KUVS-DT
At left, the Univision network logo, consisting of red, purple, green and blue blocks in the shape of a U. At right, a gray 19 in a sans serif, and next to it and separated by a line, a gray Univision wordmark in stylized unicase. Beneath both the "19" and "Univision" are the words "Sacramento • Stockton • Modesto".
CityModesto, California
Channels
Branding
  • Univision 19
  • Noticias 19 (newscasts)
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KTFK-DT, KEZT-CD
History
First air date
August 26, 1966 (56 years ago) (1966-08-26)
Former call signs
  • KLOC-TV (1966–1981)
  • KCSO (1981–1997)
  • KUVS (1997–2003)
  • KUVS-TV (2004–2009)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 19 (UHF, 1966–2009)
Independent (1966–1972)
Call sign meaning
"Univision Sacramento"
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID58609
ERP500 kW
HAAT555 m (1,821 ft)
Transmitter coordinates38°7′7″N 120°43′31″W / 38.11861°N 120.72528°W / 38.11861; -120.72528
Translator(s)
Links
Public license information
WebsiteUnivision 19

KUVS-DT (channel 19) is a television station licensed to Modesto, California, United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language Univision network to the Sacramento area. It is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision USA alongside Stockton-licensed UniMás outlet KTFK-DT (channel 64). Both stations share studios on Arden Way near Cal Expo in Sacramento, while KUVS-DT's transmitter is located near Valley Springs, California.

KUVS-DT is one of the oldest Spanish-language TV stations in California, having gone on the air from Modesto as KLOC-TV in 1966 and adding Spanish-language programs in 1972. It was owned by Chester Smith, a country and western performer, and aired a hybrid Spanish and Christian program format under the KLOC-TV and KCSO call signs between 1972 and 1997, when Univision purchased the station. Most operations moved to Sacramento in 1998.

All of KUVS-DT's subchannels are rebroadcast in the immediate Sacramento area on KEZT-CD (channel 23), and KTFK-DT also rebroadcasts the Univision subchannel of KUVS-DT to provide improved coverage.

History

Chester Smith ownership

On March 3, 1964, Corbett Pierce and country and western performer Chester Smith, owner of KLOC (920 AM) in Ceres, applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to build a new television station on channel 17 in Modesto, one of two channels allocated to the city.[1][2] The FCC approved the application on November 12, 1964,[1] and the station began as independent station KLOC-TV on August 26, 1966.[3]

Initially, KLOC maintained a general-entertainment format and was one of the stations that carried programming from the United Network during its one month of operation in May 1967.[4] About a year after its sign-on, the syndicators providing KLOC's programming raised their prices to the levels closer to a Sacramento-licensed station (the station's owners had been acquired programming at lower rates closer to that of an unrated television market); KLOC-TV alleged that Stockton's KOVR had pressured syndicators not to do business with the Modesto station.[5] Smith resorted to simulcasting KLOC radio's programming during the daytime hours, including a camera in the radio station's studios showing the disc jockeys live,[6] and ran Spanish-language telenovelas in the evening, when the radio station signed off. In 1972, the station joined the Spanish International Network, predecessor to Univision;[7] soon after came an affiliation with the Christian Broadcasting Network to air religious programs.[8]

In 1975, the station increased its power and finally began broadcasting in color; the technical improvements also resulted in Sacramento being able to receive the station for the first time.[9] Smith sought to expand the reach of his station's programming. In 1976, he proposed to build a satellite station on channel 42 in Concord, which had lay fallow for a decade following the short-lived existence of KCFT-TV a decade prior, with a transmitter to be built atop Mount Diablo.[10] The move was roundly opposed by citizens' groups that felt that Concord's channel 42 should be reserved for a proposal with more local programming as well as KEMO-TV (channel 20) in San Francisco and KMUV-TV (channel 31) in Sacramento, whose formats then included many Spanish-language shows.[11][12] As a result, KLOC abandoned the Concord proposal in December 1976.[13] In 1979, KLOC won the rights to build channel 35 in Salinas, to repeat much of its Modesto programming to the Monterey Bay area; as a result, the KLOC radio station was sold off as a condition of obtaining the construction permit, and the television station changed its call sign to KCSO ("Chester Smith Organization"[14]) in 1981.[15][16] KCBA started broadcasting on November 1, 1981, becoming an English-language independent station several years later.[17] In 1986, KREN-TV went on the air as an SIN-affiliated sister station in Reno, Nevada.[18] Later in the decade, K07TA and K09UF, predecessors to today's KTAS (channel 33), went on air in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo area, and in 1991, plans were revealed for further stations in Merced and Eureka.[19]

KCSO's primary local program was its 6 p.m. local newscast, which was produced on a "dental floss budget", in the words of Xóchitl Arellano, who worked at the station when it was still located in Modesto. However, the number of news personnel slowly increased throughout the 1990s.[20]

Univision ownership

In late 1996, Smith announced the sale of KCSO to Univision for $40 million; once the sale closed, the station's morning Christian programs would be discontinued to make way for broadcasting all of Univision's output.[21] (The KCSO call letters were retained by Smith, who started KCSO-LP, a Telemundo affiliate, in 1999.[14]) Smith was paid in Univision stock, which quadrupled in value between 1997 and 1999.[22]

A one-story office building with "Univision 19" and "KUVS" signage
KUVS has broadcast from this Sacramento building since 1998

Univision changed the call letters to KUVS, relocated operations from Modesto to Sacramento, and added a 11 p.m. local newscast to the station's longstanding 6 p.m. local news,[23] which also began to cover news in Sacramento. It was the first time a network had placed an owned-and-operated TV station in Sacramento.[24][25] Univision purchased a former bank building across from the Arden Fair Mall to house its Sacramento operation, leaving only sales and news personnel in Modesto.[26][27]

