KRON-TV originally signed on the air on November 15, 1949, the Bay Area's third TV station after KPIX-TV and KGO-TV. KRON's call sign and original logo were nods to its founding owners, the San Francisco-based Chronicle Publishing Company, which also owned the San Francisco Chronicle (KRON's original studios were the basement of the Chronicle Building). KRON launched as an affiliate of NBC, which owned KNBC radio in the city (680 AM, the present-day KNBR) and had fought for the Channel 4 construction permit that went instead to Chronicle Publishing.
1955–1962[]
1962–1966[]
1966–1974[]
BETTER LOGO NEEDED
1974–present[]
1974–1977[]
In April 1974, KRON introduced the original version of its current "4" logo, based on the design of the Golden Gate Bridge (the vertical component is a bridge tower, the horizontal component is a portion of the bridge deck, and the curve is a portion of a suspension cable). Station identifications used by the station during the 1970s and 1980s usually depicted the logo hidden in positive space within a full-scale design of the bridge.
1976–1985[]
The gap was widened slightly.
1985–1988[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Serpentine Bold Italic
Launched:
September 1985
In the last two years of the logo's use, it became italicized. Though the next logo was introduced in 1987, this logo continued to be used on the station’s newscasts (then branded as NewsCenter 4) until 1988. It was briefly revived in late 2019- early 2020 to commemorate its 70th anniversary, and was only used on its promos for its documentaries.
1987–present[]
1987–1991; 2012–present[]
A simplified version of the previous logo. However, the previous logo continued to be used on KRON’s newscasts until 1988. This logo (without the red circle shown below) was revived in 2012 with the debut of the graphics package (only used on opens and certain bumpers) before Young Broadcasting was merged with Richmond, Virginia-based Media General on November 12, 2013. It started to become widespread with the debut of its current graphics package in 2016, and after Nexstar Broadcasting Group acquired Media General on January 17, 2017 and Tribune Media and Tribune Broadcasting on September 19, 2019, seen only on news bumpers, in the newsroom and during its coverage of the Las Vegas Raiders since 2020.
1991–present[]
The 1987 "4" logo has been displayed inside a red circle since 1991.
2001–present[]
Designer:
Young Broadcasting Media General Nexstar Media Group
Typography:
Corporate S
Launched:
2001
NBC had made several attempts over the years to purchase KRON-TV from Chronicle Publishing. In November 1999, the network was outbid for KRON by Young Broadcasting (an $823 million deal, still a record sale price for a single station). In ensuing affiliation renewal negotiations, NBC made demands of Young regarding on-air content, branding, and reverse compensation. Rather than meet those stiff terms, Young walked away from NBC when its deal with the network expired on the last day of 2001, the same year the above logo incorporating both the "Circle 4" and KRON call sign was unveiled. With other networks in long-term contracts with other Bay Area stations, and with NBC having purchased KNTV, KRON became an independent station on January 1, 2002; it would eventually join MyNetworkTV in 2006 and The CW in 2023 (see below).
2006–2023[]
KRON became a MyNetworkTV affiliate on September 5, 2006, making it one of (if not) the first station to not have previously been a Fox-owned UPN O&O station. At that time, the station instituted an alternate logo incorporating the MyNetworkTV and "Circle 4" logos for use in promotions for the service's programming. MyNetworkTV programming would move to KRON's late-night schedule by Fall 2023. The MyNetworkTV affiliation went to KICU-TV on September 17, 2024, after its affiliate agreement expired.
2023–2024[]
KRON became an affiliate of the Nexstar-owned The CW on September 1, 2023 (replacing CBS-owned KBCW). This composite was used during advertisements for The CW's programming.
1Owns a 75% stake of the network, the other 12.5% stake is co-owned between Paramount Skydance Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery. 2Joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery, in which Nexstar owns 31% while Warner Bros. Discovery owns the remaining 69%. 3Nexstar operates these stations owned by Mission Broadcasting. 4Nexstar operates this station owned by Cunningham Broadcasting. 5Nexstar operates this station owned by White Knight Broadcasting through an SSA. 6Nexstar operates this station owned by Vaughan Media. 7Predecessor company of LIN Media. 8Nexstar operates this station owned by Londen Media Group.
Notes Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and territory, and based on the station's city of license or Designated Market Area. +Station carries CW programming on a digital subchannel, via The CW Plus. +1Local CW Plus affiliate operates as cable-only channel. 1Local CW affiliate carries only sports programming.
