KION, the CBS affiliate serving Monterey, California, and owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company, has ceased its local news operations. According to sources and social media posts, the announcement was made to employees on September 24, 2025, catching them by surprise as they arrived for their regular workday. The number of affected employees remains unclear.
KION's ownership also includes KMUV, a low-power station functioning as the market’s Telemundo affiliate. Instead of broadcasting its own locally-produced newscasts, KION will now air content directly from KPIX, a CBS-owned station in San Francisco, California. In parallel, KMUV will entirely discontinue the Spanish-language newscasts previously produced for them by KION. "KION will simulcast KPIX’s newscasts."
CBS Stations has pledged to enhance coverage of the Central California region, encompassing Monterey and surrounding areas. "In an announcement CBS Stations committed to boosting coverage of the Central California region, including Monterey and its surrounds."
As a smaller market, Monterey's ABC and NBC affiliations are held by Heart Television’s KSBW, which also produces local news. Following KION's decision, "Hearst is now the only local newsroom producing English-language local TV news." Entravision Communications’ KSMS continues to produce local news in Spanish for the market. The reasons behind NPG’s decision remain unknown. It "was not clear why NPG opted to shut down local news," although this development coincides with a challenging period for many local stations, particularly in smaller markets, struggling with viewership and advertising revenue amid shifting media consumption habits and economic pressures.
NPG has not offered any official comment on its decision to close the local newsroom. "NPG did not comment on its decision to shutter the local newsroom."