A construction permit for channel 2, Portland's last available channel allocation on the VHF band, was issued to Fisher's Blend Station, Inc., (later known as Fisher Communications) in 1958. However, KATU did not begin broadcasting until March 15, 1962, originally operating as an independent station. For its entire history, it has operated from a converted laundry on NE Sandy Boulevard; it is the only one of the original five full-power stations in Portland that still operates from its original studio. The station's transmitter was originally located atop Livingston Mountain, about NNE of Camas, Washington.