KBCA
Encyclopedia
KBCA is a television station
in Alexandria, Louisiana
, broadcasting locally on channel 41 as an affiliate of the The CW network. It is owned by Carencro, Louisiana
-based Wilderness Communications. Its transmitter is based in the nearby town of Glenmora, Louisiana
.
KBCA launched on June 1, 2005 as a WB Network
affiliate.
At the time of KBCA's launch, The WB Television Network had a group of cable-only stations in markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States, called The WB 100+ Station Group. Since the WB 100+ was created before digital television was easily available in the United States, most WB 100+ stations were only available on cable, with a few over-the-air broadcast stations.
This was the case with Alexandria's WB affiliate. Prior to KBCA's launch, the WB was only available to local cable subscribers. During this time, the "WB station" in Alexandria was identified by two different station call letters. It began as KCLA
WB channel 6, and then later as KAXN WB channel 65.
In early 2004, rumors had been spreading in the Alexandria market of a possible new television station to be launched. Local media insiders believed White Knight Broadcasting
, then owners of Fox
affiliate WNTZ
was negotiating the purchase of the new channel with plans of moving the Fox affiliation to it. Eventually, upon petitioning the FCC
for the new channel, the plans were denied. Owners of White Knight eventually spoke to the previous of owners of WNTZ, Delta Media Corporation. Delta Media executives created a new corporate name, Dimension Broadcasting (a shell company for Wilderness Communications, LLC, another broadcasting company they owned and operated), and petitioned the FCC for the new license and won, becoming Dimension's charter station.
White Knight was also instrumental in assisting Dimension Broadcasting establish a relationship with the WB 100+ Station Group for the new KBCA, since White Knight also had previously owned the LMA
to the Alexandria WB 100+ cable-only affiliate, KAXN. Furthermore, the Dimension/Wilderness and White Knight relationship helped the owners of Dimension/Wildnerness eventually purchase two more stations, KLWB in Lafayette, Louisiana
, and KCEB
in Tyler, Texas
. Both of these stations became WB affiliates (under the WB 100+ Station Group).
In turn, the Dimension Broadcasting ownership allowed White Knight to operate KBCA under a LMA, managed by the staff of WNTZ. The headquarters and master control operation for KBCA (and later KLWB) eventually were established in Carencro, Louisiana, in space once occupied by a restaurant owned by Delta Media that houses that company's television and radio properties. KBCA established its local base of operation within offices Delta Media own along Alexandria's Jackson Street, which at the time were being rented by White Knight for WNTZ's base of operation.
Due to the bankruptcy of White Knight Broadcasting and its sister company Communications Corporation of America, both based in Lafayette, it was forced to dissolve its LMA with Dimension Broadcasting by the middle of 2006. However, operations of both KBCA and WNTZ remained in the Jackson Street offices, even though each station was operating separately as two companies occupying the office space. WNTZ eventually left the rented office space in the building by 2007 and moved, leaving KBCA alone in its own property. Owners eventually moved the entire operation of KBCA to its headquarters in Carenco shortly thereafter, leaving no base of operation for KBCA in Alexandria at all.
networks announced they would merge into a new singular network, The CW. In turn, Fox
owner News Corporation
announced the creation of MyNetworkTV
for those stations left out in the cold due to The CW merger.
KBCA, which held The WB affiliation a mere six months prior to the announced CW merger, was a perfect match and was announced as the Alexandria affiliate of The CW, which commenced operations on September 18, 2006.
After the The CW announcement by KBCA, KBCA's former elder sister station, Fox affiliate WNTZ
was announced as MyNetworkTV's home under a secondary affiliation agreement. Former UPN station KWCE-LP
(channel 36 at the time), became an affiliate of Retro Television Network, and moved to channel 27 on the television dial.
KBCA's programming includes the full CW schedule as well as the live, late-night interactive show "TEXT ME TV," a program produced out of Lansing, Michigan's
WLAJ-TV.
after the FCC
finalized the DTV
allotment plan on April 21, 1997 http://www.transmitter.com/FCC97115/chanplan.html, the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station
. Instead, on or before June 12, 2009, which is the end of the digital TV conversion period for full-service stations, KBCA was required to turn off its analog signal
and turn on its digital signal
(called a "flash-cut
").
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 Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, broadcasting locally on channel 41 as an affiliate of the The CW network. It is owned by Carencro, Louisiana
Carencro, Louisiana
Carencro[p] is a small city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a suburb of the nearby city of Lafayette. The population was 6,120 at the 2000 census. Its name comes from the Louisiana Creole word for buzzard: the spot was one where large flocks of buzzards roosted in the bald...
-based Wilderness Communications. Its transmitter is based in the nearby town of Glenmora, Louisiana
Glenmora, Louisiana
Glenmora is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,558 at the 2000 census....
.
Before and after the launch of KBCA
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...
affiliate.
At the time of KBCA's launch, The WB Television Network had a group of cable-only stations in markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States, called The WB 100+ Station Group. Since the WB 100+ was created before digital television was easily available in the United States, most WB 100+ stations were only available on cable, with a few over-the-air broadcast stations.
