History
A construction permit for Channel 2 was issued to Fisher's Blend Station, Inc., (now Fisher Communications) as early as 1958. It was assigned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) call sign KATU. However, the station did not begin broadcasting until March 15, 1962, at first as an independent station. Its transmitter was originally located atop Livingston Mountain, about 7 miles (11 km) NNE of Camas, Washington.
On January 19, 1964, this TV station moved its transmitter site 21 miles (34 km), to Portland's West Hills to improve its broadcasting coverage. Just over a month later, it took over the American Broadcasting Company affiliation in Portland away from KPTV on March 1, 1964. This made KATU the new fourth station in the Portland market in less than a decade to have affiliated with ABC full-time (after KLOR, KGW and KPTV). It is also Portland's longest-lasting ABC affiliate to date. KATU is the only one of the first five television stations in Portland to have operated out of the same studio (at 2153 N.E. Sandy Blvd.) since it went on the air, although the building had earlier been used as a laundry for many years.
KATU is also one of the few television stations in the country (not counting owned-and-operated stations) that has had the same call letters, the same owner, and the same channel number throughout its history.
In 2002, KATU-TV celebrated its 40th anniversary. To mark the occasion, it updated its on-air graphics, and added a new news set. It also aired stories from past newscasts.
In the November 2006 and February 2007 sweeps periods, KATU finished in third place overall in the local newscast ratings, behind KGW and KPTV. In 2006, KATU won two Edward R. Murrow Awards, including an investigative piece reported by Anna Song on a newborn baby that was left severely brain damaged by OHSU hospital. Song also won dual 1st place (2006) Associated Press Awards in Best Writing, and Best Investigative Reporting.
From December 2008 to June 11, 2009, KATU (and the other Fisher-owned stations) was not carried by Dish Network due to a transmission dispute.
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