As always, questions, additions, comments and corrections welcome.
New licenses
Canceled licenses
New programming
Transactions
New construction permits
Construction permit extensions granted
Modifications granted to existing construction permits
Applications not yet granted
Special Temporary Authorizations
New licenses
- K46IL Verde Valley Etc (The Camp Verde TV Club) has been granted a license to cover construction of the station, following displacement from channel 59 and relocation from Squaw Peak to Bradshaw Mountain.
- LPDTV station K57KG-D St. George UT (University of Utah) has been granted a license to cover construction. It is the digital companion channel to K32FQ St. George, and is a translator of KUEN 9 Ogden UT.
- LPDTV station K44JI-D Washington UT (University of Utah) has been granted a license to cover construction. It is the digital companion channel to K47AK Washington, and is a translator of KUED 7 Salt Lake City UT.
- LPDTV station K50KC-D Washington UT (University of Utah) has been granted a license to cover construction. It is the digital companion channel to K51GH Washington, and is a translator of KUEN 9 Ogden UT.
- LPDTV station K17IK-D Hildale UT/Cane Beds AZ (University of Utah) has been granted a license to cover construction. It is the digital companion channel to K06OB Hildale/Cane Beds, and is a translator of KUEN 9 Ogden UT.
Canceled licenses
- The FCC has canceled the license and deleted the call sign for K55EH, AZ-TV's North Mountain translator, due to failure to transmit for a year. KAZT had filed for a second extension of silent authority, but the FCC instead canceled the license.
New programming
- KTNV 13.1 (12) Las Vegas NV (Journal Broadcast Group) launched Mexicanal on channel 13.2 on October 1. I had omitted it from the November report. Mexicanal is a regional network based in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and had signed an agreement with Journal Broadcast Group to carry the channel last March. The channel is planned to air on Journal-owned KGUN as well.
- Liberman Broadcasting has announced the launch of Estrella TV, to go on air sometime in the first quarter of 2009. The service is planned to air on KVPA-LP 42 Phoenix.
Transactions
- Liberman Broadcasting first requested extension of the 90-day period to consummate their purchase of KVPA-LP 42 Phoenix from Latin America Broadcasting on the 18th, then consummated the purchase on the 30th. The station is still silent, and will probably continue to be until Liberman launches Estrella TV sometime during the first quarter.
New construction permits
- K55BW Madera Peak (KSAZ License) has been granted a replacement construction permit to move to channel 22. When licensed, its new call letters will be K22JD.
- Jackalope Broadcasters has been granted a construction permit for a new LPTV station on channel 5 in Flagstaff, given call sign K05MK. The application had been filed during the last filing period in August 2000. Jackalope has never completed construction of any station for which it had been granted a construction permit, and I'm not certain if they're even in business anymore, so I would be surprised if this station gets built.
Construction permit extensions granted
- KFTU-DT 3.1 (36) Douglas (Telefutura Partnership of Douglas) applied for, and has been approved for, post-transition maximization facilities. Although the accompanying signal coverage diagram shows 21 kW ERP, the application is actually for 5 kW, and the diagram shows significantly less coverage than does the 5/14/2008 application for 21 kW maximization. The 21 kW application would have covered area outside the what Mexico had approved earlier, and the 5 kW maximization is fully contained within the approved coverage area, so no further approval will be required. The 21 kW application is still outstanding, and has been changed to 20.5 kW.
Modifications granted to existing construction permits
- KPHE-LD 44.1 (16) Phoenix (Lotus Television of Phoenix) has been granted permission to change the tower from which it plans to broadcast. The station had been approved for the KASW tower, but will now be moving to the KTVK tower, positioned about 10 m lower. Because the change only involves a geographic change of one second longitude and results in an antenna placed lower, no Mexican coordination is needed. No reason was given for the change.
Applications not yet granted
- KFTU-TV 3.1 (36) Douglas (Telefutura Partnership of Douglas) has modified its maximization application to reduce the ERP from 21 kW to 20.5 kW and to correct the antenna rotation from 100 degrees to 20 degrees. As the transmitter location will only be about 10 miles from the Mexican border, the application must get Mexican concurrence before it can be approved.
