KFDF-CA
Encyclopedia
KFDF-CA is a Class A
low power
television station
in Fort Smith, Arkansas
, broadcasting in analog
on VHF
channel 10 as an affiliate of This TV
. The station is owned by Pinnacle Media, and has an analog translator in Fayetteville
, KFFS-CA, on UHF
channel 36. It is a sister station to Univision
affiliates KWNL-CA
and KXUN-LP
, and RTV
affiliate KPBI.
issued an original construction permit to Family Media of Ft. Smith to build a low-power television station on UHF channel 46. In October 1988, Family Media transferred the construction permit to Pharis Broadcasting, who brought the station on the air and obtained its initial license on March 30, 1990. Early programming is unknown.
In the mid-1990s, the FCC began to allow low-power stations to have four-letter callsigns, and in September 1995, the station took the call letters KPBI-LP, for Pharis Broadcasting Inc. Pharis also affiliated the station with new network UPN
, although the date is uncertain. In June 1998, claiming displacement, Pharis Broadcasting requested to move the station to VHF channel 10; the FCC granted the request in October 1998. Before finishing the move, Pharis sold KPBI-LP to Equity Broadcasting in a deal finalized in June 2001, along with several other stations http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=100560130&formid=314&fac_num=52426. One of those stations was KFDF-LP, at the time operating on channel 32. In September 2001, Equity requested Special Temporary Authority to move KFDF-LP to channel 46, being vacated by KPBI-LP. Then, in October 2001, Equity switched the two stations' call letters - KPBI-LP channel 46 became KFDF-CA channel 10, having upgraded its license to Class A on August 27, 2001, and KFDF-LP channel 32 became KPBI-CA channel 46.
Under Equity's ownership, KFDF was controlled remotely via satellite from Equity's headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas
, and was relayed in encrypted form via the satellite Galaxy 18
(Ku-band transponder 21). This was true of most of the company's stations.
KFDF-CA lost its UPN affiliation in September 2006, when the network and The WB
closed and merged to form The CW Television Network
. Equity Broadcasting originally announced that the station would affiliate with MyNetworkTV
, instead of joining The CW, which had no affiliate in Fort Smith until September 2007, when the network and Cox Communications
launched a cable channel to carry the network. However, after KPBI-CA lost its Fox
affiliation to KFTA-TV
, Equity announced that KPBI-CA would join MyNetworkTV, and KFDF-CA would instead join Retro Television Network
once UPN went off the air; KPBI was scheduled to join it once WB goes off the air but joined MyNetworkTV on September 22, 2006. http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/08/26/business/0826foxswitch.txt
On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications (who had acquired RTN from Equity in June 2008), interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates. As a result, Luken restored a national RTN feed from its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee
, via SES Americom
-owned satellite
AMC 9 (83.0°W), with individual feeds to non-Equity-owned affiliates to follow on a piecemeal basis. As a result, KFDF-CA lost its RTN affiliation immediately, though Luken vows to find a new affiliate for RTN in the area.
After failing to find a buyer at a bankruptcy auction, KFDF was sold to Pinnacle Media in August 2009 (after having initially been included in Silver Point Finance's acquisition on June 2 of several Equity stations), with Pinnacle assuming control under a local marketing agreement
on August 5.
Class A television service
The class A television service is a system for regulating some low-power television stations in the United States. Class A stations are denoted by the broadcast callsign suffix "-CA" or "-CD" , although very many analog -CA stations have a digital companion channel that was assigned the -LD...
low power
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, broadcasting in analog
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
on VHF
Very high frequency
Very high frequency is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted High frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency...
channel 10 as an affiliate of This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
. The station is owned by Pinnacle Media, and has an analog translator in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, KFFS-CA, on UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
channel 36. It is a sister station to Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
affiliates KWNL-CA
KWNL-CA
KWNL-CA is a Univision affiliate in Winslow, Arkansas, serving the Fort Smith area on VHF channel 9. KWNL-CA is owned and operated by Pinnacle Media. The call letters were changed on July 6, 2006....
and KXUN-LP
KXUN-LP
KXUN-LP is one of two Univision affiliates for the Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Arkansas television market. It is licensed in Fort Smith, owned by Pinnacle Media, and operates on UHF channel 43, and now on digital 34.2...
