What KCRA 3 does

KCRA 3 is an NBC-affiliated local television station licensed to Sacramento, California, owned and operated by Hearst Television (Hearst Stations Inc.), a division of Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1955, the station serves the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto designated market area (DMA) in Northern California, producing and distributing local news, weather, sports, politics, and community programming. It operates a secondary sister station, KQCA-TV (branded as My58), within the same market.

Distribution spans seven channels: over-the-air broadcast, cable and satellite carriage (DIRECTV, Dish Network), the kcra.com website, iOS and Android mobile applications, the Very Local free streaming platform, and a full social footprint across Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Core products include the KCRA 3 News app (breaking news and weather alerts), NowCast live streaming of news broadcasts, a video footage licensing service built around a multi-decade Sacramento historical archive, and original digital series 'Stitch' (community/culture content) and 'Matter of Fact' (political reporting). A Hearst Washington Bureau correspondent supports national political coverage for the Sacramento market.

Revenue is generated through three streams: traditional television advertising (local and national commercials aired during NBC programming and news blocks), digital advertising on the website and mobile apps (banner ads, sponsored content such as the Dignity Health Heart Hub), and content licensing from the historical video archive to documentary and production entities. The station also generates revenue through formal sponsorship integrations, evidenced by a dedicated 'Advertise with KCRA' sales portal. There is no consumer-facing pricing; revenue mechanics are entirely advertiser- and licensee-funded.

Name

KCRA 3

Legal name

Hearst Stations Inc.

Website

https://kcra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KCRA 3 is an NBC-affiliated local television station serving the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto DMA, owned by Hearst Television, distributing local news, weather, and sports via broadcast, cable, mobile apps, streaming, and social media to Northern California audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Television Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent Local TV Stations (MPABACAB), Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ), Program Distribution to Stations & Affiliates (Domestic) (MPABAMAC)

Keywords

• Local news broadcasting
• Weather forecasting
• Broadcast television
• Digital news streaming
• Investigative journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Television Advertising: Primary revenue through broadcast advertising including local and national commercials aired during news programming and other shows. The station operates as an NBC affiliate, generating advertising revenue from program interruptions and sponsored content.
2. Content Licensing: Revenue from licensing footage from their extensive historical video archive to documentaries, productions, and other entities seeking rare or exclusive video content
3. Digital Advertising: Banner advertisements, sponsored content, and digital marketing services on the station's website and mobile applications

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

KCRA 3 is an NBC-affiliated local television station that produces and broadcasts local news, weather, sports, and community programming for the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto market in Northern California. The station distributes content across over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, its website, mobile apps for iOS and Android, the Very Local streaming platform, and major social media channels. It also licenses historical video footage from its decades-long archive to documentary productions and other media entities.

Product overview

KCRA 3 is a Sacramento-based television news station owned by Hearst Television, serving Northern California with broadcast news, weather, and local content. The station operates as a traditional broadcast television station with a companion digital portfolio consisting of a mobile news app for iOS and Android, a free video streaming channel through the Very Local platform, and original digital content series including Stitch and Matter of Fact. The station also operates a video footage licensing service for archival and documentary use. Live streaming of news broadcasts is available through the NowCast feature on the website and app.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My58: Secondary television station (KQCA-TV) operated by KCRA 3

Products and services

• KCRA 3 News App The official mobile application for KCRA 3 News, providing real-time access to breaking news and weather alerts from the Sacramento news team for iOS and Android devices.
• Video Footage Licensing A video archive licensing service offering historical and current event footage from Sacramento, including tens of thousands of digitized news stories spanning decades, for licensing to documentary filmmakers, productions, and other organizations seeking rare or exclusive regional video content.
• NowCast Live Streaming Live video streaming of KCRA 3 News broadcasts, including the morning show and hourly updates, available on the website and mobile app for on-the-go viewers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NBC (Network Affiliate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCRA 3 operates as an NBC network affiliate, broadcasting NBC programming and contributing local content to the network. This affiliate relationship is the core of the station's broadcast operations and programming schedule.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KTXL-TV (FOX40): Fox-affiliated local broadcast station serving the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto DMA. Directly competes with KCRA 3 for local news audiences, sports coverage, and regional advertising budgets.
• KQCA-TV (My58): MyNetworkTV-affiliated sister station operated by KCRA 3 / Hearst Television in Sacramento. Directly comparable in format, distribution, and ownership structure, and an internal benchmark for KCRA's own operations.
• KVIE (PBS Sacramento): Public broadcaster serving the Sacramento region with local news, documentaries, and original programming. Competes for audience attention and grant/underwriting dollars in the same DMA, though with a nonprofit model.
• KXTV-TV (ABC10): ABC-affiliated television station in the Sacramento market, competing with KCRA 3 across local news, weather, and ad sales. Closely comparable network-affiliate local broadcaster in the same DMA.
• KOVR-TV (CBS13): CBS-affiliated local television station in Sacramento, covering the same DMA and competing head-to-head for viewers, ad spend, and on-air talent. The most direct in-market competitor to KCRA 3.

Others

• Very Local: Hearst Television's free ad-supported streaming platform on which KCRA 3 distributes original series, local news, and on-demand content. An ecosystem partner that extends KCRA 3's reach beyond the broadcast signal.

Regional players

• CapRadio (Sacramento): NPR member station serving the Sacramento region with local news, talk, and music programming. Competes with KCRA 3 for local news audience share and political coverage attention in the Sacramento DMA.
• KPIX-TV (CBS Bay Area): San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose CBS affiliate that overlaps with KCRA 3's Northern California audience, particularly in the Bay Area-adjacent portions of KCRA's DMA. Comparable in market dynamics and California regional news focus.

Broad incumbents

• WBAL-TV: Hearst Television's NBC-affiliated station in Baltimore. Direct sister-station peer sharing resources such as the Washington Hearst Bureau; highly comparable in operating model, network affiliation structure, and digital product stack.
• WCVB-TV: Hearst Television's ABC-affiliated flagship station in Boston. Sister station to KCRA 3 with comparable scale and operating model under the same corporate parent; useful benchmark for station-level economics and digital strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kcranews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-BSVXejMFhhml4V_VyoGxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/KCRA3
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcranews
• TikToktiktok.com/@kcra3news
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/krca-television-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KCRA 3