On Sunday: TV Stations Switching

Spokane Daily Chronicle

Two wires will be switched at a microwave station at 3 a.m. Sunday in Portland, changing network affiliations between Spokane television stations KREM and KXLY.

KREM-TV will become a CBS television affiliate and KXLY will join ABC at that time.

Dean Woodring, general manager of KREM, said today the network swap will end his station’s 22-year affiliation with ABC.

KXLY-TV went on the air as a CBS affiliate in 1953, said Wayne F. McNulty, vice president and general manager for the station.

Woodring said the first CBS network show KREM will broadcast will be “U.S. of Archie” at 9 a.m.

KXLY’s first ABC show will be “Issues and Answers,” scheduled to be telecast at noon Sunday, McNulty said.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to telecast CBS’ network programs,” Woodring said. “We believe many people in this area will be seeing programs they have not seen before and some of the major network shows will be back in their regular time period.”

Last February, CBS announced it terminated its affiliation with KXLY-TV because the network was displeased its programs were often pre-empted with local programming and aired at later times.

KREM subsequently announced it was not renewing its contract with ABC, even though that network has had top national ratings since late January.

“We’re pleased with the fact that ABC has brought together some of the most exciting and innovative programs ever produced on television,” the KXLY general manager said.

McNulty said a new ABC affiliate sign was hoisted atop the KXLY building on West Boone today and other changes – from station stationery to television identification logos – have been made.

Friday, August 6, 1976