Dabl affiliate in Port Arthur, Texas
This article is about the television station in Port Arthur, Texas. For other uses, see
KBTV
.
For current information on "Fox 4" in Beaumont, see
KFDM
.
| This article needs to be
updated
.
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
(
July 2013
)
|
KBTV-TV
(channel 4) is a
television station
licensed to
Port Arthur, Texas
, United States, serving the
Beaumont
area as an affiliate of the digital multicast network
Dabl
. It is owned by
Deerfield Media
, which maintains
joint sales
and
shared services
agreements (JSA/SSA) with
Sinclair Broadcast Group
, owner of
CBS
/
CW+
/
Fox
affiliate
KFDM
(channel 6), for the provision of certain services. The two stations share studios on Walden Road in southwest Beaumont; KBTV-TV's transmitter is located in
Vidor
.
History
[
edit
]
Channel 4 signed on October 22, 1957, as KPAC-TV, a primary
NBC
affiliate owned by Texas Gulfcoast Television, Inc., itself jointly owned by
Port Arthur College
, owner of KPAC radio (1250 AM, now
KDEI
; and 98.5 FM, now
KTJM
), and the Jefferson Amusement Company. Channel 4 also aired
ABC
programming until
KBMT-TV
returned to the air this time on channel 12 in 1961 and became the market's exclusive affiliate.
[4]
Port Arthur College sold its stake in the station to the Jefferson Amusement Company in 1965; as Port Arthur College retained the radio stations, channel 4 changed its call letters to KJAC-TV (the call letters were derived from the company's name).
[5]
[6]
The callsign change occurred on January 20, 1966.
[7]
The station was the first in the area to broadcast in
color
, use video tape, and air live coverage of area
high school football
games. Among the original programming that originated at KPAC/KJAC's studios were
wrestling
, the kid's
western
show
Cowboy John
, afternoon
Bingo
, and the
Circle 4 Club
. During the 1950s, KPAC also had the only local teen dance program,
Jive At Five
. Both
The Cowboy John Show
and
Jive At Five
had "colored days", in which
African Americans
were permitted to participate.
Jefferson Entertainment Company sold KJAC to Clay Communications in 1973;
[8]
As part of the divestiture of the company's newspaper and television properties, on April 30, 1987, Clay sold its KJAC and its four sister television stations?NBC affiliate
KFDX-TV
in
Wichita Falls
, and ABC affiliates
WAPT
in
Jackson, Mississippi
, and
WWAY
in
Wilmington, North Carolina
?to
New York City
-based Price Communications Corporation for $60 million; the sale was approved by the
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on June 23.
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
On August 23, 1995, Price sold KJAC and fellow NBC affiliates
KSNF-TV
in
Joplin, Missouri
, and KFDX-TV to
Wakefield, Rhode Island
-based upstart USA Broadcast Group for $42 million, retaining ABC affiliate
WHTM-TV
in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, as its sole television property (USA soon renamed itself to U.S. Broadcast Group after
USA Network
filed a copyright infringement complaint against the broadcasting company).
[14]
[15]
[16]
On January 12, 1998,
Irving
-based
Nexstar Broadcasting Group
acquired KFDX-TV, KBTV-TV and KSNF from U.S. Broadcast Group for $64.3 million. In 1999, the station took its present KBTV-TV callsign to align itself more with Beaumont, even though it is still licensed to Port Arthur. The call letters had previously been used by channel 9 in
Denver
(now
KUSA
) and channel 8 in
Dallas
(now
WFAA
). KBTV-TV also shares its call letters with
KBTV-CD
channel 51 in
Sacramento, California
. To go along with the call change, KBTV moved from its Port Arthur studios to studios inside Parkdale Mall in Beaumont, where it remained until it moved to KFDM's studios in April 2013. The station was one of the few television stations in the country to have studios located inside a major shopping center.
In October 2008, Nexstar reached an agreement with
Fox
in which KBTV would become the new Fox affiliate for the Beaumont market. The move was made because Nexstar wanted to increase KBTV's news output. The affiliation switch took effect on
January 1
, 2009, ending KBTV's 51-year affiliation with NBC. This caused a shakeup in the market as NBC went to a digital subchannel of
ABC
affiliate
KBMT
, while
KUIL-LP
(a former satellite of
Lake Charles
-based
KVHP
), which lost Fox, went
independent
at that time.
[17]
The now-KUIL-LD has since become operated by KBMT and affiliated with
MyNetworkTV
.
