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LAT-TV shuts down

M

Mediafrog+

LAT-TV, a Spanish language network based in Houston, is shutting down, according to an e-mail from VP of Programming Patricia Torres-Burd in today's tvspy.com.

The network was launched two years ago, and had low power OTA stations in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix.

Here in Houston, their flagship KCVH Channel 30 was on the air this past weekend, but is gone today.

Failure to get sufficient cable/satellite carriage probably doomed it from the start. And LPTV's have trouble adequately covering the larger markets.

Will be interesting to see what happens with the LPTV licenses. I doubt they'll be dark for long--there's always someone who will want to take their own stab at programming.
 
Apparently, It won't be long when these low-powered stations will be come obsolete as the DTV revolution will soon take place in February. Spanish TV Stations like Azteca America, TuVision, & KZJL will be all become victims of circumstances. Also, We might get more English-Speaking channels like Retro TV, et al. will take over some of these stations that are already carrying Spanish TV.
 
MediaFrog, am I nuts or is LATV also on KPRC-DT 2.3? If so, it is still on the air at 5:15, May 21. Unable to get any Ch. 30 on digital, so I can't check that.
 
purpledevil said:
MediaFrog, am I nuts or is LATV also on KPRC-DT 2.3? If so, it is still on the air at 5:15, May 21. Unable to get any Ch. 30 on digital, so I can't check that.
Click to expand...

LAT TV, not LATV. They're similarly named, causing confusion, but the network shutting down had been based in Houston. They aired on ch. 30 (analog) there. LATV is based, not surprisingly, out of California, and IIRC, grew out of the programming from KJLA 57 Ventura/Los Angeles.
 
Troy Goodwin said:
Apparently, It won't be long when these low-powered stations will be come obsolete as the DTV revolution will soon take place in February. Spanish TV Stations like Azteca America, TuVision, & KZJL will be all become victims of circumstances. Also, We might get more English-Speaking channels like Retro TV, et al. will take over some of these stations that are already carrying Spanish TV.
Click to expand...

Huh? KAZH (TuVision) and KZJL are full-service stations which are required to go digital next year with the rest of them.

I think the digital transition will make LPTV stations MORE valuable. As they move over the digital service themselves (and many are already moving that way), they'll find their coverage digitally to be superior to their analog coverage, and since the digital signal will be so clear despite possibly reduced strength, they'll be on more even footing with the full-service stations.

- Trip
 
dhett said:
purpledevil said:
MediaFrog, am I nuts or is LATV also on KPRC-DT 2.3? If so, it is still on the air at 5:15, May 21. Unable to get any Ch. 30 on digital, so I can't check that.
Click to expand...

LAT TV, not LATV. They're similarly named, causing confusion, but the network shutting down had been based in Houston. They aired on ch. 30 (analog) there. LATV is based, not surprisingly, out of California, and IIRC, grew out of the programming from KJLA 57 Ventura/Los Angeles.
Click to expand...
Ohh...well that IS a bit confusing. Thanks for the clarification. KZJL and KAZH are indeed both already on digital. I believe the only stations not on digital currently is KLTJ-22 and KNWS-51. If they are digital now, I have never been able to pick up either signal during a channel scan.
 
KLTJ is at REALLY low power. I mean very, VERY low power. 4.54 kW directional from some 300 foot tower, the directional pattern puts all of their power due east toward Galveston. They have a construction permit for 2 kW at 1900 feet, not sure that it will help too much.

KNWS is also at low power. 1010' 12.5 kW directional. They'll be at that power level until next year.

- Trip
 
The FCC maps predict they'll do fine post-transition. The added height really helps, but they won't have the signal coverage they had with analog. Part of that may be due to having co-channel stations in Corpus Christi (180 mi.) and Lafayette LA (185 mi.) What puzzles me is that their city of license, Galveston, will not fall within the 41 dBU signal contour.

Analog contour: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=TV193791.html
Pre-transition contour: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DS658914.html
Post-transition contour: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT1129634.html
 
Realize that those maps assume you have a roof antenna, 30 feet up, aimed directly at the station. Not that you have an indoor antenna in your house or an antenna aimed elsewhere, etc.

Those FCC maps can be pretty inaccurate, I've found.

- Trip
 
Back to the topic of LAT TV...

I'm sure KCVH 30 Houston and KVPA 42 Phoenix have shut down, being the only two O&O stations for Latin America Broadcasting, parent of LAT TV, but what about KJJM 34 Dallas, KVAT 17 Austin, or KISA 40 San Antonio, which are owned by Mako Communications? Have these stations found alternative programming yet, or are they dark, too?
 
dhett said:
I'm sure KCVH 30 Houston and KVPA 42 Phoenix have shut down, being the only two O&O stations for Latin America Broadcasting, parent of LAT TV, but what about KJJM 34 Dallas, KVAT 17 Austin, or KISA 40 San Antonio, which are owned by Mako Communications? Have these stations found alternative programming yet, or are they dark, too?
Click to expand...

Last I looked (which was yesterday evening), KJJM 34 was running color bars.
 
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