“Early Summer” – KXLY Set to Join ABC

By Bill Morlin
Spokane Daily Chronicle

KXLY-TV will become an ABC affiliate in “early summer,” it was announced yesterday in a joint statement from the Spokane television station and the television network.

CBS, which has been affiliated with KXLY for 23 years, will go to KREM-TV as part of the cross-town switch between the two local stations.

An exact date for the change is expected to be announced within two weeks.

“We are confident that the ABC television network programming, added to the strong, local, live news and public affairs programming of KXLY-TV, will continue to maintain audience leadership in the Spokane area,” ABC President James Duffy, New York, said in the prepared statement.

Wayne F. McNulty, vice president and general manager of KXLY, said the Morgan Murphy chain, which owns the local television station, is “pleased” to become affiliated with the ABC “leadership team which has fashioned an outstanding television network.”

“This season ABC sports, news and entertainment programs have shown an enviable performance,” McNulty said. “ABC’s outstanding programmers have rewritten the audience records of our television industry. We’re extremely pleased to add another ABC network affiliate to our other chain.”

The Morgan Murphy chain also operates ABC affiliates in Grand Forks-Fargo, N.D., the Tri-Cities and Yakima.

ABC Vice President Bob Fountain, New York, said an “ideal time” for the network change between KXLY and KREM would be early summer when “children are out of school and programming patterns change.” The “early summer” network switch will be considerably earlier than a mid-August date previously considered.

CBS, ABC and the two local stations must work out precise details of the switch before the exact date is announced, McNulty said.

Thursday, May 6, 1976