 1985, Good Morning Colorado, and the first in Denver with a midday newscast/lifestyle program Midday Colorado. The station premiered a 4pm newscast in the market First News at 4 in 1992, followed by a full-hour 6pm newscast in 1994 called The 6 O'Clock News. The 6pm newscast was scrapped in 1999 when the station acquired the broadcast rights to both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! from KDNC and KLZ-TV respectively, marking the first time the two sister game shows aired back-to-back on the same station in Denver since they premiered in the early 1980s.
After the affiliation switch in 1995, ratings started to falter during an initially ill-received new and aggressive tabloid image implemented by new owner Hearst Television. Internal issues prompted the high-profile departure of longtime weeknight anchor Ernie Bjorkman. This had a cascading effect over the station's existing news staff, with many soon exiting or being reassigned. Weeknight anchor Bertha Lynn moved to mornings during this period, and weekend anchor Ann Trujillo moved to weeknights.
As the 1990s continued under a merged Hearst-Argyle Television, ratings began stabilizing and even improving as the station eased up on the tabloid image and format. The station launched weekend morning newscasts under the Good Morning Colorado banner in 1998. In 2000, sister station KSLD began airing an additional hour of Good Morning Colorado on weekday mornings and a new 30-minute 9pm newscast.
In 2002, the station hired longtime anchor Mike Landess, who had last been main weeknight anchor at KLZ-TV from 1977 to 1993. In 2004, KDVI managed to hire away popular longtime Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson from KDNC. Ernie Bjorkman would return to the station to anchor the morning newscasts alongside his former weeknight co-anchor Bertha Lynn from 2005 to 2008. Reynelda Muse, a popular longtime KLZ-TV weeknight anchor who retired in 1998, joined KDVI in 2003 in a special projects role, and continued to produce special reports and documentaries featured on the station until 2020. Longtime KDNC meteorologist Danielle Grant joined the station in 2024.
The 2010s and 2020s saw the retirement of Lynn (2013), Landess (2014), Muse (2020), and Trujillo (2023). Nelson will retire in December 2024. Bjorkman returned for a third time beginning in 2017 to host Colorado This Week.
Today, KDVI wages a spirited battle for first place in the market against its competitors. While the station generally places third in total households, the station usually ranks first and second in the coveted 25-54 age demographic.
===News branding history===
*The Daily Reporter (1956-1963)
*The News Tonight (1963-1968)
*Channel 6 News (1968-1976)
*NewsTeam 6 (1976-1985)
*NewsCenter 6 (1985-1988)
*TV6: Colorado's News Central (1988-1991)
*TV6 News (1991-1995)
*6 News (1995-1998)
*KDVI NewsChannel 6 (1998-2002)
*ABC 6 News (2002-Present)
===News slogan history===
*No Slogan (1956-1963)
*The News of Colorado and the World (1963-1976, 1985-1987)
*Colorado's Best News Team (1976-1988)
*Colorado's News Central (1988-1991)
*Colorado's News Channel (1991-1995)
*Total News Coverage (1995-1997)
*Coverage You Can Count On (1997-2000)
*Colorado's Own (1998-Present)
===News music history===
*No Music (1956-1960)
*Library Music/Various (1960-1968)
*From Russia With Love: 007 by John Barry (1968-1970)
*Shades by Patrick Williams (1970-1976)
*Look For Us by Telesound (1976-1978)
*Team Up by Tuesday Productions (1978-1980)*
*Newsbeat by TM Productions (1980-1984)*
*News Series 2000 by Gari Media Group (1984-1989)
*News Central by Non-Stop Music (1989-1992)*
*News Series 2001 by Gari Media Group (1992-1995)
*Image News by Gari Media Group (1995-1998)
*Revolution by Gari Media Group (1998-2003)
*Hearst TV News Music Package by Newsmusic Central (2003-2006)
*Eyewitness News by Gari Media Group (2006-2011)*
*Colorado's Own by Alan Koshiyama (2011-2022)*
*Ascend by Stephen Arnold Music (2022-Present)*
*KDVI was an original client for this package, or commissioned new themes
===Voiceover artists===
*Staff Announcers/Various (1956-1980)
*Charlie Van Dyke (1980-1989)
*Tom Buck (1989-1992)
*Beau Weaver (1992-1995, 2006-Present)
*Ed O'Brien (1995-1998)
*Bill Ratner (1998-2006)
===Current On-Air Staff===
KDVI utilizes talent from real-life KMGH in Denver.
==Gallery==
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Category:ABC network affiliates
Category:Channel 6
Category:Denver
Category:Colorado
Category:Former CBS affiliates
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1956
Category:Allegiant Communications