KCWH-LD

KCWH-LD
Lincoln, Nebraska
United States
Branding The CW Nebraska
Channels Digital: 18 (UHF)
Virtual: 18 (PSIP)
Subchannels 18.1 The CW Plus
18.2 Ion Television
Translators KNHL-DT 5.3 Hastings
KIIT-CD 11.2 North Platte
Affiliations The CW (2018–present)
Owner Gray Television
(Gray Television Licensee, LLC)
Founded January 4, 1988
First air date August 1999 (1999-08)
Call letters' meaning The CW, Huskers
Sister station(s) KOLN/KGIN, KSNB-TV, WOWT, KNOP-TV, KNPL-LD, KIIT-CD
Former callsigns K18CD (1988–2011)
K18CD-D (2011–2018)
Former channel number(s) Analog:
18 (VHF, 1999–2011)
Former affiliations Fox (via KSNB/KTVG, 1999–2009)
UPN (secondary, via KSNB/KTVG, 2000–2005)
Dark (2009–2011, 2017–2018)
3ABN (via KSNB, 2011–2012)
Antenna TV (via KSNB, 2012–2013)
MyNetworkTV (via KSNB, 2013–2017; DT2 after 2014)
MeTV (via KSNB, 2013–2017; DT2 after 2014)
NBC (via KSNB, 2014–2017)
Transmitter power 15 kW
Facility ID 21165
Transmitter coordinates 40°49′17″N 96°39′44″W / 40.82139°N 96.66222°W / 40.82139; -96.66222Coordinates: 40°49′17″N 96°39′44″W / 40.82139°N 96.66222°W / 40.82139; -96.66222
Licensing authority FCC
Public license information: Profile
CDBS

KCWH-LD, virtual and UHF digital channel 18, is a CW+-affiliated television station licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. Owned by Gray Television, it is a sister station to Lincoln CBS affiliate KOLN (channel 10) and its satellite KGIN (channel 11) in Grand Island, and NBC/MyNetworkTV/MeTV affiliate KSNB-TV (channel 4) in Superior. KCWH-LD's studios and transmitter are located at the KOLN studios on North 40th Street in Lincoln.

For most of its history, KCWH-LD, under the call sign K18CD, served as a translator for KSNB-TV, whose signal is weak in Lincoln. In 2018, Gray converted the station into a standalone CW affiliate, simulcast on the third digital subchannel of SonLife affiliate KNHL (channel 5) in Hastings (which is owned by Legacy Broadcasting, but is in the process of being acquired by Gray) and the second digital subchannel of Fox affiliate KIIT-CD (channel 11) in North Platte. NBC programming (via KSNB) remains available in Lincoln on KOLN's second digital subchannel.

History

The original construction permit for a translator station on channel 18 in Lincoln was granted on January 4, 1988,[1] and issued the call sign K18CD;[2] the station was a translator for KSNB-TV (channel 4) in Superior.[3] K18CD filed for a license to cover on August 9, 1999, which was granted on September 27.[4] At the time, KSNB was a Fox affiliate, simulcast with KTVG (channel 17) in Grand Island. By 2007, K18CD was receiving its programming from KTVG instead of KSNB.[5] The time brokerage agreement between Pappas Telecasting and KSNB's owner, Colins Broadcasting, expired on November 30, 2009. As a result, KSNB and its two translators, including K18CD, shut down on December 1.[6] On December 19, 2011, the station converted to digital operations as K18CD-D.[2] By then, the Colins stations were broadcasting intermittently with programming from the Three Angels Broadcasting Network.[7]

On November 21, 2012, it was announced that Gray Television, the owners of KOLN/KGIN, would acquire KSNB for $1.25 million.[8] The station deal included Lincoln translators K18CD and KWAZ-LP. On February 15, 2013, the FCC granted the assignment of the license to Gray, with the sale officially completed on February 25.[9][10] KSNB aired programming from Antenna TV in the interim on both its main transmitter in York as well as on its digital K18CD-D and analog KWAZ-LP translators in Lincoln. The affiliation agreement with Antenna TV was exclusively intended for the station's second digital subchannel, but was carried on the primary digital channel as well while the station ownership changed hands. On April 1, 2013, the station took the MyNetworkTV affiliation previously held by the second digital subchannels of both KOLN and KGIN under the moniker "10/11 Central Nebraska."[11][12] On September 2, 2013, KSNB became an affiliate of MeTV.[13]

