KCTU-LP
Encyclopedia
KCTU-LD, channel 43, is a digital low-power
television station
in Wichita, Kansas
. It is locally-owned by River City Broadcasters and has affiliations with ThisTV, AMGTV
, Untamed Sports and FamilyNet
. The station also produces some local public affairs programming, Your Hour (a news magazine).
* Although current television listings indicate that 43.2 is affiliated with AMGTV, that subchannel does not appear to carry any programming from that network. Instead, it primarily airs movies along with a few syndicated programs. It briefly aired Weigel Broadcasting
's Me-TV for one week in January 2011 until the station and Weigel failed to come to terms on a contract. (The Me-TV affiliation in the market would eventually be picked up by one of the digital subchannels of KAKE
.)
During 2010, KCTU also offered Estrella TV
on one of its subchannels; however, the station soon after withdrawn the channel from its lineup, after learning that, according to KCTU General Manager Ron Nutt, the programming on Estrella TV "was so objectionable that, at one point or another, half of its viewership had called us with a complaint. They are going for sensationalism. If an English-language network put out this content, they would be asking for trouble."
before its shutdown in May 2006), the station did not air as many infomercial
s as most ION affiliates.
KCTU was nominated for a Heartland Emmy Award for Best Dayside Newscast in 2005, reportedly the first such nomination for an English-language low power station in a Nielsen Top 160 market. The station received a second nomination in 2010 for news graphics.
On February 1, 1998, KCTU became the first commercial television station in the world to broadcast 24/7 on the internet to reach more viewers.
. According to KCTU, the station presented the cable system with a petition from 6000 subscribers and community leaders to carry the station. Cox refused to grant KCTU channel space for free. According to KCTU, Cox increased their lease fee to $70,264 per month.http://www.kctu.com/AntInstruct.htm This has led KCTU to encourage Cox subscribers to keep demanding that they pick up the channel, and to watch the station over-the-air and on the internet.
On June 28, 2011, KCTU began carriage on AT&T U-Verse, which had previously carried all the other low-power stations in the market.
Cox is not obligated to carry KCTU under "must-carry
" regulations as they do not currently apply to low-powered stations.
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 Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. It is locally-owned by River City Broadcasters and has affiliations with ThisTV, AMGTV
AMGTV
AMGTV is an American family-oriented television network, featuring programming including sitcoms, lifestyle programs, sports, films and more...
, Untamed Sports and FamilyNet
FamilyNet
FamilyNet is a broadcast television network owned by ComStar Media Fund and based in Atlanta, Georgia. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. The channel was acquired by InTouch Ministries in...
. The station also produces some local public affairs programming, Your Hour (a news magazine).
Digital television
The station's digital signal on UHF 43 is multiplexed:| Channel | Name | Programming |
|---|---|---|
| 43.1 | KCTU-DT | This TV This TV This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies.... |
| 43.2 | KCTU-DT2 | AMG-TV |
| 43.3 | KCTU-DT3 | Untamed Sports TV Untamed Sports TV Untamed Sports TV is a digital subchannel which provides niche outdoor and lifestyle programming to several stations in the United States. This channel was launched in 2008 by OlympuSAT who also distributes the Funimation Channel.-Programs:... |
| 43.4 | KCTU-DT4 | Faith and Family (a mix of FamilyNet FamilyNet FamilyNet is a broadcast television network owned by ComStar Media Fund and based in Atlanta, Georgia. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. The channel was acquired by InTouch Ministries in... & Legacy TV programming) |
Weigel Broadcasting
Weigel Broadcasting is an American locally based television broadcasting company. The company is based in downtown Chicago, Illinois, alongside its flagship station WCIU-TV , at the apt address of 26 North Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood.- History :The company was founded by Chicago...
's Me-TV for one week in January 2011 until the station and Weigel failed to come to terms on a contract. (The Me-TV affiliation in the market would eventually be picked up by one of the digital subchannels of KAKE
Kake
Kake may refer to:* Kake, Alaska* Kake, Ethiopia* Kake, Hiroshima* Kake, a character created by Tom of Finland* Kake , the actual execution of a technique* KAKE-TV, channel 10 serving Wichita, Kansas...
.)
During 2010, KCTU also offered Estrella TV
Estrella TV
Estrella TV is a Spanish-language television network owned by Liberman Broadcasting. The network launched September 14, 2009.-Affiliates:-Former Affiliates:-Controversy:...
on one of its subchannels; however, the station soon after withdrawn the channel from its lineup, after learning that, according to KCTU General Manager Ron Nutt, the programming on Estrella TV "was so objectionable that, at one point or another, half of its viewership had called us with a complaint. They are going for sensationalism. If an English-language network put out this content, they would be asking for trouble."
History
From 2001 to 2008, KCTU aired programming from ION Television (as well as the predecessor Pax and i networks). Because of the local programs and other network affiliations (including one with Urban America TelevisionUrban America Television
Urban America Television was an over-the-air television broadcast network in the United States. According to the company's website, the network had 70 affiliate stations. UATV had a reach of 22 million households in the United States. It was a successor to the earlier American Independent...
before its shutdown in May 2006), the station did not air as many infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s as most ION affiliates.
KCTU was nominated for a Heartland Emmy Award for Best Dayside Newscast in 2005, reportedly the first such nomination for an English-language low power station in a Nielsen Top 160 market. The station received a second nomination in 2010 for news graphics.
On February 1, 1998, KCTU became the first commercial television station in the world to broadcast 24/7 on the internet to reach more viewers.
KCTU vs. Cox
Being a low-powered station, KCTU is not available on Cox cableCox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
. According to KCTU, the station presented the cable system with a petition from 6000 subscribers and community leaders to carry the station. Cox refused to grant KCTU channel space for free. According to KCTU, Cox increased their lease fee to $70,264 per month.http://www.kctu.com/AntInstruct.htm This has led KCTU to encourage Cox subscribers to keep demanding that they pick up the channel, and to watch the station over-the-air and on the internet.
On June 28, 2011, KCTU began carriage on AT&T U-Verse, which had previously carried all the other low-power stations in the market.
Cox is not obligated to carry KCTU under "must-carry
Must-carry
In cable television, governments apply a must-carry regulation stating that locally-licensed television stations must be carried on a cable provider's system.- Canada :...
" regulations as they do not currently apply to low-powered stations.