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Houston CPB funding

M

Mediafrog+

Congress has voted to chop CPB funding for public broadcasting. A check of numbers from CPB show that KUHF received around $540k in grants and allocations in 2024, while KTSU received around $202k. Meanwhile on thenTV side KUHT received over $1.6M. All this funding gone now? Ouch.đŸ˜”â€đŸ’«đŸ€Ż

cpb.org

About CPB

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was a private, nonprofit corporation established by Congress through the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.As the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting, CPB became the largest single source of funding for public radio...
cpb.org cpb.org
 
Wonder how current Houston Public Media leadership will handle things. The recently departed Lisa Shumate was never hesitant about making tough cuts and staff reductions.

Raised eyebrow for the future of Classical 24 on KUHF HD-2. They already dumped Exponential Radio on the HD-3 in favor of The Vibe simulcast from KTSU.

KTSU is a bigger mystery. I don’t see any way the station is sold or shut down without furious community blowback.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
KTSU is a bigger mystery. I don’t see any way the station is sold or shut down without furious community blowback.
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I don't know about any furious blowback over it. There was barely a whimper when GRN took over the long-standing KCOH over a decade ago. "The Vibe", given the Madd Hatta's past relationship with Urban One, may just end up on a subchannel of The Boxx or Magic. Then again, it may just go away entirely.
 
rosecitymedia said:
I don't know about any furious blowback over it. There was barely a whimper when GRN took over the long-standing KCOH over a decade ago.
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Though the original KCOH programming moved to a lease on 1230 after GRN took over 1430. The biggest effect was that all those longtime listeners needed copious amounts of WD-40 and a socket wrench to move their radio dial off of 1430 after all those decades.đŸ€Ł But yes, the original KCOH was eventually banished to an FM HD subchannel before going online only.

There were the “new KCOH” ripoffs that followed on 880, 1520, 1230 and finally 1380, but I suspect the audience was microscopic.

KTSU pulls numbers in the ones, so it has some audience. And Texas Southern University is still a pillar of the African American community. I’d be stunned if KTSU went away, but these are not normal times.
 
b-turner said:
The problem with the 'new KCOH' was no emphasis on sales when at KYND.
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Wasn’t that called “Synergy Radio”? Pretty much a recreation of the legacy KCOH without the call letter branding. The same group bounced around the dial until winding up on 1230, which conveniently still retained the KCOH call, acquired after the 1430 flip to KSHJ.
 
rosecitymedia said:
I don't know about any furious blowback over it. There was barely a whimper when GRN took over the long-standing KCOH over a decade ago. "The Vibe", given the Madd Hatta's past relationship with Urban One, may just end up on a subchannel of The Boxx or Magic. Then again, it may just go away entirely.
Click to expand...
KTSU is a staple for many of Houston's more affluent African American listeners. The blowback will probably be loud, but small and brief if KTSU has to become an automated robot.

If push comes to shove and they have to sell their license, I can definitely see Urban One giving KTSU an outlet as a good will gesture.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
Wasn’t that called “Synergy Radio”?
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I recall KYND only going by "1520 KYND". The Synergy Radio brand was used when occupying 880 for sure.
Mediafrog+ said:
Pretty much a recreation of the legacy KCOH without the call letter branding. The same group bounced around the dial until winding up on 1230, which conveniently still retained the KCOH call, acquired after the 1430 flip to KSHJ.
Click to expand...
It was either that or the KCOH calls likely ending up in some town like San Saba.
 
BamaTX said:
KTSU is a staple for many of Houston's more affluent African American listeners.
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Yes it is. Hopefully, some of them are willing to donate some of that affluence towards Texas Southern.
BamaTX said:
The blowback will probably be loud, but small and brief if KTSU has to become an automated robot.
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I doubt it goes full automation at 90.9. Much more likely as an HD subchannel, obviously. Loud it may be, and I'm sure there would be certain local politicians making sure they are on Fox 26 or ABC 13 to voice their displeasure and tell viewers how they're not just going to stand by and let it happen, but let's face it. Texas Southern isn't going to cover the additional money needed to replace what's currently being lost.
BamaTX said:
If push comes to shove and they have to sell their license, I can definitely see Urban One giving KTSU an outlet as a good will gesture.
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Oh, no doubt. "The Vibe" is solid and, like we've both now said, likely to end up an HD subchannel on 97.9, 102, or even The Eagle duo. However, KTSU itself is basically a goner unless the university finds some donor(s) willing to invest in the continued operation of the actual facility.
 
rosecitymedia said:
Oh, no doubt. "The Vibe" is solid and, like we've both now said, likely to end up an HD subchannel on 97.9, 102, or even The Eagle duo. However, KTSU itself is basically a goner unless the university finds some donor(s) willing to invest in the continued operation of the actual facility.
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KBXX and KMJQ have HD-3 theoretically available. For the other three Urban One properties they’d have to use a HD-4.

Wonder who might buy KTSU? Good signal for the area’s urban core but can be spotty in the outer suburbs and exurbs. Suppose TSU could lease out the current tower.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
Wonder who might buy KTSU? Good signal for the area’s urban core but can be spotty in the outer suburbs and exurbs. Suppose TSU could lease out the current tower.
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I'm sure the KSBJ people would love it for Worship 24/7. Could also be good for the KHCB AM to go on and they sell the 101.5 translator. Or maybe KJIC would want it but there's a lot of overlap. Would be kind of interesting if they had a 90.5, 90.7, & 90.9.

Any option would definitely be worse than losing The Vibe.
 
HTX said:
I'm sure the KSBJ people would love it for Worship 24/7.
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Not a bad idea, and they could shut down or sell K217GB. If KSBJ owned both perhaps the 91.3 translator could be moved or re-engineered for better coverage, assuming HMG waived any concerns over channel spacing. But the same programming on both wouldn’t make sense.
HTX said:
Could also be good for the KHCB AM to go on and they sell the 101.5 translator.
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Also not a bad idea. Might mean they could dump 1400 AM along with the translator.
HTX said:
Or maybe KJIC would want it but there's a lot of overlap. Would be kind of interesting if they had a 90.5, 90.7, & 90.9.
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Perhaps the wrong transmitter location given the format. Have long thought that KAFR 88.3 would be the perfect geographic counterpart for a simulcast of KJIC. Gotta pry it away from American Family Radio.

Too bad KTSU is pretty much “treed in” on 90.9. Very little leeway to move the transmitter or upgrade the signal.
 
Sounds like KEDT in Corpus Christi is in pretty rough shape. Could KUHF (or Texas Public Radio, for that matter) be in a better position to pay the power bill on 90.7 Victoria?
 
Forgive the ignorance here, but is Channel 8 still housed in the former KNUZ 39 studio building on Cullen Blvd.?
 
rosecitymedia said:
Forgive the ignorance here, but is Channel 8 still housed in the former KNUZ 39 studio building on Cullen Blvd.?
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Houston Public Media is based in the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting located in the NE corner of the UofH campus. Building opened in 2000, IIRC. Nice facility when I last was in there a little over a decade ago.

www.houstonpublicmedia.org

Map and Directions | Houston Public Media

Houston Public Media is located in the LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting, in the northeastern corner of the University of Houston campus.
www.houstonpublicmedia.org www.houstonpublicmedia.org

AFAIK the old KNUZ/39 building is still there but has been heavily renovated for other purposes.
 


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