The two stations share studios on KOVR Drive in West Sacramento; KMAX-TV's transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California.

During this time, two groups looked at using channel 31 for over-the-air subscription television, but after Tandem Productions and Jerry Perenchio acquired it in 1980, they decided not to enter the competitive market and immediately sold.

In 1966, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received two applications to build a new television station in Sacramento on ultra high frequency (UHF) channel 15.

[13] KMUV-TV's attempts to get on the air were noteworthy for causing a dispute that almost led the FCC to deny the license renewal of its principal competitor, KTXL (channel 40).

KTXL owner Camellia City Telecasters submitted a pleading containing what purported to be a telex message from Dun & Bradstreet claiming he was an officer of the company after having previously been convicted of income tax evasion though he was merely a general manager.

[14] In 1975, Grayson Television sued Camellia City for $7.5 million, claiming the filing was an attempt to prevent KMUV-TV from being constructed.

The Pappas family—owners of KMPH-TV in Visalia and radio stations—announced plans to switch channel 31 to a station focusing primarily on Spanish-language programming as well as shows catering to other ethnic groups,[17] which took effect on May 3.

[21] Beginning in 1978, a series of potential ownership deals could have seen channel 31 become an over-the-air subscription television (STV) station for Sacramento.

[22] The deal never panned out, though in July 1980, the FCC approved the $7.7 million acquisition of KMUV-TV by Tandem Productions and Jerry Perenchio, who likewise wished to offer a subscription service over channel 31.

[24] Within months of buying KMUV-TV, Tandem and Perenchio decided not to build it as a subscription station in the face of heavy competition from cable television and MDS microwave distribution systems.

[37] Two years after relaunching channel 31, Koplar added a local 10 p.m. newscast to the station's schedule, a small effort hosted by Gary Lindsey (previously of KSBW in Salinas).

Its lead female anchor was Christine Craft, who had made headlines for an age and sex discrimination lawsuit against her prior employer, KMBC-TV in Kansas City.

[43] When original sports director Rich Gould left KRBK-TV for KPLR-TV in 1987, he was replaced by Grant Napear, who moved from WAND in Decatur, Illinois.

Expensive programming purchases accelerated a spiral of borrowing that had begun with the KRBK-TV acquisition in 1981 but was masked by the solid performance of KPLR-TV in St.

[53][54] Broadcasting magazine reported in February that syndicators, who supply television programs, were meeting to review Koplar's indebtedness as well as a rumor that KRBK-TV was up for sale along with a second Sacramento-market independent station, KSCH-TV (channel 58), to be packaged together for possible consolidation.

[55] The Tribune Company negotiated to acquire the two stations, but talks—prolonged by syndicators' objections to proposed concessions and contract forgiveness[56]—fell through after ten months.

[57][58] The $22 million acquisition[59] closed in July 1994, at which time Pappas imposed a new dress code on station employees that prohibited women from wearing slacks.

[64] In preparation for the switch, 31 News moved in September 1994 from its double-half-hour format at 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., putting it back into competition with KTXL and KSCH, and introduced weekend reports.

Paramount was the half-owner of The WB's primary competitor, UPN, and the purchase was immediately seen as portending an affiliation switch for the station.

[73][74] Paramount's corporate parent, Viacom, paid for KPWB-TV at a purchase price exceeding $100 million[75] with proceeds from the sale of WVIT, the NBC affiliate it owned in Connecticut, to that network.

Broadcasting & Cable reported that Paramount pursued the station because it had become aware that UPN's existing Sacramento-market affiliate, KQCA, planned not to renew.

It simultaneously changed its call sign to KMAX-TV (the first choice of KSUN-TV being unavailable[77]), instituted early prime time for UPN programming (7–9 p.m. instead of 8–10 p.m.), and restored the 9 p.m. news hour that had been successful prior to WB affiliation.

[80] On August 14, 1998, KMAX-TV aired its final evening newscast after twelve and a half years and moved UPN programming to a traditional 8–10 p.m. schedule.

The next year, it shut down the entire local news operation at WTOG-TV in St. Petersburg, Florida,[85] and proceeded to do so at KSTW serving Seattle.

On May 5, 2023, CBS announced that it would exercise that right, with KMAX-TV ceasing to air the network's programming at the end of August and reverting to an independent station;[99] the CW affiliation moved to KQCA.

[101] The formula of weather and traffic, entertainment, and personality drew viewers;[102] by early 1998, it had tripled its market share to become the second-highest-rated morning program on Sacramento television, behind NBC's Today.

[103] Originally three hours in duration from 6 to 9 a.m., Good Day Sacramento moved its start time up to 5:30 a.m. in August 1998, coinciding with the end of evening newscasts.

The first version, Good Evening Sacramento—hosted by Mark S. Allen, a reporter for the day program who joined shortly after launch,[102] and Gary Gelfand—aired for several months in 2001.