percent purchase of WAFT-TV on September 1967, with a call sign change to WKBF-TV; Kaiser also announced plans to launch a network among their station group by late 1970, with programs produced by stations within the Kaiser chain as the backbone. WKBF-TV was the first full-fledged independent station in Cleveland proper but the fourth full-power UHF station in the entire market, joining Akron's WAKR-TV, Canton's WJAN-TV, and NET member station WVIZ. Kaiser intended to have January 2, 1968, as WKBF-TV's launch date. This was the same date that KBHK-TV would sign on, and it was planned that senior Kaiser executives attend opening events in San Francisco and Cleveland on the same day. As late as December 29, WKBF ran newspaper advertisements proclaiming, "it happens this week on channel 61". While KBHK-TV signed on as scheduled, WKBF's launch would be repeatedly delayed due to inclement weather, in particular wind and extreme cold that prevented the completion of the transmitter tower and hookup to the electrical grid. A combination wind and sleet storm the weekend of January 13–14, 1968, pushed back the sign-on date by another week, as the tower was covered in ice. Channel 61 finally signed on with a test pattern on the evening of January 19, 1968, commencing regular telecasting the following day. Local programming Kaiser committed to a substantial investment into local productions, not just at WKBF-TV, but throughout the entire chain, a practice largely appropriated from Metromedia's station group. The company invested over $36 million (equivalent to $ in ) into UHF broadcasting by 1968; a credo attributed to Henry J. Kaiser, "find a need and fill it", became the company slogan. General manager Jay Q. Berkson described this commitment as "...Kaiser (intending) to add a new dimension to local television ... TV should entertain, inform and enlighten its viewers". Kaiser's plans to network the most successfully locally-produced shows from their station group distinguished their efforts from the United Network, which failed after one month of operation. Likewise, WKBF-TV carried weekly programs hosted by Hy Lit from Philadelphia and Lou Gordon from Detroit. Gordon's show, in particular, would be carried over the entire Kaiser group. WKBF-TV's first local program began along with the station: a Saturday night panel discussion/talk show hosted by veteran radio host Alan Douglas, which was immediately picked up by KBHK-TV (and had originally been intended for that station's inaugural lineup). Titled The Alan