KCBS 2/KCAL 9 - CBS Los Angeles News Thread

[Breaking News 888]

On 10/13/2025 at 7:18 PM, GraphicsMan said:

That’s an identity, crisis. Right there. I will say the KCAL branding on KCBS could confuse viewers.

Facts! 

[Reweivvt88 173]

 

If CBS was a strong brand in LA, they never would have went with the KCAL branding on both stations for almost 3 years. It's not ideal for CBS (or any major network) to not have the network brand featured in the LA market, it was done because the CBS brand was so weak and they felt the more popular KCAL brand would help get CBS out of last place. It's kind of funny they pick now of all times to go with the CBS brand when the CBS brand is probably the weakest it has ever been for LA viewers. CBS Mornings & CBS Evening News are hitting ratings lows, CBS News being run by MAGA extremists, layoffs and cost reductions on the way (although they found enough money to do a pointless rebrand) 

 

As one of the other posters above said, CBS is the worst when it comes constantly changing and confusing names. Rebranding CBS This Morning to CBS Mornings made no sense. Having both CBS News Mornings and CBS Mornings makes no sense. Even with this CBS LA rebrand they are doing CBS LA on CBS News Los Angeles and CBS LA on KCAL9. 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2025 by Reweivvt88

[Tvnewsdude1 2]

On 10/14/2025 at 9:22 AM, FiveNews said:

Since KNXT became KCBS in 1984 they have been Channel 2 News, Channel 2 Action News, CBS 2 News, News Central, back to CBS 2 News, KCAL News and now CBS LA. Yet, the management wonders why the station can't get any traction with viewers. Save for Pat Harvey and Jim Hill, the station has been an also ran.

 

The "We are Yours" tag line is a little silly too. Anyone remember the days of The Station of the People?

Oh it’s worse than that, it’s the curse of Jerry Dunphy. When he was fired in 1975 and went to KABC, channel 2 has failed to succeed in the ratings. Some of their experiments have been way worse like the 1986 Newswheel, John Lippmann as ND, and yes NewsCentral and now KCAL News. It amazes me how they still manage to be in operation despite years of mediocrity.

[twotrey 5]

What's weird about the rebrand to CBS LA (I think also it's weird how it's just that, without "News") is that the helicopter is still called "SkyCAL," which I guess is snappier than "SkyCBS," but it's wildly inconsistent now.

[ABC 7 Denver 1889]

3 hours ago, twotrey said:

What's weird about the rebrand to CBS LA (I think also it's weird how it's just that, without "News") is that the helicopter is still called "SkyCAL," which I guess is snappier than "SkyCBS," but it's wildly inconsistent now.

 

They could call it than SkyLA, or SkySoCal but I don't know if the previous is copyrightable and the latter is still too many syllables.

[SFTV 567]

14 hours ago, twotrey said:

What's weird about the rebrand to CBS LA (I think also it's weird how it's just that, without "News") is that the helicopter is still called "SkyCAL," which I guess is snappier than "SkyCBS," but it's wildly inconsistent now.

Funny you mention this because KPIX still calls it Chopper5 when there is no number anymore 

[FiveNews 482]

SkyCAL is fine, albeit weird. I think most viewers know that 2/9 has been merged news operation for quite sometime. Plus since recently taking the CBS LA moniker, they identify KCAL newscasts as CBS LA at XX time on KCAL9 so the KCAL branding is semi-intact.

[MetroNews 28]

Or perhaps, “SKYEYE”. 

[PlayPal 4]

On 10/17/2025 at 11:39 AM, Tvnewsdude1 said:

Oh it’s worse than that, it’s the curse of Jerry Dunphy. When he was fired in 1975 and went to KABC, channel 2 has failed to succeed in the ratings. Some of their experiments have been way worse like the 1986 Newswheel, John Lippmann as ND, and yes NewsCentral and now KCAL News. It amazes me how they still manage to be in operation despite years of mediocrity.

Don’t forget the newscast Women 2 women in the 1999-00s. That was awful. 

[Encore 323 79]

With today’s election and the cancellation of CBS Evening News Plus, KCBS is now permanently simulcasting CBS LA at 4pm, which typically airs on KCAL 9. The last time they aired a 4pm newscast on KCBS was at least 20 or more years ago before it got moved to KCAL to make way for other programming. It feels like a full circle moment is happening.

This leaves FOX 11 as the only station in LA without a 4pm newscast.

Edited November 4, 2025 by Encore 323

[FiveNews 482]

I thought the same would happen at 9am. KCBS would simulcast the 9am hour of CBS LA Mornings on KCAL when CBS Mornings Plus was cancelled. The management went with LMAD instead. Interesting development with the 4pm simulcast because when 2/9 became a duopoly years ago, KCAL and KCBS vowed to never air competing newscasts at the same time. Times have changed and the stations can easily get double the ad revenue on KCAL and KCBS. I wonder if this will be KCBS' long term solution. KABC and KNBCs 4pm newscasts are decades old fixtures in the market.

[Drew 158]

after looking at the program guide on CBS LA the 4pm newscast is now just on CBS LA and on KCAL its the Perfect Line now. 

[Joey1986 30]

The noon newscast on 9 is also no more. In its place, Cutlers Court airs.

[Georgie56 3661]

8 hours ago, Joey1986 said:

The noon newscast on 9 is also no more. In its place, Cutlers Court airs.

 

Instead, the 11am newscast is simulcast on both 2 and 9 and runs for a full hour on the latter.

[GodfreyGR 812]

11 hours ago, Drew said:

after looking at the program guide on CBS LA the 4pm newscast is now just on CBS LA and on KCAL its the Perfect Line now. 

