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KWBU-TV Goes Dark June 1

DToTheJ

DToTheJ

The Waco PBS affiliate, serving Central Texas for sixteen years, will cease television broadcasting operations on June 1 due to lack of "necessary funding."

Station president Joe Riley says, "During the current fiscal year, we've been looking at our budget. And for this fiscal year, we knew as of last week that we weren't going to have enough." The station previously received a $1 million line of credit from Baylor University, which they used up "sooner than anyone expected".

Radio station KWBU-FM will remain on the air.

Full story:
http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?action=story&story=73462
 
It's a shame to see any station go dark, especially when you think about the people losing their jobs. However, when KWBU went on the air 16 years ago the Waco market was already served by KNCT out of Killeen. So, it seems that the small market that Waco is was overserved by PBS affiliates, and that one was destined to fail. Not sure what kind of signal KNCT puts out over Waco proper, but it seems plausible that KNCT could apply for a power increase or transmitter move, or put a translator in Waco to better serve the city. Or KNCT could just buy the KWBU facilities and use them as a satellite or turn them into a translator/LP.
 
Maybe KWBU could donate its tower to KNCT. We're talking non-profits here. And KWBU is in a distressed position. KNCT in return could provide Baylor with use of one of its digital subchannels.
 
That's too bad. KNCT should cover Waco and KERA should cover the area north of Waco, such as Hillsboro, but KWBU offered a couple of unique subchannels not on KERA or KNCT, and many OTA viewers will have to upgrade their antennas.

I hope fredcantu's idea bears fruit; perhaps that way the Create channel could remain on the air and KWBU viewers wouldn't need new antennas to get KNCT.
 
When I lived in Waco 10 years ago, KNCT did not serve Waco well at all.
I don't know if the digital transition has helped matters or not. (will need to go look at a coverage map to see)
 
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