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KLDT Lake Dallas/KNWS Houston owner files for bankruptcy

Mediafrog+ said:
I believe KNWS will getting the current Channel 47 analog transmitter for KTMD (which presumably is digital ready) after the 2/17/09 switchover.
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I was quite surrpised to learn how flexible today's transmitters are. KEYE-TV in Austin has twin transmitters: one running analog on 42, the other digital on 43. After 2/17 they'll make a quick change and the analog transmitter becomes a full power backup for the digital transmitter. We live in amazing times.
 
tested said:
This begs a qood question: if you were to buy these two stations, what would you do with them?

For KLDT: I'd probably put America One on the main channel, .2 network on the secondary channel, then I'd sell off 2 more channels to whatever network or broadcasters wanted to program them.

KNWS would be more difficult since the first two networks I mentioned already have affiliation deals in Houston.
RTN would probably be my top choice for them.

I think it's very hard in a 500 channel universe to make much money just selling time for infomercials. You've got to have programming to draw viewers to the station first.
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What would I do?

Well, that depends on how much I paid for KLDT, how much cash I had left on hand to program and promote it, and what (if any) debt servicing I had.

On a limited budget, I would look at the various networks that are being offered nationally as digital subchannels -- RTN, This TV, VTV, and .2 Network -- and see if I could cut a pure barter deal (no cash outlay) for one of those networks in return for placement on the main channel. I'd also look for the right to preempt some percentage of the network programming in order to localize the station a bit. Filling the local spot positions with direct inquiry advertising and low-priced spots sold to local advertisers, it might be possible to turn a modest profit in the absence of significant debt service -- and assuming that the purchase price for the station wasn't especially high.
 
There is also a huge waste of bandwidth OTA in Houston. KTBU and KNWS are running NO HD. With .2 on the way and available in HD, KTBU or KNWS would be a GREAT place for it to go. (Rather than in SD on KHOU)
 
StevenNOLA said:
There is also a huge waste of bandwidth OTA in Houston. KTBU and KNWS are running NO HD. With .2 on the way and available in HD, KTBU or KNWS would be a GREAT place for it to go. (Rather than in SD on KHOU)
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You can run two HD signals on one DTV frequency - apparently. KXII in Sherman does this with CBS and Fox. They also have an SD feed of My Network TV on their signal.
 
tested said:
StevenNOLA said:
There is also a huge waste of bandwidth OTA in Houston. KTBU and KNWS are running NO HD. With .2 on the way and available in HD, KTBU or KNWS would be a GREAT place for it to go. (Rather than in SD on KHOU)
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You can run two HD signals on one DTV frequency - apparently. KXII in Sherman does this with CBS and Fox. They also have an SD feed of My Network TV on their signal.
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Technically, you can BUT the picture quality will suffer on both. I have seen KALB in Alexandria, LA which is running CBS & NBC in HD simultaneously. It looks horrible if watching sports. Better than SD on regular programming.
 
Not to be too harsh, and I don't work for the station but have you watched KNWS lately?

Besides the awful, and yes it's awful looking picture (reminds one of VHS) tapes they have brought in some half decent shows. Much better IMO than what a standard weather channel as some of you suggested or even the new startup .2 network could or would bring.

Retro TV, then we're talking but right now while the ratings may not reflect it TV51 has a good lineup featuring Cosby show, Roseanne, Judge Hatchett, Cheaters & Stargate. They were showing Little House, Bonanza, Family Ties, Happy Days and a couple of other vintage shows earlier in the year I do believe.

Not great by any means, but not as bad as some of you make it out to be.

My 2 cents.
 
I now live in the DFW area but lived in Houston when KNWS first came on. I still think the idea of 24hr local news can work in some markets. I'm unsure what could be done to help KNWS/KDLT but it seems if someone with enough money and vision could turn them around. As mentioned before, Infomercials do not bring in a loyal viewing audience.
 
tested said:
Yes. That's what was published in the papers. The reality is that they have NEVER used that bandwidth.
Like I say, I don't understand what KERA is doing. Maybe they're waiting for the digital switch when they figure a lot of their viewers will have access to digital sub-channels. Who knows.
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Lost lots of PBS stuff when KERA dumped 2 and never activated either the contracted-to KDTN subchannel nor their own subchannel on 13 (14). I have Directv, and KERA denies Dallas-Ft Worth people from getting the national PBS feed, even though it has many programs that KERA doesn't carry at all.
 
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