On June 11, 2014, Gray moved the market's NBC affiliation from Hastings-based KHAS-TV (channel 5, now KNHL) to KSNB and the second subchannels of KOLN and KGIN. KHAS' owner, Hoak Media, had recently merged with Gray, and original plans called for it to be sold to Excalibur Broadcasting to satisfy duopoly rules. Gray would have operated the station under a local marketing agreement. However, increased FCC scrutiny of LMAs prompted Gray to shut down KHAS. KSNB's MyNetworkTV and MeTV programming moved to its second digital subcarrier, as well as a third digital channel on KOLN and KGIN, with all channels being broadcast in high definition.[14][15] Over-the-air viewers actually benefited from the switch, as it gave NBC a full-market affiliate for the first time ever. For most of the broadcasting era, WOWT in Omaha (a sister station to KSNB and KOLN/KGIN) had doubled as Lincoln's NBC affiliate as well.

On October 20, 2017, the broadcast tower for K18CD-D, which was shared with Fox affiliate KFXL-TV (channel 51), collapsed, rendering the translator out of commission.[16] On May 18, 2018, the call letters were changed to KCWH-LD.[2] It returned to the air on September 26, 2018,[17] transmitting from the KOLN studios;[18] on October 1, Gray announced that KCWH had become the market's CW affiliate, and would be simulcast on subchannels of KNHL in Hastings and KIIT-CD in North Platte.[19] CW programming had previously been seen over the air in Lincoln on KCWL-TV (now KFXL-TV) from 2006 through 2009; in the interim, cable systems in the market carried either KXVO from Omaha or the national CW Plus feed for CW programming. In addition to The CW, Ion Television is carried on KCWH's second digital subchannel.[20]

Digital television

Digital channels

The stations' digital signals are multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming
18.1720p16:9CW (KCWH-LD)Main programming / The CW Plus
18.2480iIONIon Television
18.31080iCBSSimulcast of KOLN/KGIN

References

  1. ↑ "Application Search Details (KCWH-LD, 1)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "Call Sign History (KCWH-LD)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  3. ↑ Television & Cable Factbook 1993 Edition (PDF). 1993. p. B-168. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Application Search Details (KCWH-LD, 2)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  5. ↑ Smith, Doug (August 2007). "TV News" (PDF). VHF-UHF Digest. p. 7. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  6. ↑ "KSNB-TV signs off for final time". The Superior Express. December 1, 2009. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  7. ↑ FCC: COLINS BROADCASITNG CORPORATION, KSNB-DT TV4, Superior, Nebraska, Quarterly List of Issue – Responsive Programming (Third Quarter 2012 – July 1, 2012 thru September 30, 2012)
  8. ↑ Gray Lines Up 2nd Station In Lincoln, NE, TVNewsCheck, November 26, 2012.
  9. ↑ Consent to Assignment Application
  10. ↑ Consummation Notice
  11. ↑ Gray TV Plans to Add MyNet to KNSB Lincoln, Broadcasting & Cable, November 28, 2012.
  12. ↑ Gray Television Buys KSNB Lincoln, Neb., TVNewsCheck, February 25, 2013.
  13. ↑ "FCC 398 Children's Television Programming Report". KidVid Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 1, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2014. KSNB-TV switched to the MeTV Network effective 9/2.
  14. ↑ "KHAS TV - KSNB TV Statement". KHAS-TV. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "KHAS 5.1 Signal Moving to KSNB 4.1". 1011now.com. June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  16. ↑ http://journalstar.com/business/local/foot-communications-tower-collapses-in-north-lincoln/article_4ee94047-79c8-5a9c-8136-57323310d0df.html#tncms-source=home-top-story-1
  17. ↑ "Resumption of Operations of a LPTV Station Application". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. September 27, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ "License To Cover for LPTV Station Application". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. September 26, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  19. ↑ Pluhacek, Zach (October 1, 2018). "CW affiliates coming to Lincoln, central Nebraska". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Upper Midwest Broadcasting". Northpine.com. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
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