KUSG
Encyclopedia
KMYU, channel 12 is a full-service television station
in St. George, Utah
that serves as the MyNetworkTV
and ThisTV affiliate for the state of Utah. The station is owned by Four Points Media Group
, which also owns Salt Lake City CBS
affiliate KUTV. However, since March 2009, the Four Points stations are all operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group
through a local service agreement
(LSA). Since KMYU's transmitter only covers the southern portion of the state, KUTV offers KMYU's programming on a digital subchannel
. The station also broadcasts Real Salt Lake
games and Southern Utah University
sports.
. CBS sold the stations (along with five other smaller-market stations) to Four Points on January 10, 2008 (in a deal first announced on February 7, 2007).
On March 17, 2008, KUSG split from KUTV and became a separate station, operating as a Retro Television Network
affiliate for St. George; the station has estimated this has left a small number of viewers without KUTV programming.
Initially, KUSG's RTN programming was relayed on KUBX-LP
channel 58 and KCBU
channel 3, both owned by original RTN owner Equity Media Holdings, which brought the station's programming into Salt Lake City. However, on January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications, L.L.C. (who had acquired RTN in June 2008) interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates. As a result, Luken moved RTN operations to its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and dropped all Equity-owned affiliates, including KUBX and KCBU, immediately.. KUBX and KCBU were later sold to the Daystar Television Network
; KUBX is currently silent while KCBU never completed its digital transition and went off the air for good. KUSG itself was not affected (aside from the aforementioned interruption in network programming), as it is not an Equity station, but its satellite and Salt Lake City-area Comcast
coverage was lost, as they received the station's programming via KUBX/KCBU.
, KUSG had dropped RTN (which rebranded to RTV that month) for This TV
; RTV has since moved to KCSG
. The station again changed affiliations on September 20, 2010, joining MyNetworkTV. KUSG retained This TV programming as a secondary affiliation. This switch briefly made it one of two MyNetworkTV affiliates serving the geographically large Utah media market, along with KCSG. The call letters were changed to KMYU on November 16, 2010.
In September and early October 2011, the station aired NBC
's new period drama The Playboy Club
in lieu of KSL-TV
, which refused to air it due to management concerns about content and the program's promotion of Playboy
magazine. The program aired at NBC's original Monday night at 9pm MT timeslot for the series on KMYU. Like Coupling in 2003 however, which KSL also declined to air and aired on the then-KUWB
, it only aired three episodes before the network made it the first canceled new series of the new television season .
On September 8, 2011, Sinclair Broadcast Group
announced its intent to purchase Four Points from Cerberus Capital Management for $200 million; Sinclair will begin managing the stations, including KMYU, under local marketing agreements following antitrust approval, until the close of the sale, which is expected in early 2012.
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 St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
that serves as the MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
and ThisTV affiliate for the state of Utah. The station is owned by Four Points Media Group
Four Points Media Group
Four Points Media Group LLC is a television station holding company founded by the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management in 2007 with its purchase of seven television stations previously owned by CBS Television Stations, a subsidiary of CBS Corporation.Four Points Media Group took over...
, which also owns Salt Lake City CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate KUTV. However, since March 2009, the Four Points stations are all operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc., is an entity of broadcast television stations headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company consists of 50 television stations across the U.S., ranging from market sizes 9 to 201 . 43 of the stations are broadcasting at full power, with the other 4 broadcasting at...
through a local service agreement
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...
(LSA). Since KMYU's transmitter only covers the southern portion of the state, KUTV offers KMYU's programming on a digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
. The station also broadcasts Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
games and Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University, or SUU, is located in Cedar City, Utah. It was founded in 1897 as an extension of the Agricultural College of Utah, by the citizens of Cedar City.During its history, the school has been known as:...
sports.
History
The original construction permit for channel 12 was granted on May 23, 1988, and the station was assigned the call letters KUSG on September 11, 1989, but a license was not granted until January 24, 2000. When KUSG first signed on August 21, 1999, it was operated as a satellite station for KUTV, at that time a CBS owned-and-operated stationOwned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
. CBS sold the stations (along with five other smaller-market stations) to Four Points on January 10, 2008 (in a deal first announced on February 7, 2007).
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
affiliate for St. George; the station has estimated this has left a small number of viewers without KUTV programming.
Initially, KUSG's RTN programming was relayed on KUBX-LP
KUBX-LP
KUBX-LP is an independent television station in Salt Lake City, Utah, broadcasting locally on channel 58. Founded January 22, 1992, the station was owned by Equity Media Holdings....
channel 58 and KCBU
KCBU
KCBU was a television station in Price, Utah, broadcast locally in analog on channel 3 under the ownership of Equity Media Holdings. Until January 4, 2009 KCBU was an affiliate of the Retro Television Network ....
channel 3, both owned by original RTN owner Equity Media Holdings, which brought the station's programming into Salt Lake City. However, on January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications, L.L.C. (who had acquired RTN in June 2008) interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates. As a result, Luken moved RTN operations to its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and dropped all Equity-owned affiliates, including KUBX and KCBU, immediately.. KUBX and KCBU were later sold to the Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
; KUBX is currently silent while KCBU never completed its digital transition and went off the air for good. KUSG itself was not affected (aside from the aforementioned interruption in network programming), as it is not an Equity station, but its satellite and Salt Lake City-area Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
coverage was lost, as they received the station's programming via KUBX/KCBU.
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
; RTV has since moved to KCSG
KCSG
KCSG is a full-service television station in Cedar City/St. George, Utah, broadcasting locally in digital on UHF channel 14 in Cedar City as the affiliate of Me-TV for the state of Utah. Founded June 11, 1984, the station began broadcasting in May 1990 and was licensed June 21, 1990. It is owned by...
. The station again changed affiliations on September 20, 2010, joining MyNetworkTV. KUSG retained This TV programming as a secondary affiliation. This switch briefly made it one of two MyNetworkTV affiliates serving the geographically large Utah media market, along with KCSG. The call letters were changed to KMYU on November 16, 2010.
In September and early October 2011, the station aired NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's new period drama The Playboy Club
The Playboy Club
The Playboy Club is an American television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 2011 to October 3, 2011. Set in 1961, the series centers around the employees of the original Playboy Club operating in Chicago....
in lieu of KSL-TV
KSL-TV
KSL-TV, virtual channel 5, is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. KSL-TV is owned by Bonneville International Corporation, which is in turn owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, which refused to air it due to management concerns about content and the program's promotion of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
magazine. The program aired at NBC's original Monday night at 9pm MT timeslot for the series on KMYU. Like Coupling in 2003 however, which KSL also declined to air and aired on the then-KUWB
KUCW
KUCW is the CW-afifliated television station for the state of Utah that is licensed to Ogden. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter on Farnsworth Peak. Owned by High Plains Broadcasting, the station is operated through joint sales and shared services...
, it only aired three episodes before the network made it the first canceled new series of the new television season .
On September 8, 2011, Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group
The Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
announced its intent to purchase Four Points from Cerberus Capital Management for $200 million; Sinclair will begin managing the stations, including KMYU, under local marketing agreements following antitrust approval, until the close of the sale, which is expected in early 2012.