This was the case with Alexandria's WB affiliate. Prior to KBCA's launch, the WB was only available to local cable subscribers. During this time, the "WB station" in Alexandria was identified by two different station call letters. It began as KCLA
KCLA
KCLA was an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA. The station was most recently owned by Community Broadcast Group Inc., and the broadcast license held by M.R.S. Ventures, Inc...
WB channel 6, and then later as KAXN WB channel 65.
In early 2004, rumors had been spreading in the Alexandria market of a possible new television station to be launched. Local media insiders believed White Knight Broadcasting
White Knight Broadcasting
White Knight Broadcasting is a company based in Lafayette, Louisiana. It is a shell company for the Communications Corporation of America , owning seven ComCorp-controlled stations, all based in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi...
, then owners of 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...
affiliate WNTZ
WNTZ
WNTZ-TV is the Fox affiliate television station for the Alexandria, Louisiana Designated Market Area. It is licensed to Natchez, Mississippi, which is part of the Jackson, Mississippi television market. The station also has a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV.It broadcasts a digital signal on...
was negotiating the purchase of the new channel with plans of moving the Fox affiliation to it. Eventually, upon petitioning the FCC
Federal 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...
for the new channel, the plans were denied. Owners of White Knight eventually spoke to the previous of owners of WNTZ, Delta Media Corporation. Delta Media executives created a new corporate name, Dimension Broadcasting (a shell company for Wilderness Communications, LLC, another broadcasting company they owned and operated), and petitioned the FCC for the new license and won, becoming Dimension's charter station.
White Knight was also instrumental in assisting Dimension Broadcasting establish a relationship with the WB 100+ Station Group for the new KBCA, since White Knight also had previously owned the LMA
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...
to the Alexandria WB 100+ cable-only affiliate, KAXN. Furthermore, the Dimension/Wilderness and White Knight relationship helped the owners of Dimension/Wildnerness eventually purchase two more stations, KLWB in Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, and KCEB
KCEB
KCEB is a full-service television station in Longview, Texas, broadcasting locally as the CW affiliate on digital channel 51. Owned by London Broadcasting, KCEB broadcasts with an output power of 500 kW from its transmitter on the KFXK tower near New London and Overton, southwest of Longview, and...
in Tyler, Texas
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
. Both of these stations became WB affiliates (under the WB 100+ Station Group).
In turn, the Dimension Broadcasting ownership allowed White Knight to operate KBCA under a LMA, managed by the staff of WNTZ. The headquarters and master control operation for KBCA (and later KLWB) eventually were established in Carencro, Louisiana, in space once occupied by a restaurant owned by Delta Media that houses that company's television and radio properties. KBCA established its local base of operation within offices Delta Media own along Alexandria's Jackson Street, which at the time were being rented by White Knight for WNTZ's base of operation.
Due to the bankruptcy of White Knight Broadcasting and its sister company Communications Corporation of America, both based in Lafayette, it was forced to dissolve its LMA with Dimension Broadcasting by the middle of 2006. However, operations of both KBCA and WNTZ remained in the Jackson Street offices, even though each station was operating separately as two companies occupying the office space. WNTZ eventually left the rented office space in the building by 2007 and moved, leaving KBCA alone in its own property. Owners eventually moved the entire operation of KBCA to its headquarters in Carenco shortly thereafter, leaving no base of operation for KBCA in Alexandria at all.
The CW merger and effect on KBCA
On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPNUPN
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...
networks announced they would merge into a new singular network, The CW. In turn, 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...
owner News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
announced the creation of MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
for those stations left out in the cold due to The CW merger.
KBCA, which held The WB affiliation a mere six months prior to the announced CW merger, was a perfect match and was announced as the Alexandria affiliate of The CW, which commenced operations on September 18, 2006.
After the The CW announcement by KBCA, KBCA's former elder sister station, Fox affiliate WNTZ
WNTZ
WNTZ-TV is the Fox affiliate television station for the Alexandria, Louisiana Designated Market Area. It is licensed to Natchez, Mississippi, which is part of the Jackson, Mississippi television market. The station also has a secondary affiliation with MyNetworkTV.It broadcasts a digital signal on...
was announced as MyNetworkTV's home under a secondary affiliation agreement. Former UPN station KWCE-LP
KWCE-LP
KWCE-LP, channel 27, is a television station in Alexandria, Louisiana. It is owned by Pollack/Belz Broadcasting Company , and is an affiliate of the Retro Television Network....
(channel 36 at the time), became an affiliate of Retro Television Network, and moved to channel 27 on the television dial.
KBCA's programming includes the full CW schedule as well as the live, late-night interactive show "TEXT ME TV," a program produced out of Lansing, Michigan's
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
WLAJ-TV.
Digital television
Because it was granted an original construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
after the FCC
Federal 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...
finalized the DTV
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
allotment plan on April 21, 1997 http://www.transmitter.com/FCC97115/chanplan.html, the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital 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...
. Instead, on or before June 12, 2009, which is the end of the digital TV conversion period for full-service stations, KBCA was required to turn off its analog signal
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
and turn on its digital signal
Digital signal
A digital signal is a physical signal that is a representation of a sequence of discrete values , for example of an arbitrary bit stream, or of a digitized analog signal...
(called a "flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
").