KQEG-CA
Encyclopedia
KQEG-CA, channel 23, is a Class A
station licensed in La Crescent, Minnesota
, with studios and offices in La Crosse, Wisconsin
. WIBU-LP, channel 51, is a low power station located in Tomah, Wisconsin
that simulcasts the programming of KQEG-CA. The two stations are owned by Magnum Radio, Inc.
The station maintains a secondary network affiliation with FamilyNet
. Times when FamilyNet programming is seen generally include weekdays from 1 AM to 6 AM and from 10 AM to 11:30 AM, Saturday mornings from 1 AM to 10 AM, and Sunday mornings from 1 AM to 8 AM.
The above network programming blocks are regularly preempted with syndicated Home Shopping or KQEG original programs.
Regular programming is periodically preempted for college sports (primarily Big East football, Big East men's college basketball, and Big 12 basketball) as syndicated by ESPN Regional Television
.
Original, local programming produced by KQEG includes: local high school sports, Knights of Thunder (LaCrosse Speedway coverage), Bargain House (shopping), La Crosse County board meetings, selected parades, and, in conjunction with UW-La Crosse, the annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon.
The call letters K50DK were changed to KQEG-LP on February 5, 1996. The channel was changed from 50 to 23 in February, 2001. The station's license changed from Low Power (KQEG-LP) to Class A (KQEG-CA) on August 28, 2001.
In June 2002 White Eagle Partnership purchased the construction permit for W45CF channel 45 of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
from Inspiration Television. (The construction permit had been granted to Inspiration Television in October 2001.) W45CF would operate as a translator station of KQEG-CA.
In September 2004 the community of license for W45CF was changed from Chippewa Falls to Elk Mound, Wisconsin
.
For some years, KQEG's primary network affiliation had been with UPN
, and the station maintained a secondary affiliation with FamilyNet
. Following the January 24, 2006 announcement that UPN and The WB
would merge into a new network called The CW
to launch fall 2006, KQEG gained a bit of national notoriety when it was apparently the first station to drop UPN network affiliation due to the merger, as of January 27, 2006. (Competing local station WKBT
launched UPN La Crosse/Eau Claire on digital subchannel 8.2 on January 30, 2006, swiftly filling the void left by KQEG.)
Also beginning January 30, 2006, KQEG began airing a rebroadcast of WXOW
's 6 p.m. newscast at 7 p.m. weekday evenings.
KQEG-CA and W45CF were purchased by Magnum Radio Inc. (David R. Magnum et al.) from White Eagle Partnership (Eleanor St. John) on January 19, 2009. Magnum Radio Inc. already owned WIBU-LP channel 51 of Tomah, Wisconsin.
In May 2009, KQEG's programming was revamped as the station began an affiliation with the Ion television network; this included the discontinuation of the 7 p.m. airing of WXOW's 6 p.m. newscast. Also, WIBU-LP began broadcasting as a translator station of KQEG-CA.
On June 8, 2010, Magnum Radio was granted a construction permit for W18DV-D channel 18 (UHF digital), licensed to Eau Claire. W18DV-D would replace W45CF of Elk Mound, which was never built.
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...
station licensed in La Crescent, Minnesota
La Crescent, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,923 people, 1,940 households, and 1,367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,634.4 people per square mile . There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 668.6 per square mile...
, with studios and offices in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. WIBU-LP, channel 51, is a low power station located in Tomah, Wisconsin
Tomah, Wisconsin
Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 9,093. The city is located partially within the Town of Tomah.-Education:...
that simulcasts the programming of KQEG-CA. The two stations are owned by Magnum Radio, Inc.
Programming
KQEG currently features much of the main programming schedule (non paid programming) of the Ion network. This generally includes Mondays through Saturdays from 2 PM - 11 PM and Sundays from 2 PM to 5 PM.The station maintains a secondary network affiliation with 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...