- KPPX 51.1 Phoenix (America 51 LP [ION Television]) has amended its application to change its license to a shared license with Urban Television LLC, a company founded by Robert L. Johnson, founder and former owner of BET. The amendment is an additional statement urging approval of the application to boost minority ownership of broadcast stations. That's not really what is holding up approval of the application, though. The intent of the shared license is to get both programs mandatory coverage on cable and satellite, which those providers are fighting. I wouldn't doubt that if the multichannel providers could choose between ION OR Urban Television, they'd gladly give another slot to a minority-controlled and -focused television channel.
- Tri-State Broadcasting, winner of the auction for DTV channel 51 in Lake Havasu City, has applied for a construction permit to build a digital companion channel to K23BJ Lake Havasu City, which is, in turn, a translator of KKAX-LP Kingman, also owned by Tri-State. The proposed digital facility is to be 5 kW, with an antenna located on a tower owned by Lake Havasu Christian Television on Goat Hill, site of the other Lake Havasu stations. Unlike the other stations, its broadcast pattern is predicted to serve only the northernmost part of Lake Havasu City, with the main lobe instead directed northward along Hwy 95 past the junction with I-40, which would direct it at the planned community of Sterling.
- KVPA-LP 42 Phoenix (Liberman Broadcasting) has applied for authorization to flash cut to digital. At the time of the application, the sale had not yet been consummated, so permission was needed from the principals of the former Latin America Broadcasting for the application to be filed. The proposal would be for 15 kW and would greatly improve the station's coverage to serve the entire Phoenix metro area.
- Word of God Fellowship (Daystar), winner of the auction for DTV channel 49 in Tucson, has applied for a construction permit to build a digital companion channel to KPCE-LP 29 Tucson. The proposed digital facility is to be co-located with the analog facility on the same tower, broadcasting at 2 kW. The application places the DTV antenna at the same height was the analog antenna, so either the application will need to be amended, or Daystar plans to move the existing analog antenna, or Daystar plans to replace it altogether, in effect, making it a flash cut with channel change.
- KPNX 12.1 Mesa (Multimedia Holdings Corporation [Gannett]) has applied for maximization facilities at 40 kW, a level already approved by the Mexican government. The station still has an outstanding application to maximize at 43 kW, but that is still awaiting Mexican approval. This new application only needs to be approved by the FCC for a CP to be issued.
- K25HU Kingman (Gerald Benevides) has applied for a license to cover a construction permit to move the transmitter site to a mountain near Chloride. The station is to cover Chloride and much of the northern Sacramento Valley, including the entire Golden Valley area. I was never able to receive the station's currently licensed facility in Kingman, so I don't know whether or not this station will actually put out a watchable signal.
- K53IJ Prescott (Gerald Benevides) has applied for a license to cover a construction permit to move the transmitter site to Towers Mountain near Crown King. The station is to cover a mostly uninhabited area south of Prescott, but include
- KAJB-DT 54.1 (36) Calipatria CA (Calipatria Broadcasting) has requested a 6-month extension of time to construct its digital facilities. Due to Mexican coordination issues, the station only received its original digital construction permit last August and ordered its equipment in mid-September. The company supplying its DTV filter informed KAJB that it could not deliver before April 10 and suggested that they look elsewhere. The new supplier is scheduled to deliver around February 6, making a very tight schedule for installation and testing.
- K43FO Las Vegas NV (Three Angels Broadcast Network) has requested flash cut authorization, to be a digital Class A station.
- CCR-St. George IV LLC, winner of the auction for DTV channel 29 in St. George UT, has applied for a construction permit to build a digital companion channel to KDLQ-LP 55 St. George. The proposed station is to be 15 kW.
- K28EA Washington UT (Newport Television) has requested flash cut authorization at 0.25 kW. It is a translator of KTVX via station K18FU-D Rural Beaver County UT.
Special Temporary Authorizations
- The FCC has granted an extension until 2/17/2009 of KTTU's STA to operate the analog facility at 10% power following last September's fire at the transmitter.
- KVPA-LP has filed for a six-month extension of its Silent STA, due to financing issues, i.e., the shutdown of LAT TV. It has not yet been granted, but will become moot once Liberman launches Estrella TV.