KKCO
KKCO, virtual channel 11 (VHF digital channel 12), is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Grand Junction, Colorado, United States and serving Colorado's Western Slope region. Owned by Gray Television, it is a sister station to low-powered dual ABC/CW+ affiliate KJCT-LP (channel 8). The two stations share studios on Blichmann Avenue in Grand Junction; KKCO's transmitter is located at the Black Ridge Electronics Site at the Colorado National Monument west of the city.
 | |
| Grand Junction, Colorado United States | |
|---|---|
| Branding | KKCO 11 (general) KKCO 11 News (newscasts) |
| Slogan | Know More. |
| Channels | Digital: 12 (VHF) Virtual: 11 (PSIP) |
| Translators | 9 (VHF) K09ZS-D Gateway 9 (VHF) Paonia 16 (UHF) K16MR-D Gateway 35 (UHF) K35NQ-D Mesa |
| Affiliations | 11.1: NBC 11.2: MeTV 11.3: Telemundo |
| Owner | Gray Television |
| Licensee | Gray Television Licensee, LLC |
| Founded | April 12, 1996 |
| First air date | May 5, 1996 |
| Call sign meaning | COlorado |
| Sister station(s) | KJCT-LP, KKTV |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 11 (VHF, 1996–2009) |
| Transmitter power | 5.3 kW |
| Height | 452 m (1,483 ft) |
| Facility ID | 24766 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 39°3′59.9″N 108°44′47.4″W |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Public license information | Profile CDBS |
| Website | www |
History
KKCO signed on the air on May 5, 1996. Prior to then, some NBC programs had been available by way of off-hours clearance on KREX-TV (channel 5). The network's full schedule was available only on cable from the network's Denver affiliates (KCNC-TV from the early 1980s until September 1995, then KUSA for most of the 1995–96 season). Its sign-on made Grand Junction one of the last markets in the country with full service from the Big Three networks.
KKCO was owned by Eagle III Broadcasting L.L.C. from 1996 to 2005, when current owner Gray Television bought the station.
Soon after signing on, KKCO's newscast shot to the top of the ratings, past longer-established KREX and KJCT. It has remained atop the ratings for most of the time since then.
In September 2006, its DT2 subcarrier became the area's new affiliate for The CW Television Network. Sometime in late 2008, KKCO-DT dropped the CW affiliation when KJCT picked up The CW. KKCO has been digital-only since February 17, 2009.
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP short name | Programming [1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | KKCO-DT | Main KKCO programming / NBC |
| 11.2 | 480i | 4:3 | MeTV | MeTV |
| 11.3 | 720p | 16:9 | TELE-HD | Telemundo |
News operation
KKCO currently carries 24½ hours of local news a week, with 4½ hours each weekday and two hours on weekends.
Notable current on-air staff
- Butch McCain – chief weather anchor; weeknights at 5:30, 6 (KKCO-DT2 MeTV) and 10 p.m.