Remember San Diego Telecasters? KNSD started as KAAR on November 14 1965. It was the first independent television station in San Diego. Operating on the UHF band it broadcast from Kearny Mesa.
KAAR originally aired from noon until midnight. It featured local shows and syndicated programs. Vintage films were also shown. KAAR even broadcast reruns of 1950s dramatic series. The summer of 1966 brought changes. KAAR reduced its operating hours significantly. By fall the station only broadcast on weeknights. It offered a 15-minute 7 p.m. newscast, a travelogue and a movie.
A short time later in January 1967 KAAR partnered with San Diego State College. They aired programming from the San Diego Area Instructional Television Authority. This lasted until KEBS signed on in June. Channel 39 then went dark.
Western Telecasters Inc. bought KAAR. The Texas-based Bass family controlled it. On February 2 1968 the station returned as KCST. The call sign stood for California San Diego Television.
Western Telecasters wanted the ABC affiliation. XETV held it. XETV was licensed in Tijuana Mexico but broadcast in English. It had been San Diego’s ABC affiliate since 1956. The FCC granted annual renewals to ABC/XETV. Western Telecasters argued KCST made a Mexican affiliate unnecessary.
In May 1972 the FCC revoked XETV’s permission. KCST took over the ABC affiliation in stages. Daytime programming moved in June 1973. Prime time programs followed by July 1 1973. Western Telecasters sold KCST to Storer Broadcasting in March. The sale was completed September 30 1974. On January 1 1975 Storer added a TV suffix. KCST-TV transformed from a low-rated independent. It became a major player. KCST out-rated its rivals locally. By 1976 it was the highest-rated station. XETV became a Fox affiliate in 1986.
ABC moved its San Diego affiliation to KGTV on June 27 1977. KCST took the NBC affiliation. ABC was unhappy being relegated to UHF. Storer retaliated. It switched WITI in Milwaukee to CBS.
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. acquired the Storer stations in 1985. Gillett Communications bought KCST in 1987. On September 16 1988 the station became KNSD. It reflected the new name News San Diego. It adopted the on-air brand Channel 7/39. Gillett became SCI TV in 1991. New World Communications acquired the stations after SCI filed bankruptcy.
New World planned to switch affiliations to Fox in 1994. KNSD was excluded. Fox’s San Diego affiliation was already on VHF. KNSD retained its NBC affiliation. NBC bought KNSD and WVTM-TV in 1996. The sale was finalized that August. In January 1997 KNSD modified its branding to NBC 7/39. NBC sold a 24% stake to LIN Television in October 1997.
KNSD moved to 225 Broadway in 2001. This high-rise had a glass-enclosed street-level news studio. In February 2013 LIN Media withdrew from the joint venture. NBC regained full ownership of KNSD.
KNSD ended its analog signal on June 12 2009. The digital signal remained on channel 40. Digital receivers display virtual channel 39.
NBC’s California stations launched NBC California Nonstop in 2011. In 2012 KNSD began carrying Cozi TV. KNSD kept its analog signal on until June 26 to inform viewers.
KNSD announced it would leave the 225 Broadway studios in 2016. It purchased a building on Granite Ridge Drive in Kearny Mesa. The studio opened on February 29 2016.
Comcast pulled KNSD from Dish Network’s lineup in 2016 due to a dispute. An agreement was reached after arbitration.
KNSD launched Telemundo on its third subchannel in 2017. NBC purchased KUAN-LD in 2017. KNSD switched to channel 17 in 2019 with KUAN sharing the channel.
Today KNSD broadcasts from Kearny Mesa. It is owned by NBCUniversal. NBC 7 provides news and programming each week. It has exclusive news franchises. The station produces a local political show. They also cover local sports. NBC 7 is a media leader. They deliver news across broadcast, online, and social media. The First Alert Weather team provides accurate forecasts. NBC 7 collaborates with local non-profits. It is dedicated to the San Diego community.