KABC-TV

KABC-TV has anchored the West Coast broadcast landscape since its sign-on on September 16, 1949. As the first commercial television station in Southern California, it began its journey under the ownership of the Los Angeles Times before shifting hands to the American Broadcasting Company in 1953. The station adopted the KABC call letters that same year, establishing a brand identity that would eventually become synonymous with Eyewitness News across the region.

Today, the station operates as the flagship outlet for ABC's West Coast operations from the Grand Central Creative Campus in Studio City. It serves a massive viewing area that encompasses Los Angeles, Orange County, and surrounding communities, delivering a mix of national network programming and hyper-local coverage. The organization maintains a robust digital presence through abc7.com and various social media channels where it aggregates millions of followers to share breaking stories in real time.

The station holds a reputation for pioneering modern local news formats and has consistently ranked as the top-rated news source in the market. Its reporting footprint extends far beyond standard weather updates, covering major legal trials, natural disasters, and high-profile entertainment industry events that define the cultural life of Los Angeles. [edit]

To deliver accurate, timely, and impactful journalism to the people of Southern California while upholding the highest standards of broadcast integrity. The station aims to serve as an essential resource for community safety, education, and entertainment by combining traditional broadcasting with innovative digital storytelling. [edit]

The station launched on September 16, 1949, as KTTV under the banner of the Los Angeles Times. This launch marked a historic moment as the first commercial TV station to begin broadcasting in Southern California. The facility operated out of Hollywood before moving operations to the Grand Central Creative Campus in Studio City, which remains its home base today.

In 1953, the American Broadcasting Company acquired the station from the Times, prompting a change in call letters to KABC-TV. This acquisition integrated the station into the growing ABC network structure. Over the following decades, KABC evolved from a simple broadcaster into a powerhouse of local journalism known for its aggressive news gathering and distinctive presentation style.

The late 20th century saw the station refine its Eyewitness News brand, setting new benchmarks for how local news was produced and consumed. Recent years have seen the organization navigate complex regulatory landscapes, including a notable lawsuit filed in August 2026 against the Federal Communications Commission over early license reviews. [edit]