KGN-TV

KGN-TV is the NBC-affiliated station serving Brownsville, TX and the entire surrounding metropolitan area, known as the Rio Grande Valley. It broadcasts on channel 12 and is owned by Berfield/Willis Broadcast Corporation.
== History ==
KGN-TV first signed on the air on March 12, 1961 as KLEY-TV, a bilingual independent station and the first TV station with Spanish-language programming from either side of the Rio Grande Valley. While airing English-language programs were easy during their first few years on the air, they had some difficulty acquiring Spanish-language programming, having to produce programs in-house and fly or drive to Monterrey, Mexico to get film recordings of programs from the TV stations there. There wouldn't be another Spanish-language station until 1969 when XHVR-TV signed on the air. However, thanks to the launch of the Spanish International Network (SIN) the following year in 1962, KLEY-TV had relief as it meant they didn't need to take a journey to Monterrey anymore for their supply of Spanish-language programming. They were now able to simply drive to San Antonio to acquire their Spanish-language programming from Mexico. This process was made easier over time as technology advanced, such as the introduction of satellite transmission, linking KLEY-TV with SIN's flagship station in San Antonio and using their feed to air their programs in real time.
Throughout the years as a bilingual independent, KLEY-TV aired a mix of SIN-supplied entertainment programs (primarily from Mexico) in Spanish, as well as news, sports, and entertainment programs in English.
In 1978, the Rio Grande Valley market went through a major affiliation switch following ABC's push to attract stronger affiliates throughout the United States. They managed to lure KRVJ into becoming the Rio Grande Valley's new ABC affiliate. As a result, this made NBC search for other stations to be their new affiliate in the market. There were rumors KGBT-TV would be the new NBC affiliate, but Harbenito Broadcasting Company declined the network's offer, opting to go all-in on Spanish-language programming instead since they already owned radio stations that were primarily broadcasting in Spanish. Following this, NBC chose to affiliate with KLEY-TV, which they accepted. The three-way affiliation switch occurred on May 1, 1978, the affiliation switch took place, with KLEY switching from a bilingual independent to become the new NBC affiliate for the Rio Grande Valley, as well as changing their call letters to KGN-TV from their radio sister station. Meanwhile, KRVJ switched from NBC to ABC and KGBT switched from ABC to become a full-fledged SIN (now Univision) affiliate.
File:NBC 12 (1976-1979).svg|KGN-TV logo from 1978 to 1979
File:NBC 12 (1979-1986).svg|KGN-TV logo from 1979 to 1986
File:NBC 12 (B).png|KGN-TV logo from 2004 to present
Category:Berfield/Willis Broadcast Corporation
Category:Rio Grande Valley
Category:Brownsville, Texas
Category:Harlingen
Category:McAllen
Category:Texas
Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961
Category:Channel 12
Category:NBC network affiliates
Category:MeTV subchannel-only network affiliates
Category:Retro TV subchannel-only affiliated stations
Category:Antenna TV network affiliates
Category:Former independent stations