What KDKA 1020 does

KDKA 1020 is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast station serving the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania metropolitan area and Western Pennsylvania, operating under CBS Broadcasting Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA). The station traces its origins to 1920, when KDKA radio launched as one of the first commercial radio stations in the United States, and now operates a multi-platform distribution footprint that includes over-the-air broadcast television (KDKA-TV channel 2), a secondary channel (WPKD-TV / KDKA+), AM radio (KDKA 1020 AM), and digital streaming via the CBS News Pittsburgh website and mobile app. Its core product is local news, weather, and sports coverage, supplemented by program modules including First Alert Weather (with Code Red and Code Purple alerts), the KDKA Investigations unit, Pittsburgh Today Live, Talk Pittsburgh, the Weather Watcher Network, and the KDKA Turkey Fund community initiative. The station covers Pittsburgh professional and collegiate sports teams including the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, Pitt Panthers, and Riverhounds, and provides access to national CBS programming such as 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, CBS Evening News, and CBS Mornings.

KDKA 1020's business model is advertising- and sponsorship-driven, as is standard for commercial broadcast stations. The station does not sell discrete products or services to end users; instead, it monetizes audience reach across TV, radio, and digital channels through local and regional ad sales. Audience segmentation is horizontal and geography-based, targeting Pittsburgh metro viewers and listeners as the primary segment, with a secondary persona focus on local sports fans. Distribution is conducted through direct (over-the-air, digital streaming) and channel-partnered (CBS News network, Paramount+ integration) routes. The station also maintains a multi-channel marketing presence on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, email newsletters, and mobile push notifications to extend reach and drive audience engagement.

The station does not operate as an independent commercial entity; it functions as an operating asset within the CBS News local station division of Paramount Global. Strategic positioning emphasizes brand legacy, regulatory spectrum access (FCC broadcast licenses for channel 2 and 1020 AM), integration with the broader CBS News content ecosystem, and cross-promotion of Paramount+ subscription streaming. No standalone financial disclosures, M&A activity, funding rounds, or leadership changes are documented for the local station, reflecting its embedded status within the parent conglomerate's portfolio.

Name

KDKA 1020

Legal name

CBS Broadcasting Inc.

Website

https://kdka.cbslocal.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KDKA 1020 is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, owned by CBS Broadcasting Inc. (a Paramount Global subsidiary), delivering local news, weather, and sports coverage across TV, radio, and digital streaming to the Pittsburgh metropolitan audience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television and Radio News

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF)

Keywords

• Local broadcast news
• Television news station
• News radio station
• Weather forecasting service
• Investigative journalism

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KDKA 1020 is a CBS-affiliated local broadcast media station serving the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, operating television (KDKA-TV), AM radio (KDKA 1020 AM), and digital streaming channels. It produces and distributes local news, severe weather forecasting (First Alert Weather), investigative journalism (KDKA Investigations), sports coverage of Pittsburgh professional and collegiate teams, and lifestyle programming. Revenue is generated through advertising and sponsorships sold to local and regional advertisers.

Product overview

KDKA 1020 (KDKA-TV) is a CBS-affiliated television station serving the Pittsburgh market. The station operates a platform-plus-modules architecture consisting of its core broadcast product (KDKA-TV) delivering local news, weather, and sports, supplemented by the secondary channel KDKA+ (WPKD-TV), the First Alert Weather service for weather forecasting, the KDKA Investigations unit for investigative journalism, Pittsburgh Today Live as a morning lifestyle show, the Weather Watcher Network for community-based weather reporting, and the KDKA Turkey Fund as a charitable initiative. The station covers Pittsburgh-area professional sports teams including the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and Pitt, along with local high school sports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KDKA-TV (CBS Pittsburgh) CBS-affiliated over-the-air television station serving the Pittsburgh market on channel 2, delivering local breaking news, weather coverage, investigative journalism, and sports reporting to Pittsburgh metropolitan area households.
• KDKA 1020 AM Radio AM radio station KDKA 1020 providing news, talk, and sports programming to the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, accessible via traditional radio receivers and streaming.
• KDKA+ (WPKD-TV) Secondary broadcast channel operated by KDKA-TV offering additional programming and a separate content schedule alongside the main CBS Pittsburgh broadcast.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Paramount+coreGTM or Marketing PartnerKDKA content and CBS News Pittsburgh programming is integrated with Paramount+ streaming platform. The station promotes Paramount+ as part of its digital ecosystem and the relationship drives viewership and subscriber referrals.
• CBS NewscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKDKA operates as a CBS News affiliate with access to national CBS programming including 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings, and breaking news coverage. The station streams CBS News 24/7 content.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WJZ-TV: CBS-owned station in Baltimore, a fellow CBS O&O local news station under Paramount Global serving a different mid-Atlantic market; comparable operating model, content structure, and Paramount affiliation economics to KDKA.
• WBZ-TV / CBS Boston: CBS-owned station in Boston, another CBS O&O with a comparable local news, weather, and sports franchise portfolio under the same Paramount umbrella; useful benchmark for CBS local-station valuation and operations.
• WTAW / KDKA sister stations (Paramount CBS O&O group): The broader Paramount Global CBS owned-and-operated station group (e.g., WCBS-TV New York, KCBS-TV Los Angeles, WBBM-TV Chicago) operates under the same affiliate economics, content distribution pipeline, and corporate strategy that KDKA benefits from.
• WUSA9: CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. (Tegna-owned), offering the same network programming as KDKA plus local news competition; useful benchmark for large-market CBS affiliate economics outside the O&O group.

Direct peers

• WPGH-TV / WPNT-TV: FOX and MyNetworkTV affiliates in the Pittsburgh market (Sinclair Broadcast Group), competing for the same local ad budgets and sports/news viewers; comparable over-the-air + digital distribution model.
• WPXI-TV: NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh (DMA #23) competing head-to-head with KDKA for local news, weather, and sports audiences and the same pool of Pittsburgh advertisers. Directly comparable on distribution (over-the-air + streaming), content mix (news/weather/sports), and target market.
• KYW Newsradio 1060: All-news AM radio station in Philadelphia, also part of the Audacy/CBS News Radio network — essentially KDKA 1020 AM's closest analog in another top-10 U.S. market, with identical news-talk-sports format and ad model.
• WTAE-TV: ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh (Hearst Television) competing directly with KDKA for local news ratings, weather coverage, and Steelers/Penguins/Pirates sports rights in the same DMA. Closely aligned business model and audience target.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KDKA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/CBSPittsburgh
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBSPittsburgh
• Instagraminstagram.com/CBSPittsburgh
• TikToktiktok.com/@cbspittsburgh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kdka-1020

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 KDKA 1020