[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    70TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOBI-TV/NBC5

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I want to recognize and honor KOBI-
TV/NBC5 in Medford on its 70th anniversary. KOBI went on the air on 
August 1, 1953, and is an integral part of its parent company 
California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc., founded in 1933 by William B. 
Smullin.
  In classic KOBI and ``Oregon Way'' fashion, this TV station is 
celebrating seven decades of public service serving southern Oregon by 
teaming up with the United Way of Jackson County for a ``United in 
Kindness'' campaign.
  This community campaign is gathering stories of kindness, civility, 
generosity, and charity that will be featured throughout this year on 
the air and online.
  What a wonderful example of how KOBI informs and lifts up its 
community. That has been the case since 1953 when Bill Smullin founded 
the station--the first VHF TV station in Oregon. Seventy years later, 
it remains one of the very few locally owned and operated TV stations 
in the United States.
  Bill Smullin's daughter Patricia C. ``Patsy'' Smullin has guided KOBI 
since 1985 as owner and president of California Oregon Broadcasting, 
Inc., Ms. Smullin has earned numerous honors in that time. Among those 
honors are the Chuck Sherman Television Leadership Award from the 
National Association of Broadcasters in recognition of an individual 
demonstrating leadership, service and commitment to local television in 
medium and smaller markets; and the Oregon Association of Broadcasters 
Tom McCall Award for outstanding service to the State and to the 
nation.
  When I am in southern Oregon, for townhalls, community meetings and 
more, I make it a regular practice to come into the KOBI studio. There, 
I can count on a thorough and fair discussion from well-prepared 
interviewers about issues affecting southern Oregon.
  For 70 years, viewers in southern Oregon have been equally able to 
count on KOBI's steadfast commitment to local journalism. I know I 
speak for all those viewers when I say thank you for that commitment 
the past seven decades and here is to many more decades of success.

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