KOSF

**KOSF** (channel 18) is a television station licensed to Oakland, California, United States, serving as the San Francisco Bay Area's ACME network outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's ACME Television Stations Group division alongside San Jose–licensed RKO outlet KYLD-TV (channel 66); it is also sister to regional sports networks ACME Sports Bay Area. KOSF and KYLD share studios in the SoMa district of San Francisco, while KOSF’s transmitter is located atop Sutro Tower.

## History

Since its inception on August 13, 1975, KOSF-TV provided viewers with high-quality programs. The San Francisco State University Foundation established the station, formerly **KSFX-TV**. At its founding, the station was the sole educational television channel in the San Francisco Bay Area. A grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was initially used to fund the station, and students and other San Francisco State University volunteers were initially used to staff the station. The majority of the content that KSFX-TV broadcast was intended for educational purposes and was targeted toward students in the Bay Area. However, in addition to broadcasting news, cultural, and public affairs programming, the station also aired cultural and public affairs programming. KSFX-TV faced various obstacles throughout its formative years as a television station. The television station needed more funding, making it challenging to draw viewers. Despite these difficulties, the television station continued to broadcast shows of high quality to its audience. By 1977, the station began transitioning its focus from instructional programming to programs with a greater emphasis on general interest, and it changed its call letters to **KOSF-TV** to reflect this move. This shift was part of a more significant movement in public broadcasting, as stations all over the country started moving away from instructional programming and towards a more eclectic mix of programs. This transition was a part of that more significant trend.

Field Communications, a broadcasting firm based in Chicago, bought the station on January 1, 1984, after it had been on the market since 1977. KOSF-TV underwent a substantial makeover while Field Communications controlled it. One of the most contentious issues that KOSF-TV, or "Super TV 18," faced was over-mature content, which began in 1985. KOSF-TV began airing "*Midnight Blue,*" a program with a reputation for sexually graphic content created in New York City. The show, which featured interviews with adult cinema actors and snippets from adult films, was often posted late at night, after midnight. Many viewers, community organizations, and local legislators were horrified by the sexual content of "*Midnight Blue*." They claimed the program should not have been broadcast because it was offensive. Some even campaigned for the station's license to be revoked. The issue over "*Midnight Blue*" sparked numerous protests and boycotts of KOSF-TV. Community organizations and concerned residents conducted demonstrations outside the station's offices, and some advertisers pulled their advertisements in protest. In response to the backlash, KOSF defended its decision to air "*Midnight Blue*." The broadcaster claimed that the show was protected by the First Amendment's guarantee of free expression and that viewers could watch it. Despite the criticism, "*Midnight Blue*" remained on KOSF for several months. The station finally decided to stop marketing the show in December 1985. According to sources, the decision to cancel "*Midnight Blue*" was spurred by advertising pressure and concerns about the station's license. The "*Midnight Blue*" and KOSF dispute highlighted the ongoing debate over the role of broadcast television in society and the clash between free speech and community norms. While some contended that the First Amendment protected the program, others said that it was unsuitable for broadcast television and could hurt children who happened to come across it.

Ultimately, the "*Midnight Blue*" controversy had a massive impact on KOSF-TV. The station's license was not revoked, but the discussion caused a drop in viewership and advertising revenue. The incident also underlined the need for more straightforward broadcast television guidelines and regulations, particularly regarding mature programming. The FCC responded by opening an investigation into the station's programming practices. The investigation discovered that KOSF-TV had broken FCC standards by playing indecent programming late at night. Field Communications was obliged to pay a considerable fee due to the investigation by the end of the 1980s. The $150,000 fine was one of the biggest ever imposed by the FCC at the time. The FCC also placed the station on probation, ordering them to develop new processes to ensure no inappropriate content was broadcast throughout the night. This included establishing a "safe harbor" time between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., during which no obscene information could be aired.

