Arizona TV Station Update - August 2019
By dhett on Thursday, September 5 2019, 05:37 - Arizona Station Update - Permalink
As always, questions, additions, comments and corrections welcome.
Programming Changes
- KVOA 4.x (23) Tucson (KVOA License LLC) has been spotted testing two new subchannels, 4.4 and 4.5. Channel 4.4 has been announced as the Tucson affiliate of the DABL lifestyle network, which launches September 9. It is unknown whether channel 4.5 will actually debut, and if so, what programming it will carry. The new subchannels will also appear on its translators.
- KPHO-TV 5.x (17) Phoenix (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation) has been announced as the Phoenix affiliate of the DABL lifestyle network that launches September 9. DABL is expected to air on channel 5.3 and will also appear on KPHO's translators.
- KSAZ-TV 10.x Phoenix (NW Communications of Phoenix Inc.) has been announced as the new Phoenix affiliate of Decades, scheduled to begin on channel 10.5 sometime in the third quarter, which ends September 30. The new subchannel will also appear on its translators. Decades previously aired on KASW channel 61.2.
- KOLD-TV 13.x (32/13) Tucson (Gray Television Licensee LLC) has added Ion Television to channel 13.4.
- KPAZ-TV 21.x (20) Phoenix (Trinity Broadcasting of Arizona Inc.) has upgraded its TBN and Hillsong Channel feeds on channels 21.1 and 21.2 from 480i to 720p. The TBN simulcast on channel 21.5 remains in 480i.
- KHRR 40.x (16) Tucson (NBC Telemundo License LLC) has dropped Ion Television from channel 40.3, replacing it with a notice instructing Tucson viewers to call Ion.
- K20FO 4.x (28) Sierra Vista (KVOA License LLC) has lit up its digital signal on channel 28, bringing KVOA's three (soon to be four or five) subchannels to Sierra Vista and the San Pedro Valley. When licensed, the station will have the call sign K28OY-D.
- KVVU-TV 5.x (9) Henderson NV (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation) has been announced as the Las Vegas affiliate of the DABL lifestyle network that launches September 9. DABL is expected to air on channel 5.4 and will also appear on KVVU's translators.
Construction Permits and Special Temporary Authority Requested
- K28OY-D 4.x Sierra Vista (KVOA License LLC) has requested a modification to its digital transition construction permit to correct antenna specs and to reflect that the antenna was installed 1.2 meters lower than specified in the original permit. Technical specifications: Ch 28; TL 31° 28' 54" N, 109° 57' 35" W (Juniper Flats); ERP 15 kW directional (1° electrical beam tilt); HAAT 657 m.
Comments
RabbitEars.info indicates that KVOA 4.5 Tucson will be a GRIT affiliate.
KFPH-CD 35.x Phoenix (Unimas Partnership of Phoenix) has requested a one-time, six-month extension of its experimental authority to broadcast an ATSC 3.0 signal. When it rolled out the ATSC 3.0 application last May, the FCC announced that it would no longer renew experimental authority, unless presented with a unique and compelling reason. KFPH-CD believes that it has such a reason: it is set up to be an experimental operation, not a commercial operation. As host of the Phoenix Model Market test bed, several different ownership groups have been using its facilities, and much of the equipment in use is on loan with an expectation that it will be used for experimental purposes, not commercial. Further, Univision is currently exploring strategic options for the future of the company in general, and for KFPH in particular. Its experimental operations do not conform to the simulcast requirements that ATSC 3.0 stations will have when they come on air.
KVOA once again outdoes itself and becomes the second affiliate for Grit along with being the second affiliate for Escape.......It appears that the general manager is very repetitive and may have a brain disorder. Since Quincy took over, the news anchors have begun vanishing too.
KHRR gives up ION. Talked with ION and they said Comcast/Universal said they don't want them. COZI TV on KVOA has really slipped with the repetitiveness of their lineup with no new series.
KGUN, Scripps, owns Escape, Grit, Court TV, Laff and Bounce now. The repetition between 4 of these subchannels is getting pretty bad.
Grit and Escape both duplicate in Phoenix as well. Katz doesn't seem to mind.
The CBS DABL diginet landed in Las Vegas today on KVVU 5.4 possibly at noon. I didn't find it until five after 2 pm.
As of tonight, KOLD 13.3 has a notice on screen: Effective Immediately: Grit is no longer available on KOLD-TV 13.3
Please check your local listings for the new GRIT channel.
Seems that may be why GRIT moved. I noticed earlier in the week that 13.3 lineup was removed from Titan-TV listings.
Dabl has made its debut in Phoenix on KPHO-TV channel 5.3.
NBC/Universal O&O's in numerous markets will soon be adding the LX News Operation. In Phoenix it will be on KTAZ 39.4, and in Vegas it will air on KBLR 39.5.
The newly announced NBC/Universal news network titled LX for local, will also air in Tucson on KHRR 40.3.
Decades just appeared on KUTP 45.4 a few minutes after midnight on 10/01/19.
KSAZ Fox 10 changed their simulcast on 10.2 from 480i SD to 720p HD.