KMYU

KMYU
CitySt. George, Utah
Channels
BrandingMy Utah TV
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KUTV, KJZZ-TV
History
FoundedSeptember 11, 1989
First air date
August 21, 1999 (25 years ago) (1999-08-21)
Former call signs
KUSG (1999–2010)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 12 (VHF, 1999–2009)
  • CBS (via KUTV, 1999–2008)
  • RTV (2008–2009)
  • This TV (primary 2009–2010, secondary 2010–2014)
Call sign meaning
MyNetworkTV Utah
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID35822
ERP
  • 3.2 kW
  • 160 kW (CP)
  • 250 kW (application)[1]
HAAT
  • 43 m (141 ft)
  • 57 m (187 ft) (CP)
Transmitter coordinates37°3′48″N 113°34′26″W / 37.06333°N 113.57389°W / 37.06333; -113.57389
Repeater(s)KUTV 2.2 (34.2 UHF) Salt Lake City and dependent translators
Links
Public license information
Websitekmyu.tv

KMYU (channel 12) is a television station licensed to St. George, Utah, United States, serving as the MyNetworkTV affiliate for the state of Utah. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Salt Lake City–based CBS affiliate KUTV (channel 2) and independent station KJZZ-TV (channel 14). The stations share studios on South Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City; KMYU's transmitter is located atop Webb Hill, 2+1⁄4 miles (3.6 km) south of downtown St. George. Previously, KMYU-TV maintained separate studios in the J. C. Snow Building on East St. George Boulevard in downtown St. George, while KUTV's facilities only housed KMYU's master control and some internal operations.

KUTV's plans to install a high-power station in southern Utah dated to the late 1980s, but while KUTV began selling local advertising on its existing southern Utah transmitters in 1993, what was then known as KUSG did not begin broadcasting until 1999. In 2008, the station was spun out as "Utah's RTN", an affiliate of the Retro Television Network, which switched to programming from This TV in 2009 and to MyNetworkTV in 2010. KMYU airs MyNetworkTV and syndicated shows as well as repeats of KUTV newscasts and several local sports programs.

Outside of southwestern Utah, KMYU is broadcast statewide on KUTV and its dependent translators (as subchannel 2.2), and KUTV is similarly rebroadcast by KMYU.

History

[edit]

In 1986, Steven D. King, an Atlanta businessman, successfully petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to add channel 12 to St. George as its first full-service television allocation.[4] In 1987, applications were received from Red Mountain Broadcasting Company, whose backers included Jim Rogers, owner of Las Vegas station KVBC;[5] and by KUTV, Inc.[6] The FCC designated these applications for comparative hearing in February 1988,[7] but before the hearing could begin, a settlement agreement was reached and approved on May 23 in which KUTV was granted the permit.[8]

Even though the station would not begin broadcasting until 1999, KUTV began to lay the groundwork for the new station, which received the call sign KUSG.[9][10] Potential was also recognized for KUSG to possibly create a new media market for southern Utah that then could lead to KCCZ in Cedar City becoming a network affiliate as well.[11] KUTV then drew the ire of Washington County, which owned the translators by which KUTV was broadcasting in the area, by proposing to begin local advertising insertion for the St. George area on the translators—in part to begin building an advertising base in southern Utah.[12] This was possible because of the way the signal was delivered from Salt Lake City. The first hop on the translator network going south was at Levan. The KUTV translator at Levan, which was owned by the station, was authorized as a low-power television station with program origination capabilities.[13] However, competing broadcasters, especially KCCZ, believed the deal gave KUTV an unfair advantage by allowing it to use translator infrastructure owned by local authorities.[12][14] To defuse this controversy, KUTV management worked out deals with service companies who took over maintenance of the translators in Washington and Iron counties, and local ad insertion began in February 1992.[15] In the meantime, plans to build KUSG itself continued to be delayed.[16][a]

KUSG began broadcasting on August 21, 1999, and initially operated as a satellite station of KUTV. However, after Four Points Media Group, a broadcast holding company operated by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, acquired KUTV, KUSG, and other smaller-market CBS-owned stations in January 2008,[20] Four Points spun out KUSG with separate programming. It became known as "Utah's RTN", an affiliate of the Retro Television Network (RTN) featuring Southern Utah news updates from KUTV; KUTV remained available over the air from its other translator on channel 49 as well as on cable and satellite, and the station estimated this switch left a small number of viewers without KUTV programming.[21]

Equity Media Holdings, which owned RTN, soon fell into major financial difficulties. Initially, KUSG's RTN programming was relayed on Equity-owned KUBX-LP (channel 58) in Salt Lake City and KCBU (channel 3) in Price, which respectively brought the station's programming into Salt Lake City and earned it must-carry status on cable and satellite systems. However, on January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications (which had acquired RTN in June 2008) interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates.[22] As a result, Luken moved RTN operations to its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and dropped all Equity-owned affiliates, including KUBX and KCBU, immediately.[23] 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.[24]

By June 2009, KUSG had dropped RTN (which rebranded to RTV that month) for This TV;[25] it then added programming from MyNetworkTV on September 20, 2010, and changed its call sign to KMYU on November 16, 2010.[9] Outside of MyNetworkTV, KMYU continued to air This TV programs until 2015. On September 8, 2011, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced its intent to purchase Four Points from Cerberus Capital Management for $200 million; Sinclair began managing the stations, including KMYU, under local marketing agreements following antitrust approval.[26] The deal was completed on January 3, 2012.[27]

In September and early October 2011, the station aired NBC's new period drama The Playboy Club in lieu of KSL-TV (channel 5), 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 9 p.m. (MT) timeslot for the series on KMYU.[28] Like Coupling in 2003 however, which KSL also declined to air and aired on the then-KUWB (channel 30, now KUCW), it only aired three episodes before the network made it the first canceled new series of the new television season.[29]

In 2017, Sinclair proposed the purchase of Tribune Media, which owned Salt Lake City Fox affiliate KSTU (channel 13).[30] As part of divestitures related to the deal, Sinclair announced in April 2018 that it would have sold KMYU to Howard Stirk Holdings while continuing to provide services to the station.[31] However, flaws with the deal in other cities—notably Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and St. Louis—resulted in the FCC commissioners designating the transaction for hearing before an administrative law judge in July 2018,[32] which led to its cancellation the following month.[33]

Local programming

[edit]

Sports programming

[edit]

KMYU's sports programming includes live Utah High School Activities Association high school football games, including state championships; KMYU also airs Talkin' Sports, a nightly sports talk show aired after KUTV's 10 p.m. newscast, which it simulcasts. In 2015, KMYU became the main regional broadcaster of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake.[34] Sinclair renewed its contract in 2018.[35][36][37][b] KMYU has also aired matches from RSL's reserve team Real Monarchs (in the USL) and its women's team Utah Royals FC (NWSL).[39][40][41] In 2024, KMYU began broadcasting weekend home games for the Salt Lake Bees Minor League Baseball team.[42]

Newscasts

[edit]

After KUSG adopted its own separate schedule in 2008, it began airing Southern Utah-specific news updates.[43] Even though multiple KUTV newscasts are repeated or simulcast on KMYU, the station has no dedicated newscasts. National news coverage is provided by the Sinclair-produced The National Desk and the airing of Sinclair's Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.[44]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KMYU[45]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
12.1 720p 16:9 KMYU-HD MyNetworkTV
2.1 1080i KUTV-HD CBS (KUTV)
  Simulcast of subchannels of another station

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

KMYU shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 12, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television, continuing to broadcast in digital on VHF channel 9 (using virtual channel 12).[46]