This makes my head hurt... Isn't the reason when they dumped CBS2 for the KCAL branding (before the latest rebranding) was because KCAL had the stronger brand and viewership? Why wouldn't they just keep the newscast on 9 and dump the syndicated programming on 2?

[Breaking News 888]

5 hours ago, GodfreyGR said:

This makes my head hurt... Isn't the reason when they dumped CBS2 for the KCAL branding (before the latest rebranding) was because KCAL had the stronger brand and viewership? Why wouldn't they just keep the newscast on 9 and dump the syndicated programming on 2?

I'm in the minority here. I didn't care for the KCAL branding on KCBS.  CBS has owned KCBS longer, and their woes have been the many managers who have changed the station's direction over the years.  What made KCAL different vs KCBS? For the longest, they were CBS2/KCAL9 under the CBS arm. I'm glad it's CBS LA, and with these combo stations in many markets. The bigger station seems to get chopped up over the secondary station that is merging with the bigger station. 

[Dave Lampstein 287]

CBS LA makes sense.

 

It's not going to change a single thing for them...

 

But it makes sense.

[FiveNews 482]

11 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

 

Instead, the 11am newscast is simulcast on both 2 and 9 and runs for a full hour on the latter.

The 12pm news has been a staple since the origins of KCAL. The noon and the 8p, 9p news were their popular newscasts. You could always count on a police chase or 2 during one of these newscasts during the week.

[Encore 323 79]

None of these “power moves” will change viewing habits overnight, but I am glad that the current management at CBS LA is trying its best to not make channel 2 look like a weak major market station any further than it has been while still trying to leverage on channel 9’s strengths in primetime and now mornings.

In these times, the 4-7pm news block is arguably the most competitive period in the Los Angeles market outside of mornings without a doubt, and it has been way past time to put the 4pm news back on KCBS. The CBS Evening News with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois from 6:30-7pm is a sinking ship with the former exiting the program by year’s end along with the wake of the network-wide layoffs, but at least one can watch from 4-7 without having to switch at 5pm from KCAL 9 to CBS LA. I don’t like that they got rid of the legacy Noon newscast because it’s part of KCAL’s identity but at least they can be more competitive with KABC, KNBC, KTLA, and KTTV with the longer 11am news.

 

If the duopoly decides to axe the live edition of CBS Mornings from 4-6am in the near future, CBS LA Mornings can be expanded back into the 4am hour with the 4-7am early block on KCBS like pre-2023. The 5am and 6am hours can continue airing on KCAL for expanded reach. That depends on the resources available, so I am not going speculate much on that.
 

Edited November 6, 2025 by Encore 323

[Encore 323 79]

A new-ish development here: KCBS/KCAL recently gave Paul Deanno the title of

“NEXT Weather Chief Meteorologist”. I feel like they should’ve gave that title to Evelyn Taft because she has been at the duopoly the longest out of the meteorologists and has a lot of experience working across California but Deanno has more credentials when you consider his experiences in the same position KPIX, then spending time at WMAQ and forecasting for all three network morning shows.

[TheNewsTV 342]

On 11/5/2025 at 10:22 PM, Encore 323 said:

None of these “power moves” will change viewing habits overnight, but I am glad that the current management at CBS LA is trying its best to not make channel 2 look like a weak major market station any further than it has been while still trying to leverage on channel 9’s strengths in primetime and now mornings.

In these times, the 4-7pm news block is arguably the most competitive period in the Los Angeles market outside of mornings without a doubt, and it has been way past time to put the 4pm news back on KCBS. The CBS Evening News with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois from 6:30-7pm is a sinking ship with the former exiting the program by year’s end along with the wake of the network-wide layoffs, but at least one can watch from 4-7 without having to switch at 5pm from KCAL 9 to CBS LA. I don’t like that they got rid of the legacy Noon newscast because it’s part of KCAL’s identity but at least they can be more competitive with KABC, KNBC, KTLA, and KTTV with the longer 11am news.

 

If the duopoly decides to axe the live edition of CBS Mornings from 4-6am in the near future, CBS LA Mornings can be expanded back into the 4am hour with the 4-7am early block on KCBS like pre-2023. The 5am and 6am hours can continue airing on KCAL for expanded reach. That depends on the resources available, so I am not going speculate much on that.
 

 

I don't know why KCBS didn't launch a newscast at 3 PM followed by the CBS Evening News from the eastern feed. It would match KABC and KNBC in a large news block from 3 PM to 7 PM (in the latter's case, until 7:30 PM).

[SFTV 567]

On 11/15/2025 at 6:54 AM, TheNewsTV said:

 

I don't know why KCBS didn't launch a newscast at 3 PM followed by the CBS Evening News from the eastern feed. It would match KABC and KNBC in a large news block from 3 PM to 7 PM (in the latter's case, until 7:30 PM).

You would think, I mean PIX had a 3pm followed by the eastern feed but cancelled its newscast in favor for CBS Evening News Plus.

Now that it’s over, we now have a full hour of Hot Bench at 3. No more eastern feed.

 

[Encore 323 79]

Veteran CBS LA and KCAL 9 anchor Juan Fernandez, celebrated 30 years with the duopoly yesterday and he had a special segment just for that milestone during CBS LA News at 4pm.

https://youtu.be/W85e5rEUt5E?si=wScdewr63MHClCIT

[MD TV 390]

This week they celebrated Jim Hill's 50 years of doing sports reports on LA television:

 

 

[PlayPal 4]

Sheba Turk hasn’t been seen on the KCAL morning news in weeks. Three to be exact.  Anyone have any info on where she is? The station still lists her as an anchor on its website.