Carolyn Chambers, the founder and CEO of Chambers Communications, which owns four local stations, died Monday after a long fight with cancer. She was 79.
Chambers Communications owns four stations in Oregon — KEZI in Eugene, KOHD in Bend, KDRV in Medford and KDKF in Klamath Falls, which is a semi-satellite of KDRV. All four stations are ABC affiliates. Chambers Communications also owns the Oregon Sports Network.
Chambers first foray into the television business was with KEZI, which she was granted a broadcast license for in 1959. Last December, the station celebrated its 50th anniversary under her leadership.
In a tribute segment (which can be watched here) the station aired after her death, Chambers laughed about the retrospective challenges of the business. “It was probably pretty unusual for me to start a television station 50 years ago,” she said. “I didn’t know any better.”