KFMB-TV held its opening night gala on May 16, 1949 in the Continental Room of the Hotel San Diego. At 8 p.m., Mayor Harley Knox flipped the big switch and the station was on the air. An estimated 50,000 people saw the first show with many crowding around appliance stores as few had TV sets in their homes. News 8's Nicki Pierce returned to the gala venue in 1969 to re-visit opening night. Also shared was the fact the station went from broadcasting 28 hours a week to 133 hours a week 20 years later in 1969. Popular shows like “Monte Hall's Tiny Town Ranch,” “Smokey Roger's Music Telethon,” and “Zoorama” came and went but the one constant was always the newscast. See more from News 8's first 20 years here: kfmb.us/30lRU9i