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It all started in September 1953, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C. reserved television channel 2 for the East Bay.

Channel Two, Inc., a group of business leaders headquartered in the Central Bank Building, had been instrumental in seeking a television outlet in Oakland.

A similar quest by a different group had begun much earlier. In 1940, William Dorsey Pabst (photo), manager of KFRC-AM, and Ward Ingrim had applied for the TV broadcast license on behalf of the Don Lee Broadcasting System.

But the FCC decided to postpone issuing any new licenses until World War II ended. Then Pabst faced a challenge from the powerful Knowland family, publishers of the Oakland Tribune. The power struggle ended with Pabst winning control by lobbying hard in Washington, DC and making deals with his challengers.

By July 1957, the FCC approved the license, and planning began for KTVU's debut the following year. Pabst left KFRC, and became General Manager of San Francisco-Oakland Television, Inc.

Pabst said KTVU's call letters were not selected for any particular reason. He explained: "We selected them from those available west of the Mississippi."