About KEPR CBS
KEPR-TV first aired on December 28, 1954 as a satellite station of KIMA-TV. It was owned by Cascade Broadcasting Company, which also owned 40% of KWIE AM radio station in Kennewick. In 1956, Cascade bought the remaining 60% of KWIE and changed its call letters to KEPR, matching the television station.Prior to KEPR-TV's launch, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had designated central Washington as a single television market. However, due to its location between Seattle, Spokane, and Portland, this market was designated a "UHF island" and it became clear that one UHF station would not be sufficient to cover the large and mountainous area. As a result, KEPR-TV was the first station in the United States to sign on as a satellite of another.