Arizona TV Station Update - June 2023
By dhett on Tuesday, July 11 2023, 01:23 - Arizona Station Update - Permalink
As always, questions, additions, comments and corrections welcome.
Programming Changes
- KVPA-LD 42.x (34) Phoenix (KCRA License LLC) has lost its JTV feed on channel 42.3. The station displays color bars in its place.
- K25MK-D 2.x Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is on the air with a digital signal and has changed its primary station from KPNX Mesa to KNAZ-TV Flagstaff.
- K30MM-D 31.x Gila River Indian Co (Globe LPTV LLC) has dropped Nostalgia TV from channel 31.3. In its place is a for lease graphic.
- K30OI-D 8.x Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is on the air with a digital signal. It now broadcasts all of the subchannels of KAET.
- K32ME-D 3.x Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is on the air with a digital signal. It now broadcasts all of the subchannels of KTVK.
Call Sign Changes
- K30MM-D Gila River Indian Co (Globe LPTV LLC) is changing its call sign to KFPB-LD, effective July 12. The KFPB calls were formerly on Globe LPTV's channel 50, now KDVD-LD.
Construction Permits and Special Temporary Authorization (STA) Requests Granted
- KOLD-TV 13.x (32/13) Tucson (Gray Television Licensee LLC) has been granted a construction permit to increase power from 0.3 kW to 1 kW at its Digital Replacement Transmitter. Technical specifications: Ch 13; TL 32° 14' 52" N, 111° 7' 1" W; ERP 1 kW HP (0.75° EBT); HAAT 618 m / 2027 ft.
- KAZF 32.x Flagstaff (Gray Television Licensee LLC) has been granted an amendment to its construction permit to move its broadcast antenna lower on its tower and to change the antenna model. Technical specifications: Ch 32; TL 34° 58' 8" N; 111° 30' 31" W (Mormon Mtn.); ERP 100 kW H / 30 kW V DA 1° EBT; HAAT 433 m / 1421 ft.
- K04SE-D Parker (Lowcountry 34 Media LLC) has been granted a construction permit to relocate permanent operations to a tower 24 miles east of the licensed site. Technical specifications: Ch 4; TL 33° 35' 45" N, 113° 21' 1" W (Near jct. I-10 & Ave. 75 E); ERP 1.0 kW DA HP; HAAT -12 m / -39 ft (6 m / 20 ft AGL).
Canceled, Denied, Dismissed, Expired or Expiring
- Weigel's contract to provide MeTV programming to KAZT 7.x Prescott (KAZT LLC) is set to expire in July. It is likely, but not guaranteed, that Weigel will move MeTV programming to its own station in Phoenix, KEJR-LD 40.x (32).
License Renewals
- K25MK-D 2.x Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) has amended its license renewal application to indicate that it is on air and has changed its primary station to KNAZ-TV.
NextGen TV
- KASW 61.x (27) Phoenix (Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC) requested and has been granted an extension of its STA to continue airing its ATSC 1.0 content on KNXV-TV and KSAZ-TV.
Comments
Darn, I was hoping to see KOLD-TV or any other station in Tucson actually move on ATSC 3.0. I know Tucson is a target market, but come on there are much smaller markets already live with 3.0.
You won't just see one station move on ATSC 3.0; it will require a coordinated effort with most, if not all, the full-power (and some low-power) stations in the market. In Phoenix, one full-power station and one low-power station hosts all participating stations' ATSC 3.0 signals. In return, the host stations' ATSC 1.0 content is parsed out to the participating guest stations. For example, KNXV-TV 15 carries all of its ATSC 1.0 content, plus KASW 61's CW programming stream. KASW is an ATSC 3.0 station and is hosting KNXV-TV's ATSC 3.0 signal.
Tucson is on the ATSC 3.0 radar; it is listed as a "Coming Soon" market. The participating stations need to work out the details and purchase the required equipment. Once the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted, ATSC 3.0 will roll out, and relatively quickly.
If the change is not mandated by the Gov for both tv stations and tv device mfrs. (hdtv, tuner box, dvrs) It will take at least 7 to 12 years if it happens partially or at all. They should have got the mfrs to make and add the ATSC1&3 turners to all tv devices from the start. If they did that all most all the tv devices available would have the ATSC1&3 tuners by now and they should be affordable too. Sadly, only a handful of tv devices have the ATSC3 tuners today and most tuner boxes are not affordable. While that was happening, they could have been testing ASTC3 like they are doing now. So, most people would have a tv device with a ASTC1&3 tuner by the time the stations want to stitch to ASTC3. Nevertheless, right now ATSC1 will not being going away if the ATSC3 switch is competed. They will aways be the LPD stations and some translators that will still use the ASTC1 for channel sharing and Diginets. Station will not want to ignore the viewers that do not want to upgrade or can't afford to upgrade a tv device.