KPTH

KPTH, virtual channel 44 (UHF digital channel 30), is a dual Fox/MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Sioux City, Iowa, United States. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates CBS affiliate KMEG (channel 14) under a shared services agreement (SSA) with owner Waitt Broadcasting. The two stations share studios along I-29 (postal address says Gold Circle) in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, and transmitter facilities in unincorporated Plymouth County, Iowa east of James and US 75 along the Woodbury County line.

KPTH
Sioux City, Iowa
United States
BrandingKPTH Fox 44 (general)
Siouxland News (newscasts)
SloganTaking Over the World, One Half Hour at a Time
Siouxland's Only Primetime Newscast
ChannelsDigital: 30 (UHF)
Virtual: 44 (PSIP)
Affiliations44.1: Fox
44.2: Dabl/MyNetworkTV
44.3: Charge! (O&O)
44.4: Stadium (O&O)
OwnerSinclair Broadcast Group
LicenseeKPTH Licensee, LLC
FoundedMarch 17, 1997
First air dateMay 9, 1999 (1999-05-09)
Call sign meaningPappas Telecasting Heartland
(reference to former owner)
Sister station(s)broadcast: KMEG
cable: Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports North[1]
Former channel number(s)Analog:
44 (UHF, 1999–2009)
Digital:
49 (UHF, 2009–2018)
Transmitter power871 kW
Height613 m (2,011 ft)
ClassDT
Facility ID77451
Transmitter coordinates42°35′12″N 96°13′19″W
Licensing authorityFCC
Public license informationProfile
CDBS
Websitesiouxlandnews.com

History

The station signed-on May 9, 1999 as the market's fifth television outlet. Airing an analog signal on UHF channel 44, KPTH, originally owned by Pappas Telecasting, immediately joined Fox. Prior to KPTH's launch, future sister station KMEG carried a secondary affiliation with the network; additional coverage was provided via the network's affiliates in Sioux Falls, Omaha, and Des Moines, all of which carried the network's programs in pattern. Initially at its sign-on, channel 44 only covered the Sioux City metro area before increasing to full-power in October 1999. This upgrade extended the station's coverage to include the 23 counties that make up the Sioux City designated market area. KPTH quickly became Siouxland's most-watched station and was a member of the "Fox #1 Club" in 2004 and 2005. The station also began to air the entire Fox lineup nightly.

In May 2005, Waitt Broadcasting (owner of KMEG) entered into a shared services agreement with Pappas Telecasting. Although KPTH was designated the senior partner in the arrangement, it moved into KMEG's facility. In November 2007, Waitt announced it would sell KMEG to Siouxland Television, LLC, with Pappas continuing to operate it as part of the deal. However, Pappas' Sioux City duopoly was among the company's thirteen stations which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As a result, the sale of KMEG to Siouxland Television fell through. On January 16, 2009, it was announced several of the Pappas stations involved in the bankruptcy (including KPTH) would be sold to New World TV Group after the transaction received United States bankruptcy court approval.[2] The change in ownership was completed on October 15, 2009, and on that day, New World TV Group took over the SSA with KMEG.

KPTH shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 44, at noon on February 17, 2009, to conclude the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television.[3][4][5] The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 49, using PSIP to display KPTH's virtual channel as 44 on digital television receivers.

TTBG announced the sale of most of its stations, including KPTH, to the Sinclair Broadcast Group on June 3, 2013.[6] The sale was finalized on September 30.[7]

The station's second digital subchannel began carrying college sports broadcasts via the American Sports Network syndication package on August 30, 2014.[8]

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[9]
44.1720p16:9KPTH-DTMain KPTH programming / Fox
44.2480i4:3MyNetDabl & MyNetworkTV
44.316:9ChargeCharge!
44.4StadiumStadium

Newscast

On October 9, 2006, KMEG began producing a weeknight prime time newscast on KPTH. Known as Siouxland News at Nine on Fox 44, the broadcast can currently be seen for thirty minutes. Although KPTH is the senior partner in the SSA, KMEG produces the newscasts on both stations. On October 25, 2010, KMEG became the first station in the market to upgrade its news operation to 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen. Although not truly high definition, the broadcasts matched the ratio of HD television screens. The weeknight news at 9 on KPTH was included in the change. On April 15, 2013, KMEG and KPTH completed an upgrade to full high definition news broadcasts, two years after competitors KCAU-TV and KTIV.

Translators

KPTH's signal is repeated over two translators.

Call letters Channel City of license Transmitter location
KBVK-LP21Spencer, Iowasouth of Terril along the Clay County line
KPTP-LD31Norfolk, Nebraskaeast of city in Western Stanton County, Nebraska County near Madison County line

References
  1. Miller, Mark K. (August 23, 2019). "Sinclair Closes $10.6B Disney RSN Purchase". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  2. "New World Gets Pappas TVs for $260M". TVnewsday. January 16, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  3. Today is the day for digital TV switch, Dave Dreeszen, Sioux City Journal, February 17, 2009
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2011-12-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. List of Digital Full-Power Stations Archived 2013-08-29 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Sinclair Buys 6 Titan Television Stations". TVNewsCheck. June 3, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  7. "CDBS Print".
  8. Minium, Harry (August 27, 2014). "ODU's opener with Hampton to be televised in 66 markets". HamptonRoads.com. The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  9. "Digital TV Market Listing for KPTH". Rabbit Ears.Info. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
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