KCRA-TV was founded in 1955 by Kelly Broadcasting Company, a family-owned business led by brothers Jon and Bob Kelly. The Kelly brothers saw an opportunity to bring television broadcasting to California's Central Valley, recognizing the region's growing population and need for local news coverage. They chose the call letters KCRA, which stood for “Kelly Company Radio,“ reflecting their background in radio broadcasting. Today, KCRA-TV is owned by Hearst Television, a subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which acquired the station in 1999. Based in Sacramento, California, KCRA-TV covers a wide range of news and information relevant to the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto area and the broader Northern California region. The station's website features reporting on local and state politics, business, sports, weather, and community events. KCRA-TV also provides coverage of national news that impacts its viewers. The station has become known for its comprehensive local news coverage, particularly its focus on California state politics given Sacramento's role as the state capital. KCRA-TV's programming includes a mix of news updates, weather forecasts, sports coverage (with emphasis on local professional and college teams), and feature stories that reflect the diverse interests of its Northern California audience. One interesting fact: A unique aspect of KCRA-TV is its pioneering role in helicopter news coverage. In 1958, KCRA-TV became the first television station west of the Mississippi River to use a helicopter for news gathering and traffic reporting. This innovative approach, which they called “NewsChopper 3,“ revolutionized local news coverage by providing aerial views of breaking news events and traffic conditions. This early adoption of helicopter journalism set KCRA-TV apart from its competitors and established a tradition of technological innovation that the station continues to this day.