• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Any updates on Channel 53 in Galesburg?

I

Iowan

According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven"). It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus. But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today. In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon". That was the last I heard about the un-named station. If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know. I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....
 
Iowan said:
According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven"). It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus. But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today. In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon". That was the last I heard about the un-named station. If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know. I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....
Click to expand...

Very little info. Normally, the construction permit would have expired 3 years after it was granted, or on 7/20/2010, but the FCC has extended the CP until 8/16/2012. Although the station's virtual channel is 53, if you receive signals OTA, make sure your VHF antenna is in good shape, because they will transmit on channel 8, assuming they do get on the air. Call letters have not yet been selected; the station is still known by its default call sign, 19951215KK. Yes, it's been over 15 years since Northwest first applied for the station.

The delay in approving the CP came because in July 2001, after the FCC awarded the permit to Northwest, Quad Cities Television Acquisition Corp began filing opposition to the grant, and continued fighting for six years.
 
dhett said:
Iowan said:
According to a Quad City Times article, there was supposed to be a channel 53 signing on the air come September 2001 (ten days before "nine-eleven"). It was supposed to provide the Quad Cities with UPN as well as local sports and Iowa Hawkeyes telecasts from ESPN Plus. But a petition from KLJB/KGWB blocked the sign-on, and it's still off the air as of today. In 2007, the FCC finally approved the CP for the channel owned by Northwest Television, but that we shouldn't "expect to see it on the air anytime soon". That was the last I heard about the un-named station. If anyone knows how I can contact someone about this, please let me know. I really do wish Channel 53 would sign on the air sooner rather than later....
Click to expand...

Very little info. Normally, the construction permit would have expired 3 years after it was granted, or on 7/20/2010, but the FCC has extended the CP until 8/16/2012. Although the station's virtual channel is 53, if you receive signals OTA, make sure your VHF antenna is in good shape, because they will transmit on channel 8, assuming they do get on the air. Call letters have not yet been selected; the station is still known by its default call sign, 19951215KK. Yes, it's been over 15 years since Northwest first applied for the station.

The delay in approving the CP came because in July 2001, after the FCC awarded the permit to Northwest, Quad Cities Television Acquisition Corp began filing opposition to the grant, and continued fighting for six years.
Click to expand...

The permit's been around long enough that they WERE assigned a digital channel, correct?
 
The analog would have been 67 and the digital was to have been 53 before the transition. Now it's going to be on 8, should it be built.

- Trip
 
Well, then...Let's hope the transmitter's built before that date! As for what to air, here are some programming suggestions for the station that are available:

-- Cold Case Files
-- Cookie Jar [E/I] (last seen on KGCW and WBQD 'til 2007)
-- South Park (last seen on KLJB 'til 2010)
 
Digital channel vs virtual channel

Wait a minute! The Galesburg station can't broadcast on channel 8 -- that's where WQAD is.

And if anyone has any more programming suggestions for the channel (that is, anything that's NOT currently on any other QC station)...
 
Re: Digital channel vs virtual channel

Iowan said:
Wait a minute! The Galesburg station can't broadcast on channel 8 -- that's where WQAD is.
Click to expand...

WQAD is on RF channel 38. They transmit a "virtual channel table" that tells your TV to tell you they're on channel 8, but they aren't really on channel 8.

(hope that makes sense)

The new Galesburg station, should it be built, will transmit a virtual channel table that will tell your TV to tell you they're on channel -- well, I'd have to think about that. Either 53 or 67. Probably 67.
 
If they are on RF 8, per ATSC rule and thus FCC law normally the station would have to use the virtual 8's RF, so 38.

But the presence of an older analog alignment (67) might confuse that issue.
 
What about network affiliation?

Channel 53 was supposed to be affiliated with UPN with it's planned September 2001 sign-on. However, UPN would come to an end five years later, which begs the question: What will the station be when it finally comes on the air? Will it take The CW away from KGCW? Will it take My Network TV away from WBQD? Or will it just be independent?
 
Raymie said:
If they are on RF 8, per ATSC rule and thus FCC law normally the station would have to use the virtual 8's RF, so 38.

But the presence of an older analog alignment (67) might confuse that issue.
Click to expand...

The ATSC standard you're thinking of would apply if the RF 8 assignment were a brand-new one made after the digital transition. But in this case, Galesburg was already assigned in the analog table, so its analog channel would become its new virtual channel.

In this particular case, 38, 53 and 67 would all work, since there's no possibility of a conflicting assignment for any of those virtual channels, RF 38 already being used by virtual 8 and 53 and 67 being out of core.
 
Re: Digital channel vs virtual channel

w9wi said:
The new Galesburg station, should it be built, will transmit a virtual channel table that will tell your TV to tell you they're on channel -- well, I'd have to think about that. Either 53 or 67. Probably 67.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure it would be 67. It should be 67. Violations are not unheardof.

67, because that's the last (only) channel on which the station was ever authorized to transmit an analog signal. See Scott's reply.

Iowan: I don't think there's any way of knowing what they'll run. There may not be a My Network TV by the time the FCC gets around to finalizing this permit.....
 
Well, here are some ideas as to what they could run:

A. The Program Exchange library of classic TV shows
B. The Daily Buzz (Is that still on the air?)
C. Local news (best bets: WHBF, KWQC, INN)
D. Did I mention South Park?
E. Degrassi repeats (previously shown on WBQD)
F. Among the sitcoms we were supposed to see on here in 2001 were Coach and Fresh Prince (both previously on KLJB). WQAD occassionally airs the former on weekends when no ABC programming (usually sports) is on, and I don't know if the latter is still available...

I'm sure if anyone really thought about it, there could be a full day's worth of programming on channel 8/53/67!
 
Iowan said:
WHY did they do that!? I can't believe they DID that! Do they WANT to go on the air at all or WHAT?
Click to expand...
Why did they do what? Filing a modification to their CP?

That won't change anything. They still have to build to the old specs until the FCC approves the new. The permit doesn't expire until August 2012. I wouldn't count on seeing the station before then.
 
Iowan said:
WHY did they do that!? I can't believe they DID that! Do they WANT to go on the air at all or WHAT?
Click to expand...

They did that because they wanted to go on the air...

Their construction permit was for channel 53. That's outside core -- it's no longer television spectrum. They couldn't build that facility.*

They got the FCC to amend their channel assignment from 53 to 8. 8 is inside core - they can legally operate on channel 8. This application is to implement the channel change.


* well, I suppose they could, but the FCC wouldn't let them turn on the transmitter!
 
Well, I do hope the station signs on sometime between now and August 2012 (preferably now). There are several programs that could call it home! Is South Park still in syndicated repeats? Also, any other programming suggestions are welcome as well...
 
Hey, wasn't channel 53 supposed to be operated by Second Generation Of Iowa which also owns KFXA? Maybe the station could reach a deal with KGAN for a newscast, although KWQC and WHBF are probably the best choices...
 
Where in the country is Northwest Television?

Does anyone know where this Northwest Television is located? Do they have a website or an E-mail address?
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom