KBNT-CD, virtual channel 17 (UHF digital channel 24), is a low-power, Class A Univision-affiliated television station licensed to San Diego, California, United States. Owned by Entravision Communications, it is a sister station to UniMás affiliate KDTF-LD (channel 36), Azteca América affiliate XHAS-TDT (channel 33), and Milenio Televisión affiliate XHDTV-TDT (channel 49). The latter two stations are owned by Mexican-based Televisora Alco, which is 40% owned by Entravision. All four stations share studios on Ruffin Road in San Diego's Kearny Mesa section, while KBNT-CD's transmitter is located on Mount Soledad in La Jolla.
| |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Branding | Univision San Diego (general) Noticias Univision San Diego (newscasts) |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | 17.1: Univision 17.2: LATV 17.3: Stadium 17.4: Comet |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KDTF-LD, XHAS-TDT, XHDTV-TDT | |
| History | |
| Founded | February 14, 1992 |
First air date | December 3, 1992 |
Former call signs | K17DI (1992–June 20, 2000) KSZR-LP (June 20−28, 2000) KBNT-LP (June 28, 2000–2002) KBNT-CA (2002–2010) KDTF-CA (2010–2011) KTCD-CA (2011–2012) KBNT-CA (2012–2013) |
Former channel number(s) | Analog: 17 (UHF, 1998–2013) Digital: 25 (UHF, 2013–2019) |
Call sign meaning | disambiguation of original K19BN translator calls |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 4035 |
| Class | CD |
| ERP | 15 kW |
| HAAT | 219.8 m (721 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 32°50′20″N 117°14′59″W / 32.83889°N 117.24972°W |
| Translator(s) | KHAX-LD 25 (UHF) Vista |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | noticiasya |
The station's signal is relayed on low-powered KHAX-LD (channel 25) in Vista.
History
KBNT launched on May 19, 1987, as K19BN, owned by Cabrillo Broadcasting Corporation. The station obtained the Univision affiliation from Televisa-owned XEWT Tijuana on January 1, 1990.[2] The station obtained its call signal, KBNT-TV. At that time, San Diegans could receive the station only through cable television, because its weak broadcast signal could not reach the city proper. The station increased its transmitting power, boosting its signal. While still not reaching San Diego proper, it could be picked up in Escondido, San Marcos, Vista and Fallbrook.
On October 29, 1987, K49BV in Vista, owned by Vista Television, was launched. It was a repeater of the TBN network.[3] In 1995, its call sign was changed to KHAX-LP.[4]
On December 3, 1992, another low-power was created in San Diego. K17DI, owned by Community Broadcasting Co. of San Diego. It was a simulcast of Los Angeles-based KWHY-TV. Its transmitter facilities were originally based on Palomar Mountain, some 45 miles (72 km) north of the center of San Diego. It broadcast with a power of 11.9 kW, covering a major part of the city.
On December 23, 1994, K19BN reached an agreement with NBC affiliate KNSD (channel 39) to retransmit its programs on KBNT-LP (channel 62, later KNSD-LP in 1997) in La Jolla.
K19BN became KBNT-LP on August 22, 1997. That same year, ownership switched from Cabrillo to Entravision.
On June 28, 2000, major changes took place at Univision San Diego. The Univision affiliation switched from channel 19 (closed in 2001) to channel 17 (obtaining the KBNT-LP callsign and bought by Entravision), allowing Univision to reach San Diego, National City and Chula Vista over the air. This allowed then-The WB affiliate (now Fox affiliate) KSWB-TV (channel 69) to operate on digital channel 19.
The new KBNT-LP added KHAX-LP as its relay station, extending its coverage to the north. In 2002, KBNT-LP upgraded to Class A status, becoming KBNT-CA. KHAX-LP was sold to Entravision at the same time. The station's relay in La Jolla, KNSD-LP 62, was shut down in 2007.[5] That signal was leased to Entravision by KNSD owners Station Venture Operations, L.P. (operated as a joint venture between NBCUniversal and LIN Media until LIN dropped out of the venture in February 2013).
In the fall of 2008, KBNT-CD expanded again to a three-repeater operation, when KTCD-LP switched from repeating Azteca America-affiliated sister station XHAS-TV (channel 33) to KBNT.
On March 4, 2020, analog channel 49 (KHAX-LP) was shut down and a new digital channel 25 (KHAX-LD) signed on in Vista, California.
On August 9, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission canceled the license for translator KTCD-LP (analog channel 46 in San Diego), as the station did not transition to digital operation by the July 13, 2021 deadline.
Digital channels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | KBNT-DT | Main KBNT-CD programming / Univision |
| 17.2 | 480i | LATV | LATV | |
| 17.3 | Stadium | Stadium | ||
| 17.4 | Comet | Comet |
Newscasts
KBNT-CD broadcasts five hours of local newscasts each week (with one hour each weekday); the station does not produce newscasts on Saturdays or Sundays. The station produces the public affairs program Perspectiva Nacional on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. The station's half-hour newscasts compete with local newscasts on Azteca-affiliated sister station XHAS-TV. The two stations share studio facilities in Entravision's building, KBNT-CD focuses more of its news content on San Diego, while XHAS focuses its newscasts more on issues affecting Tijuana (competing against locally programmed XEWT-TDT (channel 12)).
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KBNT-CD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "MEDIA : Tijuana's XEWT-TV Targets Booming Latino Audience". February 19, 1990 – via LA Times.
- ^ "Memories of Analog TV: The 90s and 00s". www.sandiegoreader.com.
- ^ "FCCdata.org - powered by REC". fccdata.org.
- ^ "FCCdata.org - powered by REC". fccdata.org.
- ^ "RabbitEars.Info". www.rabbitears.info.