With this switch, KBTV became the third Fox affiliate to serve southeastern Texas after both KVHP (which served as the network's affiliate of record for the Beaumont area for the network's first sixteen years of existence) and KUIL-LP.
On February 2, 2009, at 2 p.m., a fire destroyed KBTV's old studios in Port Arthur at 2900 17th Street,
[18]
[19]
a mere 12 hours from giving control to Nexstar's master control hub in
Little Rock, Arkansas
.
[
citation needed
]
ATF investigated and no suspect has ever been found. Originally the station's home from its 1957 sign-on until 1999, the building primarily served after the move as a storage facility, though the station's
doppler weather radar
was still based there.
[18]
The building was demolished a few months later.
Nexstar filed to sell off KBTV-TV to
Deerfield Media
on August 22, 2012, making this Nexstar's first divestiture in the company's history. Upon the deal's completion on December 3, 2012, the station entered into a
joint sales agreement
and a
shared services
agreement with
Sinclair Broadcast Group
, making it a sister station to
CBS
affiliate
KFDM
.
[20]
On May 8, 2017, Sinclair announced that it would be acquiring
Tribune Media
in an all-cash transaction valued at $3.9 billion. Had it received regulatory approval from the FCC and the
U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division
, KBTV would have gained two more sister stations, Dallas
CW
affiliate
KDAF
and Houston CW affiliate
KIAH
.
[21]
[22]
The deal was canceled by Tribune in August 2018.
On January 1, 2021, Sinclair began to migrate KBTV's Fox programming to a subchannel of KFDM; the transition period ended on February 1, 2021, with KBTV switching its primary subchannel to
Dabl
.
[23]
On July 28, 2021, the FCC issued a Forfeiture Order against Deerfield Media stemming from a lawsuit involving KBTV-TV. The lawsuit, filed by
AT&T
, alleged that Deerfield Media failed to negotiate for retransmission consent in good faith for KBTV and other Sinclair-managed stations. Deerfield was ordered to pay a fine of $512,228 per station named in the lawsuit, including KBTV.
[24]
News operation
[
edit
]
| This section
needs expansion
with: Information on KBTV's news department prior to the affiliation switch to Fox. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
May 2010
)
|
As a Fox affiliate, KBTV carried a total of
23
+
1
⁄
2
hours of local newscasts each week (
4
+
1
⁄
2
hours each weekday and a half-hour each on Saturdays and Sundays).
After KBTV affiliated with Fox, news was expanded from 1½ to three hours on weekday mornings, and the half-hour 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts were canceled and replaced with an hour-long 4 p.m. newscast. It also discontinued its 10 p.m. newscast, and moved it to 9 p.m. (and expanding it to one hour on weeknights), although some Fox affiliates in other markets maintain newscasts at both 9 and 10 p.m. KBTV had the distinction of being one of the smallest, if not the smallest Fox affiliate (in terms of market size) to carry late afternoon newscasts.
In September 2010, the 4 p.m. newscast was changed to a news/lifestyle format called
Southeast Texas Live
and a 5:30 p.m. newscast also debuted.
Technical information
[
edit
]
Subchannels
[
edit
]
The station's signal is
multiplexed
:
Analog-to-digital conversion
[
edit
]
KBTV-TV shut down its analog signal, over
VHF
channel 4, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States
transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts
under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition
UHF
channel 40.
[26]
Through the use of
PSIP
, digital television receivers display the station's
virtual channel
as its former VHF analog channel 4.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Fox 4 moving to new home on KFDM 6.3"
.
fox4beaumont.com
. December 23, 2020
. Retrieved
December 27,
2020
.
- ^
"KBTV Changes Channel for Antenna Users"
.
beaumontenterprise.com
. December 31, 2020
. Retrieved
December 31,
2020
.
- ^
"Facility Technical Data for KBTV-TV"
.
Licensing and Management System
.
Federal Communications Commission
.
- ^
Broadcasting Yearbook 1959
(PDF)
. 1959. p. B-79
. Retrieved
March 11,
2010
.
- ^
Broadcasting Yearbook 1967
(PDF)
. 1967. p. A-100. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on November 27, 2009
. Retrieved
March 11,
2010
.
- ^
"Ownership changes ? Actions by FCC"
(PDF)
.
Broadcasting
. November 22, 1965. p. 94.
- ^
FCC History Cards for KJAC-TV (KBTV-TV)
.
Federal Communications Commission
.
- ^
Broadcasting Yearbook 1973
(PDF)
. 1973. p. A-82. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on October 8, 2010
. Retrieved
March 11,
2010
.