Despite the incident, KOSF-TV survived and even grew in the following years. The station was sold in 1993 to investors determined to turn things around and reestablish KOSF's status as a respected independent station. Under their direction, KOSF-TV began to reassemble the shards of the mature content crisis and rehabilitate its reputation in the San Francisco market. Throughout the 1990s, KOSF-TV grew and evolved, gaining a reputation for its innovative programming, dedication to local news, and community outreach. The station's programming consisted of information, talk programs, and entertainment, emphasizing topics of interest to the San Francisco Bay Area community. Despite its challenges over the years, KOSF remained committed to providing viewers with high-quality programming. This commitment ultimately paid off, as the station continued to attract a loyal audience and develop a reputation as one of the nation's most reputable independent stations. The programming on KOSF was a breath of fresh air for viewers who had grown weary of the standard fare provided by the major networks. KOSF was noted for its community involvement as well as its unique programming. The station frequently hosted events and fundraisers for local charities and nonprofits. KOSF's dedication to its viewers and the community contributed to its devoted following and reputation as a beloved local station. Despite its success, KOSF faced various hurdles in the late 1990s. The introduction of cable and satellite TV increased competition, and the channel needed help to maintain its popularity.

By mid-2001, however, the station's ratings had begun to fall, and it was battling to maintain its viewership. The station supplemented its income with infomercials and other sponsored programs, which needed to be increased to keep it running. To increase revenue and viewership, KOSF opted to partner with QVC, a leading television shopping network. The collaboration allowed KOSF to air QVC's programming, which included a wide range of merchandise such as jewelry, electronics, and home appliances. The move was calculated since QVC was well-known and its programming was well-liked by viewers. The collaboration with QVC was a game changer for KOSF, allowing the station to recoup popularity and increase revenue. The retail network's programs drew a new audience, and the station's ratings skyrocketed. The collaboration also enabled KOSF to diversify its programming, which was critical to its survival.

Furthermore, the station's connection with QVC gave them access to a large audience in San Francisco and nationwide. QVC's shows were broadcast nationally; therefore, KOSF was now part of a more extensive network. This also meant the station could attract national advertising, which is critical to its earnings.

On January 3, 2014, the Dorado Media Group acquired KOSF-TV. After the acquisition, KOSF returned as an independent station complementing KBHK-TV (channel 44). KOSF began broadcasting news, sports, and entertainment programming. The station continued to broadcast QVC programming, but it was no longer its primary focus. The acquisition of KOSF-TV by the Dorado Media Group was a positive development. The station could return to its origins as independent and provide viewers diverse programming. By June 2016, KOSF-TV became an ACME-owned and operated station. This change enabled the station to access additional resources and join a more extensive media network. However, this also required the station to modify its programming and operations to align with the ACME brand. KOSF-TV continued to provide quality programming and news coverage to San Francisco-area viewers despite the adjustments that came with becoming an ACME O&O station. Even after becoming a part of a more extensive media network, the station's dedication to local news coverage and original programming remained a defining characteristic.

On May 24, 2023, ACME Media announced that the "Super 18" moniker would be reinstated by early summer 2023. This decision follows ACME Media's increasing emphasis on local heritage branding. KOSF-TV can differentiate itself from rivals and cultivate a loyal audience. This action serves as a reminder that local estate is vital and should be celebrated.

## Programming

### News operation

KOSF-TV currently broadcasts 421/2 hours of locally produced weekly newscasts (with 6 hours, 35 minutes on weekdays, and 5 hours on Saturdays and Sundays).

Under Field Communications, the station's emphasis was on news programming. "NewsWatch 18" was KOSF-TV's inaugural news show in 1980. The show aired on weekdays at 7:30 p.m. for a half-hour. KOSF-TV continued to increase its news coverage over the next few years, adding more news shows.

During the mid-1990s, KOSF-TV's news operation gained a reputation for its comprehensive coverage of local politics, crime, and human interest topics. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the station's robust investigative reporting team uncovered several high-profile scandals and controversies, which led to another format change for the station's news operation. "The News at Ten" was anchored by experienced journalist Carl Kasell. KOSF-TV had a modest news crew in its early years that produced local news segments and national news broadcasts from CNN and other networks. The station also aired a local public affairs program named "Bay Area This Week" that focused on topics impacting the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite these modifications, KOSF-TV continued to produce local news and public affairs programming until its final broadcast in 2001. Consequently, the station struggled to attract viewers and advertisers due to its inability to compete with larger network affiliates and cable news channels.

## Technical information

### Subchannels

The stations' digital signals are multiplexed:

 **18.2** | 480i
 **18.3** | 16:9

### Analog-to-digital conversion

On June 12, 2009, KOSF discontinued programming on its analog signal, UHF channel 18, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. The station's digital signal continued to transmit on UHF channel 17 before the switch. Digital television viewers use PSIP to display the station's virtual channel as its previous UHF analog channel 18.