From the 1951 edition of Television Factbook is a listing of applicants to the FCC for new TV station licenses. The channel number applied for appears after the applicants address.
retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening
KIRO originally applied for Channel 11 according to this info.
Bing Crosby and KJR radio, among others applying for tv channels back in 1951. What might have been…