, and RTV
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
affiliate KPBI.
History
The station began as K46BZ when the FCCFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
issued an original construction permit to Family Media of Ft. Smith to build a low-power television station on UHF channel 46. In October 1988, Family Media transferred the construction permit to Pharis Broadcasting, who brought the station on the air and obtained its initial license on March 30, 1990. Early programming is unknown.
In the mid-1990s, the FCC began to allow low-power stations to have four-letter callsigns, and in September 1995, the station took the call letters KPBI-LP, for Pharis Broadcasting Inc. Pharis also affiliated the station with new network UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
, although the date is uncertain. In June 1998, claiming displacement, Pharis Broadcasting requested to move the station to VHF channel 10; the FCC granted the request in October 1998. Before finishing the move, Pharis sold KPBI-LP to Equity Broadcasting in a deal finalized in June 2001, along with several other stations http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=100560130&formid=314&fac_num=52426. One of those stations was KFDF-LP, at the time operating on channel 32. In September 2001, Equity requested Special Temporary Authority to move KFDF-LP to channel 46, being vacated by KPBI-LP. Then, in October 2001, Equity switched the two stations' call letters - KPBI-LP channel 46 became KFDF-CA channel 10, having upgraded its license to Class A on August 27, 2001, and KFDF-LP channel 32 became KPBI-CA channel 46.
Under Equity's ownership, KFDF was controlled remotely via satellite from Equity's headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, and was relayed in encrypted form via the satellite Galaxy 18
Galaxy 18
Galaxy 18 is a Space Systems/Loral 1300-series hybrid communications satellite owned by Intelsat and located in geosynchronous orbit at 123° W longitude, serving the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada with 24 C-band, and 24 Ku band transponders...
(Ku-band transponder 21). This was true of most of the company's stations.
KFDF-CA lost its UPN affiliation in September 2006, when the network and The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
closed and merged to form The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. Equity Broadcasting originally announced that the station would affiliate with MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
, instead of joining The CW, which had no affiliate in Fort Smith until September 2007, when the network and Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
launched a cable channel to carry the network. However, after KPBI-CA lost its Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliation to KFTA-TV
KFTA-TV
KFTA-TV, virtual channel 24, is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Arkansas River Valley and Northwest Arkansas that is licensed to Fort Smith. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 27 from a transmitter south of Artist Point...
, Equity announced that KPBI-CA would join MyNetworkTV, and KFDF-CA would instead join Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
once UPN went off the air; KPBI was scheduled to join it once WB goes off the air but joined MyNetworkTV on September 22, 2006. http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/08/26/business/0826foxswitch.txt
On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications (who had acquired RTN from Equity in June 2008), interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates. As a result, Luken restored a national RTN feed from its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, via SES Americom
SES Americom
SES Americom was a major commercial satellite operator based in the United States. Formerly RCA Americom and GE Americom, the company became one of the principal parts of SES S.A.....
-owned satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
AMC 9 (83.0°W), with individual feeds to non-Equity-owned affiliates to follow on a piecemeal basis. As a result, KFDF-CA lost its RTN affiliation immediately, though Luken vows to find a new affiliate for RTN in the area.
After failing to find a buyer at a bankruptcy auction, KFDF was sold to Pinnacle Media in August 2009 (after having initially been included in Silver Point Finance's acquisition on June 2 of several Equity stations), with Pinnacle assuming control under a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
on August 5.
Translators
KFDF-CA is rebroadcast in the Fayetteville area on the following station:- KFFS-CA 36 Fayetteville, ArkansasFayetteville, ArkansasFayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...