- ^
"For the Record"
(PDF)
.
Broadcasting
. Broadcasting Publications, Inc. May 4, 1987. p. 78
. Retrieved
June 14,
2018
.
- ^
"For the Record"
(PDF)
.
Broadcasting
. Broadcasting Publications, Inc. July 6, 1987. p. 88
. Retrieved
June 14,
2018
.
- ^
"Suit Filed Against Raleigh"
.
The Daily Oklahoman
. Oklahoma Publishing Company. May 1, 1987
. Retrieved
August 5,
2017
.
- ^
"COMPANY NEWS; Clay-Price Pact On 4 TV Stations"
.
The New York Times
.
Associated Press
. May 1987.
- ^
"Clay-Price Pact On 4 TV Stations"
.
The New York Times
.
Associated Press
. May 1, 1987. p. D4
. Retrieved
March 11,
2010
.
- ^
"Changing Hands"
(PDF)
.
Broadcasting & Cable
. Broadcasting Publications, Inc. August 28, 1995. p. 45
. Retrieved
June 14,
2018
.
- ^
"Price Communications"
.
The New York Times
. August 23, 1995
. Retrieved
August 5,
2017
.
- ^
"What's in a name? USA Broadcast Group now U.S. Broadcast Group"
.
Broadcasting & Cable
.
Cahners Business Information
. October 9, 1995. Archived from
the original
on June 11, 2014
. Retrieved
August 5,
2017
.
(subscription required)
- ^
"Breaking news, press release distribution, targeting and monitoring, public relations and investor relations services, multimedia and press release optimization, enhanced online news, and regulatory filings"
.
- ^
a
b
The News (Port Arthur): "Old Channel 4 building 'total loss' to fire", 2/2/2009.
Archived
November 3, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Radio-Info: "KBTV Old Port Arthur Studios Destroyed in Fire", 2/3/2009.
- ^
"Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License"
.
CDBS Public Access
.
Federal Communications Commission
. Retrieved
August 23,
2012
.
- ^
Baker, Liana; Toonkel, Jessica (May 7, 2017).
"Exclusive: Sinclair Broadcast nears deal for Tribune Media"
.
Reuters
. Retrieved
May 7,
2017
.
- ^
Stedman, Alex (May 7, 2017).
"Sinclair Reportedly Near Deal to Buy Tribune Media"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
May 7,
2017
.
- ^
Dick, Jacob (December 31, 2020).
"KBTV changes channel for antenna users"
.
Beaumont Enterprise
. Retrieved
February 6,
2021
.
- ^
"Forfeiture Order"
(PDF)
.
Federal Communications Commission
. July 28, 2021
. Retrieved
September 8,
2021
.
- ^
RabbitEars TV Query for KBTV-TV
- ^
"DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds"
(PDF)
. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on August 29, 2013
. Retrieved
March 24,
2012
.
|
---|
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with
cable television
|
Local
stations
|
- KBTV-TV
(4.1
Dabl
, 4.2
TBD
, 4.3
Comet
, 4.4
Nest
, 4.5
Charge!
)
- KIPS-LD
(6.1/6.11
Religious
)
- KFDM
(6.1
CBS
, 6.2
CW+
, 6.3
Fox
)
- KBMT / K27JJ-D / KVHP-LD
(12.1
ABC
, 12.2
NBC
, 12.3
Cozi
, 12.4
MeTV
, 12.7
Crime
, 12.8
Quest
, 12.16
Crime
→
The365
(soon))
- KUIL-LD
(12.5
MNTV
, 12.6
Ion
, 12.9
Court
, 12.10
Mystery
, 12.11
Grit
, 12.12
Laff
, 12.13
H&I
, 12.14
HSN
, 12.15
QVC
)
- KUMY-LD
(22.1
NewsNet
)
- KAOB-LD
(27.1
Heartland
, 27.2 Vidor, 27.3
Family
, 27.4 Familia TV, 27.5
Rev'n
, 27.6
Retro
, 27.7
KHTW
)
- KGEW-LD (33.1
TMD
, 33.2
Defy
, 33.3
Bounce
, 33.4
Scripps News
, 33.5 Daystar Espanol)
- KITU-TV
(34.1
TBN
, 34.2
Inspire
, 34.3
Smile
)
|
---|
Adjacent
locals
|
- Houston
- KUHT
(8.1
PBS
, 8.2
Create
, 8.3
PBS Kids
, 8.4
World
)
- Lake Charles, LA
- KPLC
(7.1
NBC
, 7.2
CW+
, 7.3
Bounce
, 7.4
Grit
, 7.5
Dabl
, 7.6
Mystery
)
- KLTL
(18.1
PBS
, 18.2
PBS Kids
, 18.3
Create
)
- KVHP
(29.1
Fox
, 29.2
ABC
, 29.3
Circle
, 29.4
Ion
, 29.5
Defy
, 29.6
Laff
)
|
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|
|
---|
Local stations
|
- KPLC
(7.1
NBC
, 7.2
CW+
, 7.3
Bounce
, 7.4
Grit
, 7.5
Dabl
, 7.6
Mystery
)
- KSWL-LD
(17.1
CBS
, 17.2
Court
, 17.3
Laff
, 17.4
QVC
, 17.5
Scripps News
)
- KLTL-TV
(18.1
PBS
/
LPB
, 18.2
PBS Kids
, 18.3
Create
)
- KWWE-LD
(19.1
MNTV
/
MeTV
, 19.2
TMD
, 19.3
Sonlife
, 19.4
HSN
, 19.5
JTV
)
- KFAM-CD 24 (
Ind.
