KPRC

History

The station first broadcast on January 1, 1949, as KLEE-TV (KPRC has repeatedly said that the callsign has no meaning and came from nowhere when being thought up). It was the first television station in Houston and the 12th in the United States. It was owned by the Hobby family, owners of the Houston Post, who had signed on KPRC-AM 950 in 1925 as Houston's first radio station. The television station changed its calls to match its radio cousin in 1950. It has been an NBC affiliate from the very first day, though it carried secondary affiliations with CBS until 1953 (when KGUL-TV, now KHOU-TV, signed on) and with ABC until 1954 (when KXYZ-TV, now KTRK-TV, signed on).

Related Topics:
January 1 - 1949 - United States - Houston Post - KPRC-AM 950 - 1925 - 1950 - CBS - 1953 - KHOU-TV - ABC - 1954 - KTRK-TV

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Because of its affiliation with NBC, KPRC was the first station in Houston to broadcast the first color program in Houston and was subsequently the first to broadcast in full color.

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In 1983, the Post was sold and eventually closed, while the Hobbys' broadcast holdings were reorganized as H&C Communications. After 40 years of ownership by the Hobby family, KPRC was sold to the Washington Post in 1994.

Related Topics:
1983 - H&C Communications - Washington Post - 1994

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