About

KOBI Television (Channel 5) was put on the air by pioneer broadcaster William B. Smullin, in 1953.  Mr. Smullin put KOTI (Channel 2) on the air in Klamath Falls in 1956.  His daughter, Patricia C. Smullin, has succeeded him as KOBI’s and KOTI’s President and owner.  KOBI and KOTI are the only locally owned TV stations in the Rogue Valley and the Klamath Basin.

Viewers in nine counties in Oregon and California receive programming from Channels 5 and 2.  The stations hold a number of television “firsts” in their over 70 year history.  KOBI was the first VHF television station in Oregon.  It was the first TV station in Medford to operate in stereo, the first Medford station to employ electronic news gathering technology, and was the first Medford station with statewide microwave news coverage.

KOBI’s and KOTI’s parent company is California Oregon Broadcasting Inc., located in Medford.  COBi is the longest, continuously independent broadcast group in the West and one of the three oldest in the country.

KOBI and KOTI are NBC affiliates.  Their number one interest is localism!

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