Overview - History - Job Opportunities & EEO Reports

Cocola Broadcasting Companies, LLC are poised to define how television will serve its audiences in the new millennium. The company has already proven its position and importance in the industry by creating new and innovative uses of the medium. It continues to develop and nurture the dream that brought it into existence and is always looking for new opportunities and endeavors.

“One of my main goals,” says Gary Cocola, President and CEO of Cocola Broadcasting Companies “is to always come up with new ideas and then implement those ideas into reality.”

Cocola Broadcasting Companies have always been in the forefront of the broadcast business, testing and using the latest technological advances. With the advent of High Definition Television (HDTV), Cocola Broadcasting is geared to use HDTV to better serve local communities with local programming.

“We’re always exploring new possibilities and new markets that are underserved by local and specialized programming,” says Cocola. “So much of the television business is yet to be explored. Happy to accept these tasks, our company will be charting new and innovative territories for years to come.”

Cocola Broadcasting Companies began as a dream – one man’s dream to explore non-traditional uses of the television medium. Gary Cocola was a forty-year veteran of radio and television when he decided to create an independent television station which would offer viewers local and alternative programming.

“I wanted to give television viewers in Fresno something new to watch,” says Cocola. “I’ve always believed that providing local television programming to a local audience will win over national networks.”

The dream came to fruition when Lowell “Bud” Paxson, now president of PAX-TV, approached Cocola. At the time, Cocola owned and operated KMSG, Channel 59, a high-power station. Paxson was looking for an affiliate in Fresno to carry HSN, but since launching a second high-power television station was a financial risk at the time, Cocola devised a way to broadcast the Home Shopping Network by using lower power signals, which were readily available, and not being used.

“In the early 1980’s,” says Cocola, “I saw low-power television as the wave of the future. As network television began to lose its dominance to other mediums, I realized broadcasting to a specific audience was the way to go, and low-power television was the vehicle. That’s how KHST, Channel 66 in Fresno, was born.”

Shortly after Cocola launched Channel 66, the station became one of the largest revenue generating stations for the Home Shopping Network nationwide, and it remains one of the most successful to date. “Home shopping is a fascinating business,” says Cocola. “Viewers of the Home Shopping Network will watch the station all day long, while viewers of network programs will tune in and out to catch their favorite shows. Home Shopping viewers are very loyal.”

Because of the success of Channel 66 (which subsequently became KHSC, Channel 16), Cocola pursued other low-power television permits in Central California. KSDI, Channel 34, reintroduced a classic form of television to Fresno – locally produced programs. “I wanted to revive the broadcasting concept that launched television in the 1950’s – live, local programming.”

Channel 34 invited individuals and organizations to produce their own television programs. Virtually everyone – budding entertainers, bands, comics, talk show hosts – became a part of the local programming on Channel 34. KSDI moved to Channel 33 on March 1, 2003 and now shows The Sportsman Channel and AMG TV Sports. Channel 33 is also home to Armenian TV Fresno, showing an hour of Armenian programming every evening, and the Ronnie Paul Show Saturdays from 8pm until midnight.

The popularity of Cocola’s low-power television retail channels prompted the company to launch KJKZ, Channel 28. The station later moved to Channel 27 and now offers viewers Bohemia Visual Music. Cocola then expanded his television retailing services to the Southern San Joaquin Valley with KBFK, Channel 36 in Bakersfield, which airs HSN, the Home Shopping Network, and KVPT, Channel 34, a second Bakersfield station, offering rebroadcasts of KVPT, Valley Public Television.

In addition, Cocola Broadcasting has donated the use of its Channel 38 in Bakersfield to the Catholic Diocese of Fresno so that the Church can rebroadcast its Fresno station, KNXT, Channel 49, to residents of the South Valley.

Cocola Broadcasting Companies then expanded with the acquisitions of KVHF, Channel 4 and KCWB, Channel 13. Channel 4 is the home of Jewelry Television. Channel 13, Tvida Vision, broadcasts Hispanic religious programming for Central Valley viewers. KVVG began as Channel 31 in Visalia and recently moved to Channel 54. It also airs Tvida Vision. In 2003, Cocola Broadcasting launched Azteca America which airs on KMSG, Channel 39 and KBID, Channel 31 in Fresno, KFAZ Channel 8 in Visalia and KRHT Channel 58 in Redding (in Chico on Comcast 180 Digital Basic & 621 Hispanic 1). Azteca America is geared toward the Hispanic community with programming that originates from Mexico. For more information, log on to Azteca America.

In 2000, Cocola Broadcasting Companies acquired the call letters KJEO for its Channel 32. Those call letters belonged to the CBS affiliate in Fresno for 47 years and Cocola saw the opportunity to keep a little bit of Valley television history from fading into the dust. KJEO, Channel 32, broadcasts the America One Television Network, featuring classic television, sports, news, health and fitness tips, music, children's programming and a terrific variety of great movies from yesteryear. In addition, we are proud to also air local sports including high school football, the Canadian Football League, Fresno Falcons hockey and Central Valley Coyotes arena football.

While gaining ownership of most of the low-power television permits in the Central Valley, Cocola also decided to refocus his energies back into high-power television. The only remaining unused television permit available at the time was for KGMC, Channel 43, assigned to the City of Clovis. Cocola acquired the highly coveted station and decided to make it the true independent voice of the Valley.

“I wanted to be different,” says Cocola, “from everyone in town affiliated with a network, and I wanted to have an independent voice.” Channel 43 now offers viewers a mix of programs including shopping, local news, lifestyle-based programming, and family entertainment. In July 2006, KGMC moved in an exciting new direction when it joined forces with CBS 47, KGPE-TV to offer the Central Valley's earliest prime time local news by rebroadcasting the "CBS 47 On Your Side at Six" Monday - Friday newscast in its entirety starting at 9:00pm.

Other California stations are KMCF, Channel 35 in Visalia showing religious programming for the Hispanic community from Tele-Vida Abundante and KSAO, Channel 49, in Sacramento, which airs the popular Jewelry Television.

Cocola Broadcasting Companies has now expanded its operation into Boise, Idaho. In Boise, Cocola acquired KBSE, Channel 33, KBTI, Channel 41, KIWB, Channel 43, KZAK, Channel 49, KCBB, Channel 51 (Cable One Channel 20) and KKIC, Channel 16. “I saw an opportunity too good to pass up,” said Cocola. KBSE is Boise’s home of the popular Home Shopping Network, KBTI shows Jewelry Television, KZAK rebroadcasts the local NBC affiliate KTVB's "24/7" news channel and KCBB broadcasts Azteca America. Viewers can find Spanish religious programming from Tele-Vida Abundante on KIWB. KKIC, Cocola's most recent Boise station to come on-line, began broadcasting Telemundo on March 27, 2007.

With 30popular stations and more to come, Cocola Broadcasting Companies continues to grow with confidence – confidence in its belief that the goal of broadcasters should not be how many people they are able to capture in an audience, but how well that audience is served.

To read more about Gary Cocola and the Cocola Broadcasting Companies, click here.

Cocola Broadcasting Companies, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Company policy prohibits any unlawful discrimination. When job openings become available at our stations, we strive to reach all qualified candidates.

If you are interested in applying for any of our current job opening(s), please submit your resume with cover letter to: info@cocolatv.com unless otherwise specified. Each opening has a description of the position, minimum qualifications required and the cutoff date for resume submissions. No phone calls, please.