)
- KVHP
(29.1
Fox
, 29.2
ABC
, 29.3 Blank, 29.4
Ion
, 29.5
Defy
, 29.6
Laff
)
- KITU-TV
(34.1
TBN
, 34.2
Inspire
, 34.3
Enlace
, 34.4
Smile
)
- K21OB-D
(45.1
Ind.
)
|
---|
Distant
stations
|
- Lafayette
- KATC
(3.1
ABC
, 3.2
CW+
, 3.3
Grit
, 3.4
Court
, 3.5
Bounce
, 3.6
QVC
)
- KLFY-TV
(10.1
CBS
, 10.2
Dabl
, 10.3
Ion
, 10.4
Laff
)
- KLAF-LD
(14.1
NBC
)
- KADN-TV
(15.1
Fox
,
15.2
NBC
, 15.3
MNTV
)
- KDCG-CD
(22.1
H&I
, 22.2
Get
, 22.3
Buzzr
, 22.4
Movies!
)
- KXKW-LD
(32.1
NewsNet
, 32.2
ANT
, 32.3
NewsNet
, 32.4
Crime
, 32.5
Quest
)
- KLWB
(50.1
MeTV
,
50.2
H&I
, 50.3
TMD
, 50.4
Start
, 50.5
Cozi
, 50.6
Story
)
- Beaumont
- KBTV-TV
(4.1
Dabl
, 4.2
TBD
, 4.3
Comet
, 4.4
Nest
, 4.5
Charge!
)
- KFDM
(6.1
CBS
, 6.2
CW+
, 6.3
Fox
)
- KBMT
(12.1
ABC
, 12.2
NBC
, 12.3
Cozi
, 12.4
MeTV
, 12.7
Crime
, 12.8
Quest
, 12.16
Crime
)
|
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|
Other English-language television stations licensed to and serving the state of
Texas
|
---|
Shopping
affiliates
| |
---|
Independent
stations
| |
---|
Religious
stations
| |
---|
Ion Television
affiliates
| |
---|
Other network
affiliates
|
- KBTV-TV 4
(
Dabl
,
Port Arthur
)
- KGBT-TV
(4.2
REW
, 4.5
Mystery
,
Harlingen
)
- KYTX-DT 19.3
(
This
,
Longview
)
- KODF-LD 26
(HOT TV,
Britton
)
- KDAF-DT 33.2
(
ANT
,
Dallas
)
- KDAF-DT 33.3
(
Court TV
,
Dallas
)
- KMYS 35
ATSC 3.0
(
Dabl
,
Kerrville
)
- KIAH-DT 39.2
(
ANT
,
Houston
)
- KXLK-CD 40.4
(
Mystery
,
Austin
)
- KBPX-LD 46
(
The Country Network
,
Houston
)
- KTXD-TV 47
(
Stadium
,
Greenville
)
- KXAD-LD 51 (
Rev'n
,
Amarillo
)
- KAZD 55
(
SN1
,
Lake Dallas
)
- KTBU 55
(
Quest
,
Conroe
)
|
---|
Defunct
| |
---|
|
|
---|
Broadcast
TV stations
| | |
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Channels
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networks
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Cable channels
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Streaming services
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Programming
| |
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Acquisitions
| |
---|
- 1
Operated by Sinclair under an
LMA
.
- 2
Formerly separately licensed as WCGV-TV and merged with WVTV's spectrum, but remains on its former channel number as a separate station
- JV
Joint Venture
|