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Duluth, MN TV chronology

Mr Tony

Mr Tony

1953
WFTV channel 38 (ABC primary, CBS, NBC, Dumont Secondary) signs on

1954
KDAL Channel 3 (NBC Primary, ABC Seconday) signs on
WDSM Channel 6 (CBS Primary, ABC Seconday) signs on
WFTV Channel 38 drops CBS and NBC Secondary....then goes belly up later in the year

1955
KDAL Channel 3 switched to CBS (still keeps ABC Secondary)
WDSM Channel 6 switches to NBC (still keeps ABC Secondary)

1964
WDSE Channel 8 (PBS) signs on

1966
WDIO Channel 10 (ABC) signs on
KDAL and WDSM drop ABC Secondary

1974
WDSM changes to KBJR

1979
KDAL changes to KDLH

1986
Fox Network starts. No OTA presence. Cable gets FoxNet

1994
KNLD channel 21 (IND) signs on
WDIO channel 10 adds Fox secondary affiliate for NFL games as there is no Fox OTA in Duluth

1996
KDLH channel 3 adds Fox as secondary
WDIO channel 10 drops Fox secondary

1998
KNLD channel 21 becomes KQDS
KDLH channel 3 drops Fox secondary affiliation
KBJR channel 6 picks up secondary Fox affiliation (mainly sports and some shows that are shown late night)

1999
KQDS channel 21 switches to Fox
KBJR channel 6 drops Fox secondary

2000
KDUL-LP channel 12 (UPN primary, AIN secondary) signs on.

2001
KDUL-LP channel 12 signs off
KBJR channel 6 adds UPN as secondary (they show only a couple of shows real late at night)

2002
KBJR channel 6 adds subchannel of UPN to -2. Previously UPN was piped in on cable via KMSP Minneapolis. When KMSP and now co-owned WFTC switched affiliates (KMSP got Fox, WFTC got My) cable dropped KMSP and added KBJR-DT2. KBJR drops UPN secondary affiliation

2006
KDLH adds CW as a subchannel. previously its was cable only WB100+
KBJR changes UPN subchannel to My Network

2009 Digital Transition
All analog broadcasts cease. The following list shows the station's physical digital channel in parentheses and subcarriers in italics.

KDLH channel 3 (33) 3-2 CW+
KBJR channel 6 (19) 6-2 My Network
WDSE channel 8 (8) 8-2 PBS West, 8-3 Create, 8-4 Minnesota Network
WDIO channel 10 (10) 10-2 MeTV
KQDS channel 21 (17)

KCWV Channel 27 signs on with religious, changes to The Walk in 2012 and now is AMGTV
 
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Nice write-up. Let's hear from some more markets on their chronologies! :)
 
Where was the channel 10 allocation prior to being activated in Duluth by WDIO, or did the court battle drag on that long among competing Duluth applicants?
 
I'll add a subsection for Hibbing/Chisholm/Grand Rapids, MN also known as the Iron Range. They are in the Duluth market but are about 60-70 miles away from Duluth so they have satellite stations and translators. Most of the areas there were (up until 2009) were provided networks by low powered translators.

1967
WIRT channel 13 (ABC) signs on. It is a full satellite of WDIO 10 Duluth (same commercials and everything)

2002
KRII channel 11 NBC signs on as a satellite of KBJR NBC 6 (sans a few commercials and a 5 minute newscast at 6 & 10)

2008
WRPT channel 31 PBS signs on. WRPT was one of the first of two construction permits ever granted by the FCC as a "digital singleton" facility.

2009
Digital transition happens.
KRII (11) 11-2 CW, 11-3 CBS, 11-9 My (the NBC runs CBS so they put it as a subchannel in 480i widescreen)
WIRT (13) 13-2 MeTV
WRPT (31) 31-2 PBS West, 31-3 Create, 31-4 Minnesota channel
 
need to update this

2016
CBS moves from KDLH 3-1 to a sub of KBJR 6-2. My Network moves from 6-2 to 6-3. This is due to Quincy purchasing Granite Broadcasting who was running KDLH which was owned by Malara. FCC rules have changed since 2005
CW moves from KDLH 3-2 to 3-1 and goes HD. SagamoreHill Broadcasting owns it now.

KRII (Chisholm) which is a satellite of KBJR changes their lineup
11-1 NBC HD
11-2 CBS HD
11-3 My SD
(CW is dropped due to Quincy not owning KDLH anymore)
 
programming changes on the subchannels

Jan 2016 KQDS added AntennaTV to its -2
Sept 2016 KBJR-DT3/KRII-DT3 removed a bunch of syndicated programming and added Decades. They still carry My Network from 7p-9p and some syndicated shows from 9pm-midnight
WDSE/WRPT removed the PBS West feed from the -2 and added PBS World part time (6:30a-6p) and PBS Kids from 6p-sign off (1a)
 
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