KOMO TV began operation as KTCL radio AM1000 in 1926. Founded by O.D. Fisher of Fisher Flour Mills, he had intended to bring classical music and modern jazz to the Seattle area. At the time, the only radio stations were KTCL and KJR.
In 1927, after complaints that KTCL (which meant K - "The Charmed Land") was too difficult, O.D. Fisher obtained the rights to change his station's calls to KOMO, and in late 1927, KTCL became KOMO. After that, KOMO became Seattle's most popular radio station, covering almost everything in Seattle. Their signal was so strong it could be heard in Hawaii with the right conditions. KOMO kept on growing, and later became the station of choice for many musical performers who made a stop in Seattle. With that, they began to outgrow their existing facility, so plans were drawn after WWII to build a three story complex at the corner of Fourth Avenue North and Denny Way in Seattle. In 1948, KOMO Radio's new state-of-the-art facility was complete. A facility that would stand for more than 40 years. Then, the unthinkable. O.D. Fisher was beaten by Seattle's famous Bullitt family when they opened KING TV5 just north of KOMO. Not to be outdone, Fisher and his company, Fisher's Blend Station, Inc. applied for a TV license to broadcast TV signals from their existing building, and plans were underway to convert the lower two floors for television station use.
Five years later, KOMO Channel 4 Seattle debuted, on December 10th 1953. At first, KOMO was NBC's best local affiliate on the west coast. KOMO played home to the first live local made by NBC's "The Home Show" and played host to a number of NBC events. Not to be outdone, the Bullitt family pursued NBC to drop KOMO, and in 1958, it happened. NBC dropped KOMO in the most controversial move ever by a network at that time. O.D. Fisher was devastated at that move, and his station lost about 80% of its market share in Seattle and throughout Western WA. ABC, a then distant Fox-like network, saw something in KOMO, and ABC picked up KOMO later that year. Right after that, Fisher saw KOMO's ratings raise through the roof again, and KOMO again became Seattle's most powerful station. In fact, KOMO became ABC's best affiliate for ten years running out of all ABC stations on the west coast that weren't an ABC O&O. In the early 60's, Portland would play host to another Fisher station. In 1964, KATU Channel 2 opened its doors, and its broadcast signal, and KOMO/KATU dominated the Pacific NW. Fisher's Blend Station was now a strong running company, now with two TV stations in tow. Two years earlier, KOMO became the first station on the west coast to transmit TV in color. This was possible by a discovery made by a KOMO News photographer. He discovered a way to develop color news film in color at a rate far faster than the current methods at the time. KOMO was then known as the "Color Station" for years afterward.
With this, in the early seventies, KOMO began to outgrow their existing facility again, so they expanded it in 1976. That same year, the parent company of KOMO, "Fisher's Blend Station" became "Fisher Broadcasting Inc.". KOMO had consistently outdone KING, and CBS affiliate KIRO (which debuted in the mid 60s) in the ratings year after year.
In 1980, KOMO would again make news. News in a way that they hoped not to. On May 18th, 1980, KOMO News photographer David Crockett went to Mt St helens on a hunch that something was going to happen. He was right. Mt St Helens blew its top off in the largest explosion in US history, and Dave Crockett was right in the middle of it all. He was trapped in the explosion and filmed over 6 minutes on film of what he thought would be "his last day on Earth." His film is now used in various volcano documentaries around the world. And it was even featured in a movie remake about the Mt St Helens blast.
In 1985 KOMO made news again. KOMO became the first station in the Pacific NW to make use of stereo sound in daily broadcasts. And in 1989, KOMO became the first Seattle TV station on scene of the Berlin Wall Collapse.
Just after President Clinton entered office, Dan Lewis, KOMO News 4 Weeknight anchor, becamse th first TV News reporter to interview President Clinton after taking office. That was in 1993. In 1996, KOMO would make news again, setting another "1st." KOMO becamse the first TV station in the US to test their signal in HDTV, and in 1999, began broadcasting in HDTV on a daily basis. With this, KOMO's current facility was bursting at the seams, and last year, KOMO opened up "Fisher Plaza" and their old building was destroyed. A great piece of post-war Seattle Art-Deco architecture was now history. |
