KTBU goes up for spectrum auction

[Mediafrog+]

Looks like Houston will be losing Mega-TV and KTBU (virtual) Channel 55:

http://www.spanishbroadcasting.com/...ITH-MIAMI-AND-HOUSTON-TELEVISION-STATIONS.pdf

Still no word out of KUBE, which has been frequently mentioned as spectrum bait.

 

[mrtejano]

What is that?

 

[davideduardo]

What is that?

Briefly, TV stations giving up on-air spectrum to be used then by the government to auction off to mobile carriers.

 

[purpledevil]

Turn off The Tube....

Amazing. I did NOT see this one coming. Still expecting KUBE and KYAZ to participate, and if Tribune splits with the CW (no, not that one) we may be seeing an end to the very first independent station in Houston. We shall see. KZJL may be another player, especially since it no longer has cable coverage.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Turn off The Tube....

Amazing. I did NOT see this one coming. Still expecting KUBE and KYAZ to participate

KUBE almost certainly and KYAZ very likely. KUBE's owner is a known spectrum speculator.

if Tribune splits with the CW (no, not that one) we may be seeing an end to the very first independent station in Houston.

I think KIAH will remain on the air, regardless of what Tribune does with The CW affiliation.

KZJL may be another player, especially since it no longer has cable coverage.

I hadn't thought about KZJL, but yes, it has been gone from Comcast cable for almost a year now, and Liberman is known to have financial problems. The payout from the KZJL spectrum would pay a lot of bills. Perhaps Estrella TV could wind up as a subchannel of another station in Houston as it is in a number of other markets, such as Austin.

With SBS selling off the KTBU spectrum, I wonder if they would use the money to purchase more FM stations, such as the Liberman cluster here.

 

[davideduardo]

With SBS selling off the KTBU spectrum, I wonder if they would use the money to purchase more FM stations, such as the Liberman cluster here.

SBS's investors want them to pay down debt. And SBS fairly openly said that they would not buy any more inferior signals after all the problems they had with the late-90's acquisitions that did not do well for them.

 

[mrtejano]

if Tribune splits with the CW (no, not that one)

Lol good one...

 

[mvcg66b3r]

SBS's investors want them to pay down debt. And SBS fairly openly said that they would not buy any more inferior signals after all the problems they had with the late-90's acquisitions that did not do well for them.

Which SBS stations have "inferior signals" ? Which Liberman stations?

 

[davideduardo]

Which SBS stations have "inferior signals" ? Which Liberman stations?

That statement was made in the context of radio, not TV. It was answering the question of whether SBS would use the proceeds of a TV sale to buy more FM signals.

SBS bought a bunch of stations, mostly bad signals, from Amigo Broadcasting in 2000 . Dallas, a Class A in San Francisco, San Antonio etc. They were bad signals and eventually all sold. After that experience, they said no to any more inferior signals. SBS still owns two limited signals in Miami, though.

Every LBI FM signal is either a Class A or a rimshot. He does not own any full market signals. The AMs are either challenged by night coverage or are limited signals day and night.

 

[mikerichardson]

That's really too bad about KUBE.

Looks like it was sold in 2013 to a big speculator group (NRJ TV, LLC) but Titan has continued to operate it. Interestingly, Titan holds a 1/3rd stake in NRJ.

 

[KTN Corp]

Looks like we are going back to pre-1991 OTA lineup once KYAZ goes off the air. Where will Azteca programming end up? Could it go back to KUBE?

I was hoping KZJL would take on KUBE's successful English-language independent format once it's gone. It is a Houston licensed station and is slightly more powerful than the other full powers above 39.

 

[mvcg66b3r]

I was hoping KZJL would take on KUBE's successful English-language independent format once it's gone. It is a Houston licensed station and is slightly more powerful than the other full powers above 39.

KZJL has been in a carriage dispute with Comcast for many months now, and its owner (Liberman Broadcasting) reportedly has financial problems. Liberman could put KZJL in the auction to get some quick cash.

 

[KTN Corp]

KZJL has been in a carriage dispute with Comcast for many months now, and its owner (Liberman Broadcasting) reportedly has financial problems. Liberman could put KZJL in the auction to get some quick cash.

Forgot about the dispute since I cut the cord back in May. (Hate having another bill to keep up with lest your credit report become dinged with late fees! Never ever going to pay for TV again!)

But an interested buyer would probably value KZJL's COL and signal contour more than the auction could pay out. It's the only Houston-licensed station left that is not a Big 6 network station. Would hate to see such a powerful signal go to waste!