Newscasts and other local programming

The KUVS newsroom in Sacramento airs half-hour local early and late evening newscasts seven days a week and A Primera Hora ("First Thing in the Morning"), a one-hour-long morning newscast at 6 a.m. In 2017, Univision debuted a statewide Edición Digital (Digital Edition) newscast, aired at 12:30 p.m.[28]

KUVS also produces Voz y Voto, a weekly political roundtable program distributed to Univision's California stations. When it debuted in 1999, the program was produced at KMEX-TV in Los Angeles and was originally hosted by Rosa Maria Villalpando and Armando Botello, state political columnist for La Opinión.[29][30] It moved to Sacramento by 2005, when the program featured an exclusive interview with governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.[31]

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KUVS-DT[32]
Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming
19.1 720p 16:9 KUVS-DT Main KUVS-DT programming / Univision
19.3 480i BOUNCE Bounce TV
19.4 Mystery Ion Mystery
64.2 720p KTFK-HD UniMás (simulcast of KTFK-DT)
  Simulcast of subchannels of another station

There is no 19.2 on this multiplex, as it is broadcast from KTFK-DT. KEZT-CD broadcasts the subchannels on this multiplex using major channel 23.[33]

Though it does not host any additional subchannels, KUVS-DT is part of Sacramento's ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) deployment on KQCA, which began operating in July 2021.[34]

Analog-to-digital conversion

KUVS-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 19, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 18.[35]

References

  1. ^ a b "FCC History Cards for KUVS-DT". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Modesto Television Channel Is Changed". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. March 30, 1962. p. A-4. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Perry, Gerald (September 14, 1980). "KLOC chief almost tried Opry". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. F-1. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Hey U" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 3, 1967. pp. 106B–C. ProQuest 1014504276. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ "KLOC-TV backs up FCC on program diversity" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 30, 1968. ProQuest 1016849033. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  6. ^ "TV, Radio Stations Simulcast". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. October 26, 1969. p. TV-5. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "KLOC Joins Spanish International Net". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. July 23, 1972. p. TV-6. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "There's Something Clean in The Air! Daily on KLOC-TV Channel 19". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. January 29, 1973. p. A-12. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Hurst, John V. (March 4, 1975). "On The Air: Good News For Spanish, Religious". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. A12. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "KLOC-TV Asks Site on Mt. Diablo". Contra Costa Times. Walnut Creek, California. October 3, 1976. p. 1, 2. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Seek Local Programming for Channel 42: Citizens Protest KLOC-TV Move to County". Contra Costa Times. Walnut Creek, California. October 5, 1976. p. 12. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Yarrow, Russ (November 19, 1976). "Modesto Station Wants Local Channel: Opposition to KLOC-TV Grows". Contra Costa Times. Walnut Creek, California. p. 3. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Yarrow, Russ (December 10, 1976). "KLOC-TV Reportedly Drops Plans to Acquire Channel 42". Contra Costa Times. Walnut Creek, California. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b Jardine, Jeff (November 10, 1999). "Spanish TV station debuts today". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. D-1. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Compromise clears channels for Spanish television station". The Californian. Salinas, California. June 21, 1979. p. 5. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Salinas TV plans: KLOC will sell radio station". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. December 27, 1979. p. D-6. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "KCBA" (PDF). Television Factbook. 1984. p. 114. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  18. ^ "Hispanic TV in Reno broadcasts Sept. 15". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. September 3, 1986. p. 1D. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Ferris, Stephen (August 29, 1991). "Spanish-language TV expanding: KCSO owner will build Merced, Eureka stations". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. A-1, A-16. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ McCray, Kerry (April 6, 1997). "Family First: News not real anchor in her life". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. F-1, F-3. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Lane, Libby (October 24, 1996). "Channel 19 sale means all-Spanish". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. C-1. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Hoskins, Roger W. (December 19, 1999). "Chester Reborn". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. D-1, D-3. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Vierria, Dan (April 11, 1998). "New kids show barely a blip on ratings". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. Scene 1, 9. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Vierria, Dan (April 8, 1997). "New vision for Channel 19: Spanish-language network buys—and revamps—Sacramento station". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. C1, C5. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Vierria, Dan (April 26, 1998). "Univision turns up the volume: Spanish language Channel 19 has a new message for Sacramento". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. Encore 16, 17, 18. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Walter, Bob (March 20, 1998). "TV firm moving staff to capital: Univision shifting headquarters here". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. E1, E2. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ Gordon, Stuart (November 28, 1998). "Sacramento nabs station: Modesto to still have news bureau". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. C-1. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Villafañe, Veronica (April 12, 2017). "Univision adds "Edición Digital" noon news at local stations". Media Moves. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  29. ^ "Television: 'Voz y Voto'". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. March 27, 1999. p. F4. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Mañana comienza programa político 'Voz y Voto' en el Canal 34: Proyecto de 'La Opinión' y KMEX presentará a relevantes figuras publicas discutiendo sobre temas de actualidad" [Tomorrow, political program 'Voz y Voto' starts on Channel 34: Project from La Opinión and KMEX will present relevant public figures discussing current affairs]. La Opinión. March 26, 1999. p. 1B. ProQuest 368337444 – via ProQuest.
  31. ^ McManis, Sam (September 12, 2005). "Catching the wave: Radio and TV in Spanish have gained momentum, and Sacramento stations are riding high". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. p. E1, E5. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KUVS". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  33. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for KEZT-CD". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  34. ^ Miller, Mark K. (July 8, 2021). "6 Sacramento Stations Launch NextGen TV". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  35. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. May 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
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