Bend reaches a milestone this week with the planned launch Thursday of KBNZ-TV, a local CBS affiliate.

For the first time, the city will have affiliates for all four of the nation’s major television networks: ABC (KOHD-TV), Fox (KFXO-TV), NBC (KTVZ-TV) and CBS.

Once solely the mark of a major metropolitan area, having the four is indicative of both Bend’s growth and the growth of television, said Al Stavitsky, a professor and senior associate dean of the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication.

“It used to be fairly common that small cities didn’t have all the major networks but these days it’s fairly rare (not to have them), so this really is a milestone for Bend and, in some way, a graduation to significant market status in broadcasting,” Stavitsky said.

Bend is the nation’s 18th-smallest television market, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The station’s launch is good news for local businesses who may want to advertise on CBS shows, five of which — including the top-rated show, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” and “Criminal Minds” — are currently among the top 10 rated shows in the country, according to Nielsen.

But it’s also likely to mean fewer advertising dollars to go around, compounded by the state of the economy, Stavitsky said.

“The big question right now is advertising, especially now when TV ads are already starting to slip and one can only expect them to slip more with the economic downturn,” Stavitsky said.

The arrival of KBNZ — which is owned by Los Angeles-based New Vision Television — also could have implications for the High Desert’s satellite television customers. DirecTV and the Dish Network do not rebroadcast local television broadcasts to many of their customers in the region due to technical and financial considerations, said John Baker, owner of Para-Tech Satellite Systems in Bend.

But now that the Bend market has affiliates for all four of the major networks, it should be more attractive to the two satellite providers, Baker said.

“I do think it will alter the (equation), but having said that, I think their plates are pretty full with the digital conversion … so I don’t feel there will be a really strong push to get this done right away in this area,” Baker said.

DirecTV and the Dish Network could not be reached for comment.

Jerry Upham, KOHD’s general manager, said the addition of the CBS affiliate is likely to help the efforts of KOHD and its parent company, Eugene-based Chambers Communications Corp., in persuading the satellite companies to rebroadcast Bend’s channels, but he agreed that it isn’t likely to occur anytime soon.

Bend’s newest station

KBNZ is operating from an office in The Old Mill District, said Dave Ulrickson, interim station manager. It already has a staff of eight, including one reporter, Brittney Hopper, who previously reported for KTVZ.

Ulrickson said the station will start small, with Hopper producing three to five local stories a day that will be uploaded to KBNZ’s sister station, KOIN-TV in Portland, and run during that station’s nightly newscasts. Local stories are expected to begin airing Thursday.

KOIN, which also is owned by New Vision, is delivered in Bend via BendBroadband, which also carries KVAL-TV, the CBS affiliate in Eugene.

John Farwell, vice president of operations for BendBroadband, said BendBroadband will cease carrying KVAL as of Jan. 1.

Ulrickson hopes that by next summer, KBNZ will have a studio built in its current facility and be able to conduct a full local news broadcast. It also plans, however, to carry KOIN’s daily newscasts because New Vision studies show Central Oregon residents like watching Portland news, Ulrickson said.

“Lots of people want Portland news … so we’ll always have that,” Ulrickson said.

As for advertising dollars, Ulrickson believes there will be plenty to spread around among the four stations and the region’s other advertising mediums.

“I think we have definitely some strong programming, and the feedback I’ve had in talking to different advertisers has been very exciting,” Ulrickson said.

Upham said it’s no longer unusual for smaller television markets to have all four network affiliates, but he noted Bend is one of the smallest to have all four. Upham isn’t too concerned about his new competition, but he acknowledged that it ultimately could hurt advertising.

“Initially, I don’t expect that their local news and programming will have a large impact on the market,” Upham said. “However, any time there is another player, it definitely impacts the local advertising pie.”

KBNZ will be viewable on BendBroadband Channel 6 and, for some customers, in high definition on Channel 606. KBNZ also will be viewable over the air on Channel 7.

Station sign-on dates

KTVZ-TV (NBC): 1977

KFXO-TV (Fox): 1993

KOHD-TV (ABC): 2006

KBNZ-TV (CBS): 2008