. Times when FamilyNet programming is seen generally include weekdays from 1 AM to 6 AM and from 10 AM to 11:30 AM, Saturday mornings from 1 AM to 10 AM, and Sunday mornings from 1 AM to 8 AM.
The above network programming blocks are regularly preempted with syndicated Home Shopping or KQEG original programs.
Regular programming is periodically preempted for college sports (primarily Big East football, Big East men's college basketball, and Big 12 basketball) as syndicated by ESPN Regional Television
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
Original, local programming produced by KQEG includes: local high school sports, Knights of Thunder (LaCrosse Speedway coverage), Bargain House (shopping), La Crosse County board meetings, selected parades, and, in conjunction with UW-La Crosse, the annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon.
History
KQEG was started by White Eagle Partnership (Eleanor St. John, Perry St. John, and Richard Wilson) in 1994 as K50DK channel 50. The original construction permit was dated July 15, 1992.The call letters K50DK were changed to KQEG-LP on February 5, 1996. The channel was changed from 50 to 23 in February, 2001. The station's license changed from Low Power (KQEG-LP) to Class A (KQEG-CA) on August 28, 2001.
In June 2002 White Eagle Partnership purchased the construction permit for W45CF channel 45 of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
from Inspiration Television. (The construction permit had been granted to Inspiration Television in October 2001.) W45CF would operate as a translator station of KQEG-CA.
In September 2004 the community of license for W45CF was changed from Chippewa Falls to Elk Mound, Wisconsin
Elk Mound, Wisconsin
Elk Mound is a village in Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 785 at the 2000 census. The village, named for Elk Mound, is located within the Town of Elk Mound.-Geography:Elk Mound is located at ....
.
For some years, KQEG's primary network affiliation had been with 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...
, and the station maintained a secondary affiliation with 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...
. Following the January 24, 2006 announcement that UPN 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...
would merge into a new network called The CW
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...
to launch fall 2006, KQEG gained a bit of national notoriety when it was apparently the first station to drop UPN network affiliation due to the merger, as of January 27, 2006. (Competing local station WKBT
WKBT
WKBT-DT is a television station owned and operated by Morgan Murphy Media and serving West Central Wisconsin, including La Crosse and Eau Claire. The station is primarily affiliated with CBS and airs programming from MyNetworkTV on its digital subchannel.-History:WKBT launched on August 8, 1954...
launched UPN La Crosse/Eau Claire on digital subchannel 8.2 on January 30, 2006, swiftly filling the void left by KQEG.)
Also beginning January 30, 2006, KQEG began airing a rebroadcast of WXOW
WXOW-TV
WXOW is the ABC-affiliated television station for La Crosse, Wisconsin. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter at its studios on County Highway 25 in La Crescent, Minnesota. Syndicated programming on the station includes: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,...
's 6 p.m. newscast at 7 p.m. weekday evenings.
KQEG-CA and W45CF were purchased by Magnum Radio Inc. (David R. Magnum et al.) from White Eagle Partnership (Eleanor St. John) on January 19, 2009. Magnum Radio Inc. already owned WIBU-LP channel 51 of Tomah, Wisconsin.
In May 2009, KQEG's programming was revamped as the station began an affiliation with the Ion television network; this included the discontinuation of the 7 p.m. airing of WXOW's 6 p.m. newscast. Also, WIBU-LP began broadcasting as a translator station of KQEG-CA.
Digital transition
On September 25, 2009, Magnum Radio was granted construction permits by the FCC for digital flash cuts of KQEG-CA channel 23 (UHF analog) and WIBU-LP channel 51 (UHF analog) to KQEG-CD channel 23 (UHF digital) and WIBU-LD channel 51 (UHF digital), respectively.On June 8, 2010, Magnum Radio was granted a construction permit for W18DV-D channel 18 (UHF digital), licensed to Eau Claire. W18DV-D would replace W45CF of Elk Mound, which was never built.