my-server
← Wiki

KBVU (TV)

KBVU (channel 28) is a television station in Eureka, California, United States, airing programming from the digital multicast network Roar. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Arcata-licensed ABC/Fox affiliate KAEF-TV (channel 23) and two low-power stations: dual CW/MyNetworkTV affiliate KECA-LD (channel 29) and Univision affiliate KEUV-LD (channel 35). The four stations share studios on Sixth Street in downtown Eureka; KBVU's transmitter is located along Barry Road southeast of Eureka.

Although it identifies as a station in its own right, KBVU is considered a semi-satellite of KCVU (channel 20) in Paradise–Chico–Redding, with the only difference between the two stations being the hourly station identification as Roar uses a master default schedule.

History

KBVU signed on the air as a Fox affiliate on July 20, 1994. Prior to its launch, Fox's programming was only available via a secondary affiliation with ABC affiliates KAEF and KFWU (both satellites of KRCR-TV), while out-of-market affiliates KTVU and KTXL were imported by some cable providers.

On April 21, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group purchased KAEF and the LMA with KBVU as part of a four-station deal. The sale was completed on September 1.

Sinclair filed to buy KBVU outright from Cunningham in August 2025, following a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that struck down limitations on ownership of two of the four highest-rated TV stations in a market. On December 9, 2025, the Fox affiliation was moved to KAEF-TV's second subchannel, while KBVU's main channel flipped to Roar. The sale was completed on March 1, 2026.

Technical information and subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Analog-to-digital conversion

KBVU shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 29, on December 22, 2008, along with KCVU, due to financial hardship. The station's digital signal broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 28.

References