KOFY (Channel 20) Reclaims Its Identity
By Chuck Barney
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 2:03 pm in Local TV.
We had a little something about this in today’s newspapers, but here are a few more details on Channel 20’s move to reclaim the KOFY call letters and provide some nostalgic vibes via retro-night programming
and various new inititiatives.
The changeover takes place tonight.
For the official press release,
John Sebastian’s TV theme song for “Welcome Back Kotter” is a fitting soundtrack for the announcement that KOFY TV 20/Cable 13 is returning to the station’s original KOFY call letters and philosophy of providing great nostalgic TV programming presented every day by local personalities and mixed with some exciting new interactive concepts. The Granite owned and operated television station will throw the switch for the re-branding and programming shift on October 8 at 9:55 p.m.
“The key to KOFY TV 20/Cable 13’s new approach will be to focus on the station strengths of the past- being local and fun but with a modern twist,” stated KOFY TV 20/Cable 13’s President and General Manager, Craig Coane. “We’re adding new interactive concepts where viewers will make programming selections by voting for what they want to watch, we’ll have trivia contests for valuable prizes, and a “Town Hall” type segment where viewers tell us what is on their minds. And, of course we have the famous “Dogs of KOFY” doing our station ID’s at the top of every hour!”
“We are going to take a radio approach to our television presentation,” continued Coane.
“We’ve hired talent like Brendan Moran and Morris Knight to host our programming all through the day. During our Retro Night on Sundays from 8-10:00 p.m. viewers will get the chance to pick the shows they want to see each week by clicking on www.kofytv.com. We’ll solicit local celebrities and regular viewers to come in to co-host as well.”
Other new innovations include the new KOFY Club where viewers can register to vote for programming, enter to be a guest host, register to bring their pet dogs to KOFY TV 20/Cable 13 to do a station ID and win a variety of valuable prizes. “We want viewers to know that we’re local like they are and we want a lot of their input and interaction,” added Coane. A KOFY Crew is also set to hit the streets making contact with viewers in all Bay Area communities looking for opinions, taping viewers and passing out “KOFY Coffee” provided by John Weaver of Weaver’s Coffee who helped originate the famous Pete’s Coffee brand.
KOFY TV 20/Cable 13 has partnered with ABC7 to present News at 9:00 p.m. with Dan Ashley and the ABC7 news team to bring a timely hour of news to commuters who arrive home late and go to bed early. The popular Law & Order continues weekdays at 8pm bringing the Bay Area the best in television drama. Retro Night features timeless hits like Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, Laverne and Shirley and the Brady Bunch on Sundays from 8-10:00 p.m. as voted by viewers.
In addition, KOFY presents local HGTV Monday and Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. which is the local Bay Area versions of Home & Garden Televisions shows: Color Splash Bay Area featuring Design Star Champion and the Bay Area’s David Bromstad plus Sleep On it, Bay Area where potential home buyers decide on a home after spending the night in it.
Other popular shows are My Wife and Kids with Damon Wayans weeknights at 7:00 p.m.; House of Payne starring Tyler Perry weeknights at 6:00 p.m.; season one Desperate Housewives Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 10:00 p.m. plus Punk’d with prankster Ashton Kutcher weeknights at 5:00 p.m.
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October 8th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
hey guys!
I’m so glad kofy is back when i heard the news on tv i thought i died & when to heaven.(I sure do remember the good old days)
your loyal friend
shirley brown
ps guese what guys i wrote a book called shirley brown book of poetry ckeck it out on xlibris.com
or give me your address & I’ll send you a book free!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
ps how can I be a club member
shirley brown
October 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
IT’S ABOUT TIME. I’VE MISSED KOFYTV. WE NEED TO BRING BACK QUALITY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING AGAIN BEFORE THE REST OF THIS WORLD TURNS COMPLETLY CRAZY. IT’S SAD TO KNOW THAT THOUGH TIMES HAVE CHANGE, PEOPLE HAVE LOST WHO THEY ONCE WERE. IT SEEMS THE MORE NUDITY, VIOLENCE AND DISTRUCTION OF MAN KIND THE HIGHER THE RATINGS. NOT SO. AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY IT’S BACK TO THE BASICS, AND THAT’S JUST FIND WITH ME!
T.PATTON
October 21st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Its great to see kofy tv I would like to however see dance party reruns returned which would be a great added addition to the programing that is already in place. I love the old shows that were made back when tv progamming was entertaining for everyone to watch for the most part everyone is sick of the programming of the reality shows and all it entails its time to get back to real moral and desent shows that all can enjoy once again.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
WELCOME BACK KOFY! I remember James Gabner back in the 80’s and the shows he did. I think bringing in Brendan Moran was a “PLUS” for the station. I do enjoy the afternoon shows with Brendan and just like good wine, the show gets better with time. I’m not into the current shows on TV, but I am into the old 30 minute shows like the 60’s use to have. I currently get WGN from Chicago, my hometown, and they are a little competitive with KOFY in terms of entertainment shows from the 60’s…however, with Brendan, and his personality, KOFy is leading in my book.
A BIG thanks for bringing this form of entertainment back.
Mike Pruitt
October 30th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
In about 1982 I got my Beagle, Ruby, on TV20 and still have the spot on a VHS tape. Ruby is long gone but I always had a spot in my heart for your dog segments and your great shows. As it changed, I watched less. I would catch ‘Perry Mason’ at lunchtime at the law firm where I worked. I missed it so much. Now you are back Jack. I’m now 55 living the North Bay and watching you again has taken me back to my 20’s! Thanks whoever’s idea it was to return for me!!
November 6th, 2008 at 2:01 am
My parents would be on the dance party segment hosted by James Gabbert. When friends where over my place I would turn the tv on to kofy. It was always good for a laugh.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:38 am
Just watched utube clips of my parents on dance party
funny stuff. time sure has a way of slipping by I sure enjoyed the flash back.
November 15th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
You know what would be great? If KOFY brought back the movies-til-dawn format that used to be popular on UHF channels, up until about the mid-1990s. It’d be great if they’d do that maybe once a week (say, on Saturday nights). Channel 36 used to do that every single night, as I recall, but its become more expensive to air films, apparently, but could we get just that one night per week, please? 1965’s “Sands of the Kalahari” would be a good movie to show (I first saw that on channel 36’s movies-til-dawn program, and its become one of my favorites).