Translators

[edit]
Main article: KUTV § Translators

Two translators in Iron County rebroadcast KMYU, with most of its coverage coming as a KUTV subchannel on that station's translators.[45]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ KUTV had four majority owners in the span of two years. In 1993, the George C. Hatch family sold 40 percent to VS&A Communications Partners of New York, which then became the majority owner with an 88-percent interest. VS&A then decided to sell its media holdings, which included KUTV.[17] VS&A's majority ownership of KUTV was purchased by NBC, with which KUTV was affiliated at the time.[18] However, within months, in the wake of a major national station realignment, NBC traded KUTV, KCNC-TV in Denver, and the channel 4 physical plant in Miami to CBS for the weaker channel 6 facility in Miami and WCAU-TV, the CBS-owned station in Philadelphia, in turn kickstarting an affiliation switch in 1995.[19]
  2. ^ All Major League Soccer local television rights agreements ended after 2022 to make way for MLS's 10-year deal with Apple.[38]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Channel Substitution/Community of License Change". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. December 2, 2020. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "Report & Order" (PDF). Media Bureau, Federal Communications Commission. May 20, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KMYU". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. ^ "St. George TV OK'd". The Daily Spectrum. February 25, 1986. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Construction Permit". The Daily Spectrum. July 6, 1987. p. 10. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Public Notice". The Daily Spectrum. September 6, 1987. p. 10. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Notice of Designation for Hearing". The Daily Spectrum. March 10, 1988. p. B7. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 20, 1988. p. 79. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  10. ^ Summerill, Scott (April 23, 1991). "St. George adds television station". The Daily Spectrum. p. 3A. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Summerill, Scott (April 25, 1991). "NBC station on-line by fall?". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. 2A. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b Summerill, Scott (December 31, 1991). "Officials pull the plug on KUTV's plans". The Daily Spectrum. p. 3A. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Chidester, Phil (February 1, 1992). "Broadcasters, officials combat KUTV". The Daily Spectrum. p. 3A. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Chidester, Phil (February 18, 1992). "Iron County Commission bows out of broadcast battle". The Daily Spectrum. p. 3A. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Summerill, Scott (February 11, 1992). "KUTV 'top guns' arrive to handle controversy". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. 3A. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Snedeker, Lisa (June 24, 1993). "KUTV plans to expand coverage in Southern Utah". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. B1. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "N.Y. investors putting Channel 2 up for sale". Deseret News. June 22, 1994. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  18. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (August 15, 1994). "NBC buys 88% interest in S.L. television affiliate". Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  19. ^ Schindler, Harold; Keahey, John (November 22, 1994). "Utah's TV Stations Switching Channels". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. A1, A4. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "CBS Corporation completes sale of local TV stations to Cerberus" (Press release). CBS Corporation. January 10, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  21. ^ hudson, Bob (March 12, 2008). "So. Utah gets another TV station". The Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. C1, C2. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "What's Wrong with MyTV?". WSAV-TV. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009.
  23. ^ "Financial Dispute Disrupts RTN Diginet". TV Newsday. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009.
  24. ^ "Interruption in Utah's RTN Program Schedule". Utah's RTN. Retrieved January 10, 2009.[dead link‍]
  25. ^ "Business Services - Advertising & Marketing - KUSG in St. George, UT - StGeorge.biz". StGeorge.biz. Archived from the original on July 1, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  26. ^ "Sinclair Buys Four Points Media For $200M". TVNewsCheck. September 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  27. ^ "Sinclair Closes Four Points Media Acquisition". TVNewsCheck. January 3, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  28. ^ Schneider, Michael (June 28, 2011). "The Playboy Club Lands New Home in Salt Lake City". TV Guide.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  29. ^ Pierce, Scott (October 4, 2011). "NBC axes "The Playboy Club," much to KSL's relief". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  30. ^ Stephen Battaglio (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion plus debt". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  31. ^ "Sinclair Revises TV Spinoff Plans For Tribune Deal, Announces Deals For Several Stations". All Access. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  32. ^ Edmund Lee (July 18, 2018). "Sinclair Tries to Appease F.C.C., but Its Tribune Bid Is Challenged". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  33. ^ Fung, Brian; Romm, Tony (August 9, 2018). "Tribune withdraws from Sinclair merger, saying it will sue for 'breach of contract'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  34. ^ "Real Salt Lake close TV deal that would provide "quantum leap" in market reach". Real Salt Lake. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  35. ^ Komma, Matt. "Real Salt Lake extends Partnership with KMYU". KUTV.com. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  36. ^ "Real Salt Lake launches innovative local streaming partnership with KSL". February 12, 2018. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  37. ^ Morton, Aaron (February 13, 2018). "KSL to stream nearly all Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals and Monarchs games". DeseretNews.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  38. ^ Stejskal, Sam (June 14, 2022). "MLS agrees to 10-year broadcast deal with Apple worth $2.5 billion: Sources". The Athletic. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022. Apple TV matches will not be shown on local television networks...
  39. ^ Watkins, Steven (July 7, 2018). "Sports on the air for July 8–14". Deseret News. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  40. ^ Montgomery, Matt (April 23, 2015). "Remaining Real Monarchs home matches to be on KMYU". RSL Soapbox. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  41. ^ "Utah Royals FC Unveils Inaugural Season Broadcast Options". March 22, 2018. Archived from the original on April 14, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  42. ^ "KMYU to Broadcast 36 Bees Games in 2024". Salt Lake Bees. May 10, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  43. ^ Hudson, Bob (March 27, 2008). "Koelbel speaks of partnership". The Daily Spectrum. Saint George, Utah. p. C1, C2. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ Sinclair Broadcast Group (October 8, 2022). "KMYU Issues and Programs List Q3 2022" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  45. ^ a b "RabbitEars TV Query for KMYU". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  46. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. May 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
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